Asymmetric reduction of perfluoroalkyl ketones with chiral lithium alkoxides

Reduction of perfluoroalkyl ketones with chiral lithium alkoxides gave chiral α-perfluoroalkyl alcohols in high enantiomeric excesses. Interestingly, reaction of 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone (1) with lithium (S)-1-phenylethoxide (2) gave (S)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-phenylethanol (3), while the same reaction of perfluorooctan-1-one (7) with 2 gave (R)-1H-1-phenylperfluorooctanol (8). Based on the speculation of mechanism, the order of steric effects on this reaction is estimated as C₇F₁₅ > substituted phenyl > CF₃.     

Synthesis of 3,4,5-trisubstituted indoles via iterative directed lithiation of 1-(triisopropylsilyl)gramines

Directed lithiation of 1-(triisopropylsilyl)gramines 1 with tert-butyllithium followed by reaction with trimethylsilylmethyl azide produced 4-amino-1-(triisopropylsilyl)gramines 7. The N-tert-butoxycarbonyl derivatives 8 were lithiated selectively at C-5 with tert-butyllithium and the lithiated species were reacted with a variety of electrophiles to give 5-functionalized compounds, 9 and 10. A facile method to produce 3,4,5-trisubstituted indoles from readily available gramine derivatives is thereby established.     

Regiospecific nucleophilic substitution in 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobiphenyl as model compound for supramolecular systems. Theoretical study of transition states and energy profiles, evidence for tetrahedral SN2 mechanism

2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluorobiphenyl (PFBi) was modified by the nucleophilic substitution of one fluorine using a series of O-, S- and N-nucleophiles, viz. alkaline salts of 2,2,2-trifluoro-ethanol, 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctanol, 1,2;3,4-di-O-isopropylidenexylitol, allylsulfane, 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctane-1-thiol, 3-aminopropan-1-ol (7), and tert-butyl N-(3-aminopropyl)carbamate (8). All the substitutions took place exclusively at the position para to the phenyl group. (3-Amino-propyl)amino derivative of PFBi (15) was further modified at the terminal amino group by acylation or fluoroalkylation. The reaction of 8 was applied to meso-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (20) to afford tris- (21) and tetrakis-substituted (22) products with complete para-regioselectivity. Theoretical studies of the reaction pathways of PFBi with ammonia, microsolvated lithium fluoride or lithium hydroxide revealed that no Meisenheimer-type intermediates are formed in the course of the simulated reactions: instead, tetrahedral S_N2 mechanism was found. Significant regioselectivity of the nucleophilic aromatic substitution, leading to 4-substituted products, was predicted based on relative transition state energies in agreement with the observed experimental results.     

Synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl compounds from some enolizable aldehydes

2,2,2-Trifluoroethyldiphenylphosphine oxide [Ph₂P(O)CH₂CF₃] (2) is known to give no Horner reaction product with enolizable aldehydes. We found, however, that some enolizable aldehydes such as N-Boc-pyrrolidine-2-aldehyde (9) gave the expected 3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl compounds by reaction with 2. The products could be further transformed to some 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl-substituted nitrogen-containing heterocycles by using radical cyclization or Heck reaction.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 3-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines from phthalan and chiral N-sulfinylimines

The reaction of the dianionic intermediate [resulting from the reductive opening of phthalan (1) with lithium] with chiral N-tert-butylsulfinyl aldimines 3 in the presence of ZnMe₂ gives, after hydrolysis, N-tert-butylsulfinyl amino alcohols 4 with high diastereoselectivity. Successive treatment of compounds 4 with hydrogen chloride in methanol, thionyl chloride in chloroform and sodium hydroxide yields 3-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines 6.     

Preparation and reactions of 3-phosphinyl-1-aza-1,3-butadienes. Synthesis of phosphorylated pyridine and pyrazole derivatives

3-Phosphinyl 1-aza-1,3-butadienes 2 are obtained by aldol condensation between hydrazonoalkyl phosphine oxides and N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal. Transamination reaction of these azadienes with amines yields functionalized 1-aza-1,3-butadienes 3. Cycloaddition processes of these azadienes 2a with electron-poor dienophiles to give phosphorylated pyridine derivatives 9 and 15 are also reported, while intramolecular cyclization reaction of heterodiene 2b affords phosphorylated pyrazole 17.     

