Ortho Metalation Directed by α-Amino Alkoxides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00180a024

The addition of aromatic aldehydes to certain lithium dialkylamides in benzene or tetrahydrofuran gave α-amino alkoxides which were ortho lithiated with excess n-butyllithium.Subsequent alkylation and hydrolysis provided ortho-substituted aromatic aldehydes via a one-pot reaction.The ortho metalation of α-amino alkoxides derived from 1- and 2-naphthaldehyde and various substituted benzaldehydes was examined.When N,N,N'-trimethylethylenediamine was used as the amine component of the α-amino alkoxide, metalation could be carried out at lower temperatures.This rate increase is due to an intramolecular TMEDA-like assisted metalation.The synthetic utility of this ortho metalation, including how varying the amine component of the α-amino alkoxide affects the regiochemistry and metalation rate, is discussed.