Functionalization of alkanes and cycloalkanes by superelectrophiles. 15. Carbonylation of cycloheptane, cyclooctane, and isomeric monoalkylcyclohexanes with CO in the presence of CBr4·2AlBr3 to form individual esters of tertiary carboxylic acids of the cyclohexane series

Cycloheptane, methylcyclohexane, cyclooctane, and ethylcyclohexane were selectively carbonylated with CO. The reactions of cycloalkanes with CO at –40 °C in the presence of the superelectrophilic system CBr4·2AlBr3 in CH2Br2 followed by treatment of the reaction mixtures with alcohols afforded esters of 1-methylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid (in the reactions of cycloheptane and methylcyclohexane) or esters of 1-ethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid (in the reactions of cyclooctane and ethylcyclohexane) in 70—80% yields with respect to CBr4·2AlBr3. The reaction of 1,3-dimethylcyclohexane at –40 °C and the reactions of cyclooctane and ethylcyclohexane and at –20 °C proceeded nonselectively to form four isomeric esters C8H15COOR.