Rapid characterisation and identification of compounds in Saposhnikoviae Radix by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Saposhnikoviae Radix (SR), the dried root of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk. (Umbelliferae), is commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, a rapid and accurate method was firstly, developed for the qualitative analysis of SR by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS). A total of 45 compounds were identified or tentatively characterised, including 13 chromones, 28 coumarins and four others. Among them, 16 compounds were identified from SR for the first time. In addition, six chromones reference standards, including two isolated compounds of 3′-O-angeloylhamaudol and norcimifugin from the extraction of SR, were used to study the fragmentation pathways of chromones. The developed method was effective for characterising the compounds of SR, and the results of the study enriched the understanding of the chemical connotation.     

Synthesis of electron-deficient dienes bearing a chromonyl moiety via the reaction of 3-formylchromones with ylidenemalononitriles and ethyl α-cyano-β-methylcinnamate

3-Formylchromones react with ylidenemalononitriles in the presence of triethylamine in dichloromethane to produce the target electron-deficient dienes connected to the chromone system with excellent E-selectivity and in good yields. In a similar manner, their reaction with ethyl α-cyano-β-methylcinnamate gave a mixture of E,Z- and E,E-isomeric chromonyl dienes, from which the former could be isolated in a pure state by crystallization.     

Recyclization of 7-hydroxy-3-(4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-chromones using binucleophiles

The recyclization of 2-R-7-hydroxy-3-(4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)chromones using the binucleophiles hydroxylamine, hydrazine, or guanidine gave isoxazoles, 2-aminochromones, pyrazoles, or pyrimidines with a 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl substituent. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 571–578, April, 2006.     

Reinvestigation of prototropic photochromism: 3-benzoyl-2-benzylchromones

The synthesis of a series of new nine 3-benzoyl-2-benzylchromones is developed through a classical and an optimized Kostanecki-Robinson method involving an o-hydroxyphenyl-β-diketone and an acid anhydride. The different spectrokinetic studies carried out in solution and in polymer matrixes have highlighted the main structure/photochromic parameters relationships and the influence of the medium on the photochromic properties.     

Spiro[4H-chromene-4,5′-isoxazolines] and related compounds: Synthesis and reactivities

Reactions of chromones with methyl ketoximes in the presence of lithium diisopropylamide follow the nucleophilic 1,2-addition mechanism to give spiro[4H-chromene-4,5′-isoxazolines] in good yields. The isoxazoline ring in spiro[4H-chromene-4,5′-isoxazolines] undergoes opening under the action of conc. H₂SO₄, yielding α,β-unsaturated oximes. Their nitrosation and bromination lead to the corresponding spiroisoxazolines, while the Beckmann rearrangement, to α,β-unsaturated amides. The latter are also formed directly from spiro[4H-chromene-4,5′-isoxazolines] under the action of PCl₅. N-Substituted acetophenone hydrazones in the presence of lithium diisopropylamide react at the C(4) atom of 2-trifluoromethylchromone, while acetophenone anil under the same conditions, at the C(2) atom. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 516–522, March, 2006.     

Stereoselective hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of 3-(trifluoroacetyl)chromones with cyclic enol ethers: synthesis of 3-aroyl-2-(trifluoromethyl)pyridines with ω-hydroxyalkyl groups

3-(Trifluoroacetyl)chromones undergo heterodiene cycloaddition to 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran and 2,3-dihydrofuran under mild conditions, producing novel fused pyrans with high stereoselectivity and in good yields. These pyrans were transformed into functionalized pyridines on treatment with ammonium acetate in ethanol. The structures of the endo-cycloadducts were established by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Domino reactions of 1,3-bis-silyl enol ethers with benzopyrylium triflates: efficient synthesis of fluorescent 6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-ones, dibenzo[c,d]chromen-6-ones, and 2,3-dihydro-1H-4,6-dioxachrysen-5-ones

The condensation of 1,3-bis-silyl enol ethers with benzopyrylium triflates, generated in situ by the reaction of chromones with Me3SiOTf, afforded functionalized 2,3-dihydrobenzopyrans; treatment of the latter with NEt3 or BBr3 resulted in a domino retro-Michael-aldol-lactonization reaction and the formation of a variety of 7-hydroxy-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-ones. The hydroxy group was functionalized by using Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. The methodology reported was applied to the synthesis of the natural product autumnariol and a new fluorescence dye, which exhibits promising optical properties. 2,3-Dihydro-1H-4,6-dioxachrysen-5-ones were prepared by condensation of chromones with 1,3-bis-silyl enol ethers containing a remote chloride group, domino retro-Michael-aldol-lactonization, and an intramolecular Williamson reaction.     

Reaction of 3-trifluoroacetylchromones with diamines

Reaction of 3-(trifluoroacetyl)chromones with ethylenediamine and o-phenylenediamine depending on the nature of substituents and the reaction conditions afforded either mono-adducts, 3-[(2-aminoethyl)aminomethylidene]-and 3-[(2-aminophenyl)aminomethylidene]-2-hydroxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)chroman-4-ones, or bis-adducts, N,N′-ethylenebis-and N,N′-o-phenylenebis[3-aminomethylidene-2-hydroxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)chroman-4-ones]. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1548–1551, August, 2007.     

Synthesis of 2-(trifluoromethyl)-1,2-dihydro-4H-thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones and 2-(trifluoromethyl)-4H-thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones from 2-trifluoromethylchromones and ethyl mercaptoacetate

The redox reaction of 2-trifluoromethylchromones with ethyl mercaptoacetate in the presence of triethylamine results in the formation of 1,2-dihydrothieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones and diethyl 3,4-dithiadipate in high yields. Oxidation of the first compounds with nitrogen dioxide gave 1,2-dihydrothieno[2,3-c]chromen-3,4-diones which were converted into thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones.     

3-(4-Phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)chromones

The condensation of 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylacetonitrile with 2-methyl-, 4-ethylresorcinol, and with pyrogallol gave α-(4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-2,4-dihydroxyacetophenones. Upon treatment with acid anhydrides and chlorides and subsequent hydrolysis these form 7-hydroxy-3-(4-phenyl)-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)chromones with different substituents in both the benzene and the pyrone rings. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 11, pp. 1676–1684, November, 2005.