Demand-based thiolate anion generation under virtually neutral conditions: influence of steric and electronic factors on chemo- and regioselective cleavage of aryl alkyl ethers

Thiolate anions have been generated in a "demand-based" fashion under virtually neutral conditions for chemoselective deprotection of aryl alkyl ethers. Solvents play the critical role in making the reaction effective and should have high values of epsilon (>30), molecular polarizabilities (>10), and DN (>27) and low values of AN (<14). However, it is the combined effect of all of these physical properties that make a particular solvent effective. The reaction rates of cleavage of various aryl alkyl ethers are dependent on the steric crowding around the O-alkyl carbon and follow the order propargyl approximately allyl approximately benzyl > methyl > ethyl. Electron-withdrawing substituents increase the rate of ether cleavage reaction. The influence of the steric and electronic factors have been successfully exploited for selective deprotection of aryl alkyl ethers during inter- and intramolecular competitions.     

An efficient intermolecular BINAM-copper(I) catalyzed Ullmann-type coupling of aryl iodides/bromides with aliphatic alcohols

A wide range of alkyl aryl ethers are synthesized from the corresponding aryl iodides and aliphatic alcohols through Ullmann-type intermolecular coupling reactions in the presence of a catalytic amount of easily available BINAM-CuI complex. Less reactive aryl bromides have also been shown to react with aliphatic alcohols under identical reaction conditions to give good yields of the alkyl aryl ethers without increasing the reaction temperature and time.     

A catalytic amount of nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate and 1,2-ethanedithiol is a good combination for the cleavage of tetrahydropyranyl (THP) and tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) ethers

Various THP and TBS ethers can be unmasked easily to the corresponding hydroxyl compounds in good yields by using a combination of a catalytic amount of nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate and 1,2-ethanedithiol at room temperature. In addition, alkyl TBS ethers can be hydrolyzed chemoselectively in the presence of aryl TBS ethers. Moreover, alkyl TBS ethers can be cleaved easily in the presence of alkyl or aryl THP ethers using the same conditions.     

Decarboxylative etherification of aromatic carboxylic acids

Decarboxylative Chan-Evans-Lam-type couplings are presented as a new strategy for the regiospecific construction of diaryl and alkyl aryl ethers starting from easily available aromatic carboxylic acids. They allow converting various aromatic carboxylate salts into the corresponding aryl ethers by reaction with alkyl orthosilicates or aryl borates, under aerobic conditions in the presence of silver carbonate as the decarboxylation catalyst and copper acetate as the cross-coupling catalyst.     

Influence of hydrogen bonding in the activation of nucleophiles: PhSH-(catalytic) KF in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as an efficient protocol for selective cleavage of alkyl/aryl esters and aryl alkyl ethers under nonhydrolytic and neutral conditions

The nucleophilicity of arenethiols can be augmented via hydrogen bonding with "naked" halide anion. The activity of the halide anions follow the order F(-) > Cl(-) approximately Br(-) approximately I(-) and is dependent on the countercation (Bu(4)N approximately Cs approximately K > Na > Li). The solvent plays an important role in nucleophilic activation as well as regeneration of the effective nucleophile (e.g. ArS(-)) and those with high dielectric constant, high molecular polarizability, high donor number (DN), and low acceptor number (AN) are the most effective. Selective deprotection of alkyl/aryl esters and aryl alkyl ethers can be achieved under nonhydrolytic and neutral conditions by the treatment with thiophenol in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in the presence of a catalytic amount of KF. Aryl esters are selectively deprotected in the presence of alkyl esters and alkyl methyl ethers during intramolecular competitions.     

Chemoselectivity in the Cu-catalyzed O-arylation of phenols and aliphatic alcohols

An orthogonal set of Cu-catalysts for the selective mono-arylation of alkyl aryl diols using aryl iodides is presented. Picolinic acid ligated copper catalyst provided phenol O-arylation only, while alkyl aryl ethers are generated by ligand-free copper catalyst in the presence of 2 equivalents NaOt-Bu.     

Decarboxylative C(sp3)−O Cross‐Coupling

Alkyl aryl ethers are an important class of compounds in medicinal and agricultural chemistry. Catalytic C(sp³)?O cross‐coupling of alkyl electrophiles with phenols is an unexplored disconnection strategy to the synthesis of alkyl aryl ethers, with the potential to overcome some of the major limitations of existing methods such as C(sp²)?O cross‐coupling and S_N2 reactions. Reported here is a tandem photoredox and copper catalysis to achieve decarboxylative C(sp³)?O coupling of alkyl N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) esters with phenols under mild reaction conditions. This method was used to synthesize a diverse set of alkyl aryl ethers using readily available alkyl carboxylic acids, including many natural products and drug molecules. Complementarity in scope and functional‐group tolerance to existing methods was demonstrated.     

