Synthesis of [13]-membered macrocyclic stevastelins via a transesterification reaction as the key step: total synthesis of stevastelin C3

A new synthesis of stevastelin C3 (3), a [13]-membered ring component of the stevastelin family, whose structure was recently revised, is reported. Initially, a macrolactonization approach was attempted to generate the [13]-membered macrolactone but this met with failure, so a translactonization reaction was tried to obtain the targeted stevastelin C3 (3) from the corresponding [15]-membered ring counterpart. Unfortunately, this strategy did not prove successful, and, consequently, we opted to undertake a transesterification reaction from 23, as a means to accommodate the requisite aminoacid moiety at the correct position, to obtain 24. From 24, and through intermediates 25-28, the acyclic precursor of the [13]-membered ring macrolactone, compound 30, was efficiently prepared. By utilizing the synthetic course developed by Chida, we took 30 forward and completed the total synthesis of stevastelin C3 (3).     

Click reactions of 2H-azaphosphirene chromium and molybdenum complexes and a surprisingly facile access to a 2H-1,4,2-diazaphosphole derivative

Ring expansion reactions of 2H-azaphosphirene chromium and molybdenum complexes 1a,b with dimethyl cyanamide, triflic acid, and, subsequently at ambient temperature, with triethylamine gave a mixture of the respective 2H-1,4,2-diazaphosphole complex 2a,b and the non-ligated heterocycle 3. If the deprotonation with NEt₃ was carried out at low temperature, the selective formation of complexes 2a,b was observed, which were isolated in excellent yields and fully characterized (including single-crystal X-ray crystallography). Experimental and computational results revealed that the P, Cr and P, Mo bonds of 2H-1,4,2-diazaphosphole complexes are significantly weakened upon N-protonation of the heterocyclic ligand. When mixtures of 1a,b, TfOH, and Me₂NCN were warmed to ambient temperature, the primarily formed N-protonated of 2H-1,4,2-diazaphosphole complexes 4a,b could be observed by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. The latter underwent decomplexation to give the N-protonated free ligand 5, which could be isolated and characterized by multinuclear NMR experiments. The neutral non-ligated heterocycle 3 was isolated from a one-pot reaction of 1b with TfOH and Me₂NCN by adding NEt₃ to a solution of intermediately formed 5.     

Formation of new organoselenium heterocycles and ring reduction of 10-membered heterocycles into seven-membered heterocycles

Reacting 2,4-bis(phenyl)-1,3-diselenadiphosphetane-2,4-diselenide [{PhP(Se)(μ-Se)}₂], Woollins’ reagent, with an equivalent of aromatic diol in refluxing toluene afforded 10-membered phosphorus-selenium heterocycles 1 and 2 with an O-P(Se)-Se-Se-P(Se)-O linkage. Two equivalents of aromatic diol and Woollins’ reagent in refluxing toluene gave seven-membered phosphorus-selenium heterocycles 3 and 4 with an O-P(Se)-O linkage together with 10-membered phosphorus-selenium heterocycles 1 and 2. It was also found that the diphosphorus species O-P(Se)-Se-Se-P(Se)-O rings 1 and 2 could be readily ring contracted into the monophosphorus rings 3 and 4 in almost quantitative yields via further reaction with another equivalent of corresponding aromatic diol. One representative X-ray structure is reported.     

Addition of 2-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxythiophene to activated quinones: an approach to thia analogues of kalafungin

