Regioselective syntheses of [13C]4-labelled sodium 1-carboxy-2-(2-ethylhexyloxycarbonyl)ethanesulfonate and sodium 2-carboxy-1-(2-ethylhexyloxycarbonyl)ethanesulfonate from [13C]4-maleic anhydride

摘要

The entitled monohydrolysis products, also known as α-ethylhexyl and β-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate (EHSS), of the surfactant diisooctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) were synthesized in stable isotope-labelled form from [13C]4-maleic anhydride. Sodium [13C]4-1-carboxy-2-(2-ethylhexyloxycarbonyl)ethanesulfonate (α-EHSS) was prepared by the method of Larpent by reaction of 2-ethylhexan-1-ol with [13C]4-maleic anhydride followed by regioselective conjugate addition of sodium bisulfite to the resulting monoester (38% overall yield). The regiochemical outcome of bisulfite addition was confirmed by a combination of 13C/13C (incredible natural abundance double quantum transfer) and 1H/13C (heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (HMBC)) NMR spectral correlation experiments. Sodium [13C]4-2-carboxy-1-(2-ethylhexyloxycarbonyl)ethanesulfonate (β-EHSS) was prepared in four steps by reaction of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol with [13C]4-maleic anhydride, regioselective sodium bisulfite addition, N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-mediated esterification with 2-ethylhexan-1-ol, and p-methoxybenzyl ester deprotection with trifluoroacetic acid (13% overall yield). The regiochemical outcome of the second synthesis was confirmed by a combination of 1JCC scalar coupling constant analysis and 1H/13C (HMBC) NMR spectral correlation. The materials prepared are required as internal standards for the liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS trace analysis of the degradation products of DOSS, the anionic surfactant found in Corexit, the oil dispersant used during emergency response efforts connected to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of April 2010. Copyright ? 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.