Short Communications
621
5-(3-Chlorophenyl)-1-hydroxytetrazole (4; R = 3-Cl)
Experimental
The tetrazole (4; R = 3-Cl) was obtained (51% yield) by a similar
procedure as above from 3-chlorobenzaldehyde. Colourless prisms
were obtained from ethyl acetate/light petroleum, m.p. 122–124°
(Found: C, 42.6; H, 2.4; N, 28.3. C7H5ClN4O requires C, 42.8; H, 2.6;
N, 28.5%). 1H n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 7.42–7.61, m, 2ArH; 7.94–8.08, m,
2ArH. 13C n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 125.2, 125.4, 126.2, 130.4, 130.8, 133.5,
143.6.
Melting points were determined on a Reichert Kofler hot-stage
micro-melting point apparatus and are uncorrected. Microanalyses
were performed by Campbell Microanalytical Laboratory, University
of Otago, New Zealand. Infrared spectra were recorded on a
Perkin–Elmer 842 spectrophotometer (cm–1) and refer to paraffin mulls.
1H and 13C n.m.r. spectra were recorded at 200 and 50.3 MHz, respec-
tively, on a Bruker AC-200 spectrometer. Chemical shifts ( ) are mea-
sured in ppm with tetramethylsilane as an internal standard. Radial
thin-layer chromatography was performed on a Harrison Research
Chromatron (7924T) by using 4 mm thick silica plates (silica gel 60
PF254, Merck No. 7749). All reactions involving organometallic
reagents and intermediates were performed under an atmosphere of
argon. The butyllithium solution was standardized by using 2,5-
dimethoxybenzyl alcohol as an indicator7 and N,N,N ´,N ´-tetra-
methylethylenediamine (TMEDA) was distilled from potassium
hydroxide. Tetrahydrofuran was freshly distilled from sodium/benzo-
phenone under argon immediately prior to use. All other commercially
available reagents were used without further purification. Light
petroleum refers to the fraction with a b.p. of 40–60°.
5-(4-Chlorophenyl)-1-hydroxytetrazole (4; R = 4-Cl)
The tetrazole (4; R = 4-Cl) was obtained by a similar procedure as
above (57% yield) from 4-chlorobenzaldehyde. Colourless needles
were obtained from ethyl acetate, m.p. 207–208° (Found: C, 42.9; H,
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2.4; N, 28.3%. C7H5ClN4O requires C, 42.8; H, 2.6; N, 28.5 %) H
n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 7.61, d, J 8.8 Hz; 8.20, d, J 8.8 Hz. 13C n.m.r.
((CD3)2SO) 123.0; 128.1, 2×C; 128.7, 2×C; 134.7; 143.0.
1-Hydroxy-5-(2-methylphenyl)tetrazole (6b)
The tetrazole (4; R = 2-Me) was prepared (41% yield) in a similar
manner from 2-methylbenzaldehyde. Fawn plates were obtained from
benzene, m.p. 122–124° (Found: C, 54.2; H, 4.8; N, 31.6 . C8H8N4O
requires C, 54.5; H, 4.6; N, 31.8 %). 1H n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 2.31, s, Me;
7.25–7.66, m, 4ArH. 13C n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 19.5, 122.2, 126.0, 129.8,
130.7, 131.0, 137.7, 146.9.
1-Hydroxy-5-phenyltetrazole (4; R = H)
1-Hydroxy-5-phenyltetrazole (4; R = H) was prepared as described,2
1
m.p. 154–156° (lit.2 151–152°). H n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 7.3, m, 3H,
ArH; 8.05, m, 2H, ArH. 13C n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 122.6, 127.4, 129.1,
131.3, 145.7.
1-Hydroxy-5-(2-methylsulfanylphenyl)tetrazole (6a)
To a stirred solution of 1-hydroxy-5-phenyltetrazole (4; R = H)
(1.0 g, 6.2 mmol) in dry tetrahydrofuran (100 ml) cooled to –77° in a
dry ice/acetone bath was added TMEDA (2.0 ml, 13.3 mmol) followed by
n-butyllithium (6.5 ml, 13.6 mmol, 2.1 M solution in hexane) added
dropwise. After stirring for a further 1 h at –77°; the reaction mixture
was allowed to slowly warm to between –20 to –30° and held at this
temperature for a further 20 min after the addition of dimethyl disulfide
(1.2 ml, 13.6 mmol). The reaction mixture was quenched with dilute
hydrochloric acid and water (50 ml) was then added. The resulting solu-
tion was then adjusted to pH 7 by the addition of solid NaHCO3. After
the organic and aqueous phases were separated, the organic phase was
extracted with saturated NaHCO3 (20 ml). The aqueous phase and
extract were combined and acidified with concentrated hydrochloric
acid and extracted with ether (2×40 ml). The combined ether extracts
were washed with water (3×40 ml), dried (MgSO4), and evaporated
under vacuum to give a colourless oil which crystallized slowly on
standing (1.1 g, 85%). Recrystallization from methanol/water gave the
product (6a) as colourless needles, m.p. 118–120° (Found: C, 45.8; H,
3.7; N, 26.8; S, 15.3. C8H8N4OS requires C, 46.1; H, 3.9; N, 26.9; S,
15.4%). 1H n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 2.45, s, Me; 7.24–7.40, m, 1ArH;
7.50–7.77, m, 3ArH. 13C n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 15.5, 121.4, 124.9, 126.6,
130.4, 131.7, 139.8, 146.1.
