N-Polyfluoro(trimethylsilyl)ethyl azole derivatives

A facile synthetic route to N-polyfluoro(trimethylsilyl)ethyl azole derivatives was developed starting from N-bromo(chloro)polyfluoroethyl-substituted azoles. The silanes thus obtained were reacted with various electrophiles in the presence of the fluoride ion to yield the corresponding fluorinated carbinols, ketones, carboxylic acids, and methyl dithiocarboxylates as well as N-pentafluoroethylbenzimidazole.     

A practical approach to non-natural or N-unsubstituted α-arylglycine derivatives: Hf(OTf)4-doped Me3SiCl system-catalyzed aminomethylation of electron-rich arenes with a new type of N,O-acetal

The authors have demonstrated the Hf(OTf)₄-doped Me₃SiCl system-catalyzed aminomethylation of electron-rich aromatic compounds, such as indoles and anilines, with new types of N,O-acetals having a variety of functional groups, such as cyano, ester, bis(trimethylsilyl)amino, diallylamino, and cyclic amino moieties, for the preparation of non-natural aromatic amino acid derivatives. Aminomethylation using an N,O-acetal with a bis(trimethylsilyl)amino group was particularly successful in the direct preparation of an N-unsubstituted α-indolylglycine derivative, which required only a standard aqueous workup.     

Synthesis of N,N-Ac,Boc laurylthio sialoside and its application to O-sialylation

The combination of the 5-N-tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) group of laurylthio sialoside and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) as a solvent enhanced the reactivity and α-selectivity of the sialyl donor during sialylation. Selective deprotection of the N-Boc group of sialoside, including an acid-sensitive isopropylidene function, was successfully achieved by Yb(OTf)₃-SiO₂. Transformation of N,N-Ac,Boc into an N-acetylglycolyl group of sialoglycoside was easily performed via selective N-deacylation of the mixed Ac-N-Boc carbamate, subsequent Boc group removal, and acylation.     

A simple and efficient biphasic method for the preparation of 4-nitrophenyl N-methyl- and N-alkylcarbamates

Treatment of 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate with alkylammonium hydrochloride salts and solid anhydrous Na₂CO₃ in either CH₂Cl₂ or CH₃CN gave 4-nitrophenyl N-methylcarbamate and other N-alkylcarbamate analogues in excellent yields. Of particular interest is the observation that 4-nitrophenyl N-methylcarbamate, a safer alternative to the highly toxic methyl isocyanate, is obtained in quantitative yield (?95% pure as determined by ¹H NMR) after simple filtration and solvent evaporation.     

Trimethylsilyl derivatives of N-Boc-cytosine and their effect on I2-mediated nucleosidation of O-MTM ethers

Mono- and bis(trimethylsilyl) derivatives of N⁴-Boc-cytosine were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR. Only the mono(trimethylsilyl)-N⁴-Boc-cytosine participates in the iodine-mediated nucleosidation of N-Fmoc-O-methylthiomethyl serine benzyl ester to produce the cytosine nucleoamino acid, while the bis(trimethylsilyl) derivative failed to give any product. A tentative mechanistic explanation is proposed.     

Highly efficient trialkylsilylcyanation of aldehydes, ketones and imines catalyzed by a nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbene

The synthetic utility of N-heterocyclic carbenes was demonstrated by the trialkylsilylcyanation of aldehydes, ketones and imines. In the presence of a catalytic amount of 3a, the reactions with Me₃SiCN proceeded smoothly to give the corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers or amino nitrile derivatives in good to excellent yields.     

Cyanosilylation of aldehydes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

N-Heterocyclic carbenes produced in situ from salts of imidazolium, benzimidazolium, pyrido[1,2-c]imidazolium, imidazolinium, thiazolium, and triazolium catalyze the addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to aldehydes to yield cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers. The use of C₂-symmetric imidazolidenyl carbene derived from (R,R)-1,3-bis[(1-naphthyl)ethyl]imidazolium chloride led to enantioselective cyanosilylation.     

N-Arylation of 4-fluoro-5-trimethylsilyl-1H-pyrazole

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of fluoro(trimethylsilyl)acetylene prepared in situ with an excess of diazomethane smoothly proceeded to give the corresponding 4-fluoro-5-trimethylsilyl-1H-pyrazole in 84% yield. The copper iodide-catalyzed N-arylation of the fluorinated pyrazole with a variety of aryl iodides afforded N-aryl-4-fluoropyrazoles as desilylation products in good to excellent yields.     

