2,3-Dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (or DDQ) is the chemical reagent with formula C6Cl2(CN)2O2. This oxidant is useful for the dehydrogenation of alcohols, phenols, and steroid ketones. DDQ decomposes in water, but is stable in aqueous mineral acid.
Preparation
Synthesis of DDQ involves cyanation of chloranil. J. Thiele and F. Günther first reported a 6-step preparation in 1906. The substance did not receive interest until its potential as a dehydrogenation agent was discovered. A single-step chlorination from 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone was reported in 1965.
Reactions
The reagent removes pairs of H atoms from organic molecules. The stoichiometry of its action is illustrated by the conversion of tetralin to naphthalene:
↑Braude, E. A.; Linstead, R. P.; Wooldridge, K. R. H. (1956). "593. Hydrogen Transfer. Part IX The Selective Dehydrogenation of Unsaturated Alcohols by High-potential Quinones". Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed). 1956: 3070–3074. doi:10.1039/JR9560003070.
↑Turner, A. B.; Ringold, H. J. (1967). "Applications of High-potential Quinones. Part I. The Mechanism of Dehydrogenation of Steroidal Ketones by 2,3-Dichloro-5,6-Dicyanobenzoquinone". Journal of the Chemical Society C: Organic. 1967: 1720–1730. doi:10.1039/J39670001720.
12Buckle, Derek R.; Collier, Steven J.; McLaws, Mark D. (2005). "2,3-Dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone". e-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. doi:10.1002/047084289X.rd114.pub2. ISBN0471936235.
↑Walker, D.; Waugh, T. D. (1965). "2,3-Dichloro-5,6-Dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ). A New Preparation". The Journal of Organic Chemistry. 30 (9): 3240. doi:10.1021/jo01020a529.
↑Rathore, Rajendra; Kochi, Jay K. (2000), "Donor/acceptor organizations and the electron-transfer paradigm for organic reactivity", Advances in Physical Organic Chemistry, Elsevier, pp.193–318, doi:10.1016/s0065-3160(00)35014-6, ISBN9780120335350