Dmso Libro Feliz
Dmso Libro Feliz
Dmso Libro Feliz
REACTION SOLVENT
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE (DMSO)
O
S
H3C CH3
Dimethyl sulfoxide as manufactured by Gaylord Chemical, is a water-white almost odorless liquid, boiling at
189°C. and melting at above 18.2° C. It is relatively stable and easy to recover, miscible in all proportions with
water and most common organic solvents and has a low order of toxicity.
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION 5
PART I. PROPERTIES OF DMSO 6
Physical Properties 6
Thermal and Chemical Stability 6
Recovery from Aqueous Solutions 12
ELIMINATION REACTIONS 51
1. Cope Elimination 51
2. Decarboxylatoin and Decarbalkoxylation 51
3. Dehalogenation 52
4. Dehydrohalogenation 54
5. Nitrogen Elimination 57
2
Page
6. Sulfenate Elimination 59
7. Sulfonate Elimination 59
8. Water Elimination-dehydration 60
ISOMERIZATION REACTIONS 62
1. Acetylene Isomerization 62
2. Allyl Group Isomerization 63
3. Diene, Triene Isomerization 63
4. Olefin Isomerization 64
5. Racemization 65
3
Page
PART V. USES OF DMSO 88
1. Polymerization and Spinning Solvent 88
Polymerization Solvent for Heat-Resistant Polymers 88
2. Extraction Solvent 89
3. Solvent for Electrolytic Reactions 89
4. Cellulose Solvent 89
5. Pesticide Solvent 90
6. Cleanup Solvent 90
7. Sulfiding Agent 90
8. Integrated Circuits 90
PART VI. TOXICITY, HANDLING, HAZARDS, ANALYSIS 90
1. Toxicity and Handling Precautions 90
2. Comparative Toxicity of Commercial Solvents 91
3. Chemical Reactions to be Avoided with DMSO 91
4. Analytical Procedures 92
a) Gas chromatographic analysis of DMSO 92
b) DMSO freezing point 92
c) Water by Karl Fischer titration 92
PART VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY 93
Page
Table I Physical Properties of DMSO 6
Table II Results of Reflux of DMSO for 24 Hours with Various Compounds 9
Table III Refluxing of DMSO and Mixtures for Shorter Periods 9
Table IV Effect of Heating DMSO with Concentrated Acids 10
Table V Solubility of Salts in DMSO 13
Table VI Solubility of Resins and Polymers in DMSO 14
Table VII Solubility of Miscellaneous Materials in DMSO 15
Table VIII Solubility of Gases in DMSO 16
Table IX Solubility of Various Bases in DMSO 24
Table X Solubility of Sodium Azide in Four Solvents 31
Table XI Acidities in DMSO 50
Table XII Single-Dose Toxicity (Rats) of Some Common Solvents 91
Table XIII Single-Dose Toxicities to Mice of 4M Solvents 91
4
INTRODUCTION
Dimethyl sulfoxide or DMSO is a highly polar, high boiling, aprotic, water miscible, hygroscopic organic liquid. It is essentially odorless,
water white and has a low order of toxicity.
Chemically, DMSO is stable above 100° C in alkaline, acidic or neutral conditions. Prolonged refluxing at atmospheric pressure will
cause slow decomposition of DMSO. If this occurs, it can be readily detected by the odor of trace amounts of methyl mercaptan and
bis(methylthio)methane. The rate of decomposition is a timetemperature function that can be accelerated by the addition of acids and
retarded by some bases.
DMSO is a versatile and powerful solvent that will dissolve most aromatic and unsaturated hydrocarbons, organic nitrogen
compounds, organo-sulfur compounds and many inorganic salts. It is miscible with most of the common organic solvents such as
alcohols, esters, ketones, lower ethers, chlorinated solvents and aromatics. However, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons are virtually
insoluble in DMSO.
As a reaction solvent, DMSO is valuable for displacement, elimination, and condensation reactions involving anions. In DMSO, the
rates of these reactions are often increased by several orders of magnitude. In free radical polymerizations, higher average molecular
weights have been reported when DMSO was used as the reaction solvent.
The dominant characteristics of DMSO most important in its usefulness as a reaction solvent are its high polarity, its essentially
aprotic nature, and its solvating ability toward cations. The high dipole moment of the sulfur-oxygen bond (4.3) and the high dielectric
constant (approx. 48) for bulk DMSO suggest the solvating properties and ability to disperse charged solutes. DMSO is not a
hydrogen donor in hydrogen bonding and poorly solvates anions except by dipolar association to polarizable anions. The hydrogen
atoms of DMSO are quite inert, although they are replaceable under sufficiently severe conditions (bulk pKa = 35.1). The oxygen of
DMSO is somewhat basic and participates strongly as a hydrogen bond acceptor. DMSO forms isolatable salts with several strong
acids.
Owing to its chemical and physical properties, DMSO can be efficiently recovered from aqueous solutions. Commercial users of
DMSO employ a variety of processing schemes in their recovery systems. All of these are based on evaporation or fractional
distillation because of simplicity of design and operation. Unlike some other solvents, DMSO can be easily separated from water by
distillation in substantially pure form. For example, DMSO containing less that 500 ppm water can be recovered from a solution
containing 50 weight percent water with only 15 column plates at a reflux ratio of 1:1.
Dimethyl sulfoxide occurs widely in nature at levels of 3 ppm or less. It has been found in spearmint oil, corn, barley, malt, alfalfa,
beets, cabbage, cucumber, oats, onions, swiss chard, tomatoes, raspberries, beer, coffee, milk and tea. DMSO is a common
constituent of natural waters. It has been identified in seawater in the zone of light penetration where it may represent an end product
of algal metabolism. Its occurrence in rainwater may result from oxidation of atmospheric dimethyl sulfide which in turn occurs as part
of the natural transfer of sulfur of biological origin.
No attempt has been made in this bulletin to present a complete literature survey of all the uses of DMSO as a reaction solvent,
solvent, or reactant. A few carefully chosen references have been selected to illustrate the most important areas of DMSO chemistry.
For persons wishing to learn more about DMSO as a reaction solvent, ir any other information in this bulletin, please write or call:
5
PART I. PROPERTIES OF DMSO
TABLE I. Physical Properties of DMSO
Reference
Molecular Weight 78.13
Boiling Point at 760 mm Hg 189 °C (372°F) (342)
Freezing point 18.45°C (65.4°F) (342)
Molal freezing point constant, °C/(mol)(kg) 4.07 (2151)
Refractive index nD25 1.4768 (581)
Surface tension at 20°C 43.53 dynes/cm (2223)
Vapor pressure, at 25°C 0.600 mmHg (372)
Density, g/cm3, at 25°C 1.099 (581)
Viscosity, cP, at 25°C 2.0 (see Figs. 3 & 4) (581)
Specific heat at 29.5°C 0.47+/- 0.015 cal/g/°C (3215)
Heat capacity (liq.), 25°C 0.47 cal/g/°C (2900)
Heat capacity (ideal gas) Cp(T°K)=6.94+5.6x10 ±2T-0.227x10-4T2 (353)
Heat of fusion 41.3 cal/g (232)
Heat of vaporization at 70°C 11.3 kcal/mol (260 BTU/lb)
Heat of solution in water at 25°C -54 cal/g, @ f dilution (3215)
Heat of combustion 6054 cal/g; (473 kcal/mole) (342)
Flash point (open cup) 95°C (203°F)
Auto ignition temperature in air 300-302°C (572-575°F)
Flammability limits in air
lower (100°C) 3-3.5% by volume
6
refluxed for 24 hours with 100g each of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium cyanide, sodium acetate and
sodium sulfate, little or no decomposition takes place in most cases. The results are shown in Table II below (3922):
7
8
TABLE II
Results of Reflux of DMSO for 24 Hours with Various Compounds
(a)
Compound (1008) Reflux DMSO Recovered DMS % of Decomposition Products, M Md
in 300 g DMSO Temp.,° C. % of Original DMDS
(b)
BMTM
(c)
HCHO
NaOH 185-140e 93.7 63 31
Na2CO3 190 96.3 14
NaCI 190 98.7 15
NaCN 148-164f 100.0
NaOAc 182-187 97.0 22 33 8 20
Na2SO4 181-148g 85.4 66 11
DMSO only 189 98.0 15 30 30
TABLE III
Refluxing of DMSO and Mixtures For Shorter Periods
Composition of Sample, Reflux Time DMSO Organic Product Composition, BMTM
Parts Time,°C. Hr. 100 DMS DMDS 0
10 DMSO:1 H2O 152 5 0 0
15 99.7 0.15 0 0.15
60 DMSO:5 H2O:1 NaOH 155 5 99.8 0.1 0.1 0
8 99.3 0.6 0.1 0
60 DMSO:12 H2O:1 NaHCO3 131 6 99.9 0.1 0 0
12 99.8 0.2 0 0
DMSO only 191 5 99.8 0.1 0.1 0
9 99.1 0.2 0.2 0.5
16 99.0 0.2 0.2 0.6
DMSO is also stable in the presence of concentrated sulfuric or hydrochloric acid at 100° C for up to 120 minutes of heating at atmospheric
9
pressure. Phosphoric acid causes more rapid decomposition of DMSO than does sulfuric or hydrochloric acid. Detected decomposition
products are dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and, in smaller quantity, formaldehyde. The results are shown in Table IV (3920):
TABLE IV
Effect of Heating DMSO with Concentrated Acids - (200g DMSO with 20g of concn. acid)
10
11
FIGURE 6
Many chemical processes using DMSO require the addition of water to stop the reaction or to separate the product from the solvent
(DMSO). DMSO can be separated efficiently and cleanly from this water and other impurities by distillation. DMSO distillations are not
complicated by any known azeotropes.
A typical feed to a recovery operation is relatively weak in DMSO - 10 to 20%. There would usually be two vacuum distillation steps in
the recovery:
1) Evaporation of the DMSO-water solution overhead to eliminate less volatile impurities, if any are present, and
2) Fractional distillation of the DMSO-water solution to recover pure DMSO.
Recovery may be done batchwise or continuously, employing moderate conditions. An operating pressure of about
100 mm Hg abs. would allow the use of 85 psig steam and normally available cooling water.
PART II
SOLVENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF DMSO
The solvent characteristics of DMSO derive mainly from its being highly polar and aprotic. Because of its high polarity it forms
association bonds with other polar and polarizable molecules, including itself. Thus, it is miscible with water and almost all types of
organic liquids except the saturated alkanes. It has a high solvency for the large organic molecules containing polar groups. DMSO has
also exhibited an ability to dissolve many inorganic salts, particularly those of the transition metals or those which have nitrates,
cyanides or dichromates as their anions.
The following tables of solubilities are offered as a guide and an easy reference.
12
Solubility of salts ----------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Table V
Solubility of resins and polymers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table V I
Solubility of miscellaneous materials --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table VII
Solubility of gases -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table VIII
The difficulty of predicting solubility characteristics suggests that each specific compound be checked for its solubility in DMSO rather
then generalizing from reported solubilities. Because of the variability of resins and polymers from one manufacturer to another,
tradenames and companies have been used to identify accurately the materials in Table VI.
The study of co-solvent possibilities utilizing DMSO has not been included as the complexity and diversity of this field are too broad to
give adequate coverage. It will be noted however from Table VII that DMSO is compatible with most of the common solvents. This
compatibility and the strong solvency properties of DMSO indicate numerous possibilities for co-solvent systems to perform given tasks
efficiently and economically.
TABLE V
Solubility of Salts in DMSO (794)
13
TABLE VI
Solubility of Resins and Polymers in DMSO
14
Vinylidenes
Darvan (Goodrich) 5 - Soln. Cloudy and viscous
Saran film (Dow) - 30
Geon 200 x 20 (Goodrich) - 20
DNA (Goodrich) >5 - 25 at 130°C
Other Resinous Materials
Melmac 405 (Am. Cyanamid) 70 -
Neoprene Insol. Insol.
Polyethylene Insol. Insol.
Polystyrene - - Sol. At 150°C ppts at 130°C
Rosin (Hercules) >100 -
Penton (chlorinated polyether)
(Hercules) - 5
Teflon (du Pont) Insol. Insol.
Vinsol (Hercules) 50 >100
TABLE VII
Solubility of Miscellaneous Materials in DMSO
Solubility Solubility
Grams/100 cc DMSO Grams/100 cc DMSO
Material 20-30°C 90-100°C Material 20-30°C 90-100°C
Acetic acid Miscible - Glycerine Miscible -
Acetone Miscible - Glycine <0.05 0.1
Acrawax <1 >1 Hexane 2.9 -
Acrawax B Insol. 4 Hy-wax 120 - <1
Aniline Miscible - Iodine Soluble -
Beeswax - <1 Isoprene Miscible -
Benzene Miscible - Kerosene 0.05 (0.5% DMSO soluble in 11 (gets cold)
Benzidine Soluble - Lanolin, hydrated (Lanette O)
Benzidine methane sulfonate Insol. - Lauryl amide (Amid 12) 10 >20
Bromine Reacts - Lorol 5 Miscible -
Lubricating oil 0.4 -
Butenes 2.1 - Methionine 0.1 0.3
Clacium methyl sulfonate Soluble - Methyl borate Miscible -
Camphor Soluble Soluble Methyl caprate - Miscible
Candelilla wax - <1 Methyl iodide Miscible Reacts
Carbon Insol. - Methyl laurate 7 Miscible
Carbon disulfide 90 - Methyl mercaptan 40 -
Carbon tetrachloride Miscible - N-methyl morpholine Miscible -
Carbowax 600 Miscible - Methyl palmitate Immiscible Misc. 130-180°
Carbowax 6000 Insol. 8 Methyl salicylate Miscible -
Carnauba wax - <1 Methyl sulfonic acid Miscible -
Castor oil Miscible - Methylene chloride Miscible -
Ceresin wax - <1 Microcrystalline wax - <1
Chlorine Reacts - Morpholine Miscible Miscible-
Chloroform Miscible - Naphthalene 40 Insol.
Chlorosulfonic acid Reacts - Neoprene Insol. -
Citric acid >70 - Nitrobenzene Miscible -
Coconut oil 0.3 1.3 Oleic acid Miscible -
Misc.-160°C Ouricuri wax - 1
Cork Softens Softens Oxalic acid 38 -
Cresylic acid Miscible - Paint (dried) Softens & dissolves
Cumene Miscible - Palmitic acid 100
Cyclohexane 4.67 - Paraffin Insoluble -
Cyclohexylamine Miscible - Paraformaldehyde Insoluble Slightly soluble
Decalin 4.5 - Pentaerythritol 5-10 30
n-Decane 0.7 - n-Pentane 0.35 -
Di-n-butylamine 11 - Pentene 1 & 2 7.1 -
o-Dichlorobenzene Miscible - Perchloric acid Reacts violently -
p-Dichlorobenzene Very Soluble - Petroleum ether 3 (DMSO soluble 0.3-0.5% in petroleum
Dicholorodiphenyltrichloroethane 4 100 ether)
Dicyandiamide 40 - Phenol Soluble -
Dicyclohexylamine 4.5 - Phosphoric acid Miscible -
Diethylamine Miscible - Phosphorus trichloride Reacts vigorously -
Diethyl ether Miscible - Phthalic acid 90 -
bis-(2-ethylhexyl)amine Miscible - Isophthalic acid 68 76
Diethyl sulfide 0.7 - Terephthalic acid 26 33
Di-isobutyl carbinol Miscible Picric acid Soluble -
15
Di-isobutylene 3.3 (0.6% DMSO soluble in Pyridine Miscible -
di-isobutylene)
- Pyrogallol 50 -
Dimethyl ether 4.4 - Rosin >100 -
Dimethyl formamide Miscible - Rosin soap Slightly soluble 0.9
Dimethyl sulfide Miscible - (Hercules Dresinate X)
Dimethyl sulfone 33.9 Miscible Sevin 50 -
Dioxane Miscible - Shellac, white, dried - 80
Diphenyl Very Soluble - Silicon tetrachloride Reacts vigorously
Dipentene 10 - Sodium - Reacts
n-Dodecane 0.38 - Sorbitan sesquioleate 2.5 -
Dodecylbenzene (Neolene 400) 3.5 - Sorbitan trioleate - Miscible
Dyes - Sorbitol 60 >180
Burnt Sugar Soluble - Soybean oil 0.6 -
FD&C Blue Soluble - Starch, soluble >2 -
Pistachio Green B Soluble - Stearic acid 2 Miscible
Ethyl benzoate Miscible - Succinic acid 30 -
Ethyl alcohol Miscible - Sugar (sucrose) 30 100
Ethyl bromide Miscible Reacts Sulfamic acid 40 -
Ethyl ether Miscible - Sulfur - <1
Ethylene dichloride Miscible - Sulfuric acid Miscible -
Formalin (37%) Miscible - Tallow Insol. 1.9
Formamide Miscible - Tallow amide, hydrogenated Insol. >40
Formic Acid Miscible - (Armour Armide HT)
Tetrahydrophthalic anhydride 50 -
Thiourea 40 85
Toluene Miscible -
Toluene di-isocyanate Miscible -
Tributylamine 0.9 -
Tricresyl phosphate Miscible -
Triethanolamine laurylsulfate Soluble -
Triethanolamine Miscible -
Triethylamine 10 -
Trinitrotoluene Soluble -
Turpentine 10 -
Urea 40 110
Water Miscible -
Xylene Miscible -
TABLE VIII
Solubility of Gases in DMSO at Atmospheric Pressure and 20°C
(from pure gases in each case)
16
PART III
REACTIONS OF DMSO
1. Oxidation of DMSO
DMSO reacts with strong oxidizing agents to give dimethyl sulfone, CH 3SO2CH . Ozone gives a good yield of the sulfone (825)(8923).
Both dichromate oxidation (321) and permanganate oxidation (9222) have been used for quantitative determination of DMSO (1612).
Aqueous chlorine under acidic conditions gives dimethyl sulfone and
methanesulfonyl chloride (1273)(8548), but under alkaline conditions the oxidation is accompanied by chlorination to give an 80% yield
of hexachlorodimethyl sulfone (905):
CH3SOCH3 + NaOCl CCl3SO2CCl3
Sodium hypobromite similarly gives a 75% yield of hexabromodimethyl sulfone (229). DMSO reacts with hydrogen peroxide (10224),
organic peroxides (1515), or hydroperoxides (8105), particularly in the presence of catalysts (4136), to give the sulfone. It has been
reported that the persulfate ion can remove an electron from the sulfur of DMSO to give a radical cation, which is a suitable
polymerization catalyst for acrylonitrile (1271). DMSO is also oxidized by peroxydiphosphate (9563) and chloramine-T (9678).
2. Reduction of DMSO
DMSO is reduced to dimethyl sulfide, CH SCH , by a number of strong reducing agents, including aluminum hydrides (1024)(1022)
and boranes (1138)(3429)(3816)(8885). Mercaptans reduce acidified DMSO and are oxidized to the disulfides
(428)(1373)(2532)(2779)(8054)(8095)(8405)(9949):
acid
2RSH + CH 3SOCH 3 RSSR + CH 3SCH 3 + H 2O
3. Reaction with Metals
The reaction of DMSO with sodium and potassium metals does not lead to simple removal of a hydrogen, but occurs by cleaving the
carbon-sulfur bond (206):
CH3SOCH3 + 2M CH3SO -M+ + CH3-M+
CH3SOCH3 + CH3-M+ CH3SOCH2-M+ + CH4
The electrolytic reduction of sodium chloride or sodium iodide in DMSO similarly leads to a mixture of hydrogen and methane gases at the
cathode (1508).
17
H2CSOCH3
N N N
The reaction in many cases proceeds by way of initial attack of the chlorinating agent upon the oxygen of DMSO, followed by removal of
a proton to give an ylide which is finally attacked by chlorine (459):
CH SOCH + Z-M-X [(CH3)2 SOMZ] +X-
3 3
X-(e.g. Cl -)
-
OMZ + CH3SCH2 X [CH2SOCH2:] M-Z +HX
M= an atom (such as S) to which the halogen atom X is attached
Z=the remaining portion of the molecule
The kinetics of the reaction between DMSO and acetyl chloride has been studied using NMR spectroscopy. The decay of DMSO and
acetyl chloride follows mainly 2nd order kinetics. The growth of the main products, acetic acid and chloromethyl methyl sulfide is mainly
second order. The overall reaction is complicated by several side reactions, which generate acetoxymethyl methyl sulfide, acetic
anhydride and chlorodimethylsulfonium chloride (9773):
OCH3CCl
CH3SOCH3 CH3SCH2Cl + CH3CO2H + (CH3CO)2O +CIS(CH3)2 +Cl-
This displacement of a reactive chloride by the DMSO oxygen has been used to introduce hydroxyl groups into compounds that are
sensitive toward water (459)(294)(1016)(1383)(3152). Thus, DMSO reacts with cyanuric chloride to give cyanuric acid and with benzoyl
chloride to give benzoic acid, (1383):
O CH 3 O
O CH 3
CH3SOCH3 + (CH3CO)2O S
CH 3 S +CH3CO 2H
H3C O CH 3 CH 2
H3C
O
O
H3CS CH 2 O CH 3
H3CSH2CO CH 3
DMSO also reacts with trifluoroacetic anhydride to give the acetoxysulfonium salt. When this intermediate is reacted with aromatic
amines, amides or sulfonamides the corresponding iminosulfuranes are obtained (7044). When aliphatic carboxylic acids are treated
with DMSO activated by tert-butylbromide in the presence of NaHCO3 the corresponding methylthiomethyl esters are obtained in a
Pummerer like reaction (10032). A Pummerer type rearrangement is also suggested in the reaction of diphenylphosphinic anhydride-
DMSO reaction (4128):
O
[Ph2PO]2O + CH3SOCH3 P + Ph2PO2H
Ph OCH 2SCH3
Ph
Inorganic anhydrides also attack the DMSO oxygen. The sulfur trioxide-DMSO complex reacts easily with cellulose to give cellulose
sulfate esters with a high degree of substitution (1474).
Reactions of DMSO wlth some acid anhydrides, both organic and lnorganic, can be vigorous and should be conducted with care. Thus,
acetic anhydride and benzoic anhydride react with DMSO even at room temperature (290), although higher temperatures, e.g. 85-90° C,
are needed for faster reactions (7613).
Complex formation between DMSO and sulfur trioxide is an exothermic reaction. To avoid overheating with consequent darkening and
violent boiling of the mixture, sulfur trioxide should be added slowly to a cool well stirred and cooled DMSO (1474).
DMSO cannot be dried with phosphorus pentoxide because this may lead to an explosive mixture (354).
7. Halogenation of DMSO
DMSO can be halogenated with chlorine or bromine in the presence of a base. Thus, stirring a solution of DMSO, pyridine, and
bromine in chloroform results in the formation of bromomethyl methyl sulfoxide (3148):
Br2, pyridine, CCl4
CH3SOCH3 CH3SOCH2Br
0oC 48%
3 hr.
Similarly, bubbling chlorine into a DMSO, pyridine and methylene chloride solution at 0° C for over 30 minutes produces chloromethyl
methyl sulfoxide in a 77% yield (6268).
Chlorination of DMSO in the presence of triethylamine yields chloromethyl methyl sulfoxide. Further chlorination in the presence of
pyridine yields methyl trichloromethyl sulfoxide (4802):
Cl2, Et 3N, CCl4 Cl2, pyridine, CHCl3
CH3SOCH3 CH3SOCH2Cl CH3SOCCl3
o
-5 to 5 C 60% 30%
below 5oC
3 hrs.
Bromination of DMSO with elemental bromine leads to the formation of trimethylsulfonium bromide. Methanesulfonic acid,
paraformaldehyde, dimethyl disulfide, and hydrogen bromide are formed as by-products (4802):
Br2
CH3SOCH3 (CH3)3S+Br-
o
20-50 C 75%
A small amount of hydrogen halides or halogens, especially bromine or hydrogen bromide, catalyze the decomposition of DMSO in the
absence of a base. This catalytic decomposition takes place sluggishly. The reaction of bromine proceeds via the initial Į-bromination to
afford Į-bromethyl methyl sulfoxide which is oxidized (Kornblum reaction) to afford the products listed above [(4802)]. These consecutive
reactions form an oxidation-reduction cycle between Br2-HBr and DMSO-dimethyl sulfide (8400).
OH
+ Phenol
CH3SOCH3 + HCl CH3SCH3 Cl
+
heat
OH S(CH3)2 Cl-
OH SCH3 + CH3Cl
+
R
4-(methylthio)phenol
Up to 60% yields are obtained, depending on the structure of the phenol. p-Hydroxyaryl methylthioethers are also obtained when phenols
are suspended in 70% perchloric acid and DMSO is added, followed by heating of sulfonium salts in hot, saturated potassium chloride
solution (1268):
-
HClO4 ClO4H2O, KCl- OH SCH3
+ CH3SOCH3 OH S(CH3)2
OH
+ reflux
15-20oC 4-5 hrs.
2-3 hours R
65-68%
R R
Similarly, hydroxyaryl thioethers can be prepared by reacting phenols with DMSO in sulfuric acid, and heating the crude reaction mixture
with aqueous sodium chloride (6335) (6674)(6613).
N,N-dimethylaniline can be reacted with DMSO using phosphoryl chloride catalysis. However, the yield of the aryl thioether is lower in
this case (348). Other aromatic amines and hydrazine derivatives also react with DMSO and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (4651).
S(CH3)2
phenol
O
+
O (CH3)2SO H C H
base + N N
CH 3 S
- CH C6H11 C6H11
2
O OH
H
Ch2SCH3 H3CSCh 2
2-thiomethoxymethyl phenol
A similar reaction takes place when acetic anhydride (849)(1055) or the pyridine-sulfur trioxide complex (4636) is used to polarize
the DMSO molecule instead of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide.
Finally, it has been found that phenols can be methylthiomethylated by boiling with excess DMSO. A mixture of isomeric
methylthiomethylation products are obtained, but o-methylthiomethylation is preferred (4636)(4772).
20
DMSO (8551)(1503)(4820)(16359).
Several procedures have been developed which permit the selective oxidation of structurally diverse primary are secondary alcohols to
the corresponding carbonyl compounds, i.e. aldehydes and ketones, respectively. Most of these reactions take place at room
temperature or above. Nucleophilic attack occurs on the DMSO sulfur atom. Most reactions in which the nucleophilic attack takes place
on sulfur are aided by prior electrophilic attack on the oxygen atom (10720):
O O E
CH3SCH3 + E CH3SCH3
+ +
The electrophilic reagents which activate DMSO include acetic anhydride, trifluoroacetic anhydride, and other acid anhydrides, the sulfur
trioxide-pyridine complex, thionyl chloride, oxalyl chloride, acetyl chloride, and other, acid chlorides, bromine, chlorine, t-butyl
hypochlorite, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and others.
The labile intermediate, the DMSO-electrophile complex, can now be attacked by a nucleophile, such as an alcohol, to perform a
displacement on sulfur with oxygen as the departing group:
E
O Nu
+ Nu + OE-
S S
H3C CH3 H3C CH3
Several of the above-mentioned activating agents and their use in the oxidation of alcohols are described below.
a) Acetic anhydride
In this procedure an alcohol is treated with a mixture of acetic anhydride and DMSO at room temperature (1127) (9926). DMSO first
reacts with acetic anhydride to form the acyloxysulfonium salt which in turn reacts with the alcohol to give the alkoxydimethylsulfonium
intermediate which decomposes to the carbonyl compound and dimethyl sulfide (DMS)(1127):
CH 3SCH3 + (CH3CO) 2O [(CH3)2S-O-COCH3]+CH 3COO -
acyloxysulfonium salt
A number of side reactions take place when using the acetic anhydride-DMSO procedure. The usual side products are acetates and
methylthiomethyl ethers, RR'CHOCH2SCH3. The advantage of the acetic anhydride-DMSO method is the fact that highly hindered
alcohols, which would be inert to other DMSO-activator systems, are oxidized (4820).
b) Trifluoroacetic anhydride
Trifluoroacetic anhydride and DMSO react exothermally at -60° C. in methylene chloride to produce a white precipitate, presumably an
ion pair, trifluoroacetoxydimethylsulfonium trifluoroacetate.
+
[(CH3)2S-O-COCF3]-OCOCF3
This reacts rapidly with alcohols, even sterically hindered ones (e.g. 2-adamantol and neopentyl-type alcohols) to give the
corresponding carbonyls (7943)(8455). Trifluoroacetic anhydride is an excellent activator for DMSO because of short reaction times and
high yields of carbonyl compounds with minimal by-product formation. The major drawback is the need to work at very low temperatures
(-30 to -60° C) (10720).
c) Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide
This method of oxidation is generally referred to as the "Pfitzner-Moffatt" technique, after its originators (1503). The reaction involves
addition of an alcohol substrate to a solution of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) in DMSO with an acid, such as phosphoric acid or
pyridinium trifluoroacetate (172), present as a proton source. This results in reaction conditions near neutrality at room temperature. The
oxidation technique is applicable to primary or secondary alcohol groups in an almost unlimited variety of compounds, including
alkaloids, steroids (173), and carbohydrates (4349). Steric effects are not important except in highly hindered systems (1503). In the
reaction, the DMSO molecule is first converted to a labile intermediate which is susceptible to attack at the sulfur by an alcohol group to
produce an alkoxysulfonium salt which undergoes base-catalyzed decomposition to the carbonyl compound (3049):
21
HOHCRR'
C6H11 -N=C=N-C6H11 + H+OS(CH3)2 C6H11HN C N C6H11
CH3SCH3
H O
+ C6H11 C6H11
(CH3)2S-O-CRR' N N
H H
alkoxysulfonium salt
H R' O
-H+ O
CH3
+ SH + CH3SCH3
(CH3)2S-O-CRR'
R H R R'
:CH2
Protecting groups such as isopropylidene, benzylidene, acetate, benzoate, and sulfonate esters and ethers are stable in the conditions
used for oxidation (3602)(175).
d) Phosphorus pentoxide
It has been found that DMSO containing phosphorus pentoxide rapidly oxidizes the alcoholic groups of carbohydrates and other
compounds at room or elevated temperatures to the corresponding aldehydes or ketones (208). In general, oxidations proceed most
efficiently in the presence of 3-4 molar equivalents of DMSO and 1.2-2.0 molar equivalents of phosphorus pentoxide (2327). The
carbohydrate oxidation with DMSO-P4O10 should be run at about 60-65°C. This system catalyzes carbohydrate polymerization at
temperatures below 35° C (5296) (6079). DMSO, DMF and pyridine seem to be the best solvents for this reaction (3602)(2327)(6691).
e) Sulfur trioxide-pyridine
The combination of DMSO with S03-pyridine complex in the presence of triethylamine yields a reagent that rapidly oxidizes primary and
secondary alcohols in good yield at room temperature to aldehydes and ketones, respectively (9926)(10720). An attractive feature of this
reagent is its property of effecting oxidation of allylic alcohols to the corresponding Į , ȕ-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (1752).
The S03-pyridine complex in DMSO can be used to oxidize acid-labile trans-diols (4037) or cis-diols (8033) to quinones. This reagent has
also been used to oxidize alkaloid hydroxyl groups to ketone groups (2749)(8017). Application of the DMSO-S03-pyridine reagent to
partially acetylated carbohydrates leads to oxidation as well as elimination of the elements of acetic acid, thus providing a high yield to
novel unsaturated carbohydrates (2652):
OHC
O
R3 = H
OAc OR1
OR2
SO3, DMSO R1=H
R3OH2C R3OH2C
O O
1
OAc OR O
OAc OAc
2
OR
CH2
O
R2=H OR
OAc O
22
f) Oxalyl chloride
Oxalyl chloride is an efficient and useful activator, superior to trifluoroacetic anhydride, for the conversion of alcohols to their
alkoxysulfonium salts which, upon basification, result in generally higher and frequently quantitative yields of the corresponding carbonyl
compounds (9786)(9926). The unstable intermediate formed at low temperatures (usually-60° C) instantaneously loses carbon dioxide
and carbon monoxide. The new intermediate is the same as that proposed for the dimethyl sulfide-chlorine reagent. This product has been
reacted with a wide variety of alcohols to convert them to the carbonyl compounds (10084):
O O
CH2Cl2-60o -CO2, -CO
CH3SOCH3 + (COCl)2 [(CH3)2S O C C Cl] Cl
+ RR'CHOH (Et)3N
-
[(CH3)2S-Cl] Cl - [(CH3)2SOCHRR'] Cl
RR'C=O + CH2SCH3
dimethyloxosulfonium
methylide
Many aldehydes and ketones react with the ylide to give better than 75% yields of epoxides (632):
H
C
O
23
H2
O C
A great variety of displacement reactions can be run in DMSO and suitable nucleophiles include:
1. Acetylide ion 10. Cyanide ion
2. Alkoxide ion 11. Halogen ion
3. Amides 12. Hydroxide ion
4. Amines 13. Mercaptide (or Thiophenoxide) ion
5. Ammonia 14. Nitrite ion
6. Azide ion 15. Phenoxide ion
7. Carbanions 16. Sulfide (or Hydrosulfide) and Thiosulfate ions
8. Carboxylate ion 17. Thiocyanate ion
9. Cyanate ion
1. Acetylide Ion
The usual reactions of sodium acetylide may be accomplished in good yield by stirring a slurry of sodium acetylide in DMSO slightly below
room temperature with reagents such as alkyl halides, epoxides or carbonyl compounds (544). Displacement of halides with the ethylene-
diamine complex of lithium acetylide is also easily effected in DMSO (3178)(4175). Thus, the reaction of 1-bromo-5-chloropentane with
lithium acetylide-ethylene diamine complex in DMSO gives 7-chloro-1 -heptyne (1826):
- DMSO
Cl(CH2)5Br + HC CLi+ Cl(CH2)5C CH
The use of lithium acetylide-ethylene diamine in DMSO has given higher yields of the desired products than sodium acetylide in liquid
ammonia (4175).
The addition of lithium acetylide as the ethylene-diamine complex to 7-bromoheptanol tetrahydropyranyl ether in DMSO gives non-8-yn-1-
ol tetrahydropyranyl ether in higher than 90% yield (4333).
2. Alkoxide Ion
The high activity of alkoxide ions in DMSO shows up in their enhanced basicity. The basicity of alkoxides reaches a maximum in DMSO
when the mixture is substantially free of hydroxylic material. In this case, the acidity of the alcohols in dilute solutions is about 103 times
that of DMSO so that only a minor equilibrium quantity of the DMSO anion is present (734). The reactivity of the alkoxide ion in DMSO is
influenced by the cation and is greater with cesium and with lithium less (606)(1162). The vastly enhanced activity of alkoxide ions in
DMSO over their activity in alcohols is attributed to the absence of alkoxide-solvent hydrogen bonds in DMSO which are present in the
hydroxylic solvents (434).
The basicity of alkoxides in DMSO is conveniently expressed n terms of acidity functions, and a number of these are plotted in Figure 10
for bases n DMSO-water and DMSO-methanol systems.
Alkoxides differ in their solubilities n DMSO. Thus, potassium t-butoxide is more soluble than some lower alkoxides (17). The solubilities
of these hydroxylic bases are also shown in Table IX for comparative purposes.
A review article on potassium t-butoxide and its use in nucleophilic displacements has been published (6815).
24
NaOH 7.6 x 10'° (725)
H3CO
O O O
O
O- OH OH
OH
3-methoxy 4-methoxy
benzyne-type tropolone
intermediate tropolone
Aromatic halogens in nitroaryl halides can be displaced by the methoxide ion in DMSO-methanol. The reaction rate increases some
1000-fold when the DMSO concentration is increased to 80% (399):
DMSO DMSO
k1 O-
+ OR k2
NO2 F + -OR N NO2 OR
F
O
R = C2H5 or t-Bu
p-Nitrochlorobenzene also reacts with alkoxides. When 2-alkylamino-ethanol is first treated with dimsyl sodium to make the oxyanion
base followed by the addition of p-nitrochlorobenzene, the preferential nucleophilic attack by oxygen (rather than the amino group) is
insured (8399): +
Cl NaH2CSOCH3, DMSO
RHN(CH2)2OH + RHN(H2C)2O NO2
NO2
The reaction of monoiodo-, monobromo-, monochloro- and monofluoro-naphthalenes with potassium butoxide in butyl alcohol-DMSO
has been examined (4058)(4059). The major products observed in the bromo-, iodo- and chloronaphthalene reactions are 1- and 2-butyl
naphthyl ethers, 1- and 2-naphthols and 1-methylmercapto-2naphthol. This suggests that 1,2-dehydrohaphthalene is an intermediate in
each of these reactions, and 1-methyl-mercapto-2-naphthol is probably the benzyne intermediate-DMSO reaction product (4059). The
25
fluoronaphthalenes undergo only direct nucleophilic substitution with no formation of 1,2-dehydronaphthalene, i.e. no benzyne-type
intermediate (4058)(5244):
O OH
F
t-BuOK-DMSO
+ t-BuOK
+
70oC
14 hours 27%
38%
(degradation
product of the ether)
2,3-Dichloranisole can be prepared by reacting 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene with sodium methoxide in DMSOmethanol (9107).
The kinetics of the reaction of 2-bromo-, 2-bromo-3-methyl-, and 2-bromo-5-methylpyridine and methoxide ion in DMSO containing small
amounts of methanol have been determined (2125). The ortho:para ratio is higher at lower temperatures (2.5 at 40° C vs 1.44 at 110* C):
OCH3
R' R R' R
R' R
DMSO
+ -OCH3 +
40-110oC
N OCH3 N
N Br
2-Bromopyridine reacts with potassium methoxide in DMSO containing 1 % of methanol 3000 times faster than it does with the same
reagent in pure methanol at 110°C.
A number of 4-alkoxypyridines is prepared by reacting 4-chloropyridine with sodium alkoxides in DMSO in moderate to high yields
(5038).
5-Bromo-3-methyl-4-nitroisothiazole reacts smoothly with sodium alkoxides in alcohols-DMSO to give the appropriate 5-alkoxy-3-methyl-
4-nitroisothiazoles (4098):
CH3 NO2 CH3 NO2
DM SO
+ NaOR
N 60-100oC N
S Br S OR
c) Nitro group displacement
When sodium methoxide or sodium ethoxide is added to p-nitro- or p,p'-dinitrobenzophenone in DMSO, almost quantitative yields of p-
alkoxy- or p,p'-dialkoxybenzophenone are obtained (470):
O O
ROH-DMSO
NO2 +NaOR OR C OR
NO2 C
20oC
24 hrs.
Sulfonamides are also alkylated in DMSO.4,6-Dichloropyrimidine reacts with the sodium salt of p-nitrobenzenesulfonamide in DMSO to
give 4-chloro-6-(p-nitrobenzenesulfonamido)pyrimidine (42):
With 2,2'-dibromo-4,4'-dinitrobenzophenone, there is no displacement of bromide ion, and 2,2'-dibromo-4,4'dimethoxybenzophenone
(90%) is obtained. No reaction occurs in any instance when dioxane is used instead of DMSO (470).
d) Sulfinate displacement
When ȕ-styrylsulfones are treated with one molar equivalent of sodium alkoxides in DMSO, ȕ-alkoxystyrenes are formed by
nucleophilic substitution (9761):
iv
CH=C SO Ph CH=C OR
2
iv DMSO R'"
R'"
NaOR
R R" room temp. R R"
R' R'
10-68%
e) Sulfonate displacement
Benzene sulfonates of common primary and secondary alcohols react rapidly with sodium methoxide in DMSO to give high yields of alkyl
methyl ethers and/or alkenes. The ether-alkene ratio is significantly higher in reactions with sodium methoxide than with potassium t-
butoxidesulfonyl ester groups from carbohydrate derivatives, the conversion to the ether with sodium methoxide or sodium e. More olefins
are formed from secondary sulfonate esters than from primary esters (580)(592). In the displacement of methane thoxide in DMSO occurs
by the attack on the sulfur, leading to the retention of configuration, rather than by the usual attack on carbon with inversion (1119)(653).
3. Amides
26
The N-alkylation of amides can take place in DMSO. The reaction of various Ȧ-haloamides with the dimsyl ion in DMSO can be used to
obtain good to high yields of 4-, 5- and 6-membered lactams. However, the reaction with dimsyl ion fails to produce the seven-membered
heterocyclic ring (888):
H O -
H2CSOCH 3, DMSO
N C (CH2)nBr N (CH2)n
X X
O
X = Br, Cl, F, I;
N = 2, 3, 4
The readily available base, dimsyl ion, could be more convenient to work with than sodium in liquid ammonia (888). The alkylation of the
sodium salt of saccharin with a benzyl chloride also proceeds well in DMSO to give a high yield of N-benzyl saccharin (947):
7-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-s-triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidine can be alkylated as above using p-chlorobenzyl chloride in DMSO. In this case, however a
mixture of the N-benzyl- and the O-benzyl deriviatives results (3885):
H R H
O N O N O N N
N N
NaOH, DM SO
N + RCl N + N
N N N
R =CH2 Cl
It has been found that the N-alkylation of carboxylic acid amides proceeds well in DMSO by using dry potassium hydroxide as the base.
Good yields can be obtained even at room temperature (4355):
O O
KOH, DM SO
+ R"X 54-90%
R NHR' RT R NR'R"
With DMSO as the solvent, the use of stronger bases, such as sodium hydride or potassium alkoxides, is not necessary.
When the sodium salt of an acetamidonitrile in DMSO is treated with chloramine, a smooth N-amination is achieved (4382):
CN CN
DM SO
+ ClNH2
NNa NNH2
H3CO H3COC H3CO H3COC
OCH3 OCH3
Peptides and proteins can also be N-alkylated with methyl iodide and benzyl bromide using DMSO as the solvent and the dimsyl ion as
the base (4945).
