Bridge-Clamp Bis(tetrazine)s with [N]8 π-Stacking Interactions and Azido-s-Aryl Tetrazines: Two Classes of Doubly Clickable Tetrazines

Click chemistry at a tetrazine core is useful for bioorthogonal labeling and crosslinking. Introduced here are two new classes of doubly clickable s-aryl tetrazines synthesized by Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling. Homocoupling of o-brominated s-aryl tetrazines leads to bis(tetrazine)s structurally characterized by tetrazine cores arranged face-to-face. [N]₈ π-stacking interactions are essential to the conformation. Upon inverse electron demand Diels–Alder (iEDDA) cycloaddition, the bis(tetrazine)s produce a unique staple structure. The o-azidation of s-aryl tetrazines introduces a second proximal intermolecular clickable function that leads to double click chemistry opportunities. The stepwise introduction of fluorophores and then iEDDA cycloaddition, including bioconjugation to antibodies, was achieved on this class of tetrazines. This method extends to (thio)etherification, phosphination, trifluoromethylation and the introduction of various bioactive nitrogen-based heterocycles.     

Metal‐Free Synthetic Approach to 3‐Monosubstituted Unsymmetrical 1,2,4,5‐Tetrazines Useful for Bioorthogonal Reactions

A facile, efficient and metal‐free synthetic approach to 3‐monosubstituted unsymmetrical 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines is presented. Dichloromethane (DCM) is for the first time recognized as a novel reagent in the synthetic chemistry of tetrazines. Using this novel approach 11 3‐aryl/alkyl 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines were prepared in excellent yields (up to 75 %). The mechanism of this new reaction, including the role of DCM in the tetrazine ring formation, has been investigated by ¹³C labeling of DCM, and is also presented and discussed as well as the photophysical and electrochemical properties.     

N‐Oxide 1,2,4,5‐Tetrazine‐Based High‐Performance Energetic Materials

One route to high density and high performance energetic materials based on 1,2,4,5‐tetrazine is the introduction of 2,4‐di‐N‐oxide functionalities. Based on several examples and through theoretical analysis, the strategy of regioselective introduction of these moieties into 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines has been developed. Using this methodology, various new tetrazine structures containing the N‐oxide functionality were synthesized and fully characterized using IR, NMR, and mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Hydrogen peroxide (50 %) was used very effectively in lieu of the usual 90 % peroxide in this system to generate N‐oxide tetrazine compounds successfully. Comparison of the experimental densities of N‐oxide 1,2,4,5‐tetrazine compounds with their 1,2,4,5‐tetrazine precursors shows that introducing the N‐oxide functionality is a highly effective and feasible method to enhance the density of these materials. The heats of formation for all compounds were calculated with Gaussian 03 (revision D.01) and these values were combined with measured densities to calculate detonation pressures (P) and velocities (ν_D) of these energetic materials (Explo 5.0 v. 6.01). The new oxygen‐containing tetrazines exhibit high density, good thermal stability, acceptable oxygen balance, positive heat of formation, and excellent detonation properties, which, in some cases, are superior to those of 1,3,5‐tritnitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5‐trinitrotriazacyclohexane (RDX), and octahydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine (HMX).     

Stable,Reactive, and Orthogonal Tetrazines: Dispersion Forces Promote the Cycloaddition with Isonitriles

The isocyano group is a structurally compact bioorthogonal functional group that reacts with tetrazines under physiological conditions. Now it is shown that bulky tetrazine substituents accelerate this cycloaddition. Computational studies suggest that dispersion forces between the isocyano group and the tetrazine substituents in the transition state contribute to the atypical structure–activity relationship. Stable asymmetric tetrazines that react with isonitriles at rate constants as high as 57 L mol^?1 s^?1 were accessible by combining bulky and electron‐withdrawing substituents. Sterically encumbered tetrazines react selectively with isonitriles in the presence of strained alkenes/alkynes, which allows for the orthogonal labeling of three proteins. The established principles will open new opportunities for developing tetrazine reactants with improved characteristics for diverse labeling and release applications with isonitriles.     

Stable,Reactive, and Orthogonal Tetrazines: Dispersion Forces Promote the Cycloaddition with Isonitriles

The isocyano group is a structurally compact bioorthogonal functional group that reacts with tetrazines under physiological conditions. Now it is shown that bulky tetrazine substituents accelerate this cycloaddition. Computational studies suggest that dispersion forces between the isocyano group and the tetrazine substituents in the transition state contribute to the atypical structure–activity relationship. Stable asymmetric tetrazines that react with isonitriles at rate constants as high as 57 L mol^?1 s^?1 were accessible by combining bulky and electron‐withdrawing substituents. Sterically encumbered tetrazines react selectively with isonitriles in the presence of strained alkenes/alkynes, which allows for the orthogonal labeling of three proteins. The established principles will open new opportunities for developing tetrazine reactants with improved characteristics for diverse labeling and release applications with isonitriles.     

In Situ Synthesis of Alkenyl Tetrazines for Highly Fluorogenic Bioorthogonal Live‐Cell Imaging Probes

In spite of the wide application potential of 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines, particularly in live‐cell and in vivo imaging, a major limitation has been the lack of practical synthetic methods. Here we report the in situ synthesis of (E)‐3‐substituted 6‐alkenyl‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine derivatives through an elimination–Heck cascade reaction. By using this strategy, we provide 24 examples of π‐conjugated tetrazine derivatives that can be conveniently prepared from tetrazine building blocks and related halides. These include tetrazine analogs of biological small molecules, highly conjugated buta‐1,3‐diene‐substituted tetrazines, and a diverse array of fluorescent probes suitable for live‐cell imaging. These highly conjugated probes show very strong fluorescence turn‐on (up to 400‐fold) when reacted with dienophiles such as cyclopropenes and trans‐cyclooctenes, and we demonstrate their application for live‐cell imaging. This work provides an efficient and practical synthetic methodology for tetrazine derivatives and will facilitate the application of conjugated tetrazines, particularly as fluorogenic probes for live‐cell imaging.     

Organocatalytic and Scalable Syntheses of Unsymmetrical 1,2,4,5‐Tetrazines by Thiol‐Containing Promotors

Despite the growing application of tetrazine bioorthogonal chemistry, it is still challenging to access tetrazines conveniently from easily available materials. Described here is the de novo formation of tetrazine from nitriles and hydrazine hydrate using a broad array of thiol‐containing catalysts, including peptides. Using this facile methodology, the syntheses of 14 unsymmetric tetrazines, containing a range of reactive functional groups, on the gram scale were achieved with satisfactory yields. Using tetrazine methylphosphonate as a building block, a highly efficient Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction was developed for further derivatization under mild reaction conditions. Tetrazine probes with diverse functions can be scalably produced in yields of 87–93 %. This methodology may facilitate the widespread application of tetrazine bioorthogonal chemistry.     

Divergent Synthesis of Monosubstituted and Unsymmetrical 3,6‐Disubstituted Tetrazines from Carboxylic Ester Precursors

Since tetrazines are important tools to the field of bioorthogonal chemistry, there is a need for new approaches to synthesize unsymmetrical and 3‐monosubstituted tetrazines. Described here is a general, one‐pot method for converting (3‐methyloxetan‐3‐yl)methyl carboxylic esters into 3‐thiomethyltetrazines. These versatile intermediates were applied to the synthesis of unsymmetrical tetrazines through Pd‐catalyzed cross‐coupling and in the first catalytic thioether reduction to access monosubstituted tetrazines. This method enables the development of new tetrazine compounds possessing a favorable combination of kinetics, small size, and hydrophilicity. It was applied to a broad range of aliphatic and aromatic ester precursors and to the synthesis of heterocycles including BODIPY fluorophores and biotin. In addition, a series of tetrazine probes for monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) were synthesized and the most reactive one was applied to the labeling of endogenous MAGL in live cells.     

Ortho‐Functionalized Aryltetrazines by Direct Palladium‐Catalyzed C−H Halogenation: Application to Fast Electrophilic Fluorination Reactions

A general catalyzed direct C?H functionalization of s‐tetrazines is reported. Under mild reaction conditions, N‐directed ortho‐C?H activation of tetrazines allows the introduction of various functional groups, thus forming carbon–heteroatom bonds: C?X (X=I, Br, Cl) and C?O. Based on this methodology, we developed electrophilic mono‐ and poly‐ortho‐fluorination of tetrazines. Microwave irradiation was optimized to afford fluorinated s‐aryltetrazines, with satisfactory selectivity, within only ten minutes. This work provides an efficient and practical entry for further accessing highly substituted tetrazine derivatives (iodo, bromo, chloro, fluoro, and acetate precursors). It gives access to ortho‐functionalized aryltetrazines which are difficult to obtain by classical Pinner‐like syntheses.     

Tandem Gold/Silver‐Catalyzed Cycloaddition/Hydroarylation of 7‐Aryl‐1,6‐enynes to Form 6,6‐Diarylbicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes

Mixtures of [{PCy₂(o‐biphenyl)}AuCl] and AgSbF₆ catalyze the tandem cycloaddition/hydroarylation of 7‐aryl‐1,6‐enynes with electron‐rich arenes to form 6,6‐diarylbicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes in good yield under mild conditions. Experimental observations point to a mechanism involving gold‐catalyzed cycloaddition followed by silver‐catalyzed hydroarylation of a bicyclo[3.2.0]hept‐1(7)‐ene intermediate.     

Stereoselectivity in the Diels‐Alder Cycloadditions of a Facially Dissymmetric Bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene‐Grafted Maleic Anhydride with Exocyclic Butadienes. Unexpected Facial Selectivity in the Cycloaddition with 2,3,5,6‐tetramethylidenebicyclo[2.2.2]octene

The Diels‐Alder cycloadditions of facially dissymmetric maleic anhydride 1 with facially nonequivalent exocyclic 1,3‐butadienes(dimethylidenebicyclo[2.2.2]octene 3 and 2,3,5,6‐tetramethylidenebicyclo[2.2.2]‐octene ( 4 )) were investigated. In each cycloaddition, the reaction occurred via the course in which 1 added exclusively by its syn‐face (same face as the etheno‐bridge) onto either π‐face of the exocyclic 1,3‐butadiene systems to produce only two of the four possible stereoisomeric monocycloadducts ( 8a / 8b and 9a / 9b ). In the Diels‐Alder cycloaddition of 1 with bis‐exocyclic butadiene 4 , however, both monocycloadducts 9a and 9b underwent subsequent cycloaddition with distinctive facial selectivity to produce the C_s‐symmetric bis‐cyclohexanobarrelene 10a as only bis‐cycloadduct.     

Synthesis and Electrochemical Behavior of Electron‐Rich s‐Tetrazine and Triazolo‐tetrazine Nitrate Esters

We have prepared energetic nitrate ester derivatives of 1,2,4,5‐tetrazine and 1,2,4‐triazolo[4,3‐b]‐[1,2,4,5]‐tetrazine ring systems as model compounds to study the electrochemical behavior of tetrazines in the presence of explosive groups. The model compounds showed lower thermal stabilities relative to PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), but slightly improved mechanical sensitivities. The presence of electron‐rich amine donors leads to a cathodic shift of the tetrazine redox potentials relative to those of previously reported tetrazine explosives. At these potentials, electron‐rich tetrazines with either covalently bound or co‐dissolved nitrate ester groups are irreversibly reduced. Effectively, changes in the electronic structure of tetrazines affect their electrochemical response to the presence of nitrate ester groups. Thus, it may be possible to develop tetrazine‐based electrochemical sensors for the detection of specific explosives and electrocatalysts for their disposal.     

Strain‐Promoted Reaction of 1,2,4‐Triazines with Bicyclononynes

Strain‐promoted inverse electron‐demand Diels–Alder cycloaddition (SPIEDAC) reactions between 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines and strained dienophiles, such as bicyclononynes, are among the fastest bioorthogonal reactions. However, the synthesis of 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines is complex and can involve volatile reagents. 1,2,4‐Triazines also undergo cycloaddition reactions with acyclic and unstrained dienophiles at elevated temperatures, but their reaction with strained alkynes has not been described. We postulated that 1,2,4‐triazines would react with strained alkynes at low temperatures and therefore provide an alternative to the tetrazine cycloaddition reaction for use in in vitro or in vivo labelling experiments. We describe the synthesis of a 1,2,4‐triazin‐3‐ylalanine derivative fully compatible with the fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) strategy for peptide synthesis and demonstrate its reaction with strained bicyclononynes at 37 °C with rates comparable to the reaction of azides with the same substrates. The synthetic route to triazinylalanine is readily adaptable to late‐stage functionalization of other probe molecules, and the 1,2,4‐triazine‐SPIEDAC therefore has potential as an alternative to tetrazine cycloaddition for applications in cellular and biochemical studies.     

Energetic Trinitro‐ and Fluorodinitroethyl Ethers of 1,2,4,5‐Tetrazines

Several new energetic ethyl ethers of 1,2,4,5‐tetrazine have been synthesized. These molecules display good thermal stability, good oxygen balance, and high densities. Included in these studies are a 2,2,2‐trinitroethoxy 1,2,4,5‐tetrazine and two fluorodinitroethoxy 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines. One of these compounds was converted into the di‐N‐oxide derivative. The sensitivity of these materials towards destructive stimuli was determined, and overall the materials show promising energetic performance properties.     

Synthesis of heterocyclic nitrogen derivatives from aryl‐1,4‐benzoquinones

Treatment of 2‐aryl‐3,6‐bis(arylamino)‐1,4‐benzoquinones 2a‐h with different acid chlorides, namely acetyl, phenylacetyl and chloroacetyl chloride yields 3a,7a‐dihydropyrrolo[2,3‐f]indole‐2,6‐dione 3, 5‐(N‐phenylacetylarylamino)‐3‐phenylindole‐2,6‐dione 4 and 3‐chloro‐5‐(N‐chloroacetylarylamino)indole‐2,6‐dione 5 respectively. Stirring 2‐aryl‐1,4‐benzoquinones ( 1 ) with ethylenediamine and/or o‐phenyl‐enediamine in methylene chloride gives pyrazino[2,3‐g]quinoxalines derivative 6 and/or tetrapentacene derivative 7 respectively. The products 5‐aryl‐ and 6‐aryl‐1/H‐indazole‐4,7‐diones 8 and 9 were obtained in the 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of diazomethane to ( 1 ).     

Vinylboronic Acids as Fast Reacting,Synthetically Accessible,and Stable Bioorthogonal Reactants in the Carboni–Lindsey Reaction

Bioorthogonal reactions are widely used for the chemical modification of biomolecules. The application of vinylboronic acids (VBAs) as non‐strained, synthetically accessible and water‐soluble reaction partners in a bioorthogonal inverse electron‐demand Diels–Alder (iEDDA) reaction with 3,6‐dipyridyl‐s‐tetrazines is described. Depending on the substituents, VBA derivatives give second‐order rate constants up to 27 m ⁻¹ s⁻¹ in aqueous environments at room temperature, which is suitable for biological labeling applications. The VBAs are shown to be biocompatible, non‐toxic, and highly stable in aqueous media and cell lysate. Furthermore, VBAs can be used orthogonally to the strain‐promoted alkyne–azide cycloaddition for protein modification, making them attractive complements to the bioorthogonal molecular toolbox.     

Photo‐induced and Rapid Labeling of Tetrazine‐Bearing Proteins via Cyclopropenone‐Caged Bicyclononynes

Inverse electron‐demand Diels–Alder cycloadditions (iEDDAC) between tetrazines and strained alkenes/alkynes have emerged as essential tools for studying and manipulating biomolecules. A light‐triggered version of iEDDAC (photo‐iEDDAC) is presented that confers spatio‐temporal control to bioorthogonal labeling in vitro and in cellulo. A cyclopropenone‐caged dibenzoannulated bicyclo[6.1.0]nonyne probe (photo‐DMBO) was designed that is unreactive towards tetrazines before light‐activation, but engages in iEDDAC after irradiation at 365 nm. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs were discovered for efficient site‐specific incorporation of tetrazine‐containing amino acids into proteins in living cells. In situ light activation of photo‐DMBO conjugates allows labeling of tetrazine‐modified proteins in living E. coli. This allows proteins in living cells to be modified in a spatio‐temporally controlled manner and may be extended to photo‐induced and site‐specific protein labeling in animals.     

Vinylboronic Acids as Fast Reacting,Synthetically Accessible,and Stable Bioorthogonal Reactants in the Carboni–Lindsey Reaction

Bioorthogonal reactions are widely used for the chemical modification of biomolecules. The application of vinylboronic acids (VBAs) as non‐strained, synthetically accessible and water‐soluble reaction partners in a bioorthogonal inverse electron‐demand Diels–Alder (iEDDA) reaction with 3,6‐dipyridyl‐s‐tetrazines is described. Depending on the substituents, VBA derivatives give second‐order rate constants up to 27 m ^?1 s^?1 in aqueous environments at room temperature, which is suitable for biological labeling applications. The VBAs are shown to be biocompatible, non‐toxic, and highly stable in aqueous media and cell lysate. Furthermore, VBAs can be used orthogonally to the strain‐promoted alkyne–azide cycloaddition for protein modification, making them attractive complements to the bioorthogonal molecular toolbox.     

Di­propyl 3,6‐di­phenyl‐1,2‐di­hydro‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine‐1,2‐di­carboxyl­ate

The title compound, C₂₂H₂₄N₄O₄, was prepared from propyl chloro­formate and 3,6‐di­phenyl‐1,2‐di­hydro‐s‐tetrazine. This reaction yields the title compound rather than di­propyl 3,6‐di­phenyl‐1,4‐di­hydro‐s‐tetrazine‐1,4‐di­carboxyl­ate. The 2,3‐di­aza­buta­diene group in the central six‐membered ring is not planar; the C=N double‐bond length is 1.285 (2) Å, and the average N—N single‐bond length is 1.401 (3) Å, indicating a lack of conjugation. The ring has a twist conformation, in which adjacent N atoms lie 0.3268 (17) Å from the plane of the ring. The mol­ecule has twofold crystallographic symmetry.     

Hydro­gen‐bonding patterns in two structural isomers of 3,6‐bis(2‐chloro­phenyl)‐1,4‐di­hydro‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine

Two structural isomers, 3,6‐bis(2‐chloro­phenyl)‐1,4‐di­hydro‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine, (I), and 3,5‐bis(2‐chloro­phenyl)‐4‐amino‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole, (II), both C₁₄H₁₀Cl₂N₄, form chain‐like structures in the solid state, stabilized by N—H⋯N and N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. A contribution from weak interactions to the strong hydrogen‐bond network is observed in both structures. The secondary graph sets for intermolecular hydrogen bonds [(11) for (I) and (12) for (II)] indicate the similarity between the networks.