Facile synthesis of regio-isomeric naphthofurans and benzodifurans

Naphtho[1,2-b]furans 1a-f, naphtho[2,1-b]furans 2a-f, benzo[1,2-b:5,4-b′]difurans 3a-b, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difurans 4a-b, and benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b′]difurans 5a-b were synthesized by base-catalyzed cyclization reaction of the corresponding o-alkoxybenzoylarene derivatives. The o-alkoxybenzoylarenes were obtained from the etherification reaction of the o-hydroxybenzoylarenes, which were prepared either by the reaction of methoxyarenes with benzoyl chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride or by photo-Fries rearrangement of aryl benzoates.     

Preparation of 6-chloropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carbaldehydes by Vilsmeier-Haack reaction and its use in the synthesis of heterocyclic chalcones and dipyrazolopyridines

Novel 6-chloropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carbaldehydes 5 have been synthesized from the 4,5-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-6-ones 4 via Vilsmeier-Haack reaction. Further treatment of carbaldehydes 5 with acetophenones 6 and hydrazine hydrate afforded chalcone analogues 7 and dipyrazolo[3,4-b:4′,3′-e]pyridines 8, respectively.     

Amberlyst 15 catalyzed synthesis of indole-pyrazole based tri(hetero)arylmethanes

An expedient synthesis of 1,3-diaryl-4-(3,3′-diindolyl)methylpyrazoles 3a-m has been developed using Amberlyst 15 catalyzed condensation of 1,3-diaryl-4-formyl pyrazoles 2 with indoles 1. This reaction was further extended to the synthesis of 4,4′-bis(3,3′-diindolyl)methylphenoxy-alkanes 5a-b by coupling of 4,4′-di(formylphenoxy)alkane 4 with indole 1.     

One-pot synthesis of macrocyclic compounds possessing two cyclobutane rings by sequential inter- and intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition reactions

Sensitized photocycloaddition reactions of 6,6′-dimethyl-4,4′-[1,3-bis(methylenoxy)phenylene]-di-2-pyrone (1) with electron-poor α,ω-diolefins such as ethylene diacrylate (2a) and polyoxyethylene dimethacrylates (2b-d) afforded site- and stereoselective macrocyclic dioxatetralactones (3a-d) and (4b) having 18- to 25-membered rings across the C5-C6 and C5′-C6′ double bonds, or C5-C6 and C3′-C4′ double bonds in 1, respectively. Similar photoreactions of 1 with electron-rich α,ω-diolefins such as poly(ethylene glycol)divinyl ether (2e and 2f) afforded crown ether-type macrocyclic compounds (5e and 5f) having 18- and 21-membered rings across the C3-C4 and C3′-C4′ double bonds in 1, respectively. The stereochemical features of 3b, 5e-xx, and 5e-nn were determined by the X-ray crystal analysis. The reaction mechanism was inferred by MO methods.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of novel bis(2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one) derivatives as potential GSK-3 inhibitors

(5Z,5′Z)-3,3′-(1,4-Phenylenebis(methylene)-bis-(5-arylidene-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one) derivatives (5a-r) have been synthesized by the condensation reaction of 3,3′-(1,4- or 1,3-phenylenebis(methylene))bis(2-thioxothiazolidin-4-ones) (3a,b) with suitably substituted aldehydes (4a-f) or 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)2-oxoacetaldehydes (8a-c) under microwave conditions. The bis(2-thioxothiazolidin-4-ones) were prepared from the corresponding primary alkyl amines (1a,b) and di-(carboxymethyl)-trithiocarbonyl (2). The 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxoacetaldehydes (8a-c) were synthesized from the corresponding acid chlorides (7a-c) using HSnBu₃.     

Synthesis of 3-substituted-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxides from the Baylis-Hillman adducts of o-nitrobenzaldehydes

The reaction of the Baylis-Hillman adducts 1b-f derived from o-nitrobenzaldehydes in trifluoroacetic acid in the presence of triflic acid (0.2 equiv.) afforded 3-substituted-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxides 2b-e and 2a in good to moderate yields. The reaction mechanism was evidenced by the experiment with 1f, the Baylis-Hillman adduct of 2-nitrobenzaldehyde N-tosylimine, as the one involving N-hydroxyisoxazoline as the key intermediate.     