A number of amides, such as acetanilide, have been N-alkylated with dialkyl sulfates using potassium hydroxide as the base and DMSO
as the solvent (8276):
O R O
KOH, DMSO
(RO)2SO2
NHCCH 3 + N CCH 3
20oC
The sodium salt of an amide can displace a methoxy group from a benzene nucleus. Thus, the treatment of 2-acetamido-2'-
methoxybenzophenone with sodium hydride in DMSO gives the 9-acridone (8564):
O O
NaH, DM SO
room temp N
NH OCH3
COCH3 COCH3
68%
27
4. Amines
In most displacement reactions, the nucleophiles are negatively charged. However, displacements can also take place involving
uncharged nucleophiles, namely, amines (3433). Amines, like ammonia, do not hydrolyze DMSO. The presence of DMSO in the
displacement reaction involving amines allows the reagents to surmount the energy barrier easier than in hydroxylic solvents, irrespective
of the charge type of the reagents. The effect of DMSO, then, must be the decrease in- the energy of the transition state. It could also be
said that DMSO polarizes a substrate (399). For a reaction involving neutral reactants, such as amines, and going through a charged
transition state, it appears that DMSO can solvate the cationic part of the reacting system at the point of attack of the amine reagent
(1240). Thus, displacement reactions by amines in DMSO generally proceed at a good rate. A catalytic effect is seen by adding DMSO to
an alcohol system containing amines and aryl halides (399)(1262).
a) Aliphatic halide displacement-primary amines
Alkylation of weak aromatic amines with alkyl bromides (e.g. 2-aminofluorenone with ethyl bromide) in DMSO gives ring brominated N-
alkyl derivatives (211). However, aralkylation of 2-aminofluorenone with aralkyl bromide, such as benzyl- and para-substituted benzyl
bromides in DMSO leads to azomethines as the main products (264):
Br
+ BrH 2C X DMSO HC X
100oC
N
1.5 hrs
O
NH2
O
DMSO also catalyzes the reaction between 2-substituted carboxylic acids and amines. Thus, ethylenediamine reacts with chloroacetic
acid to give ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (4910):
DMSO
H2NCH2CH2NH2 + 4ClCH2CO2H (HO2CCH2)2NCH2CH2N(CH2CO2H)2
o
80 C
b) Aliphatic halide displacement-secondary amines
Ȧ -Bromoalkylbenzofuranones react with morpholine in DMSO to give high yields of the N-alkylation products (613):
O O
O DM SO O
N- O
(CH2)nBr +NH O (CH2)n
Ph Ph
n=1,2,3,4 yield almost quantitive if n=1 or 2
The morpholinoethylbenzofuranone is formed by direct halogen displacement and no rearrangement reactions take place.
(CH3)2 Cl Cl-
C +
(CH3)2 C N
+ DM SO
room temperature
N N 10 hours
O2 N
O2
90% 28
d) Aromatic halide displacement - primary amines
A series of primary amines has been reacted with 4-nitrofluorobenzene in DMSO to determine the rate constants. DMSO was selected as
the solvent because of its relatively high boiling point and the fact that most nucleophilic reactions in DMSO proceed at a fast rate (1638).
These reactions are run in the presence of an excess of amines:
DMSO +
NO2 F + 2RHN2 NO2 NHR + RNH3F-
X = F, Cl, Br
The yields of products obtained in DMSO are higher than those obtained with DMF under comparable conditions.
The reaction of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene with piperidine, which is known to be insensitive to base catalysis, is nevertheless accelerated by
DMSO (538).
The rate constants for the reaction of 4-nitrofluorobenzene in DMSO with 19 secondary amines have also been determined. This reaction
is the fastest with pyrrolidine, azacyclobutane and dimethylamine, and slowest with methylanisidine, diisobutylamine and diethanolamine
(1639).
The dechlorination of 2- and 4-chloroquinolines, as well as 6- and 8-alkyl-substituted 4-chloroquinolines with piperidine in DMSO and
other solvents has been studied (1240)(1239)(1238).
+ DM SO
NO2 O2N N
O2N NH
N N
CH3 CH3
The reaction with the amine is favored by the accelerating effect of DMSO in aromatic substitutions by neutral nucleophiles.
OC2H5 NHR
NO2 NO2
DM SO
+ RNH2
room temp
NO2
NO2
5. Ammonia
DMSO is stable to ammonia. Displacement reactions with ammonia and amines are examples where the nucleophile is uncharged
(3433). The solubility of ammonia is 40 liters per liter of DMSO at 1 atmosphere or 2.6% by weight (5033).
DMSO
PhCHCHCO2CH(CH3)2 + NH3 PhCHCHCO2CH(CH3)2
room temp.
Br Br 3 hours N
H
High yields of nitrilotriacetic acid are claimed when ammonia is reacted with chloroacetic acid in DMSO (4910):
4NH3 + 3ClCH2CO2H N(CH2CO2H)3 + 3NH4Cl
b) Aromatic halide displacement
2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene reacts with ammonia to give 2,4-dinitroaniline (402):
Cl NH2
NO2 NO2
DMSO
+ NH3 (aq.)
room temp.
several hrs.
O O
DMSO
F + NH3 NH2
135oC.
F3CC F3CC
24 hrs.
42%
When DMF is used as the solvent in the above
reaction, p-dimethylaminotrifluoroacetophenone results, apparently due to the hydrolysis of DMF to dimethylamine:
O O
F + NH3+(H3C)2NCHO (NCH3)2
F3CC F3CC
c) Alkoxide displacement
Displacement of an -OMe group by ammonia produces 3-amino-2-heteroarylpropenenitriles (10458):
30
process. Under these conditions, the rate is also a function of the solubility of the reagent. Measurements of solubility show that sodium
azide is much more soluble in DMSO than in some other solvents, and the solubility increases slightly with the addition of water (7527).
TABLE X
__________________________________Solubility of Sodium Azide in Four Solvents______________________
Solubility, mol/l.
Dry 1% H2O 5% H2O 10% H2O
______________ (110°) (110°) (110°)_________
2-Methoxyethanol 0.31 (124°)
DMF 0.10-0.12 0.17 0.28 0.48 (25-150°)
DMSO 1.5-1.6 1.6 1.8 1.9 (95-150°)
HMPA 0.43 0.45 0.48 0.51 (110-150°)
a) Aliphatic halide displacement
Some aliphatic halides are easily displaced by the azide ion in DMSO (4815). Thus, the reaction of 2-(2nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide with a
3-fold excess of sodium azide gives a 95% yield of 2-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl azide (4360):
CH2CH2Br DMSO CH2CH2N3
+ NaN3
NO2 NO2
b) Aromatic halide displacement
Treatment of 4-fluoro- or 4-iodonitrobenzene with sodium azide in DMSO produces a quantitative yield of 4-nitrophenyl azide (471):
DMSO
100 %
X = F or I
When 4-chloro-3-nitrobenzoic acid is treated with sodium azide in DMSO, the 5-carboxybenzofuroxan results (1007):
CO2H CO2H
DM SO
+ NaN3
O-
NO2 N+
Cl N O
Reaction of 2-chloroquinoxzline 1-oxide with sodium azide in DMSO at room temperature gives 2-azidoquinoxaline (9767):
N N
DMSO
+ NaN3
N Cl N N3
O O
52%
NO2 N3
DMSO
+ NaN3
NO2 90oC NO2
d) Sulfonate displacement 87%
Sulfonates, such as toluenesuIfonates and methanesuIfonates are also readily displaced by the azide ion in DMSO (4920)(8339). A high
yield of the 2,3-diazidobutane is obtained when meso-1,4-di-0-acetyl-2,3-di-0-(methylsulfonyl)erythrol is reacted with a slight excess of
sodium azide (7692):
e) Other displacements
Treatment of fumaronitrile with sodium azide in DMSO with subsequent acidification leads to 1,2,3-triazole-4-carbonitrile (4249):
CN C CH
DMSO
NC CN + N3 [NC CH CH N3] N N
N
7. Carbanions H
The majority of carbanions which are usually prepared as reaction intermediates or as transistory species in chemical reactions are
readily obtained in DMSO.
CH3 R X= I or Br
Alkylation of malonic esters in DMSO can be faster than in DMF, dimethoxyethane, THF and benzene. This alkylation is strongly
accelerated by comparatively minor additions of DMSO to benzene. This could mean that DMSO disperses the ion aggregates
(611)(612).
With ambient anions where either carbon or oxygen alkylation is possible, DMSO favors oxygen alkylation (690):
O
O Ph
+ PhCH2Br DM SO
O
95%
This is also demonstrated in the alkylation of ȕ -ketoesters, where a proper choice of alkylating agent, temperature, and alkali metal can
lead to significant amounts of O-alkylation (773)(1114)(1229).
Interaction of the potassium salt of 2-carbethoxy-cyclopentanone with an alkyl halide in DMSO at room temperature provides good yields
of alkylated keto esters and probably constitutes the best method of alkylating this ȕ-ketoester (1823):
O O
DMSO CO 2C2H5
CO 2C2H5+ room temperature
Br 78%
K+ 6 hrs.
32
c) Nitro and sulfinate group displacement
,WKDVEHHQGLVFRYHUHGWKDWDOLSKDWLFQLWURDQGVXOIRQHJURXSVFDQEHGLVSODFHGDWWHUWLDU\FDUERQ7KXVWKHWUHDWPHQWRIĮ,-p-
dinitrocumene with the lithium salt of 2-nitropropane in DMSO gives the alkylation product (1237):
NO2
NO2
+
Li CH3 DM SO
+ H C 71%
3 NO2 25oC
NO2 NO2
Nitrobenzenes substituted by an electron withdrawing group, such as p-dinitrobenzene, readily undergo displacement by the lithium salt of
2-nitropropane in DMSO (8436):
NO2 NO2
CH3 DMSO
+ Li+
H3C 25oC
NO2 75%
NO2
NO2
7KHVXOIRQHJURXSRIĮ-nitrosulfones is also easily displaced by carbanions, e.g. the lithium salt of 2-nitropropane or the lithium salt of
nitrocyclohexane (7108):
R'
R' Li+ R" DM SO R"
NO2 +
R SO 2Ar "R NO room temperature R R"
2 O2N NO2
d) Other displacement reactions
Treatment of 2-cyanomethyl-¶¶-dimethoxybenzophenone with sodium methoxide in DMSO gives 9-cyano-2-methoxyanthracen-10-ol
(3112):
NC CN
H3CO
OCH 3
OCH 3
NaOCH3, D MSO
140oC, 10 min.
95%
O
OH
When p-nitrobenzylidene diacetate is reacted with the lithium salt of 2-nitropropane in DMSO, a compound in which one of the acetate
groups is replaced by the C(CH3)2,NO2, group is obtained (7657):
DMSO (CH3)2
+ (CH3)2CNO2 + O2N CH(OCOCH3)2
O2N CH(OCOCH3)2 Li
room temp NO2
3 hrs.
Treatment of (p-cyanobenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride with the lithium salt of 2-nitroprprane gives the carbon alkylate (10399):
+
CH2N(CH3)3Cl-
DMSO NO2
+ [(CH3)2CNO2}Li+ O2N
25oC
NC 82%
e) Use of aqueous sodium hydroxide as the base
It has been found that nitriles containing sufficiently activated methylene groups, such as phenylacetonitrile, can be conveniently alkylated
in excellent yields and selectivities by using aqueous sodium hydroxide as the base and DMSO as the reaction solvent (3951):
NaOH(aq), DMSO R R'X Ph R
PhCH2CN + RX CN CN
Ph R'
Previously, these reactions have usually been carried out by treating the nitrile with a strongly basic reagent, such as a metal amide,
hydride, or alcoholate, followed by addition of the appropriate alkyl- or aryl hydride. These latter methods are generally cumbersome and
33
the selectivities are poor (3951).
Similarly, 50% aqueous sodium hydroxide in DMSO can be used as a base to induce an essentially quantitative cyclization of 5-chloro-2-
pentanone to give cyclopropyl methyl ketone (3398):
O NaOH (aq), DMSO O
96%
Cl(H2C)3 CH3 30oC, 15 min CH3
O- and C-alkylation of benzoins is also easily achieved by the reaction of alkyl halides in aqueous sodium hydroxide in DMSO at ambient
temperatures (4699):
O O O
RX + Ph Ph Ph RX Ph
Ph Ph R
OH NaOH (aq), DMSO R
OH OR
!"#$%"$"!&'" $-%.//012%
( *+,
$) $%"$"!&
$"!&%"$
The use of lime in the dimethylation of 2,4-pentanedione gives a 73% yield of 3,3-dimethyl-2, 4-pentanedione (3931).
8. Carboxylate Ion
Alkylation of carboxylate ions with alkyl halides in DMSO or DMSO-water is an efficient method of esterification (7950)(365)(8809).
Carboxylate ions have also been used to displace sulfonates (8254). In aqueous DMSO systems, the reaction rate increases as the
concentration of DMSO increases both for intramolecular and intermolecular displacment (407).
NaOH
CO 2CH 3
+ CH3CO2H
Cl DMSO
70-81%
Potassium and sodium methacrylates react in DMSO with xylylene dichlorides in DMSO to give unsaturated, polymerizable
compounds (487):
CH3 O CH3 O
CO2Na CH2
Cl DMSO
+ 2H2C o
CH3 140-145 C
H3C H3C O nearly quantitative
CH2
Cl
A convenient procedure for preparing pyruvic acid esters utilizes an organic halide as the starting material rather than the
corresponding alcohol (9657). Thus, the reaction of sodium pyruvate with n-octyl iodide or phenacyl bromide in DMSO yields the esters:
O DMSO O 95%
+I(CH2)7CH3
CO2Na 50oC, 3.5 hrs CO2(CH2)7CH3
34
O Ph DMSO O O 85%
+
Br 50oC, 3.5 hrs O
CO2Na O Ph
O
A ring opening and displacement reaction takes place when E and Z 2-phenylcyclopropyl bromides react with potassium acetate in
DMSO in the presence of a crown ether (1 8-crown-6) (10465):
R + CH3CO2K DMSO
R
85oC
Br CHCH2OCOCH3
b) Sulfonate displacement
When the sodium or potassium 2-methanesulfonoxybicyclo[3.3.1 ]nonane-1 -carboxylate is heated in DMSO, the corresponding ȕ-
lactone is produced (6347):
9. Cyanate Ion
Sodium and potassium cyanates in DMSO can displace reactive halogens (26). When alkyl halides are reacted with cyanates, either
isocyanates or isocyanurates result, depending on the reaction conditions and the solvent (440). DMSO plays a superior role in the
displacement reaction and also in the subsequent trimerization of isocyanates. These reactions may be written as follows (386):
DMSO RNCO + KX
RX +KCNO
70-80oC an isocyanate.
3 hrs.
O
DMSO R R
3RNCO N N
100-150o C
1-2 hours O N O
an isocyanurate
X = Br, I; R = ethyl, n-propyl R
If an organic dihalogen compound is reacted with either potassium cyanate or sodium cyanate, the following reactions take place (9408):
DMSO
XRX + MNCO XR NCO + MX
70 - 200o C
X-R-NCO + MCO R
OCN NCO + MX
M= sodium or potassium
Under conditions causing trimerization, the products can be converted to the corresponding cyanurates:
O O
R R R R
X N N X OCN N N NCO
or
O N O O N O
R R
X OCN
10. Cyanide Ion
Perhaps the most widely used of the displaycement reactions in DMSO are those involving the cyanide ion. Halogen atoms and sulfonate
(tosyl) groups are displaced rapidly by cyanide ion. Often the yields of the desired products are higher and side reactions are minimized in
DMSO. Many products are more easily isolated from reaction mixtures containing DMSO.
Certain inorganic cyanides are more soluble in DMSO than in other organic solvents. Thus, DMSO can be used advantageously in
systems where water is undesirable. At 95°C, about 10 g of sodium cyanide and/or 2 g of potassium cyanide will dissolve in 100 cc of
DMSO. At 25°C, 1 g of either is soluble (964)(1924).
The solubility of sodium cyanide in DMSO at various temperatures is shown in Figure 7 below. The solubility of sodium chloride, the usual
inorganic by-product when reacting sodium cyanide with organic chlorine compounds, is illustrated in the phase diagram, Figure 8.
Also soluble in DMSO are mercury cyanide, cadmium cyanide, and mixtures of potassium cyanide with copper, nickel, zinc, cobalt, or
silver cyanides. These mixtures appear to be complex salts (801).
In many cases it is not necessary to have a complete solubility of sodium cyanide in DMSO. Reactions can be run using an agitated,
stirred slurry of sodium cyanide with DMSO. Yields are commonly good with primary aliphatic halides, but somewhat lower with
secondary ones due to dehydrohalogenation (475)(577)(8843).
35
36
a) Aliphatic halide displacement
The reaction of sodium cyanide with ethyl 6-chlorohexanoate in DMSO gives a high yield of 6-cyanohexanoate (474):
The displacement reactions of alkyl chlorides and bromides with potassium cyanide occur much more slowly when compared with
sodium cyanide (475). This could be due to the lower solubility of potassium cyanide in DMSO. The yields are also lower and longer
reaction times are required with DMF, sulfolane and dimethyl sulfolane as solvents (475). It has also been established that both primary
and secondary alkyl chlorides react with sodium cyanide in DMSO to give high yields of the corresponding nitriles in shorter reaction
times than have been obtained with bromides or iodides in aqueous alcohol solvent (577).
When 1-chloro-17-fluoro-8-heptadecyne is reacted with sodium cyanide in DMSO, 1-cyano-17-fluoro-8heptadecyne is produced in high
yield (2189):
DMSO
F(H 2C)8C C(CH2)7Cl + NaCN F(H 2C)8C C(CH2)7CN + NaCl
o o
135 -140 C 93.5%
50 min.
The difference in the reactivity of halogens is also illustrated in the reaction of 1,1-dichloro-2-(bromomethyl)-2methylbutane with
potassium cyanide (2769):
Cl2 Cl2
Poly[3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxocyclobutane] reacts with sodium cyanide in DMSO to give the bis(cyanomethyl) derivative (6847):
CH2Cl CH2CN
DMSO
O n + 2nNaCN O n
120-130oC
CH2Cl CH2CN
37
OH OH
DMSO
+ CuCN
reflux 2-5 hrs.
X CN
X = Cl, Br, I
Cuprous cyanide and 9-bromoanthracene in DMSO give 9-cyanoanthracene in 91% yield (3247).
A procedure for the separation of isomers of dihalonitrobenzene consists of treating them with an alkali metal cyanide or cuprous cyanide
in DMSO. When a mixture of 2,3- and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene is thus treated, only the 2,3-isomer reacts, whereas the 3,4-isomer is
recovered unchanged (1455):
NO2 NO2
Cl CN
DMSO
+ NaCN
Cl Cl
Sodium cyanide and o-fluoronitrobenzene in DMSO form 2-hydroxy-isophthalonitrile (8065):
F OH
NO2 NC CN
+ NaCN DMSO
120oC, 2hrs.
60%
c) Hydrogen displacement
When o-nitrobenzonitrile is heated with sodium cyanide in DMSO hydroxy-isophthalonitrile is produced (8065).
NO2 OH
CN DMSO CN CN
+ NaCN
120oC
1 hour 55%
d) Quarternary ammonium salt displacement
When 2-pyrrolylmethylammonium salts are reacted with sodium cyanide both pyrrole-2-DFHWRQLWULOHDQG³DEQRUPDO´QLWULOHDUHSURduced
(8759):
CH2N+(CH3)3X- CN CN
N + Na CN DMSO +
80-85o C N NC N
CH3
CH3 CH3
e) Sulfinate displacement
1-Chloro-4-(methylsulfonyl)benzene (I0 and cuprous cyanide fail to react to give the desired 1-cyano-4-(methylsulfonyl)benzene when
refluxed for 24 hours in DMF. However, when equimolar amounts of I and potassium cyanide are allowed to react in DMSO for 30
minutes, a 1:1 mixture of 1,4-bis(methylsulfonyl)benzene (II) and terephthalonitrile (III) is obtained in about 80% yield (1711):
DMSO +
Cl SO2CH3+KCN H3CO2S SO2CH3 NC CN
reflux
I. II. III.
When 4- (methylsulfonyl)cinnoline and potassium cyanide are reacted in DMSO, 4-cinnolinecarbonitrile is produced quantitatively (1721):
SO2CH3 CN
DMSO
+ KCN 100%
N 20oC N
N N
f) Sulfonate displacement
Sulfonates (e.g. tosylates) or disulfonates are converted in high yields to the corresponding nitriles or dinitriles with cyanides
in DMSO (477)(2525)(10044). Thus, azulene-1,3-bis(hexanenitrile) and azulene-1, 3-bis-(pentanenitrile) are prepared
by treating the corresponding tosylates (or chlorides) with sodium cyanide (2783).
A neopentyl substitution product can be obtained by treating the corresponding tosylate with potassium cyanide in DMSO
(8255):
38
O O
DMSO
CH 2OTs + KCN CH 2CN
70o C
3 hrs. 61%
g) Other displacement reactions
Reacting a chloromethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-2-one or4-(1-chlorethyl)- 4-dihydropyridine with sodium cyanide gives the ring-
expansion products (4739)(9986). Thus, the above-mentioned pyrimidine produces a 7 membered ring compound (4739):
O O
DMSO
CH 2OTs + KCN CH 2CN
70o C
3 hrs. 61%
Displacement of primary or secondary hydroxyl groups by nitrile groups is accomplished by a short refluxing of the alcohol and
triphenylphosphine in carbon tetrachloride, followed by the addition of DMSO and sodium cyanide to obtain 70-85% yields of the
corresponding nitriles (872).
+ KF DMSO
190oC 72%
14 hrs
NO2 NO2
39
Quantitative studies are reported for substitution of the type ArHal + CuX Æ ArX + CuHal in DMSO and other polar solvents
(541)(1593)(1214). Ease of replacement follows the order: H a I= I, Br, CI, F; X =CI,Br,I. The reaction rates are the highest in DMSO
among the solvents examined. Thus [1-36Cl]chloronaphthalene can be prepared from 1 - bromonaphthalene and radioactive cuprous
chloride (1593):
Br
Cl36
+ CuCl36 DMSO
reflux 1 hr.
c) Sulfonate displacement
nearly quantitative
Sulfonates (e.g. tosylates, nosylates = p-O2N-Ph-S03) can be displaced by halogens by reacting them with lithium chloride, lithium
iodide (4066)(5836), lithium bromide (4066) or sodium bromide (1027) in DMSO. Pure secondary alcohols can be converted to bromides
without rearrangement by first preparing the tosylates and then reacting them with sodium bromide in DMSO at room temperature
(1027).
