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27: Decarboxylations

  • Page ID
    150984
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    Name: ______________________________

    Section: _____________________________

    Student ID#:__________________________

    Another Pericyclic Reaction: Decarboxylation

    β-keto acids (shown below) spontaneously decarboxylate in the mechanism shown.

    • What is the final product in this sequence?

      Screen Shot 2019-05-19 at 12.06.58 AM.png

    • Draw the mechanism for decarboxylation of this compound.

      Screen Shot 2019-05-19 at 12.07.38 AM.png

    • Show the product of these reaction sequences:

      Screen Shot 2019-05-19 at 12.08.26 AM.png

    Application Problems

    1. Treatment of (R,S)-2,3-dibromo(4-methoxyphenyl)propanoic acid with potassium carbonate in 2-butanone at 80°C gave a product with the Mass Spectra and 1H NMR spectral data given below.

      Product: 1H NMR: 7.60 (d, 2H, J = 11 Hz), 7.28 (d, 2H, J = 11 Hz), 6.88 (d, 1H, J = 9 Hz), 6.38 (d, 1H, J = 9 Hz), 3.78 (s, 3H). MS: molecular ions with m/z 212/214 (of equal height).

      1. Draw the starting material with the correct stereochemicstry.

      2. Fully analyze this spectral data and show the structure of the product.

      3. Provide amechanism that clearly explains for the regioselectivity of the product.

    2. Step 3 of the TCA Cycle is the conversion of isocitrate to α-ketoglutarate (shown below). This reaction is catalyze by isocitrate dehydrogenase and it utilizes NAD+ and a divalent cation such as Mg+2.

      Screen Shot 2019-05-19 at 12.32.20 AM.png

      • Propose a mechanism for this reaction. Show all of the steps and include the NAD+ and Mg+2 in your mechanism.

      • Is this an oxidation reaction? Show calculations.


    This page titled 27: Decarboxylations is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kate Graham.

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