Synthesis of novel multidentate carbohydrate-triazole ligands

Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (click reaction) of 1 mol equiv of N,N′-di-prop-2-ynyl-phthalamide (1a), N,N′-di-prop-2-ynyl-isophthalamide (1b), and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid bis-prop-2-ynylamide (1c), respectively with 2 mol equiv of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl azide (2a), 2-azidoethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (2b), and 2-azidoethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-mannopyranoside (2c), respectively, afforded the corresponding bis-cycloadducts 3-5, containing two 1,2,3-triazole moieties each, in 38-76% yield. Reaction of 1 mol equiv of 2c with 1 mol equiv of 1c under otherwise identical conditions gave the mono-cycloadduct 6, containing one 1,2,3-triazole and one 2-propynylamide moiety, in 77% yield. Reaction of 6 with 2a afforded 7, containing two different sugar moieties, in 67% yield.     

Synthesis and ring opening reactions of 2-glyco-1,4-dimethyl-3-nitro-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-enes

The high-pressure asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions of d-galacto- (1a) and d-manno-3,4,5,6,7-penta-O-acetyl-1,2-dideoxy-1-nitrohept-1-enitol (1b) with 2,5-dimethylfuran (2) afforded mixtures of cycloadducts, from which the (2S,3R)-3-exo-nitro (3a and 3b), (2R,3S)-3-exo-nitro (4a and 4b), and (2R,3S)-1′,2′,3′,4′,5′-penta-O-acetyl-1′-C-(1,4-dimethyl-3-endo-nitro-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-2-exo-yl)-d-galacto-pentitol (5b) were isolated pure. Deacetylation of these compounds led to new chiral mono-, bi-, and tricyclic ethers, being their asymmetric centers arising from the chiral inductor used in the cycloaddition reaction. A ring opening mechanism through a 1-nitro-1,3-cyclohexadiene intermediate has been proposed.     

Preparation and structures of 6- and 7-coordinate salen-type zirconium complexes and their catalytic properties for oligomerization of ethylene

A series of salen-type zirconium complexes of the general formula LZrCl₂ (L = N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminate), 3a; N,N′-ethylenebis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneiminate), 3b; N,N′-ethylenebis(5-methoxysalicylideneiminate), 3c; N,N′-ethylenebis(5-chlorosalicylideneiminate), 3d; N,N′-ethylenebis(5-nitrosalicylideneiminate), 3e; N,N′-o-phenylenebis(salicylideneiminate), 4a; N,N′-o-phenylenebis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneiminate), 4b; N,N′-o-phenylenebis(5-methoxysalicylideneiminate), 4c; N,N′-o-phenylenebis(5-chloro-salicylideneiminate), 4d) were prepared. The crystal structures of 6- and 7-coordinate zirconium complexes 4b and [4b · OCMe₂] were determined by X-ray crystallography, which reveals that a salen-type zirconium complex possesses a labile coordination site on the Zr center with a relatively stable framework and that the coordination and the dissociation of O-donor molecules occur readily at this site. The catalytic properties of 3(a-e) and 4(a-d) were studied for ethylene oligomerization in combination with Et₂AlCl as co-catalyst. Complex 3c featuring a methoxy-substituted salen ligand displayed higher activity than its analogous precursors having chloro and nitro groups as substituents. The catalytic reactions by 3(a-e) and 4(a-d) gave C₄-C₁₀ olefins and low-carbon linear α-olefins in good selectivity.     

