LXXVI 1.-Experiments on the So-Called Migration of Atoms and Groups
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View Article Online / Journal Homepage / Table of Contents for this issue 1078 ROBINSON : EXPERIMENTS ON THE SO-CALLED LXXVI 1.-Experiments on the So-called Migration of Atoms and Groups. Pwt I. The Nityation of p-Iodoanisole and other lodo-Phenolic Ethew. By GERTRUDEMAUD ROBINSON. THE circumstances attending the niigration of atoms and groups in chemical reactions or isomeric change1 are still but; little under- stood, and it does not at present seem to be possible to include all such transformations in a single geaeralisation. In certain cases, such as the Beckmann rearrangement and the pinacone- pinacolin change, there appears to be no loophole of escape from the theory of the wadering atom, but it is quite possible that this is due to our limited knowledge of the possible intermediate stages. Orton and Jones (T., 1909, 95, 1456) have shown that the migra- tion of chlorine from side-chain to nacleus observed when N-chloro- acetanilides are treated with hydrochloric acid is due to the forma- Published on 01 January 1916. Downloaded by Temple University 25/10/2014 19:21:07. tion of an acetanilidel and chlorine, which interact with the forma- tion of the end-product substituted in the nucleus together with regenerated hydrochloric acid. The clear proof, based on a study of the dynamics of the reactions involved, is convincing, and it is natural to group analogous reactions as also due to' the interven- tion of intermediate stages, but it is not easy to realise the condi- tions in every case under which these phases may be studied. The present investigation has been undertaken in the hope that it4will prove possible to apply the theory of successive reactions, the rational explanation of migration, to a number of transformations which at present do not appear to be capable of such elucidation. A large number of examples of migration of halogen atoms from one position +,o another in the aromatic nucleus have been noted, mid the majority of these occur during the nitration or lialogena- tion of phenols, and usually these changes may be readily explained View Article Online MIGRATION OF ATOMS AND GROUPS. PART I. 1079 by the displacement of the halogen by the entering group and the re-entry by substitution in the new position. A curious reaction of this type was discovered by Reverdin (Ber., 1896, 29, 1003), who found that on nitrating piodoanisole the nitro-group displaces the iodine atom, which is apparently moved round to the ortho- position with respect to the methoxyl group. The difficulty pre- sented by this example is that the further substitution of the pnitroanisole, which may be assumed to be the initial product of ths reaction, by the iodine also obtained, is, on the surface, improb- able because pnitroanisole is not very readily converted into deriv- atives by further substitution and, further, iodine is well known to be a somewhat inactive agent. However, experiment showed that iodine does react with p-nitroanisole in nitric acid solution with the formation of the iodo-pnitroanisole obtained in the Reverdin transformation. It was also found that o-nitroanisole is changed by iodine in nitric acid solution to p-iodo-o-nitroanisole. As regards the first phase of the reaction the behaviour of iodo-pheaolic ethers with nitric acid has been examined, and itl is found that the normal reaction is the1 displacement of an iodine atom in the ortho- or para-position with respect to methoxyl with the formation of free iodine and a nitro-derivative. Thus 4 : 5-di-iodoveratrole (I) is changed successively to nitroiodoveratrole (11) and 4 : 5-dinitro- veratrole (111), and 2 : 5-di-iodoquinol dimethyl ether exhibits a similar behaviour. 3-Iodo-6-nithro-ptolylmethyl ether (IV) yields 3 : 6-dinitro-ptolyl methyl ether (V), butl in this case a by-product was found in 2 : 3 : 6-trinitro-5-hydroxy-ptolyl methyl e'ther (VI) : MeO/'\I MeO(\I MeO/\NO, Me01 Met ,,!FJ02 M~o!,/No, Published on 01 January 1916. Downloaded by Temple University 25/10/2014 19:21:07. \/11 (1.1 (11.) (111.) NO2 Me/\I MeOf\NO, Me{\OH NO,!,,!OM~ NO,\joMe NO,,,OMe NO2 (IV.1 (V.) tvr.1 In other cases which have been examined the displacement of iodine is accompanied by further nitration or oxidation. It was not found possible to isolate p-nitroanisole from the interaction of p-iodoanisole and nitric acid, since conditions where the displace- ment was possible also favoured iodination or further nitration. In considering the actual details of the mechanism of the reaction it is necessary, in the first place, to remember that the iodine is View Article Online 1080 RORTNSON : EXPERIMENTS ON THE SO-CATALED probab,Iy relmoveld from the nucleus in the form of hypoiodous acid, as shown in the scheme: OH OMe OM9 \/ OMe This then decomposes with the formation of iodine and iodic acid, and the latter sub8tance was proved to be one of the products obtained when 4 :5-di-iodoveratrole was treated with cold nitric acid (D 1.42). It is possible, but not, in the author’s opinion, very probable, that hypoiodous acid is the iodinating agent in the transformation, but it should be noted that iodine is observed to separate as such during the reaction, and this, acting on the1 nitroanisole, will produce a certain amount of hydrogen iodide which, in its turn, would be oxidised by any hypoiodous acid present. The following stages seen?, therefore, to represent the more reasonable view of the process: OMe OMe /\ /‘\ 1 +HNO, + i 1 +HOI HOT+HI -+ I,+H20 \/ \/ I NO, OMe OMe Published on 01 January 1916. Downloaded by Temple University 25/10/2014 19:21:07. (Scheme A.) Although this process must occur to some extent, it is the author’s opinion that the major proportion of the iodonitroanisole results from a process of iodination of the piodoanisole to di-iodoanisole, followed by displacement of the para-iodine atom and formation of o-iodo-pnitroanisole. Di-iodoanisole can actually be isolated as an intermediate product of the reaction, and by further treatment with nitric acid is changed to the iodonitroanisole melting at 96’. These processes are represented in scheme B: OMe OMe ON e /’\ produced in initial /‘I HNOR , -++I’ stage of A) -+ \/ ( ’ \/’ \/ I I K 0, Scheme B.) View Article Online MIGRATION OF ATOMS AND GROUPS. PART I. 1081 The remarks made in connexion with A relative to the displace- riieiit of iiitroxyl and the substitution by means of iodine or hypo- iodous acid apply also to tlie similar reactions in B. The substituting action of iodine is not observed unless the nitric acid is of a sufficient concentration, and this consideration explains the limited scope of the transformation, since a rather peculiar state of affairs must be reached. The substance dissolved in the nitric acid must have a strongly positive group, since otherwise the iodine will not be displaced; and the product must not be nitrated further at tlie concentration of acid employed, but must be capable of iodination. Even with a subst(ance so closely allied to p-iodoanisole as the corresponding o-cresol derivative the further nitration to a dinitro-compound occurs with inconvenient rapidity? and in order to observe the rearrangement it was found necessary to operate with great care. The reactions involved in this example are represented as follows : (4 OMe \/' NO2 Published on 01 January 1916. Downloaded by Temple University 25/10/2014 19:21:07. Other cases of migration of halogen atoms in phenols and their ethers will readily conform to the scheme of successive reactions and have in most cases been so represented, but Robertson and Briscoe (T., 1912, 107, 1965), who have investigated transforma- tions of this type especially arnong thymol derivatives, hold the contrary view. In certain eaamples of nitration of halogenated phenols, chlorine and bromine are displaced by nitsosyl, but remain in the molecule in a different position, whereas iodine is removed in the elementary condition, and it is supposed that the iodine is too heavy to reach the' goal when it is displaced from its position. It seems equally reasonable to assume that the iodine, once sepa- rated, does not re-enter the molecule because its reactivity is insufficient to effect the1 necessary substitution. The views of Robertson and Briscoe are founded on those of Auwers, who has very generally assumed the fact of the inigratioii of atoms and groups, basing his speculations on a considerable x x*:'" View Article Online 1082 ROBINSON : EXPERIMENTS ON THE SO-CALLED series of experimental researches which cannot well be criticised en masse. Wanderings have been assumed to occur both to the adjacent carbon atom and to the next but one, and perhaps the theoretical difficulty presented by the assumption of a true leap may be somewhat less in the former than in the latter examples. The changes of the first class can very often be explained by an application of Thiele's theory of addition to conjugated systems, as shown below for the transformation of tribromo-+-quinol into tetrabromo-p-cresol under the influence of hydrobromic acid (Auwers and Dallwig, Ber., 1902, 35, 464) : OH Me OH Me \\/ H\/ Me H/'Br +HBr + Br/'\Br + Br."Br . BA' IIBr Rr jl~r B~ ~r \/ \/ () 0 OH OH As an example of migration to the next but one carbon atom the nitration of dibromo-pcresol may be quoted, and this is the actual case which Robertson and Briscoe (Zoc. cit.) mention in support of their hypothmis. The experimental evidence adduced by Auwers (Ber., 1902, 35, 357) in support, of his contention that the reaction should be represented as shown below seems far from conclusive.