Bromination of Some Pyridine and Diazine N-Oxides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00155a027

Selected monosubstituted pyridines, pyrazines, pyrimidines, and their N-oxides, having an electron-donating substituent, were successfully brominated under very mild conditions.The N-oxide function itself is not sufficient to cause these ?-deficient systems to undergo electrophilic aromatic halogenation.Only strongly electron-donating substituents (amino groups) activate the heterocyclic nucleus toward bromination.These substituents direct the electrophilic substitution ortho/para to them with or without the N-oxide group present.Pyridine and diazines with moderately activating substituents such as alkoxy groups are brominated only when their ortho/para activation is augmented by the activation of the N-oxide funtion.Failure to brominate 5-methoxypyrimidine 1-oxide may well reflect the greater ? deficiency of the pyrimidine ring.