Diels-Alder reactions of pyridinone o-quinodimethanes generated from substituted sulfolene[3,4-c]pyridin-4(1H)-ones

1-Benzyl-3-(bromomethyl)-2(1H)-pyrazinone was converted to [3,4-c] sulfolene pyridinone 8a and further (1- or 3-) substituted derivatives having a dienophilic side chain on the sulfolene ring. Thermolytic extrusion of sulfur dioxide from o-QDM precursor 8 led to generation of 3,4-dimethylene-2(1H)-pyrazinone 9, which was reacted in situ with various dienophiles. Thermolysis of the substituted precursors resulted in intramolecular cycloaddition of the corresponding o-QDM intermediates     

Total synthesis of (±)-nitidanin and novel procedures for determination of the location of the side chains on 1,4-benzodioxane

Regioselective cycloaddition of o-quinone 4 and protected sinapyl alcohol 2 gave 1,4-benzodioxane 5, which was converted to (±)-nitidanin (6), an antimalarial compound. Two novel procedures were developed to determine the location of the side chains of the adduct (5) based on partial ring cleavage.     

Facile synthesis of regio-isomeric naphthofurans and benzodifurans

Naphtho[1,2-b]furans 1a-f, naphtho[2,1-b]furans 2a-f, benzo[1,2-b:5,4-b′]difurans 3a-b, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difurans 4a-b, and benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b′]difurans 5a-b were synthesized by base-catalyzed cyclization reaction of the corresponding o-alkoxybenzoylarene derivatives. The o-alkoxybenzoylarenes were obtained from the etherification reaction of the o-hydroxybenzoylarenes, which were prepared either by the reaction of methoxyarenes with benzoyl chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride or by photo-Fries rearrangement of aryl benzoates.     

Bioactive pregnane-type steroids from the soft coral Scleronephthya gracillimum

Nine new steroids, sclerosteroids A-I (1, 5, 6, 8-13), along with 18 known metabolites (2-4, 7, 14-27), were isolated from the soft coral Scleronephthya gracillimum. These structures were elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of sugar moieties in steroidal glycosides 10-13 were determined by HPLC analysis of the o-tolylthiocarbamate derivatives of the liberated sugars from hydrolysis of these steroidal giycosides. Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were measured in vitro.     

Regioselective synthesis of triiodo-o-carboranes and tetraiodo-o-carborane

3,6-Diiodo-o-carborane 3, 3,6,9-triiodo-o-carborane 5, 3,9,12-triiodo-o-carborane 6 and 3,6,9,12-tetraiodo-o-carborane 7, which are suitable building blocks for supramolecular assemblies and carboracycles, were regioselectively synthesized by means of electrophilic iodination and introduction of iodine atoms via reconstruction of the o-carborane cage.     

A facile electrochemical method for the synthesis of phenazine derivatives via an ECECC pathway

Electrochemical oxidation of 2,3-dimethylhydroquinone 1 has been studied in the presence of o-phenylenediamines 3a-c as nucleophiles in aqueous solution, using cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential coulometry. The results indicate that the quinone 2 derived from 2,3-dimethylhydroquinone participates in Michael addition and imine condensation reactions with o-phenylenediamine via an ECECC mechanism, and is converted to the corresponding phenazine derivatives 7a-c and 7′b. The electrochemical synthesis of compounds 7a-c and 7′b has been performed successfully at a carbon rod electrode in an undivided cell with good yields and high purities.     

Preparation, characterization, and cycloaddition reaction of the heterocumulenes attached directly to azulenes. An efficient strategy for the preparation of azulene-substituted heterocycles

Preparation and cycloaddition reaction of novel azulene-substituted N-sulfinylamines 1 and 2 are reported. The influence of the -NSO group on the UV-vis and NMR spectra of the azulene ring to which it is bonded is discussed. X-ray crystal analysis of 1 revealed the syn-configuration and the twisted structure of the N-sulfinylamine moiety. The synthetic utility of 1 and 2 have been explored by the cycloaddition reaction to afford novel azulene-substituted heterocycles under high-pressure conditions. We also described herein the synthesis and some properties of related 2-azulenylisothiocyanate.     

Synthesis of (3′R,5′S)-3′-hydroxycotinine using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a nitrone

To synthesize (3′R,5′S)-3′-hydroxycotinine [(+)-1], the main metabolite of nicotine (2), cycloaddition of C-(3-pyridyl)nitrones 3a, 3c, and 15 with (2R)- and (2S)-N-(acryloyl)bornane-10,2-sultam [(2R)- and (2S)-8] was examined. Among them, l-gulose-derived nitrone 15 underwent stereoselective cycloaddition with (2S)-8 to afford cycloadduct 16, which was elaborated to (+)-1.     

o-(Trialkylstannyl)anilines and their utility in Migita-Kosugi-Stille cross-coupling: direct introduction of the 2-aminophenyl substituent

We have developed shelf- and air-stable ortho-stannylated aniline reagents that can directly be coupled with alkenyl and aryl halides via Migita-Kosugi-Stille cross-coupling. We report (i) the efficient preparation of o-(tributylstannyl)aniline (2a) and o-(trimethylstannyl)aniline (2b), (ii) the comparison of the reactivities of 2a and 2b with those of related organostannanes in cross-coupling reaction with an alkenyl halide, and (iii) the cross-coupling of 2a and 2b with a series of arylhalides and triflate.     

Synthesis of 3-substituted-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxides from the Baylis-Hillman adducts of o-nitrobenzaldehydes

The reaction of the Baylis-Hillman adducts 1b-f derived from o-nitrobenzaldehydes in trifluoroacetic acid in the presence of triflic acid (0.2 equiv.) afforded 3-substituted-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxides 2b-e and 2a in good to moderate yields. The reaction mechanism was evidenced by the experiment with 1f, the Baylis-Hillman adduct of 2-nitrobenzaldehyde N-tosylimine, as the one involving N-hydroxyisoxazoline as the key intermediate.     

Synthesis of (±)-camptothecin using a [3+2] nitrone cycloaddition to construct the CDE ring moiety

A novel synthesis to camptothecin is described. A Friedlander condensation of o-aminobenzaldehye 2 with tricylclic ketone 3 affords camptothecin after further elaboration. Tricyclic ketone 3 is prepared via a route employing a [3+2] nitrone cycloaddition and an intramolecular Knoevenagel condensation.     

A combinatorial access to 1,5-benzodiazepine derivatives and their evaluation for aldose reductase inhibition

Aryldiazepinothiophenones 4 were prepared from the reaction of o-phenylenediamines with acetone in the presence of 2-mercaptocarboxylic acids along with thiazolobenzodiazepines 6, thiazolobenzimidazoles 7 and 1,5-benzodiazepines 5, which were obtained as by-products. The benzodiazepinothiophenones 4a-d and the benzodiazepines 5a-d were also isolated from the reaction of o-phenylenediamines 1a-c with phorone. Structural assignments of the new compounds as well as complete assignment of ¹H and ¹³C NMR signals were based on the analysis of their ¹H and ¹³C NMR (1D and 2D), IR, MS and elemental analysis data. Compounds 4 were evaluated for aldose reductase inhibition and also as antioxidants.     

Stabilization of ortho-quinone methides by a bis(sulfonium ylide) derived from 2,5-dihydroxy-[1,4]benzoquinone

The zwitterionic intermediates (2a) in the oxidation of ortho-alkylphenols (1) and bis(sulfonium ylide) 3 form reasonably stable 2:1-complexes (4), in which the ortho-quinone methide (oQM) moieties are not present in quinoid form with the exocyclic in-plane methylene group, but as zwitterionic, aromatic conformer having an out-of-plane exocyclic methylene group. The complex 7 derived from the α-tocopherol model compound PMC (5) was comprehensively characterized. As exemplarily demonstrated, the adducts can be advantageously employed in organic synthesis as ‘stabilized oQMs’.     

Synthesis of novel photolabile glycosides from methyl 4,6-O-(o-nitro)benzylidene-α-d-glycopyranosides

Novel photolabile sugar derivatives bearing a 4- or 6-O-(o-nitro)benzyl group have been prepared from the corresponding methyl 4,6-O-(o-nitro)benzylidene α-d-glycopyranosides. Regioselective cleavage with BF₃·Et₂O/Et₃SiH led to the methyl 6-O-(o-nitro)benzyl gluco- and manno-α-d-glycopyranosides 3 and 6. Inversion of configuration at 4-OH position of gluco and manno derivatives offered the otherwise inaccessible methyl 6-O-(o-nitro)benzyl galacto- and talo-α-d-glycopyranosides 4, 5, and 7. Careful reaction with PhBCl₂/Et₃SiH (3 equiv of reagents, 10 min at −78 °C) led to the desired methyl 4-O-(o-nitro)benzyl gluco- and manno-α-d-glycopyranosides 8 and 9 in very good yield. However, prolonged reaction with 6 equiv of PhBCl₂/Et₃SiH transformed the methyl 4,6-O-(o-nitro)benzylidene α-d-glucopyranoside 11 into the reduced d-glucitol derivative 15. Oxidative cleavage of 5,6-diol function of 15 gave the corresponding photolabile l-xylose 17. The photolabile glucosides 3 and 8 have been further transformed into the photolabile α-C-allyl d-glucopyranosides 20 and 22.     

Facile synthesis of 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one derivatives from N-acyl-o-aminobenzophenones

An efficient synthesis of 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one derivatives has been achieved in a one-pot reaction from N-acyl-o-aminobenzophenones 1a-c (a: acyl=acetyl; b: acyl=propanoyl; c: acyl=heptanoyl) using NaH as a base. Treatment of 1 with NaH provided the quinolones 2a-c with 62-83% yields, whereas the reaction in the presence of alkyl iodide (alkyl=methyl, ethyl, n-octyl) gave the corresponding N-alkylated quinolones 3a-g in 75-95% yields. The alkylation reaction of 4-phenylquinolin-2(1H)-one 2a with alkyl halide gave a mixture of N-alkylated and O-alkylated products. Comparison of IR and NMR data of the N-alkylated and O-alkylated compounds with those of 2a-c indicated that 2a-c exist as the lactam form.     

Oxidative chemistry of the natural antioxidant hydroxytyrosol: hydrogen peroxide-dependent hydroxylation and hydroxyquinone/o-quinone coupling pathways

Oxidation of the natural antioxidant hydroxytyrosol (1) with peroxidase/H₂O₂ in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 led to the formation of two main ethyl acetate-extractable products. These could be isolated by preparative TLC after reduction and acetylation, and were identified as the tetraacetyl derivative of 2-(2,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)ethanol (3) and the heptaacetyl derivative of the pentahydroxybiphenyl 4 by 2D NMR and MS analysis. Similar oxidation of 4-methylcatechol gave, after the same work-up, the acetylated derivatives of 1,2,4-trihydroxy-5-methylbenzene (5) and the pentahydroxybiphenyl 6. Mechanistic experiments suggested that hydrogen peroxide affects the course of the oxidation of 1 by adding to the first formed o-quinone to give a hydroxyquinone intermediate. This could bring nucleophilic attack to the o-quinone of 1 to give the dimer 4. These results disclose novel oxidative pathways of 4-alkylcatechols and provide an improved chemical basis to enquire into the mechanism of the antioxidant action of 1.     

