Regioselective synthesis of mono- and bis-decahydrobenzocarbazoles via tandem reactions of α-diazo ketones

Regioselective intermolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of rhodium generated carbonyl ylides with indoles are reported in this paper. Intermolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of five-membered-ring cyclic carbonyl ylides with indole and substituted indoles afforded hexahydro-2H-carbazol-2-ones in a regioselective manner. Similarly, reactions of cyclic carbonyl ylides were carried out to afford decahydrobenzo[c]carbazoles or decahydrocyclopenta[c]carbazoles with high regioselectivity. Interestingly, the other possible regioisomer decahydrobenzo[a]carbazoles were also obtained by the reaction of cyclic carbonyl ylides and indoles having electron withdrawing substituents. The structure and stereochemistry of regioisomers 6,11c-epoxy-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,11b,11c-decahydro-4a-methyl-5-oxo-7H-benzo[c]carbazole and 11-benzenesulfonyl-6,11b-epoxy-2,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,11,11a,11b-decahydro-4a-methyl-5-oxo-1H-benzo[a]carbazole were unequivocally corroborated by single-crystal X-ray analyses. To advance this study, regioselective double 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of five-membered-ring cyclic carbonyl ylides has been demonstrated for the first time with biindoles having various aryl and alkyl spacers. This process constructed up to eight stereocenters, four carbon-carbon and two carbon-oxygen bonds in a single step with an excellent molecular complexity and stereoselectivity.     

Competitive thermal ene reaction and Diels-Alder reactions of 2-[N-(alk-2-enyl)benzylamino]-3-vinylpyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4(4H)-ones

Thermal reaction of 2-[N-(alk-2-enyl)benzylamino]-3-(2-substituted and 2,2-disubstituted)vinylpyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4(4H)-ones gave azepine, the desired ene products, and/or pyran derivatives. The formation of the latter was responsible for the [4+2] cycloaddition reaction between the α,β-unsaturated ester carbonyl moiety as a diene part and the alkenylamino moiety as an ene one. The reaction features depended upon the kinds of substituents both on the vinyl and alkenyl counterparts; strongly electron-withdrawing substituents on the vinyl moiety or an electron-donating substituent on the alkenyl one changed the reaction feature from the ene reaction to the hetero Diels-Alder reaction.     

Visible-light-driven Cadogan reaction

Visible-light-driven photochemical Cadogan-type cyclization has been discovered. The organic D-A type photosensitizer 4CzIPN found to be an efficient mediator to transfer energy from photons to the transient intermediate that breaks the barriers of deoxygenation in Cadogan reaction and enables a mild metal-free access to carbazoles and related heterocycles. DFT calculation results indicate mildly endergonic formation of the intermediate complex of nitrobiarenes and PPh₃, which corresponds with experimental findings regarding reaction temperature. The robust synthetic capacity of the photoredox Cadogan reaction systems has been demonstrated by the viable productivity of a broad range of carbazoles and related N-heterocycles with good tolerance of various functionalities.     

A concise synthesis of novel naphtho[a]carbazoles and benzo[c]carbazoles

Starting from simple indole precursors the synthesis of naphtho[a]carbazoles and benzo[c]carbazoles is described. Key steps include the use of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction to afford 2- or 3-aryl substituted indoles, as well as a potassium t-butoxide and light assisted aromatic ring-forming reaction.     

Convenient construction of spiro[indoline-3,5'-pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole] and spiro[indene-2,5'-pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole] via acid-catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction

p-TsOH catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction of 3-(indol-3-yl)maleimides with 3-phenacylideneoxindoles in toluene at 80 °C for two hours afforded cis/trans isomers of 3a',4′,6′,10c'-tetrahydrospiro[indoline-3,5′-pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazoles] in nearly comparable yields, which could be easily converted to the corresponding 4′,6′-dihydrospiro[indoline-3,5′-pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole] in high yields and with high diastereoselectivity by further DDQ oxidation. Additionally, the similar reaction of 3-(indol-3-yl)maleimides with 2-arylidene-1,3-indanediones in toluene 80 °C and sequential DDQ oxidation afforded functionalized dihydrospiro[indene-2,5′-pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazoles] as major products.     