The uncatalyzed reaction of 2-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxythiophene 2 with 1,4-quinones bearing either an electron withdrawing acetyl or a carbomethoxy group at C-2, was investigated. No reaction was observed using 1,4-quinones 8 and 9 bearing an ester group at C-2 whereas use of 1,4-quinones 10 and 11 bearing an acetyl group at C-2 only provided low yields of the silyloxythiophenes 15 and 16 resulting from electrophilic substitution of the silyloxythiophene by the 1,4-quinone. Use of the Lewis acids InCl₃, Cu(OTf)₂ and BF₃·Et₂O were investigated in an effort to improve the yield of the desired annulation reaction. BF₃·Et₂O proved to be the optimum catalyst for the synthesis of thiolactone naphthofuran adducts 14 and 18 from 1,4-naphthoquinones 9 and 11, respectively. Reaction of 2-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxythiophene 2 with 1,4-benzoquinones 8 and 10 bearing a carbomethoxy or an acetyl group at C-2, respectively, afforded thiolactone benzofuran adducts 13 and 17, respectively, catalyzed by either InCl₃ or Cu(OTf)₂. Addition of 2-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxythiophene 2 to 3-acetyl-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 12 afforded adduct 19 that underwent oxidative rearrangement to thiolactone pyranonaphthoquinone 20 using ceric ammonium nitrate in acetonitrile, thus providing a novel approach for the synthesis of a thia analogue of the pyranonaphthoquinone antibiotic kalafungin.     

From bis(silylamino)tin dichlorides via di(1-alkynyl)-bis(silylamino)tin to new heterocycles by 1,1-organoboration

Bis(silylamino)tin dichlorides 1 [X₂SnCl₂ with X=N(Me₃Si)₂ (a), N(9-BBN)SiMe₃ (b), N(^tBu)SiMe₃ (c), and N(SiMe₂CH₂)₂ (d)] were prepared from the reaction of two equivalents of the respective lithium amides (Li-a-d) with tin tetrachloride, SnCl₄, or from the 1:1 reaction of the respective bis(amino)stannylene with SnCl₄. The compounds 1 react with two equivalents of lithium alkynides LiCCR¹ to give the di(1-alkynyl)-bis(silylamino)tin compounds X₂Sn(CCR¹)₂, 2 (R¹=Me), 3 (R¹=^tBu), and 4 (R¹=SiMe₃). Problems were encountered, mainly with LiCC^tBu as well as with 1b, since side reactions also led to the formation of 1-alkynyl-bis(silylamino)tin chlorides 5-7 and tri(1-alkynyl)(silylamino)tin compounds 8 and 9. 1,1-Ethylboration of compounds 2-4 led to stannoles 10, 11, and in the case of propynides, also to 1,4-stannabora-2,5-cyclohexadiene derivatives 12. The molecular structure of the stannole 11b (R¹=SiMe₃) was determined by X-ray analysis. The reaction of 2a and d with triallylborane afforded novel heterocycles, the 1,3-stannabora-2-ethylidene-4-cyclopentenes 14. These reactions proceed via intermolecular 1,1-allylboration, followed by an intramolecular 1,2-allylboration to give 14, and a second intramolecular 1,2-allylboration leads to the bicyclic compounds 15.     

From lithium ketazides to isomeric silylketazine-rings - imine-enamine tautomerism

Di(tert-butylmethyl)ketazine (I) reacts with n-BuLi in a 1:1 molar ratio to give a monolithium salt (II). The reaction of II with ^tBu₂SiF₂ in n-hexane leads, even in a 1:1 molar ratio, to the formation of the isomeric five- and four-membered ring compounds 1 and 2. Compound 1 has an endocyclic imine and an exocyclic enamine unit. The opposite is found for 2. The acyclic monosubstitution product, ^tBu₂SiFCH₂-C^tBuN-NC^tBuCH₃ (III) could not be isolated. It reacts with the lithium ketazide to give 1 or 2. I is reformed. The reaction in THF yields only the four-membered ring 2. In a comparable reaction of the lithium ketazide and (H₃C)₂SiF₂, the substitution product 3 could be isolated. A possible formation mechanism for 2 includes an intermediate silene IV. Both compounds 1 and 2 react with H₃C-OH under cleavage of the endocyclic Si-N-bond to give the addition product 5. The reaction mechanism includes a hydrogen shift from a nitrogen atom to a carbon atom via an imine-enamine tautomerism. In a 2:1 molar ratio, n-BuLi and the di(tert-butylmethyl)-ketazine (I) form the dilithium salt, 6. Compound 6 crystallizes from THF as trimer with four imine and two enamine units. A seven-membered ring (7) isomeric to 1 and 2 is the result of the reaction of 6 with ^tBu₂SiF₂. Compound 7 contains one imine and one enamine unit in the ring skeleton.The comparable reaction of the (CH₃)₃Si-substituted dilithium-di(tert-butylmethyl)ketazide and ^tBu₂SiF₂ yields the five-membered ring compound 8 with one endocyclic imine and one exocyclic enamine unit.Quantum chemical calculations of 1, 2, 7 and the intermediate silene IV have been carried out and show a low energy difference between the cyclic silyl-ketazine isomers.     

