IChO 1981 · Theory problem 5

Chlorination of hydrocarbon A: intermediates for nylon and chloroprene rubber

Compounds B and C are structural isomers. They can be obtained when hydrocarbon A interacts with chlorine. Hydrocarbon A is a basic product of an industrial organic synthesis. It can react with ozone, yielding an ozonide.

Isomer B can be used for the technical production of compounds D and E that are the initial compounds in the production of the fibre nylon:

Figure 1

Compound D is soluble in bases, E in acids.

The reaction between isomer C and an alcohol solution of an alkaline base yields monomer F which is used for the production of chloroprene (neoprene) rubber

Figure 2

This method has a technical application.

5.1 Write down the structural formulae of A, B, C, D, E, F and their names in the IUPAC nomenclature.

5.2 Write down the mechanism of the reaction between hydrocarbon A and chlorine. What type of reaction is it in terms of its mechanism? Which of the two isomers is obtained in larger quantities under ordinary conditions?

5.3 Write down the equations for:

– the production of D and E from isomer B,
– the production of monomer F from isomer C,
– the ozonolysis of hydrocarbon A and hydrolysis of the ozonide.

5.4 Write down the chemical scheme for an industrial production of hydrocarbon A from the hydrocarbon which is main component of natural gas.

5.5 For chloroprene rubber, write down the formulae of the possible steric forms of the elementary unit.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 5.1
Label Structural formula IUPAC name SMILES
A \(\ce{CH2=CH-CH=CH2}\) Buta-1,3-diene C=CC=C
B \(\ce{ClCH2-CH=CH-CH2Cl}\) 1,4-Dichlorobut-2-ene ClCC=CCCl
C \(\ce{CH2=CH-CHCl-CH2Cl}\) 3,4-Dichlorobut-1-ene C=CC(Cl)CCl
D \(\ce{HOOC(CH2)4COOH}\) Hexanedioic acid (adipic acid) O=C(O)CCCCC(=O)O
E \(\ce{H2N(CH2)6NH2}\) Hexane-1,6-diamine NCCCCCCN
F \(\ce{CH2=C(Cl)-CH=CH2}\) 2-Chlorobuta-1,3-diene (chloroprene) C=C(Cl)C=C
  • 5.2 Electrophilic addition gives B by 1,4-addition and C by 1,2-addition through a delocalized allylic intermediate. B is the thermodynamically favoured product and the intended ordinary-condition prediction, subject to the qualification below.

  • 5.3 Cyanide substitution followed by hydrogenation converts B into hexanedinitrile, N#CCCCCC#N. Hydrolysis gives D; reduction gives E. Alcoholic base converts C into F by elimination of hydrogen chloride. Complete ozonolysis gives two molecules of methanal, C=O, and one of ethanedial, O=CC=O; formal ozonide hydrolysis also produces hydrogen peroxide, OO.

  • 5.4 One industrial synthesis sequence is methane (C) → ethyne (C#C) → ethanal (CC=O) → ethanol (CCO) → A, with the last step being the Lebedev process.

  • 5.5 The specified 1,4-repeat has two configurations:

  • cis-1,4, with the backbone methylene groups on the same side: *C/C(Cl)=C\C*, corresponding to E.
  • trans-1,4, with those groups on opposite sides: *C/C(Cl)=C/C*, corresponding to Z.

Solution

5.1 — Identification of A–F

The nylon-6,6 repeat, represented by *NCCCCCCNC(=O)CCCCC(=O)*, contains a six-carbon diamine fragment and a six-carbon dicarboxylic-acid fragment. Here and below, * marks continuation into the polymer.

Cleaving the amide connections identifies the two monomers:

\[ \ce{HOOC(CH2)4COOH} \qquad\text{and}\qquad \ce{H2N(CH2)6NH2}. \]

The acid is D, hexanedioic acid, because it dissolves in bases by forming salts. The diamine is E, hexane-1,6-diamine, because its amino groups are protonated by acids.

