Vicarious Nucleophilic Substitution of Hydrogen in Nitroarenes with α-Substituted Nitriles and Esters. Direct α-Cyanoalkylation and α-Carbalkoxyalkylation of Nitroarenes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00183a004

Carbanions generated from alkanenitriles bearing α-chloro, α-OR, or α-SR groups and from aliphatic esters bearing α-SR groups react with mononitroarenes to replace hydrogen atoms of the nitroaromatic ring ortho or para to the nitro group with α-cyanoalkyl or α-carbalkoxyalkyl substituents.The nucleophilic replacement of hydrogen with such carbanions proceeds faster than substitution of halogen ortho or para to the nitro group.