Gold(I)-catalyzed propargyl Claisen rearrangement

Homoallenic alcohols are prepared from propargyl vinyl ethers using a trinuclear gold(I)-oxo complex, [(Ph3PAu)3O]BF4, as a catalyst for propargyl Claisen rearrangement at room temperature. The gold(I)-catalyzed reaction is effective for a diverse collection of propargyl vinyl ethers, including substrates containing aryl and alkyl groups at the propargylic position, and hydrogen, aryl, and alkyl substituents at the alkyne terminus. Tertiary propargyl vinyl ethers can be employed in the reaction, at slightly elevated temperatures, to afford tetrasubstituted allenes. Importantly, the rearrangement of 1,2-disubstituted vinyl ethers proceeds with excellent diastereoselectivity, and the rearrangement of chiral nonracemic propargyl vinyl ethers proceeds with excellent chirality transfer to furnish enantioenriched allenes.     

Photoinitiated cationic oligomerization of aryl 1-propenyl ethers

A series of aryl 1-propenyl ethers (ArPE) were prepared by the isomerization of the corresponding allyl aryl ethers (AArE) and used for photoinduced cationic polymerization studies. Attempted polymerization reactions using diaryliodonium salts as photoinitiators generally resulted in low yields of oligomers. Further studies revealed that these compounds have much lower reactivity in cationic vinyl polymerization as compared to their alkyl analogues. Moreover, side reactions resulting from chain transfer due to Friedel–Crafts alkylations take place and compete with vinyl polymerization. These side reactions are responsible for the low molecular weights observed in the cationic photopolymerization of aryl 1-propenyl ether monomers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3017–3025, 1999     

Triton B–Mediated Efficient and Convenient Alkoxylation of Activated Aryl and Heteroaryl Halides

A simple and convenient one-pot synthesis of aryl alkyl ethers by the alkoxylation of aryl halides with alcohol in the presence of Triton B as a base is described. The procedure is applicable for a variety of aryl and heteroaryl halides, and yields are very good. The use of a nonmetallic base and solvent-free conditions are important features of the reaction.     

A mild deprotection strategy for allyl-protecting groups and its implications in sequence specific dendrimer synthesis

A mild deprotection strategy for allyl ethers under basic conditions in the presence of a palladium catalyst is described. Under these conditions, aryl allyl ethers can be cleaved selectively in the presence of alkyl allyl ethers. These conditions are also effective in the deprotection of allyloxycarbonyl groups. The utility of the current methodology in sequence specific dendrimer synthesis is demonstrated.     

Highly efficient synthesis of phenols by copper-catalyzed hydroxylation of aryl iodides, bromides, and chlorides

8-Hydroxyquinolin-N-oxide was found to be a very efficient ligand for the copper-catalyzed hydroxylation of aryl iodides, aryl bromides, or aryl chlorides under mild reaction conditions. This methodology provides a direct transformation of aryl halides to phenols and to alkyl aryl ethers. The inexpensive catalytic system showed great functional group tolerance and excellent selectivity.     

SYNTHESIS OF ALKYL AND ARYL 1-PROPENYL ETHER MONOMERS: A NEW APPROACH

A new, convenient synthesis of alkyl and aryl 1-propenyl ether monomers in good to excellent yields has been developed. Alkyl and aryl allyl ethers can be smoothly isomerized to the desired 1-propenyl ethers by refluxing in a basic ethanolic solution containing pentacarbonyliron as a catalyst. A simplified two-step, one-pot procedure has also been developed which consists of combining an alcohol with allyl bromide in the presence of base and then adding pentacarbonyliron to isomerize the in-situ generated allyl ether to directly give the 1-propenyl ether. Good yields of alkyl 1-propenyl ethers were obtained using this process. Factors affecting the isomerization reaction were investigated and a mechanism was proposed.     