Synthesis and evaluation of new chiral diols based on the dicyclopentadiene skeleton

The resolution by Lipase PS of rac-5 (from reduction of ketone 6, obtained from dicyclopentadiene with a new environment-friendly synthesis) gives (2S)-5, which was further reduced to the endo(2R)-1a alcohol. The endo(2S)-1b alcohol was obtained from camphor with a multistep synthesis. Pinacol couplings of 3a,b, carried out with Mg/Hg or Corey's general procedure respectively, afforded with high diastereoselectivity the C₂ symmetry diols (2R,2′R)-2a and (2S,2′S)-2b, with endo oriented OH functions. The enantiogenic power of the endo alcohol (2R)-1a and (2S)-1b and of the diols (2R,2′R)-2a and (2S,2′S)-2b was tested towards the LiAlH₄ reduction of acetophenone. The C₂ symmetry appears to play a fundamental role.     

Synthesis of ‘thianthrene dimer’ by the coupling reaction of stannylthianthrenes in the presence of copper catalysts

The coupling reaction of 1-tributylstannylthianthrene (5) and 2-tributylstannylthianthrene (7) in the presence of copper catalysts at rt afforded the thianthrene dimer 1,1′-bithianthrene (3), 2,2′-bithianthrene (8), and 1,2′-dithianthrene (9) in high yields. Also we obtained thianthrene oxide dimer (R,R) (S,S)-1-(10-S-monoxythianthrene-1-yl)thianthrene-10-S-monoxide (12) and (R,S) (S,R)-1-(10-S-monoxythianthrene-1-yl)thianthrene-10-S-monoxide (13) from 1-tributylstannyl-10-S-monoxythianthrene (10) under the same reaction condition. The final structural conformation of 3, 8, 9, and 12 was performed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Further, the solvent effects in the coupling reactions were also examined.     

Total synthesis of apigenin 7,4′-di-O-β-glucopyranoside, a component of blue flower pigment of Salvia patens, and seven chiral analogues

We have succeeded in the first total synthesis of apigenin 7,4′-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1a), a component of blue pigment, protodelphin, from naringenin (2). Glycosylation of 2 according to Koenigs-Knorr reaction provided a monoglucoside 4a in 80% yield, and this was followed by DDQ oxidation to give apigenin 7-O-glucoside (12a). Further glycosylation of 4′-OH of 12a with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-glucopyranosyl fluoride (5a) was achieved using a Lewis acid-and-base promotion system (BF₃·Et₂O, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylpyridine, and 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine) in 70% yield, and subsequent deprotection produced 1a. Synthesis of three other chiral isomers of 1a, with replacement of d-glucose at 7 and/or 4′-OH by l-glucose (1b-d), and four chiral isomers of apigenin 7-O-β-glucosides (6a,b) and 4′-O-β-glucosides (7a,b) also proved possible.     

Solvent-free reactions of N,N′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole with ferrocenylcarbinols

The efficient and simple routes for the synthesis of various ferrocenyl derivatives from ferrocenylcarbinols and N,N′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole (TCDI) are described. It involves grinding the two substrates in a Pyrex tube with a glass rod at room temperature. The reaction of ferrocenylmethanol (1a) provided S,S-bis(ferrocenylmethyl)dithiocarbonate (1b), whose crystal structure and a plausible mechanism for its formation are also reported. The reaction of 1-ferrocenyl-1-phenylmethanol (2a) and 1-ferrocenylbutanol (2b) gave the products 2c and 2d, respectively. The reaction of ω-ferrocenyl alcohols 4-ferrocenylphenol (3a) and 6-ferrocenylhexan-1-ol (3b) yielded the products 3c and 3d, respectively. Reaction of 1,1′-ferrocenedimethanol (3e) afforded 3f in moderate yield, and by contrast, it was not similar to 1b. Reaction of [4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methanol (4a) provided the thiocarbonate 4b in good yield.     

Enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral 1-(1-naphthyl)isoquinolines and 2-(1-naphthyl)pyridines through sulfoxide ligand coupling reactions

Racemic 1-(1′-isoquinolinyl)-2-naphthalenemethanol rac-12 was prepared through a ligand coupling reaction of racemic 1-(tert-butylsulfinyl)isoquinoline rac-7 with the 1-naphthyl Grignard reagent 10. Resolution of rac-12 was achieved through chromatographic separation of the Noe-lactol derivatives 14 and 15, providing (R)-(−)-12 of >99% ee and (S)-(+)-12 of 90% ee. The ligand coupling reaction of optically enriched sulfoxide (S)-(−)-7 (62% ee) with Grignard reagent 10 furnished rac-12, with the absence of stereoinduction resulting from competing rapid racemisation of the sulfoxide 7. Reaction of optically enriched (S)-(−)-7 with 2-methoxy-1-naphthylmagnesium bromide was also accompanied by racemisation of the sulfoxide 7, and furnished optically active (+)-1-(2′-methoxy-1′-naphthyl)isoquinoline (+)-3b in low enantiomeric purity (14% ee). The absolute configuration of (+)-3b was assigned as R using circular dichroism spectroscopy, correcting an earlier assignment based on the Bijvoet method, but in the absence of heavy atoms. Optically active 2-pyridyl sulfoxides were found not to undergo racemisation analogous to the 1-isoquinolinyl sulfoxide 7, with the ligand coupling reactions of (R)-(+)- and (S)-(−)-2-[(4′-methylphenyl)sulfinyl]-3-methylpyridines, (R)-(+)-17 and (S)-(−)-17, with 2-methoxy-1-naphthylmagnesium bromide providing (−)- and (+)-2-(2′-methoxy-1′-naphthyl)-3-methylpyridines, (−)-18 and (+)-18, in 53 and 60% ee, respectively. The free energy barriers to internal rotation in 3b and 18 have been determined, and the isoquinoline (R)-(−)-12 examined as a ligand in the enantioselectively catalysed addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde; (R)-(−)-12 was also converted to (R)-(−)-N,N-dimethyl-1-(1′-isoquinolinyl)-2-naphthalenemethanamine (R)-(−)-19, and this examined as a ligand in the enantioselective Pd-catalysed allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate with dimethyl malonate.     

From N,N-diphenyl-N-naphtho[2,1-b]thieno[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]dithiophene-5-yl-amine to propeller-shaped N,N,N-tri(naphtho[2,1-b]thieno[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]dithiophene-5-yl)-amine: syntheses and structures

Three unique propeller-shaped helicenyl amines compounds: N,N-diphenyl-N-naphtho[2,1-b]thieno[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]dithiophene-5-yl-amine (1), N-phenyl-N,N-di(naphtho[2,1-b]thieno[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]dithiophene-5-yl)amine (2), and N,N,N-tri(naphtho[2,1-b]thieno[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]dithiophene-5-yl)amine (3) were efficiently synthesized by Wittig reaction and oxidative photocyclization. The crystal structures of 1, 2 and molecular configuration optimization (DFT-B3LYP/6-31+G(d)) of 3 reveal that the steric hindrance from the moiety of trithia[5]helicene effectively forces the nitrogen atom and the three bonded carbon atoms to coplanar and the interplanar angles of the facing terminal thiophene ring and benzene ring becoming larger when the helical arm increased from 1 to 3. Electrochemical properties and UV–vis absorption behaviors of 1, 2, 3 were primarily determined by the moiety of trithia[5]helicene.     

Synthesis and properties of 4,9-methanoundecafulvenes and their transformation to 3-substituted 7,12-methanocycloundeca[4,5]furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones: photo-induced autorecycling oxidizing reaction toward amines

The synthesis and properties of 4,9-methanoundecafulvene [5-(4,9-methanocycloundeca-2′,4′,6′,8′,10′-pentaenylidene)pyrimidine-2,4,6(1,3,5H)-trione] derivatives 8a,b were studied. Their structural characteristics were investigated on the basis of the ¹H and ¹³C NMR and UV-vis spectra. The rotational barrier (ΔG^‡) around the exocyclic double bond of 8a was found to be 12.55 kcal mol⁻¹ by the variable temperature ¹H NMR measurement. The electrochemical properties of 8a,b were also studied by CV measurement. Furthermore, the transformation of 8a,b to 3-substituted 7,12-methanocycloundeca[4,5]furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones 16a,b was accomplished by oxidative cyclization using DDQ and subsequent ring-opening and ring-closure. The structural details and chemical properties of 16a,b were clarified. Reaction of 16a with deuteride afforded C13-adduct 19 as the single product, and thus, the methano-bridge controls the nucleophilic attack to prefer endo-selectivity. The photo-induced oxidation reaction of 16a and a vinylogous compound, 3-methylcyclohepta[4,5]furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(3H)-dione 2a, toward some amines under aerobic conditions were carried out to give the corresponding imines (isolated by converting to the corresponding 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones) with the recycling number of 6.1-64.0 (for 16a) and 2.7-17.2 (for 2a), respectively.     

