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Chapter 10
Reactions of Alcohols, Amines, Ethers,
Epoxides, and Sulfur-Containing
Compounds Organic Chemistry
6th Edition
Paula Yurkanis Bruice
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Convert the strongly basic leaving group (OH–) into
the good leaving group, H2O (a weaker base):
Only weakly basic nucleophiles can be used
Alcohols and ethers have to be activated before they can undergo a substitution or an elimination reaction:
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Primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols all undergo
nucleophilic substitution reactions with HI, HBr, and HCl:
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Primary alcohols undergo SN2 reactions with hydrogen halides:
Reaction carried out in 48% aqueous HBr. Recall that Br– is an excellent nucleophile in water.
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ZnCl2can be used to catalyze certain SN2 reactions:
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The Lucas Reagent
Anhydrous ZnCl2 in conc HCl
Distinguishes primary, secondary, and tertiary low-molecular-weight alcohols
The Lucas reaction:
ROH + HCl
ZnCl2
RCl
Positive test: Solution becomes cloudy
Test results and mechanisms at room temperature:
• Primary: No reaction
• Secondary: Reaction in ~5 minutes
• Tertiary, allylic, and benzylic: Reaction immediate SN2
SN1
SN2 and SN1
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Other Methods for Converting Alcohols
into Alkyl Halides
Utilization of phosphorus tribromide:
Other phosphorus reagents can be used:
PBr3, phosphorus tribromide
PCl3, phosphorus trichloride
PCl5, phosphorus pentachloride POCl3, phosphorus oxychloride
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Activation by SOCl
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The Artificial Sweetener
Splenda (Sucralose)
Could Splenda be a cellular alkylating agent?
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Summary: Converting of
Alcohols to Alkyl Halides
Recommended procedures:
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Several sulfonyl chlorides are available to activate OH groups:
Dehydration of Secondary and Tertiary
Alcohols by an E1 Pathway
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The major product is the most stable alkene product:
The most stable alkene product has the most stable transition state
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Look out for carbocation rearrangement:
Complex Alcohol
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Pinicol Rearrangement
Protonate alcohol: Eliminate water:
Rearrange carbocation: Deprotonate:
Resonance-stabilized
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Ring Expansion and Contraction
Show the mechanism for this reaction:
•Protonate the alcohol.
•Eliminate water.
•Rearrange carbocation to afford the more stable cyclohexane ring.
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Primary Alcohols Undergo Dehydration
by an E2 Pathway
The Stereochemical Outcome of
the E1 Dehydration
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A Milder Way to Dehydrate an Alcohol
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Oxidation of Alcohols
Oxidation by chromic acid:
Secondary alcohols are oxidized to ketones
Primary alcohols are oxidized to aldehydes and eventually carboxylic acids:
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The oxidation of aldehydes to acids requires the presence of water:
In the absence of water, the oxidation stops at the aldehyde:
PCC, a methylene
chloride–soluble reagent:
No water present
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A tertiary alcohol cannot be oxidized and is converted to a stable chromate ester instead:
Di-tert-Butyl Chromate No hydrogen on
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Amines do not undergo substitution reactions because NH2– is a very strong base (a very poor leaving group):
Protonation of the amine moiety does not solve the problem:
Nucleophilic Substitution
Reactions of Ethers
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Ether cleavage: an SN1 reaction:
Ether cleavage: an SN2 reaction:
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Reagents such as SOCl2and PCl3 can activate alcohols but not ethers
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Nucleophilic Substitution
Reactions of Epoxides
Recall Section 4.9
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Acid-Catalyzed Epoxide Ring Opening
HBr:
Aqueous acid:
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Stereospecificity of epoxide ring opening:
A trans diol
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Reaction of an epoxide in the presence of methanol and acid
Mechanism: Regioselectivity:
When a nucleophile attacks an unprotonated epoxide, the reaction is a pure SN2 reaction:
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Epoxides Are Synthetically
Useful Reagents
Enantiomers
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Epoxy resins are the strongest adhesives known:
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Arene Oxides
Arene oxide fate:
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Mechanism for arene oxide rearrangement:
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Arene oxides as a carcinogen:
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BENZO[a]PYRENE EPOXIDATION
Not all smokers get cancer
Benzopyrenes in chimneys were
responsible for cancer of the scrotum in “chimney-boys.” The connection between cancer and chimney soot was made by Percivall Pott in 1775.
Crown Ethers
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Thiols are sulfur analogs of alcohols:
Thiols are not good at hydrogen bonding
Thiols form strong complexes with heavy metal cations
Thiols are stronger acids (pKa = 10) than alcohols
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In protic solvent, thiolate ions are better nucleophiles than alkoxide ions: