Reactions of amino alcohols in superacid: the direct observation of dicationic intermediates and their application in synthesis.

[reaction: see text]. The chemistry of amino alcohols has been studied in superacidic media, and these compounds have been found to ionize cleanly to the dication intermediates. Several dicationic species have been directly observed by low-temperature 13C NMR, including those from epinephrine (adrenaline) and synephrine. Amino alcohols react (70-99% yields) with C6H6 in triflic acid (CF3SO3H) by electrophilic aromatic substitution.

Electrophilic activation of acetyl-substituted heteroaromatic compounds.

The chemistry of acetyl-substituted pyridines, thiazoles, quinoline, isoquinolines, and pyrazine (1-9 and 28) has been studied. These heteroarenes (1-8) condense with benzene in good yields (74-96%) in the Bronsted superacid, CF(3)SO(3)H (triflic acid). In these acid-catalyzed hydroxyalkylation reactions, compounds 1-8 are significantly more reactive than acetophenone. It is proposed that compounds 1-8 readily form dicationic electrophiles in triflic acid.