IChO 1980 · Theory problem 6

Organic chemistry, syntheses: products from benzaldehyde and malonic acid

(Organic chemistry, syntheses)

Benzaldehyde and malonic acid reacted in pyridine at 80 °C yielding (among others) \(\ce{CO2}\) and compound A in a yield of ca. 80 % of the theoretical value. Catalytic hydrogenation of 1.48 g A on Pt at room temperature and normal pressure yielded B with a consumption of 0.25 litre of hydrogen. On reaction of B with a polyphosphoric acid (the Friedel-Crafts' conditions) compound C can be isolated accompanied by two acidic, isomeric side products. The side products Da and Db can be formed in a greater amount at a high concentration of B in the reaction medium, and can be suppressed by dilution.

The elemental analysis of C yields 81.8 % of carbon and 6.1 % of hydrogen. The corresponding values for Da and Db, identical within the experimental error, are 76.6 % and 6.4 %, respectively. An amount of 2.82 g Da, as well as Db requires ca. 100 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\) 0.1 N potassium hydroxide solution for its neutralization. C can be purified by distillation (b. p. 243 – 245 °C) and then exhibits a melting point of 40 °C and density of 1.09 \(\mathrm{g/cm^3}\). The relative molecular mass can be obtained by mass spectrometry and its value is 132.

Using this information solve the following problems:

6.1 The structural formula of A.

6.2 The structural formula of B.

6.3 The structural formula of C.

6.4 The structural formulae of Da and Db.

6.5 Give an alternative pathway for the synthesis of A using the simplest possible starting materials and forming at least one C–C bond.

6.6 Give an alternative pathway for the synthesis of B using the simplest possible starting materials and forming at least one C–C bond.

6.7 Give structural formulae for the products of the following reactions:

Figure 1

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 6.1 — A: Cinnamic acid, normally predominantly the \(E\) isomer: O=C(O)/C=C/c1ccccc1.
  • 6.2 — B: 3-Phenylpropanoic acid (hydrocinnamic acid): O=C(O)CCc1ccccc1.
  • 6.3 — C: Indan-1-one: O=C1CCc2ccccc21.
  • 6.4 — Da and Db: Assigning the labels arbitrarily:
  • Da: 3-[2-(3-Phenylpropanoyl)phenyl]propanoic acid, the ortho isomer: O=C(O)CCc1ccccc1C(=O)CCc1ccccc1.
  • Db: 3-[4-(3-Phenylpropanoyl)phenyl]propanoic acid, the para isomer: O=C(O)CCc1ccc(C(=O)CCc2ccccc2)cc1.
  • 6.5: Perkin synthesis of A from benzaldehyde and acetic anhydride, using sodium acetate and heat, followed by hydrolysis.
  • 6.6: Malonic ester synthesis of B: benzylate diethyl malonate, then hydrolyze and decarboxylate.
  • 6.7(a): Indan-1-one oxime: ON=C1CCc2ccccc21; its \(E/Z\) composition is unspecified.
  • 6.7(b): 3-Phenyl-1H-indene: c1ccc(C2=CCc3ccccc32)cc1, formed by acid-catalyzed dehydration of the initially produced tertiary alcohol.
  • 6.7(c): 2-Benzylideneindan-1-one, normally predominantly \(E\): O=C1/C(=C/c2ccccc2)Cc2ccccc21.

Solution

6.1 — Identification of A

Benzaldehyde O=Cc1ccccc1 and malonic acid O=C(O)CC(=O)O undergo a Knoevenagel–Doebner condensation in pyridine c1ccncc1.

Condensation first gives benzylidenemalonic acid O=C(O)C(=Cc1ccccc1)C(=O)O:

\[ \ce{C6H5CHO + CH2(COOH)2 -> C6H5CH=C(COOH)2 + H2O}. \]

Decarboxylation then gives cinnamic acid:

\[ \ce{C6H5CH=C(COOH)2 -> C6H5CH=CHCOOH + CO2}. \]

The by-products are water O and carbon dioxide O=C=O. The overall balanced reaction is therefore

\[ \boxed{\ce{C6H5CHO + CH2(COOH)2 -> C6H5CH=CHCOOH + CO2 + H2O}}. \]

Thus A is cinnamic acid, \(\ce{C9H8O2}\), with molar mass

\[ M_A=9(12)+8(1)+2(16)=148\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

The usual major product is the more stable \(E\) isomer.

