IChO 1994 · Theory problem 6

Structure of an optically active compound C12H16O

An optical active compound A (\(\ce{C12H16O}\)) shows amongst other a strong IR-absorption at 3000 – 3500 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\), and two medium signals at 1580 and 1500 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\). The compound does not react with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-D). Upon treatment with \(\ce{I2/NaOH}\), A is oxidized and gives a positive iodoform reaction.

Ozonolysis of A (1. \(\ce{O3}\); 2. \(\ce{Zn, H+}\)) gives B (\(\ce{C9H10O}\)) and C (\(\ce{C3H6O2}\)). Both B and C give precipitation when treated with 2,4-D, and only C gives positive reaction with Tollens reagent. Nitration of B (\(\ce{HNO3/H2SO4}\)) may give two mono-nitro compounds D and E, but in practical work only D is formed.

Acidification followed by heating of the product formed by the Tollens reaction on C gives compound F (\(\ce{C6H8O4}\)). The compound gives no absorption in IR above 3100 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\).

6.1 Based on the above information draw the structure formula(e) for the compounds A – F and give the overall reaction scheme, including the (2,4-D) and the products of the Tollens and iodoform reactions.

6.2 Draw C in an R-configuration. Transform this into a Fischer projection formula and state whether it is a D or L configuration.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 6.1. The constitutional structures are:
Compound Name and structure description SMILES
A 4-(4-Methylphenyl)pent-3-en-2-ol; \(\ce{CH3CH(OH)CH=C(CH3)C6H4CH3}\), with the ring substituents para CC(O)C=C(C)c1ccc(C)cc1
B 4-Methylacetophenone, or 1-(4-methylphenyl)ethan-1-one CC(=O)c1ccc(C)cc1
C 2-Hydroxypropanal, commonly lactaldehyde CC(O)C=O
D 1-(4-Methyl-3-nitrophenyl)ethan-1-one; the observed nitration product CC(=O)c1cc([N+](=O)[O-])c(C)cc1
E 1-(4-Methyl-2-nitrophenyl)ethan-1-one; the alternative nitration product CC(=O)c1c([N+](=O)[O-])cc(C)cc1
F Lactide, or 3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione; a cyclic diester CC1OC(=O)C(C)OC1=O

The absolute configuration and alkene geometry of A are unspecified. The table therefore leaves stereochemistry unassigned; explicit stereochemical possibilities are discussed below.

The requested reaction products are:

Reaction Product name SMILES
B with 2,4-D 4-Methylacetophenone 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone CC(=NNc1ccc([N+](=O)[O-])cc1[N+](=O)[O-])c1ccc(C)cc1
C with 2,4-D Lactaldehyde 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone CC(O)C=NNc1ccc([N+](=O)[O-])cc1[N+](=O)[O-]
Tollens oxidation of C Lactate, or 2-hydroxypropanoate CC(O)C(=O)[O-]
Acidification of lactate Lactic acid, or 2-hydroxypropanoic acid CC(O)C(=O)O
Iodoform reaction of A Sodium 3-(4-methylphenyl)but-2-enoate [Na+].O=C([O-])C=C(C)c1ccc(C)cc1
Iodoform precipitate Triiodomethane, or iodoform IC(I)I
  • 6.2. The requested enantiomer is (2R)-2-hydroxypropanal, C[C@@H](O)C=O. Its Fischer projection has \(\ce{CHO}\) at the top, \(\ce{CH3}\) at the bottom, \(\ce{OH}\) on the right and \(\ce{H}\) on the left. It is D-lactaldehyde.

Solution

6.1

Identification of the functional groups and ozonolysis fragments.

The degree of unsaturation of A is

\[ \mathrm{DBE}=\frac{2(12)+2-16}{2}=5. \]

The absorptions at 1580 and 1500 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\) indicate an aromatic ring, accounting for four degrees of unsaturation. The remaining degree corresponds to the alkene cleaved by ozonolysis.

The strong absorption at 3000–3500 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\) indicates an alcohol group. The negative 2,4-D test is consistent with the absence of an aldehyde or ketone. Oxidation followed by a positive iodoform reaction identifies a secondary methyl alcohol unit:

\[ \ce{-CH(OH)CH3}. \]

Both ozonolysis products contain a carbonyl group, as shown by their positive 2,4-D tests. B, which does not reduce Tollens reagent, is a ketone. Its only oxygen atom is therefore its carbonyl oxygen, so the original alcohol group must be in C.

With only three carbon atoms, C must accommodate both the retained \(\ce{-CH(OH)CH3}\) unit and a carbonyl carbon. Consequently,

\[ \boxed{\mathbf C=\ce{CH3CH(OH)CHO}}, \]

which is lactaldehyde and gives the observed Tollens reaction.

Identification of B and its nitration products.

The aromatic ketone B has formula \(\ce{C9H10O}\). The existence of only two distinct aromatic mononitration products identifies a para-disubstituted ring with different substituents. Hence B is 4-methylacetophenone:

\[ \boxed{\mathbf B=\ce{4-CH3C6H4COCH3}}. \]

Number the ring carbon bearing the acetyl group as position 1; the methyl group is at position 4. The remaining positions form two equivalent pairs:

  • Positions 3 and 5 are meta to acetyl and ortho to methyl.
  • Positions 2 and 6 are ortho to acetyl and meta to methyl.

The acetyl group directs electrophilic substitution meta, while methyl directs ortho/para. Both therefore favor positions 3 and 5, giving D, 1-(4-methyl-3-nitrophenyl)ethan-1-one. Substitution at position 2 or 6 would give E.

The balanced nitration equation is

\[ \ce{C9H10O + HNO3 ->[H2SO4] C9H9NO3 + H2O}, \qquad \mathbf B\longrightarrow\mathbf D. \]

Reconstruction of A.

Reverse the ozonolysis by joining the carbonyl carbons of B and C with a double bond, removing their carbonyl oxygens. This gives

\[ \boxed{\mathbf A=\ce{4-CH3C6H4C(CH3)=CHCH(OH)CH3}}. \]

The alcohol carbon is stereogenic. Its two possible configurations are represented by:

  • (2R)-4-(4-methylphenyl)pent-3-en-2-ol: C[C@@H](O)C=C(C)c1ccc(C)cc1
  • (2S)-4-(4-methylphenyl)pent-3-en-2-ol: C[C@H](O)C=C(C)c1ccc(C)cc1

The information does not select either absolute configuration or either alkene geometry.

For the reaction equations below, let \(\mathrm{Ar}\) denote the 4-methylphenyl group, \(\ce{4-CH3C6H4}\). A balanced net equation for ozonolysis with reductive work-up is

\[ \ce{ ArC(CH3)=CHCH(OH)CH3 + O3 + Zn + 2H+ -> ArCOCH3 + CH3CH(OH)CHO + Zn^2+ + H2O }. \]

Thus the two organic products are B and C, respectively.

The 2,4-D reactions.

The reagent is 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, NNc1ccc([N+](=O)[O-])cc1[N+](=O)[O-].

Let \(Q\) denote its 2,4-dinitrophenyl group, \(\ce{2,4-(NO2)2C6H3}\), so that the reagent is written \(\ce{H2NNHQ}\). The carbonyl compounds undergo acid-catalyzed condensation:

\[ \ce{ArCOCH3 + H2NNHQ ->[H+] ArC(CH3)=NNHQ + H2O}, \]

\[ \ce{CH3CH(OH)CHO + H2NNHQ ->[H+] CH3CH(OH)CH=NNHQ + H2O}. \]

These give the two precipitated hydrazones listed in the Answers. Their imine geometries are not specified by the problem. A has no carbonyl group and therefore does not undergo this condensation.

