Synthesis 2016; 48(22): 3985-3995
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1562496
paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of Quinolines via Iron-Catalyzed Redox Condensation of Alcohols with 2-Nitrobenzyl Methyl Ether/2-Nitrobenzyl Alcohols

Qi Wang
a   School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Wenhuaxi Road, Weihai 264209, P. R. of China   Email: liuying@iccas.ac.cn   Email: ycwu@iccas.ac.cn
,
Meirong Wang
b   School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Wenhuaxi Road, Weihai 264209, P. R. of China
,
Hui-Jing Li
a   School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Wenhuaxi Road, Weihai 264209, P. R. of China   Email: liuying@iccas.ac.cn   Email: ycwu@iccas.ac.cn
,
Shuai Zhu
a   School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Wenhuaxi Road, Weihai 264209, P. R. of China   Email: liuying@iccas.ac.cn   Email: ycwu@iccas.ac.cn
,
Ying Liu*
a   School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Wenhuaxi Road, Weihai 264209, P. R. of China   Email: liuying@iccas.ac.cn   Email: ycwu@iccas.ac.cn
,
Yan-Chao Wu*
a   School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Wenhuaxi Road, Weihai 264209, P. R. of China   Email: liuying@iccas.ac.cn   Email: ycwu@iccas.ac.cn
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 22 April 2016

Accepted after revision: 20 May 2016

Publication Date:
30 June 2016 (online)


Abstract

An iron-catalyzed redox condensation of 2-nitrobenzyl alcohols, formic acid, and alcohols has been developed, which affords substituted quinolines with carbon dioxide and water as the only side products. With the use of formic acid as a redox moderator to fill the electron gap of the global redox condensation process, the reaction goes smoothly with a smaller amount of alcohol in comparison to previous reports (i.e. 1.2 equiv versus 3.3–4 equiv). The reaction goes equally well when 2-nitrobenzyl methyl ether was used instead of 2-nitrobenzyl alcohol under otherwise identical conditions, shedding a new light on the study of this quinoline synthetic method.

Supporting Information