Methyl isocyanoacetate

Chemical Properties

CLEAR YELLOW TO BROWN LIQUID

Uses

Methyl isocyanoacetate has been used in the copper-catalyzed, diastereoselective synthesis of oxazolines.

Uses

Methyl isocyanoacetate is used in the copper-catalyzed, diastereoselective synthesis of oxazolines. It is involved in the direct aldol reaction with carbonyl compounds to prepare corresponding oxazoline by using catechol-copper network catalyst. Further, it is also involved in four-component Ugi condensation reaction. It undergoes asymmetric aldol reaction with fluorinated benzaldehyde using gold(I) as a catalyst.

General Description

Methyl isocyanoacetate undergoes direct aldol reaction with carbonyl compounds in the presence of solid-phase catechol-copper network catalyst to yield corresponding oxazolines. It also participates in four-component Ugi condensation reaction.

Synthesis

Methyl -isocyanoacetate was synthesized in the following steps: 2.75 g (23.5 mmol) of methyl N-formylglycinate was was dissolved in 100 mL of redistilled anhydrous dichloromethylcoon (DCM), followed by the addition of triethylamine 8.1 mL (58.7 mmol), and the reaction mixture was placed in an ice bath and stirred and cooled for 15 min. after the cooling was complete, phosphorus triclosan was added slowly and dropwise 2.2 mL (23.5 mmol) to the antiligand system, while the reaction continued to be stirred in an ice bath for 1 h. Subsequently, the solution was brought to room temperature and saturated Na2CO3 solution was added slowly until the pH showed alkaline, stirring was continued until the aqueous and organic phases were sufficiently partitioned, and the partition funnel was used to separate out the organic layer, while the aqueous layer was extracted with DCM (30 mLx3). The organic layer was combined, washed with saturated brine for 3 times, the organic phase was dried with anhydrous MgSO4, filtered and washed, the filtrate was combined and spun dry to obtain the crude -isocyanoacetic acid methyl ester, which was separated and purified by RP-HPLC, and after vacuum drying, the dark brown liquid with a very strong pungent odor was obtained as 1.51g, yield 65.0%.