A Highly cis‐Selective and Enantioselective Metal‐Free Hydrogenation of 2,3‐Disubstituted Quinoxalines

A wide range of 2,3‐disubstituted quinoxalines have been successfully hydrogenated with H₂ using borane catalysts to produce the desired tetrahydroquinoxalines in 80–99 % yields with excellent cis selectivity. Significantly, the asymmetric reaction employing chiral borane catalysts generated by the in situ hydroboration of chiral dienes with HB(C₆F₅)₂ under mild reaction conditions has also been achieved with up to 96 % ee, and represents the first catalytic asymmetric system to furnish optically active cis‐2,3‐disubstituted 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoxalines.     

Stereocomplementary Synthesis of cis‐ and trans‐2‐(p‐Bromophenyl)‐5‐methylthiazolidin‐4‐ones: Useful Umpolung‐type Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐coupling Partner and Donor

Novel cis‐ and trans‐2‐(p‐bromophenyl)‐5‐methylthiazolidin‐4‐ones, S,N‐containing heterocyclic compounds, were provided in a cis‐stereocomplementary and trans‐stereocomplementary synthetic manner. cis‐Selective cyclo‐condensation proceeded between 2‐sulfanylpropanoic acid (thiolactic acid) and an imine derived from 4‐bromobenzaldehyde and methylamine, whereas Ti(OiPr)₄ and Ti(OiBu)₄‐promoted trans‐selective cyclo‐condensation proceeded between benzyl 2‐sulfanylpropanoate and the imine. The obtained cis‐ and trans ‐ 2‐(p‐bromophenyl)‐5‐methylthiazolidin‐4‐ones were successfully converted to 2‐(3‐furyl)phenyl derivatives and bis(pinacolato)diborane derivatives utilizing Suzuki–Miyaura and Miyaura–Ishiyama cross‐coupling reactions, respectively, in an umpolung manner.     

Synthesis of 2‐Substituted 3‐Alkylidene‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐isoindol‐1‐imines through Cyclization of [1‐(2‐Cyanophenyl)alkylidene]aminide Intermediates Generated from the Reaction of 2‐(1‐Azidoalkyl)benzonitriles with NaH

A convenient sequence for the preparation of 3‐alkylidene‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐isoindol‐1‐imine derivatives 6 has been developed. Thus, 2‐(1‐azidoalkyl)benzonitriles 2 , readily accessible from 2‐alkylbenzonitriles, are allowed to react with NaH in DMF at 0° to room temperature to generate [1‐(2‐cyanophenyl)alkylidene]aminide intermediates 3 , of which cyclization and the subsequent rearrangement, followed by alkylation with alkyl halides, affords 2‐substituted 1‐alkylidene‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐isoindol‐2‐imines 6 in generally moderate yields.     

“Reduced” Coumarin Dyes with an O‐Phosphorylated 2,2‐Dimethyl‐4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline Fragment: Synthesis,Spectra, and STED Microscopy

Large Stokes‐shift coumarin dyes with an O‐phosphorylated 4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline fragment emitting in the blue, green, and red regions of the visible spectrum were synthesized. For this purpose, N‐substituted and O‐protected 1,2‐dihydro‐7‐hydroxy‐2,2,4‐trimethylquinoline was oxidized with SeO₂ to the corresponding α,β‐unsaturated aldehyde and then reduced with NaBH₄ in a “one‐pot” fashion to yield N‐substituted and 7‐O‐protected 4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐7‐hydroxy‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline as a common precursor to all the coumarin dyes reported here. The photophysical properties of the new dyes (“reduced coumarins”) and 1,2‐dihydroquinoline analogues (formal precursors) with a trisubstituted C=C bond were compared. The “reduced coumarins” were found to be more photoresistant and brighter than their 1,2‐dihydroquinoline counterparts. Free carboxylate analogues, as well as their antibody conjugates (obtained from N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl esters) were also prepared. All studied conjugates with secondary antibodies afforded high specificity and were suitable for fluorescence microscopy. The red‐emitting coumarin dye bearing a betaine fragment at the C‐3‐position showed excellent performance in stimulation emission depletion (STED) microscopy.     