Studies on the α-acetylation of δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone

The synthetic approach to α-acetylated δ-valero- (7a) and ε-caprolactone (7b) is reported. While 7a was isolated in 21% yield from the respective iodoester 5a by an alkylation sequence involving transesterification and Finkelstein reaction, 7b was not obtained from 5b but the dimer 8. Also transesterification and olefin ring closing metathesis (RCM) failed to prepare 7b. RCM resulted in the dimeric lactone 10, showing that the formation of 14-membered rings is favored over that of seven-membered rings. A Mukaiyama-type Claisen reaction finally gave α-acetyl lactones 7a and 7b in practically useful quantity of about 10 g (62% yield): starting lactones 13a,b were converted to silylenolethers 14a,b, which were acetylated with acetic anhydride in presence of the Lewis acid catalyst TiCl₄. However, acetylation depends on the addition sequence of starting materials: if the mixture of Ac₂O/TiCl₄ is added to 14b, lactone 7b can be further converted to give bis-oxepanonyl ethanols 15a,b. Both compounds 15 were characterized by X-ray crystallography and NMR.     

New efficient synthesis of pyrimido[1,6-c]quinazolin-4-ones by a Biginelli 3CC/Staudinger/aza-Wittig sequence

Dihydropyrimidinone azides 1, obtained from trimethylsilyl chloride-catalyzed Biginelli reaction of 2-azidobenzaldehyde, ethyl acetoacetate, and urea (or thiourea) at room temperature, reacted with triphenylphosphine to give iminophosphorane 2. A tandem aza-Wittig reaction of iminophosphorane 2 with isocyanate, acyl chloride or CS₂ in the presence of K₂CO₃ or NEt₃ generated pyrimido[1,6-c]quinazolin-4-ones 4, 6 or 8 in moderate to good yield.     

Reactions of novel trifluoromethyl propargylic carbocation with carbon nucleophiles

Trifluoromethyl propargylic carbocation [I] generated from the reaction of 1-amino substituted 3-trifluoromethyl-2-propynyl trimethylsilyl ether 1 with TMSOTf in CH₂Cl₂ at −15 °C, followed by warming to room temperature reacted with 1.2 equiv of substituted benzenes, RMgBr and allylsilane to give the enones 3a-l and 5, respectively. The reaction of [I] with anisole, followed by treatment with Grignard reagents afforded the corresponding allyl amine derivatives 7, which underwent cyclization reaction to give indene derivatives 8 by using 2 equiv of TMSOTf.     

Naphthyridines. Part 3: First example of the polyfunctionally substituted 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-g][1,6]naphthyridines ring system

Treatment of 1,2,4-triazoles (1) with diethylmalonate in bromobenzene gave 1,2,4-triazolo-[1,5-a]pyridines 2. Chlorination of 2 using POCl₃/DMF (Vilsmeier reagent) led to the isolation of 7-chloro-6-formyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine derivative 4, which reacted with the stabilized ylid 5 to afford 6-ethoxycarbonylvinyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]-pyridines 6. Azidation of 6 yielded the corresponding azido compound 7, (Scheme 2). Reduction of 7 with Na₂S₂O₄ gave the corresponding 7-amino compound 8, which cyclized in boiling DMF to give the novel 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-g][1,6]naphthyridines 9. On the other hand, reacting 7 with one equivalent of PPh₃ (aza-Wittig reaction) in CH₂Cl₂ gave 7-imino-phosphorane derivative 10, and subsequent cyclization in boiling DMF afforded the new 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-g][1,6]naphthyridine derivative 11 (Scheme 3). However, treatment of 10 with phenyl isothiocyanate in 1,2-dichlorobenzene at reflux temperature gave the new 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-g][1,6]naphthyridine derivative 14 (Scheme 4). Refluxing 6 with excess of a primary amines 15a,b in absolute. EtOH yielded the corresponding 7-alkyl-amino-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines 16a,b. These obtained amines 16a,b underwent intramolecular heterocyclization in boiling DMF to give the novel 9-alkyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-g][1,6]-naphthyridines 17a,b, in excellent yields (Scheme 5).     

Synthesis and liquid crystalline behavior of azulene-based liquid crystals with 6-hexadecyl substituents on each azulene ring

Hexakis(6-hexadecyl-2-azulenyl)benzene (1b) has been synthesized by Co₂(CO)₈-catalyzed cyclotrimerization reaction of bis(6-hexadecyl-2-azulenyl)acetylene (2b). The mesomorphic behaviors of 1b, 2b, and 6-hexadecyl-2-phenylazulene (3b) were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques and their mesomorphic properties were compared with those of their 6-octyl derivatives 1a, 2a, and 3a. Increase of the number of carbon atoms in the peripheral side chains drops the isotropization temperatures of 1b, 2b, and 3b by 56.9 °C, 33 °C, and 23.6 °C, respectively. Additionally, the phase-transition behavior varied with increase of the number of the peripheral chains, as well as decrease of the crystalline-mesophase transition temperatures, except for compound 3b. As the results, spontaneous monodomain homeotropic molecular alignment was revealed by compound 1b in its Col_hd mesophase on non-treated glass substrate, which would be attracted to the application for the device fabrication of molecular materials.     

New oxygenated diterpenes from an Australian nudibranch of the genus Chromodoris

Chemical analysis of a chromodorid nudibranch has provided two new diterpene metabolites 1 and 2 together with the known metabolites 3-6. In an NMR study, the dialdehyde metabolite 1 underwent facile conversion to cyclic hemiacetals 8-9 on exposure to methanol, a reaction that mimics chemical conversions that may occur during the isolation of some diterpenes from molluscs and sponges. Compounds 1, 2, 5 and 8 showed moderate cytotoxicity against P388 cells (IC₅₀=1.2-4.1 μg/mL).     

A one-pot, two step synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted 1-nitroalkenes

The reactions of ketones 1a-o, nitromethane 2, and a stoichiometric amount of piperidine 3a or ethylenediamine 3b in the presence of mercaptan 6a in THF or CH₃CN solution give high yields of β-nitrosulfides 7a-o. The latter can be oxidized by 8a (m-CPBA or m-CPBA/AcOH) at 0°C, 8b (H₂O₂/AcOH), or 8c (H₂O₂) at room temperature, thus generating β-nitroalkylsulfoxides 9a-o, which then undergo elimination to produce medium to high yields of 2,2-disubstituted-1-nitroalkenes 5a-o, when refluxed in a solution of ClCH₂CH₂Cl (1,2-dichloroethane). After preparation from 1a-o, 2, 3, and 6a, 7a-o were oxidized with 8a, 8b, or 8c in a mixture of CH₃CN and ClCH₂CH₂Cl to generate β-nitrosulfoxides 9a-o, which then underwent elimination under refluxing under one-pot conditions. Compounds 14 and 15g were also prepared using 13, 2, 3b, and 6, in a similar manner.     

