IChO 1987 · Theory problem 4

Reaction sequence leading to indene (compounds A-I)

Write the structural formulae of the compounds A to I in the following reaction sequence.

Figure 1

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

Problem 4 — compounds A–I. Taking bromobenzene as the starting halide:

  • A: Bromobenzene, \(\ce{C6H5Br}\). SMILES: Brc1ccccc1.
  • B: Phenylmagnesium bromide, \(\ce{C6H5MgBr}\). SMILES: Br[Mg]c1ccccc1.
  • C: 2-Phenylethan-1-ol, \(\ce{C6H5CH2CH2OH}\). SMILES: OCCc1ccccc1.
  • D: (2-Bromoethyl)benzene, \(\ce{C6H5CH2CH2Br}\). SMILES: BrCCc1ccccc1.
  • E: 3-Phenylpropanenitrile, \(\ce{C6H5CH2CH2CN}\). SMILES: N#CCCc1ccccc1.
  • F: 3-Phenylpropanoic acid, \(\ce{C6H5CH2CH2COOH}\). SMILES: O=C(O)CCc1ccccc1.
  • G: 3-Phenylpropanoyl chloride, \(\ce{C6H5CH2CH2COCl}\). SMILES: O=C(Cl)CCc1ccccc1.
  • H: Indan-1-one, \(\ce{C9H8O}\). SMILES: O=C1CCc2ccccc21.
  • I: Indan-1-ol, \(\ce{C9H10O}\). SMILES with stereochemistry unspecified: OC1CCc2ccccc21. With an achiral hydrogenation catalyst, it is a racemic mixture of O[C@H]1CCc2ccccc21 and O[C@@H]1CCc2ccccc21.

The starting halogen is not uniquely specified; the bromide choice gives a consistent complete sequence.

Solution

Problem 4

The final product is indene, SMILES C1C=Cc2ccccc21. Its five-membered ring contains three carbons in addition to the two shared with the aromatic ring. The indicated Friedel–Crafts cyclization therefore requires an aromatic ring bearing the chain \(\ce{-CH2CH2COCl}\). The ethylene oxide reaction supplies two side-chain carbons, and cyanide supplies the third.

A → B: Grignard reagent formation

Magnesium inserts into the carbon–bromine bond of bromobenzene in anhydrous ether:

\[ \ce{C6H5Br + Mg ->[anhydrous ether] C6H5MgBr} \]

Thus A is bromobenzene and B is phenylmagnesium bromide.

The SMILES for B represents formal connectivity. In ether, the magnesium centre is coordinated by solvent, and the reagent can exist as associated species.

B → C: addition of two carbons using ethylene oxide

The three-membered oxygen-containing ring is ethylene oxide (oxirane), SMILES C1CO1. The phenyl group attacks a ring carbon, opening the ring and forming a magnesium alkoxide:

\[ \ce{C6H5MgBr + C2H4O -> C6H5CH2CH2OMgBr} \]

The intermediate is magnesium bromide 2-phenylethanolate, represented formally by SMILES Br[Mg]OCCc1ccccc1. Water protonates its oxygen:

\[ \ce{C6H5CH2CH2OMgBr + H2O -> C6H5CH2CH2OH + Mg(OH)Br} \]

Consequently, C is 2-phenylethan-1-ol. The two equivalent carbons of ethylene oxide become the two methylene groups between the phenyl group and the hydroxyl group.

C → D: replacement of hydroxyl by bromine

Phosphorus tribromide converts the primary alcohol into the corresponding bromide:

\[ \ce{3 C6H5CH2CH2OH + PBr3 -> 3 C6H5CH2CH2Br + H3PO3} \]

Thus D is (2-bromoethyl)benzene.

D → E: substitution by cyanide

Cyanide attacks through carbon and displaces bromide by an \(S_\mathrm{N}2\) reaction:

\[ \ce{C6H5CH2CH2Br + NaCN -> C6H5CH2CH2CN + NaBr} \]

This adds one carbon to the side chain. Therefore, E is 3-phenylpropanenitrile.

E → F: acidic hydrolysis of the nitrile

Heating with aqueous sulfuric acid hydrolyses the nitrile to a carboxylic acid. The balanced net ionic equation is:

\[ \ce{C6H5CH2CH2CN + 2 H2O + H+ -> [\Delta] C6H5CH2CH2COOH + NH4+} \]

The nitrile carbon becomes the carboxyl carbon, while nitrogen becomes ammonium, SMILES [NH4+], in the acidic solution. Hence F is 3-phenylpropanoic acid.

F → G: formation of the acyl chloride

Thionyl chloride converts the carboxylic acid into its acyl chloride:

\[ \ce{C6H5CH2CH2COOH + SOCl2 -> C6H5CH2CH2COCl + SO2 + HCl} \]

Thus G is 3-phenylpropanoyl chloride.

G → H: intramolecular Friedel–Crafts acylation

Aluminium chloride activates the acyl chloride. The aromatic ring forms a bond to the acyl carbon at a position ortho to the existing side chain, closing a five-membered ring:

\[ \ce{C6H5CH2CH2COCl ->[AlCl3] C9H8O + HCl} \]

The new ring comprises the carbonyl carbon, the two methylene carbons, and two adjacent aromatic carbons. Its carbonyl carbon lies directly next to an aromatic fusion carbon, identifying H as indan-1-one.

The two available ortho positions are equivalent and give the same product.

H → I: reduction of the ketone

Catalytic hydrogenation reduces the carbonyl group to a secondary alcohol:

\[ \ce{C9H8O + H2 ->[catalyst] C9H10O} \]

Therefore, I is indan-1-ol. The alcohol-bearing carbon is stereogenic. With an achiral catalyst, hydrogenation of either face of the carbonyl gives the two enantiomers in equal amounts.

I → indene: dehydration

Heating indan-1-ol with concentrated sulfuric acid eliminates water:

\[ \ce{C9H10O ->[conc. H2SO4,\ heat] C9H8 + H2O} \]

The hydroxyl group is removed from carbon 1 and a hydrogen from the neighbouring methylene carbon, forming the double bond between carbons 1 and 2. This produces the indene structure shown in the problem.

The answers were checked against the official answers published by the organisers.