Efficient Synthesis of 2‐(2‐Aminophenyl)‐2,3‐dihydropyridin‐4(1H)‐ones Based on a Cyclization/Ring Cleavage Procedure

(Benzyloxycarbonyl)‐protected 3,4‐benzo‐7‐hydroxy‐2,9‐diazabicyclo[3.3.1]non‐7‐enes were prepared by one‐pot cyclizations of 1,3‐bis(silyl enol ethers) with quinazolines. Subsequent hydrogenation resulted in one‐pot deprotection and rearrangement to give 2‐(2‐aminophenyl)‐2,3‐dihydropyridin‐4(1H)‐ones.     

Reduction of 3‐Aminoquinoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones and Deamination of the Reaction Products

3‐Aminoquinoline‐2,4‐diones were stereoselectively reduced with NaBH₄ to give cis‐3‐amino‐3,4‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones. Using triphosgene (=bis(trichloromethyl) carbonate), these compounds were converted to 3,3a‐dihydrooxazolo[4,5‐c]quinoline‐2,4(5H,9bH)‐diones. The deamination of the reduction products using HNO₂ afforded mixtures of several compounds, from which 3‐alkyl/aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indol‐2‐ones and their 3‐hydroxy and 3‐nitro derivatives were isolated as the products of the molecular rearrangement.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of cis,cis‐Configured Perhydroquinoxaline‐5‐Carbonitrile from Cyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐ol

cis,cis‐Configured perhydroquinoxaline‐5‐carbonitrile 10 was synthesized stereoselectively by ditosylation of trans,cis‐2,3‐dihydroxycyclohexane‐1‐carbonitrile 4 and subsequent reaction with ethylenediamine. The diol precursor 4 was stereoselectively obtained by regioselective opening of the epoxide 3 with KCN in water avoiding hazardous Et₂AlCN.     

Preparation and structural analysis of (±)‐cis‐ethyl 2‐sulfanylidenedecahydro‐1,6‐naphthyridine‐6‐carboxylate and (±)‐trans‐ethyl 2‐oxooctahydro‐1H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐c]pyridine‐5‐carboxylate

Bicycle ring closure on a mixture of (4aS,8aR)‐ and (4aR,8aS)‐ethyl 2‐oxodecahydro‐1,6‐naphthyridine‐6‐carboxylate, followed by conversion of the separated cis and trans isomers to the corresponding thioamide derivatives, gave (4aSR,8aRS)‐ethyl 2‐sulfanylidenedecahydro‐1,6‐naphthyridine‐6‐carboxylate, C₁₁H₁₈N₂O₂S. Structural analysis of this thioamide revealed a structure with two crystallographically independent conformers per asymmetric unit (Z′ = 2). The reciprocal bicycle ring closure on (3aRS,7aRS)‐ethyl 2‐oxooctahydro‐1H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐c]pyridine‐5‐carboxylate, C₁₀H₁₆N₂O₃, was also accomplished in good overall yield. Here the five‐membered ring is disordered over two positions, so that both enantiomers are represented in the asymmetric unit. The compounds act as key intermediates towards the synthesis of potential new polycyclic medicinal chemical structures.     

(±)‐2,3‐dialkyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline‐3‐carboxylic esters by a tandem reduction‐reductive amination reaction

A series of 2‐methyl‐2‐(2‐nitrobenzyl)‐substituted β‐keto ester derivatives has been subjected to reductive cyclization under hydrogenation conditions to assess the importance of the ester group position on the diastereoselectivity of the process. Hydrogenation over 5% palladium‐on‐carbon at 4 atmospheres pressure resulted in formation of (±)‐2,3‐dialkyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline‐3‐carboxylic esters with a preference for the product isomer having the C2 alkyl cis to the C3 ester. The product ratios were synthetically useful (6‐16:1), but less than that observed in cyclizations to prepare (±)‐2‐alkyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline‐4‐carboxylic esters. The reduced selectivity in the current reactions has been rationalized in terms of the greater conformational mobility around the ester bearing carbon, which decreases the ability of the ester to sterically influence the addition of hydrogen to the final imine intermediate.     

Stereocontrolled Organocatalytic Strategy for the Synthesis of Optically Active 2,3‐Disubstituted cis‐2,3‐Dihydrobenzofurans

An intramolecular, organocatalyzed Michael addition has been developed to obtain biologically important 2,3‐disubstituted cis‐2,3‐dihydrobenzofurans. By using mandelic acid salts of primary aminocatalysts, derived from cinchona alkaloids, the intramolecular cyclization reaction has been developed to proceed in high yield, with moderate to good diastereoselectivity, and up to 99 % ee. Based on the absolute configuration of the formed 2,3‐disubstituted‐cis‐2,3‐dihydrobenzofurans and by considering the observed substrate scope restrictions, a mechanistic rationalization has been presented.     

An Efficient Ugi‐Azide Four‐Component Approach for the Preparation of Novel 1‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐10‐chloro‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrazino[1,2‐a] Indoles

The synthesis of novel 1‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐10‐chloro‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrazino[1,2‐a] indole derivatives starting from the initially prepared 1‐(2‐bromoethyl)‐3‐chloro‐1H‐indole‐2‐carbaldehyde is described. A variety of likely biologically relevant pyrazino[1,2‐a] indole‐based 1,5‐disubstituted tetrazoles was obtained in moderate to high yields via an Ugi‐azide reaction. These reactions presumably proceed by the imine formation, intramolecular cyclization to iminium ion, and nucleophilic addition tandem reactions, respectively.     

Cocrystallization of two tautomers: 4‐(1‐{[4‐(dimethylamino)benzylidene]hydrazono}ethyl)benzene‐1,3‐diol and 6‐[(E)‐1‐{[4‐(dimethylamino)benzylidene]hydrazino}ethylidene]‐3‐hydroxycyclohexa‐2,4‐dien‐1‐one (1/1)

Two different tautomeric forms of a new Schiff base, C₁₇H₁₉N₃O₂·C₁₇H₁₉N₃O₂, are present in the crystal in a 1:1 ratio, namely the enol–imine form 4‐(1‐{[4‐(dimethylamino)benzylidene]hydrazono}ethyl)benzene‐1,3‐diol and the keto–amine form 6‐[(E)‐1‐{[4‐(dimethylamino)benzylidene]hydrazino}ethylidene]‐3‐hydroxycyclohexa‐2,4‐dien‐1‐one. The tautomers are formed by proton transfer between the hydroxy O atom and the imine N atom and are hydrogen bonded to each other to form a one‐dimensional zigzag chain along the crystallographic b axis via intermolecular hydrogen bonds.     

New trans/cis tetrahydroisoquinolines. 2. trans‐ and cis‐3‐(1‐methyl‐1h‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)‐1‐(2H)‐oxo‐2‐phenethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquino‐lin‐4‐carboxylic acids and subsequent transformations

Stereochemical course of the reaction of homophthalic anhydride and N‐(1‐methyl‐1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl‐methylidene)‐phenethylamine was studied. Mixtures of the expected trans‐ and cis‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroiso‐quinoline‐4‐carboxylic acids trans‐ 4 and cis‐ 4 were obtained along with by‐products 5 and 6 . The ratios of all products and the diastereomers, obtained under different reaction conditions, were established by pmr. THF as a solvent and ultrasonic treatment are applied for the first time in the reaction of this type. The reaction was made diastereoselective towards any isomer. The carboxylic group of trans‐ 4 was transformed in four steps into various cyclic amino‐methyl groups yielding numerous new tetrahydroisoquinolinones trans‐ 10a‐i incorporating a given fragment of pharmacological interest. Reduction of 10a‐i was studied.     

Cyclization vs. Elimination Reactions of 5‐Aryl‐5‐hydroxy 1,3‐Diones: One‐Pot Synthesis of 2‐Aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐4H‐pyran‐4‐ones

2‐Aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐4H‐pyran‐4‐ones were prepared in one step by cyclocondensation of 1,3‐diketone dianions with aldehydes. The use of HCl (10%) for the aqueous workup proved to be very important to avoid elimination reactions of the 5‐aryl‐5‐hydroxy 1,3‐diones formed as intermediates. The TiCl₄‐mediated cyclization of a 2‐aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐4H‐pyran‐4‐one with 1,3‐silyloxybuta‐1,3‐diene resulted in cleavage of the pyranone moiety and formation of a highly functionalized benzene derivative.     

3‐Cyano‐6‐hydroxy‐4‐methyl‐2‐pyridone: two new pseudopolymorphs and two cocrystals with products of an in situ nucleophilic aromatic substitution

Four crystal structures of 3‐cyano‐6‐hydroxy‐4‐methyl‐2‐pyridone (CMP), viz. the dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate, C₇H₆N₂O₂·C₂H₆OS, (1), the N,N‐dimethylacetamide monosolvate, C₇H₆N₂O₂·C₄H₉NO, (2), a cocrystal with 2‐amino‐4‐dimethylamino‐6‐methylpyrimidine (as the salt 2‐amino‐4‐dimethylamino‐6‐methylpyrimidin‐1‐ium 5‐cyano‐4‐methyl‐6‐oxo‐1,6‐dihydropyridin‐2‐olate), C₇H₁₃N₄⁺·C₇H₅N₂O₂⁻, (3), and a cocrystal with N,N‐dimethylacetamide and 4,6‐diamino‐2‐dimethylamino‐1,3,5‐triazine [as the solvated salt 2,6‐diamino‐4‐dimethylamino‐1,3,5‐triazin‐1‐ium 5‐cyano‐4‐methyl‐6‐oxo‐1,6‐dihydropyridin‐2‐olate–N,N‐dimethylacetamide (1/1)], C₅H₁₁N₆⁺·C₇H₅N₂O₂⁻·C₄H₉NO, (4), are reported. Solvates (1) and (2) both contain the hydroxy group in a para position with respect to the cyano group of CMP, acting as a hydrogen‐bond donor and leading to rather similar packing motifs. In cocrystals (3) and (4), hydrolysis of the solvent molecules occurs and an in situ nucleophilic aromatic substitution of a Cl atom with a dimethylamino group has taken place. Within all four structures, an R₂²(8) N—H...O hydrogen‐bonding pattern is observed, connecting the CMP molecules, but the pattern differs depending on which O atom participates in the motif, either the ortho or para O atom with respect to the cyano group. Solvents and coformers are attached to these arrangements via single‐point O—H...O interactions in (1) and (2) or by additional R₄⁴(16) hydrogen‐bonding patterns in (3) and (4). Since the in situ nucleophilic aromatic substitution of the coformers occurs, the possible Watson–Crick C–G base‐pair‐like arrangement is inhibited, yet the cyano group of the CMP molecules participates in hydrogen bonds with their coformers, influencing the crystal packing to form chains.     

Synthesis of some oxazolyl ‐ pyrazolyl; 1,4‐Dihydropyridinyl‐pyrazolyl and 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro pyrimidinyl‐pyrazolyl coumarins

Various 3‐[1‐phenyl‐4‐(2‐substituted‐5‐oxo‐oxazol‐4‐ylidenemethyl) pyrazol‐3‐yl] coumarins 4a‐f ; 3‐[1‐phenyl‐4‐(2,6‐dimethyl‐3,5‐disubstituted‐1,4‐dihydropyridin‐4‐yl) pyrazol‐3‐yl] coumarins 5a‐f and 3‐[1‐phenyl‐4‐(6‐methyl‐5‐substituted‐2‐oxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidin‐4‐yl) pyrazol‐3‐yl] coumarins 6a‐f have been synthesized utilizing Erlenmyer‐Plochl reaction, Hantzsch reaction and Biginelli reaction respectively using 3‐(1‐phenyl‐4‐formyl‐pyrazol‐3‐yl) coumarins 3a‐c as a starting material.     

Skeletal Rearrangement in the ZnII‐Catalyzed [4+2]‐Annulation of Disubstituted N‐Hydroxy Allenylamines with Nitrosoarenes to Yield Substituted 1,2‐Oxazinan‐3‐one Derivatives

This work reports zinc‐catalyzed [4+2]‐annulation reactions of disubstituted N‐hydroxy allenylamines with nitrosoarenes to afford substituted 1,2‐oxazinan‐3‐ones with a skeletal rearrangement. This annulation is applicable to a reasonable scope of allenylamines and nitrosoarenes. Our control experiments indicate that nitrosobenzene can also implement this annulation through a radical annulation path, but with poor efficiency. Zn(OTf)₂ or AgOTf greatly improves the efficiency of this [4+2]‐annulation; the effect of these metal species is discussed in detail.     

New Studies on [2+3] Cycloadditions of Thermally Generated N‐Isopropyl‐ and N‐(4‐Methoxyphenyl)‐Substituted Azomethine Ylides

The thermal reaction of 1‐substituted 2,3‐diphenylaziridines 2 with thiobenzophenone ( 6a ) and 9H‐fluorene‐9‐thione ( 6b ) led to the corresponding 1,3‐thiazolidines (Scheme 2). Whereas the cis‐disubstituted aziridines and 6a yielded only trans‐2,4,5,5‐tetraphenyl‐1,3‐thiazolidines of type 7 , the analogous reaction with 6b gave a mixture of trans‐ and cis‐2,4‐diphenyl‐1,3‐thiazolidines 7 and 8 . During chromatography on SiO₂, the trans‐configured spiro[9H‐fluorene‐9,5′‐[1,3]thiazolidines] 7c and 7d isomerized to the cis‐isomers. The substituent at N(1) of the aziridine influences the reaction rate significantly, i.e., the more sterically demanding the substituent the slower the reaction. The reaction of cis‐2,3‐diphenylaziridines 2 with dimethyl azodicarboxylate ( 9 ) and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate ( 11 ) gave the trans‐cycloadducts 10 and 12 , respectively (Schemes 3 and 4). In the latter case, a partial dehydrogenation led to the corresponding pyrroles. Two stereoisomeric cycloadducts, 15 and 16 , with a trans‐relationship of the Ph groups were obtained from the reaction with dimethyl fumarate ( 14 ; Scheme 5); with dimethyl maleate ( 17 ), the expected cycloadduct 18 together with the 2,3‐dihydropyrrole 19 was obtained (Scheme 6). The structures of the cycloadducts 7b, 8a, 15b , and 16b were established by X‐ray crystallography.     

Massive Steric Hindrance in Two ‘Thiocarbonyl Ylides': Cycloadditions with Tetra‐Acceptor‐Substituted Ethylenes via Zwitterionic Intermediates

The switch from a concerted to a two‐step pathway of 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions was recently established for the reactions of sterically hindered ‘thiocarbonyl ylides' with acceptor ethylenes. This mechanism via zwitterionic intermediates is studied here for 1,3‐dipoles 5A and 5B , which are derived from 2,2,5,5‐tetramethylcyclopentanethione and 1,1,3,3‐tetramethylindan‐2‐thione, respectively, and contain a highly screened reaction center. In the reactions of 8A and 8B (the precursors of 5A and 5B ) with dimethyl 2,3‐dicyanofumarate ( 15 ) and 2,3‐dicyanomaleate ( 16 ), virtually identical ratios of cis‐ and trans‐thiolanes were observed ( 17 / 18 93 : 7 for 5a and 94 : 6 for 5B ). Thus, full equilibration of rotameric zwitterions precedes cyclization; an anteceding disturbing isomerization 15 ⇌ 16 had to be circumvented. The cis,trans assignment of the cycloadducts rests on three X‐ray analyses. The kinetically favored cis‐thiolanes 17 isomerize at >80° to 18 (trans), and irreversible cleavage leads to thione 7 and trans,cis isomeric dimethyl 1,2‐dicyanocyclopropane‐1,2‐dicarboxylates ( 27 and 28 , resp.). Furthermore, the zwitterionic intermediates equilibrate with the cyclic seven‐membered ketene imine 21 , which was intercepted under conditions where the solvent contained 2 vol‐% of H₂O or MeOH. Lactams 22 were obtained with H₂O in high yields, and the primary products of capturing by MeOH were the cyclic ketene O,N‐acetals 23 , which subsequently tautomerized to the lactim methyl ethers 24 . When 5B was reacted with ethenetetracarbonitrile in CDCl₃/MeOH (98 : 2 vol‐%), the analogous cyclic ketene imine 13B was trapped to the extent of 93%.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 1,6,8‐Dienyne Carbonates and Esters to cis‐Cyclohepta‐4,8‐diene‐Fused Pyrrolidines

A synthetic approach that provides access to cis‐cyclohepta‐4,8‐diene‐fused pyrrolidines efficiently through Au^I‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,6,8‐dienyne carbonates and esters at a low catalyst loading of 2 mol % is reported. Starting carbonates and esters with a pendant alkyl group on the terminal alkenyl carbon center were found to favor tandem 1,2‐acyloxy migration/cyclopropanation followed by Cope rearrangement of the resulting cis‐3‐azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane intermediate. On the other hand, substrates containing a terminal diene or starting materials in which the distal alkene moiety bears a phenyl substituent were observed to undergo competitive but reversible 1,3‐acyloxy migration prior to the nitrogen‐containing bicyclic ring formation. The delineated reaction mechanism also provides experimental evidence for the reversible interconversion between the oft‐proposed organogold intermediates obtained in this step of the tandem process.