Tollens oxidation and formation of F.

Tollens reagent oxidizes the aldehyde group of C to carboxylate while depositing silver:

\[ \ce{ CH3CH(OH)CHO + 2[Ag(NH3)2]+ + 3OH- -> CH3CH(OH)COO- + 2Ag(s) + 4NH3 + 2H2O }. \]

The organic product is lactate. Acidification gives lactic acid:

\[ \ce{CH3CH(OH)COO- + H+ -> CH3CH(OH)COOH}. \]

Two lactic acid molecules then undergo double esterification on heating:

\[ \ce{2CH3CH(OH)COOH ->[\Delta] C6H8O4 + 2H2O}. \]

The product is F, lactide. To draw it, make a six-membered ring with the sequence

\[ \ce{O-CH(CH3)-C(=O)-O-CH(CH3)-C(=O)} \]

and connect the final carbonyl carbon back to the first oxygen.

This cyclic diester has two carbonyl groups and one ring, consistent with its three degrees of unsaturation. Both alcohol groups and both carboxylic acid groups have been consumed, explaining the absence of an O–H absorption above 3100 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\). The problem does not establish its absolute stereochemistry.

The iodoform reaction of A.

First, the secondary alcohol is oxidized to 4-(4-methylphenyl)pent-3-en-2-one, CC(=O)C=C(C)c1ccc(C)cc1:

\[ \ce{ ArC(CH3)=CHCH(OH)CH3 + I2 + 2OH- -> ArC(CH3)=CHCOCH3 + 2I- + 2H2O }. \]

The resulting methyl ketone undergoes the haloform reaction:

\[ \ce{ ArC(CH3)=CHCOCH3 + 3I2 + 4OH- -> ArC(CH3)=CHCOO- + CHI3(s) + 3I- + 3H2O }. \]

The overall equation in sodium hydroxide is therefore

\[ \boxed{ \ce{ ArC(CH3)=CHCH(OH)CH3 + 4I2 + 6NaOH -> ArC(CH3)=CHCOONa + CHI3(s) + 5NaI + 5H2O } }. \]

The yellow precipitate is iodoform; the other organic product is sodium 3-(4-methylphenyl)but-2-enoate.

The small coproducts appearing in these equations are water O, zinc(II) ion [Zn+2], silver [Ag], ammonia N, iodide [I-], and sodium iodide [Na+].[I-].

6.2

For lactaldehyde, the CIP priorities at the stereogenic carbon are

\[ \boxed{\ce{OH} \;>\; \ce{CHO} \;>\; \ce{CH3} \;>\; \ce{H}}. \]

Oxygen has the highest priority. Between the two carbon substituents, the aldehyde carbon is treated as attached to \(\ce{O,O,H}\), whereas the methyl carbon is attached to \(\ce{H,H,H}\). Thus aldehyde outranks methyl.

To depict R-lactaldehyde, direct the bond to hydrogen away from the viewer. Viewed along that direction, place \(\ce{OH}\) at 12 o’clock, \(\ce{CHO}\) at 4 o’clock and \(\ce{CH3}\) at 8 o’clock. The order \(1\rightarrow2\rightarrow3\) is clockwise.

Its Fischer projection is

\[ \begin{array}{ccc} &\ce{CHO}&\\ &\vert&\\ \ce{H}&-\ce{C}-&\ce{OH}\\ &\vert&\\ &\ce{CH3}& \end{array} \]

The horizontal bonds point toward the viewer; the vertical bonds point away. The projected sequence \(1\rightarrow2\rightarrow3\) is counterclockwise, but hydrogen is toward the viewer, so reversal gives R.

With the aldehyde at the top and the hydroxyl group on the right, this is the D configuration:

\[ \boxed{\text{(R)-lactaldehyde is D-lactaldehyde}} \]

with stereochemical SMILES C[C@@H](O)C=O.

The solution was checked against the official solution.