The reactivity of several nitrating mixtures with amides has been compared. Ammonium nitrate/trifluoroacetic anhydride, morpholinium nitrate/trifluoroacetic anhydride, and morpholinium nitrate/heptafluorobutyric anhydride are the reagents of choice since, in CH2Cl2 at 0-degrees-C, they give N-alkyl-N-nitrocarboxamides and N-nitrolactams in excellent yields. Mechanistic details of these nitrations have been elucidated. Trifluoroacetyl nitrate, which arises from the reaction R2NH2+NO3- + 2(CF3CO)2O --> CF3COONO2 + CF3CONR2 + 2CF3COOH, appears to cause the direct N-nitration of carboxamides.
The reactivity of several nitrating mixtures with amides has been compared. Ammonium nitrate/trifluoroacetic anhydride, morpholinium nitrate/trifluoroacetic anhydride, and morpholinium nitrate/heptafluorobutyric anhydride are the reagents of choice since, in CH2Cl2 at 0-degrees-C, they give N-alkyl-N-nitrocarboxamides and N-nitrolactams in excellent yields. Mechanistic details of these nitrations have been elucidated. Trifluoroacetyl nitrate, which arises from the reaction R2NH2+NO3- + 2(CF3CO)2O --> CF3COONO2 + CF3CONR2 + 2CF3COOH, appears to cause the direct N-nitration of carboxamides.