For example,

\[ \ce{C6H10O4 + 2OH- -> C6H8O4^{2-} + 2H2O}, \]

\[ \ce{H2N(CH2)6NH2 + 2H+ -> [H3N(CH2)6NH3]^{2+}}. \]

The species used here are hydroxide ion, [OH-]; water, O; hydrogen ion, [H+]; hexanedioate ion, O=C([O-])CCCCC(=O)[O-]; and hexane-1,6-diaminium ion, [NH3+]CCCCCC[NH3+].

The displayed chloroprene-rubber repeat results from 1,4-polymerization of F, 2-chlorobuta-1,3-diene:

\[ \ce{CH2=C(Cl)-CH=CH2}. \]

Since F is obtained by eliminating hydrogen chloride from C, the appropriate precursor is

\[ \ce{CH2=CH-CHCl-CH2Cl}, \]

namely 3,4-dichlorobut-1-ene.

This is the 1,2-addition product of chlorine to A, buta-1,3-diene. Its corresponding 1,4-addition product is B, 1,4-dichlorobut-2-ene. Substitution of the two terminal chlorine atoms in B by cyanide introduces two additional carbon atoms, giving the six-carbon skeleton needed for both nylon monomers.

The names, condensed structures and SMILES of all six compounds are given in the answer table.

5.2 — Chlorination mechanism and product preference

Chlorine, ClCl, undergoes electrophilic addition to the conjugated diene.

Number the carbon atoms of A consecutively from 1 to 4. In the usual ionic representation:

  1. The \(\pi\) electrons of the C1=C2 bond attack the electrophilic end of polarized chlorine.
  2. The chlorine–chlorine bond breaks heterolytically, producing chloride ion, [Cl-].
  3. The resulting chlorinated allylic cation has two principal resonance contributors:

\[ \ce{ ClCH2-CH^{+}-CH=CH2 <-> ClCH2-CH=CH-CH2^{+} }. \]

These are the C2-charged contributor, ClC[CH+]C=C, and the C4-charged contributor, ClCC=C[CH2+], of the same delocalized allylic cation. To draw the resonance electron flow, move the C3=C4 \(\pi\)-electron pair into the C2–C3 bond.

Chloride attack at C2 gives the 1,2-adduct C:

\[ \ce{CH2=CH-CH=CH2 + Cl2 -> CH2=CH-CHCl-CH2Cl}. \]

Chloride attack at C4 gives the 1,4-adduct B:

\[ \ce{CH2=CH-CH=CH2 + Cl2 -> ClCH2-CH=CH-CH2Cl}. \]

The internal, disubstituted double bond of B is more stable than the terminal, monosubstituted double bond of C. Consequently, B is favoured under thermodynamic control and is the ordinary-condition prediction used here. Kinetic conditions can favour C; temperature, medium and reversibility affect the actual ratio.

5.3 — Required reaction equations

Production of D and E from B

First replace both terminal chlorine atoms by cyanide groups:

\[ \ce{ ClCH2-CH=CH-CH2Cl + 2KCN -> NC-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CN + 2KCl }. \]

The organic product is hex-3-enedinitrile, N#CCC=CCC#N. Potassium cyanide is [K+].[C-]#N, and potassium chloride is [K+].[Cl-].

Catalytic hydrogenation of its carbon–carbon double bond gives hexanedinitrile, also called adiponitrile, N#CCCCCC#N:

\[ \ce{ NC-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CN + H2 ->[catalyst] NC(CH2)4CN }. \]

Dihydrogen has SMILES [H][H].

Acidic hydrolysis of both nitrile groups gives D:

\[ \ce{ NC(CH2)4CN + 4H2O + 2HCl ->[\Delta] HOOC(CH2)4COOH + 2NH4Cl }. \]

Hydrogen chloride is [H]Cl, and ammonium chloride is [NH4+].[Cl-]. Including the acid explicitly accounts for the nitrogen product as ammonium rather than free ammonia.

