Total Synthesis of (±)-Phyllantidine: Development and Mechanistic Evaluation of a Ring Expansion for Installation of Embedded Nitrogen-Oxygen Bonds

The development of a concise total synthesis of (±)-phyllantidine ( 1 ), a member of the securinega family of alkaloids containing an unusual oxazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane core, is described. The synthesis employs a unique synthetic strategy featuring the ring expansion of a substituted cyclopentanone to a cyclic hydroxamic acid as a key step that allows facile installation of the embedded nitrogen-oxygen (N−O) bond. The optimization of this sequence to effect the desired regiochemical outcome and its mechanistic underpinnings were assessed both computationally and experimentally. This synthetic approach also features an early-stage diastereoselective aldol reaction to assemble the substituted cyclopentanone, a mild reduction of an amide intermediate without N−O bond cleavage, and the rapid assembly of the butenolide found in ( 1 ) via use of the Bestmann ylide.     

Ruthenium–Porphyrin‐Catalyzed Diastereoselective Intramolecular Alkyl Carbene Insertion into CH Bonds of Alkyl Diazomethanes Generated In Situ from N‐Tosylhydrazones

With a ruthenium–porphyrin catalyst, alkyl diazomethanes generated in situ from N‐tosylhydrazones efficiently underwent intramolecular C(sp³)? H insertion of an alkyl carbene to give substituted tetrahydrofurans and pyrrolidines in up to 99 % yield and with up to 99:1 cis selectivity. The reaction displays good tolerance of many functionalities, and the procedure is simple without the need for slow addition with a syringe pump. From a synthetic point of view, the C? H insertion of N‐tosylhydrazones can be viewed as reductive coupling between a C?O bond and a C? H bond to form a new C? C bond, since N‐tosylhydrazones can be readily prepared from carbonyl compounds. This reaction was successfully applied in a concise synthesis of (±)‐pseudoheliotridane.     

Transition‐Metal‐Free Activation of Amides by N−C Bond Cleavage

The amide bond N?C activation represents a powerful strategy in organic synthesis to functionalize the historically inert amide linkage. This personal account highlights recent remarkable advances in transition‐metal‐free activation of amides by N?C bond cleavage, focusing on both (1) mechanistic aspects of ground‐state‐destabilization of the amide bond enabling formation of tetrahedral intermediates directly from amides with unprecedented selectivity, and (2) synthetic utility of the developed transformations. Direct nucleophilic addition to amides enables a myriad of powerful methods for the formation of C?C, C?N, C?O and C?S bonds, providing a straightforward and more synthetically useful alternative to acyl‐metals.     

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Intramolecular N‐N Coupling of Cyclopropyl O‐Acyl Ketoximes: Synthesis of Spiro‐fused Pyrazolin‐5‐ones

A convenient copper‐catalyzed approach has been developed for the synthesis of substituted spiro‐fused pyrazolin‐5‐ones from readily available cyclopropyl O‐acyl ketoximes via an intramolecular N? N bond formation reaction. These catalytic reactions proceed in excellent yields with a broad scope.     

Direct Synthesis of Benzofuro[2,3‐b]pyrroles through a Radical Addition/[3,3]‐Sigmatropic Rearrangement/Cyclization/Lactamization Cascade

A straightforward synthetic method for the construction of benzofuro[2,3‐b]pyrrol‐2‐ones by a novel domino reaction through a radical addition/[3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement/cyclization/lactamization cascade has been developed. The domino reaction of O‐phenyl‐conjugated oxime ether with an alkyl radical allows the construction of two heterocycles with three stereogenic centers as a result of the formation of two C?C bonds, a C?O bond, and a C?N bond in a single operation, leading to pyrrolidine‐fused dihydrobenzofurans, which are not easily accessible by existing synthetic methods. Furthermore, asymmetric synthesis of benzofuro[2,3‐b]pyrrol‐2‐one derivatives through a diastereoselective radical addition reaction to a chiral oxime ether was also developed.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed C−H Nitration of Indoles by Employing a Removable Directing Group

A mild and efficient C(sp²)?H nitration of 3‐substituted indoles, by using the economical and non‐toxic cobalt nitrate hexahydrate [Co(NO₃)₂ ? 6 H₂O] as a catalyst and tert‐butyl nitrite (TBN) as the nitro source, is reported. This approach provides a unique methodology involving a site‐selective C?N bond formation for preparation of C‐2 substituted nitro indoles. Utilization of the tBoc as the removable directing group enhances the synthetic utility of the method.     

