SYNTHESIS OF 2-ARYLETHYLAMINES BY THE CURTIUS REARRANGEMENT 1467
rt, and 50 mL saturated aqueous NaHCO3 were added along with 50 mL EtOAc.
The phases were separated, and the organic layer was further washed with 50 mL
1 M HCl followed by 50 mL H2O and then 50 mL brine. The organic layer was dried
over anhydrous MgSO4 and rotary evaporated, leaving a crude white solid. The
crude was slurried with 50 mL hexanes and filtered on a medium glass frit to give
6.27 g of white solid (91%). 1H NMR shows the product is a mixture of cis=trans dia-
stereomers. dH (CDCl3): 7.46–7.20 (m, 10H), 6.22 (bs, NH, cis), 6.13 (bs, NH, trans),
5.71 (d, J ¼ 7.9 Hz, 1H, trans), 5.04 (d, J ¼ 7.3 Hz, 1H, cis), 4.20 (pent, J ¼ 7.3 Hz,
1H, trans), 3.84 (pent, J ¼ 6.1 Hz, 1H, cis), 1.39 (d, J ¼ 6.1 Hz, 3H, cis), 0.81 (d,
J ¼ 6.7 Hz, 3H, trans); dC (CDCl3): 159.87, 159.45, 137.94, 135.18, 129.16, 129.05,
128.68, 128.64, 126.16, 126.09, 85.59, 81.21, 56.75, 52.61, 20.13, 17.65. Elemental
analysis calculated for C10H11NO2: C, 67.78; H, 6.26; N, 7.90. Found: C, 67.38;
H, 6.24; N, 7.86.
a-Methyl-2-phenylethylamine (1) Hemioxalate
A 100-mL, round-bottomed flask equipped with magnetic stirbar was charged
with 1.07 g 5 (6 mmol), 100 mg 5% Pd=C, and 20 mL anhydrous THF. The mixture
was hydrogenated (ꢁ1 torr, rt) for 3 h. The mixture was filtered through celite and
rotary evaporated, leaving 800 mg of a colorless oil of 1 (100%). [dH (CDCl3):
7.34–7.14 (m, 5H), 3.16 (hex, J ¼ 6.4 Hz, 1H), 2.70 (dd, J ¼ 13.3 and 5.5 Hz, 1H),
2.52 (dd, J ¼ 13.3 and 8.0 Hz, 1H), 1.46 (bs, NH2), 1.11 (d, J ¼ 6.2 Hz, 3H); dC
(CDCl3): 139.84, 129.42, 128.55, 126.35, 48.67, 46.79, 23.64]. An EtOH solution of
the amine was added dropwise to a stirred mixture of 378 mg oxalic acid dihydrate
(3 mmol, 0.5 equiv) dissolved in EtOH. The white precipitate was collected and air
dried on the frit; no further purification was necessary. Mp 140 ꢀC (shrank),
190 ꢀC (dec.). dH (D2O): 7.45–7.25 (m, 5H), 3.59 (hex, J ¼ 6.9 Hz, 1H), 2.91 (dd,
J ¼ 7.4 and 2.3 Hz, 2H), 1.27 (d, J ¼ 6.4 Hz, 3H); dC (D2O): 160.66, 128.13, 121.41,
120.97, 119.34, 41.03, 32.04, 9.44. Elemental analysis calculated for C9H13N ꢂ 0.5
C2H2O4: C, 66.64; H, 7.83; N, 7.77. Found: C, 66.51; H, 7.79; N, 7.71.
3,4-Dimethyl-5-phenyloxazolidin-2-one (7) Mixture of Diastereomers
A 100-mL, round-bottomed flask equipped with magnetic stirbar was charged
with 50 mL THF and 4.71 g 6 (0.027 mol), and the mixture was stirred in an ice bath.
In one portion, 4.47 g KOtBu (0.04 mol, 1.5 equiv) were added, and the mixture was
stirred for 15 min. In one portion, 7.53 g iodomethane (3.3 mL, 0.05 mol, 2 equiv)
were added, and the cooling bath was removed. Shortly thereafter, a precipitate of
KI formed. After stirring at rt for 1 h, 100 mL H2O and 100 mL Et2O were added.
The organic layer was separated, washed with brine, and then dried over anhydrous
MgSO4. Evaporation of the solvent left 4.78 g of a pale yellow oil (94%) that was
1
>97% by H NMR. The oil would not crystallize even after overnight vacuum or
cooling to ꢃ20 ꢀC. The oil was distilled (0.1 torr) to give the title compound as a
nearly colorless oil composed of a cis=trans mixture of diastereomers. dH (CDCl3):
7.46–7.24 (m, 10H), 5.59 (d, J ¼ 8.2 Hz, 1H, trans), 4.91 (d, J ¼ 8.2 Hz, 1H), 4.03
(pent, J ¼ 6.1 Hz, 1H, trans), 3.55 (pent, J ¼ 6.1 Hz, 1H, cis), 2.87 (s, 3H, trans),
2.85 (s, 3H, cis), 1.37 (d, J ¼ 6.1 Hz, 3H, cis), 0.79 (d, J ¼ 6.5 Hz, 3H, trans);