The high resolution mass spectra of α,β-unsaturated and α-chloromercuri-α,β-unsaturated steroidal ketones

The high resolution mass spectra (500 eV) of some α,β-unsaturated steroidal ketones have been studied and compared with the spectra of the corresponding α-chloromercuri ketones. In the latter, the carbon-mercury bond frequently remains intact at the expense of the fission of two carbon-carbon bonds. The abundance of mercury-containing ions allows the use of the mercury atom fingerprint in confirming ring B fragmentation of the steroid nucleus at C(6)–C(7) and C(9)–C(10) for 5α-androst-1-ene-3,17-dione, 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione and their 2-chloromercuri derivatives; and at C(7)–C(8) and C(9)–C(10) for 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione, 1,4,6-androstarien-17 β-ol-3-one and their 2-chloromercuri derivatives. 2-Chloromercuri-1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione and 2-chloromercuri-1,4,6-androstatrien-17 β-ol-3-one also give an abundant ion as the result of ring C fragmentation at C(8)–C(14) and C(11)–C(12), the chloromercuri group being replaced by a hydrogen atom. This ring C cleavage gives the only recognizable distinctive fragmentation ion for 1,4,6-pregnatriene-3,20-dione and 2-chloromercuri-1,4,6-pregnatriene-3,20-dione. For most of the mercurated steroids, the low resolution mass spectra (70 eV) are reported. In these spectra, the fragmentation patterns are similar to those obtained using the higher ionization energy employed for the high resolution spectra.     

Mass spectra of some acyclic α,β-unsaturated aldehydes,ketones and esters

The mass spectra of a series of aliphatic acyclic α,β-unsturated aldehydes, ketones and ester have been examined. The spectra do not show evidence for McLafferty rearrangements, alkoxyl migration or for fragmentations which are dependent upon the s-trans or s-cis conformations of the compounds. There is some evidence for cis-trans isomerism about the double bond.     

Chemical ionization and collisional activation spectra of α,β-unsaturated nitriles

A study of the chemical ionization (CI) and collisional activation (CA) spectra of a number of α, β-unsaturated nitriles has revealed that the even-electron ions such as [MH]⁺ and [MNH₄]⁺ produced under chemical ionization undergo decomposition by radical losses also. This results in the formation of M ⁺˙ ions from both [MH]⁺ and [MNH₄]⁺ ions. In the halogenated molecules losses of X˙ and HX compete with losses of H˙ and HCN. Elimination of X˙ from [MH]⁺ is highly favoured in the bromoderivative. The dinitriles undergo a substitution reaction in which one of the CN groups is replaced with a hydrogen radical and the resulting mononitrile is ionized leading to [M ? CN + 2H]⁺ under CI(CH₄) or [M ? CN + H + NH₄] and [M ? CN + H + N₂H₇]⁺ under CI(NH₃) conditions.     

Synthesis of α,β-unsaturated oxathiolanes

The formation of α,β-unsaturated oxathiolanes 2 from α,β-unsaturated carbonyl derivatives was achieved selectively and in high yields using the heterogeneous catalyst APSG·HCl.     

The clemmensen reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketones

The deoxygenation of the α,β-unsaturated ketones (1) and (5) under the Clemmensen condition yielded the olefins (2) and (6) along with their respective dimers (3+4) and (8+9). The α , β-unsaturated ketone (13) under similar treatment yielded the olefin (14) in satisfactory yield but the dimer could not be characterized. The deoxygenation of the α,β-unsaturated ketones (10) and (16) under similar con- ditions afforded the olefins (12) and (15) respectively in satisfactory yield along with the rearranged olefins (11) and (17) respectively. Epox-idation of the olefin (17) followed by heating with p-toluenesulfonic acid yielded the ketone (18).     

Reactions of α,β-unsaturated ketones with cyanoacetamide

3-Aryl-1-phenyl-2-propen-1-ones Ia-f and aroylphenylacetylenes Va-d reacted under reflux for 3 hours with cyanoacetamide in the presence of sodium ethoxide to give the corresponding 4-aryl-3-cyano-6-phenyl-2-(1H)pyridones VI. However, when ketones Ia-e were refluxed with cyanoacetamide for one hour in the presence of sodium ethoxide or piperidine, they gave the corresponding 4-aryl-3-cyano-3,4-dihydro-6-phenyl-2-(1H)pyridones IIIa-e, which upon heating with selenium gave the corresponding 2-pyridones VI. The structures of the products are based on chemical and spectroscopic evidence.     

A novel synthesis of α,β-unsaturated phosphonates

A stereoselective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated phosphonates based on the reaction of S-(β-oxoalkyl)-dithiophosphates and Se-(β-oxoalkyl)selenophosphates with sodium dialkyl phosphites is described.     

Condensation of 3-methylbenzoxazolinone with α,β-unsaturated acids

The reaction between 3-methylbenzoxazolinone and some unsaturated acids in PPA leads to mixtures of compounds, depending on the acid: 6-crotonyl- (or cinnamoyl)-3-methylbenzoxazolinones, 2,3-dihydro-2,5-(or 2,7)dioxo-3-methylcyclopenta[f]benzoxazoles and 6-(3-oxo-indanyl)-3-methylbenzoxazolinones. The structure of the products was established by ¹³C and ¹H nmr spectroscopy and (or) by independent synthesis. Possible mechanisms of the reaction are discussed; when competition is possible as in the last step of the cyclization, the benzene ring shows a higher reactivity than the aromatic nucleus of the benzoxazolinone; the contrary is observed when the benzene ring is p-chloro-substituted.     

Addition of trimethylsilylmethylmagnesium chloride to α, β-unsaturated carbonyls

Reactions of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with Me₃SiCH₂MgCl, prepared from chloromethyltrimethylsilane [1], were examined. Unlike its lithium counterpart (Me₃SiCH₂Li), which adds to α,β-unsaturatedketones in the 1,2-sense, the Grignard reagent afforts γ silanes via a 1,4-addition sequence. This tendency is accentuated by the addition of Cu₂Br₂. Addition of the Grignard reagent to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes gives the simple 1,2-addition products.     

Reaction of singlet oxygen with α,β-unsaturated aldimines

The reaction of singlet oxygen with N-1-(2-alkenylidene)-t- butylamines ( and ) gives the unsaturated hemiperacetal derivatives ( and 4) of the hydroperoxy aldimines ( and ). Several α, β-unsaturated aldimines which are held in the s-trans conformation failed to react with singlet oxygen.     

The reaction of α,β-unsaturated aldimines with benzofuroxan

Benzofuroxan reacts with imines derived from crotonaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde, to form 2-imino-methylquinoxaline 1,4-dioxides.     

Carbon-13 chemical shifts of α,β-unsaturated acids

Carbon-13 spectra of 59 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids have been measured. Large differential shieldings of ethylenic carbons in the cis and trans isomers of acrylic acid derivatives were found (altogether 15 isomeric Z- and E-pairs of acids were investigated). The origin of differential shieldings is complex and both molecular ground states as well as changes in excited states appear to be involved. All measured ¹³C chemical shifts can be described by additive parameters that provide a straightforward new technique by which structural assignments can be made for a wide variety of isomeric mono-, di- and tri- substituted α,β-unsaturated acids.     

A highly stereoselective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated oxazolines

Lithiated 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-oxazoline 2a and 2-chloromethyl-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazoline 2b react smoothly with a number of nitrones 3 to produce α,β-unsaturated oxazolines 6 and 7 highly stereoselectively.     

Electron impact studies on α,β-unsaturated carbonyl oximes

Electron impact studies on eight α,β-unsaturated carbonyl oximes revealed many interesting hydrogen and skeletal rearrangements which were substantiated by deuterium labelling, exact mass measurements and metastable studies. Loss of H· and OH· as well as formation of the indenyl and fluorenyl cations and the [C₉H₆N]⁺ fragment proceed through cyclic intermediates. All the ionized oximes undergo a Beckmann rearrangement in the gaseous phase leading to intense aroyl cation peaks. Formation of the styrene radical ions and cleavage of the bond α to the oxime function have also been noticed.     

β-lithiations of carboxamides. Synthesis of β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated amides

N-Methyl-2-methyl-3-(benzotriazol-l-yl)propanamide, on treatment with butyllithium forms a dianion which on treatment with alkyl and benzyl halides, aldehydes and ketones affords monosubstituted products; with ethyl p-toluate, a lactam is formed. The alkylated derivatives eliminate benzotriazole in the presence of base to afford trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated amides.     

Applications of 1,4-addition of grignard reagents to α,β-unsaturated acid derivatives. III—configuration studies of α,β-diaryl-α,β-dialkylpropionitriles

The configuration of twenty-four different α,β-diaryl-α,β-dialkylpropionitriles has been determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The erythro form showed greater deshielding of the methine hydrogen and alkyl groups in its spectra than the corresponding threo isomer. The former, however, showed less deshielding of the aryl groups than the threo isomer. Infrared spectra were not suitable for assignments of configuration.     

Synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketone from α-iodo ketone using photoirradiation

Irradiation of α-iodo ketone in hexane under a nitrogen atmosphere with a high-pressure mercury lamp (λ>300nm) at room temperature afforded the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketones in good yield. This reaction affords a new, clean and convenient synthetic method for the α,β-unsaturated ketone.