Silyl-mediated halogen/halogen displacement in pyridines and other heterocycles

Heating with bromotrimethylsilane converts 2-chloropyridine into 2-bromopyridine and 2-chloro-6-methylpyridine into 2-bromo-6-methylpyridine. Both 2-chloropyridines and 2-bromopyridines give the corresponding iodo compd. when treated with in situ generated iodotrimethylsilane. Although 3- and 4-chloropyridine are completely inert, 2,4-dichloropyridine undergoes the halogen/halogen exchange simultaneously at the 2- and 4-position. Halogen displacement takes place exclusively at the 2-position with 2,3-dichloropyridine and 2,5-dichloropyridine. In agreement with the intermediacy of N-trimethylsilylpyridinium salts as a prerequisite for the occurrence of halogen exchange, neither 2-fluoropyridine and 2-fluoro-6-methylpyridine nor any 2,6-dihalopyridine reacts. Finally, bromine/chlorine and iodine/chlorine substitution can also be accomplished with 2- or 4-chloroquinoline, 1-chloroisoquinoline, 2-chloropyrimidine, chloropyrazine, and 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline as substrates. [on SciFinder (R)]