Catalytic photocarboxylation of 1,1-diphenylethylene with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine and carbon dioxide

Photocarboxylation of 1,1-diphenylethylene with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in MeCN under bubbling of CO₂ proceeded with high catalytic efficiency, giving 3,3-diphenylacrylic acid (DPA) and 3-hydroxy-3,3-diphenylpropionic acid (20). The turnover number (TON=(DPA+20)/TMB) reached 17. Similarly, 1-phenyl-1-cyclohexene yielded cis-2-acetamido-2-phenylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid with TON 5.9. As compared with related N,N-dimethylaniline derivatives, TMB is more resistant to photodecomposition, has the much larger absorbance in the S₀→S₁ transition, and has the lower quenching efficiency by CO₂. Probably these factors are partly responsible for the high TON observed for TMB.     

N-substitution of polybenzimidazoles: Synthesis and evaluation of physical properties

Series of N-substituted polybenzimidazoles (PBI) were synthesized using selective alkyl groups with varying bulk and flexibility, viz., methyl, n-butyl, methylene trimethylsilane and 4-tert-butylbenzyl. PBI-I based on 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and isophthalic acid and PBI-BuI based on DAB and 5-tert-butyl isophthalic acid were chosen for N-substitution. Structural characterizations of substituted polymers by FT-IR and ¹H NMR revealed elimination of hydrogen bonding. Evaluation of their physical properties revealed that N-substitution rendered better solvent solubility in common organic solvents, more open polymer matrix, but reduced thermal properties in comparison to their respective parent PBI. 4-tert-butylbenzyl, methylene trimethylsilane or n-butyl group substituted polymers were soluble even in chlorinated solvents (CHCl₃ and TCE). Substantial variations in gas permeability of inert gases, He and Ar and attractive P_He/P_Ar selectivity, especially after methyl group substitution depicted potential of these materials for gas separation.     

Synthesis and characterization of a tetraruthenium butterfly cluster containing a quadruply-bridging ligand derived from an N,N′-dipyrid-2-ylurea

The tetraruthenium cluster complex [Ru₄(μ₄-κ⁴-dmpu)(CO)₁₀], H₂dmpu = N,N′-bis(6-methylpyrid-2-yl)urea, has been prepared by treating [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] with H₂dmpu in toluene at reflux temperature. An X-ray diffraction study has determined that this cluster has a butterfly metallic skeleton hold up by a doubly-deprotonated N,N′-bis(6-methylpyrid-2-yl)urea ligand (dmpu). This ligand has the pyridine N atoms attached to the wing-tip Ru atoms and the amido N atoms spanning Ru-Ru wing-edges, in such a way that the cluster has C₂ symmetry. The donor atoms of doubly-deprotonated N,N′-dipyrid-2-ylureas seem to be appropriately arranged to hold butterfly tetranuclear clusters.     

Metal triflate catalyzed highly regio- and stereoselective 1,2-bromoazidation of alkenes using NBS and TMSN3 as the bromine and azide sources

Metal triflate catalyzed 1,2-bromoazidation of alkenes was performed using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and trimethylsilyl azide (TMSN₃) as the bromine and azide sources, respectively. Among the metal triflates, Zn(OTf)₂ was found to be the best catalyst. This catalytic process represents a highly regioselective, stereoselective and high yielding method for the synthesis of anti-1,2-bromoazides from a variety of alkenes including α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.     

Unexpected course of rearrangement of substituted S-(1(3H)-isobenzofuranone-3-yl)isothiuronium bromides

Three series of S-(1(3H)-isobenzofuranone-3-yl)isothiuronium bromides differing in substitution at the isothiuronium moiety (none, one or two methyl groups) and at the benzene ring were prepared and characterized. These salts were then treated with various bases (acetate, triethylamine, Na₂CO₃) to give either 1-hydroxy-3-oxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-isoindol-2-carbothioamides or the product of S to N isobenzofuranone-3-yl migration, i.e., 1,3-dimethyl-1-(3-oxo-1,3-dihydro-2-benzofuran-1-yl)thioureas. If ammonia was used in reaction with N,N′-dimethyl isothiuronium salts then 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-1-ones were formed together with 1,3-dimethyl-1-(3-oxo-1,3-dihydro-2-benzofuran-1-yl)thioureas in parallel reaction with the yields increasing with ammonia concentration. The formation of isoindolones takes place in two steps with an aldehyde intermediate, which can be trapped with N,N-dimethylhydrazine.     

