METAMECONINE AS A MODEL COMPOUND IN THE STUDY OF AROMATIC REACTIONS

Abstract

Previous work had shown the somewhat unexpected course of nitration, bromination, and demethylation reactions of metameconine and its derivatives. The discovery that metameconine could easily be dinitrated enabled us to bring to light equally interesting results in the relative rates of reduction of the nitro groups, in the course of certain nucleophilic substitution reactions, in the activation of the methylene group, and in certain physical properties. Much of the work, past and present, now holds as its main interest the somewhat special character of a nitro group in the 7-position.