Synthesis and reactivity of new functionalized Pd(II) cyclometallated complexes with boronic esters

Treatment of the functionalized Schiff base ligands with boronic esters 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d with palladium (II) acetate in toluene gave the polynuclear cyclometallated complexes 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, respectively, as air-stable solids, with the ligand as a terdentate [C,N,O] moiety after deprotonation of the -OH group. Reaction of 1j with palladium (II) acetate in toluene gave the dinuclear cyclometallated complex 5j. Reaction of the cyclometallated complexes with triphenylphosphine gave the mononuclear species 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and 6j with cleavage of the polynuclear structure. Treatment of 2c with the diphosphine Ph₂PC₅H₄FeC₅H₄PPh₂ (dppf) in 1:2 molar ratio gave the dinuclear cyclometallated complex 4c as an air-stable solid.Deprotection of the boronic ester can be easily achieved; thus, by stirring the cyclometallated complex 3a in a mixture of acetone/water, 3e is obtained in good yield. Reaction of the tetrameric complex 2a with cis-1,2-cyclopentanediol in chloroform gave complex 2c after a transesterification reaction. Under similar conditions complexes 3a and 3d behaved similarly: with cis-1,2-cyclopentanediol, pinacol or diethanolamine complexes 3c, 3b, 3g and 3f, were obtained. The pinacol derivatives 3b and 3g experiment the Petasis reaction with glyoxylic acid and morpholine in dichloromethane to give complexes 3h, and 3i, respectively.     

Syntheses of a stable tristibine and of related antimony compounds with the 2,6-dimesitylphenyl (Dmp) substituent

DmpSbBr₂ (Dmp = 2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃) (1) is obtained by the reaction of DmpMgBr with SbCl₃. The reaction of 1 with KI in ethanol gives DmpSbI₂ (2). Dmp(Ph)SbBr (3) is prepared from DmpMgBr and PhSbCl₂. Compound 1 or 3 react with LiAlH₄ to form DmpSbH₂ (4) or Dmp(Ph)SbH (5). Compound 4 reacts with MeI in presence of DBU to give Dmp(Me)SbH (6). DmpSb(SbMe₂)₂ (7) is obtained from 4 and Me₄Sb₂. Elimination of hydrogen from 6 gives [Dmp(Me)Sb]₂ (8). Hydrolysis of 3 gives Dmp(Ph)SbOH (9). The molecular structures of 1-3, 5, 8 and 9 were determined by X-ray diffraction on single crystals.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and reactivities of linear and butterfly chromium/selenium complexes containing substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands: crystal structures of [{η-MeC5H4Cr(CO)2}2Se] and [{η-EtO2CC5H4Cr(CO)2}2Se2]

The Cr-Cr singly-bonded dimers [{η⁵-RC₅H₄Cr(CO)₃}₂] (1, R=Me; 2, R=CO₂Et) reacted with an equivalent of elemental selenium in THF at room temperature to give the linear Cr₂Se complexes [{η⁵-RC₅H₄Cr(CO)₂}₂Se] (3, R=Me; 4, R=CO₂Et), whereas the linear Cr₂Se complex (5, R=MeCO) reacted with excess NaBH₄, Ph₃PCHPh or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine under respective conditions to afford the linear Cr₂Se derivatives [{η⁵-RC₅H₄Cr(CO)₂}₂Se] (6, R=MeCH(OH); 7, R=PhCHCMe; 8, R=2,4-(NO₂)₂C₆H₃NHNCMe). Similarly, while the butterfly Cr₂Se₂ complexes [{η⁵-RC₅H₄Cr(CO)₂}₂Se₂] (9, R=Me; 10, R=CO₂Et) could be produced either by reaction of dimers 1 and 2 with an excess amount of elemental selenium, or by reaction of the linear complexes 3 and 4 with an equivalent of elemental selenium, the butterfly Cr₂Se₂ derivatives [{η⁵-RC₅H₄Cr(CO)₂}₂Se₂] (12, R=MeCH(OH); 13, R=PhCHCMe; 14, R=2,4-(NO₂)₂C₆H₃NHNCMe) were yielded by reaction of the butterfly Cr₂Se₂ complex (11, R=MeCO) with an excess quantity of NaBH₄, Ph₃PCHPh and 2,4-dinitrophenylhyazine. Both the linear complexes 3, 4, 6-8 and the butterfly complexes 9, 10, 12-14 are new, which have been fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.     

A flexible dibenzo-O4S2-macrocycle: twist-and-squeeze type metal binding via synergic action of metal-ligand and metal-π interactions

A 21-membered O₄S₂-donor-macrocycle (L) incorporating a dibenzo-subunit was synthesized. From the reaction of L with AgPF₆, an endo-type 1:1 complex [AgL]PF₆ (1) was obtained. On complexation, the conformation of L changes dramatically due to metal-ligand coordination as well as π-interactions between the metal and the dibenzo-subunit from L. This unique change in configuration showing a twist-and-squeeze type process illustrates how large flexible ligands stabilize complexes through conformational changes.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis and characterization of a new soluble metal-free and metallophthalocyanines peripherally fused to four 18-membered tetrathiadiaza macrocycles

Preparation of some novel symmetrically tetrasubstituted metal-free phthalocyanine (6) and metallophthalocyanines (7-10) containing four 18-membered tetrathiadiaza macrocycles moieties on peripheral positions has been achieved by cyclotetramerization reaction of phthalonitrile derivative (5) in a multi-step reaction sequence. Metal-free phthalocyanine (6) was synthesized by microwave irradiation of 13,24-bis[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]-6,7,14,15,23,24-hexahydro-13H,22H-tribenzo[b,h,n][1,4,10,13,7,16]tetrathiadiazacyclo-octadecine-18,19-dicarbonitrile (5) in 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol. The metallophthalocyanines (7-10) were prepared by the reaction of the phthalonitrile compound (5) with NiCl₂, Zn(CH₃COO)₂, CoCl₂, CuCl₂ salts, respectively, by microwave irradiation in 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol for at 175 °C, 350 W. The new compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV-Vis, elemental analysis and MS spectra data.     

Application of the Gould-Jacobs reaction to 4-amino-2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole

An effective method for the synthesis of 4-amino-2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole (4) has been described. Reduction of readily available 4-nitrobenzothiadiazole 6 with SnCl₂·2H₂O afforded 1,2,3-triaminobenzene dihydrochloride 2. The latter upon treatment with aqueous SeO₂ solution provided desired amine 4. Nucleophilic vinylic substitution of activated enol ethers 7 with amine 4 led to (benzoselenadiazol-4-ylamino)methylene derivatives 8. Thermal cyclization of derivatives 8a-c, e, f under Gould-Jacobs reaction conditions gave angularly annelated 7-(non)substituted selenadiazolo[3,4-h]quinolones 9. Acid hydrolysis of etyl ester 9c afforded corresponding acid 10. All prepared selenadiazoloquinolones were tested for antimicrobial activity.     

The first entry to pyrrolo[2,3-c]quinoline-2,4(3aH,5H)-diones

Wittig olefination of 3-aminoquinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones 1 with ethyl (triphenylphosphoranylidene)acetate (Ph₃PCHCO₂Et) afforded (E)-3-amino-4-ethoxycarbonylmethylene-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-quinolones (E)-2 and pyrrolo[2,3-c]quinoline-2,4(3aH,5H)-diones 3. An alternative approach for the synthesis of 3 via 3-bromoacetamidoquinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones 7, their corresponding triphenylphosphonium salts 8, and ylides A that undergo intramolecular Wittig reaction, was investigated. Under the applied reaction conditions, the phosphonium salts 8 and ylides A are so unstable that they partly decompose to 3-acetamidoquinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones 9 during the synthesis of 3.