Combinatorial solution-phase synthesis of alkyl (1S*,2S*,3R*,5R*,6R*)-1-alkyl-3-aryl-6-benzoylamino-1-hydroxy-7- oxo-5-phenylhexahydropyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazole-2-carboxylates

Combinatorial solution-phase cycloadditions of (1Z,4R*,5R*)-4-benzoylamino-5-phenylpyrazolidin-3-on-1-azomethine imines 3 to beta-keto esters 4 afforded a library of 26 bicyclic pyrazolidinones 5 in 6-89% yields and in 14-100% de. All products were isolated in >90% purity according to 1H NMR, and 25 of them were analytically pure. The structures of cycloadducts were confirmed by NMR and X-ray diffraction. Most of the products were isolated as mixtures of the major (1S*,2S*,3R*,5R*,6R*)-epimers 5 and the minor (1R*,2S*,3R*,5R*,6R*)-epimers 6. Epimerization of cycloadducts 5/6 at the anomeric position 1 in solution was confirmed by 1H NMR.     

Synthesis of (5R*,6R*,7S*)-6-iodo-1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4,1-benzoxazonin-3(2H)-ones

New 6-iodo-1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-3H-4,1-benzoxazonin-3-ones have been synthesized by reaction of N-tosyl- and N-(2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-N-[2-(alkenyl)phenyl]aminoacetic acids with molecular iodine.     

Synthesis and anxiolytic activity of N-substituted cyclic imides (1R*,2S*,3R*,4S*)-N-[4-[4-(2-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-2,3- bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanedicarboximide (tandospirone) and related compounds.

A series of cyclic imides bearing a omega-(4-aryl and 4-heteroaryl-1-piperazinyl)alkyl moieties was synthesized and tested in vivo for anxiolytic activity. The in vitro binding affinities of these compounds were also examined for 5-HT1A receptor sites. Structure-activity relationships within these series are discussed. One of these compounds, (1R*,2S*,-3R*,4S*)-N-[4-[4-(2-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-2,3- bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanedicarboximide (1: tandospirone), was found to be equipotent with buspirone in its anxiolytic activity and more anxio-selective than buspirone and diazepam. Tandospirone (1) is currently undergoing clinical evaluation as a selective anxiolytic agent.     

Lipase-catalyzed resolution of (2R*,3S*)- and (2R*,3R*)-3-methyl-3-phenyl-2-aziridinemethanol at low temperatures and determination of the absolute configurations of the four stereoisomers

[reaction: see text] Lipase-catalyzed resolution of (2R*,3S*)-3-methyl-3-phenyl-2-aziridinemethanol, (+/-)-2, at low temperatures gave synthetically useful (2R,3S)-2 and its acetate (2S,3R)-2a with (2S)-selectivity (E = 55 at -40 degrees C), while a similar reaction of (2R*,3R*)-3-methyl-3-phenyl-2-aziridinemethanol, (+/-)-3, gave (2S,3S)-3 and its acetate (2R,3R)-3a with (2R)-selectivity (E = 73 at -20 degrees C). Compound (+/-)-2 was prepared conveniently via diastereoselective addition of MeMgBr to tert-butyl 3-phenyl-2H-azirine-2-carboxylate, (+/-)-1a, which was successfully prepared by the Neber reaction of oxime tosylate of tert-butyl benzoyl acetate 7a. The tert-butyl ester was requisite to promote this reaction. For determination of the absolute configuration of (2S,3R)-2a, enantiopure (2S,3R)-2 was independently prepared in three steps involving diastereoselective methylation of 3-phenyl-2H-azirine-2-methanol, (S)-10, with MeMgBr. The absolute configuration of (2S,3S)-3 was determined by X-ray analysis of the corresponding N-(S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propanoyl derivative (S,S,S)-13.