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Dimetization kinetics and products of. alpha. -substituted o-quinodimethanes derivd from benzene and furan

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5236904

a-Substituent effects on the dimerization of furan-based and benzene-based o-quinodimethanes (o-QDM's) are reported. The mechanistic implications of these results are discussed. 3-Ethylidene-2-methylene-, 2-ethylidene-3-methylene-, and 2,3-diethylidene-2,3-dihydrofuran were prepared by fluoride induced 1,4-conjugative elimination of trimethylsilyl acetate from the appropriate precursors. The {sup 1}H NMR spectra of these furan-based o-quinodimethanes were obtained and the dimerization products of each were studied. It was found that a methyl group at the 3-methylene position retards the rate of of dimerization which is consistent with the previously proposed dimerization mechanism, the two-step diradical mechanism. The preparation of a-methyl-, a-cyclopropyl-, a-tert-butyl-, and a-mesityl-o-oxylylene and the kinetics and product analyses of their Diels-Alder reactions and dimerization are reported. Trapping the reactive o-QDM's with methyl methacrylate gives more of the ortho'' than the meta'' isomers in all cases we studied. The change from a-methyl- to a-cyclopropyl to a-tert-butyl-o-xylylene results in a decrease of the ortho'' to meta'' ratio from 8.8 to 4.3 to 2.2, respectively. The trend of the regioselectivity is consistent with the concerted mechanism. 35 refs., 92 figs., 65 tabs.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., IA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-82
OSTI ID:
5236904
Report Number(s):
IS-T-1567; ON: DE91018555
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English