Theoretical Investigations on the Mechanism of Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reactions of Brassard’s Diene and 1, 3‐Butadiene Catalyzed by a Tridentate Schiff Base Titanium(IV) Complex

The mechanism of the hetero‐Diels–Alder reactions of Brassard’s diene and 1,3‐butadiene catalyzed by a titanium(IV) complex of a tridentate Schiff base was investigated by DFT and ONIOM methods. The calculations indicate that the mechanism of the reaction is closely related to the nucleophilicity–electrophilicity between diene and carbonyl substrates. A stepwise pathway is adopted for Brassard’s diene, and the step corresponding to the formation of the C? C bond is predicted to be the rate‐determining step with a free‐energy barrier of 8.4 kcal mol^?1. For 1,3‐butadiene, the reaction takes place along a one‐step, two‐stage pathway with a free‐energy barrier of 14.9 kcal mol^?1. For Brassard’s diene as substrate, the OCH₃ and OSi(CH₃)₃ substituents may play a key role in the formation of the transition state and zwitterionic intermediate by participating in charge transfer from Brassard’s diene to formaldehyde. The combination of the phenyl groups at the amino alcohol moiety and the ortho‐tert‐butyl group of the salicylaldehyde moiety in the chiral tridentate Schiff base ligand plays an important role in the control of the stereoselectivity, which is in agreement with experimental observations.     

Asymmetric Conjugate Alkynylation of Cyclic α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds with a Chiral Diene Rhodium Catalyst

Asymmetric conjugate alkynylation of cyclic α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds (ketones, esters, and amides) was realized by use of diphenyl[(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl]methanol as an alkynylating reagent in the presence of a rhodium catalyst coordinated with a new chiral diene ligand (Fc‐bod; bod=bicyclo[2.2.2]octa‐2,5‐diene, Fc=ferrocenyl) to give high yields of the corresponding β‐alkynyl‐substituted carbonyl compounds with 95–98 % ee.     

Synthesis,photophysical and electrochemical properties of novel 6,12-di(thiophen-2-yl) substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles

Novel 5,11-dialkyl-6,12-di(thiophen-2-yl) substituted 5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazoles have been obtained and plausible ways for their further modifications via the Friedel–Crafts reaction are presented. The formylation of these indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles with dichloromethyl alkyl esters catalysed by Lewis acids leads to the formation of the corresponding 2,8-diformyl derivatives. Applicability of this formylation method for modification of indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles bearing electron-rich aromatic substituents at C-6 and C-12 has also been demonstrated. The Knoevenagel condensation of 2,8-dialdehydes with active methylene nitriles has been studied. The measurements of optical and redox properties for a number of new indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles have been performed.     

Lithium heptadecafluorooctanesulfonate catalyzed Mannich-type and aza-Diels-Alder reactions in supercritical carbon dioxide

The Mannich-type reaction of imines with (1-methoxy-2-methylpropenyloxy)trimethylsilane and aza-Diels-Alder reaction of imines with Danishefsky's diene can be carried out in scCO₂ in the presence of lithium heptadecafluorooctanesulfonate which offer a way to synthesize β-amino carbonyl compounds and nitrogen-containing six-membered ring compounds under environmentally benign conditions.     

Novel synthesis of benzo[b]carbazoles

A new method was adopted for the synthesis of benzo[b]carbazoles by Claisen condensation followed by Fischer indole cyclization. Newly synthesized benzo[b]carbazoles were treated with ethanol amine in the presence of polyphosphoric acid which leads to the formation of pyrazino carbazoles. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by all spectral means.     

Easily accessible chiral dicyclopentadiene ligands for rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective 1,4-addition reactions

A variety of novel C₁-symmetric chiral diene ligands based on the dicyclopentadiene (DCP) skeleton were easily prepared from commercially available DCP. The application of these diene ligands in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been examined and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) as well as good yields were achieved under mild reaction conditions.     

Gas-phase domino cyclization of phosphonium ylides leading to the total synthesis of Eustifoline D

Six stabilised phosphonium ylides bearing ortho-benzylaminophenyl and cinnamoyl (or a heterocyclic analogue) groups have been prepared and upon flash vacuum pyrolysis at 800 °C were found to undergo cascade cyclization processes to give mainly 3-styrylquinolines but also in some cases ring-fused carbazoles and other fused-ring heterocyclic products. By starting with an appropriate ring-methylated precursor the natural product Eustifoline D was obtained in 19% yield in the pyrolysis in addition to the 3-(2-furylethenyl)quinoline (46%).     