5-(2-Chlorophenyl)-1-hydroxytetrazole (4; R = 2-Cl)
To a solution of 2-chlorobenzaldoxime (7.8 g, 0.05 mol) in acetoni-
trile (40 ml) containing 5 drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid was
added N-chlorosuccinimide (7.3 g, 0.055 mol) in portions (c. 1 g) at a
rate which allowed a transient blue-green colour to fade before each
subsequent addition. Following the final addition, the solution was
allowed to stand for 30 min, and then diluted with water (80 ml) and
extracted with benzene (2×40 ml). The combined benzene extracts con-
taining the hydroxamoyl chloride were subsequently used to prepare a
solution of the azidoxime without any further purification.
A solution of sodium azide (6.5 g, 0.1 mol) in water (33 ml) was
added in a thin stream with stirring to the benzene solution of the
hydroxamoyl chloride (obtained as described above) cooled in an ice
bath. The mixture was then stirred at room temperature for 48 h. The
aqueous layer was then separated and the organic phase was washed
with water (2×100 ml). The extract was dried over sodium sulfate and
used in the cyclization without undue delay. Drying the solution over
anhydrous magnesium sulfate sometimes led, after a brief delay, to
commencement of a brisk effervescence with decomposition of the
azidoxime. A similar phenomenon was on rare occasions observed
during drying with anhydrous sodium sulfate, but only after a much
longer delay.
1-Hydroxy-5-(2-methylphenyl)tetrazole (6b) by Methylation
Following the same procedure as outlined for (6a), 1-hydroxy-5-
phenyltetrazole (4; R = H) (1.0 g, 6.2 mmol) in dry tetrahydrofuran (100
ml) was treated with n-butyllithium (6.5 ml, 13.6 mmol, 2.1 M solution
in hexane) in the presence of TMEDA (2.0 ml, 13.3 mmol). Methyl iodide
(0.5 ml, 7.4 mmol) was added in place of dimethyl disulfide. The crude
product (918 mg, 83%) was obtained as a pale yellow solid on acidifi-
cation and extraction of the basic aqueous phase with ether. The product
was recrystallized from benzene to give colourless needles (m.p.
The benzene solution containing crude azidoxime (obtained as
described above) was added in a thin stream to an excess of acetyl chlo-
ride (20 ml) in benzene (20 ml) cooled in ice; the mixture was allowed
to warm over 2 h to room temperature and then allowed to stand for
48 h. The mixture was partially evaporated (to about 30 ml), cautiously
diluted with water (10 ml) and stirred for 10 min and then simmered for
2 h. The cooled mixture was diluted with water (100 ml) and extracted
with diethyl ether (100 ml). The ether extract was washed with water
and then extracted with two portions of saturated sodium bicarbonate
(100 ml each). The combined sodium bicarbonate extracts were acidi-
fied to pH 1 by the addition of concentrated hydrochloric acid and the
precipitate was collected by filtration and washed on the filter with
water to give the tetrazole (4; R = 2-Cl) (5.3 g, 54%) as colourless
needles, m.p. 187–190°. A portion was recrystallized from ethyl acetate
to give colourless prisms, m.p. 189–192° (Found: C, 43.0; H, 2.3; N,
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121–123°) identical (m.p., mixture m.p. and H n.m.r.) with material
prepared by total synthesis.
1-Hydroxy-5-(2-trimethylsilylphenyl)tetrazole (6c)
Following the same procedure as outlined above, the hydroxytetra-
zole (4; R = H) (1.0 g, 6.2 mmol) in dry tetrahydrofuran (100 ml) was
treated with n-butyllithium (6.5 ml, 13.6 mmol, 2.1 M solution in
hexane) in the presence of TMEDA (2.0 ml, 13.3 mmol) followed by
chlorotrimethylsilane (1.2 ml, 9.3 mmol). The reaction mixture was
quenched with water (20 ml) and extracted with ether (30 ml). The
1
28.5. C7H5ClN4O requires C, 42.8; H, 2.6; N, 28.5 %). H n.m.r.
((CD3)2SO) 7.83–7.45, m . 13C n.m.r. ((CD3)2SO) 122.4, 2×C; 127.5;
130.0; 132.1; 133.0; 145.5.