Reactions of phenyl-substituted heterocyclic compounds. VII. Reagent-dependent orientation in the nitration of 4-phenylpyrimidine

Abstract

In the nitration of 4-phenylpyrimidine, the nature of the reaction products is strongly dependent upon the nitrating reagent. Mixed nitric and sulfuric acids yield 4-o- and 4-m-nitrophenylpyrimidines in the ratio 2:3, whereas nitric acid – trifluoroacetic anhydride yields 4-o-, 4-m-, and 4-p-nitrophenylpyrimidines in the ratio 45:29:26, and nitric acid – acetic anhydride yields 2,4-diacetoxy-1,3,5-trinitro-6-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine.An explanation of these findings involves the possibility of the addition of nitronium ion at the heterocyclic nitrogen, followed in some circumstances by nucleophilic addition.