Treatment of endo-5,6-bis(p-toluenesulfonyloxy-methyl)-2-norbornene with cesium chloride in DMSO gives the endo-5,6-
bis(chloromethyl)-2-norbornene (10002):
+ 2CsCl DMSO
CH2OTs 100o C, 12 hrs CH2Cl
CH2OTs CH2Cl
d) Displacement of diazonium ion 50%
p-Nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate in DMSO reacts with iodides, bromides and chlorides to give the corresponding p-
halonitrobenzene (99), e.g.:
N2+BF4- Br
DMSO
room temp
NO2 NO2
70%
12. Hydroxide Ion
The basicity of hydroxides in DMSO closely parallels that obtainable with alkoxides, as shown in Figure 10 in which acidity functions up to
26 are obtained with 0.01 tetramethylammonium hydroxide in DMSO (1172). The solubility of the hydroxides is generally low, ranging
from 7 x 103 mol/liter for sodium hydroxide (725) to 0.12 for tetramethylammonium hydroxide at room temperature (1172) (see Table IX).
Additions of water increase the solubility of alkali metal hydroxides, but the increased solubility is accompanied by a decrease in the
activity of the dissolved hydroxide ion. Figure 9 is a phase diagram of the water-DMSO-metal hydroxide systems for NaOH and KOH.
Potassium hydroxide is consistently more soluble than sodium hydroxide at a given water content. In spite of the low solubility of alkali
metal hydroxides in DMSO, satisfactory use of the strong basicity of the hydroxide ion is sometimes achieved by using a slurry of the
powdered base in the reaction.
40
Hydrolysis of o- and p-nitrochlorobenzenes with caustic soda in DMSO produces o- and p-nitrophenols (3925):
Cl OH
NO2 DMSO, air NO2
+ NaOH (aq)
80-115oC
3 hours
Nucleophilic substitution reactions have also been carried out on a variety of mono- and dihalogen-1,2,3Denzothiadiazoles, e.g. 6-
chloro-4-fluoro-1,2,3-benzothiadiazole, with potassium hydroxide in aqueous DMSO to give the corresponding phenol (4425):
F OH
N DMSO (aq), KOH N
N N
reflux 2 hrs.
Cl S S
Cl
92%
41
c) Nitro group displacement
The nitro group in 4-nitropyridine N-oxide, p-nitrobenzophenone and 1-nitroxanthone can be replaced with aqueous sodium hydroxide to
give the corresponding phenols or 1-hydroxyxanthone, resp. (409)(470).
When p-dinitrobenzene is reacted with hydroxide ion in aqueous DMSO, one nitro group is displaced (6937).
CH3SSCH3, DMSO
n-C6F13I + CH3SNa n-C8H13SCH3
o
105 C
88%
20-40 hrs.
A derivative of poly-3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxacyclobutane is prepared by reacting it with sodium benzyl mercaptide in DMSO (6847):
Cl SCH2Ph
H2 H2 H2 H2
DMSO
C C O NaSH2C o C C O
n 110-120 C
n
Cl 5 hrs. PhH2CS
b) Aromatic halide displacement
Aromatic halogens are replaced by mercaptide or thiophenoxide ions in DMSO (541), particularly when the aromatic ring contains
electron withdrawing groups in the ortho- or para-positions to the halogen (8344)(399). Thus, potassium benzyl mercaptide reacts with
p-fluoronitrobenzene in DMSO-methanol under mild conditions (399):
H2
C NO2
DMSO
S
SK 26-40oC
O2N few min.
The reaction rate of the above reaction increases significantly with increasing DMSO concentration.
The reactions of 4-methyithiophenoxide with 3- or4-halo-substituted phthalimide derivatives have been studied in DMSO (9771):
O CH3
DMSO O
NR +
H3C NR
X
O NaS O
Nucleophilic substitution reactions have been carried out with mercaptide or thiophenoxide ions on a variety of mono- and dihalogen-
1,2,3-benzothiadiazoles (4425).
+ NaSCH3 DMSO
15 min.
SO2 SO2
Ph Ph
The nitro group in substituted nitrobenzenes is displaced by the thiophenoxide ion (9771) or mercaptide ion (4068) (9771) to give the
diaryl or alkyl aryl sulfides, respectively, e.g. (4068):
NO2 SR'
+ NaSR' DMSO
R R
However, by adding phloroglucinol to the reaction mixture, the formation of nitrite ester is prevented and pure - nitroesters are produced
in excellent yields (682)(684)(691).
When 1,3-dihalogen compounds, such as 3-bromo-l-chloropropane, are reacted with sodium nitrite, a heterocyclic compound is
obtained, e.g. 3-nitro-2-isoxazole (366)(988):
Cl OH
NO2 NO2
+ NaNO2 DMSO
room temp.
several minutes.
NO2 NO2 80%
c) Sulfonate displacement
The reaction of the tosylate of the secondary alcohol (in the steroid or prostaglandin series) with potassium nitrite in DMSO affords the
inverted alcohol as the main product together with the corresponding nitroalkane, ketone, and alkene (10454):
R OTs DMSO R R H O
H + + + alkene
+ KNO2
R' H R' OH R' NO2 R R'
15. Phenoxide Ion
DMSO enhances the rate at which halides are displaced by phenoxides (phenol, catechol, hydroquinone) almost as much as it does for
alkoxides or mercaptides (399). With ions such as naphthoxide, where a choice exists between carbon and oxygen alkylation, the reaction
in DMSO gives almost exclusively oxygen alkylation (690). DMSO is a good solvent for phenoxide ions. Thus, the polymerizations of the
dipotassium salt of bisphenol A with dihaloaromatic compounds proceeds best in DMSO when compared to other dipolar aprotic solvents
(6026). The alkylation of phenoxide is enhanced more than the alkylation of amino groups in DMSO. The phenoxide group in tyrosine can
be selectively etherified without blocking the amino group (442). DMSO is also a good solvent in the nucleophilic displacement of activated
aromatic nitro groups by phenoxides for the synthesis of aromatic ethers (10434).
Cl
ONa
O Cl
Cl2CHCHCl2 DMSO, 70oC
+
5 hrs.
44
Sodium methyl salicylate and diiodomethane in DMSO give formaldehyde disalicyl acetal (6460):
2 o
+ CH2I2 DMSO, 145 C
ONa 24 hrs.
O O
CO2CH3 CO2CH3 CO2CH3
Alkylation reactions of the bifunctional Ȧ -bromo-1,2-epoxyalkanes have been found to be markedly dependent upon the solvent. In
alcoholic media, phenoxides react by opening the epoxide ring to give ȕ-hydroxy- Ȧ- bromoalkyl derivatives. In DMSO, these same
compounds react by displacement of bromide ion to give epoxylalkyl derivatives (3395). Polyhydroxyethers can be synthesized from
mono-alkali metal salts of bisphenols, such as 4,4'sulfonyldiphenol, and 1-halo-2,3-epoxyalkanes in a one-step reaction in DMSO
(10437):
Ar O R
-
n ( O-Ar-OH) + n O DMSO
Cl 130-140oC OH O
R n
2.5 hrs.
A number of catechol ethers have been prepared by using DMSO as the solvent (9145). Catechol reacts with methylene chloride in
DMSO with sodium hydroxide as the base to give 1,2-methylenedioxybenzene (2887):
OH O
NaOH, DMSO
+ CH2Cl2
OH O
91%
HO S CN NaOH, DMSO CN OH
+ o O
100 C, 18hrs
F
S
OH
Phenoxides also react with halo-substituted phthalimide derivatives in DMSO to produce high yields of ether imides (9096):
O
O
DMSO N R
N R + NaO
O
X O
O
The dipotassium salt of 3-hydroxybenzoic acid reacts with 3,4-dichlorobenzotrifluoride in DMSO to yield 3-(2-chloro-4-
trifluoromethylphenoxy)-benzoic acid (10320):
Cl
Cl O
OK K2CO3, DMSO
+
Cl CF3 138-144 o C, 22 hrs
KO2C CF3
CO2H
The ability of phenoxide ions in DMSO to displace aromatic halogens and the solubility of the phenoxide ions in DMSO are used in
polycondensation reactions to obtain linear, high molecular weight aromatic polyethers (6026)(6830)(7699). Thus, bisphenol A can be
polymerized with 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone in DMSO to prepare a polyether sulfone (6831):
45
Cl SO2 O O
HO S KOH , DMSO S
+
n
O O
OH Cl
The dipotassium or disodium salt of catechol in DMSO reacts smoothly with some polyhalogenated benzenes (or heterocycles) to
give good yields of the corresponding dibenzo-p-dioxins (7553)(8311 ), e.g. (7047):
OH Cl Cl O Cl
+ KOH, DMSO
81%
OH Cl Cl reflux O Cl
ONa O N O
HC O
2 DMSO 3 O
+ N
H3C CH3 room temp. N
O CH3
O
Nucleophilic displacement of activated aromatic nitro groups with aryloxy anions in DMSO is a versatile and useful reaction for the
synthesis of aromatic ethers (10434). This reaction has also found applications in polymers, particularly in the preparation of polyimides
(7710)(8287).
d) Phenoxide displacement
Polyetherimides can be made by effecting an interchange reaction, in the presence of an alkali phenoxide, between aryloxy-substituted
bisphthalimide and disodium salt of, e.g., bisphenol A in DMSO (8714):
O
O O
PhO N R' O R'
NaOPh, DMSO
N + HOArOH O N N O Ar
O 160oC, 1 hr Ar
O OO n
OPh
e) Sulfonate displacement
The monotosylate of 2-t-butyl-1,3-propane can be transformed to phenoxyalcohol with sodium phenoxide in DMSO 6315):
HOH2C HOH2C
ONa O
CH2OTs + DMSO
50-60oC, 3 hrs
83%
16. Sulfide (or Hydrosulfide) and Thiosulfate Ions
The sulfide and hydrosulfide ions act as nucleophiles and both these ions can be alkylated and/or arylated in DMSO. Water seems to be
a necessary component for thiosulfate solubility. The rate constant for the reaction of thiosulfate in aqueous DMSO is at least an order
of magnitude larger than in other solvents (656).
46
DMSO HSH2C
CH2ClCHClCH2Cl + 3 NaHS SH
50oC , 50 min. SH
A mixture of either an aryl isothiocyanate or an aryl isocyanide dichloride, methylene bromide, and a sulfide source, such as ammonium
sulfide or sodium sulfide, can be reacted in DMSO to provide a one-step synthesis of aromatic 2-imino-1,3-dithietanes (7528):
DMSO S
N=CCl 2 + CH2Br 2+2 (NH4)2S
40oC N C CH 2
1 hour 77% S
The ȕ-activated diethyl sulfides can be prepared by reacting the appropriate chloride with sodium sulfide in DMSO (6398):
DMSO
2H3CO2CCH2CH2Cl + Na2S.9H2O H3CO2CCH2Ch2CO2CH3
o 62%
10 C
2 hrs.
Sodium thiosulfate and benzyl chloride react to yield sodium benzylthiosulfate which forms dibenzyl disulfide
(472):
DMSO (aq.)
2 CH2Cl + 2Na2S2O3 CH2S2O3Na CH2S 2
30oC
2 days
DMSO
NO2 2 Cl + NaSH NO2 S S NO2
20-25oC
8 hours
F3C CF3
F3C 45%
c) Sulfonate displacement
Sulfonates (tosylates) can be displaced by using either sodium sulfydrate or sodium sulfide in DMSO. Thus, 1,1-dihydrotrifluoroethyl p-
toluene sulfonate reacts with sodium sulfide to give bis(1,1-dihydrotrifluoroethyl) sulfide (489):
S, H2O, DMSO
CF3CH2OTs + Na2S.9H2O CF3CH2SCH2CF3 + CF3CH2S-S-CH2CF3
70-80oC
29% 43%
2 hours
17. Thiocyanate Ion
Sodium and potassium thiocyanates are very soluble in DMSO, and in most cases, the rate constants in displacement reactions are
considerably greater than for reactions in protic solvents, e.g. methanol (471).
Ammonium thiocyanate and 2-chloromethylbenzimidazole in DMSO react to form thiocyanic acid (2benzimidozolyl)methyl ester (7173):
47
N DMSO N
CCH2Cl + NH4SCN CCH2SCN
room temp
N 15 minutes N
H 41% H
b) Aromatic halide displacement
Nitrotrifluoromethylchlorobenzenes react with sodium thiocyanate in DMSO to yield the corresponding phenylthiocyanates
(4123)(7158):
Cl
NO2 DMSO NO2
+ NaSCN
45-50oC (22 hrs.) 70%
CF3 120oC (3 hrs.) CF3
c) Sulfonate displacement
Potassium thiocyanate in DMSO displaces the sulfonate groups from 2,4-pentane di-p-bromobenzenesulfonate to
give 2,4-dithiocyanopentane (515):
OBs DMSO SCN
+ KCN o
70-75 C, 50 hr 68%
OBs SCN
Similarly, 2-methylbutyl p-toluenesulfonate and potassium thiocyanate in DMSO yield (62.5%) 2-methylbutyl thiocyanate (5435).
Basicities in DMSO
The reactivity of nucleophiles in DMSO mixtures with water or alcohols consistently increases as the content of DMSO in the mixture
increases. When the nucleophile is the hydroxide ion in the aqueous system, or the alkoxide ion in the alcoholic system, the activities of
the bases can be presented in terms of acidity function, shown in Figure 10. Since the acidity function is a logarithmic scale measuring
14
the ability of the system to remove a proton from the reference indicator, the data show the basicity to be enhanced some 10 fold
upon going from water or alcohol to 99% DMSO. Such a protic-aprotic system offers a means of adjusting the basicity of a reaction
medium over a wide range.
In the highly basic systems, obtained when the concentration of water or alcohol is low, an equilibrium amount of the DMSO anion will
be present. The simple aliphatic alcohols are about 1,000 times as acidic as DMSO and they have about the same acidity as
triphenylmethane (734)(1558). One chemical consequence of this effect shows up in the alkoxide-catalyzed autoxidation of fluorene
where the oxidation rate is controlled by the rate of carbanion formation (1728). The reaction rate increases 220-fold upon changing the
solvent from t-butanol to an 80:20 DMSO-t-butyl alcohol mixture. However, in the 80:20 mixture the concentration of DMSO anion is
sufficient to react with the product so that instead of a 91 % yield of fluorenone a 78% yield of the DMSO adduct of fluorenone is
obtained.
Although the equilibrium amount of DMSO anion produced by alkoxide ion in this system is small, the rate at which the protons transfer
is fast (1758)(1759) so that a steady pool of DMSO anion is available for reaction.
Proton Removal
A number of different reactions require the removal of protons from carbon with the resultant formation of carbanions. The proton removal
can be either an initial or the rate-determining step. Carbanions are formed in racemizations, in isomerizations and in a wide variety of
elimination reactions. Just as the equilibrium basicity of alkoxides and hydroxides is enormously enhanced in DMSO versus in hydroxylic
solvents, so also is the rate at which proton removal or hydrogen exchange reactions occur in DMSO. The rate of potassium t-butoxide-
6
catalyzed hydrogen-deuterium exchange at a benzyllic carbon atom is 10 times greater in DMSO than in t-butanol (606).
6 7
A similar rate enhancement is observed in racemizations using ammonia as the base, with the reaction being 10 -10 times faster in
DMSO than in t-butanol (622)(524). The influence of the cation is greater in DMSO than in t-butanol. For example, in t-butanol, sodium
and potassium t-butoxides are about equally effective in prompting hydrogen exchange, whereas in DMSO the potassium salt gives a
reaction rate one hundred times that of the sodium salt (606).
48
49
The table below (Table XI) lists the acidities (pKa) values of 132 organic compounds in DMSO, starting with the most acidic-
protonated pyridine, and ending with the least acidic-propionitrile (10569). The pKa of DMSO is 35 (10411).
TABLE XI
Acidities in DMSO
COMPOUND pKa COMPOUND pKa
Protonated pyridine 3.5 Nitromethane 17.2,16.5
2,6-Dinitro-4-chlorophenol 3.6 Diphenylacetonitrile 17.5
Protonated analine 3.7 Į, Į, Į', Į'-Tetraphenylacetone 17.6
Protonated 2-methylpyridine 4.0 Phenyl benzyl ketone 17.7
Protonated 2,4-dimethylpyridine 4.5 Bis(2-nitrophenyl)amine 17.7
Protonated o-phenylenediamine 4.8 Nitrocyclobutane 17.8
Thiosalicylic acid 5.2 9-Phenylfluorene 17.9
Phthalic acid I 6.2 Nitrocyclohexane 17.9
Oxalic acid I 6.2 Nitroneopentane 18.1
Sulfamic acid 6.5 Į, Į-Diphenylacetophenone 18.7
Salicylic acid 6.8,6.6 Į-Thiophenylaceton 18.7
Thioacetic acid 6.7 Methyl trifluoromethyl sulfone 18.8
Thiocyanuric acid 6.7 4-Chloro-2-nitroanaline 18.9
Bromocresol green 7.0 4-Nitroanaline 19.2
2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid 7.1 a, a-Diphenylacetone 19.4
Phenylsulfonylnitromethane 7.2 Methyl benzyl ketone 19.8
3,5-Dinitrobenzoic acid 7.3 2-Bromofluorene 20.0
2,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid 7.5 Ethyl trifluoromethyl sulfone 20.4
Rhodanine 7.7 Thiourea 20.5
Nitromethyl phenyl ketone 7.7 Thiophenylacetonitrile 20.8
9-Cyanofluorene 8.3 Bis(n-chlorophenyl)amine 21.4
2,5-Dihydrophthalic acid 8.3 Phenylacetonitrile 21.9
Protonated tributylamine 8.3 9-Methylfluorene 22.3
Protonated diphenylguanidine 8.6 Phenylacetylene 22.6,28.8
Chloroacetic acid 8.9 2,6-Dichloroanaline 22.6
p-Nitrobenzoic acid 9.0 Fluorene 22.6
Ethyl nitroacetate 9.2 Trithiophenylmethane 22.8
Thiophenol 9.8 Phenyldithiophenylmethane 23.0
Protonated dibutylamine 10.0 1 -Phenyl-1 -cyanoethane 23.0
Bromo thymol blue 10.2 3-Methylfluorene 23.1
p-Chlorobenzoic acid 10.2 2,4 Dichloroanaline 23.4
9-Carboxymethylfluorene 10.2' 3-Methoxy-1 -propyne 23.5
9-Phenylsulfonylfluorene 10.3 Formamide (N-H) 23.5
Protonated piperidine 10.6 Diphenylamine 23.5,23.6
Protonated pyrrolidone 10.8 Dibenzyl sulfone 23.9
Benzoic acid 10.8,10.9 N,N-Dimethylprop-2-ynylamine 24.2
o-Toluic acid 11.0 9-tert-Butyl-fluorene 24.3
m-Toluic acid 11.0 Ethyl phenyl ketone 24.4
Malononitrile 11.1 Diphenylmethylphenyl sulfone 24.5
p-Toluic acid 11.2 2,5-Dichloroanaline 24.6
3-Nitro-l-propene 11.2 Acetophenone 24.7
Phenylacetic acid 11.6 Urea 25.1
Thiophenylnitromethane 11.8,11.9 2,4-Dichloroanaline 25.3
Phenylnitromethane 12.2 Acetamide (N-H) 25.5
Methylmalononitrile 12.4 Methyl benzyl sulfone 25.6
Acetic acid 12.6 1,3,3-Triphenylpropene 25.6
2-Thiohydantoin I 12.8 Isopropyl phenyl ketone 26.3
Acetylacetone 13.6 Acetone 26.5
Hydrogen cyanide 13.7 9-(3-Chlorophenyl)xanthene 26.6
Bis(ethylsulfonyl)methane 14.4 3-Chloroanaline 26.7
2,4-Dinitroanaline 14.8 Diphenylthiophenylmethane 26.7
Oxalic acid II 14.9 Nitrocyclopropane 26.9
Resorcinol 15.3 Diethyl ketone 27.1
9-Phenylthiofluorene 15.4 9-Phenylxanthene 27.9
2,5-Dihydrophthalic acid II 15.6 Water 28.0
Nitrocycloheptane 15.8 Benzyl methyl sulfoxide 29.0
Nitrocyclopentane 16.0 Methyl phenyl sulfone 29.0
p-Chlorophenol 16.1 Diphenylyldiphenylmethane 29.4
2,5-Dichloro-4-nitroanaline 16.2 Triphenylmethane 30.0,30.6
Nitromethylcyclopropane 16.5 Phenylthiophenylmethane 30.8
Nitroethane 16.7 Ethyl phenyl sulfone 31.0
1,1 Bis(ethylsulfonyl)ethane 16.7 Dimethyl sulfone 31.1
1 -Nitropropane 16.8 Acetonitrile 31.3
2-Nitropropane 16.9 Diphenylmethane 32.3
Phenol 16.9 Propionitrile 32.5
m-Cresol 17.0 DMSO 35
50
ELIMINATION REACTIONS
These are base-catalyzed reactions in which two atoms or groups are removed or eliminated, usually from one or two carbon atoms. A
double bond is frequently formed as the result of this elimination.
1. Cope Elimination
The pyrolysis oft-amine oxides (Cope elimination) in dry DMSO proceeds at a convenient rate at 25°C to give 80-90% yields of olefins.
