Boron trichloride as an efficient and selective agent for deprotection of tert-butyl aryl sulfonamides

A fast, mild and selective method for deprotection of tert-butyl aryl sulfonamides utilizing BCl₃ as deprotection reagent has been developed. A variety of tert-butyl aryl sulfonamides used under these conditions gave the corresponding primary sulfonamides in high yields. The method does not cleave methoxy groups and prevents incorporation of tert-butyl groups onto electron-rich aromatic rings.     

(S)-Mandelic acid enolate as a chiral benzoyl anion equivalent for the enantioselective synthesis of non-symmetrically substituted benzoins

A strategy for the enantioselective synthesis of non-symmetrically substituted benzoins from (S)-mandelic acid and aromatic aldehydes has been developed. This strategy is based on a diastereoselective aldol reaction of the lithium enolate of the 1,3-dioxolan-4-one derived from (S)-mandelic acid and pivalaldehyde with aromatic aldehydes, which gives the corresponding aldols in good yields. Subsequent hydroxyl group protection as MEM ethers, basic hydrolysis of the dioxolanone ring, oxidative decarboxylation of the α-hydroxy acid moiety, and hydroxyl group deprotection provides chiral non-symmetrically substituted benzoins with high enantiomeric excesses.     

Microwave-assisted multicomponent reaction of aryl amidines: regiospecific synthesis of new polysubstituted thiopyrano-, and pyrano[4,3-d]pyrimidines

A series of new functionalized thiopyrano-, pyrano[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives with benzyl group residing in 8-position of fused pyrimidine nucleus were synthesized through multicomponent reactions of aromatic aldehydes, tetrahydrothiopyran-4-one(tetrahydropyran-4-one), and aryl amidines using t-BuOK as a base under microwave heating. The procedure is facile, avoiding time-consuming and costly syntheses, tedious work-up, and purifications of precursors as well as protection/deprotection of functional groups. This method is very efficient due to short reaction times and easy work up and provides a four-component strategy for the construction of the thiopyrano-, and pyrano[4,3-d] pyrimidine skeletons.     

Synthesis of biphenylamines via Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions

A small library of meta- and para-biphenylamines substituted by various alkyl, alkoxy, phenoxy, or halogeno groups on their aromatic rings was synthesized via Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling between bromoanilines and arylboronic acids using palladium catalysts. The experimental conditions were carefully adjusted to accommodate a wide range of substituents, in terms of electron-withdrawing or -donating ability and steric bulk. In some cases, protection and deprotection of the amine function via its trifluoroacetamide were added to the reaction sequence in order to facilitate the cross-coupling step.     

Catalyst-free water-mediated N-Boc deprotection

A catalyst-free water-mediated N-Boc deprotection of N-Boc-amines is reported. In the absence of any additional reagents, the free amines were formed from a variety of aromatic and aliphatic N-Boc-amines as well as from some N-Boc-amino acid derivatives.     

Iron(III) tosylate-catalyzed deprotection of aromatic acetals in water

The deprotection of aromatic as well as conjugated acetals and ketals in water is catalyzed by iron(III) tosylate (1.0-5.0 mol %). Iron(III) tosylate is an inexpensive and readily available catalyst. The use of water, the most environmentally benign solvent, makes this procedure especially attractive for acetal deprotection.     

A facile synthesis of fused aromatic spiroacetals based on the 3,4,3′,4′-tetrahydro-2,2′-spirobis(2H-1-benzopyran) skeleton

The facile synthesis of a series of aromatic 6,6-spiroacetals based on the parent 3,4,3′,4′-tetrahydro-2,2′-spirobis(2H-1-benzopyran) heterocyclic system is reported. Key steps included the use of a Sonogashira coupling for the synthesis of an aryl acetylene that was coupled to an aryl aldehyde to form a propargyl alcohol intermediate. Hydrogenation of the alkynol followed by oxidation produced a masked dihydroxy ketone that upon treatment with trimethylsilyl bromide underwent deprotection and cyclisation to the fused aromatic spiroacetal.     

Chemoselective deprotection of N-Boc group in amino acids and peptides by bismuth(III) trichloride

Selective deprotection of N-Boc group was achieved in excellent yields using bismuth(III) trichloride in a mixed solvent of acetonitrile and water (50:1, v/v) at 55 °C. Acid-labile groups such as Pmc and tert-butyl ester were not affected and no alkylation of tryptophan, methionine, and cysteine residues was observed under the deprotection conditions.     

A catalytic method for chemoselective detritylation of 5′-tritylated nucleosides under mild and heterogeneous conditions using silica sulfuric acid as a recyclable catalyst

A rapid, mild and highly efficient procedure for the chemoselective deprotection of triphenylmethyl (trityl, Tr), p-anisyldiphenylmethyl (monomethoxytrityl, MMT) and di-(p-anisyl)phenylmethyl (dimethoxytrityl, DMT) groups from nucleoside trityl ethers has been established. The deprotection was achieved at room temperature, using a catalytic amount of silica sulfuric acid (SSA) in acetonitrile. The trityl nucleosides were deprotected in 2-17 min without any depurination. These conditions are compatible with other acid sensitive hydroxyl protecting groups such as p-methoxybenzyl (PMB), isopropylidene, cyclohexylidene, di-(p-anisyl)methylidene, triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) and t-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS).     

Synthesis of N′-substituted Ddz-protected hydrazines and their application in solid phase synthesis of aza-peptides

Hydrazine derivatives are of considerable scientific and industrial value. Substituted hydrazines are precursors for many compounds of great interest and importance, among them aza-peptides. (Aza-peptides are peptide analogues in which one or more of the α-carbons, bearing the side chain residues, has been replaced by a nitrogen atom.) Aza-amino acid residues conserve the pharmacophores necessary for biological activity while inducing conformational changes and increased resistance to proteolytic degradation. These properties make aza-peptides attractive tools for structure-activity relationship studies and drug design. We describe the synthesis of N′-substituted 2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)propan-2-yloxycarbonyl (Ddz) protected hydrazines. A general approach for solid phase synthesis of aza-peptides has been developed based on the in-situ activation of the N-Ddz,N′-substituted hydrazines with phosgene, followed by introduction to the N-terminus of a resin-bound peptide. The Ddz-aza-amino building units include aliphatic, aromatic and functionalized side chains, protected for synthesis by the Fmoc strategy. Solid phase aza-peptide synthesis is demonstrated including selective mild deprotection of Ddz with Mg(ClO₄)₂ and coupling of the next amino acid with triphosgene. Ddz deprotection is orthogonal with the Fmoc and Boc protecting groups, making the solid phase Ddz-aza-peptide synthesis compatible with both the Fmoc and the Boc strategies. The Ddz-protected hydrazines have wide applications in the synthesis of substituted hydrazines and in the synthesis of aza containing peptidomimetics.     

Syntheses of polyfunctionalized resveratrol derivatives using Wittig and Heck protocols

Improved protocols for Wittig reaction and palladium-catalyzed Heck coupling give expedient access to a series of unprecedented polyfunctionalized artificial-resveratrol derivatives. In the modified Wittig protocol, trimethylsilyl was used as a highly valuable protective group of the phenolic functions of starting aromatic materials. A clean O-alkylation of hydroxylated stilbenes with ethylene carbonate was also conducted. Thus, Wittig reaction followed by hydroxyethylation take place one-pot with only carbon dioxide as waste. Additionally, a palladium-catalyzed Heck coupling strategy was developed by using ferrocenyl phosphane ligands, and multi-functionalized hydroxylated stilbenes were obtained without the need of any protection/deprotection sequence. Up to six functional groups are introduced by these procedures, which limit the number of reactions steps, the waste toxicity, and the use of costly reagents.     

Enantioselective synthesis of unsymmetrical benzoins from (S)-mandelic acid enolate and aromatic aldehydes

The reaction of the lithium enolate of the 1,3-dioxolan-4-one derived from optically active (S)-mandelic acid and pivalaldehyde with aromatic aldehydes proceeds readily to give the corresponding aldol products in good yields and diastereoselectivities. Subsequent hydroxyl protection, basic hydrolysis of the dioxolanone, oxidative decarboxylation of the α-hydroxyacid moiety, and hydroxyl deprotection provides chiral unsymmetrical benzoins with high enantiomeric excesses.     

Reductive removal of methoxyacetyl protective group using sodium borohydride

Herein, we have developed a mild and selective reductive deprotection method for the MAc protected alcohols using sodium borohydride. The new deprotection conditions provide a complete orthogonality between O-MAc and other protecting groups such as tert-butyl ester, N-Boc, Fmoc, Cbz, O-TBDMS, N-benzyl, O-benzyl, O-acetyl, N-acetyl, N-MAc, etc. In addition to O-MAc deprotection, this method is also applicable for S-MAc deprotection.     

Preparation of N3-thymidine–butylene–N3-thymidine interstrand cross-linked DNA via an orthogonal deprotection strategy

A DNA duplex containing an N3-thymidine–butylene–N3-thymidine interstrand cross-link (ICL) was prepared using an on-column orthogonal deprotection strategy to permit different nucleotide sequence composition around the cross-linked site. The conditions used to remove 5′-O-allyloxycarbonyl and 3′-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl protective groups for various on-column oligonucleotide intermediates did not affect the cross-linked lesion. Efficient removal of these groups enabled successful coupling of 2′-deoxyphosphoramidites to produce the desired duplex with a 31% yield after deprotection and purification.     

Synthesis of multifunctional nanogels using a protected macromonomer approach

Nanoparticles possessing multiple functionalities provide synthetic handles for varied surface chemistries, making them useful for a range of applications such as biotargeting and drug delivery. However, the combination of interfering functionalities on the same particle is often challenging. We have employed a synthetic scheme involving chemical protection/deprotection to combine interfering functional groups on the same hydrogel nanoparticle. The synthesis of amine-containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanogels was carried out via free radical precipitation polymerization by incorporating a Fmoc-protected amine poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) macromonomer. The Fmoc group was then removed to obtain free amines, which were shown to be available for conjugation. We further explored pNIPAm-co-acrylic acid nanogels with a protected amine-PEG, yielding zwitterionic particles. With careful attention to the order of the chemoligation and deprotection steps, these interfering functional groups can be forced to behave in a pseudo-orthogonal fashion, allowing for multiple chemoligation steps that employ both the amine and carboxylic acid groups.     

A facile method for the rapid and selective deprotection of methoxymethyl (MOM) ethers

We describe a rapid and efficient method for selective deprotection of methoxymethyl (MOM) ethers using ZnBr₂ and n-PrSH, which completely removed MOM from diverse MOM ethers of primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols or phenol derivatives. The deprotection takes less than ten minutes with both high yield and selectivity in the presence of other protecting groups. In addition, the rapid deprotection of MOM ethers of tertiary hydroxyls in high yield with no epimerization allows MOM to be a suitable protecting group for tertiary alcohols.     

The synthesis, deprotection and properties of poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)

Diethylamine, di-n-hexylamine, dicyclohexylamine and triethylamine have been used as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-l-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (BLG NCA) to synthesize poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG). The relationship between the molecular weight of PBLG and the molar ratio of monomer and initiator was studied. With dicyclohexylamine as initiator, the influence of monomer concentration, and reaction temperature and time on the polymerization of BLG NCA was examined. Three reagents were used for the deprotection of benzyl groups in PBLG, including hydrobromic acid/acetic acid (33 wt.%), NaOH aqueous solution and trimethylsilyl iodide (TMSI). Through examining the molecular weight of PLGA obtained using different deprotection methods, it was revealed that TMSI could minimize chain cleavage in the process of deprotection and retain the degree of polymerization. The biocompatibilities of PBLG obtained using different initiators were evaluated by a live/dead assay against L929 fibroblast cells. The in vitro cytotoxicities of PLGA obtained using different deprotecting agents were evaluated by a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The results revealed that both PBLG and PLGA exhibited good biocompatibilities.     

Synthetic approaches to new anthracyclines: 4,11-dideoxy-2-hydroxy-β-rhodomycinone and its glycosides

(±)-2-Acetoxy-4,11-dideoxy-10-oxo-β-rhodomycinone [(±)-6a] was synthesized from the tricyclic quinone (1) by a short efficient route in an overall yield of about 54%. Reaction of (±)-6a with protected daunosamine followed by reduction and deprotection provided the optically active α-glycosidated anthracycline (II) with the 7S,9R,10R-configuration. Furthermore, the amino and aromatic hydroxy groups of II were methylated.     

N-α-Benzyloxyacetyl derivatives of (S)-4-benzyl-5,5-dimethyloxazolidin-2-one for the asymmetric synthesis of differentially protected α,β-dihydroxyaldehydes

α-Dibenzylamino- and α-benzyloxy- derivatives of N-acetyl-(S)-4-benzyl-5,5-dimethyloxazolidin-2-one readily undergo highly stereoselective boron mediated syn-aldol reactions with a range of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, generating the syn-aldol products in good to excellent yields as single diastereoisomers after purification. In the α-dibenzylamino series, deprotection of the functionalised aldol fragments to the corresponding α-amino-β-hydroxy methyl ester or α-amino-β-hydroxyaldehyde proved problematic, with a range of N- and O-protecting groups giving mixtures of products arising from endocyclic and exocyclic cleavage pathways. However, in the α-benzyloxy series, O-silyl protection of the aldol products, and subsequent DIBAL reduction gives stereoselectively the corresponding N-1′-hydroxyalkyloxazolidin-2-ones, which undergo base promoted fragmentation to the desired highly functionalised and differentially protected α,β-dihydroxyaldehydes in good yields and without loss of stereochemical integrity.     

A Simple Synthesis Route for Selectively Methylated β-Cyclodextrin Using a Copper Complex Sandwich Protecting Strategy

This communication reports a novel synthesis route for the preparation of monofunctionalized β-cyclodextrin in a single stage. The approach involves only the in-situ protection of secondary hydroxyl groups as an excellent alternative to the classical procedure involving a series of five steps of protection and deprotection of hydroxyl groups (both primary and secondary ones) belonging to β-cyclodextrin.