The electronic absorption spectra of some acyl azides molecular orbital treatment

The electronic absorption spectra of benzoyl azide and its derivatives: p-methyl, p-methoxy, p-chloro and p-nitrobenzoyl azide were investigated in different solvents. The observed spectra differ basically from the electronic spectra of aryl azides or alkyl azides. Four intense pi-pi* transitions were observed in the accessible UV region of the spectrum of each of the studied compounds. The contribution of charge transfer configurations to the observed transitions is rather weak. Shift of band maximum with solvent polarity is minute. On the other hand, band intensity is highly dependent on the solvent used. The observed transitions are delocalized rather than localized ones as in the case with aryl and alkyl azides. The attachment of the CO group to the azide group in acyl azides has a significant effect on the electronic structure of the molecule. The arrangements as well as energies of the molecular orbitals are different in acyl azides from those in aryl azides. The first electronic transition in phenyl azide is at 276 nm, whereas that of bezoyle azide is at 251 nm. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations using both RHF/6-311G* and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels were carried out on the ground states of the studied compounds. The wave functions of the excited states were calculated using the CIS and the AM1-CI procedures.     

Cycloaddition-rearrangement of cyclohexadienol ethers. A versatile and selective synthesis of cyclopentenoid systems

1,4-Cyclohexadienol ethers prepared by the Birch reduction of alkyl aryl ethers react at ambient pressure and moderate temperatures with p-bromobenzenesulfonyl azide to yield cyclopentenecarboximidates. The cycloaddition-rearrangement is highly specific for the more electron rich of the two double bonds of the diene.     

Nickel-catalyzed reductive cleavage of aryl-oxygen bonds in alkoxy- and pivaloxyarenes using hydrosilanes as a mild reducing agent

A nickel-catalyzed reductive deoxygenation of aryl alkyl ethers and aryl pivalates has been developed. Hydrosilanes serve as a mild reducing agent. The present protocol allows the use of a pivalate group as a robust and traceless steering group in arene functionalization reactions.     

Diphenyl disulfide and sodium in NMP as an efficient protocol for in situ generation of thiophenolate anion: selective deprotection of aryl alkyl ethers and alkyl/aryl esters under nonhydrolytic conditions

Aryl methyl ethers, methyl esters, aryl esters, and aryl sulfonates are chemoselectively deprotected under nonhydrolytic conditions by treatment with Ph(2)S(2) (0.6 equiv) and Na (1.6 equiv) in NMP under reflux or at 90 degrees C. Quantitative utilization of the 'PhS' moiety as the effective nucleophilic species represents conservation of atom economy. Other solvents such as HMPA, DMPU, DMEU, and DMF afforded comparable results. Chloro, nitro, aldehyde, alpha,alpha-diketone, and alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone functionalities remain unaffected. The deprotection was found to take place in the order aryl ester > alkyl ester > aryl alkyl ether. Substrates bearing strong electron-withdrawing groups react at a faster rate than those not having such substitution. The differences in rate of reaction has been exploited for selective deprotection for intramolecular competition. An aryl acetate/benzoate is deprotected selectively in preference to a methyl ester or aryl methyl ether. Selective deprotection of a methyl ester is observed in the presence of an aryl alkyl ether.     

Stereoselective radical aryl migration from silicon to carbon

Highly diastereoselective radical 1,5 phenyl migration reactions from silicon in diarylsilyl ethers to various C-centered radicals to form the corresponding 3-phenylated alcohols are described. Functionalized aryl groups can also be transferred. The effect of the variation of the attacking radical on the aryl transfer reaction is discussed. Best results are obtained for the phenyl migration to nucleophilic secondary alkyl radicals, where high yields (up to 81%) and high selectivities (up to 95% ds) have been obtained. The mechanism of the process is discussed and a model to explain the stereochemical outcome of the reaction is presented. Finally, stereoselective 1,4 aryl migration reactions from Si to C, including a new method for the alpha-arylation of esters, are presented.     

Nucleophilic substitution reactions using Polyacrylamide-Based phase transfer catalyst in organic and aqueous media

Poly [N-(2-aminoethyl) acrylamido] trimemethyl ammonium chloride was prepared and used as an effective heterogeneous phase-transfer catalyst. This modified polyacrylamide catalyzed nucleophilic displacement of alkyl halides for easy preparation of alkyl thiocyanates, alkyl cyanides, alkyl azides, and alkyl aryl ethers in high yields and short reaction times in organic and aqueous media under two-phase and triphase conditions. The catalyst can be recovered and reused several times.     

Structural Effects in the Mitsunobu Reaction of Calix[4]arene with Benzylic and Allylic Alcohols [1]

A study of the Mitsunobu reaction involving calix[4]arene and a series of benzylic and allylic alcohols reveals the structural effect of the alcohol component on the distribution between Oand C-alkylation of the phenol component in the formation of aryl alkyl ethers and p-alkylated phenols, respectively.