IChO 1974 · Theory problem 2

Reaction scheme leading to substance G

Substance G can be prepared by several methods according to the following scheme:

Figure 1

Compound A is 48.60 mass % carbon, 8.10 % hydrogen, and 43.30 % oxygen. It reacts with a freshly prepared silver(I) oxide to form an undissolved salt. An amount of 1.81 g of silver(I) salt is formed from 0.74 g of compound A.

Compound D contains 54.54 mass % of carbon, 9.09 % of hydrogen, and 36.37 % of oxygen. It combines with \(\ce{NaHSO3}\) to produce a compound containing 21.6 % of sulphur.

Problems:

  1. Write summary as well as structural formulas of substances A and D.
  2. Write structural formulas of substances B, C, E, F, and G.
  3. Classify the reactions in the scheme marked by arrows and discuss more in detail reactions B → G and D → E.
  4. Write structural formulas of possible isomers of substance G and give the type of isomerism.

Relative atomic masses:

\[ A_r(\ce{C})=12;\quad A_r(\ce{H})=1;\quad A_r(\ce{O})=16;\quad A_r(\ce{Ag})=108;\quad A_r(\ce{Na})=23;\quad A_r(\ce{S})=32. \]

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  1. A and D:
Substance Name Molecular formula Condensed structural formula SMILES
A Propanoic acid (propionic acid) \(\ce{C3H6O2}\) \(\ce{CH3CH2COOH}\) CCC(=O)O
D Ethanal (acetaldehyde) \(\ce{C2H4O}\) \(\ce{CH3CHO}\) CC=O
  1. The remaining compounds:
Substance Name Condensed structural formula SMILES
B 2-Chloropropanoic acid \(\ce{CH3CHClCOOH}\) CC(Cl)C(=O)O
C 2-Aminopropanoic acid (alanine) \(\ce{CH3CH(NH2)COOH}\) CC(N)C(=O)O
E 2-Hydroxypropanenitrile (acetaldehyde cyanohydrin) \(\ce{CH3CH(OH)CN}\) CC(O)C#N
F 2-Aminopropanenitrile \(\ce{CH3CH(NH2)CN}\) CC(N)C#N
G 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid (lactic acid) \(\ce{CH3CH(OH)COOH}\) CC(O)C(=O)O

These SMILES leave stereochemistry unspecified. Under achiral reaction conditions, the chiral products are obtained as racemates.

  1. Reaction classifications:
Arrow Classification
A → B Substitution: chlorination at the carbon adjacent to the carboxyl group
B → G Nucleophilic substitution: replacement of chlorine by hydroxyl
B → C Nucleophilic substitution by ammonia; ammonolysis
C → G Nitrosative deamination, replacing the amino group by hydroxyl
D → E Nucleophilic addition to a carbonyl group; cyanohydrin formation
E → G Hydrolysis of a nitrile to a carboxylic acid
D → F Condensation followed by cyanide addition; the aminonitrile-forming stage of the Strecker synthesis
F → C Hydrolysis of a nitrile to a carboxylic acid

The missing reagent for C → G is nitrous acid, \(\ce{HNO2}\), ON=O. Aqueous potassium hydroxide initially gives a lactate salt in B → G; acidification gives free G.

  1. G has two optical isomers, which are enantiomers:
Isomer Stereochemical SMILES
\((S)\)-2-Hydroxypropanoic acid C[C@H](O)C(=O)O
\((R)\)-2-Hydroxypropanoic acid C[C@@H](O)C(=O)O

Within the hydroxycarboxylic-acid family, 3-hydroxypropanoic acid, \(\ce{HOCH2CH2COOH}\), OCCC(=O)O, is also a positional constitutional isomer of G.

Solution

1. Identification of A and D

For A, a \(100\ \mathrm{g}\) sample contains

\[ n(\ce{C})=\frac{48.60}{12}=4.050\ \mathrm{mol}, \] \[ n(\ce{H})=\frac{8.10}{1}=8.10\ \mathrm{mol}, \qquad n(\ce{O})=\frac{43.30}{16}=2.70625\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Thus,

\[ n(\ce{C}):n(\ce{H}):n(\ce{O}) =1.4965:2.9931:1 \approx 3:6:2. \]

The empirical formula is therefore \(\ce{C3H6O2}\), with empirical-formula mass

\[ 3(12)+6(1)+2(16)=74\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Formation of a silver salt with silver(I) oxide identifies a carboxylic acid. An integer multiple of this empirical formula, \(\ce{C_{3k}H_{6k}O_{2k}}\), has only one degree of unsaturation:

\[ \mathrm{DBE}=1+3k-\frac{6k}{2}=1. \]

Consequently, it can contain only one carboxyl group. Formation of its silver salt replaces one acidic hydrogen per molecule by silver, increasing the molar mass by

\[ 108-1=107\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Hence,

\[ n(\mathbf A) =\frac{(1.81-0.74)\ \mathrm{g}}{107\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} =0.0100\ \mathrm{mol}, \]

and

\[ M(\mathbf A) =\frac{0.74\ \mathrm{g}}{0.0100\ \mathrm{mol}} =74\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

The molecular formula equals the empirical formula. The three-carbon carboxylic acid is propanoic acid, CCC(=O)O.

The salt-forming reaction is

\[ \ce{2CH3CH2COOH + Ag2O -> 2CH3CH2COOAg(s) + H2O}. \]

Here silver(I) oxide is represented ionically by [Ag+].[Ag+].[O-2], silver propanoate by CCC(=O)[O-].[Ag+], and water by O. These ionic SMILES specify composition rather than solid-state coordination.

The silver salt has molar mass

\[ M(\ce{C3H5O2Ag})=36+5+32+108=181\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \]

so the predicted salt mass is

\[ 0.0100\ \mathrm{mol}\times181\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}} =1.81\ \mathrm{g}, \]

exactly reproducing the stated yield.

For D, the corresponding amounts in \(100\ \mathrm{g}\) are

\[ \frac{54.54}{12}:\frac{9.09}{1}:\frac{36.37}{16} =4.545:9.09:2.273125 \approx2:4:1. \]

Its empirical formula is therefore \(\ce{C2H4O}\), with empirical-formula mass \(44\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\).

Addition of sodium hydrogensulfite, \(\ce{NaHSO3}\), [Na+].[O-]S(=O)O, indicates a carbonyl compound. Any integer multiple of \(\ce{C2H4O}\) also has only one degree of unsaturation, so there is one carbonyl group and one hydrogensulfite unit is added per molecule.

Since

\[ M(\ce{NaHSO3})=23+1+32+3(16)=104\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \]

the sulfur mass fraction in the adduct gives

\[ \frac{32}{M(\mathbf D)+104}=0.216. \]

Therefore,

\[ M(\mathbf D)=\frac{32}{0.216}-104 =44.1\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}} \approx44\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Thus D has molecular formula \(\ce{C2H4O}\). A two-carbon carbonyl compound must be the aldehyde ethanal, CC=O.

Its addition reaction is

\[ \ce{CH3CHO + NaHSO3 <=> CH3CH(OH)SO3Na}. \]

The product is sodium 1-hydroxyethane-1-sulfonate, CC(O)S(=O)(=O)[O-].[Na+]. Its molar mass is \(148\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), giving

\[ w(\ce{S})=\frac{32}{148}\times100\%=21.6\%. \]

2. Identification of B, C, E, F, and G

Starting from D provides the most direct identification of G.

Addition of hydrogen cyanide, C#N, to ethanal places hydroxyl and cyano groups on the former carbonyl carbon. The product E is therefore 2-hydroxypropanenitrile:

\[ \mathbf E:\quad \ce{CH3CH(OH)CN}. \]

Hydrolysis converts the nitrile carbon into the carboxyl carbon without changing the carbon skeleton. Thus G is 2-hydroxypropanoic acid:

\[ \mathbf G:\quad \ce{CH3CH(OH)COOH}. \]

To produce this G by replacing chlorine with hydroxyl, B must have chlorine on carbon 2:

\[ \mathbf B:\quad \ce{CH3CHClCOOH}. \]

Replacing that chlorine by an amino group using ammonia, N, gives C, alanine:

\[ \mathbf C:\quad \ce{CH3CH(NH2)COOH}. \]

Finally, ethanal reacts with ammonia and hydrogen cyanide to form the corresponding aminonitrile F:

\[ \mathbf F:\quad \ce{CH3CH(NH2)CN}. \]

Hydrolysis of its nitrile group gives alanine, independently confirming both F and C.

3. Balanced equations and reaction mechanisms

The equations below use neutral organic molecular forms unless a salt is explicitly shown. Nitrile hydrolysis requires suitable aqueous acidic or alkaline conditions, usually with heating; protonation states during the reaction depend on pH.

A → B: α-chlorination

\[ \ce{CH3CH2COOH + Cl2 -> CH3CHClCOOH + HCl}. \]

This is substitution of an α hydrogen by chlorine, under the usual conditions for α-halogenation of a carboxylic acid. Chlorine has SMILES ClCl; hydrogen chloride has SMILES Cl.

B → G: hydrolytic nucleophilic substitution

With aqueous potassium hydroxide, [K+].[OH-], neutralization and chlorine displacement give

\[ \ce{CH3CHClCOOH + 2KOH -> CH3CH(OH)COOK + KCl + H2O}. \]

The organic product in the alkaline solution is potassium lactate, CC(O)C(=O)[O-].[K+]. Potassium chloride is [K+].[Cl-].

Acidification then gives free lactic acid:

\[ \ce{CH3CH(OH)COOK + HCl -> CH3CH(OH)COOH + KCl}. \]

One equivalent of hydroxide neutralizes the carboxyl group; another effects substitution. The substitution can be represented ionically as

\[ \ce{CH3CHClCOO^- + OH^- -> CH3CH(OH)COO^- + Cl^-}. \]

The participating ions are:

  • 2-Chloropropanoate: CC(Cl)C(=O)[O-]
  • Hydroxide: [OH-]
  • Lactate: CC(O)C(=O)[O-]
  • Chloride: [Cl-]

In a direct \(S_\mathrm{N}2\) description, an oxygen lone pair of hydroxide attacks the α carbon from the side opposite chlorine. The carbon–chlorine bonding pair moves onto chlorine as the carbon–oxygen bond forms. Such a direct displacement inverts an individual stereocentre. Because B is formed racemically under achiral conditions, this route gives racemic G.

B → C: ammonolysis

\[ \ce{CH3CHClCOOH + 2NH3 -> CH3CH(NH2)COOH + NH4Cl}. \]

This is nucleophilic substitution. One ammonia molecule supplies the amino group, while another accepts the released proton. Ammonium chloride has SMILES [NH4+].[Cl-].

C → G: nitrosative deamination

\[ \ce{CH3CH(NH2)COOH + HNO2 -> CH3CH(OH)COOH + N2 + H2O}. \]

Nitrous acid, ON=O, replaces the amino group by hydroxyl with evolution of nitrogen, N#N. This supplies the reagent omitted from the vertical arrow in the scheme.

D → E: cyanohydrin formation

\[ \ce{CH3CHO + HCN <=> CH3CH(OH)CN}. \]

This is nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl group. The mechanism proceeds in two steps.

First, cyanide ion, [C-]#N, attacks the electrophilic carbonyl carbon through its carbon atom. The carbonyl π-electron pair moves onto oxygen:

\[ \ce{CH3CHO + CN^- <=> CH3CH(O^-)CN}. \]

The intermediate is the cyanohydrin alkoxide, CC([O-])C#N.

Second, the alkoxide takes a proton from hydrogen cyanide:

\[ \ce{CH3CH(O^-)CN + HCN <=> CH3CH(OH)CN + CN^-}. \]

Cyanide is regenerated. The net changes are formation of a carbon–carbon bond and conversion of the carbonyl group into an alcohol group.

The carbonyl carbon is initially trigonal planar. Attack on its two faces is equally probable in an achiral environment, producing the two enantiomers of E in equal amounts. Subsequent nitrile hydrolysis therefore gives racemic G.

E → G: nitrile hydrolysis

\[ \ce{CH3CH(OH)CN + 2H2O -> CH3CH(OH)COOH + NH3}. \]

The nitrile group is hydrolysed, through an amide intermediate, to a carboxyl group.

D → F: aminonitrile formation

\[ \ce{CH3CHO + NH3 + HCN -> CH3CH(NH2)CN + H2O}. \]

This is the aminonitrile-forming stage of the Strecker synthesis. It comprises condensation of ethanal with ammonia, followed by cyanide addition. The condensation intermediate is ethanimine, CC=N:

\[ \ce{CH3CHO + NH3 <=> CH3CH=NH + H2O}, \]

followed overall by

\[ \ce{CH3CH=NH + HCN -> CH3CH(NH2)CN}. \]

F → C: nitrile hydrolysis

\[ \ce{CH3CH(NH2)CN + 2H2O -> CH3CH(NH2)COOH + NH3}. \]

The nitrile group becomes a carboxyl group while the amino group is retained, yielding alanine.

4. Isomerism of G

The central carbon of lactic acid is attached to four different groups:

\[ \ce{-OH},\qquad \ce{-COOH},\qquad \ce{-CH3},\qquad \ce{-H}. \]

It is therefore a stereogenic centre. There are exactly two stereoisomers of this connectivity: \((S)\)-lactic acid, C[C@H](O)C(=O)O, and \((R)\)-lactic acid, C[C@@H](O)C(=O)O. They are nonsuperimposable mirror images: optical isomers, or enantiomers.

Their Fischer projections can be specified precisely as follows. Put the carboxyl group at the top and the methyl group at the bottom:

Isomer Left horizontal group Right horizontal group
\((S)\)-Lactic acid \(\ce{OH}\) \(\ce{H}\)
\((R)\)-Lactic acid \(\ce{H}\) \(\ce{OH}\)

In these projections, horizontal bonds point toward the observer and vertical bonds point away. The priority order is hydroxyl \(>\) carboxyl \(>\) methyl \(>\) hydrogen.

The enantiomers have equal and opposite optical rotations under identical measurement conditions. Their equimolar mixture is optically inactive.

If constitutional isomers are also intended, the other saturated hydroxycarboxylic acid with formula \(\ce{C3H6O3}\) is:

Name Structure SMILES Relationship to G
3-Hydroxypropanoic acid \(\ce{HOCH2CH2COOH}\) OCCC(=O)O Positional isomer; achiral

Allowing different functional-group arrangements gives further constitutional isomers. Examples include methoxyethanoic acid, \(\ce{CH3OCH2COOH}\), COCC(=O)O, and methyl 2-hydroxyethanoate (methyl glycolate), \(\ce{HOCH2COOCH3}\), COC(=O)CO. These illustrate functional-group isomerism.

The solution was checked against the official solution.