CHEM 2312

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II

FIRST HOUR EXAM

Answer Key


1. The steroid shown below has two separate absorptions in the UV. One has a lmax of 235 nm and an e of 19,000 M-1 cm-1. The other has a lmax of 300 nm and an e of 20 M-1 cm-1. Identify the portions of the molecule responsible for each of these absorptions (the chromophores). Briefly explain the difference in e. (10 points)


ANSWER: There are two chromophores in this molecule, the conjugated diene which is found in the two six membered rings (the A and B rings) and the carbonyl found on the five membered ring (the D ring). Conjugated dienes have p to p* absorptions which are found between 210 and 250 nm and are very intense (e is large). Carbonyls have n to p* absorptions which are found around 300 nm and are weak (e is small). Therefore the conjugated diene is responsible for the absorption with lmax of 235 nm and an e of 19,000 M-1 cm-1, while the carbonyl is responsible for the absorption with lmax of 300 nm and an e of 20 M-1 cm-1.


2. From the first order spin-spin coupling concepts discussed in class, predict the patterns of signals expected for each type of proton in the NMR spectra of the following compounds (i.e, singlet, doublet, triplet, etc. or doublet of doublets, triplet of quartets, etc.). (10 points)

a)



ANSWER: Working from left to right, this compound will have: a doublet from the two methyl groups coupled to the methine (CH); a septuplet from the methine coupled to the two equivalent methyl groups; a quartet from the methylene (CH2) coupled to the single methyl at the far right; and a triplet from the methyl group coupled to the methylene.

b)



ANSWER: All protons are equivalent and this compound will give a singlet.

c)


ANSWER: From left to right: A doublet from the proton of the CHCl2 group; a doublet of triplets (or triplet of doublets) from the CHCl group coupled to both terminal groups; a doublet from the CH2 group; and a singlet from the OH which is decoupled by chemical exchange.

3. You have a solution of the compounds shown below in dichloromethane. Each is soluble in aqueous solution when deprotonated to the corresponding anion. You have the following reagents: 0.1 M aqueous NaOH (pH = 13), saturated aqueous CaCO3 (pH = 9.4), 0.1 M aqueous NaHCO3 (pH = 8.4), water (pH = 7), and 0.1 M aqueous HCl (pH = 1). Demonstrate how you might effect a separation of these compounds. (10 points)


ANSWER: Each compound will be soluble when deprotonated and will deprotonate in any solution where pH is higher than the pKa. So begin by removing the most acidic compound, benzoic acid pKa 4.2, by extraction with aqueous sodium bicarbonate pH = 8.4. Then remove the next most acidic compound, p-chlorophenol pKa 9.1, with aqueous calcium carbonate pH = 9.4. Finally remove the next most acidic compound, p-methoxyphenol pKa 10.2, with aqueoue sodium hydroxide pH = 13. At this time only the least acidic compound, cyclopentanol pKa 18, remains in the organic solution.

4. Beginning with benzene and using any other necessary organic or inorganic reagents, propose a synthetic route for the following compounds. (21 points)

a)



ANSWER: Note that the two groups are meta to each other yet both are o,p directors. Yet both derive from meta directors. The best synthesis for this compound is as follows: Friedel-Crafts acylation of benzene to make propanoyl benzene. Nitration of propanoylbenzene, this occurs at the meta position (3-nitropropanoylbenzene). Reduction of the carbonyl to make the alkyl group (3-nitropropylbenzene). Reduction of the nitro group to the amine (3-propylaniline). Diazotization of the amine followed by metathesis with fluoroboric acid and thermolysis to give the 3-propylfluorobenzene.

b)



