Malonic ester synthesis
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Reactionbox The malonic ester synthesis is a chemical reaction where diethyl malonate or another ester of malonic acid is alkylated at the carbon alpha (directly adjacent) to both carbonyl groups, and then converted to a substituted acetic acid.[1]
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A major drawback of malonic ester synthesis is that the alkylation stage can also produce dialkylated structures. This makes separation of products difficult and yields lower.[2]
Mechanism
The carbons alpha to carbonyl groups can be deprotonated by a strong base. The carbanion formed can undergo nucleophilic substitution on the alkyl halide, to give the alkylated compound. On heating, the di-ester undergoes thermal decarboxylation, yielding an acetic acid substituted by the appropriate R group.[3] Thus, the malonic ester can be thought of being equivalent to the −CH2COOH synthon.
The esters chosen are usually the same as the base used, i.e. ethyl esters with sodium ethoxide. This is to prevent scrambling by transesterification.
File:Mechanismus Malonestersynthese V4.svg
Variations
Dialkylation
The ester may be dialkylated if deprotonation and alkylation are repeated before the addition of aqueous acid.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Cycloalkylcarboxylic acid synthesis
Intramolecular malonic ester synthesis occurs when reacted with a dihalide.[4][5] This reaction is also called the Perkin alicyclic synthesis (see: alicyclic compound) after investigator William Henry Perkin, Jr.[6]
Application
In the production of medicines, malonic ester is used for the synthesis of barbiturates, as well as sedatives and anticonvulsants.
Used in organic synthesis.
See also
References
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- ↑ Malonic Ester Synthesis – Alkylation of Enolates
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Smith, Janice Gorzynski. Organic Chemistry: Second Ed. 2008. pp. 905–906
- ↑ Using the non-selective nature of malonic ester synthesis to produce cyclic compounds
- ↑ Ueber die Einwirkung von Trimethylenbromid auf Acetessigäther, Benzoylessigäther und Malonsäureäther W. H. Perkin Jun. Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft Volume 16 Issue 2, Pages 1787–97 1883 Script error: No such module "doi".