Selective ortho methylation of nitroheteroaryls by vicarious nucleophilic substitution

Michał Achmatowicz1, Oliver R Thiel, Gilles Gorins

  • 1Chemical Process Research and Development, Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91320-1799, USA. michala@amgen.com

Related Concept Videos

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution: Addition–Elimination (SNAr)01:30

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution: Addition–Elimination (SNAr)

Nucleophilic substitution in aromatic compounds is feasible in substrates bearing strong electron-withdrawing substituents positioned ortho or para to the leaving group. The reaction proceeds via two steps: the addition of the nucleophile and the elimination of the leaving group.
The reaction begins with an attack of the nucleophile on the carbon that holds the leaving group. This results in the delocalization of the π electrons over the ring carbons. The resonance interaction between the...
ortho–para-Directing Activators: –CH3, –OH, –⁠NH2, –OCH301:11

orthopara-Directing Activators: –CH3, –OH, –⁠NH2, –OCH3

All ortho–para directors, excluding halogens, are activating groups. These groups donate electrons to the ring, making the ring carbons electron-rich. Consequently, the reactivity of the aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution increases. For instance, the nitration of anisole is about 10,000 times faster than the nitration of benzene. The electron-donating effect of the methoxy group in anisole activates the ortho and para positions on the ring and stabilizes the corresponding...
Directing Effect of Substituents: ortho–para-Directing Groups01:14

Directing Effect of Substituents: orthopara-Directing Groups

Ortho–para directors are substituent groups attached to the benzene ring and direct the addition of an electrophile to the positions ortho or para to the substituent. All electron-donating groups are considered ortho–para directors. They donate electrons to the ring and make the ring more electron-rich. The ring is therefore susceptible to the addition of electrophiles. Substituents such as amino, hydroxy, or alkoxy, containing lone pairs on the atom adjacent to the ring, donate electrons...
meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO2, –CN, –CHO, –⁠CO2R, –COR, –CO2H01:13

meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO2, –CN, –CHO, –⁠CO2R, –COR, –CO2H

All meta-directing substituents are deactivating groups. These substituents withdraw electrons from the aromatic ring, making the ring less reactive toward electrophilic substitution. For example, the nitration of nitrobenzene is 100,000 times slower than that of benzene because of the deactivating effect of the nitro group. The first step in an electrophilic aromatic substitution is the addition of an electrophile to form a resonance-stabilized carbocation. The energy diagrams for the...
Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution of Aryldiazonium Salts: Aromatic SN101:14

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution of Aryldiazonium Salts: Aromatic SN1

Treating arylamines with nitrous acid gives aryldiazonium salts that are effective substrates in nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. The diazonio group in these salts can be easily displaced by different nucleophiles, yielding a wide variety of substituted benzenes. The leaving group departs as nitrogen gas, and this easy elimination is the driving force for the substitution reaction.
In the Sandmeyer reaction, for example, the diazonio group is replaced by a chloro, bromo, or cyano...
Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution: Elimination–Addition01:11

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution: Elimination–Addition

Simple aryl halides do not react with nucleophiles. However, nucleophilic aromatic substitutions can be forced under certain conditions, such as high temperatures or strong bases. The mechanism of substitution under such conditions involves the highly unstable and reactive benzyne intermediate. Benzyne contains equivalent carbon centers at both ends of the triple bond, each of which is equally susceptible to nucleophilic attack. This 50–50 distribution of products is confirmed through isotopic...