6.2 — Identification of B

The amount of A hydrogenated is

\[ n_A=\frac{1.48\ \mathrm{g}}{148\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} =0.0100\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

If one mole of molecular hydrogen, [H][H], reacts per mole of A, the observed volume corresponds to

\[ V_m=\frac{0.25\ \mathrm{L}}{0.0100\ \mathrm{mol}} =25\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}}, \]

consistent, at the precision of the problem, with a gas at room temperature and normal pressure. Thus approximately one equivalent of hydrogen is consumed.

Hydrogenation reduces the side-chain double bond:

\[ \boxed{\ce{C6H5CH=CHCOOH + H2 ->[Pt] C6H5CH2CH2COOH}}. \]

Therefore B is 3-phenylpropanoic acid, \(\ce{C9H10O2}\), with \(M_B=150\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\).

6.3 — Identification of C

The oxygen percentage is

\[ 100-81.8-6.1=12.1\%. \]

Using \(M_C=132\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) and the usual integer atomic masses gives the numbers of atoms per molecule:

\[ N_{\mathrm C}=\frac{0.818(132)}{12}=9.00, \qquad N_{\mathrm H}=\frac{0.061(132)}{1}=8.05, \qquad N_{\mathrm O}=\frac{0.121(132)}{16}=1.00. \]

Hence the molecular formula is

\[ \boxed{\ce{C9H8O}}. \]

This differs from B, \(\ce{C9H10O2}\), by one molecule of water:

\[ \ce{C9H10O2 ->[PPA] C9H8O + H2O}. \]

Polyphosphoric acid activates the carboxyl group for an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts acylation. An ortho carbon of the aromatic ring bonds to the carboxyl carbon, closing a five-membered ring.

Consequently, C is indan-1-one. Its five-membered ring contains the carbonyl carbon and two methylene groups, and shares an edge with the benzene ring. Its formula also gives six degrees of unsaturation:

\[ \mathrm{DBE}=\frac{2(9)+2-8}{2}=6, \]

accounted for by the benzene ring, the additional ring, and the carbonyl bond.

6.4 — Identification of Da and Db

Potassium hydroxide [K+].[OH-] is monobasic. The quantity used in the titration is

\[ n_{\mathrm{eq}} =(0.100\ \mathrm{L})(0.1\ \mathrm{eq\,L^{-1}}) \simeq0.010\ \mathrm{eq}. \]

Thus each side product has equivalent mass

\[ E=\frac{2.82\ \mathrm{g}}{0.010\ \mathrm{eq}} \simeq282\ \mathrm{g\,eq^{-1}}. \]

The concentration dependence suggests an intermolecular reaction involving two molecules of B. If the activated carboxyl group of one molecule acylates the aromatic ring of another, the resulting product retains one carboxyl group:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{2 C6H5CH2CH2COOH -> HOOCCH2CH2C6H4COCH2CH2C6H5 + H2O} }. \]

The predicted molecular formula and molar mass are

\[ \ce{2 C9H10O2 - H2O = C18H18O3}, \]

\[ M_D=2(150)-18=282\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Because this product has one carboxyl group, its equivalent mass is also \(282\ \mathrm{g\,eq^{-1}}\), matching the titration. Its calculated elemental composition is

\[ w_{\mathrm C}=\frac{18(12)}{282}\times100=76.6\%, \]

\[ w_{\mathrm H}=\frac{18(1)}{282}\times100=6.38\%\approx6.4\%. \]

Both agree with the measured values.

The existing \(\ce{-CH2CH2COOH}\) substituent is attached to the aromatic ring through an alkyl carbon and directs electrophilic substitution principally ortho and para. The incoming group is \(\ce{-COCH2CH2C6H5}\). This gives the two structures listed as Da and Db.

Dilution suppresses these products because intermolecular acylation requires a second molecule of B, whereas formation of C closes a ring within one molecule. The labels Da and Db may be interchanged.

6.5 — Alternative synthesis of A

A suitable alternative is the Perkin reaction.

Heat benzaldehyde with acetic anhydride CC(=O)OC(C)=O in the presence of sodium acetate CC(=O)[O-].[Na+], then perform an aqueous work-up. The overall balanced equation is

\[ \boxed{ \ce{C6H5CHO + (CH3CO)2O -> C6H5CH=CHCOOH + CH3COOH} }. \]

The other organic product is acetic acid CC(=O)O.