Effect of ortho-substituents on the stereochemistry of 2-(o-substituted phenyl)-1H-imidazoline-palladium complexes

Palladium complexes composed of [Pd(Ln)₂Cl₂] (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6), [L5a]₂[PdCl₄] and [Pd(L5b)₂], where L1 = 4,5-dihydro-2-phenyl-1H-imidazole (=2-phenyl-1H-imidazoline), L2 = 2-(o-fluorophenyl)-1H-imidazoline, L3 = 2-(o-methylphenyl)-1H-imidazoline, L4 = 2-(o-tert-butylphenyl)-1H-imidazoline, L5a = 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-imidazolinium, L5b = 2-(1H-imidazolin-2-yl)phenolate, and L6 = 2-(o-methylphenyl)-1H-imidazole, were synthesized. Molecular structures of the isolated palladium complexes were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The effect of ortho-substituents on the phenyl ring on trans-chlorine geometry was noted for complexes [Pd(L1)₂Cl₂] 1a and 1b, [Pd(L2)₂Cl₂] 2 and [Pd(L6)₂Cl₂] 6, whereas cis-chlorine geometry was observed for [Pd(L3)₂Cl₂] 3 and [Pd(L4)₂Cl₂] 4. PdCl₂ reacts with 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-imidazoline in DMF to give [L5a]⁺ and [L5b]^- so that [L5a]₂[PdCl₄] 5a and [Pd(L5b)₂] 5b were obtained. In complex 5b, as an N,O-bidentate ligand, two ligands L5b coordinated with the central Pd(II) ion in the trans-form. The coordination of PdCl₂ with 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-imidazolines in solution was investigated by NMR spectroscopy.     

Bargellini condensation of coumarins. Expeditious route to o-carboxyvinylphenoxyisobutyric acids and application to the synthesis of sesquiterpenes helianane, heliannuol A and heliannuol C

The direct Bargellini condensation of coumarins involving reaction with chloroform and acetone in the presence of aqueous sodium hydroxide furnished o-carboxyvinylphenoxyisobutyric acids in good yields. The utility of this new useful protocol was demonstrated by the transformation of the three diesters 9b, 9f and 9g to the sesquiterpenes helianane 4, heliannuol A 2 and heliannuol C 3, respectively.     

Unique chlorine effect in regioselective one-pot synthesis of 1-alkyl-/allyl-3-(o-chlorobenzyl) uracils: anti-HIV activity of selected uracil derivatives

2,4-Bis(trimethylsilyloxy)pyrimidines 1/2 on reaction with o-chlorobenzyl chlorides in 1,2-dichloroethane in the presence of I₂ undergo single step 1,3-dibenzylation to provide 1,3-bis(o-chlorobenzyl)pyrimidine-2,4-diones. The reactions of 1 with allyl/alkyl bromide followed by subsequent addition of o-chlorobenzyl chloride provide a simple one-pot synthesis of 1,3-unsymmetrical pyrimidine-2,4-diones. Amongst these, 1,3-bis(o-chlorobenzyl)uracil (6a) shows anti-HIV-1 activity.     

Chiral organotin complexes stabilized by C,N-chelating oxazolinyl-o-carboranes

A series of chiral organotin halides containing 2-(4-R)-oxazolinyl-o-carboranes (R = i-propyl 1, t-butyl 2; Cab^Oxa) was prepared from o-carborane with a chiral oxazoline auxiliary. X-ray structural analysis of the representative chiral organotin halide, [2-(4-i-propyl)-oxazolinyl-o-carboranyl]SnMe₂Br (4), revealed the formation of a stable penta-coordinated tin center due to a N → Sn interaction. Similar O → Sn assisted intramolecular penta-coordinated tin complexes (9 and 10) were prepared from methoxy-o-carborane ligands, MeOCH(Z)-o-carborane (Z = H 7, Ph 8; Cab^OMe), respectively, and a rigid o-carboranyl backbone provided the basic skeleton for the facile formation of organotin complexes.