Abstract: | Reactions of 2-(4′-fluorophenyl)imidazole ( 1 ) and related compounds under various nitrating conditions are discussed. With 90% nitric acid in 20% oleum at ?10°, 1 affords 2-(4′fluorophenyl)-4(5)-nitroimidazole ( 2 ) in 80% yield. Reaction of 2 with the same reagents at 25° affords 2-(4′-fluoro-3′-nitrophenyl)-4(5)-nitroimidazole ( 4 ) in 90% yield, whereas with 90% nitric acid in acetic acid at 95°, 2 affords 4,5-dinitro-2-(4′-fluorophenyl)imidazole ( 5 ) in 80% yield. Reaction of 1 with 70% nitric acid in concentrated sulfuric acid at 25° affords 2-(4′-fluorophenyl)-5-hyroximinoimidazolin-4-one ( 6 ), which rearranges and hydrolyzes to 5-(4′-fluorophenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-3-carboxylic acid. A discussion of these reactions is presented. |