Temperatures of 132-138° are usually required in water. In addition, the rates in DMSO are 10,000 times faster than in water (495):
O (CH3)3 Ph
N DMSO +
25oC Ph CH3
Ph
80-90%
The rate is higher in wet DMSO than in dry THF because DM SO acts as an internal drying agent and competes with amine oxide for the
water present (578).
5 Į-Stigmasta-7,22,25-trien-3 ȕ-ol, a steroid alcohol, is obtained by heating the appropriate t-amine oxide in DMSO (3481):
O (CH3)2 R
N
R DMSO
120-130oC H3C 61%
H3 C
2. Decarboxylation and Decarbalkoxylation
°
DMSO promotes the decomposition of malonic (640), oxalic (604), and oxamic (643) acids at elevated temperatures, e.g. 140-160 C.
Pyridylacetic acid hydrochloride decarboxylates in DMSO at moderate temperatures. The only product of this decarboxylation is 4-
methyl-pyridine hydrochloride (2343)(3743):
DMSO
ClHN CH2CO2H ClHN CH3
30oC
95+%
°
The decarboxylation of trichloroacetic acid also occurs as low as 25.0 C in the presence of DMSO and water. The reaction rate constant
increases by a factor of 6-7 with a change in concentration of DMSO from 50 to 86%. Dramatic rate accelerations result in the
decarboxylation of benzisoxazole-3-carboxylic acids if water is replaced by DMSO (3447):
CO 2H
X X CN
N DMSO, 30oC
+ CO 2
Y O Y OH
Some acids, such as optically pure (+)-2-benzenesulfonyl-2-methyl-octanoic acid, decarboxylate more readily in the presence of base
to give, in this case, (+)-2-octylphenylsulfone in 98% optical purity (631):
Tetrahalophthalic acids in DMSO in the presence of alkali and alkaline earth chlorides undergo double decarboxylation to form 1,2,3,4-
tetrahalobenzenes, whereas, in the presence of other chlorides (e.g. CoCl2, NiCl2, CuCI2) or no salts at all mostly single decarboxylation
occurs to give 2,3,4,5-Cl4(or Br4)C6HCO2H (4602). Lead tetraacetate has been used in DMSO to decarboxylate dicarboxylic acids (5081).
Thus, the treatment of 3,3-dimethylcyclohex-4-ene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid yields 3,3-dimethyl-1,4-cyclohexadiene (7533):
51
CO 2H
Pb(OAc)4, DMSO-pyridine
CO 2H
Rates of decarboxylation are reported for several phenylmalonic acids and esters in DMSO at 55.4°C. Only those compounds bearing at
least one carboxylic proton are labile, which establishes that intramolecular proton transfer is an integral part of the reaction mechanism
(7655).
Benzaldehydes can be prepared from the phenylacetic acids by electrolytic decarboxylation and oxidation in DMSO in the presence
of sodium hydride. The yields are good in most cases (8766):
CH2CO2H electrolysis CHO
R R
NaH
Decarbalkoxylation (mostly decarbethoxylation) is related to decarboxylation in that the -CO2R group, instead of CO2
(decarboxylation) is eliminated. Thus, geminal dicarboxy groups are eliminated when malonic ester derivatives are heated in DMSO
(942):
C2H5O2C NaCN, DMSO C2H5O2C
°
The treatment of ethyl trichloroacetate with sodium methoxide in DMSO at 0 C produces dichlorocarbene which is oxidized by
DMSO (1040).
Decarboxylation of geminal diesters, ȕ-keto esters, and Į-cyanoesters to the corresponding monoesters, ketones and nitriles can
be accomplished in excellent yields (85-95%) in wet DMSO in the presence of sodium chloride at 140-186°C (6102)(7022)(9769).
Other dipolar aprotic solvents, such as DMF, are less effective in the case of substrates with lower activity because of lower boiling
points of these solvents (6102).
The alkylative decarboxylation of N-carbalkoxypyrozoles has been shown to require a polar aprotic solvent, such a DMSO, and to
be subject to catalysis by nucleophiles, e.g. halide ions (7285):
The decarbalkoxylation of methyl or ethyl isohexylmalonates in DMSO in the presence of various alkali metal salts gives methyl or
ethyl 6-methylheptanoates. The best results are obtained in the presence of 1 equivalent of salt and 2 equivalents of water (8861).
Salts such as KCN, NaCl, or LiCl dramatically enhance the decarbalkoxylation rates of geminal diesters, ȕ-keto esters, and Į-
cyanoesters by DMSO-water (9769).
3. Dehalogenation
By a proper choice of reaction conditions or nucleophile in DMSO, one can obtain elimination of either bromine or hydrogen bromide
in cases where both paths are available (454):
In the presence of excess dimsyl sodium in DMSO at room temperature, the debrominated intermediate results, while the use of a
larger excess of dimsyl sodium and longer reaction times yield 1,2-cyclononadiene.
In the reaction of 3 ȕ-chloro-5 Į-bromo-6 ȕ-bromocholestane with excess dimsyl sodium in DMSO, bromine elimination occurs.
When this intermediate is treated with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO, HCl elimination occurs (455):
52
H2CSOCH3, DMSO
Cl room temperature
Br Cl
Br 77%
t-BuOK, DMSO
43%
Pure olefins from their dibromides can be obtained by using sodium thiosulfate in DMSO as the debrominating agent. Thus,
stilbene dibromide yields stilbene (6496):
Br
Br
+ Na2S2O2 DMSO
60oC, 8 hrs.
99%
Another dibromide can be dehalogenated by heating with zinc dust in DMSO (7184):
OAc OAc
Br
DMSO, Zn
90o, 2.5 hrs
Br 100%
OAc OAc
Heating trans- Į, ȕ-dibromo derivatives of diphenylethylene and meso-stilbene with potassium fluoride and cesium fluoride in
DMSO afford quantitative yields of diphenylacetylene and trans-stilbene, resp., via the intermediacy of dimsyl ion. These
reactions do not occur in N-methylpyrrolidone, DMF, or sulfolane (9338):
Br DMSO
Ph PhC CPh
KF or CsF
Ph
Br
Br DMSO
Ph
Ph
Br
The action of zinc-copper couples on perfluoroiodoalkanes, C 4 F 9I, C6 H33I and CsF17I, has been studied in aprotic solvents,
'
such as DMSO. A mixture of perfluoroolefins results (9928), e. g.
Zn-Cu, DMSO F3C F F3C CF3
C4F9I + + C4F9H
80oC F CF3 F F
39% 21% 20%
53
Some dehalogenation reactions using potassium t-butoxide as the base have been reviewed (6815).
4. Dehydrohalogenation
A variety of bases have been used in the dehydrohaloge nation reaction. The most frequently used base has beer potassium t-butoxide,
followed by other alkoxides. Other bases used include: sodium and potassium hydroxide the carbonate and bicarbonate ions, quaternary
ammonium hydroxide, dimsyl ion, sodium cyanide and some relatively weak organic bases, such as ammonia and amines.
The effects of base strength and size upon the orientation in base-promoted ȕ-elimination reactions have beer studied
(6234)(6378)(6818)(8582)(10011).
Ionic association in base-promoted ȕ-elimination reactions has been reviewed (8050).
The reaction of benzhydryl chloride with potassium t-butoxide in t-butanol occurs slowly by displacement giving benzhydryl t-butyl ether,
whereas the base in DMSO causes a very rapid elimination( Į-elimination) giving nearly quantitative yields of tetraphenyl ethylene (696).
The rapid reaction is suggested to occur by an initial formation of the carbanion which eleminates chloride ion to give a carbene
intermediate, as shown below:
DMSO
[Ph2CCl]-K+ PhC: + Cl- +K+
Ph Ph
Ph2C: + Ph2C: (or [Ph2CCl-]) DMSO
Ph Ph
The rate of dehydrobromination of 2-arylethyl bromides with potassium t-butoxide in t-butanol-DMSO mixtures increases with
increasing DMSO concentration at a much faster rate than the increase of acidity function (833).
The strongly basic reaction medium obtainable with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO in the case of aromatic bromine compounds
produces aryne intermediates (434)(514) (see also Displacement reactions Alkoxide Ion, Aromatic halide displacement, p. 20).
2,7-Dichlorobicyclo[2.2.1 ]heptane on treatment with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO gives 7-chlorobicyclo[2.2.1] heptene (3360):
Cl Cl
t-BuOK, DMSO
room temperature
3.5 days
Cl 96%
Olefinic products from reactions of a series of 2-bromoaIkanes with potassium t-butoxide are produced. The transcis 2-alkene ratio is
dependent upon the alkyl group of the 2-bromoalkane (3368):
CH3 t-BuOK, DMSO
H2CR o RH2CHC CH2 + RHC CHCH3
Br 30-90 C
The trans-1 -iodocyclopropylpropene reacts at least ten times faster with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO than the cis isomer to yield 1
-cyclopropyl-2-methylacetylene (3503)(4176):
I t-BuOK, DMSO
t-BuOK, DMSO H I
fast CH3 slow
H CH3 CH3
trans
cis
Six or seven-membered trans-cycloolefins may be transformed into the corresponding 3-alkoxycycloalkynes by reaction with
potassium t-butoxide in DMSO (3707):
Br OR
t-BuOK, DMSO
OR
20oC, few seconds (CH2)n
(CH2)n
or minutes 60-74 %
n = 5 or 6
54
The reaction of 1,1 -dichloro-1 -cyclopropylethane with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO gives 1 -cyclopropylacetylene
(5594):
Cl t-BuOK, DMSO
CH3
room temperature
Cl 34%
Similarly, treatment of pinacolone dichloride with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO produces tert-butylacetylene in high yield (7608):
CH3 CH3
H3C t-BuOK, DMSO H3C
H
90oC, 3hrs
Br 84%
Br
t-BuOK, DMSO (CH2)7 C
o
20 C, 5 min.
78%
X = I, Br, Cl
In all cases in the above reaction, the change from ethoxide to 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxide results in a decrease in the percent 1 -butene
(3853).
Treatment of 3-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2,2-dimethoxypyrans with an excess of sodium ethoxide in DMSO produces the corresponding Į-
pyrones (5834). (7737):
55
R3 O OCH3 R3 O O
NaOCH3, DMSO
OCH3
2
R2 Cl room temp., few hours R
R1 R1
The addition of DMSO to the NaOCH -CH3OH medium causes a significant increase in the rate of dehydrochlorination of Ph2CHCH2Cl
(9142)(9143). Although double dehydrobromination of 2,6,6-bis-(ethylidenedioxy)-3,7-dibromobicyclo[3.3.0]octane with ethanolic
potassium hydroxide requires refluxing for several days for complete reaction, the elimination may be effected in several hours with
sodium methoxide in DMSO (9604):
O O O O
Br NaOCH 3, DMSO
Br 60-70oC, 2.5 hrs
O O O 89-92%
O
Reaction of 2,2-dimethyl-3-dimethyl-3-chloro-3-butenoic acid with dimsyl sodium in DMSO gives 2,2-dimethyl-3-butynoic acid (7865):
CH3 CH3
Cl CO2H CH2SOCH3
CO2H 88%
CH3 DMSO 50oC, 5 hrs CH3
In some cases, potassium t-butoxide is a better dehydrohalogenating agent than the dimsyl ion. Thus, the dimsyl ion can act as a
dehalogenating agent for vicinal dibromides (455):
CH2SOCH3,DMSO 37%
Br Br
78% 22%
DMSO is a better reaction medium for the above reaction than some other solvents.
Methyl halogenated ethyl sulfides can be dehydrohalogenated with potassium hydroxide in DMSO (3142), e.g.
56
F
F Cl DMSO
+ KOH H3CFSC CFCl
SF room temperature
H
6-Hydroxy-2-isopropenyl-5-acetylcoumaran can be obtained from the corresponding vinyl bromide by dehydrohalogenation with
potassium hydroxide and cyclization in DMSO (4892):
O O
Br KOH, DMSO
20oC
OH O OH
O
42%
Relatively high yields of alkynes can be obtained from Į, ȕ-dihalides or Į, Į-dihalides in short reaction times at moderate temperatures
in DMSO using moderately strong bases, such as potassium hydroxide, without isolation of the intermediate olefin (8238), e.g.:
Cl DMSO, KOH
(H 3C)3CHC CHCl (H 3C)3C CH
Br 130-160oC 91%
In the above reaction, both the ȕ-elimination and displacement (substitution) reactions take place.
3,3-Dibromo-6-dibromomethyl-5-carbethoxy-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one with sodium carbonate in DMSO yields 3-bromo-6-
dibromomethyl-5-carbethoxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (6215):
O O
Br
CO2C2H5 DMSO Br CO2C2H5
Br + Na2CO3 55%
H3C CHBr2 20oC, 3 hrs H3C CHBr2
3-Alkylthio- or3-arylthio-4-chlorothiolane 1,1-dioxide can be dehydrohalogenated when warmed with triethyl. amine in DMSO (385):
Cl SR SR
DMSO
+(C2H5)3N o 60-90%
90 C, 2 hrs.
O O
5. Nitrogen Elimination
Elemental nitrogen can be eliminated from a number of compounds by heating in DMSO in the presence or absence of bases. Usually
these are compounds that contain the nitrogen-nitrogen bond, such as hydrazones, hydrazides, carbazides, azo compounds,
57
diazomethane derivatives, azides, diazonium salts and others.
Addition of hydrazones of aldehydes and ketones to a solution of potassium t-butoxide in DMSO produces an immediate evolution of
nitrogen and formation of the corresponding hydracarbons in 60-90% yields. The reaction of the benzophenone hydrazone is typical
(495).
t-BuOK, DMSO
Ph2C NNH2 PH2CH2 + N2
25oC
The above reaction, the so-called Wolff-Kishner reduction in DMSO, can be run even at room temperature.
The rate of the Wolff-Kishner reaction of benzophenone hydrazone in mixtures of butyl carbinol and DMSO in the range of 100-190°C
increases as the concentration of DMSO is increased, but this effect passes through a maximum. The maxima tend to drift
toward higher DMSO concentrations as the temperature is lowered (377).
The thermal decomposition of norbornan-2-one and norborn-5-en-2-one tosylhydrazone sodium salts has been studied over the
°
temperature range 100-150 C in DMSO and two other solvents. First order kinetics have been observed in all cases (8955):
O
H H O2, KOH, DMSO O
N N R" + N2 + CO
R' N R" 100-110 oC R' N
H H
O
Thermal decomposition of two azobisamidines and their conjugate acids has been studied in DMSO (4748).
Rate coefficients are reported for the reaction of diazodiphenylmethane with benzoic acid and its orthosubstituted derivatives in DMSO
and other solvents (2765):
DMSO
Ph2CN2 + RCO2H RCO2CHPh2 + N2
o
30 C
Thermal decomposition of several diazirines has also been investigated in DMSO (4906)(5635), e.g.
Ph N DMSO Cl Cl
N2 + PhClC NN
Cl N 60-90oC diazirine
Ph Ph
Sodium azide in DMSO reacts with Į-bromophenylacetonitrile to yield benzonitrile (10077):
Diazonium salts can be prepared in DMSO by diazotizing primary amines with sodium nitrite. In the case of benzylamine, benzaldehydes
can be prepared in good yields (167), e.g.:
NH2 DMSO
R R CH2 + OS(CH3)2
+ NaNO2 + H+
-N2, H2O
CH3
R C S R CHO + CH3SCH3
H2 CH
3
Benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate in DMSO decomposes instantaneously with evolution of nitrogen upon addition of a DMSO solution
of choline or tetramethylammonium hydroxide (5124):
OH-, DMSO
N2+ + X +N2
20oC X
58
When p-nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate is decomposed in the presence of DMSO-benzene or DMSOnitrobenzene systems, the
respective biphenyl derivatives are obtained in good yields (5642).
The dediazotization of aromatic diazonium ions has been reviewed in various solvents, including DMSO (9423).
6. Sulfenate Elimination
The t-butoxide ion or dimsyl ion in DMSO has been used to eliminate sulfenates from sulfoxides to produce olefins in moderate to high
yields (501)(203)(672). When a number of 3-phenyl-2-alkylpropyl sulfoxides is allowed to react in DMSO with a large excess of dimsyl
sodium, cyclopropanes and olefins are formed (396)(2842):
R
Ph DMSO Ph + CH3SO-
CH2SOCH3 + H2CSOCH3 o
60-70 C, 48 hrs.
R
When isomeric 2-phenylsulfinyl-1,2-diphenyl-l-ethanols are pyrolyzed in DMSO in the presence of trace quantities of pyridine,
deoxybenzoin is formed (4776):
O S Ph pyridine, DMSO
PhC=CHPh PhCCH2Ph + PhSOH
PhCHCHPh 119oC
OH OH
O
3-Phenylindole is obtained from ȕ-hydroxysulfoxide on treatment of the latter with dimsyl ion in DMSO (5300):
Ph
SOCH3 Ph
OH DMSO
+ H2CSOCH3
NH2 N
H
7. Sulfonate Elimination
Various bases have been used in the reaction of sulfonate esters of primary and secondary alcohols to give alkenes. Some of these
bases are potassium t-butoxide, sodium methoxide, potassium ethoxide, phenoxides, and others. In a few cases, elimination reactions
involving sulfonate esters have been achieved without the presence of a base by the action of heat alone.
Treatment of the tosylate of (+)-(S)-3-methyl-7-deutero-octen-4-ol-7 with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO yields (+)-(S)-cis,trans-3-
methyl-7-deuterooctadiene-4,6 (3482):
t-BuOK, DMSO
80oC
H3C D D CH3
OTs
The tosylate of cyclohexanol-2,2,6,6-d4 on treatment with potassium t-butoxide gives cyclohexene-1,3,3-d3 (3584) :
H OTs
D D t-BuOK, DMSO D D
D room temperature D
D 36%
5,6 Dimethylenebicyclo[2.2.0]hexene-2, the Dewar o-xylylene, can be obtained by reacting the corresponding ditosylate with potassium
t-butoxide in DMSO (3827):
59
OTs
CH2
t-BuOK, DMSO
room temp.
40% CH2
OTs
When 4- hydroxy-trans-bicyclo[5.1.0] octane p-bromobenzene-sulfonate is treated with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO, it is rapidly
converted to trans-bicvclo[5.1.0]oct-3-ene (4039):
When 2-butyl and 2-pentyl halides or tosylates are treated with tetraethylammonium fluoride in acetonitrile, an olefin forming elimination
takes place and an overwhelming Saytzeff orientation is observed. These results are compared with results of the elimination in other
base-solvent systems, including potassium t-butoxide in DMSO (4524).
°
The reaction of trans-2-methylcyclooctyl tosylate with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO for 30 min at 25 C yields cis-3-methylcyclooctene,
93%, and cis-1 -methylcyclooctene, 4%. With t-butenol as the solvent, the ratio of the isomers is 2:1.
An approximately equimolar mixture of bicyclo[5.2.0]non-1 (9)-ene and bicyclo[5.2.0]non-8-ene is obtained by treatment of 8-
methanesulfonyloxybicyclo[5.2.0]nonane with potassium 1-butoxide in DMSO (9727).
t-BuOK, DMSO
20oC, 15 hrs.
OMs
65% total
A double bond in a cyclic system, a precursor of dl-juvabione, is introduced by treatment of a tosylate with sodium methoxide in
refluxing methanol containing 10% DMSO (6947).
8. Water Elimination-dehydration
Many alcohols can be dehydrated in DMSO to olefins. Certain diols when heated in DMSO lead to cyclic ethers. A group of tertiary
°
alcohols, such as 2-alkylcycloalkanes, at 160-190 C for several hours in DMSO give endocyclic olefins, 1 -alkylcycloalkenes, as the
major products. Thus, 1 -methylcyclopentanol gives only 1 -methylcyclopentene (394):
60
CH3
DMSO
CH3
OH 160oC
6 hours 88%
When certain diols are heated in DMSO, cyclic ethers result instead of the expected dienes (395). When 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol
and 1,6-hexanediol are heated, using 2 moles of alcohol per mole of DMSO, the corresponding heterocycles, tetrahydrofuran (70%),
tetrahydropyran (47%), and oxepane (24%) are formed (394):
H2
DMSO C
HOCH 2(CH2)nCH2OH O
o (nH2C) 24-70%
190 C C
14-24 hrs. H2 n=2, 3, 4
2,4-Di(2-hydroxy-2-propyl)cyclohexene can be selectively dehydrated to 2-(2-propenyl)-4-(2-hydroxy-2-propyl)1-cyclohexene in DMSO
(4775):
DMSO
190oC
HO OH 1.5 hrs. 80% OH
In the dehydration of 1,4-diols, a cyclic transition state with DMSO has been postulated (395)(6098):
H
O O
S CH 3
O
H3C CH CH 3
3
H
When sec- or tert-benzylic alcohols or tert-aliphatic alcohols are heated in DMSO at 160-185° C for 9-16 hours, dehydration produces
olefins in 70-85% yields (405), e.g.
