Indian Journal of Chemistry Vol. 54B, May 2015, pp. 656-661 Nitrosonium (NO+) initiated O-alkylation of oximes with N-vinylpyrrolidinone Guai Li Wua,b*, Jian Liub, Yanli Weib, Yong Jiang Chenb & Long Min Wua aState Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China bJiangSu HengRui Medicine Co. Ltd., Jiangsu Lianyungang 222047, China E-mail:
[email protected] Received 11 March 2014; accepted (revised) 27 February 2015 An efficient O-alkylation of oximes with N-vinylpyrrolidinone has been achieved using nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate as a catalyst, giving oxime ethers in good to excellent yields. Keywords: Oxime, N-vinylpyrrolidinone, alkylation, nitrosonium Oxime ethers are valuable nucleophilic reagents with consideration. The electron-withdrawing group at both nitrogen and oxygen atoms as nucleophiles. They oximes is favorable to O-alkylation of oximes, but the have been, in general, directly prepared from oximes reaction takes a longer time. Although the electron- with alkyl halides under basic conditions1. Acid donating group, such as methoxyl group, in 1g conditions, but, inevitably lead to byproducts of shortens the reaction time, a byproduct, probably a N-alkylation2. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a nitrone6, is produced. Similar results are also obtained in new synthetic protocol for the preparation of oxime substrate 1h and 1k. It is probably attributed to an ethers under neutral or acidic conditions. enhanced nucleophilicity of nitrogen atom caused by As reported, tris(4-bromophenyl)aminium cation electron-donating groups. +· - radical (TBPA SbCl6 ) or ammonium nitrate (CAN) Application of this procedure mentioned above to can efficiently initiate the O-alkylation of oximes with the reaction of thiophenols with N-vinylpyrrolidinone N-vinylpyrrolidinone, producing the corresponding in the presence of nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate (5 mol%) 3 oxime ethers .