The new C–C bond joins the original aldehyde carbon to a methyl carbon supplied by acetic anhydride. Condensation and subsequent hydrolysis yield A, normally predominantly \(E\)-cinnamic acid.

6.6 — Alternative synthesis of B

A standard alternative is the malonic ester synthesis, using diethyl malonate CCOC(=O)CC(=O)OCC and benzyl chloride ClCc1ccccc1.

First, sodium ethoxide CC[O-].[Na+] removes a proton from diethyl malonate. The resulting malonate anion, CCOC(=O)[CH-]C(=O)OCC, attacks benzyl chloride in an \(S_\mathrm{N}2\) reaction. The combined balanced equation is

\[ \ce{ CH2(COOC2H5)2 + C2H5ONa + C6H5CH2Cl -> C6H5CH2CH(COOC2H5)2 + C2H5OH + NaCl }. \]

The organic product is diethyl benzylmalonate CCOC(=O)C(Cc1ccccc1)C(=O)OCC. The coproducts are ethanol CCO and sodium chloride [Na+].[Cl-].

Hydrolysis of both ester groups gives benzylmalonic acid O=C(O)C(Cc1ccccc1)C(=O)O:

\[ \ce{ C6H5CH2CH(COOC2H5)2 + 2 H2O ->[H+] C6H5CH2CH(COOH)2 + 2 C2H5OH }. \]

Heating then causes decarboxylation:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{C6H5CH2CH(COOH)2 ->[\Delta] C6H5CH2CH2COOH + CO2} }. \]

The product is B. The required new C–C bond is formed between the benzyl carbon and the central carbon of malonate.

6.7(a) — Reaction with hydroxylamine

Hydroxylamine NO condenses with the ketone carbonyl group under acid catalysis, producing indan-1-one oxime:

\[ \boxed{\ce{C9H8O + NH2OH ->[H+] C9H9NO + H2O}}. \]

The original \(\ce{C=O}\) group becomes \(\ce{C=N-OH}\).

The connectivity is ON=C1CCc2ccccc21. Because the two ring paths attached to the imine carbon differ, geometrical isomers are possible:

  • \((E)\)-Indan-1-one oxime: O/N=C1\CCc2ccccc21.
  • \((Z)\)-Indan-1-one oxime: O/N=C1/CCc2ccccc21.

The problem does not establish their proportions.

6.7(b) — Grignard addition and subsequent acidic treatment

Phenylmagnesium bromide Br[Mg]c1ccccc1 adds a phenyl group to the carbonyl carbon. This SMILES represents formal connectivity; it omits solvent coordination and aggregation.

Protonation initially gives 1-phenylindan-1-ol, OC1(c2ccccc2)CCc2ccccc21, formed as a racemate. A balanced equation for addition and acidic work-up is

\[ \ce{ C9H8O + C6H5MgBr + H+ -> C15H14O + Mg^2+ + Br- }. \]

Here the work-up ions are hydrogen ion [H+], magnesium(II) ion [Mg+2], and bromide [Br-].

The tertiary benzylic alcohol then undergoes acid-catalyzed dehydration:

\[ \boxed{\ce{C15H14O ->[H+] C15H12 + H2O}}. \]

Protonation of the hydroxyl group permits loss of water. Removal of a proton from the adjacent methylene group forms a double bond between that carbon and the former carbonyl carbon.

The final product is therefore 3-phenyl-1H-indene, c1ccc(C2=CCc3ccccc32)cc1. In the original indanone numbering, the phenyl group remains at C1 and the new double bond lies between C1 and C2; renumbering the indene gives the name above.

6.7(c) — Reaction with benzaldehyde and sodium ethoxide

Ethoxide removes an \(\alpha\)-hydrogen from C2 of indan-1-one. The resulting enolate attacks benzaldehyde, and the aldol addition product loses water to form a conjugated enone. This is a Claisen–Schmidt condensation:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{C9H8O + C6H5CHO ->[C2H5ONa] C16H12O + H2O} }. \]

The product is 2-benzylideneindan-1-one. The original ketone carbonyl remains, and C2 bears an exocyclic \(\ce{=CHC6H5}\) group.

The normally favored \(E\) product is O=C1/C(=C/c2ccccc2)Cc2ccccc21; the phenyl group and the carbonyl-bearing side of the ring lie on opposite sides of the exocyclic double bond.

The solution was checked against the official solution. Where this solution differs from the official solution, the official solution contains an error or a misprint.