One-step construction of carbazoles by way of the palladium-catalyzed double N-arylation reaction and its application to the total synthesis of murrastifoline-A

The one-step construction of N-substituted carbazoles by way of the Pd-catalyzed double N-arylation reaction of primary amines with 2,2′-dibromobiphenyl is described. Aryl and aliphatic amines including tert-butylamine and a protected glucopyranosylamine were effectively transformed into the corresponding N-substituted carbazoles. The first total synthesis of murrastifoline-A, a biscarbazole alkaloid, based on this methodology is also presented.     

Acid-catalyzed condensation of 2,2′-diamino-1,1′-biaryls for the synthesis of benzo[c]carbazoles

2,2′-Diamino-1,1′-biaryls were found to undergo ring-closure condensation reaction to afford benzo[c]carbazoles in good to excellent yield. Coupled with the synthesis of 2,2′-biaryldiamines from diaryl hydrazides via [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, it constitutes a new efficient synthetic method for benzo[c]carbazoles and related compounds.     

Highly enantioselective homogeneous catalysis of chiral rare earth phosphates in the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction

Two types of novel rare earth (RE) complexes were synthesized and used as a chiral Lewis acid catalyst for the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of carbonyl compounds with the Danishefsky's diene under homogeneous conditions. The Y[(R)-H₈-BNP]₃ (3-Y)-catalyzed reaction of aromatic aldehydes and the Yb[(R)-BNP]₃ (1-Yb)-catalyzed reaction of phenylglyoxylates afforded the corresponding cycloadducts with excellent optical purities (up to 99% ee) in high yields at room temperature. The successful recycling uses of the scandium catalyst (3-Sc) are also described.     

Recent advances in the synthesis of N-alkenyl carbazoles

N-Alkenyl carbazoles are important building blocks of poly(vinylcarbazole), which is used in photosensitive materials, semiconductors, electroluminescent devices, and non-linear optical materials. Recently, a CN bond formation reaction using transition-metal-catalyzed amination and transition-metal-catalyzed vinylation was successfully extended to the synthesis of N-alkenyl carbazoles. In this paper, I discuss recent examples of the synthesis of N-alkenyl carbazoles, including palladium and copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of carbazoles with alkenes/alkenyl halides, and iridium-catalyzed vinylation of carbazole using vinyl acetate.     

An original route to newly-functionalized indoles and carbazoles starting from the ring-opening of nitrothiophenes

The multifaceted behavior of nitrobutadienes deriving from the initial ring-opening of nitrothiophenes finds a further clear-cut example in their Michael-type acceptor reactivity towards indole. Thus, depending on the starting diene, either newly-functionalized indoles or carbazoles are produced, the latter as the result of an appealing double (intermolecular + intramolecular) Michael-type addition to a nitrovinylic moiety. The outcome encompasses motifs for both mechanistic and synthetic interest in the field of heterocycles endowed with possible pharmacological activity.     

Total synthesis of eustifolines A-D and glycomaurrol via a divergent Diels-Alder strategy

The Diels-Alder reaction between a quinone monoimine and cyclic diene allows for the construction of substituted carbazoles in a regiospecific manner. This methodology has sucessfully been employed in a divergent strategy, culminating in the synthesis of eustifolines A-D and glycomaurrol.     

Synthesis of carbazoles by dehydro Diels-Alder reactions of ynamides

A new approach to carbazoles and benzannulated carbazoles by means of intramolecular dehydro Diels-Alder of ynamides is reported. N-(o-Ethynyl)aryl ynamides and N-(o-ethynyl) arylynamides were prepared in a few steps starting from o-iodoaniline. Thermal cycloaddition of N-(o-ethynyl)aryl ynamides and N-(o-ethynyl) arylynamides affords carbazoles and benzannulated and heteroannulated carbazoles in moderate-to-good yields.     

Novel chiral 1-phosphono-1,3-butadiene for asymmetric hetero Diels-Alder cycloadditions with nitroso and azodicarboxylate dienophiles

Chiral 1-phosphonodienes bearing a bicyclic (R,R)-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane or a (R,R)-1,3,2-diazaphospholidine auxiliary are potent dienes for asymmetric hetero Diels-Alder reactions. Their reactivity towards model nitroso and azodicarboxylate dienophiles has been studied by means of theoretical chemistry at the B3LYP/6-31G∗∗ level. This model, taking solvent effects into account, allowed us to identify parameters governing the stereoselectivity of this reaction. Our study emphasizes a synergy effect when increasing the steric hindrance of substituents of both partners. This led us to predict high levels of diastereoselectivity for one diene. Accordingly, we have hereby illustrated a convenient and original synthesis of this diene and its cycloadditions with commercially available nitroso and azodicarboxylate dienophiles.