OH
DMSO
PhCHCH2CH3 PhCH=CHCH3
o
160 C
16 hrs. 79%
2,2-Dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone can be obtained by dehydrating the corresponding 5-hydroxy compound on heating in DMSO (4755):
O O
DMSO
HO O O
61
OCH3 OH OCH3
Ph
DMSO
CH2Ph
150oC 80%
H3C H3C
9.5 hrs CH3
CH3
One of the key features of the stereoselective and regioselective total synthesis of two naturally occurring fungitoxic hydroquinones (±)-
zonarol and (±)-isozonarol is the dehydration of a tertiary alcohol to an alkene without rearrangement (9780):
HO
DMSO
155oC, 16 hrs 77%
H H
In some cases, the dehydration is achieved in DMSO in the presence of an inorganic acid. Thus, the lactonization of a hydrolyzed
terpolymer can be carried out by reacting the polymer in the presence of a very small quantity of concentrated sulfuric acid in DMSO
(2265):
H3C
HO2CHO2C H2SO4, DMSO H3C HO2C
Potassium hydrogen sulfate in DMSO is an effective medium for elimination of water from some intermediate hydroxy derivatives in the
preparation of various C19 analogs of retinoic acid (4235):
KHSO4, DMSO
R R
140-160oC
OH
18-40 min
Dehydration of 4-(1 -hydroxyethyl) biphenyl in DMSO in e presence of a small amount of potassium hydrogen sulfate and hydroquinone
gives p-phenyl-styrene (7867):
KHSO4, DMSO
OH 190C 82%
several hours
Dehydration of a diol can also be accomplished by using the triethylamine-sulfur trioxide complex in DMSO (7080):
OH
OH Et3N / SO3, DMSO
O
15oC, 15 minutes
ISOMERIZATION REACTIONS
These are base-catalyzed reactions that convert olefins and other unsaturated compounds into molecules with different atomic
arrangement. Included are also racemization reactions: the conversion of half a given quantity of an optically active compound into one
enantiomer.
1. Acetylene Isomerization
The enhanced rate of base catalyzed isomerization in DMSO can be used to control the direction of a cyclization of acetylenes (600).
When propargyloxyethanol is cyclized in DMSO in the presence of sodium hydroxide, 2-vinyl -1,3-dioxolane and 2-methyl-l,4-dioxene
are the major products (101):
62
DMSO O
HC CCH2OCH2CH2OH H2C C CHOCH2CH2OH
NaOH O
O
HC COCH2CH2OH
O
Treatment of an acetylenic compound with potassium tert-butoxide in DMSO gives the corresponding allenic compounds (2239):
t-BuOK, DMSO H
R C C CH(A)-R' R C C C(A)-R'
30oC
5 $ON\ORUSKHQ\O5¶ +DON\ORUSKHQ\O$ $ONR[\SKHQR[\DON\OWKLRSKHQ\OWKLRGLDON\XODPLQRHWF
3-Phenylpropyne undergoes in DMSO a dimsyl ion-catalyzed isomerization with very little H-D exchange with the solvent (2987):
D2CSOCD3, (CD3)2SO
PhH2CC CH P hHC C CH2
4-Alkoxy-4-alkyl-1 -t-butoxy-2- butyne, when heated with catalytic amounts of potassium t-butoxide in DMSO, is isomerized to allenic
diethers (4257):
R' t-BuOK , DMSO R'
C CCH2OtBu C CHOtBu
RO RO 50-78%
Similarly, 3-alkoxy-l -phenylpropynes are isomerized in DMSO under the catalytic influence of potassium tert-butoxide to give 3-alkoxy-1
-phenylallenes (4258):
R
R t-BuOK , DMSO R O
Ph Ph C P hHC 40-67%
OC2H5 OC2H5 H
2
The rates of base-catalyzed isomerization of a series of 1,3,3-triphenyl- prop-1-yne and [3- H]-1,3,3-triphenylprop1-yne, have been
measured in aqueous DMSO containing tetramethylammonium hydroxide and give linear correlations with the acidity function for the
medium (5864).
Pure 2-alkynes are obtained upon heating 1-alkynes with sodamide in DMSO (6510):
NaNH2, DMSO
RH2C CH R CH3
o
R=alkyl 65-70 C, 21 hrs. 90-94%
The allyl group of a glycoside can be isomerized to the prop-1 -enyl group by the action of potassium t-butoxide in DMSO, without
affecting phenyloxazine group (8951):
O OCH CH R O
R 2 OCH
CH t-BuOK , DMSO CHCH3
2
O N 20oC, 26 hrs. O N 77%
Ph Ph
3. Diene, Triene Isomerization
Unconjugated dienes can be converted to the conjugated isomers by treating them with a strong base in DMSO. Thus, the treatment of 2-
bromo-1,3-cyclohexadiene (I) with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO yields a mixture of 79% 1-bromo-l,3-cyclohexadiene (II) and 21 % of I.
63
The difference in free energy between I and II appears to be the result of greater conjugation of bromine with cyclohexadiene system in 11
(596):
Br Br
t-BuOK , DMSO
75oC, 8 hrs.
I. II.
Several unconjugated dienamines on treatment with potassium t-butoxide in DMSO produce the conjugated dienamine by a pivoting of
the double bond around the carbon carrying the nitrogen atom (4018):
N N
OCH3 OCH3
t-BuOK , DMSO
HOH2C
NaOCH3 , DMSO HOH2C
room temp.
O several min.
O
4. Olefin Isomerization
The isomerizations of simple alkenes (e.g. pentene-1,hexene-1) with potassium t-butoxide do not occur in tert-butanol, THF or 1,2-
dimethoxyethane. However, in DMSO with potassium tert-butoxide as the base, 1-olefins can be converted to 2-olefins, e.g. 2-
methylpentene to 2-methylpentene-2 (579):
H3C CH3
t-BuOK , DMSO
H3CH2CHC
H3CH2CH2C CH3
S-(2-propenyl)-L-cysteine is isomerized to cis-S-(1 -propenyl)-L-cysteine by reaction in potassium tert-butoxide and DMSO (1001):
t-BuOK , DMSO
H2C CHCH2SCH2CH(NH2)CO2H H3CHC CHSHCH2CH(NH2)CO2H
25oC , 18 hrs. 60%
Į-Pinene can be converted to ȕ -pinene by using potassium hydroxide and DMSO (480)(7229):
KOH , DMSO
110-190oC 4-6%
0.5 - 6 hrs.
64
Similarly, (+)-sabinine isomerizes to an equilibrium mixture of 91 % (-)- Į-thujene and 9% (+)-sabinine under the influence of
potassium t-butoxide in DMSO (2998):
t-BuOK ,DMSO
90oC, 2 hrs.
(+)-sabinine (-)-D-thujine
Isomerization of a mixture consisting of 17.4% 1 -methylcyclopropene and 81.3% methylenecyclopropane with potassium t-butoxide
and t-butanol in DMSO produces a 98% pure methylenecyclopropane (4262):
t-BuOK ,DMSO
50-60oC 70%
5. Racemization
In the racemization of saturated compounds by exchange of hydrogen at an asymmetric carbon, the rate of racemization correlates
well with the acidity function of the reaction system containing DMSO (944). Similarly, the base-catalyzed rate of hydrogen-deuterium
exchange correlates well with the racemization rate (1501). In solvents of high dissociating power which are not proton donors, e.g.
DMSO, the carbanion (obtained with potassium t-butoxide) is long enough lived to become symmetrically solvated, and electrophilic
substitution gives a racemic product (1161).
A variety of active functional groups can be attached to the saturated asymmetric carbon atom.
a) Alcohols
When optically pure tertiary alcohols with an asymmetric carbon atom are treated with a strong base in DMSO, the predominant
steric course is racemization (1162)(2589).
b) Alkyl halides
The reduction of optically active tertiary alkyl halides with sodium borohydride in DMSO proceeds with racemization presumably via
an elimination mechanism (3519):
CH3 H3C CH3
H3C
H3C C2H5 DMSO H3C C2H5
Cl 8 NaBH4 H
H3C CH3 H3C CH3
Racemic 2,7-dimethyl-octane
(-)-(R)-3-chloro-3,7-dimethyloctane
Optically active N-acylamino acids are racemized nearly quantitatively by heating with DMSO (8418).
d) Esters
The racemization and solvolysis of (+)-methyl 1 -cyano-2, 2-diphenyl-cyclopropane carboxylate has been studied in DMSO and six
other solvents. In DMSO, racemization is the dominant reaction (6287).
e) Ethers
Potassium t-butylmercaptide in DMSO is a weaker kinetic base system than potassium t-butoxide in DMSO or than dimsyl sodium in
DMSO in the racemization of optically pure (-)-1-methoxyphenylethane (496):
D-tetramisole or its 1 -tetramisole enantiomer is racemized in DMSO solution in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of
potassium hydroxide (10315):
N S
Ph
N
g) Nitriles
Racemization of 2-methyl-3-phenylpropionitrile in DMSO can proceed 1,000,000 times faster than in tert-butanol in the presence of the
same base (434)(944).
The mechanism of base-catalyzed racemization of Į-acetamidonitriles bearing no enolizable Į-hydrogen has been studied in DMSO
and found to proceed via elimination and readdition of the elements of HCN (2013).
The base catalyzed racemization of 2,2-diphenylcyclopropylnitrile (1) has been studied in solvents containing various amounts of
DMSO. With sodium methoxide as the base and nitrile 1 as a substrate, the rate for racernization in 1.5 mole % methanol-98.5 mol %
8
DMSO is 3.6 x 10 times that observed in methanol (7282):
Ph CN -OCH3 , DMSO P h H
Ph H Ph CN
(-) -1 (+) -1
h) Sulfones
°
When the 2,2-dimethyl-1-phenylsulfonylcyclopropane is heated in DMSO for 6 hours at 175 C the material is 88% racemized (2035):
H3C CO2CH3
H3C SO2Ph
66
Ethyl phenylpropiolate reacts readily with dimethyloxosulfonium methylide to give 91 % of a stable ylide (217):
HCO2C2H5
PhC CO2C2H5 (H3C)2SOCH2
PhC C
SO(CH3)2
91%
The addition of alkoxides to triple bonds in DMSO has been examined in structures where the intramolecular addition can
occur(600)(101)(429). The rapid rearrangement of the triple bond to the allenic compound seems to precede the cyclization (600):
O
CH2CH2OH NaOH , DMSO C CH2CH2OH DMSO
N N
CH3 CH3 N
CH3
Dinitrophenylhydrazine reacts with dimethylacetylenedicarboxylate in DMSO-methanol to yield a 1:1 adduct which exists as an imine-
emamine tautomer (3387):
CO2CH3 CH2CO2CH3 CO2CH3
DMSO
PhNHNH2 + P hNHN PhHNHNHC
room temp. , 15 hr CO2CH3 CO2CH3
53%
CO2CH3
The reaction of alkynes with sodium azide in DMSO, followed by hydrolysis, affords 1,2,3-triazoles (3456):
R' R
DMSO C C
RC CR' + NaN3
N N
N
11-54%
DMSO has been one of the solvents studied in the reaction of 1 -propyl-sulfones and sulfoxides with ethylenimine. The greatest amount
of trans product (cis addition) is formed in DMSO. This may be explained on the basis that DMSO can stabilize the zwitterionic
intermediate best (3660):
DMSO H3C SO2C2H5 H3C H
H3CC CSO2C2H5 + NH
room temp. N H N SO2C2H5
6 hrs trans 84% cis 16%
+ H2CSOCH3 DMSO BH
SOCH3
55oC
E-elimination
SOCH3 + H3CSO-
+B- 50%
Although the yields of the aliphatic dienes are 50% or less, the yields using polynuclear aromatic compounds or some heterocyclic
compounds, such as quinoline, are high (202):
CH3
DMSO
+ H2CSOCH3
70oC, 4 hrs.
N N 96%
67
The dimsyl ion also adds to aryl conjugated olefins, such as styrene or 1,1-diphenylethylene, in DMSO to give the corresponding methyl 3-
arylpropyl sulfoxides in almost quantitative yield (423):
DMSO
Ph2C CH2 + H2CSOCH3 Ph2CCH2CH2SOCH3
25oC
Ph2CHCH2CH2SOCH3 + H2CSOCH3
One stage sequential double methylation of the C=C bonds in stilbene, 2-methylstilbene and 4,4'-dimethoxystilbene with the dimsyl ion in
DMSO leads to methyl diarylbutyl sulfoxides (7234):
CH3 CH3
Ph Ph
DMSO
+ 2H2CSOCH3 CH2CH2SOCH3
Kinetic rate measurements of the alkoxide catalyzed addition of methanol and ethanol to methyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid
have been investigated in the mixed solvent alcohol-DMSO (3249).
1-Alkenecarbonitriles react with aromatic or heteroaromatic aldehydes in DMSO under the catalytic influence of cyanLGHLRQVWRJLYHȊ-
oxonitriles (6172)(7582):
R" CN-, DMSO O R"
RCHO + R'HC
CN R CN
R' 54-91%
Alkyl esters of Į , ȕ - and ȕ Ȋ-unsaturated carboxylic acids can be carboxylated at the Į- or ȕ - position using sodium phenoxide in
DMSO (3506):
H2C NaO2CH2C
CO2CH3 - CO2CH3
or + CO2 PhO , DMSO or
H3C CO2CH3 25oC, 3 hrs H3C CO2CH3
CO2Na
Sodium azide adds to Į , ȕ -unsaturated nitro compounds in DMSO to form 1,2,3-triazoles (4452):
DMSO RPh
RPh NO2 + NaN3
room temp.
N N
N
H
60%
Phenacyl bromide and its derivatives in the presence of zinc or a zinc-copper couple undergo anti-Markownikow additions to terminal
olefins (6627):
Zn-Cu , DMSO
X-PhCOCH2Br + H2C Ar2 X-PhCO(CH2)2CHAr2
140oC
54%
Phenacyl bromide in DMSO in the presence of the zinc-copper couple also adds to conjugated enynes and dienes (7536).
When olefins are treated with N-bromosuccinimide in DMSO containing a small quantity of water, the corresponding bromohydrins can be
obtained after a short reaction time in high yields (705)(4026)(4817):
H2O , DMSO Br
+ BrN o
20 C , 15 min.
OH
78%
A variety of alkylaromatic compounds undergo nucleophilic addition to conjugated olefins (3384). Particularly when the reaction is
performed in dipolar aprotic solvents, using potassium t-butoxide as a catalyst. The effectiveness of the solvents decreases in the
following order. DMSO, HMPA, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, DMF, sulfolane, tetramethylurea (4339).
68
c) Additions to nitriles (carbon-nitrogen triple bond)
The reaction of sodium azide with nitriles, such as benzonitrile, occurs readily in DMSO to give 5-phenyl tetrazole (550):
NH4Cl, DMSO N
PhCN + NaN3 Ph N
123-127oC, 7 hrs N NH
87%
The reaction of anthranilonitrile with sodium hydride in DMSO yields 4-amino-2-(2-aminophenyl)quinazoline (8576):
R
R CN NaH , DMSO R CN R CN R N
DMSO
+
0oC, 3hrs 25oC, 21hrs
NH2 NH2 NH2 N
NH2
NH2
R= H orBr nearly quantitative
Phthalodinitriles react with dicyandiamide in DMSO in the presence of basic compounds, such as potassium hydroxide, to
produce phthalo-bis-guanamines (8008):
NH2
N N
CN H
+ 2H2N KOH, DMSO N NH2
CN 85oC, 3hr
CN NH 97%
N N
H2N N NH2
d) Additions to isocyanates
The reactions of organic isocyanates and diisocyanates are catalyzed by DMSO, and they run at good rates in this solvent
(392)(312)(1360). Thus, diisocyanates react in DMSO with active hydrogen compounds such as dihydrazides (450), polyols
(449), or even with the hydroxyl groups of carbohydrates (cellulose) (443). In the last instance, DMSO is also used as an
effective swelling agent for cellulosic rayon fibers.
Diisocyanates, such as bis(4-isocyanatophenyl)methane or 2,2-bis(4-isocyanatophenyl)propane, react with ethylene glycol in
DMSO. Polyurethane filaments can then be spun from the reaction mixture (1880):
a ketone O O
+ HOCH2CH2OH
OCN NCO DMSO OH2CH2CO N N
H H n
Dry DMSO is inert to alkyl or aryl isocyanates but it does react with isocyanates having electron withdrawing groups such as
acyl (714) or sulfonyl (308)(391).
A number of synthetic polymers containing sugar residues, such as D-cellobiose (10116)(10439) and Į , Į -trehalose (10123),
have been prepared by direct addition polymerization of the carbohydrate with diisocyanates, such as 4,4'-
methylenedi(phenylisocyanate) in DMSO.
CONDENSATION REACTIONS
These are mostly specific reactions (e.g. aldol condensation, Mannich reaction) in which two or more molecules combine,
usually with the separation of water or some other simple molecule.
Most of the ordinary reactions of carbonyl compounds can be accomplished in DMSO. Good results are often obtained either
because of the greater solubility of generally insoluble reactants or because of enhanced reactivity of nucleophiles.
a) Aldol-type condensations
Alkyl aryl ketones react easily and at a high rate with paraformaldehyde in DMSO in the presence of base to yield
hydroxymethyl compounds. The high reaction rates may be attributed to the high reactivity of the anionic catalyst in the DMSO
medium (1099). Thus, 1-indanone and formaldehyde react rapidly in DMSO to yield 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1-indanone:
O O
CH2OH
KOH, DMSO
CH2OH
room temperature 70%
5 min.
Fluorene and o- and p-nitrotoluene react similarly with paraformaldehyde in an aldol like addition in DMSO under the
influence of a strong base to give hydroxymethyl compounds (1100).
69
Racemic 2-(o-formylphenoxy)propiophenone can be prepared in 79% yield from equivalent amounts of a sodium salt of salicylaldehyde
and 2-bromopropiophenone in DMSO. When the reaction product is kept in DMSO in the presence of quinine, two optically active
diastereomeric ketols result (5613):
H
CHO CHO
O DMSO
+ H3C DMSO
Ph OH
Ph
Br Ph OC
ONa O OC
79% O
CH3 CH3
The reaction of 1-hydroxy-2,2,5-trimethyl-3,4-hexadione with paraformaldehyde in DMSO in the presence of potassium hydroxide gives
1,6-dihydroxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3,4-hexadione (6028):
O O O O
KOH, DMSO
+ 2HCHO
20oC, 24 hrs
HO OH 85%
2-Carbomethoxycyclohexanone condenses with 3-pent-2-one in DMSO in the presence of sodium methoxide to give methyl 4-methyl-1
(9)-octal-2-one-1O-carboxylate (4048):
H3CO2C CO2CH3
NaOCH3, DMSO
+
O O 29oC
O
The reaction of pentafIuoracetophenone with methyl benzoate in the presence of sodium hydride in DMSO is the best way to the
diketone (3376):
NaH, DMSO P hCO2R C6F6COCH2COPh
C6F6COCH3 C6F6COCH2
o
35 C, 24hrs 60%
b) Ester condensation
The esters of carboxylic acids react with the dimsyl ion in DMSO to yield ȕ -keto sulfoxides (639)(1651):
O H
RCO2R' + 2H2CSOCH3 RCOCHSOCH3 SOCH3 + R'O- + DMSO
R
This condensation reaction has found a fairly wide application in the synthesis of useful intermediates. Thus, a number of benzoic acid
-
esters can be reacted with the dimsyl ion in DMSO to give the corresponding ȕ -keto sulfoxides (9150):
H3CO OCH3
O
DMSO O
H3CO CO2CH3+ 2H2CSOCH3 OCH3
S
20-25oC, 0.5 hr
H3C
H3CO 70% OCH3
Ethyl salicylate reacts with 3.2 equivalents of dimsyl ion to give the ȕ -keto sulfoxides (9196):
O O
CO2C2H5 S
DMSO CH3
+ 2H2CSOCH3
92%
OH OH
A number of ȕ-keto sulfoxides have been prepared by condensing the dimsyl ion with substituted phenyl or naphthyl esters
(9249)(9402). Thus, ethyl 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate reacts with the dimsyl ion to give 3'-hydroxy-2-(methylsulfinyl)-2'-acetonaphthone
(9244):
OH OH O O
CO2C2H5 S
CH3
+ 2H2CSOCH3
64%
70
Ethyl isovalerate gives methyl sulfinyl methyl isobutyl ketone (9825):
O O
DMSO
(H3C)2CHCH2CO2C2H5 + H2CSOCH3 (H3C)2CHCH2CCH2SCH3
0oC
1/2-1 hr.
The preparation and synthetic applications of ȕ-keto-suIfoxides have been reviewed (4820)(8529).
Symmetrical ȕ -diketones are readily prepared by reacting methyl esters with methyl ketones in DMSO with sodium hydride as the base
(193) :
O O
DMSO
RCOCH3 + RCO2CH3 + 2NaH
CR CH2CR
75-83%
The yield is increased from 36% to 83% by using sodium hydride in DMSO instead of sodium methoxide in toluene.
In the presence of zinc-DMSO, 2,2,2-trichloroethyl esters of Į -substituted ȕ -keto acids react stereospecifically at the Į -carbon to the
ester carbonyl with aldehydes to give aldols in good yields (8833):
O R' O OH
C CH Zn, DM SO
+ OHCR"
25oC R CHR"
R CO2CH3CCl3 48-92%
R'
Cyclohexanediones-1,3 are prepared in good selectivity by reacting an Į , ȕ-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester with a ketone in the
presence of a strong base in DMSO (8717):
CH3
O
NaOCH 3
H2C=CHCO 2CH 3 + CH3COC 2H5
50oC, 1/2 hr.
O
c) Dieckmann condensation-cyclization
The Dieckmann condensation of dimethyl-l -methylcyclohexane 1,2-diacetate with sodium hydride in DMSO furnishes a crystalline keto
ester (6593):
CO2CH3
CO2CH3 NaH, DM SO
CO2CH3 O
85oC
CH3 4 hrs.
CH3
68%
+-
Ph3PCH2, DMSO
71!