Alternatively, hydrogenation of both nitrile groups gives E:

\[ \ce{ NC(CH2)4CN + 4H2 ->[catalyst] H2N(CH2)6NH2 }. \]

Each nitrile carbon becomes a terminal methylene carbon, so the diamine contains six methylene groups.

Production of F from C

Using potassium hydroxide, [K+].[OH-], in ethanol, CCO:

\[ \ce{ CH2=CH-CHCl-CH2Cl + KOH ->[alcohol,\ \Delta] CH2=CH-C(Cl)=CH2 + KCl + H2O }. \]

This is a base-induced dehydrochlorination. With the numbering of C, the base removes hydrogen from C3 while chlorine leaves C4; the new C3=C4 bond completes the conjugated diene.

The product written from the opposite end is

\[ \ce{CH2=C(Cl)-CH=CH2}, \]

which is F, chloroprene.

Ozonolysis of A and hydrolysis of the ozonide

Complete ozonolysis consumes two equivalents of ozone, [O-][O+]=O:

\[ \ce{CH2=CH-CH=CH2 + 2O3 -> C4H6O6}. \]

A formal structural representation of the butadiene bis(ozonide) is O1OC(C2OOCO2)OC1. Each original double bond is incorporated into a five-membered 1,2,4-trioxolane ring, and the original central carbon–carbon bond connects the two rings. No particular ozonide stereoisomer is implied.

Formal hydrolysis is

\[ \boxed{ \ce{ C4H6O6 + 2H2O -> 2HCHO + OHC-CHO + 2H2O2 } }. \]

The products are:

  • Methanal (formaldehyde), C=O: one molecule from each terminal methylene group.
  • Ethanedial (glyoxal), O=CC=O: the two central carbons remain connected.
  • Hydrogen peroxide, OO.

These are the primary carbonyl cleavage products. A reductive work-up removes peroxide and preserves the aldehydes; an oxidizing work-up can oxidize them further.

5.4 — Industrial synthesis of A from methane

The principal hydrocarbon in natural gas is methane, C. A route through ethanol uses the following balanced reactions.

First, high-temperature cracking gives ethyne (acetylene), C#C:

\[ \ce{2CH4 ->[\text{high temperature}] HC#CH + 3H2}. \]

Hydration of ethyne gives ethanal (acetaldehyde), CC=O:

\[ \ce{HC#CH + H2O ->[Hg^{2+},\ H+] CH3CHO}. \]

The catalyst notation denotes mercury(II) ion, [Hg+2], in acidic solution.

Hydrogenation gives ethanol, CCO:

\[ \ce{CH3CHO + H2 ->[catalyst] CH3CH2OH}. \]

Finally, the industrial Lebedev process, using a heated oxide catalyst, converts ethanol into A, buta-1,3-diene:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{ 2CH3CH2OH ->[\Delta,\ catalyst] CH2=CH-CH=CH2 + 2H2O + H2 } }. \]

5.5 — Steric forms of the chloroprene-rubber repeat

For the stated 1,4-repeat,

\[ \ce{[-CH2-C(Cl)=CH-CH2-]_{n}}, \]

the remaining double bond permits two geometrical configurations.

Form Precise drawing description Repeat-fragment SMILES CIP configuration
cis-1,4 Draw the double bond horizontally, with both backbone methylene groups below it. Chlorine and hydrogen are then above it. *C/C(Cl)=C\C* E
trans-1,4 Draw one backbone methylene group below the double bond and the other above it. Chlorine is opposite the first methylene group; hydrogen is opposite the second. *C/C(Cl)=C/C* Z

The apparent reversal between cis/trans and E/Z follows from the priority rules. At the chlorine-bearing alkene carbon, chlorine has higher priority than the backbone carbon. At the other alkene carbon, the backbone carbon has higher priority than hydrogen.

Thus, cis backbone groups give E, while trans backbone groups give Z. The SMILES encode these double-bond configurations; they do not specify the overall conformation of the polymer chain.

The solution was checked against the official solution.