93627-54-4Relevant articles and documents
Conveniant Method for Replacement of Tertiary N-Methyl by Other Alkyl Groups: Application to Morphine Alkaloids
Manoharan, T. Samuel,Madyastha, K. Madhava,Singh, B. B.,Bhatnagar, S. P.,Weiss, Ulrich
, p. 5 - 11 (2007/10/02)
The replacement of N-methyl of N-methylpiperidine (1), 4-methylmorpholine (4), 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (7) and tropine (10) by n-propyl, n-butyl and isopropyl groups (3a-3c, 6c, 9a-9c and 12a-12c) has been achieved in high yields by quaternization of the respective tertiary amine with appropriate alkyl halide and demethylation of the resulting quaternary salt with thiophenoxide.It has been established that demethylation is strongly favoured over the removal of n-propyl and n-butyl groups, whereas deisopropylation occurs to some extent.Surprisingly, in the case of 11c, deisopropylation predominates.This method has been applied to morphine (13b), codeine (13d) and thebaine (14b) for similar replacements.The rapid quaternization of thebaine (14b) has been assigned to the absence of H-14 in this alkaloid.The fact that quaternary salts of thebaine, which are susceptible to aromatization of the nucleus by extrusion of the ethanamine chain, are smoothly demethylated to N-alkylnorthebaines (18a-18c) in good yields indicates that demethylation, a bimolecular nucleophilic displacement, competes very successfully with elimination reaction.
