Sequential alkylation/cyclization/isomerization of ethyl 3-(o-trifluoroacetamidoaryl)-1-propargylic esters: a new route to 2-acyl- and 2-ethoxycarbonyl-3-alkenyl indoles

The reaction of ethyl 3-(o-trifluoroacetamidoaryl)-1-propargylic esters with ethyl iodoacetate or α-bromoacetophenone in the presence of K₂CO₃ in DMSO provides a new simple access to 2-acyl- and 2-ethoxycarbonyl-3-alkenyl indoles.     

2-Alkylindoles via palladium-catalyzed reductive cyclization of ethyl 3-(o-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)-1-propargyl carbonates

The reaction of ethyl 3-(o-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)-1-propargyl carbonates with formate anions in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₄ affords 2-alkylindoles in good to excellent yields.     

4-Substituted 5-nitroisoquinolin-1-ones from intramolecular Pd-catalysed reaction of N-(2-alkenyl)-2-halo-3-nitrobenzamides

4-Methyl- and 4-benzyl-5-aminoisoquinolin-1-ones are close analogues of the water-soluble PARP-1 inhibitor 5-AIQ. Their synthesis was approached through Pd-catalysed cyclisations of N-(2-alkenyl)-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamides. Reaction of N,N-diallyl-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamide with Pd(PPh₃)₄ gave a mixture of 2-allyl-4-methyl-5-nitroisoquinolin-1-one and 2-allyl-4-methylene-5-nitro-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1-one. N-Benzhydryl-N-cinnamyl-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamide similarly gave 2-benzhydryl-4-benzyl-5-nitroisoquinolin-1-one and 2-benzhydryl-4-benzylidene-5-nitro-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1-one. The isomeric products are not interconvertible. A deuterium-labelling study indicated that the isomers were formed by different pathways: a π-allyl-Pd route and the classical Heck route. The corresponding secondary amides N-allyl-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamide and N-((substituted)-cinnamyl)-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamide gave good yields of the required 4-methyl- and 4-((substituted)-benzyl)-5-nitroisoquinolin-1-ones, respectively, under optimised conditions (Pd(PPh₃)₄, Et₃N, Bu₄NCl, 150 °C, rapid heating). Hydrogenation of the nitro groups gave 4-methyl- and 4-benzyl-5-aminoisoquinolin-1-ones, which were potent inhibitors of PARP-1 activity.     

Palladium(II) and palladium(0)-cocatalyzed ring opening and oxidation reactions of 2-(arylmethylene)cyclopropylcarbinols

In the presence of Pd(II) acetate and triethylamine as well as triphenylphosphine, 2-(arylmethylene)cyclopropylcarbinols 1 underwent ring opening and oxidation reactions smoothly to deliver (2E,4E)-5-arylpenta-2,4-dienals 2 in toluene at 60 °C in moderate to good yields under ambient atmosphere. Mechanisms involved with an in situ generated Pd(0) species from Pd(II) and Et₃N or PPh₃ catalyzed isomerization of 1 to provide (E,E)-5-arylpenta-2,4-dien-1-ols 3 and following a Pd(II) catalyzed aerobic oxidation of 3 have been proposed on the basis of control and deuterium labeling experiments.     

3-Iodo-4-chalcogen-2H-benzopyran as a convenient precursor for the sonogashira cross-coupling: synthesis of 3-alkynyl-4-chalcogen-2H-benzopyrans

3-Iodo-4-chalcogen-2H-benzopyran derivatives underwent a direct Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction with several terminal alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂ with CuI as a co-catalyst, using Et₃N as base and solvent. This cross-coupling reaction proceeded cleanly under mild conditions and was performed with propargylic alcohols, propargylic ethers, as well as alkyl and aryl alkynes, furnishing the correspondent 3-alkynyl-4-chalcogen-2H-benzopyrans in good yields.     

Synthesis of N-acetyl-3,3a,4,8b- and -1,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles from N- and 2-(cyclopent-2-en-1-yl)anilines

Reactions of 2-bromo-N-(cyclopent-2-en-1-yl)-4-methylaniline and N-(cyclopent-2-en-1-yl)-2-iodo-4,6-dimethylaniline with acetyl bromide in the presence of potassium carbonate gave mixtures of syn and anti atropisomers of the corresponding N-acetyl derivatives at ratios of 1: 1 and 3: 2 respectively. Heating of these mixtures in toluene in the presence of Pd(OAc)₂, PPh₃, Et₃N, and K₂CO₃ (KOAc) afforded mixtures of isomeric N-acetyl-7-methyl-3,3a,4,8b- and -1,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles at a ratio of 3: 1 or N-acetyl-5,7-dimethyl-3,3a,4,8b- and -1,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles at a ratio of 2: 3. N-Acetyl-3,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indole was found to undergo thermal isomerization into N-acetyl-1,3a,4,8btetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indole.     