!
d) Mannich reaction
A ȕ -keto carboxylic acid reacts with formaldehyde-piperidine hydrochloride in DMSO to give the corresponding Į ±methylene ketone in
excellent yield (6463)(8888):
O O
O
+ - DM SO
+ HCHO + NH2Cl
20oC
O O
2 hrs. O
CO2H CH2 N HCl 65%
CH2
The first step in the reaction is probably decarboxylation. The Mannich reaction product is most likely formed, but it loses piperidine
hydrochloride in the highly polar reaction medium.
The "Mannich reagent", dimethyl (methylene)ammonium iodide, reacts with enol borinates in DMSO-THF to provide excellent yields of ȕ -
dimethylamino ketones (6671):
O
(R)2BO R CH3
DM SO-THF CH3
+ N I- R' N
Room temp. 80-100%
R' CH3 3 hours
R CH3
e) Michael condensation
The reaction of methyl Į-bromo- ȕ-methoxypropionate (I) with sodium nitrite in DMSO in the presence of phloroglucinol gives dimethyl
Į -methoxymethyl- Į , Į'-dinitrogluturate (IV), which is formed from methyl Į - nitro - ȕ cnethoxypropionate (II) and methyl Į -
nitroacrylate (III) by Michael addition (664):
phloroglucinol.
H3COCH2 CHCO2CH3 + NaNO2 DMSO -MeOH
H3COCH2 CHCO2CH3
Br
I NO2
II
CO2CH3
CH2 C CO2CH3 H2
+ II H3COCH2 C C CHCO2CH3
O2N
NO2 NO2
III
IV
Double Michael reaction of 3-methyl-4-methylene-cyclohex-2-enone with dimethyl 3-oxoglutarate in DMSO in the presence of potassium
fluoride as a catalyst gives a mixture of the stereomeric diketodiesters (9746):
O CO2CH3
OH
O
KF, DM SO
+ H2C CHCO2CH2CH2OH
55-60oC
2 days CO2CH3
CH2
Michael addition of carbazole to 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate in DMSO in the presence of 1,8-diazobicyclo[5.4.0]-7undecene (DBU) takes
place under mild conditions (10091):
DBU, DMSO
+ H2C=CHCO 2CH 2CH 2OH
room temp.
48 hours
N N
Michael-type polyaddition of dithiols to divinylsulfoxide in DMSO leads to the formation of poly(sulfinylethylene-thioalkene (or
arylene)thioethylene)s (10443):
72!
!
Et3N, DM SO
H2C CH-SO-CH=CH2 + HSRSH [CH2CH2-SO-CH2CH2-S-R-S] n
60o
12hrs.
f) Reformatsky reaction
Bromonitriles, when treated with zinc in DMSO-THF, yield an intermediate organozinc compound. ȕ - Hydroxynitriles are then prepared
from this intermediate and aliphatic aldehydes and ketones (4767):
O
R R R'" R'
DMSO-THF "R C R'"
R' C C+Zn R' C CN "R C C CN
Br ZnBr OH R
30-66%
g) Thorpe-Ziegler condensation
1,4-Dinitriles, which can be prepared from dihalides or ditosylates and sodium cyanide in DMSO, can be cyclized directly to ȕ-enamino
nitriles in very high yields (477)(6163):
CN
The cyclization of 1,2-di-(cyanomethoxy) benzene with dimsyl ion (sodamide + DMSO) in DMSO produces 3-amino-4-cyano-2H-1,5-
benzodioxepin (8690)(9145):
OCH 2CN CN
H2CSOCH 3, DMSO O
NH2
room temp.
OCH 2CN 3 hours
92% O
h) Ullmann-type condensations
lodofluoroalkanes react with aryl iodides in DMSO in the presence of copper to give arylfluoroalkanes (5185)
(7293):
I R'
Cu, DMSO
+ IR'
100-150oC.
R R
R = CF3, n-C3F7, etc. 45-70%
i) Wittig reaction
The reaction of a tertiary phosphine (usually triphenylphosphine) with an alkyl halide to yield a phosphonium salt can be done in DMSO
(4669). DMSO also seems to be a good solvent for these salts. In these phosphonium salts, the Į C-H bonds are sufficiently acidic
(5551) for the hydrogen to be removed by a strong base in DMSO, e.g. an organolithium compound (4110), sodium hydride or the dimsyl
ion (8360), to produce a phosphorus ylide (a phosphorane), the so-called Wittig reagent. Subsequent reactions of these ylides with
aldehydes, ketones or hemiacetals in DMSO offer a useful synthesis for olefins. The overall reaction can be written as follows
(49)(240)(5551):
73!
!
+ CH=CH 2
CH 2PPh3Br - CH=PPh 3
Ketones react with phosphoranes in a way similar to aldehydes. Verbinone with methylidenetriphosphorane in DMSO yields
methylenedihydroterpine (7476):
O CH 2
Lactols (hemiacetals) can also be reacted with a Wittig reagent (7691). Treatment of a lactol with a Wittig reagent derived from 5-
triphenylphosphovalerate ion in DMSO gives the corresponding hydroxy acid (7729):
OH
OH
O
CH 2CH (CH2)3CO 2H
DMSO
+ Ph3P=CH(CH 2)3CO 2H
R
R
It has also been found that aromatic and aliphatic esters can be directly converted to the corresponding isopropenyl compounds by
reaction with methylenetriphenylphosphorane in DMSO (10078):
O CHR"
DMSO
R C OR' + 4PH3P=CHR" +3Na+CH2-SOCH3 R C CH2R"
OXIDATION REACTIONS
These are reactions in which oxygen combines chemically with another substance or reactions in which electrons are transferred from
one substance to another. DMSO in these reactions, with a few exceptions, is a solvent and not a reactant, i.e. it gets neither reduced
nor oxidized.
Many different reactions using oxygen have been conducted in DMSO, such as autoxidation (also chemiluminescence),
dehydrogenation, hypohalite reactions, lead tetraacetate oxidation, silver compound oxidations, superoxide and peroxide oxidations and
others not discussed here (e.g. electrooxidation, periodic acid oxidations, manganese dioxide oxidations, sulfur dioxide oxidations).
a) Autoxidation
The base-catalyzed oxidation of a number of compounds by oxygen in DMSO-t-butanol mixtures has been studied extensively.
Formation of the carbanion of the substrate usually precedes the oxidation. The rate of carbanion formation and oxidation increases as
the DMSO content is increased (728).
In the solution DMSO-t-butanol-potassium t-butoxide, a number of hydrocarbons can be oxidized easily. Thus, triphenylmethane
reacts with oxygen in the above system to form triphenylcarbinol (479):
DM SO-t-BuOH-t-BuOK
Ph3CH + O2 Ph3COH
room temp. 96%
20 min.
74!
!
O
.
H t-BuOK, DM SO H -
O + O2 O
R R
NO2
The above dimers can be further oxidized to ketones, or dehydrated to nitrostilbenes (4812).
The autoxidation of 1- and 3-arylpropenes has been induced with the DMSO-t-butanol system containing potassium t-butoxide. The
autoxidation of safrole gives piperonylic acid. Without DMSO, no oxidation takes place (1140):
O CO2H
O
DM SO-t-BuOH-t-BuOK
+ O2
O 42%
O
In the presence of alkali metal hydroxides, it is possible to oxidize various substituted methanes, such as Į, Į-diphenyl-2-pyridenemethane,
to the corresponding alcohols using air or oxygen and DMSO as the sole solvent (6971):
R R
NaOH, DMSO
R' C H + O2 R' C OH
R" R"
1,2,5,6-Dibenzanthracene and several other aromatic hydrocarbons are oxidized to the corresponding quinone derivatives in basic
DMSO (5587).
Autoxidation of 1 -methyl-2-isopropyl-5-nitroimidozole in DMSO with air or oxygen in the presence of a base gives 2-(2-hydroxy-2-
propyl)-1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole (8867):
CH3 CH3
CH3
CH3
N
NO2 C KOR, DM SO N
+ O2 NO2 C OH
CH3
CH3
N N
Base catalyzed autoxidation of ethyl 2-cyano 3,3-disubstituted carboxylates in DMSO gives good yields of the 2-oxo esters (3662):
R CN R O
DMSO, t-BuOH, T-BuOK
R' C CHCO2C2H5+ O2 R'C C CHCO2C2H5
R R
The system cobalt (II) and/or (III) acetylacetonate-t-butyl hydroperoxide has been used to initiate autoxidation of polyvinyl alcohol) in
DMSO (8043).
9,10-Dihydroanthracene can be oxidized to anthraquinone with oxygen in DMSO containing an inorganic base, such as sodium
hydroxide (2940).
75!
!
b) Chemiluminescence
Chemiluminescence reactions are very similar to autoxidation. Both these reactions require oxygen and the presence of a strong base.
Chemiluminescence reactions can be classified as special autoxidation reactions that produce light emissions. As the basicity of
alkoxides and hydroxides is enormously enhanced in DMSO over the value of hydroxylic solvents, it has also been observed with
chemiluminescence reactions that the emission periods have been increased and the light intensities enhanced in DMSO containing a
base (1025).
A bright green light is observed on the treatment of a solution of 2,3-dimethylindoie and its hydroperoxide in DMSO with a base, e.g.
potassium t-butoxide or granular potassium hydroxide (2140)(2218):
CH3
CH3
CCH3
+ light
N CCH3
H
O
When DMSO, luminol, water and caustic solution are shaken in the presence of oxygen from air, an oxidation reaction produces
considerable bright blue-green light. The reaction sequence can be represented as follows (3241):
O O
NH
DM SO N- DM SO
+ 2NaOH + O2
-
N
NH
H2N O
NH2 O
O O
N- O- N2
+ + light
N O2 - O-
NH2 O NH2 O
Some derivatives of luminol, containing methoxyl groups, are more efficient in chemiluminescence in DMSO solution than luminol itself
(1668).
The reaction of potassium cyanide with N-methylacridinium chloride in 90% DMSO-10% water produces Nmethyl-90-cyanoacridan. With
excess cyanide, the red N-methyl-9-cyanoacridanide ion is produced which, in the presence of oxygen, produces N-methylacridone and
potassium cyanate with light emissions (3653):
CN
O
The chemiluminescence emission spectra of two efficient chemiluminescent linear hydrazides in DMSO with potassium t-butoxide and
oxygen suggest that the corresponding acid anion is the light emitter (5116):
76!
!
O O O
t-BuOK, DMSO O2, DMSO
R CNHNN 2 R C-N-HNN 2 R CNNH
O O
t-BuOK, DMSO
R CN=N - RC- + light
KOAc, DMSO
+ O2
100-120oC
O OH
4 hours
O
15-48%
The liquid phase oxidation of s-butanol with oxygen under pressure has been examined in various solvents using vanadium pentoxide-
°
molybdenum trioxide catalyst While no reaction occurs in water, benzene, or chlorobenzene, the oxidation in DMSO at 125 C for 13 hours
converts 10.8% of s-butanol to methyl ethyl ketone with a selectivity of 89% (9434).
°
Terpenes can be oxidized with dry air in DMSO. Thus, Į -longipinene is oxidized at 125-135 C to longiverbone as the major product
°
(9871), and p-mentha-1,4(8)- and -2,4(8)- dienes at 100 C give p-methylacetophenone (9874).
In neutral solution, benzyl alcohols can be oxidized by oxygen in the presence of ultraviolet light to give the corresponding aldehydes
(737)(1118):
UV, DMSO
C6H5CH2OH + O2 C6H5CHO + C 6H5CO2H
room temp.
48.7% 12.6%
The oxidation of benzoin by cupric sulfate and oxygen in DMSO occurs to give a high yield of benzil (945):
O
O
CuSO4, DMSO
Ph
HO + O2
90-100 o
C Ph 97%
Ph
1 hour O
Ph
d) Dehydrogenation
In the dehydrogenation reaction, oxidation (i.e., the removal of hydrogen) can take place without the presence of oxygen.
Several platenoid metal catalysts in DMSO promote dehydration, disproportionation and dehydrogenation of diarylcarbinols (10422). The
dehydrogenation can be the main reaction when DMSO is used as the solvent instead of Į -methylnaphthalene (8838):
Dihydroarenes, e.g. 1,2-dihydronaphthalene, can be converted into the corresponding aromatic compounds, e.g. naphthalene, by
deprotonation with potassium fencholate, followed by dehydration with fenchone (2-oxo-1,3,4-trimethylbicyclo [2.2.1 ]-heptane) (9707):
H
O-, DMSO
+ +
90o H
O OH
95%
77!
!
5,7,4'-Trimethoxyflavanone, when heated with DMSO in the presence of a catalytic amount of iodine and concentrated sulfuric acid,
gives 5,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone in almost quantitative yield (10,000):
OCH 3 O
OCH 3 O OCH 3
I2, H2SO4, DMSO
OCH 3
OCH 3 O
OCH 3 O
A solution of sodium dichromate and sulfuric acid in DMSO oxidizes primary alcohols to aldehydes and secondary alcohols to ketones. In
these oxidations, DMSO acts as a solvent and not as a reactant (7609):
R R
Na2Cr2O7, DMSO, H2SO4
CH-OH C=O
R R
80-90%
e) Hypohalite oxidations
Halogenations with sodium hypohalites of alkyl - or arylamidines and isoureas in DMSO solution afford the corresponding alkyl-, aryl- or
alkoxy-3-halodiazirines in practical yields (843):
NH R N
NaOX, DMSO C
R-C-HN 2
25-55oC
X N
3-haloazirine, 60%
Oxidative cyclization of trifluoroacetamidine with hypochlorite and chloride ion in aqueous DMSO gives the corresponding diazirine
(8108):
&% #!" &
$(#)*+,-#)*+./0($% '(
!"#$#$%& ' #
#) &
Oxidation of 1 -amino-3,4,5,6-tetraphenyl-2-pyridone with lead tetraacetate in DMSO gives the corresponding 5,5-dimethyl-N-
sulfoximide, indicating that DMSO is an efficient trap for N-nitrenes (4987):
12 12
12
12 12 12 12
12 12
./0(
134(567 8*+./0(
9::;+<=;>? & 12 & (
12 & ( 12 (
@+2:A9
&B & 04#%"7'
&
(
Similarly, lead tetraacetate oxidation of N-aminolactams in the presence of DMSO gives the sulfoximides in good yields (5846):
%"#
134(5678*+./0(
C'&$&%'+D+./0( C'&$& 0 (
%"#
78!
!
( #('%
134(5678*+./0(
&C
Treatment of a dicarboxylic acid (prepared from the Diels-Alder adduct of dimethyl - cyclobut-1-ene-1,2dicarboxylate with butadiene) with
lead tetraacetate in DMSO containing pyridine gives a product which is mainly bicyclo [4,1,0]octa-1(6),3-diene, with a small amount of
benzocyclobutene (7533):
CO2H
Pb(OAc)4, DMSO, pyridine
+
CO2H
Oxidation of menaquinol-1 dimethyl ether with silver picolinate in DMSO gives the desired alcohol (4653):
OCH 3 OCH 3
R 80oC R
25%
30 min.
OCH 3 OCH 3
Reaction of 1,2-diphenyl-2-[(phenyl)methylamino]vinyl chloride with silver (II) oxide in DMSO gives benzil (5843):
Ph Cl Ag 2O, DMSO Ph Ph
reflux O O
PhMeN Ph
1 1/2 hr. 95%
In boiling nitromethane with silver tetratluoroborate, the yield of benzil is only 60% (5843).
Bromoalkyl formates are easily converted to protected secondary hydroxyaldehydes by treatment with silver tetrafluoroborate in DMSO
in the presence of triethylamine (7507):
OCHO OCHO
AgBF 4, DMSO, Et3, N
H3C-CH-(CH 2)nCH 2Br H3C-CH-(CH 2)nCHO
-5 to -20oC 50-90%
24 - 120 hrs.
The use of silver nitrate in DMSO on a 3-chloro-7-hydroxy-1 7-oxo-androstane accomplishes two purposes. It oxidizes the 7-hydroxy
group to the 7-oxo group, and it dehydrohalogenates the steroid (8340):
79!
!
AgNO 3, DMSO
reflux
Cl OH 52% O
17 Į-Ethynyl-17 ȕ-hydroxysteroids are converted quantitatively to the corresponding 17-ketones by treatment with excess silver
carbonate or silver oxide in DMSO (7460):
OH O
C C-R'
Ag 2CO3, DMSO
OR
Dimethyl esters of monoalkylated malonic acids and ȕ-keto esters are easily oxidatively dimerized by silver oxide in DMSO (8830),
e.g.:
CO2R' R'O2C CO2R'
Ag 2O, DMSO
R-CH R C C R
CO2R'' 70-80oC CO2R' CO2R'
70-90 %
Alcohols are the major end products resulting from the reaction of alkyl halides and tosylates with an excess of potassium superoxide in
DMSO in a rapid process in which the C-O bond-forming step proceeds with inversion of configuration (8030):
C6H13 C6H13
KO 2, DMSO
H C X OH C H
25oC
75 min.
CH3 CH3
X = Cl, Br, I, OTs
REDUCTION REACTIONS
These are reactions in which hydrogen is added or oxygen or a halogen is removed. DMSO can be either a solvent or a catalyst
component.
Although DMSO can be either oxidized or reduced, it is comparatively stable toward both changes and hence can be used as a solvent
for many oxidation-reduction reactions. In polarography studies using tetraethylammonium perchlorate electrolyte, the usable potentials
range from +0.3 volts anode potential to-2.8 volts cathode potential (both relative to the standard calomel electrode) (553)(772). In
general, the halfwave potentials for inorganic ions in DMSO are quite similar to those in aqueous solutions (553). However, a more
negative cathode potential is usable in DMSO as shown by the observation of the magnesium wave at -2.20 volts. Lithium metal is inert
toward DMSO (206). The electrodeposition of cerium cannot be accomplished in aqueous solution because the metal is too positive but it
can be deposited from a DMSO solution of cerium chloride (1744). The transfer of electrons between molecules of redox systems
sometimes occurs very readily in DMSO as observed for isotope exchange between ferrous and ferric perchlorates (1036)(923) and in
80!
!
the base-catalyzed transfer of electrons between unsaturated organic molecules and their dihydro derivatives (722).
R1 C-X R1 C-H
11
R 25-100oC 11
R
X=Cl, Br, I, tosylate
Sodium borohydride in DMSO is a convenient source of a nucleophilic hydride which may be used for the reductive displacement of
primary and secondary alkyl halides, or sulfonate esters (e.g. tosylates). The mildness of borohydrides allows a number of chemoselective
transformations without damage to groups (e.g. COOR, COOH, CN, NO2) normally affected by harsher reagents such as lithium aluminum
hydride (9783).
The reduction of optically active tertiary alkyl halides with sodium borohydride in DMSO proceeds with racemization, presumably via an
elimination-addition mechanism (3519):
NaBH 4, DMSO BH3/H+, DMSO
R-Cl R(ene) RH
4-Nitro-2-chloromethyl-1-isopropylbenzene can be reduced with sodium borohydride in DMSO in good yield (4602):
CH 3
CH 2Cl
(H3C)2HC
(H3C)2HC
NaBH 4, DMSO
room temp.
NO2
NO2 3 1/2 hrs.
82%
An iodo-tosylate can be reduced with sodium borohydride in DMSO to give one major product, a cyclopentadiene (6502):
CH 2I CH 3
NaBH 4, DMSO
100o C.
OTs 27 hrs.
In the above case, both reduction of the iodide and elimination of the tosylate take place.
Sodium borohydride in DMSO selectively reduces 2-chloro-4-chloromethyl naphthalene to 1-chloro-4methylnaphthalene (6785):
Cl Cl
NaBH 4, DMSO
room temp.
2 hours
72%
CH 2Cl CH 3
Sodium borohydride in DMSO-water reacts with Į , Į , Į , Į¶Į¶Į¶-hexachloro-p-xylene to give an insoluble polymer (7205):
81!
!
NaBH 4, DMSO-H2O Cl Cl Cl Cl
CCl 3 CCl 3 C C C C
25oC Cl Cl Cl Cl n
The use of n-butanethiol and chromium (II) acetate in DMSO in the reduction of a 5 Į-bromo-6 ȕ-hydroxysteroid permits the removal of
the bromine and the isolation of the 6 ȕ-hydroxy-steroid (6825)(6970):
OAc OAc
Br H
OH OH
Br H2CSOCH 3, DMSO Br
Br H
e) Reductions by electrolysis
Controlled potential electrolysis of 2,4-dibromopentanes in DMSO containing tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) gives cis- and trans-
dimethylcyclopropanes and small quantities of 1-pentene, 2-pentene and n-pentane (4492)(6659):
H3C H3C
H3C
Br Br
- +
2e , TEAB, DMSO
Br Br H3C CH3
DMSO
4R2CO + BH4- + H2O R2CHOH + B(OH) 4-
82!
!
The reduction product of benzaldehyde in DMSO is NaB(OCH2Ph)4, which is readily hydrolyzed to benzyl alcohol, PhCH 2OH (8953).
When benzaldehyde is reduced in DMSO and DMSO-water mixtures of tritiated sodium borohydride, the reduction is accompanied by
the incorporation of tritium into the aldehyde group of unchanged benzaldehyde (8954).
b) Catalytic reduction
The mechanism of reduction of cyclic ketones by the system iridium(III) salt-sulfoxide-isopropyl alcohol has been investigated. With 4-t-
butyl cyclohexanone, a 97% conversion to 4-t-butylcyclohexanol, with a cis/trans ratio of 1.50, can be achieved with DMSO as the
sulfoxide (4436):
IrCl3-i-Pr-DMSO OH
O
97% conversion
An unusually selective hydrogenation of Į , ȕ-unsaturated aldehydes to the unsaturated alcohols has been accomplished catalytically
under mild conditions using the iridium complex HlrCl 2(DMSO)3 in isopropanol, the solvent being the source of hydrogen (9752):
HlrCl 2(DMSO)2
RCH=CHCHO + H 2 RCH=CHCH 2OH
c) Electrochemical reduction
The electrochemical reduction of carbonyl compounds, particularly ketones and diketones, has been studied in DMSO (2567)(3217).
