Synthesis and Cleavage of the Cyclic Oxalates of 1,2-Glycols.

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We have already disclosed that oxalyl chloride reacts with acyclic 1,2-glycols in tetrahydrofuran in the presence of triethylamine to afford a different type of compound as a major product, depending on the structure of the glycol : unsubstituted, monosubstituted, and erythro-disubstituted ethylene glycols provided the cyclic oxalates or polymeric oxalates, while the threoisomers and pinacol afforded the cyclic carbonates.1.The only exception we found was trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diol, which exclusively afforded the cyclic oxalates. This reaction probably proceeded through the tetrahedral intermediate with a boat form, avoiding steric interference between the bridge-head hydrogen and carbonyl oxygen.2.The dramatic reversal of the product ratio was realized in the reaction with pinacol or the threo-compounds by the use of pyridine instead of triethylamine to afford the cyclic oxalates. 1,1'-Oxalyldiimidazole was found to be a good choice for the exclusive formation of the cyclic oxalates. The formation of the polymeric oxalates from the erythro-compounds was completely suppressed by the use of 2,4,6-collidine.3.The cyclic oxalates thus obtained underwent hydrolytic cleavage of the acyl-alkoxy linkage to afford the monoester of oxalic acid at pH 5 at the rate of 200-1000 times faster than the cyclic oxalate of pinacol. The three-dimensional structure elucidated by X-ray crystal analysis shows that the carbonyl carbons of the cyclic oxalate of pinacol are effectively blocked by two of the four methyl groups.