Iodine-catalyzed C3-formylation of indoles using hexamethylenetetramine and air

An efficient iodine-catalyzed chemoselective 3-formylation of free (N–H) and N-substituted indoles was achieved by using hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in the presence of activated carbon under air atmosphere. This new method could provide 3-formylindoles in moderate to excellent yields with fairly short reaction times. Moreover, this catalytic formylation of indoles procedure can be applied to gram-scale synthesis.     

2-羟基-3,4,6-三甲氧基查尔酮的合成

本文开发了一种天然产物2-羟基-3,4,6-三甲氧基查尔酮(1)的十克级规模快速合成方法。通过改良合成2-羟基-3,4,6-三甲氧基苯甲醛(7)的甲基化和甲酰化条件,将7的合成总收率从文献报道的22%提高至68%。并以7为原料在乙腈为溶剂、80℃加热的条件下通过Wittig反应在50mmol规模以85%的收率合成了产物1。     

One pot synthesis of important retinoid synthon by the catalytic regioselective bi-functionalization of acetylenes,alcohol and carbon monoxide

Base free Fe(CO)₅ catalyzed one-pot synthesis of E/Z alkyl 3-formyl-3-alkyl/aryl/ferrocenyl-2-propenoates (retinoid esters) was achieved by the photolysis of alcoholic solution of terminal acetylenes and carbon monoxide. 8–10 Mol% of ironpentacarbonyl was used as a catalyst for significant transformations of retinoid esters. During the photolysis, alkynes reduced by the simultaneous double functionalization esterification and formylation and resulted in regioselective E/Z isomers of alkyl 3-formyl-3-alkyl/aryl/ferrocenyl-2-propenoates. The bi-functionalization of acetylene is quite unusual and is not observed frequently. The highest yield of the retinoid esters was achieved with 3° alcohols (96%, for E and Z isomers) while the least yield was observed with 1° alcohols (25%, for E and Z isomers). All retinoid esters are regiospecific and have exceptional biological significance to serve as key structural motifs in drug and pharmaceutical applications.     

Some electrophilic reactivity studies of di-(2-indolyl)dibenzofurans and di-(2-indolyl)carbazoles

3,6-Bis-(2-indolyl)dibenzofurans 1,2, and carbazoles 3–6 underwent a range of electrophilic substitution reactions to produce formyl indoles 7–12, biindolyls 24–28 and 33–34, glyoxylamides 40–42, and amides 48.     

An expedient synthesis of ellipticine via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling

A simple and efficient total synthesis of ellipticine was developed via the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of sterically sensitive 2-hydroxybenzeneboronic acid with a multifunctional aryl halide using Pd(OAc)₂ as a catalyst and Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O as an additive in DMSO/H₂O as a key step followed by double N-arylation and cyclization.     

Modifications of 5,12-dihydroindolo[3,2-a]carbazole scaffold via its regioselective C2,9-formylation and C2,9-acetylation

The effective approaches for regioselective double formylation and acetylation of 5,12-dialkyl-6,7-diaryl-substituted 5,12-dihydroindolo[3,2-a]carbazoles by their treatment with dichloromethyl methyl ether in the presence of SnCl₄ or with acetyl chloride in the presence of AlCl₃ to afford the 2,9-diformyl or 2,9-diacetyl derivatives, respectively, were developed. Furthermore, new 2,9-bis(2,2-dicyanovinyl) derivatives were synthesized by the Knoevenagel condensation of diformyl-containing substrates with malononitrile, when new 2,9-bis(quinoxaline-2-yl)- and 2,9-bis(benzo[g]quinoxaline-2-yl) derivatives were formed via microwave-promoted oxidation of diacetyl-containing substrates with SeO₂ to the corresponding diglyoxals, followed by the reaction of these intermediates with o-phenylendiamine or 2,3-diaminonaphthalene, respectively. The basic optical and electrochemical properties of some 5,12-dihydroindolo[3,2-a]carbazoles were investigated.     

The formylation of the upper-rims of thiacalixarenes: synthesis of the first tetra-formylated and the first meta-substituted thiacalix[4]arenes

The conventional Gross reaction for the formylation of the tetrapropoxythiacalix[4]arene using TiCl₄ affords the 18-(chloromethyl)-28-hydroxy-25,26,27-tripropoxythiacalix[4]arene substituted in the meta-position of the macrocycle. The p-tetraformyl-tetrapropoxythiacalix[4]arene, which is an interesting intermediate to the upper-rims functionalization of thiacalixarenes, was prepared with a very good yield using BuLi and N-formylpiperidine.     

Synthesis and structure of 8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3,7-dimethylisochromane and its analogues

The title compound 1 was obtained by the reaction of alcohol 18 and triethyl orthoformate catalyzed by aluminum chloride followed by catalytic hydrogenation in good yield. Similarly, compounds 1 and 3 were obtained by intramolecular cyclization of MOM ether 19 with titanium(IV) chloride in moderate yields and isochromanes 1, 3, 26 and 27 by intramolecular cyclization of ether 20 with titanium(IV) chloride in high yields. The structures of compounds 1-3 were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and chemical reactions. The mechanisms on the formation of 1 and 3 are discussed.     

A simple TiCl4 promoted arylation of orthoformate and benzyl ethers by N,N-dialkylarylamines

N,N-Dialkylarylamines react with trimethyl orthoformate and TiCl₄ under ambient conditions to give the corresponding formyl derivatives in 75-89% yields, whereas the corresponding arylated products are obtained from benzyl ethers and acetals in 42-78% yields.     

Synthesis of novel β-aryl-β-(methylthio)acroleins via Vilsmeier–Haack protocol as potential 1,3-dielectrophilic three-carbon building blocks

A new general route for the synthesis of novel β-aryl-β-(methylthio)acroleins, a class of stable potential 1,3-dielectrophilic synthons, has been reported. The overall protocol involves treatment of either β-chloroacroleins or their precursor iminium salts (generated in situ from the corresponding active methylene ketones under Vilsmeier–Haack reaction conditions) with S,S-dimethyldithiocarbonates (DDC)/aqueous KOH in either a one-pot or two-step process. The dimethyldithiocarbonate (DDC)/30% aqueous KOH has been shown to be an excellent source of methylthiolate anion.