The reduction of 1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedione in DMSO proceeds by an overall 0.5 electron process (5971):
OH O
OH O
H2
Ph C C C Ph OH O
DMSO
4Ph-C=CH-C-Ph +2e H2 + H
Ph C C Ph Ph2 C C C Ph
OH O
dimeric pinacol enolate anion
d) Wolff-Kishner reduction
The Wolff-Kishner reduction, the reaction of hydrazones of aldehydes and ketones with a base to produce the corresponding
hydrocarbons, has been run in DMSO (495)(377):
t-BuOK, DMSO
Ph2C=NNH 2 Ph2CH 2+N2
25o C 90%
8 hours
benzophenone diphenyl methane
hydrazone
The Wolff-Kishner reduction in DMSO has been carried out in the presence of potassium t-butoxide, dimsyl sodium, and other base
catalysts, and the activation parameters have been determined (8735). The Wolff-Kishner reaction mechanism in DMSO has been
reviewed (1942)(3048).
3. Reduction of nitroaromatics
The reduction of aromatic nitro compounds with sodium borohydride in DMSO initially produces the azoxy compounds which, in most
cases, are subsequently reduced to the corresponding azo derivatives and amines (4946), e.g.:
NaBH4, DMSO
PhNO2 Ph-N=N-Ph Ph-N=N-Ph PhNH2
o
85-100 C
O
In the case of o-nitroanisole, 63% of o-methoxyaniline and 23 % of the azobenzene are produced.
Nitroaromatics are selectively hydrogenated in neutral media in the presence of precious metal catalysts and DMSO to produce N-
arylhydroxyamines in high yield. Thus, nitrobenzene in the presence of platinum on carbon and DMSO yields hydroxylamine and phenyl
aniline (5663):
83!
!
Pt/C-DMSO
PhNO2 + [H] PhNHOH+ PhC6H4NH2
ethanol
room temp. 86% 13%
Catalysts of noble metals on activated carbon can be subjected to the action of DM SO together with hydrazine or its derivatives. The
hydrogenation of 2-chloronitrobenzene in the presence of platinum on carbon and DMSO gives a high yield of 2-chloroaniline (8118):
Cl Cl
NO2 NH2
Pt/C-DMSO
+ [H]
hydrazine
Similarly, the reduction of nitrobenzene with hydrogen over platinum oxide in alcohol (methanol or ethanol)sulfuric acid in the
presence of DMSO produces p-alkoxyaniline (9294)(9581):
PtO2, DMSO
NO2 + [H] OR NH2
ROH- H2SO4
R = t-butyl
Diimide, generated by the sodium metaperiodate oxidation of hydrazine in DMSO, is a particularly useful reducing system for olefins or
compounds which contain readily oxidized functional groups (4392), e.g. maleic anhydride can be reduced to succinic anhydride:
O O
HC C HN=NH, DMSO H2C C
O O
HC C H2C C
O 95% O
A thiophene derivative is reduced the same way (4392):
SCH3 SCH3
S HN=NH, DMSO S
CO2C2H5 CO2C2H5
In the presence of the same catalyst, 1 -pentene is converted to isomers more rapidly than without the catalyst and the bond migration of
the pentene is more rapid than its hydrogenation (5630).
Double bonds in some Į, ȕ-unsaturated ketones are reduced by propen-2-ol in the presence of soluble iridium-DMSO catalysts (7031):
Acrylic acid and its derivatives can be dimerized in high yields by means of alkali metal amalgam in DMSO-water. Acrylonitrile gives
adiponitrile (4907):
84!
!
Na amalgam, DMSO-H2O
2 CH2=CHCN NC(CH 2)4CN
95%
SOLVOLYTIC REACTIONS
These are reactions in which the elements of water (also alcohols or amines) are added, usually with the formation of two new
substances.
1. Hydrolysis
The DMSO-water system has been used in many hydrolysis reactions. The rates of base catalyzed reactions usually increase as the mole
fraction of DMSO in the mixture increases, and the increase is particularly rapid above 0.7 mole fraction of DMSO
(336)(367)(369)(464)(726)(730). The opposite is sometimes true in the case of hydrolysis in the presence of acids. The rate of acid
hydrolysis decreases as the mole fraction of DMSO is increased, particularly above 25-30% DMSO (368). A similar decrease is seen for
the acid catalyzed hydrolysis of acetals (742) and the reaction of tert-butyl chloride with aqueous DMSO (431)(1028)(1521).
KOH, DMSO-H 2O
o
25-30 C
Cl
14 hours
O
CN
b) Aromatic halide hydrolysis
Aromatic halogens can be hydrolyzed from activated nuclei by aqueous bases in DMSO. The rate coefficients for the alkaline hydrolysis of
a series 1-halogen substituted 2,4-dinitrobenzenes have been measured in aqueous DMSO. These rates have been correlated with the
acidity function of medium (4467)(4520).
The aryl polyether that is prepared by the reaction of the disodium salt of bisphenol A with 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone in DMSO depends
on the moisture content of the polymerizing system. In the presence of water, hydrolysis of 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone monomer occurs
concomitant with the polymerization (4704).
The reaction of 2,8-dibromo-5,5-dioxodibenzothiophene with aqueous potassium hydroxide in DMSO gives 8-bromo-2-hydroxy-5,5-
dibenzothiophene (7709):
Br Br OH Br
aq. DMSO
+ KOH
110o C
S 3 hours S
O2 O2
Several 4-halogenophenyl sulfonylphenols, useful for the synthesis of poly(arylene ether sulfones), have been prepared by partial
hydrolysis of the corresponding dihalides in DMSO (8825):
X aq. DMSO O2
SO2 X + 2KOH o X S OK + KX
60 C
R 24 hrs. R
x=halogens R
85!
!
c) Amide hydrolysis
The rates of base catalyzed hydrolysis of anilides have been studied in DMSO-water (3820)(7573)(8696). Even a very small amount of
DMSO (less than 1 %) facilitates the kinetic measurements in the hydrolysis of p-nitro- and pformylacetanilide (3820). Some increase
with increasing DMSO has been found in the hydrolysis rate of trifluoroacetanilide (7573).
Treatment of 8,9-epoxyundec-5-en-ol with potassium hydroxide in refluxing aqueous DMSO produces undeca-4,6-diene-3,9-diol (8261):
OH OH
O OH
CH2H5CH-CHCH 2CH=CHCH 2CH2H5+H2O KOH, DMSO C2H5CCH 2CH=CHCH=CHCC 2H5
The same treatment of the saturated epoxide, 8,9-epoxy-undecan-3-ol, leads to simple cleavage of the epoxy ring giving undecane-
3,4,9-triol (8261):
HO OH OH
KOH, DMSO
C2H5CH-CH(CH 2)4CHC 2H5+H2O C2H5-CH-CH(CH 2)4CHC 2H5
1 -(ȕȊ-Epoxypropyl)cyclohexan-1 -ol, when treated with base in 75% aqueous DMSO, gives the corresponding oxetan as the main
product (8306):
NO2 NO2
NO2
A similar study has been done with substituted 2-alkoxytropones in 40% aqueous DMSO (4521).
2,4,6-Trinitroanisole and 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl phenyl ether react with DMSO to give 2,4,6-trinitrophenol and methanol and phenol, resp.
(6878):
86!
!
OR OH
+ ROH
DMSO
f) Nitrile hydrolysis
Powdered anhydrous sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide in DMSO can be used to convert nitriles to amides, e.g. benzonitrile to
benzamide, at a reaction rate that is approximately 10,000 times that in aqueous caustic. However, the solubility of the dry caustic in
DMSO is very low which reduces the speed of converting the nitrile (725).
The reaction of 5-chloro-1,4-diphenyl-1,2,3-triazole with sodium cyanide in moist DMSO gives 1,4-diphenyl1,2,3-triazole-5-carboxamide
due to hydrolysis of the nitrile (7115):
Ph Ph
N DMSO N
Cl + NaCN + H2O COHN 2
N N
N N
Ph Ph
g) Saponification
In the base catalyzed hydrolysis of esters in aqueous DMSO, the rate of hydrolysis increases as the mole fraction of DMSO in the mixture
increases. This increase is particularly rapid above 0.7 mol fraction of DMSO (336)(367)(369) (464)(726)(730).
The use of DMSO-water as a solvent for saponification increases the reaction rate difference between the first and second group of
diesters. In 50% aqueous DMSO (v/v) the first ester group can be hydrolyzed more than nine times faster than the second one (1694).
There is a considerable rate enhancement for both steps in alkaline hydrolysis of a series of dicarboxylic acid esters in DMSO-water. The
rates increase with increasing amount of DMSO and these rates are larger in aqueous DMSO than in aqueous ethanol (5969)(6543) or
aqueous acetonitrile (5459).
When the saponification of glycol monobenzoates are carried out in 80% aqueous DMSO, 80% aqueous ethanol and 80% aqueous
acetone, the rates are up to 1000 times faster in 80% aqueous DMSO than in the other two solvent systems (5622):
CH2OH
OH-, DMSO CH2OH
+ H2O + HO2C-Ph
Ph-CO2H2C 30o C CH2OH
Similarly, the saponification rates of unsaturated esters in DMSO-water are faster than in ethanol-water (3356) (7540). Increased transition
state solvation, not increased hydroxyl ion desolvation, is the major cause of rate enhancement in DMSO (6822).
The rate coefficients of neutral hydrolysis of methyl trifluoroacetate and chloromethyl dichloroacetate in DMSOwater are greater than in
acetone-water and acetonitrile-water (6477).
With hydrolysis on the acid side, however, the reaction rate decreases as the mole fraction of DMSO increases above 25-30% DMSO,
as is the case with ethyl acetate (368).
The cleavage of highly hindered esters can be accomplished in DMSO using potassium t-butoxide as the base and heating until the
cleavage is accomplished. In this case, the cleavage occurs by alkyl-oxygen fission (490). Esters are also cleaved by sodium
superoxide in DMSO to give carboxylic acids in excellent yield, as is the case of
ethyl p-cyanobenzoate (10086).
O
DMSO
NC CO2Et + O2- H2NC CO2H
5 min.
96%
2. Alcoholysis, Aminolysis
In the basic methanolysis of some aryl substituted N-methyl-2,2,2-trifluoroacetanilides in DMSO-methanol rate increases with increasing
amount of DMSO (6474):
CH3 R -
O
CH3OH9 DMSO CH3OH
R-C6H4NCOCF3 + CH3O- H3C N
CF3
CH3 O C6H4 OCH 3
R-C6H4-NH + F3CCOCH3
87!
!
N-Methyl-4'-nitroanilides undergo basic methanolysis by way of rate determining methoxide addition to the amide, as shown above. The
addition of DMSO produces a rate increase in each case (7844).
The mechanism of basic methanolysis of a series of N-aryl-N-phenylbenzamides in methanol and in 80% DMSOmethanol has been
studied. In methanol the rate determining step seems to be the solvent assisted C-N bond breaking, while in 80% DMSO-methanol the
rate determining step is methoxide attack (10409).
Markedly increased alcoholysis rates are obtained by the addition of DMSO to ethylene-vinyl ester interpolymer alcohol mixtures in the
presence of either alkaline or acidic mixtures (7156).
DMSO is an effective catalyst for the n-butylaminolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate in chlorobenzene (6988).
-
NH(CH 2)3CH3 + O NO2
H3C
The aminolysis of polymeric macronet N-hydroxy-succinimide esters of Boc-amino acids by free amino acids and peptides in DMSO has
been studied, both in the presence and in the absence of organic bases (8832).
3. Transesterification (Ester Interchange)
The reported work concerning the base catalyzed transesterification of fatty acid esters mainly describes esterification of carbohydrates
and other polyhydroxylic materials. DMSO is a particularly suitable solvent in this area because of the enhanced activity of the base
catalyst in DMSO and also because of the excellent solubility of most carbohydrate and polyhydroxylic substances in DMSO. A number of
the reports are concerned with sucrose esters (160)(161)(181)(162)(164)(165). Others report esterifying hexitols and hexoses (1257) and
inositols (166). The reaction of 1,2-0-isopropylidene-6-tosyl-glucose under the conditions of the Kornblum oxidation with potassium
bicarbonate as the base gives none of the expected aldehyde but only the 5,6-carbonate ester(183) in a transesterification.
°
Alkylation of methyl 0-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl) mandelate using alkyl halides and sodium hydride in DMSO at 80 C produces
transesterification products (4278):
OH
O
O H2CSOCH3, DMSO CHCO 2R
C CO CH + RX
2 3
H 80o C
Dimethyl terephthalate can be polymerized with ethylene glycol in the presence of a tin chloride-DMSO complex and trimethylphosphate
to give a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (7255).
Thermoplastic polymers derived from natural products have been prepared by interesterifying starch with methyl palmitate in DMSO with
potassium methoxide as the catalyst (8227).
PART V USES
1. Polymerization and Spinning Solvent
DMSO is used as a solvent for the polymerization of acrylonitrile and other vinyl monomers, e.g. methyl methacrylate (9638) and styrene
(5192). Acrylonitrile is readily soluble in DMSO and the polymerization is carried out by the addition of initiators (8184)(8185). The low
incidence of transfer from the growing chain to DMSO leads to high molecular weights. Copolymerization reactions of acrylonitrile with
other vinyl monomers can also be run in DMSO. Monomer mixtures consisting of acrylonitrile, styrene, vinylidene chloride, methallyl
sulfonic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, etc. are polymerized in DMSO-water (6713). In some cases, the fibers are spun from the reaction
solution into DMSO-water baths (8501)(8603).
DMSO can also be used as a reaction solvent for other polymerizations. Thus, ethylene oxide is rapidly and completely polymerized in
DMSO (9652). Diisocyanates and polyols and polyamines can be dissolved and reacted in DMSO to form solutions of polyurethanes
(8677).
Polymerization Solvent for Heat Resistant Polymers. Poly(ether sulfones) are a family of polymers from which a series of tough
°
thermoplastics can be selected for use under continuous stress in the temperature range of 150-250 C (7196)(7619). These poly(ether
sulfones) are prepared by reacting dialkali metal salts of a bisphenol, such as bisphenol A or 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol with 4,4'-
dihyalodiphenyl sulfones by the displacementetherification reaction in DMSO (7104)(9961), e.g.:
88!
!
DMSO
Cl SO2 Cl + NaO SO2 ONa
S n
O2
Interest in heat-resistant polymers has also lead to the development of polyetherimides. These polymers are prepared by the reaction of
a dialkali metal salt of a bisphenol, such as bisphenol A or 4,4'-sulfonyl diphenol, with bis(halophthalimide) in DMSO as the solvent
(9686). In place of bis(halophthalimides), certain bis(nitrophthalimides) in DMSO can be used (10434):
O O
O O
S
N N DMSO
+
O O NaO ONa
X X
X= halogen or NO2.
X O
O O
S
N N
O n
O O O
Somewhat similar polyetherimides can be prepared by reacting an aromatic bis(ether dicarboxylic acid) component with a diamine in
DMSO-water (10762):
X
X
O O CO2H
HO2C
+
H2N NH2
HO2C CO2H
X
O O O O
N N
X= S; SO2, CH2, C(CH3)2, etc. X
O O x-S; SO2; CH2; C(CH3)2, etc
2. Extraction Solvent
DMSO is immiscible with alkanes but a good solvent for most unsaturated and polar compounds. Thus it can be used to separate olefins
from paraffins (10771). DMSO is used in the Institute Francais du Petrole (IFP) process for extracting aromatic hydrocarbons from
refinery streams (8554). DMSO is also used in the analytical procedure for determining polynuclear hydrocarbons in food additives of
petroleum origin (2371).
4. Cellulose Solvent
Although DMSO by itself does not dissolve cellulose, the following binary and ternary systems are listed as cellulose solvents: DMSO-
methylamine, DMSO-sulfur trioxide, DMSO-carbon disulfide-amine, DMSO-ammoniasodamide, DMSO-dinitrogen tetroxide, DMSO-
paraformaldehyde (8970)(10368), DMSO-sulfur dioxide-ammonia (9541). A least a ratio of 3 moles of active agent per mole of glucose unit
is necessary for complete dissolution (8970). While only 80% of cellulose dissolves in DMSO-methylamine under cold anhydrous
conditions (10368), DMSO-nitrogen tetroxide is a better solvent, particularly when a small quantity of water is added (9170). Most of these
systems are capable of producting cellulose fibers. The recently discovered DMSO-paraformaldehyde system does not degrade cellulose
and it can form solutions containing up to 10% cellulose (7763)(8506)(9850). It is believed that a methylol-cellulose compound forms which
is stable for extended periods of storage at ambient conditions (9850). Regenerated cellulose articles such as films and fibers can be
prepared by contacting the DMSO-paraformaldehyde solution with methanol and water (9850)(9895).
89!
!
5. Pesticide Solvent
Many organic fungicides, insecticides and herbicides are soluble in DMSO, including such difficultly soluble materials as the substituted
ureas and carbamates. DMSO forms cosolvent systems of enhanced solubility properties with many solvents.
6. Cleanup Solvent
DMSO is used to remove urethane polymers and other difficultly soluble materials from processing equipment. Hard crusts of poly(vinyl
chloride) resin can be dissolved by using 85:15 ethyl acetate-DMSO mixture (8927).
7. Sulfiding Agent
DMSO (ENVIRO-S) can be used as a sulfiding agent in refineries because of its low odor, low toxicity and ease of handling.
8. Integrated Circuits
DMSO solutions are useful for etching resists in integrated circuit manufacture.
PART VI
TOXICITY, HANDLING, HAZARDS, ANALYSIS
90!
2. Comparative Toxicity of Commercial Solvents
All solvents are toxic to some extent, but DMSO is much less so than many in common usage. Toxicity, as measured by dermal and
oral LD50 in rats, is shown for a number of common solvents. They are listed in order of increasing oral toxicity.
TABLE XII
Single-Dose Toxicity (Rats) of Some Common Solvents
LD50, mg/kg
91!
reaction should be run in the presence of compounds that remove HBr or Br2, such as methyl or ethyl orthoformate or tetramethyl
orthocarbonate. These esters act as scavengers of HBr and Br 2, produced as byproducts in the reaction. Thus, the possible
violent exothermic decomposition of the reaction mixture can be prevented with little, if any, loss in the yield of the product (9964).
4. Analytical Procedure
a) Gas chromatographic analysis of DMSO
Apparatus
Gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector and a 4 ft. x 1/8 inch o.d. stainless steel column packed with 15% FFAP
(Varian Aerograph) on Chromosorb T (Johns-Manville), 40/60 mesh.
1.0 microliter syringe.
Chromatograph Conditions
Temperatures: Column - 150°C, Detector - 220°C, Inlet - 210°C Carrier gas flow -
30 ml/min
Adjust the instrument sensitivity so that a 0.5 microliter sample will give a DMSO peak between 75 and 100% of recorder full
scale.
Procedure
Inject 0.5 microliters of the DMSO. Record the DMSO peak at the sensitivity determined above. Record the period before and
after the DMSO peak at 100 times this sensitivity. Record the chromatogram for 20 minutes. Sum the areas of any extraneous
peaks.
Calculations
92!
Procedure
End-Point Detection
With the equipment set up as described and the material to be titrated in the bottle, start the magnetic stirrer. Adjust the variable
resistance to produce a microammeter deflection of 1 or 2 microamps. Titrate with Karl Fischer Reagent. As the end-point is neared,
the ammeter needle starts to swing with each addition of titrant, but returns to the original point of deflection after each swing. When
the end-point is reached the needle will remain permanently displaced up scale.
Standardization of Reagents
The Karl Fischer solution must be standardized daily. Add 20 ml of anhydrous methanol and 5 ml of the pyridine-SO2-methanol
solution to the titration bottle (Note 1). Add Karl Fischer Reagent dropwise from a microburette to the end-point. Accurately pipette 20
ml of the water-methanol standard (a weighed amount of pure water may be used) into the titration bottle and titrate with Karl Fischer
Reagent to the end-point. Record the volume of titrant used in the second titration and calculate its water equivalence.
Determination of Water
Add 20 ml of anhydrous methanol and 5 ml of the pyridine-SO2-methanol solution to a clean titration bottle. Add Karl Fischer Reagent
dropwise to the end-point. Add 2 to 3 grams (accurately weighed) of the DMSO to be tested (Notes 2, 3, and 4). Titrate with Karl
Fischer Reagent to the end-point. Record the volume of titrant used in the second titration and calculate the water content of the
dimethyl sulfoxide.
Notes
1. Response tends to be slow with the stabilized Karl Fischer Reagent. A sharper end-point is obtained with the addition of the
pyridine-SO2-methanol solution to the titration vessel.
2. DMSO is extremely hydroscopic. Exposure of the sample to atmospheric moisture must be kept to a minimum.
3. Samples larger than 2-3 grams of DMSO produce low results.
4. For convenience, with a sacrifice of accuracy, a 2 or 3 ml. volume of DMSO can be sampled with a volumetric pipette. The weight
of DMSO samples is calculated by multiplying the volume in ml. by 1.10 (the specific gravity of pure DMSO @ 20°C.).
5. A titration assembly such as a Beckman Model KF-2 Aquameter may be used for the titration.
PART VII
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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