Oxidative Nucleophilic Substitution of Hydrogen in Nitroarenes
摘要:
AbstractCarbanions of 2‐phenylpropionitrile were found to add to nitroarenes in liquid ammonia to form σH adducts, which were oxidized with KMnO4 to yield products of oxidative nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (ONSH) in the position para to the nitro group. Treatment of the carbanion‐nitroarene system with methyl iodide at ‐70°C indicated that the addition proceeds almost to completion. Thus, for the first time, the persistence of σH adducts, formed between free anions and mononitroarenes, has been demonstrated. It was also shown that KMnO4 oxidizes σH adducts to nitrobenzene faster than it does carbanions. This selective ONSH in the para positions of nitroarenes is a general process. However, some substituents hinder or inhibit the oxidation step.
Reaction of phenylalkanenitriles and diphenylacetonitrile with aromatic nitro compounds were studied using various base-solvent systems. Four independent types of reaction: substitution of halogen, substitution of nitro group, substitution of hydride anion and electron transfer were observed. Relationship—reaction pathway—conditions have been discussed.
DMD Oxidation of <b><i>in-Situ</i></b>-Generated σ<sup>H</sup> Adducts Derived from Nitroarenes and the Carbanion of 2-Phenylpropionitrile to Phenols: The First Direct Substitution of a Nitro by a Hydroxy Group
The dimethyldioxirane (DMD) oxidation of sigma(H) adducts derived from nitroarenes and the carbanion of 2-phenylpropionitrile yields unexpectedly the phenols 5 as the major products, while the usually observed nitroarenes 4 are formed in very little amounts, if any. The phenol yield was much improved when a small quantity (0.5-1.0 equiv.) of water was added at the start of the reaction. This novel oxidation of Meisenheimer complexes provides the first direct synthesis of phenols from nitroarenes, an unprecendented transformation.