Exam 3 Flashcards
When does nucleophilic addition occur on a carbonyl C?
When there is no electronegative atom Z on the carbonyl group
- Ex: Aldehydes have an H group
- Ex: Ketones have a CH group of some sort
When does nucleophilic acyl substitution occur on a carbonyl C?
When there is an electronegative atom Z on the carbonyl group
-Ex: Carboxylic acids, acid chlorides, etc
What is substituted on the alpha C (R group) of a carbonyl compound?
One of the hydrogens on the alpha C is replaced by the electrophilic group attacking the compound
Tautomerization (definition)
The process of converting one tautomer to another (Ex: keto to enol)
- Catalyzed by both an acid and a base
- Requires two steps (protonation and deprotonation)
Describe tautomerization in acid
-Protonation PRECEDES deprotonation
- STEP 1: Carbonyl O deprotonates water (and is protonated itself)
- STEP 2: -OH Deprotonates the alpha C-H, forming a double bond between the alpha and carbonyl C
Describe tautomerization in base
-Deprotonation PRECEEDS protonation
- STEP 1: The -OH deprotonates the alpha C, forming a double bond between the carbonyl C and the alpha C, which pushes the pi bond in the carbonyl group up onto the O
- STEP 2: Carbonyl O deprotonates H2O (therefore becoming protonated itself)
Does equillibirum favor the side with a weaker acidity or stronger?
Favors the side with a weaker acidity (higher pKa)
What does LDA stand for? What is it used for?
It is a very strong base (weak nucleophile due to steric hindrance)
It stands for Li(+)N(-)[CH(CH3)2]2
It is used to form enolate in 100% yield
What is an enolate?
A carbonyl with a negatively charged alpha C (in the R group)
How would you substitute an electrophile onto a carbonyl compound?
STEP 1: A strong base deprotonates the alpha carbon (in the R group)– this makes the enolate (the H is eliminated)
STEP 2: The negatively charged alpha carbon (in the enolate R group) attacks the electrophile, adding it to the alpha C
What happens when an unsymmetrical carbonyl compound is treated with a base?
Two enolates are possible
One is formed by removal of a 2’ carbon (first R group), the other formed by the removal of a 3’ carbon (other R group)
Does the removal of a 2’ hydrogen make a kinetic or thermodynamic product?
- Removal of a 2’ hydrogen makes a kinetic product
- Faster, but less stable / higher in energy
Does the removal of a 3’ hydrogen make a kinetic or thermodynamic product?
- Removal of a 3’ hydrogen makes a thermodynamic product
- Slower, but more stable / lower in energy
How do you favor the kinetic enolate?
- Use a strong nucleophilic base
- Polar aprotic solvent
- Low temperature
Ex: Use LDA in THF at -78C
How do you favor the thermodynamic enolate?
- Use a strong base
- Protic solvent
- Room temperature
Ex: Use -OH in ROH at room temp (25 C)
What solvent would you use for an acid halogenation?
X2
———–>
CH3COOH
Describe acid-catalyzed halogenation at the alpha carbon
i) Carbonyl O deprotonates the acid catalyst– The acid catalyst then deprotonates the R group on the carbonyl group (making a double bond b/w carbonyl C and alpha C)
ii) One of the lone pairs on the carbonyl O comes down, forcing the double bond b/w carbonyl C and alpha C attacks the X2
- –The negatively charged X(-) by itself now deprotonates the carbonyl O, making the final product
Describe base-catalyzed halogenation at the alpha carbon
i) The base deprotonates the alpha C, making it negatively charged
ii) The negatively charged alpha C attacks the X2 , finishing the reaction
Describe the formation of a haloform
**Only occurs with methyl ketones (ketones with a methyl R group)
i) A base (-OH) deprotonates the alpha C, then the negatively charged alpha C attacks the X2
- –This happens one more time
ii) OH adds to the carbonyl C, pushing the pi bond up to the O
iii) The pi bond comes back down and pushes off the R group (the CX situation)
iv) The CX is negatively charged, and it deprotonates the OH group, finishing the reaction
How would you add a pi bond into a carbonyl hexanone?
i) Substitute Br to the alpha C (Br replaces an H)
- –Br2
- ———->
- –CH3COOH
ii) Eliminate the Br to make a pi bond
- –Li2CO3
- ——->
- –LiBr, DMF
How would you add two aldehydes together to form an aldol product? How would you make this aldol product a condensation product?
i) Take two identical aldehydes, add -OH
ii) This results in ONE of the two carbonyl compounds becoming protonated, and the OTHER aldehyde loses an H in order to attach to the 1st aldehyde
Ex: Aldehyde + Aldehyde (Me-C(H)=O) –> Me-C(OH)(H)-CH2-C(H)=O
THEN, Add more OH and heat to get rid of the previously protonated OH, leaving an H in its place, and making a double bond b/w the first aldehyde and the C group bonding the two aldehyde groups
Mechanism of aldol synthesis
i) Base (OH) deprotonates methyl group on Aldehyde– this creates a double bond b/w the carbonyl C and the methyl C & pushes the C=O bond up to the O
ii) Pi bond of C=O comes back down, forces double bond b/w the carbonyl C and methyl C to attack the carbonyl C of the second aldehyde (which pushes the 2nd aldehyde’s pi bond up to its O)
iii) The negatively charged O on the second aldehyde deprotonates water
That’s it
Mechanism of aldol condensation
i) OH deprotonates the CH2 holding the two aldeyde groups together, makes the C there negatively charged
ii) That negative charge moves over to become a pi bond b/w the carbonyl C of the first aldehyde and the CH – This entirely pushes off the OH group on the first aldehyde
That’s it
What must you have in order to create an aldol from an aldehyde?
There needs to be an alpha Hydrogen on the R group of the aldehyde
—AKA there needs to be a hydrogen directly attached to the alpha carbon
Acetoacetic acid ester synthesis definition
A stepwise method for converting ethyl acetoacetate into a ketone having one or two alkyl groups on the alpha carbon