Hans‐Wilhelm Winter

Falling‐Solid Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis: An Efficient Preparation of Arylacetylenes

Automated falling-solid flash vacuum pyrolysis allows the rapid and efficient synthesis of a variety of arylacetylenes from 4-arylmethylidene-5(4H)-isoxazolone derivatives, which were prepared from aldehyde precursors. The acetylenes are readily obtained in multigram quantities.

Triazoloazine–Diazomethylazine Valence Isomerization. [1,2,3]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines and 2-Diazomethylpyridines

2-Diazomethylpyridines 1D and 6D, the valence isomers of [1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines 1T and 6T, have been observed directly at ∼2080 cm(-1) by a combination of mild flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) at 200-600 °C with low temperature IR spectroscopy. Calculations confirm a ca. 17 kcal/mol barrier for the formation of 2-diazomethylpyridine 1D from [1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine 1T, the diazo compound lying ca. 5 kcal/mol above the triazole. In the higher temperature range (400-600 °C) 2-diazomethylpyridine 1D eliminates N2 with formation of 2-pyridylcarbene 2 and rearrangement to 1-cyanocyclopentadiene 4. 2-Diazomethylpyridine 1D undergoes 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) at 20-90 °C to yield 3-(2-pyridyl)cyclopropanetetracarbonitrile 11 and 3-(tricyanovinyl)-[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine 13T via unobserved pyrazolines 10 and 12. FVP of triazole 13T affords an IR absorption at 2080 cm(-1) ascribed to the corresponding diazo compound 13D.

Acetylenes from Aldehydes. Preparation of Ethynylphenols and Phenylacetylenes by Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis of Isoxazolones

The flash vacuum pyrolysis method of synthesis of acetylenes from aldehydes via isoxazolones is a convenient method for the preparation of a variety of derivatives, including kinetically unstable, sensitive compounds such as the ethynylphenols.