Direct palladium-catalyzed C-3 alkynylation of indoles

The direct palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of indoles with alkynyl bromides was described in this paper. In the presence of catalytic amount of PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ and 2.0 equiv. NaOAc, the coupling reaction of indoles with alkynyl bromides proceeded smoothly at 50 °C to give the corresponding 3-alkynylindoles with high regioselectivity in good to excellent yields.     

Cyanoesterification of norbornenes catalyzed by palladium: facile synthetic methodology to introduce cyano and ester functionalities via direct carbon-carbon bond cleavage of cyanoformates

Addition of cyanoformates (NC-COOR) to norbornene at 110 °C in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₄ (10 mol %) as a catalyst affords with high selectivity the corresponding doubly functionalized polar norbornane derivatives bearing both cyano and ester groups. By using benzonorbornadiene and norbornadienes as the substrates, the reaction can be extended to synthesis of various functionalized norbornene derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. In most cases alkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, tert-butyl, and benzyl in the ester functionalities are applicable to the reactions. Oxidative addition of cyanoformates to Pd(0), insertion of norbornenes, and reductive elimination of the corresponding adducts constitute the proposed catalysis pathway.     

Phenoxide-assisted P-C bond cleavage in PdCl2(PPh3)2 under very mild conditions

PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ reacted with NaOAr (Ar = Ph, p-tolyl) at 0 °C to afford PdCl(Ph)(PPh₃)₂, instead of PdCl(OAr)(PPh₃)₂, in 12-16% isolated yields based on Pd. The structure was confirmed by NMR and X-ray crystallography. GC-MS analysis of the reaction solution revealed that OPPh₂(OAr), OPPh(OAr)₂, and OP(OAr)₃ are formed, while NMR studies indicated that PdCl(Ph)(PPh₃)₂ is produced when PdCl(OAr)(PPh₃)₂ decomposes. The reaction of PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ with Bu₃Sn(OC₆H₄-p-OMe) also gave PdCl(Ph)(PPh₃)₂ in 8% isolated yield. These results suggest that PdCl(OAr)(PPh₃)₂ is highly labile and the aryloxy ligand exchanges with the phenyl groups in triphenylphosphine even under very mild conditions.     

Synthesis, spectroscopy and structures of palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes containing mercapto-o-carborane

The reactions of [M₂Cl₂(μ-Cl)₂(PMe₂Ph)₂] with mercapto-o-carboranes in the presence of pyridine afforded mono-nuclear complexes of composition, [MCl(SCb°R)(py)(PMe₂Ph)] (M = Pd or Pt; Cb° = o-C₂B₁₀H₁₀; R = H or Ph). The treatment of [PdCl₂(PEt₃)₂] with PhCb°SH yielded trans-[Pd(SCb°Ph)₂(PEt₃)₂] (4) which when left in solution in the presence of pyridine gave another substitution product, [Pd(SCb°Ph)₂(py)(PEt₃)] (5). The structures of [PdCl(SCb°Ph)(py)(PMe₂Ph)] (1), [Pd(SCb°Ph)₂(PEt₃)₂] (4) and [Pd(SCb^oPh)₂(py)(PEt₃)] (5) were established unambiguously by X-ray crystallography. The palladium atom in these complexes adopts a distorted square-planar configuration with neutral donor atoms occupying the trans positions. Thermolysis of [PdCl(SCb°)(py)(PMe₂Ph)] (2) in TOPO (trioctylphosphine oxide) at 200 °C gave nanocrystals of TOPO capped Pd₄S which were characterized by XRD pattern and SEM.     

Selective syntheses of benzoxazoles and N-(2-hydroxyaryl)pyrrolidin-2-ones from the corresponding cyclopropyl amides with PPh3/CX4

Benzoxazoles 2 can be smoothly synthesized by treatment of starting materials of N-(2-hydroxyaryl) cyclopropyl amides 1 with PPh₃/CCl₄ in acetonitrile in good yields. When PPh₃/CBr₄/MS 4 Å was used in the reaction system, the corresponding ring-expanding products 3 were obtained in moderate to good yields in acetonitrile at 80 °C. Using DCE as a solvent in this reaction, the corresponding 2-(3-chloropropyl)benzoxazoles 5 were obtained as major products.     

Synthesis, structure, photochromism and DFT calculations of copper(I)-triphenylphosphine halide complexes of thioalkylazoimidazoles

[Cu(SRaaiNR′)(PPh₃)X] complexes are synthesized by the reaction of CuX (X = Cl, Br, I), triphenylphosphine and 1-alkyl-2-[(o-thioalkyl)phenylazo]imidazole (SRaaiNR′). The single crystal X-ray structure of [Cu(SEtaaiNH)(PPh₃)I] (SEtaaiNH = 2-[(o-thioethyl)phenylazo]imidazole) shows a distorted tetrahedral geometry of the copper center with bidentate, N(azo), N(imidazole) chelation of SEtaaiNH and coordination from PPh₃ and iodine. These complexes show a trans-to-cis isomerization upon irradiation with UV light. The reverse transformation, cis-to-trans isomerization, is very slow with visible light irradiation and is thermally accessible. The quantum yields (?_t→c) of the trans-to-cis isomerization of [Cu(SRaaiNR′)(PPh₃)X] are lower than the free ligand values. This is due to the increased mass and rotor volume of the complexes compared to the free ligand data. The rate of isomerization follows the order: [Cu(SRaaiNR′)(PPh₃)Cl] < [Cu(SRaaiNR′)(PPh₃)Br] < [Cu(SRaaiNR′)(PPh₃)I]. The activation energy (E_a) of the cis-to-trans isomerization is calculated by a controlled temperature reaction. DFT computation of representative complexes has been used to determine the composition and energy of the molecular levels.     

Reactions of 2- and 4-pyrones with secondary phosphine chalcogenides: a facile synthesis of functional phosphorylated pyrones

The oxidative cross-coupling between 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-pyrone or 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone and secondary phosphine chalcogenides proceeds in CCl₄/Et₃N under mild conditions (20–52 °С, 0.75–10 h) through the hydroxyl group to give O-(6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-4-yl) diorganylphosphinochalcogenoates or O-(2-methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyran-3-yl) diorganylphosphinochalcogenoates, in high yields.     

Catalytic [2+1] cycloaddition of diazo compounds to [60]fullerene

A catalytic method for the efficient synthesis of 5,6-open and 6,6-closed (2π+1π) fullerene adducts by [2+1] cycloaddition of ethyl 2-alkyl(hetaryl)-2-diazoacetates to [60]fullerene in the presence of a three-component catalyst Pd(acac)₂—PPh₃—Et₃Al have been developed.     

Nucleus- and side-chain fluorinated 3-substituted indoles by a suitable combination of organometallic and radical chemistry

Regioselectively fluoro-, trifluoromethyl- and trifluoromethoxy-substituted 3-methyleneindolines have been prepared using a four-step procedure involving metalation/bromination of fluorinated Boc-protected anilines, N-propargylation of the resulting o-bromoarylcarbamate and reductive radical cyclization of the product with tributyltin hydride/AIBN. 3-Methyleneindolines, as valuable, versatile intermediates, can be transformed into highly functionalized 3-substituted indoles by ene-type reactions using different enophiles. Thus, fluoro-, trifluoromethyl- and trifluoromethoxy-substituted diethyl 2-hydroxy-2-[(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl]malonates, ethyl 2-hydroxy-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)propionates and ethyl 2-hydroxy-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-trifluormethylpropionates were obtained in 77-86% yield by simply heating the corresponding tert-butyl 3-methyleneindoline-1-carboxylate with an equimolar amount of diethyl ketomalonate, ethyl glyoxalate and ethyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate, respectively, at 100 °C, without solvent, for 0.5-4 h.     

Palladium catalyzed atom-efficient cross-coupling reactions of triarylbismuths with aryl bromides

Aryl bromides (3 equiv) were coupled efficiently with triarylbismuths (1 equiv) in an atom-efficient way using the Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ catalytic system in the presence of K₃PO₄ as base in DMF at 90 °C, providing excellent yields of the cross-coupled biaryls in short reaction times.     

Synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans and indoles by π-Lewis acidic transition metal-catalyzed cyclization of ortho-alkynylphenyl O,O- and N,O-acetals

The PtCl₂-catalyzed cyclization reaction of ortho-alkynylphenyl acetals 1 in the presence of COD (1,5-cyclooctadiene) produces 3-(α-alkoxyalkyl)benzofurans 2 in good to high yields. For example, the reaction of acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(1-octynyl)phenyl acetal (1a), acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(cyclohexylethynyl)phenyl acetal (1c), and acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(phenylethynyl)phenyl acetal (1f) in the presence of 2 mol % of platinum(II) chloride and 8 mol % of 1,5-cycloocatadiene in toluene at 30 °C gave the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans 2a, 2c, and 2f in 91, 94, and 88% yields, respectively. Moreover, the reaction of N-methoxymethyl-2-alkynylanilines 3 was catalyzed by PdBr₂, affording the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted indoles 4 in moderate yields. For example, the reaction of N-methoxymethyl-2-(1-pentynyl)-N-tosylaniline (3a) and N-methoxymethyl-2-(phenylethynyl)-N-tosylaniline (3b) in the presence of 10 mol % of PdBr₂ in toluene at 80 °C gave 3-methoxymethyl-2-propyl-1-tosylindole (4a) and 3-methoxymethyl-2-phenyl-1-tosylindole (4b) in 33 and 33% yields, respectively.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of 2-haloselenophene with terminal alkynes in the absence of additive

We present herein our results of the Sonogashira coupling reaction of 2-haloselenophenes with terminal alkynes catalyzed by PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂, under co-catalyst free conditions and establish a new procedure to prepare (2-alkynyl)-selenophenes in good yields. The reaction proceeded cleanly under mild reaction conditions and was performed with propargylic alcohols, protected propargylic alcohols, propargylic amines, as well as alkyl, and aryl alkynes, in the presence of PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂, Et₃N, DMF, and in the absence of any supplementary additives. In addition, by this protocol (2,5-bis-alkynyl)-selenophenes were also obtained, in a one pot procedure, using 2,5-bis-iodoselenofene with an excess of terminal alkynes.     

Palladium-catalyzed highly regioselective 2-arylation of 2,x-dibromopyridines and its application in the efficient synthesis of a 17β-HSD1 inhibitor

2,3- and 2,5-Dibromopyridines reacted with arylboronic acids, catalyzed by Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ in the presence of K₂CO₃ in CH₃CN/MeOH (2:1) at 50 °C for 24 h, to afford 2-arylpyridines in good to high yields, while 2,4-dibromopyridine reacted with arylboronic acid pinacol esters, catalyzed by Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ in the presence of KOH in CH₃CN at 70 °C for 24 h, to afford 2-arylpyridines in good to high yields. To expand this methodology, a 17β-HSD1 inhibitor was synthesized in good yield.     

Synthesis of new 3-arylindole-2-carboxylates using β,β-diaryldehydroamino acids as building blocks. Fluorescence studies

Several new methyl 3-arylindole-2-carboxylates were synthesized in high yields using a metal assisted [Pd(OAc)₂/Cu(OAc)₂, DMF, 130 °C] intramolecular C-N cyclization of β,β-diaryldehydroamino acids, developed by us, thus extending the scope of this reaction. The latter were obtained by a bis-Suzuki coupling of a β,β-dibromodehydroalanine with arylboronic acids bearing either electron-donating groups (EDGs) or electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs). We were able to establish general conditions for this coupling reaction [PdCl₂dppf·CH₂Cl₂ 1:1 (20 mol %), boronic acid (5 equiv), Cs₂CO₃ (1.4 equiv), THF/H₂O 1:1, 80 °C]. This strategy constitutes a novel, general and unprecedented approach to the synthesis of 3-arylindole-2-carboxylates. The fluorescence of the differently substituted indoles prepared was studied in several polar and non-polar solvents. In general the new indoles exhibit a solvent sensitive emission. The indoles with EDGs (OCH₃ and SCH₃) have reasonable fluorescence quantum yields in all solvents except in water. The indole with the cyano groups shows high fluorescent quantum yields in all solvents studied, despite the lower solvent sensitivity of its emission. The indole with the acetyl groups only exhibits reasonable fluorescence quantum yields in protic solvents. These studies show that the new 3-arylindole-2-carboxylates are good candidates to be used as fluorescent probes.