Kristallstrukturen und spektroskopische Eigenschaften von 2λ3‐Phospha‐1, 3‐dionaten und 1, 3‐Dionaten des Calciums ‐ ein Vergleich am Beispiel der 1, 3‐Diphenyl‐ und 1, 3‐Di(tert‐butyl)‐Derivate

Crystal Structures and Spectroscopic Properties of 2λ³‐Phospha‐1, 3‐dionates and 1, 3‐Dionates of Calcium ‐ Comparative Studies on the 1, 3‐Diphenyl and 1, 3‐Di(tert‐butyl) Derivatives A hydrogen‐metal exchange between dibenzoylphosphane and calcium carbide in tetrahydrofuran (THF) followed by addition of the ligand 1, 3, 5‐trimethyl‐1, 3, 5‐triazinane (TMTA) furnishes the binuclear complex bis[(tmta‐N, N′, N″)calcium bis(dibenzoylphosphanide)] ( 1a ) co‐crystallizing with benzene. Similarly, reaction of bis(2, 2‐dimethylpropionyl)phosphane with bis(thf‐O)calcium bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] in 1, 2‐dimethoxyethane (DME) gives bis(dme‐O, O′)calcium bis[bis(2, 2‐dimethylpropionyl)phosphanide] ( 1b ) in high yield. The carbon analogues 1, 3‐diphenylpropane‐1, 3‐dione (dibenzoylmethane) or 2, 2, 6, 6‐tetramethylheptane‐3, 5‐dione (dipivaloylmethane) and bis(thf‐O)calcium bis[tris(trimethylsilylmethyl)zincate] in DME afford bis(dme‐O, O′)calcium bis(dibenzoylmethanide) ( 2a ) and the binuclear complex (μ‐dme‐O, O′)bis[(dme‐O, O′)calcium bis(dipivaloylmethanide)] ( 2b ), respectively. Dialkylzinc formed during the metalation reaction shows no reactivity towards the 1, 3‐dionates 2a and 2b . Finally, from the reaction of the unsymmetrically substituted ligand 2‐(methoxycarbonyl)cyclopentanone and bis(thf‐O)calcium bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] in toluene, the trinuclear complex 3 is obtained, co‐crystallizing with THF. The β‐ketoester anion bridges solely via the cyclopentanone unit.     

8‐Aminoquinoline‐Assisted Synthesis and Crystal Structure Studies of Ferrocenyl Aryl Sulfones

A copper‐catalyzed 8‐aminoquinoline‐directed oxidative cross‐coupling of the C?H bond of ferrocene with sodium arylsulfinates has been achieved. The robust copper catalyst tolerates a range of methyl, tert‐butyl, bromo, chloro, iodo and nitro functional groups in the phenyl ring, and set the stage for the synthesis of substituted ferrocene sulfones. Furthermore, X‐ray crystal structure study on several ferrocenyl sulfones reveals the tetrahedral geometry around sulfur; interestingly, the O‐S‐O angle is larger than the electropositive substituent C‐S‐C angle which could be explained by Bent's rule. Further, unusual intramolecular O(S)???N(amide) short contacts (2.925–3) and O(S)???C=O were also noticed in ferrocenyl sulfones.     

Rhodium(III)/Copper(II)‐Promoted trans‐Selective Heteroaryl Acyloxylation of Alkynes: Stereodefined Access to trans‐Enol Esters

Enol esters are versatile synthetic building blocks which can be elaborated by a wide variety of transformations. The classical synthesis by O‐selective enolate acylation often hampers control of the E/Z selectivity with highly substituted substrates. A rhodium(III)/copper(II)‐mediated process is reported to provide tetrasubstituted enol esters in a trans‐selective fashion. Overall, the reaction consists of a heteroaryl acyloxylation of alkynes. The process is initiated by a rhodium(III)‐catalyzed C2‐selective activation of electron‐rich heteroarenes, such as benzofuran, furan, and thiophene. Upon addition across an alkyne, a transmetalation to copper(II) enables reductive C? O bond formation. The transformation allows the three‐component couplings of heteroarenes, alkynes, and carboxylic acids. Application of the method in the functionalization of bioactive furocoumarin natural products is also described.     