An easy preparation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl propenyl sulfones

Sodium tridecafluorohexanesulfinate (1a) and sodium 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethanesulfinate (1b) were prepared by the treatment of 1-iodo-tridecafluorohexane and 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane with sodium dithionite in a water-acetonitrile solution. Prolonged reaction of 1a with allyl bromide in DMF afforded tridecafluorohexane 1-propenyl sulfone 2 as the only product in good yield. A similar treatment of 1b gave exclusively 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 3-propenyl sulfone 4. Bromination of 4 followed by dehydrobromination with Et₃N resulted in a mixture of 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 3-bromo-1-propenyl sulfone 6 and 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 2-bromo-3-propenyl sulfone 7, while dehydrobromination with pyridine gave sulfone 6 practically as the only product. α,β-Unsaturated sulfones 2 and 6 were shown to be active dienophiles.     

Boc-protected 1-(3-oxocycloalkyl)ureas via a one-step Curtius rearrangement: mechanism and scope

1-(3-Oxocyclobutyl) carboxylic acid (4a) was converted into N-Boc-protected 1-(3-oxocyclobutyl) urea (5a), a key intermediate for the preparation of agonists of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5, in one-step when treated with diphenyl phosphoryl azide and triethylamine in tert-butanol. The mechanism of the reaction involves a nucleophilic addition of the in situ generated tert-butyl carbamate to the isocyanate intermediate. This reaction is applicable to other 1-(3-oxocycloalkyl) carboxylic acids but not to linear γ-keto carboxylic acids.     

Isoprene-catalysed lithiation: deprotection and functionalisation of imidazole derivatives

The isoprene-catalysed lithiation of different 1-substituted imidazoles (1) (such as trityl, allyl, benzyl, vinyl, N,N-dimethylsulfamoyl, para-toluenesulfonyl, tert-butoxycarbonyl, acetyl, trimethylsilyl, tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives) leads to the cleavage of the protecting group producing 1H-imidazole. The use of 1-(diethoxymethyl)imidazole (3) in the same lithiation reaction allows the preparation of the corresponding 2-lithio intermediate, which by reacting with different electrophiles leads to 2-functionalised imidazoles 4.     

Dipheno-silyliminoquinones - A 14π-system

Lithium salts of 2.6-dialkylanilines react with di-tert-butylfluorosilanes to give mono (1-3) - and bis (7, 8)-(2.6-dialkylphenylamino)silanes. Amino-2.6-dimethylphenyl-(di-tert-butylfluoro)silane (1) forms with BuLi a dimeric lithium salt (4) containing an eight-membered (LiFNSi)₂ ring system. Thermally, 4 loses LiF and a bicyclic compound (9) via iminosilenes is obtained. The lithium salt of the bulkier amino-2.6-diisopropylphenyl-(di-tert-butylfluorosilanes) (5-7) thermally loses LiH and iminosilanes (10-12) with a 14π-system are isolated. The reaction mechanisms and crystal structures are discussed.     

Synthetic study toward 17-thiasteroids: synthesis of the 1-thiahydrinden-5-one subunit using a new annulation procedure and investigation of its reduction

The enantioselective syntheses of ketones 6 and 7 featuring the CD subunit of 17-thiasteroid are described. The key bicyclic 1-thiahydrindenone (S)-5 was assembled in three steps from Michael adduct (S)-12 via β-keto ester 15 using a one-pot sequential process involving cleavage of both the ketal group and the tert-butyl ester group, decarboxylation, and finally intramolecular aldol condensation. Hydridoalkyl cuprate-induced conjugate reduction of 1-thiahydrindenone (S)-5 and its corresponding sulfone (S)-23 gave 1-thiahydrindanones 6 and 7, respectively, which display unexpectedly the unnatural cis-ring junctions.     

Sodium dithionite initiated reactions of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane with enol ethers of cyclic ketones

Sodium dithionite initiated reactions of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (1) with methyl and trimethylsilyl ethers of cyclopentanone and cyclohexanone enols (2a-d) in a MeCN/H₂O system were investigated. 2-(2,2,2-Trifluoroethylidene)cyclopentanone (4a) and 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)-cyclohexanone (4b), respectively, were obtained as the main products and isolated in reasonable yields. The reaction with a 1:1 mixture of 5- and 3-methyl substituted 1-methoxycyclohexenes, 2e and 2f, revealed strong influence of steric hindrance on the reaction rate; a mixture of 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)-5-methylcyclohexanone (6) and 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)-3-methylcyclohexanone (7) in a 9:1 ratio was formed. Ketones 4a and 4b were reduced to the corresponding alcohols 8 and 9 and the reaction of 4b with hydrazine gave an indazole derivative 10.     

Reaction of ferrocenecarboxylic acid with N,N-disubstituted carbodiimides: synthesis, spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analysis of N,N-disubstituted N-ferrocenoylureas and identification of a one-pot coupling reagent for the formation of ferrocenecarboxamides in a non-aqueous solvent

N,N^′-dicyclohexyl-N-ferrocenoylurea 2, N,N^′-diisopropyl-N-ferrocenoylurea 3, N,N^′-di-p-tolyl-N-ferrocenoylurea 4 and N,N^′-di-tert-butyl-N-ferrocenoylurea 5 were obtained by reaction of ferrocenecarboxylic acid 1 with N,N^′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC), N,N^′-diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC), N,N^′-di-p-tolylcarbodiimide 10 and N,N^′-di-tert-butylcarbodiimide 11, respectively. Both N-tert-butyl-N^′-ethyl-N-ferrocenoylurea 6 and N^′-tert-butyl-N-ethyl-N-ferrocenoylurea 7 were obtained by reaction of 1 with N-tert-butyl-N^′-ethylcarbodiimide 12. In all cases a small amount of ferrocenecarboxylic anhydride 8 was formed as a by-product. All compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR and MS. Single crystal X-ray structural analyses were made of 2, 3 and 4. From the consistent results, the reaction products of 1 with carbodiimides appear different from those proposed by some earlier workers. With N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N^′-ethylcarbodiimidehydrochloride 9 ferrocenoylurea was not isolated, but the main product was rather 8. The suitability of 8 as acylation reagent was applied by using 9 to obtain N-(3-triethoxysilyl)-propylferrocenecarboxamide in a one-pot reaction from 1 and 3-(triethoxysilyl)-propylamine.     

Synthesis of pyrrolo[3,2-b]benzofurans and pyrrolo[3,2-b]naphthofurans via addition of a silyloxypyrrole to activated quinones

The uncatalyzed reaction of N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxypyrrole 3 with 1,4-quinones bearing an electron withdrawing group at C-2 has been studied. Use of 1,4-quinones 4, 5 bearing an ester group at C-2 provided an efficient synthesis of the respective pyrrolidinobenzofuran adduct 9 or pyrrolidinonaphthofuran adduct 10 whereas use of 1,4-quinones 6, 7 and 8 bearing an acetyl group at C-2 afforded silyloxypyrroles 11, 12 and 13 resulting from direct electrophilic substitution of the silyloxypyrrole by the electrophilic quinone. Addition of Eu(fod)₃ to the reaction of 2-acetyl-1,4-naphthoquinone 7 and 3-acetyl-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 8 with N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxypyrrole 3 provided a method for obtaining the pyrrolidinonaphthofuran adducts 14 and 15 together with silyloxypyrroles 12 and 13. Oxidative rearrangement of pyrrolidinonaphthofuran adduct 15 to pyrrolidino pyranonaphthoquinone 16 using ceric ammonium nitrate in acetonitrile provided a novel approach for the synthesis of an aza-analogue of the pyranonaphthoquinone antibiotic kalafungin.     

A synthesis of 17-epi-calcidiol

The first synthetic approach to 17-epi-calcidiol 4 and congeners is presented. Key steps of the synthesis involve Pd-catalyzed reaction of the androst-16-ene derivative 6 with alkyl diazoacetates producing the respective cyclopropane derivatives 5, and lithium in liquid ammonia reduction of 5 leading to 17α-pregnane-20-carboxylic acid derivatives 9. The side chain was attached to ester 19 in a known manner.     

Salen and half-salen palladium(II) complexes: synthesis, characteriztion and catalytic activity toward Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

Salen and half-salen palladium(II) complexes (salden)Pd (1, salden=N,N′-bis(3,5-di- tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-dimethylethylenediamine), (hsalph)PdCl (2, hsalph=3,5-di-tert- butylsalicylidene-1-iminophenylene-2-amine), and (salph)Pd (4, salph=N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert- butylsalicylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine) were prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complex 2 proved to exhibit high catalytic activity toward Suzuki-Miyaura reaction. Polyaromatic C₃-symmetric derivatives and various fluorinated biphenyl derivatives were readily achieved in good yields using Suzuki-Miyaura reaction catalyzed by complex 2.     

A convenient synthesis of 1′-H-spiro-(indoline-3,4′-piperidine) and its derivatives

A simple synthetic route has been developed to prepare 1′-H-spiro(indoline-3,4′-piperidine) (1d). Dialkylation of 2-fluorophenylacetonitrile with N-(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)-bis(2-chloroethyl)amine (5) gave 6. Deprotection of Boc followed by cyclization resulted 1d in 67% overall yield. Selective Boc or Cbz protection of 1′-N gave 1a or 1b with 90 and 85% yield, respectively. Thus, in a five-step procedure, 1a and 1b were synthesized from commercially available reagents in over 50% overall yield. All 3 compounds (1a, 1b and 1d) can be utilized as templates to synthesize compounds for GPCR targets.     

Sodium dithionite initiated addition of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane to β-pinene: Synthesis of CF3-substituted terpenoids

Sodium dithionite effectively promotes the addition of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane to the exocyclic double bond of β-pinene. The reaction proceeded in an MeCN/H₂O system to give almost quantitatively a 1:1 mixture of diastereoisomers of 4-(2-bromoisopropyl)-1-(2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)-cyclohexene (1). Dehydrobromination of 1 with pyridine gave a mixture of regioisomeric dienes 2 and 3, while treatment with DBU at elevated temperature resulted in total dehydrohalogenation to give trienes 4 and 5. Reduction of 1 with Bu₃SnH gave 1-(2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)-4-(isopropyl)cyclohexene (6) which on dehydrochlorination with 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) afforded conjugated diene, 4-isopropyl-1-(trans-3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl)-cyclohexene (7), with 50% overall yield. All the transformations proceeded with the retention of configuration at the carbon atom C-4 and the final compound 7 exhibited high optical activity.     

Convenient synthesis of arylpropargyl aldehydes and 4-aryl-3-butyn-2-ones from arylacetylenes and amide acetals

The reaction of arylacetylenes 1 and N,N-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal (2a, DMF-DMA) afforded the corresponding arylpropargyl aldehydes 3 in moderate yields. Similarly, the reaction of 1 and N,N-dimethylacetamide dimethylacetal (2b, DMA-DMA) gave 4-aryl-3-butyn-2-ones 4.     

1-Methylimidazolin-2-yl functionalized cyclopentadienyl complexes of titanium and zirconium. Crystal structure of {[η:η-κN-C5H4CPh2CH2-(1-Me-C3H4N2)]ZrCl2}2(μ-Cl)2

The novel bidentate ligand, C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3), has been prepared and characterized as its lithium salt LiC₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Li). Cyclopentadiene HC₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-H) has been obtained from 6,6-diphenylfulvene and 1,2-dimethylimidazoline (1). In THF-d₈ solution in the presence of 1, (1-methylimidazoline-2-yl)methyllithium (2) has been proved to undergo gradual conversion into a dilithium derivative of N¹-methyl-N²-[(1E,2E)-1-methyl-2-(1-methylimidazolidine-2-idene)ethylidene]ethane-1,2-diamine (2a). In a solution, cyclopentadiene 3-H has been shown to undergo isomerization into 3-{N-[2-(N-methylamino)ethyl]amino}-1,1-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropentalene (4) and, further, into a mixture of 4 and two rotameric 3-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-methylamino]-1,1-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropentalenes (5a) and (5b). Treatment of the lithium salt 3-Li with Me₃SiCl has lead to 3-{N-[2-(N-trimethylsilylamino)ethyl]amino}-1,1-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropentalene (6) as the dominant component in the reaction mixture. In the latter case the expected Me₃Si-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Si) was not observed. Stannylation of 3-Li with 1 equiv. of Me₃SnCl has resulted in formation of a mixture of Me₃Sn-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Sn), (Me₃Sn)₂-C₅H₃CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Sn₂), and cyclopentadiene 3-H in a ca. 2:1:1 molar ratio. Monocyclopentadienyl complexes {[η⁵:η¹-κN-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂)]MCl₃ (M = Ti (7), Zr (8)) have been prepared starting from the organotin and organolithium compounds 3-Sn and 3-Li, respectively. The dynamic behavior of complexes 7 and 8 has been investigated by means of variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy in solutions. The molecular structures of the dihydropentalene 4, binuclear complex {[η⁵:η¹-κN-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂)]ZrCl₂}₂(μ-Cl)₂8, and a coordination dimer of the dilithium salt 2a have been established by X-ray diffraction analysis. In the crystal structure of the 2a-dimer, the shortest known Li-Li contact has been found.