40235-45-8Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Superacid-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization reaction of arylcyanopropionate: Geminal substitution effect on superelectrophilicity
Nakamura, Satoshi,Sugimoto, Hiromichi,Ohwada, Tomohiko
, p. 4219 - 4224 (2008/09/20)
(Chemical Equation Presented) We present superacid-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization reactions of arylcyanopropionates to give cyclized five- and six-membered β-enamino esters in moderate to high yields. Known intramolecular ring-closing reactions of protonated nitrile to aromatic carbon atom are limited to the 6-membered case. Interestingly, a significant synergistic increase of reactivity of the cyano functionality was observed, and the cyano nitrogen atom was converted into an amino group, when an ester group was present in a geminal arrangement. Deuterium exchange experiments excluded the involvement of deprotonation of the α-proton in the cyclization process. The acidity dependence of the cyclization reactions and 13C NMR studies of a model compound, methyl cyanoacetate, in various acidic media were consistent with the involvement of the O,N-diprotonated dication of methyl cyanoacetate, a distonic dication, in strong acid, and this is considered to be the de facto electrophile in the present cyclization reaction of arylcyanopropionates.
