A Nitro-Hunsdiecker Reaction: From Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids to Nitrostyrenes and Nitroarenes

Abstract

[reaction: see text] The nitrodecarboxylation of aromatic alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids and ring-activated benzoic acids can be achieved using nitric acid (3 equiv) and catalytic AIBN (2 mol %) in MeCN. From the effect of various additives, the nitrodecarboxylation is postulated to involve the generation of an acyloxy radical RCO(2)(*) by a NO(3)(*) radical followed by attack of a NO(2)(*) radical.