ANSWER: There are several ways to make this compound. A good synthesis is as follows: Nitration of benzene to nitrobenzene. Reduction to aniline. Diazotization and hydrolysis to phenol. Alkylation with iodoethane to give ethoxybenzene. Double nitration to give 2,4-dinitroethoxybenzene. Controlled reduction to give 2-ethoxy-5-nitroaniline (this would need to be separated from the 3-nitro-4-ethoxyaniline isomer formed by reduction of the other nitro group). Diazotization and reaction with potassium iodide to give 2-iodo-4-nitroethoxybenzene. In an alternative synthesis, the intermediate compound 2,4-dinitroethoxybenzene can also be made by nucleophilic aromatic substitution of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene with ethoxide ion.

c)



ANSWER: The key to this synthesis is recognizing that the m-directing carboxylic acid comes from an o,p-directing alkyl group. Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene gives toluene. Electrophilic bromination of toluene gives 4-bromotoluene. Oxidation with potasium permanganate gives 4-bromobenzoic acid. Sulfonation with fuming sulfuric acid gives 2-bromo-5-carboxybenzenesulfonic acid.

5. Complete the following reactions, indicating reactants, products, or reagents as required. (20 points)

a)


ANSWER: the products are pentafluoroehtoxybenzene and sodium bromide.

b)


ANSWER: The products are phenol and bromoethane.

c)


ANSWER: The product is 3-methylbenzonitrile.

d)


ANSWER: The reagents are 1. NaOH 2. CO2.

e)


ANSWER: The product is an azobenzene: C6H5-N=N-C6H3CH3NH2, where the 3-methylaniline has coupled at the position para to the amine.

6. Compound X has a MW of 114 and the spectral information on the following page. Which of the four structures provided corresponds to Compound X. (10 points)

a) b)




c) d)



ANSWER: All of the compounds are isomers, so the MW information can not make the distinction. All are esters (carbonyl stretch at 1730) and all have both alkane and alkene portions so the IR is also not able to distinguish these compounds. The NMR can, however. compounds a and b have the ethyl group adjacent to the carbonyl while compounds c and d have the ethyl group adjacent to the oxygen. The quartet from the ethyl CH2 is found at 4.2 ppm, consistent with the ethyl adjacent to the oxygen, so the compound is either c or d. Compound c has both alkene protons on one carbon (although they are NOT equivalent: one is cis to the methyl and one is trans!) while compound d has them on two different carbons. One would expect compound c to have similar chemical shifts for these alkene protons while they would be fairly different for d, since one is adjacent to an electron donor (CH3) and one is adjacent to an electron withdrawing group (carbonyl). The signals are at quite different chemical shifts, with one doublet of quartets centerd at about 5.75 ppm and the other at about 6.9 ppm. Therefore compound d is the correct choice.

7. When toluene is dissolved in 2-propanol and treated with a strong acid, a compound known as cymene is isolated as a product. Cymene has a MW of 134 and gives the IR and NMR spectra shown on the following page. Propose a structure for cymene. (12 points)

ANSWER: Cymene has an isopropyl group and a methyl group on the benzene ring. (It results from Friedel-Crafts alkylation of toluene by the cation derived from 2-propanol.) The major isomer formed is the para isomer, and the spectra here are from that compound, p-cymene. Note the following: the IR has no bands for a carbonyl C=O stretch or an ether C-O stretch. There are the expected bands for the alkyl (~2960) and aromatic (~3050) C-H stretches. There is also an aromatic C=C stretch at 1620. The NMR has a doublet at 1.3 ppm and a septuplet at 2.8 ppm arising from the isopropyl group and a singlet at 2.3 from the methyl group. The para orientation of the substituents can be inferred from the singlet for the aromatic protons at 7.1 ppm. For ortho or meta orientation a more complex set of peaks would be expected.

8. Provide a step-by -step mechanism for the following transformation. Show all steps and all intermediates. (8 points)



ANSWER: This is a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The first step is attack of the hydroxide nucleophile at the site of chloro substitution on the benzene ring to generate a delocalized anion. This anion is stabilized by the electron withdrawing nitro groups. The second step is loss of chloride from this delocalized anion to give the phenol and chloride anion. The sodium cation does not participate in the reaction.