Organic Process Research & Development
Article
bromide (Acros Organics, 99%), 0.5 M allyl zinc bromide in
THF (Alpha Aesar), benzyl bromide (Thermo Fischer Kandel,
99%, stabilized), 0.5 M benzyl zinc bromide in THF (Sigma-
Aldrich), 1-bromo-2-chloroethane (Merck, ≥98%), 1-butanol
(Sigma-Aldrich, 99.7%), chlorotrimethylsilane (Sigma-Aldrich,
≥98%), cyclohexanone (Alfa Aesar, ≥99%), ethylbromoacetate
(Merck, >98%), iodine (Fluka, >99.5%), 3-methoxyacetophe-
none, (Acros Organics, 98%), SiliaCat DPP-Pd heterogeneous
catalyst (Silicycle Inc.), THF (T H Geyer, 99.9%, water-free),
and Zn turnings (Sigma-Aldrich, −30mesh).
Postnova syringe pumps (PN 1610 syringe dosing system)
were used for the first step of the RZnX formation and to
pump the carbonyl compound in the second step. For dosing
the freshly prepared organozinc reagent, a peristaltic pump
Masterflex L/S using PTFE tubing from Cole Palmer was used.
The reactors were tempered using thermostatic baths from
EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
■
Typical Flow Procedure for Zn Organometallics
Synthesis. The reactor was charged with about 105 g of
zinc turnings while the jogging motor at the bottom of the
reactor was already started (6 V). Argon was used for
inertization, and four thermocouples were placed along the
reactor’s Zn bed for temperature monitoring. The activation of
the zinc turnings was carried out by pumping a solution of 0.6
mol/L chlorotrimethylsilane and 0.24 mol/L 1-bromo-2-
chloroethane in dry THF with a flow rate of 2 mL/min and
a thermostat bath temperature of 40 °C through the zinc bed
for about 10 min. After activation was done, the reactor was
tempered using a thermostat bath temperature suitable for the
desired RZnX synthesis and flushed with the halide starting
material in dry THF at an elevated flow rate for up to 10 min,
resulting in a temperature increase as a hint of the initiation of
the exothermic reaction. The flow rate was then reduced to
keep the temperature below the boiling point of the solvent,
and the product solution was collected. Samples of the product
solution were taken for gas chromatography analysis and
titration to determine the organozinc halide concentration.
Specific reaction conditions for the investigated organozinc
halide reagents are shown in Table 1.
Typical Flow Procedure for Zn Organometallics
Coupling Reactions. The organozinc halide, which was
produced in the previous reaction step, was pumped from its
collection vessel through an in-line filter with ceramic fibers
and to the subsequent synthesis step by means of a peristaltic
pump. In a T-piece, the organozinc halide was contacted with
the electrophilic substrate (in dry THF), and the reaction
mixture was further fed into the reactor (PTFE coil or
stainless-steel reactor as in the first step). Temperature control
was maintained using a thermostat bath, and the outlet
solution leaving the reactor was collected in an ammonium
chloride solution cooled with ice. Samples of the outlet
solution were analyzed by means of gas chromatography.
Specific reaction conditions are shown in Table 2. In the case
of p-ethyldiphenylmethane synthesis, the reactor contained 5 g
of the catalyst SiliaCat DPP-Pd mixed with glass beads (used
for volume reduction).
Processing of Collected Samples. After quenching with
ammonium chloride solution in the previous synthesis step,
precipitated salts were filtered off, and the organic phase was
extracted in the separating funnel by means of a suitable
solvent (1-allylcyclohexanol: diethyl ether, p-ethyl diphenyl-
methane and ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-(3-methoxyphenyl)-butanoate:
ethyl acetate). The organic phase was dried using sodium
sulfate; the sodium sulfate was filtered off, and the organic
phase was concentrated on the rotary evaporator. The
concentrated product was again transferred to a separating
funnel with solvent. A white precipitate was formed that could
be transferred to the aqueous phase by adding some distilled
water. Acidification of the aqueous phase by a few drops of
10% hydrochloric acid dissolved the precipitate so that the
aqueous and organic phases could be separated in the
separating funnel. The ether phase was again concentrated
on the rotary evaporator to obtain the crude product (yield
given as determined by GC analysis).16,19,34
̈
Julabo (F31-C) and Peter Huber Kaltemaschinenbau (CC-
405, CC-3). The temperatures were measured using miniature
thermocouples (type K from RS Components), recorded by a
data logger (Type Expert Key 200L, from Delphin
Technology), and for evaluation transferred to a notebook.
Titration of the Zn reagent was done following the method of
Berton et al.19 and an adapted back-titration as described by
the Knochel group.30 Analysis for the RZnX compounds was
done via quenching the samples with 1-butanol and analyzing
via calibrated GC measurements, after workup crude products
from the investigated second steps were also analyzed via GC.
A Varian GC 3900 system with Varian 8400 GC-autosampler
was used for GC analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
■
In conclusion, a continuously operating two-step laboratory
setup for organozinc reagent formation and immediate
consumption in subsequent catalyzed and noncatalyzed
coupling reactions was established and tested. It was found
that mechanical activation within the reactor alone did not
create sufficient Zn surface activation and only yielded
incomplete halide conversion, so chemical Zn activation had
to be employed. However, for each organozinc species, full
halide conversion in one single reactor passage could be
achieved in good to very good yields with very little coupling
product formation observed via quenching and GC analysis of
samples. The reactor was operated at a large Zn excess (about
250-fold), and consumed Zn could be refilled via a metal
replenishing unit attached to the reactor. Reformatsky, Saytzeff,
and Negishi coupling reactions were performed using in situ
generated Zn organometallic species. For the examples of the
Saytzeff reaction and Negishi coupling, good yields could be
obtained. In the case of the Reformatsky synthesis, full
conversion of the employed carbonyl compound could not be
achieved, and gas formation was observed during the reaction.
This synthesis needs to be re-evaluated since a similar process
by Berton et al. on a smaller throughput scale resulted in
excellent yields.19 A scaled-up modular setup to pilot-scale
throughputs (scale-up factor of 15) employing the same
principle of using a large molar excess of the Zn within the
reactor and also including a truly continuous Zn replenishing
unit was designed and manufactured and is ready to be tested
for the formation of organozinc species.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
■
All solvents and reagents were purchased from commercial
suppliers and were used without further purification: allyl
E
Org. Process Res. Dev. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX