Improved Synthesis and Reaction of 11‐Chloroneocryptolepines,Strategic Scaffold for Antimalaria Agent,and Their 6‐Methyl Congener from Indole‐3‐carboxylate

Various 11‐chloro‐5‐methyl‐5H‐indolo[2,3‐b]quinolines (neocryptolepines) with different substituents on the quinoline ring, key intermediates for antimalaria agents, are prepared from the substituted N‐methylanilines, easily accessible by the N‐methylation of anilines, and indole‐3‐carboxylate as a counterpart. This protocol is benign in terms of the reduced number of steps to reach the target, compared with the known method using anilines, and easy product purification. Alternatively, their 6‐methyl congener is prepared by N‐methylation of the indole moiety of 2‐arylaminoindole‐3‐carboxylate followed by successive cyclization and chlorination. 11‐Chloroneocryptolepines are found more reactive than their 6‐methyl congener in the nucleophilic substitution at the C11 position.     

Synthesis of Furo[2,3‐d]pyridazin‐4(5H)‐one and Its N(5)‐Substituted Derivatives

We report the efficient preparation of furo[2,3‐d]pyridazin‐4(5H)‐one and its N‐substituted derivatives starting from methyl 2‐methylfuran‐3‐carboxylate. The Me group was converted to the aldehyde group, which was then condensed with hydrazine derivatives. Then, the ester functionalities were hydrolyzed to the corresponding acids, followed by treatment with SOCl₂ to give N‐substituted furopyridazinone derivatives.     

Rearrangement of spiro[2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2,2′‐[2H]indoles] to pyrrolo[1,2‐a]indole derivatives

Heating of 1′‐(N‐substituted carbamoyl)methylspiro[2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2,2′‐[2H]indoles] with potassium hydroxide in ethanol yields diastereomeric 5a,13‐methano‐6H‐1,3‐benzoxazepino[3,2‐a]indole‐12‐carbox‐amides. Reduction of the latter with sodium borohydride affords 1,2,3,9a‐tetrahydro‐2‐hydroxyaryl‐9H‐pyrrolo[ 1,2‐a] indole‐3 ‐carboxamides.     

Facile synthesis of 6‐aryl‐5H‐8‐oxa‐4b, 7‐diaza‐benzo[a]azulen‐9‐one derivatives,new tricyclic heterocycles

8‐Oxa‐4b,7‐diaza‐benzo[a]azulene‐9‐one system, a new tricyclic heterocyclic framework is designed through a simple and convenient synthetic sequence. Its 6‐aryl derivatives are synthesized starting from ethyl indole‐2‐carboxylate. Reaction of differently substituted phenacyl bromides with ethyl indole‐2‐carboxylate, treatment of the resultant N‐substituted indole‐2‐carboxylates with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to provide corresponding oximes, subsequent ester hydrolysis followed by dehydrative cyclisation furnished the desired compounds 5 a‐g .     

A scalable Nenitzescu synthesis of 2‐methyl‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1H‐indole‐5‐carbonitrile

2‐Methyl‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1H‐indole‐5‐carbonitrile is a key intermediate in the synthesis of selective androgen receptor modulators discovered in these laboratories. A practical and convergent synthesis of the title compound starting from 4‐nitro‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)phenol and tert‐butyl acetoacetate was developed, including a telescoped procedure for synthesis (without isolation) and Nenitzescu reaction of 2‐trifluoromethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone. Conversion of the known Nenitzescu indole product to a novel triflate intermediate followed by palladium‐catalyzed cyanation afforded a penultimate carbonitrile. Removal of the C‐3 tert‐butyl ester group on the indole through a decarboxylative pathway completed the synthesis of the title compound in six steps (27% overall yield) from 4‐nitro‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)phenol (five steps, 37% overall yield from tert‐butyl acetoacetate). J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).     

Polar aspects of intramolecular interactions in 2‐amino‐5‐nitro‐4‐methylpyridines and 2‐amino‐3‐nitro‐4‐methylpyridines

The dipole moments of twelve 2‐N‐substituted amino‐5‐nitro‐4‐methylpyridines ( I‐XII ) and three 2‐N‐substituted amino‐3‐nitro‐4‐methylpyridines ( XIII‐XV ) were determined in benzene. The polar aspects of intramolecular charge‐transfer and intramolecular hydrogen bonding were discussed. The interaction dipole moments, μ_int, were calculated for 2‐N‐alkyl(or aryl)amino‐5‐nitro‐4‐methylpyridines. Increased alkylation of amino nitrogen brought about an intensified push‐pull interaction between the amino and nitro groups. The solvent effects on the dipole moments of 2‐N‐methylamino‐5‐nitro‐4‐methyl‐( I ), 2‐N,N‐dimethylamino‐5‐nitro‐4‐methyl‐ ( II ) and 2‐N‐methylamino‐3‐nitro‐4‐methylpyridines ( XIII ) were different. Specific hydrogen bond solute‐solvent interactions increased the charge‐transfer effect in I , but it did not disrupt the intramolecular hydrogen bond in XIII.     

Transformations of Methyl 2‐[(E)‐2‐(Dimethylamino)‐1‐(methoxycarbonyl)ethenyl]‐1‐methyl‐1H‐indole‐3‐carboxylate

A simple and efficient synthesis of novel 2‐heteroaryl‐substituted 1H‐indole‐2‐carboxylates and γ‐carbolines, compounds 1 – 3 , from methyl 2‐(2‐methoxy‐2‐oxoethyl)‐1‐methyl‐1H‐indole‐3‐carboxylate ( 4 ) by the enaminone methodology is presented.     

Synthesis of a New,Highly Fluorescent Amino Acid Derivative: N‐[(tert‐Butoxy)carbonyl]‐3‐[2‐(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)benzoxazol‐5‐yl]‐L‐alanine Methyl Ester

A simple method of synthesis of a new, highly fluorescent amino acid derivative from the simple and generally available substrates 3‐nitro‐L ‐tyrosine and 1H‐indole‐3‐carbaldehyde is described. The obtained compound, N‐[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]‐3‐[2‐(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)benzoxazol‐5‐yl]‐L ‐alanine methyl ester ( 4 ), possesses a high fluorescence quantum yield. The described method illustrates a new possibility of synthesis of amino acid derivatives possessing desirable photophysical properties.     

Carboxylate–phenolate tautomerism in 5‐[(nitrophenyl)diazenyl]salicylate anions

Aryldiazenyl derivatives of salicylic acid and their salts are used as dyes. In these structures, the carboxylate groups are engaged in short contacts with the cations and in hydrogen bonds with water molecules, if present. If both O atoms of the carboxylate group take part in such interactions, the negative charge is delocalized over the two atoms. In the absence of hydrogen bonds and contacts with cations, the negative charge is localized on one of the O atoms. In the crystal structures of tetramethylammonium 2‐hydroxy‐5‐[(E)‐(4‐nitrophenyl)diazenyl]benzoate and tetramethylammonium 2‐hydroxy‐5‐[(E)‐(2‐nitrophenyl)diazenyl]benzoate, both C₄H₁₂N⁺·C₁₃H₈N₃O₅⁻, all the interactions between the cations and anions are weak, and their effect on the geometry of the anions is negligible. Under these conditions, the 2‐nitro‐substituted anion is an almost pure phenol–carboxylate tautomer, whereas in the 4‐nitro‐substituted anion, the phenolic H atom is shifted towards the carboxylate group, and thus the structure of this anion is intermediate between the phenol–carboxylate and phenolate–carboxylic acid tautomeric forms. The probable formation of such an intermediate form is supported by quantum chemical calculations. Being the characteristic feature of this form, a short distance between the phenolic and carboxylate O atoms is observed in the 4‐nitro‐substituted anion, as well as in the structures of some 3,5‐dinitrosalicylates reported in the literature.     

Synthesis of 4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐one analogues and 2‐substituted quinolone derivatives

A versatile synthetic method for preparing 4‐hydroxyquinolone and 2‐substituted quinolone compounds from simple benzoic acid derivatives was demonstrated. The synthetic strategies involve the use of well known ethyl acetoacetate synthesis, malonic ester synthesis and reductive cyclization. The key intermediates were keto esters 4a‐e , which could be transformed to 4‐hydroxyquinolones 5a,b or 2‐substituted quinolone ethyl esters 6a‐c depending on the reaction conditions. 4‐Hydroxyquinolone analogues were prepared and investigated for N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) activity in vitro. Among these derivatives, 6,7‐difluoro‐3‐nitro‐4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐one ( 9 ) exhibited moderate activity.     

N‐phenyl‐substituted pyrrolidines,piperidines and azabicyclics by a tandem reduction‐double reductive amination reaction

N‐Phenyl‐substituted pyrrolidines and piperidines have been synthesized by catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene in the presence of 4‐ and 5‐oxoaldehydes, respectively. The process involves reduction of the aromatic nitro group to give the N‐phenylhydroxylamine or aniline followed by reductive amination with the two carbonyl functional groups. Monocyclic systems are generally formed in high yield and are easily purified. The method has also been extended to the synthesis of fused N‐phenylazabicyclics from 2‐(3‐oxo‐propyl)cycloalkanones. A high degree of diastereoselectivity for the trans‐fused product is observed in substrates having an ester group α to the cycloalkanone carbonyl. Bicyclic precursors lacking this ester group give mixtures of cis and trans products. Finally, contrary to previous reports, we have demonstrated that aniline can be substituted for nitrobenzene in these reactions.     

Efficient One‐Pot Access to 2,9‐Dihydrothiopyrano[2,3‐b]indole Scaffolds Showing Large Stokes Shifts

A simple, mild and efficient one‐pot approach for the construction of 2‐aryl‐3‐nitro‐2,9‐dihydrothiopyrano[2,3‐b]indole derivatives has been realized in CH₂Cl₂ medium at ambient temperature via three‐component tandem reaction of N‐protected‐2‐chloro‐3‐formylindoles, sodium hydrosulfide and β‐substituted nitroolefins/δ‐substituted nitrodienes using DABCO (10 mol%) as an organocatalyst, followed by dehydration in the presence of activated molecular sieves (4 Å). The significant advantages of this protocol are simple operation, shorter reaction time, high atom economy, good to high yields (73% –89%) and wider substrate scope. In addition, all the synthesized compounds have shown the large positive Stokes shift values (5632–6081 cm^?1).     

Efficient Synthesis of Novel Coumarin‐3‐carboxamides (=2‐Oxo‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxamides) Containing Lipophilic Spacers

The novel coumarin‐3‐carboxamides (=2‐oxo‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxamides) 5a – 5g containing lipophilic spacers were synthesized through the Ugi‐four‐component reaction (Scheme 1). The reactions of aromatic aldehydes 1 , 4,4′‐oxybis[benzenamine] or 4,4′‐methylenebis[benzenamine] as diamine 2 , coumarin‐3‐carboxylic acid (=2‐oxo‐2H‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxylic acid; 3 ), and alkyl isocyanides 4 lead to the desired substituted coumarin‐3‐carboxamides 5a – 5g at room temperature with high bond‐forming efficiency. These novel coumarin derivatives exhibit brilliant fluorescence at 544 nm in CHCl₃.     

Synthesis of novel 5H‐Pyrimido[5,4‐b]mdole‐(1H,3H)2,4‐diones as potential ligands for the cloned α1‐adrenoceptor subtypes

A new series of 3‐[ω‐[4‐(4‐substituted phenyl)piperazin‐1‐yl]alkyl]‐5H‐pyrimido[5,4‐b]indole‐(1H,3H)‐2,4‐diones ( 3–10 and 12–13 ) were synthesized from the N‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐N'‐[3‐(2‐ethoxycarbonyl)indolyl] urea ( 1 ) or the N‐(3‐chloropropyl)‐N'‐[3‐(2‐ethoxycarbonyl)indolyl] urea ( 2 ) and a number of 1‐(4‐substi‐tuted‐phenyl)piperazines. 3‐[2‐[4‐(4‐Aminophenyl)piperazin‐1‐yl]ethyl]‐5H‐pyrimido[5,4‐b]indole‐(1H,3H)2,4‐dione ( 14 ) was obtained by reduction of the parent nitro compound 8 . The obtained 5H‐pyrimido[5,4‐b]indole‐(1H,3H)2,4‐dione derivatives were tested towards cloned α_1A, α_1B and α_1D adrenergic receptors subtypes in binding assays. Some compounds showed good affinity and selectivity for the α_1D‐adrenoceptor subtype.     

New synthesis of oxindole‐1‐carboxamides

A new synthesis of oxindole‐1‐carboxamides was elaborated by the reaction of oxindole‐1‐phenyl‐carboxylate with various amines. This method also permitted the preparation of N,N‐disubstituted oxindole‐1‐carboxamides.     

A convenient synthesis of novel pyrido(1′,2′:1,2)imidazo[5,4‐d]‐1,2,3‐triazinones from imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines

The imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine system was investigated as a synthon for the building of very attractive fused triazines, a planar, angular tri‐heterocycle with potential biological activity. Thus ethyl 3‐nitroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐2‐carboxylate was treated with ammonia or with an excess of primary amines to generate the corresponding substituted nitro carboxamidoimidazopyridines. The nitro substituent in the latter products, was reduced to yield 3‐amino‐2‐carboxamidoimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine derivatives, which in turn were treated with nitrous acid to furnish 1‐oxo‐2‐substituted pyrido(1′,2′:1,2)imidazo[5,4‐d]‐1,2,3‐triazines.     

Preparation of 1‐substituted‐5‐[(2‐oxo‐2‐phenyl)ethyl]imidazoles

New high yield preparation methods were developed for the pharmaceutically interesting compounds, 1‐benzyl‐, 1‐methyl‐, and 1H‐5‐[(2‐oxo‐2‐phenyl)ethyl]imidazoles 1a‐c , respectively. The title compounds were synthesized by four different methods using various starting materials. Two of the methods involved transformation reactions of the key intermediates, 1‐substituted‐5‐[(2‐nitro‐2‐phenyl)ethenyl]imidazoles 2a‐c and 1‐substituted‐5‐[(2‐nitro‐2‐phenyl)ethyl]imidazoles 3a‐c , while the other two utilized the oxidation of 1‐substituted‐5‐[(2‐hydroxy‐2‐phenyl)ethyl]imidazoles 4a‐c , with chromic oxide, and the umpolung reaction of benzaldehyde followed by a condensation reaction of the umpolung intermediate with imidazolecarboxaldehydes 6a‐c.     

Derivatives of 5‐Oxy‐pyrido[2,3‐b]quinoxaline‐9‐carboxylic acid: A tricyclic system useful for the synthesis of potential intercalators

The synthesis of a new series of 5‐oxy‐pyrido[2,3‐b]quinoxaline‐9‐carboxamides 4a‐i and N¹,N²‐Bis(5‐oxy‐pyrido[2,3‐b]quinoxaline‐9‐benzoyl)ethylenediamine ( 5 ) is reported starting from 2‐chloro‐3‐nitropyri‐dine. Fundamental steps of the synthetic pathway are i) preparation of 2‐(3‐nitro‐pyridin‐2‐ylamino)benzoic acid ( 1 ) via copper‐catalyzed condensation of 2‐chloro‐3‐nitropyridine with o‐anthranilic acid, ii) intramolecular cyclization of the acid 1 to 5‐oxy‐pyrido[2,3‐b]quinoxaline‐9‐carboxylic acid ( 2b ) upon treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid and oleum and iii) conversion of the acid 2 to the desired amides 4a‐i and 5 . Compounds 4a‐i and 5 are oxygenated azaanalogs of phenazines, a wellknown series of intercalators with cytotoxic activity.     

1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions to (5Z)‐1‐Acyl‐5‐(cyanomethylidene)‐ imidazolidine‐2,4‐diones: Synthesis and Transformations of Spirohydantoin Derivatives

Cycloadditions of various 1,3‐dipoles to (5Z)‐1‐acyl‐5‐(cyanomethylidene)‐3‐methylimidazolidine‐2,4‐diones 8 or 9 , prepared in 3 steps from hydantoin ( 1 ) (Schemes 1 and 2), were studied. In all cases, reactions proceeded regio‐ and stereoselectively. The type of product depended on the 1,3‐dipole and/or dipolarophile employed as well as on reaction conditions. Thus, with stable dipoles under neutral conditions, spirohydantoin derivatives 12 – 16 were obtained (Scheme 2), while under basic or acidic conditions, pyrazole‐ or isoxazole‐5‐carboxamides 18 and 23 – 26 and carboxylate 27 were formed via aromatization of the newly formed dihydroazole ring, followed by the simultaneous cleavage of the hydantoin ring (Schemes 3 – 5).     

Two‐Step Synthesis of Multifunctional γ‐Lactams from γ‐Lactone

We present herein an efficient and rapid method for the synthesis of N,1‐dialkyl‐4‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐5‐oxopyrrolidine‐3‐carboxamides based on the conversion of γ‐lactone to γ‐lactam via the conjugate addition of primary amines to an ethyl α‐functionalized acrylate followed by intramolecular cyclization.