Theory of the Formation and Decomposition of N‐Heterocyclic Aminooxycarbenes through Metal‐Assisted [2+3]‐Dipolar Cycloaddition/Retro‐Cycloaddition

The theoretical background of the formation of N‐heterocyclic oxadiazoline carbenes through a metal‐assisted [2+3]‐dipolar cycloaddition (CA) reaction of nitrones R¹CH?N(R²)O to isocyanides C?NR and the decomposition of these carbenes to imines R¹CH?NR² and isocyanates O?C?NR is discussed. Furthermore, the reaction mechanisms and factors that govern these processes are analyzed in detail. In the absence of a metal, oxadiazoline carbenes should not be accessible due to the high activation energy of their formation and their low thermodynamic stability. The most efficient promotors that could assist the synthesis of these species should be “carbenophilic” metals that form a strong bond with the oxadiazoline heterocycle, but without significant involvement of π‐back donation, namely, Au^I, Au^III, Pt^II, Pt^IV, Re^V, and Pd^II metal centers. These metals, on the one hand, significantly facilitate the coupling of nitrones with isocyanides and, on the other hand, stabilize the derived carbene heterocycles toward decomposition. The energy of the LUMO_CNR and the charge on the N atom of the C?N group are principal factors that control the cycloaddition of nitrones to isocyanides. The alkyl‐substituted nitrones and isocyanides are predicted to be more active in the CA reaction than the aryl‐substituted species, and the N,N,C‐alkyloxadiazolines are more stable toward decomposition relative to the aryl derivatives.     

Synthesis and Anti‐HIV‐1 Evaluation of New Sonogashira‐Modified Emivirine (MKC‐442) Analogues

The MKC‐442 analogue 6‐(3,5‐dimethylbenzyl)‐5‐ethyluracil substituted with a (propargyloxo)methyl group at N(1) has previously been found highly active against HIV‐1. The C?C bond in the substituent at N(1) is here utilized in a series of chemical reactions in order to develop new agents with higher activity against HIV‐1‐resistant mutants. The syntheses involved Pd‐catalyzed C,C‐coupling reactions, addition of disulfides, and click chemistry on the terminal C?C bond as well as addition of bromine to the so formed internal C?C bonds. Sonogashira coupling were performed with silyl‐derivatized iodobenzyl alcohols which, after deprotection, were oxidized to aldehydes by means of IBX. The isomeric alcohol 37 was obtained in the Sonogashira reaction of propargyl alcohol with the N(1)‐substituted (4‐iodobenzyloxy)methyl derivative of the above mentioned uracil. Compound 37 turned out to be the most effective compound against problematic HIV‐1 mutants. The general observation in the present work is that a combination of alkyne and aryl in the substituent at N(1) leads to highly active compounds against HIV‐1.     

Two trans‐4‐aminoazoxybenzenes

Two isomeric trans‐4‐amino­azoxy­benzenes, trans‐1‐(4‐amino­phenyl)‐2‐phenyl­diazene 2‐oxide (α, C₁₂H₁₁N₃O) and trans‐2‐(4‐amino­phenyl)‐1‐phenyl­diazene 2‐oxide (β, C₁₂H₁₁N₃O), have been characterized by X‐ray diffraction. The α isomer is almost planar, having torsion angles along the C_aryl—N bonds of only 4.9 (2) and 8.0 (2)°. The relatively short C_aryl—N bond to the non‐oxidized site of the azoxy group [1.401 (2) Å], together with the significant quinoid deformation of the respective phenyl ring, is evidence of conjugation between the aromatic sextet and the π‐electron system of the azoxy group. The geometry of the β isomer is different. The non‐substituted phenyl ring is twisted with respect to the NNO plane by ca 50°, whereas the substituted ring is almost coplanar with the NNO plane. The non‐oxidized N atom in the β isomer has increased sp³ character, which leads to a decrease in the N—N—C bond angle to 116.8 (2)°, in contrast with 120.9 (1)° for the α isomer. The deformation of the C—C—C angles (1–2°) in the phenyl rings at the substitution positions is evidence of the different character of the oxidized and non‐oxidized N atoms of the azoxy group. In the crystal structures, mol­ecules of both isomers are arranged in chains connected by weak N—H?O (α and β) and N—H?N (β) hydrogen bonds.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Highly Substituted Polyheteroaromatic Compounds by Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Multiple CH Activation and Annulation

A new method for the synthesis of highly substituted naphthyridine‐based polyheteroaromatic compounds in high yields proceeds through rhodium(III)‐catalyzed multiple C? H bond cleavage and C? C and C? N bond formation in a one‐pot process. Such highly substituted polyheteroaromatic compounds have attracted much attention because of their unique π‐conjugation, which make them suitable materials for organic semiconductors and luminescent materials. Furthermore, a possible mechanism, which involves multiple chelation‐assisted ortho C? H activation, alkyne insertion, and reductive elimination, is proposed for this transformation.     

Hydro­gen‐bonded adducts of ferrocene‐1,1′‐diyl­bis­(di­phenyl­methanol): a finite cyclic 1:1 adduct with 2,2′‐dipyridyl­amine

In ferrocene‐1,1′‐diyl­bis­(di­phenyl­methanol)–2,2′‐dipyridyl­amine (1/1), [Fe(C₁₈H₁₅O)₂]·C₁₀H₉N₃, (I), there is an intramolecular O—H?O hydrogen bond [H?O 2.03 Å, O?O 2.775 (2) Å and O—H?O 147°] in the ferrocenediol component, and the two neutral molecular components are linked by one O—H?N hydrogen bond [H?N 1.96 Å, O?N 2.755 (2) Å and O—H?N, 157°] and one N—H?O hydrogen bond [H?O 2.26 Å, N?O 3.112 (2) Å and N—H?O 164°] forming a cyclic R(8) motif. One of the pyridyl N atoms plays no part in the intermolecular hydrogen bonding, but participates in a short intramolecular C—H?N contact [H?N 2.31 Å, C?N 2.922 (2) Å and C—H?N 122°].     

4‐Chloro­aceto­phenone [1‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)­ethyl­idene]­hydra­zone

The crystal structure of the title mixed azine, C₁₇H₁₇ClN₂O, contains four independent mol­ecules, A–D, and mol­ecule B is disordered. All four mol­ecules have an N—N gauche conformation, with C—N—N—C torsion angles of 136.5 (4), 137.0 (4), ?134.7 (4) and ?134.7 (4)°, respectively. The phenyl rings are also somewhat twisted with respect to the plane defined by C_ipso and the imine bond. On average, the combined effect of these twists results in an angle of 64.7° between the best planes of the two phenyl rings. Arene–arene double T‐contacts are the dominant intermolecular inter­action. The methoxy‐substituted phenyl ring of one azine mol­ecule interacts to form a T‐contact with the methoxy‐substituted phenyl ring of an adjacent mol­ecule and, similarly, two chloro‐substituted phenyl rings of neighboring mol­ecules interact to form another T‐contact. The only exception is for mol­ecule B, for which the disorder leads to the formation of T‐­contacts between methoxy‐ and chloro‐substituted phenyl rings. The prevailing structural motif of T‐contact formation between like‐substituted arene rings results in a highly dipole‐parallel‐aligned crystal structure.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization Reaction of 2‐Haloaryltriazenes and Sodium Azide: Selective Synthesis of 2 H‐Benzotriazoles in Water

A new approach to the synthesis of 2 H‐benzotriazoles is described. This strategy is based on the copper‐catalyzed C?N coupling of 2‐haloaryltriazenes or 2‐haloazo compounds with sodium azide and the intramolecular addition of nitrene to N?N bonds. This approach allows the synthesis of various N‐amino‐ and N‐aryl‐2 H‐benzotriazoles in water, in good to excellent yields. The procedure is simple and the starting materials and catalyst are easily available, offering a practical and convenient synthetic route to 2‐substituted benzotriazoles.     

GIAO,DFT, AIM and NBO analysis of the N?H···O intramolecular hydrogen‐bond influence on the 1J(N,H) coupling constant in push–pull diaminoenones

In the series of diaminoenones, large high‐frequency shifts of the ¹H NMR of the N? H group in the cis‐position relative to the carbonyl group suggests strong N? H···O intramolecular hydrogen bonding comprising a six‐membered chelate ring. The N? H···O hydrogen bond causes an increase of the ¹J(N,H) coupling constant by 2–4 Hz and high‐frequency shift of the ¹⁵N signal by 9–10 ppm despite of the lengthening of the relevant N? H bond. These experimental trends are substantiated by gauge‐independent atomic orbital and density functional theory calculations of the shielding and coupling constants in the 3,3‐bis(isopropylamino)‐1‐(aryl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one (12) for conformations with the Z‐ and E‐orientations of the carbonyl group relative to the N? H group. The effects of the N? H···O hydrogen‐bond on the NMR parameters are analyzed with the atoms‐in‐molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) methods. The AIM method indicates a weakening of the N? H···O hydrogen bond as compared with that of 1,1‐di(pyrrol‐2‐yl)‐2‐formylethene (13) where N? H···O hydrogen bridge establishes a seven‐membered chelate ring, and the corresponding ¹J(N,H) coupling constant decreases. The NBO method reveals that the LP(O) →σ*_{N? H} hyperconjugative interaction is weakened on going from the six‐membered chelate ring to the seven‐membered one due to a more bent hydrogen bond in the former case. A dominating effect of the N? H bond rehybridization, owing to an electrostatic term in the hydrogen bonding, seems to provide an increase of the ¹J(N,H) value as a consequence of the N? H···O hydrogen bonding in the studied diaminoenones. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

4,5‐Di­hydro‐3‐methyl‐5‐(4‐methyl­phenyl)‐1H‐pyrazole‐1‐carbox­amide

The reaction between 4‐(4‐methyl­phenyl)­but‐3‐en‐2‐one and amino­guanidine produced an unexpected product of formula C₁₂H₁₅N₃O, consisting of a carbox­amide moiety joined to a substituted pyrazoline ring at one of the N atoms. The pyrazoline ring adopts a flat‐envelope conformation and the substituted phenyl ring is oriented almost perpendicular to the heterocycle. The carbonyl O atom has partial anionic character as a result of the transfer of π density from the two adjacent sp² N atoms and is involved in an intermolecular hydrogen bond with the amide group.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed CC and CO Coupling of Quinoline N‐Oxides with Alkynes: Combination of CH Activation with O‐Atom Transfer

[Cp*Rh^III]‐catalyzed C? H activation of arenes assisted by an oxidizing N? O or N? N directing group has allowed the construction of a number of hetercycles. In contrast, a polar N? O bond is well‐known to undergo O‐atom transfer (OAT) to alkynes. Despite the liability of N? O bonds in both C? H activation and OAT, these two important areas evolved separately. In this report, [Cp*Rh^III] catalysts integrate both areas in an efficient redox‐neutral coupling of quinoline N‐oxides with alkynes to afford α‐(8‐quinolyl)acetophenones. In this process the N? O bond acts as both a directing group for C? H activation and as an O‐atom donor.     

Glycosidic linkage,N‐acetyl side‐chain,and other structural properties of methyl 2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐β‐d‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐d‐mannopyranoside monohydrate and related compounds

The crystal structure of methyl 2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐β‐d ‐glycopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐d ‐mannopyranoside monohydrate, C₁₅H₂₇NO₁₁·H₂O, was determined and its structural properties compared to those in a set of mono‐ and disaccharides bearing N‐acetyl side‐chains in βGlcNAc aldohexopyranosyl rings. Valence bond angles and torsion angles in these side chains are relatively uniform, but C—N (amide) and C—O (carbonyl) bond lengths depend on the state of hydrogen bonding to the carbonyl O atom and N—H hydrogen. Relative to N‐acetyl side chains devoid of hydrogen bonding, those in which the carbonyl O atom serves as a hydrogen‐bond acceptor display elongated C—O and shortened C—N bonds. This behavior is reproduced by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, indicating that the relative contributions of amide resonance forms to experimental C—N and C—O bond lengths depend on the solvation state, leading to expectations that activation barriers to amide cis–trans isomerization will depend on the polarity of the environment. DFT calculations also revealed useful predictive information on the dependencies of inter‐residue hydrogen bonding and some bond angles in or proximal to β‐(1→4) O‐glycosidic linkages on linkage torsion angles ? and ψ. Hypersurfaces correlating ? and ψ with the linkage C—O—C bond angle and total energy are sufficiently similar to render the former a proxy of the latter.