N-Arylation of azoles with low basicity by 1,4-dimethoxybenzene during undivided electrolysis

The reactions of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene with 4-nitropyrazole, 3,4-dinitro-5-methylpyrazole, 1,2,4-triazole, 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole, and tetrazole were studied during undivided amperostatic electrolysis on a Pt electrode in MeCN, CH₂Cl₂, and MeOH. The main reaction products were 2-azolyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzenes and (or) 1,4-diazolyl-1,4-dimethoxycyclohexa-2,5-dienes. In all cases except 1,2,4-triazole, N-arylation occurs only in the presence of the Alk₄N⁺ salts of azoles or 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine as a base. The mechanism of the reactions is discussed.     

Regularities of anodic acetoxylation of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene in protic and aprotic media

Electrochemical acetoxylation of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene during amperostatic electrolysis in an undivided cell at Pt electrodes in MeCN or MeOH solutions containing Et₄NOAc gives 2,5-dimethoxyphenyl acetate if AcOH or CH₂Cl₂ co-solvent has been added in a concentration of ≥50%. The reaction mechanism includes a nucleophilic attack of AcO⁻ ion on the ipso-position of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene radical cation. The process efficiency depends on factors that determine the stability and reactivity of the intermediate 1,4-dimethoxy-1-acetoxyarenonium cation. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1534–1538, July, 2005.     

The role of acid catalysis in the electrosynthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)azoles

The influence of the acid components of the medium on the anodic 2,5-dimethoxy-phenylation of various azoles at the nitrogen atom was studied for constant-current electrolysis of the mixture azole—1,4-dimethoxybenzene in an undivided cell. Elimination of azole functions in the key steps of the process can be catalyzed by such electrophilic species as Brønsted (AcOH) and Lewis acids (ZnCl₂) and even the radical cation generated in the anodic oxidation of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene. The data obtained provided evidence for the existence of the arenonium cation as a key reaction intermediate.     

Anodic azolation of 1,2- and 1,3-dimethoxybenzenes

Electrochemical azolation of 1,2-and 1,3-dimethoxybenzenes with tetrazole, pyrazole and triazole derivatives in MeCN in an undivided cell with Pt electrodes proceeds through the formation of intermediate arenonium cations of the ipso-structure. Nature of the starting arenes and the corresponding intermediate arenonium cations determine composition and yields of the target products.     

Arenium cation as the key intermediate of the electrosynthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)azoles. A new approach to the synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(dimethoxyphenyl)azoles

Data on the effect of the acid-base properties of the medium on the yield and composition of the products of N-dimethoxyphenylation of azoles (pyrazole, triazole, their substituted derivatives, and tetrazole) upon galvanostatic electrolysis of azole—1,4-dimethoxybenzene mixtures in nucleophilic (MeOH) and neutral (MeCN) media were considered and the trends of this process were discussed. The generation of arenium cations (1,4-dimethoxy-1-azolylbenzenium in MeCN and 1,1,4-trimethoxybenzenium in MeOH) as the key intermediates of electrosynthesis of N-(dimethoxyphenyl)azoles, was proved experimentally. A new approach to the synthesis of N-(dimethoxyphenyl)azoles through electrosynthesis of 1,1,4,4-tetramethoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene by electrooxidation of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene in MeOH as the first step and the reaction of this quinone diketal with azoles as the second step was suggested. The efficiency of this route to N-(dimethoxyphenyl)azoles is comparable with the efficiency of the purely electrochemical one-step process. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2101–2109, November, 2007.     

Electrochemical <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-arylation of azoles in MeOH using undivided electrolysis of their mixtures with 1,4-dimethoxybenzene

The reactions of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene with azoles (pyrazole, triazole, and their derivatives, as well as tetrazole) were studied by undivided amperostatic electrolysis at Pt electrodes in MeOH. The process proceeds via the formation of a 1,1,4-trimethoxyarenonium cation as the key intermediate and affords 1,1,4,4-tetramethoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene, 1,1,4-trimethoxy-4-(azol-1-yl)cyclohexa-2,5-diene, and 1,4-dimethoxy-2-(azol-1-yl)benzene as the main products. Azole and solvent molecules compete as nucleophiles during electrolysis. A fine mechanism of the process was considered. Dedicated to Academician N. K. Kochetkov on the occasion of his 90th birthday. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1166–1171, May, 2005.     

Indirect Electrochemical N-Dimethoxyphenylation of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazole and Tetrazole

Using the obtaining of 1,4-dimethoxy-2-(3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)benzene (I) and 1,4-dimethoxy-2-(tetrazolyl-1+-2)benzene (II) as an example, a method for indirect electrosynthesis of these substances is developed. In the first stage of this process, electrosynthesis of 1,1,4,4-tetramethoxycyclohexane-2,5-diene is realized by means of oxidation of 1,4-dimethoxybenezene on a platinum anode in an environment of MeOH in a diaphragmless cell. In the second, chemical interaction of this diene with 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole and tetrazole is performed when heating a mixture of these substances for a long time at 110°C in the presence of additives of collidine. As a result, target products I and II were obtained with a good (60–90%) yield. Realization of this process opens new possibilities for producing N-arylazoles.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 8, 2005, pp. 1014–1019.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Burasov, Vakhotina, Petrosyan.