Aminomethylation of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino) naphthalene ("proton sponge") afforded a series of its 4-dialkylaminomethyl-substituted derivatives. An attempt to introduce the second peri-dialkylaminomethyl group unexpectedly led to the formation of salts with the 2,2-dialkyl-6,7-bis(dimethylamino)-2-azonia-2,3-dihydrophenalene cation. The structure of one of these salts was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Treatment of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-4-piperidinomethylnaphthale ne with iodomethane gave a spiro compound rather than the expected N-[4,5-bis(dimethylamino)-1-naphthylmethyl]-N-methylpiperidinium iodide. This spiro, compound was generated through cyclodimerization of the 1-naphthylmethyl carbocations. These transformations provide evidence that "proton sponge"-derived Mannich bases quaternized at the dialkylaminomethyl group are unstable and undergo the spontaneous transformation into the resonance-stabilized 4,5-bis(dimethylamino)-1-naphthylmethyl carbocation. By contrast, 4-dialkylamino-1 -dimethylaminomethylnaphthalenes gave methoiodides, which are stable under standard conditions. The latter compounds undergo the nucleophilic substitution of the NR3 group typical of such salts.
Aminomethylation of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino) naphthalene ("proton sponge") afforded a series of its 4-dialkylaminomethyl-substituted derivatives. An attempt to introduce the second peri-dialkylaminomethyl group unexpectedly led to the formation of salts with the 2,2-dialkyl-6,7-bis(dimethylamino)-2-azonia-2,3-dihydrophenalene cation. The structure of one of these salts was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Treatment of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-4-piperidinomethylnaphthale ne with iodomethane gave a spiro compound rather than the expected N-[4,5-bis(dimethylamino)-1-naphthylmethyl]-N-methylpiperidinium iodide. This spiro, compound was generated through cyclodimerization of the 1-naphthylmethyl carbocations. These transformations provide evidence that "proton sponge"-derived Mannich bases quaternized at the dialkylaminomethyl group are unstable and undergo the spontaneous transformation into the resonance-stabilized 4,5-bis(dimethylamino)-1-naphthylmethyl carbocation. By contrast, 4-dialkylamino-1 -dimethylaminomethylnaphthalenes gave methoiodides, which are stable under standard conditions. The latter compounds undergo the nucleophilic substitution of the NR3 group typical of such salts.