Synthesis and characterization of polybinaphthalene incorporating chiral (R) or (S)-1,1′-binaphthalene and oxadiazole units by Heck reaction

Chiral conjugated polymers P-1 and P-2 were synthesized by the polymerization of (R)-3,3′-diiodo-2,2′-bisbutoxy-1,1′-binaphthalene ((R)-M-1) and (S)-3,3′-diiodo-2,2′-bisbutoxy-1,1′-binaphthalene ((S)-M-1) with 2,5-bis(4-vinylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (M-2) under Pd-catalyzed Heck coupling reaction, respectively. Both monomers and polymers were analysed by NMR, MS, FT-IR, UV, DSC-TG, fluorescent spectroscopy, GPC and CD spectra. The chiral conjugated polymers exhibit strong Cotton effect in their circular dichroism (CD) spectra indicating a high rigidity of polymer backbone. CD spectra of polymers P-1 and P-2 are almost identical and have opposite signs for their position. These polymers have strong blue fluorescence.     

An efficient glycosylation reaction for the synthesis of asialo GM2 analogues

We investigated the coupling reaction of glycosyl donors N-trichloroethoxycarbonyl-galactosamine-O-trichloroacetimidate (2a) and N-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl-galactosamine-O-trichloroacetimidate (2b) with the 4′-OH of lactose derivatives (3a-d) to synthesize key intermediates of asialo GM2 analogues, and found that the glycosylation yield with 2a was 90% or more in all investigated cases.     

Synthesis of some new tertiary amines and their application as co-catalysts in combination with l-proline in enantioselective Baylis-Hillman reaction between o-nitrobenzaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone

A chiral benzodiazepine derivative 1 was synthesized starting from o-nitrobenzoyl chloride and methyl l-prolinate hydrochloride. Diastereomeric (1R,2R,1′S)-(+)-2-[N-methyl-N-(α-phenylethyl)amino]cyclohexanol 3a and (1S,2S,1′S)-(+)-2-[N-methyl-N-(α-phenylethyl)amino]cyclohexanol 3b were synthesized starting from (S)-α-phenylethylamine and cyclohexene oxide via ring-opening, diastereomer separation and N-methylation. (S,S)-octahydrodipyrrolo[1,2-a:1′,2′-d]pyrazin 5 was synthesized from methyl l-prolinate. Chiral tertiary amines 1, 3a, 3b and 5 almost cannot catalyze the Baylis-Hillman reaction between o-nitrobenzaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK). However, they functioned as efficient catalysts for this reaction in the presence of l-proline. The corresponding adducts were obtained in good yields with enantioselectivity of 83% ee, 81% ee, 51% ee and 66% ee, respectively.     

A practical and expeditious method for the preparation of the potential anticancer agent 5,6,11,12,17,18,23,24-octahydrocyclododeca[1,2-b:4,5-b′:7,8-b″:10,11-b?]tetraindole (CTet)

A new synthetic method to obtain the potential anticancer agent 5,6,11,12,17,18,23,24-octahydrocyclododeca[1,2-b:4,5-b′:7,8-b′′:10,11-b′′′]tetraindole (CTet), starting from 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde and sulfamide, is described. Although a mixture of CTet and cyclic indole trimer (CTr) is formed, higher CTet/CTr ratio (4:6) and CTet yield (15%) make our protocol more favorable than those reported in the literature. A discussion on the possible reaction mechanism is reported.