Synthesis of N-acyl-N,O-acetals from N-aryl amides and acetals in the presence of TMSOTf

Secondary amides undergo in situ silyl imidate formation mediated by TMSOTf and an amine base, followed by addition to acetal acceptors to provide N-acyl-N,O-acetals in good yields. An analogous, high-yielding reaction is observed with 2-mercaptothiazoline as the silyl imidate precursor. Competing reduction of the acetal to the corresponding methyl ether via transfer hydrogenation can be circumvented by the replacement of CY₂NMe with 2,6-lutidine under otherwise identical reaction conditions.     

Synthetic application of in situ generation of N-acyliminium ions from α-amido p-tolylsulfones for the synthesis of α-amino nitriles

In the presence of catalytic amount of bismuth bromide (5 mol %) the α-amido p-tolylsulfones are converted into N-acyliminium ions, which undergo the nucleophilic addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) to provide the N-protected α-amino nitriles in very good yield. A variety of α-amido p-tolylsulfones were prepared from aromatic as well as aliphatic aldehydes for the synthesis of α-amino nitriles.     

Stereoselective radical cyclizations of N-(2-halobenzoyl)-cyclic ketene-N,X(X=O, S)-acetals

2-Alkyloxazolines and 2-alkylthiazolines react with 2-halobenzoyl chlorides to form N-(2-halobenzoyl)-cyclic ketene-N,O-acetals and N-(2-halobenzoyl)-cyclic ketene-N,S-acetals in excellent yields, respectively. These ketene acetals readily undergo stereocontrolled aryl radical cyclizations to afford the central six-membered rings of substituted-2,3,10,10α-tetrahydrooxazolo[3,2-b]isoquinolin-5-ones and their 2,3,10,10α-tetrahydrothiazolo[3,2-b]isoquinolin-5-one analogs. The tertiary N,O- and N,S-radicals formed upon aryl radical reaction at the ketene-N,X(X=O, S)-acetal double bond appear to have reasonable stability. The stereoselectivity in hydrogen abstractions by these intermediate radicals from both Bu₃SnH and (Me₃Si)₃SiH was investigated. The N,S-heterocyclic fused ring products may have potential medical value.     

The first example of linear peptides containing a N-trifluoroethylated backbone amide linkage and the surprising solution dynamics observed by F NMR

The α-amino group of (l)phenylalanine methyl ester was trifluoroethylated using (2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)phenyliodonium N,N-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. A dipeptide Gly(l)Phe containing a trifluoroethylated peptide bond was synthesized by removing the α-amino proton of N^α-trifluoroethyl (l)phenylalanine methyl ester followed by coupling with N^α-phthaloyl glycine acid fluoride. The dipeptide was further coupled with (l)leucine methyl ester under conventional carboxyl activation conditions to provide two diastereomers of the tripeptide Gly(d,l)Phe(l)Leu. The solution dynamic behavior of the tripeptide was investigated as a function of solvents, by NOESY and variable temperature (VT) ¹⁹F NMR experiments.     

Synthesis of N,N′-bis and N,N,N′,N′-tetra-[(3,5-di-substituted-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]para-phenylenediamines: new candidate ligands for metal complex wires

A series of tridentate ligands N,N-bis-[(di-substituted-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]arylamines 2-3a,b and benzylamine 4a,b, tetradentate N,N′-bis-[(di-substituted-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]para-phenylenediamines 7a,b and hexadentate N,N,N′,N′-tetra-[(di-substituted-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]para-phenylenediamines 8a,b has been prepared in good yield by condensation of arylamines, benzylamine or para-phenylenediamine with N-hydroxymethyl disubstituted pyrazoles 1a,b. The synthesis and characterisation of these various polydentate ligands are described.     

A simple and convenient synthesis of 2-(perfluoroalkyl)-4H-chromenes from salicyl N-tosylimines or salicylaldehydes and methyl 2-perfluoroalkynoates

Et₃N-catalyzed reactions of salicyl N-tosylimines or salicylaldehydes with methyl 2-perfluoroalkynoates proceed smoothly at room temperature in dichloromethane (DCM) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to give the corresponding fluorinated chromenes in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivity.