Reductive alkylation of nitrobenzene promoted by zinc and tin in protic solvents

Lothar W. Bieber, Rosenildo Da Costa, Margarete F. da Silva

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Barbier-type organometallic reactions of nitrobenzene with organic halides in protic solvents produce directly N,N-dialkylanilines. With allyl bromide, best yields are obtained using zinc in an aqueous monobasic sodium phosphate solution in the presence of cuprous iodide or tin in methanol. The latter procedure is also successful in the case of benzyl bromide and primary alkyl iodides. Control experiments exclude a mechanism of reduction followed by nucleophilic alkylation and show that the reaction is initiated by a nucleophilic attack of the organometallic species on the nitro group. Similar reactions with Grignard reagents under anhydrous conditions are reported to have a completely different outcome
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)4827-4830
    JournalTetrahedron Letters
    Volume41
    Issue number25
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2000

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Reductive alkylation of nitrobenzene promoted by zinc and tin in protic solvents'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this