Pd(II)-catalyzed synthesis of indoles from α-aryloxime O-pentafluorobenzoates via intramolecular aromatic C-H amination

α-Aryl-α-aminocarbonyloxime O-pentafluorobenzoates are found to be promising precursors for synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indole derivatives catalyzed by PdCl₂(MeCN)₂ in the presence of MgO as a base. The reaction is supposed to proceed via intramolecular aromatic C-H amination of a vinyl nitrene-palladium intermediate.     

Convenient synthesis of chiral tryptophan derivatives using Negishi cross-coupling

A facile synthetic procedure for chiral tryptophan derivatives using Negishi cross-coupling reaction of serine-derived iodoalanine with 3-haloindole is described. The best result was obtained when the reaction of N-tosyl-3-bromoindole with N-Cbz-iodoalanine methyl ester was carried out by the combination of Pd₂(dba)₃ and sterically hindered ferrocenyl ligand Q-PHOS. This reaction condition not only gave the desired tryptophan derivative as high as 76% yield, but also suppressed the formation of undesired products, the dehalogenated indole and the homodimer of indole, which were difficult to separate. This reaction was extended to the synthesis of various tryptophan derivatives having substituents on the benzene ring. The characteristic of this reaction is the practical biomimetic synthesis of chiral tryptophan derivatives in one-step.     

A new and efficient method for the synthesis of 3-(2-nitrophenyl)pyruvic acid derivatives and indoles based on the Reissert reaction

The formation of 3-(2-nitrophenyl)pyruvic acid and its amide and ester derivatives – key compounds for the Reissert indole synthesis – was achieved under various reaction conditions via the acid catalyzed hydrolysis of 5-(2-nitrobenzyliden)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolidin-4-one, which is readily available from 3-(2-nitrophenyl)oxirane-2-carboxamide. A new and highly efficient method for the synthesis of indole-2-carboxylic acid derivatives via the intramolecular reductive cyclization of o-nitrophenylpyruvic acid and its amide and ester derivatives was developed using Na₂S₂O₄ in dioxane/water at reflux.     

Fluorinated N-[2-(haloalkyl)phenyl]imidoyl chloride, a key intermediate for the synthesis of 2-fluoroalkyl substituted indole derivatives via Grignard cyclization process

Fluorinated N-[2-(haloalkyl)phenyl]imidoyl chloride, which was readily available from the corresponding anilines by using Uneyama's one-pot synthesis of fluorinated imidoyl chloride, was found to be a key intermediate for the facile synthesis of 2-fluoroalkyl substituted indole derivatives via the Grignard cyclization process. The bromination of 3-methyl group of 3-methyl-2-trifluoromethyl indole with NBS/CCl₄ led to the formation of 3-bromomethyl substituted indole which can be further utilized to synthesize some new and biologically interested indole derivatives.     

One-pot three-component coupling reaction: solvent-free synthesis of novel 3-substituted indoles catalyzed by PMA-SiO2

Solvent-free PMA-SiO₂-catalyzed synthesis of 3-substituted indole derivatives by a one-pot three-component coupling reaction between aldehyde, N-methyl aniline and indole is described.     

Synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyridin-2-one derivatives in convergent mode applying bio catalyst vitamin B1 and polymer supported catalyst PEG-SO3H from two different sets of building blocks

Two highly efficient, green protocols have been developed for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyridin-2-one derivatives from different starting materials exploring two reaction specific catalysts, vitamin B₁ (VB₁), and PEG-SO₃H. VB₁ catalyzed simple and convenient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyridin-2-one derivatives by the installation of aldehyde, cyanoacetamide, and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. In addition, 3,4-dihydropyridin-2-one derivatives have also been synthesized by simply combining aldehyde, malononitrile, and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds via the formation of 4H-pyran nucleus and PEG-SO₃H catalyzed one-pot rearrangement.     

PtCl4-catalyzed cyclization of N-acetyl-2-alkynylanilines: A mild and efficient synthesis of N-acetyl-2-substituted indoles

An efficient synthesis of N-acetyl-2-substituted indole derivatives via direct intramolecular hydroamination of N-acetyl-2-alkynylaniline derivatives was developed. The reaction could be applied to a wide range of substrates employing only 1–2?mol% of PtCl₄ as the catalyst to furnish the desired indole products in moderate to excellent yields. The current protocol is efficient, reliable and scalable, and could serve as an important tool for convenient and rapid access to this important class of N-heterocyclic skeleton from readily available substrates.     

Wang resin-supported sulfonic acid-catalyzed multicomponent reaction in water leading to 4-oxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole derivatives

A greener approach for the synthesis of 4-oxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro indole derivatives has been achieved through Wang-OSO₃H-mediated three-component reaction involving dimedone, phenacyl bromide, and primary amine in water. A variety of indole derivatives were prepared using this operationally simple and straight forward methodology in acceptable yields.     

PMA-SiO2–Mediated MCR in PEG-400: A Greener aza-Friedel–Crafts Reaction Leading to 3-Arylmethyl/Diarylmethyl Indoles

A greener approach for the synthesis of 3-arylmethyl/diarylmethyl indoles has been achieved via a PMA-SiO₂-mediated three-component reaction (the aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction) involving indoles, aldehydes, and N,N-disubstituted anilines in PEG-400. A variety of indole derivatives were prepared by using this operationally simple and straightforward methodology in acceptable yields.     

Rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of 2,3 – Disubstituted N-methoxy pyrroles and furans via [3+2] cycloaddition between metal carbenoids and activated olefins

For the first time, we report the synthesis of 2-substituted N-alkoxy pyrrole 3-carboxylate and furan 3-carboxylate via Rh-catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition between α-diazo oxime ether or α-diazo carbonyl compounds with vinyl equivalents in a one-pot process. We have demonstrated ethyl vinyl ether as well as vinyl acetate as vinyl equivalents and both were found to give excellent yields. We have also demonstrated the synthesis of N-alkoxy dihydropyrrole derivatives by carrying out the reaction at low temperature.     

A convenient CeCl3·7H2O/NaI-promoted synthesis of structurally novel and strained tricyclic β-lactams from hydrazines

A convenient synthetic protocol for structurally novel and strained highly derivatized tricyclic β-lactams has been developed. The synthesis involves CeCl₃·7H₂O/NaI catalyzed addition-condensation of mercaptoacetic acid and N-aroyl-N′-arylidenehydrazines followed by intramolecular cyclodehydration to afford bicyclic 5H-thiazolo[4,3-b][1,3,4]-oxadiazoles, which on treatment with acid chlorides in the presence of triethylamine furnish highly derivatized tricyclic 3H-azetidino[2,1-b]-thiazolo[3,4-d][1,3,4]-oxadiazol-6-ones in 80-93% yields. The process presents an excellent illustration of Ce(III)-catalyzed C-C, C-N and C-S bond formation in a one-pot procedure.     

A stereo-controlled route to conjugated E-enediynes

3-Ene-1, 5-diynes are important components of many enediyne antitumor agents and luminescent materials. A stereo-controlled approach to the synthesis of E-enediynes was developed, and it consists of the following two steps: (1) a mild and economical synthesis of dihalo vinyl derivatives via addition of CuBr₂ to alkynes; (2) the Sonogashira coupling reaction of the dihalo vinyl derivatives with terminal alkynes to form conjugated enediynes. Translated from Chinese Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2006, 26(12): 1682–1685 [译自: 有机化学]     

Vinylation of Nitro‐Substituted Indoles,Quinolinones, and Anilides with Grignard Reagents

The reaction of vinyl Grignard reagents with o‐methoxynitroarenes containing an electron‐releasing substituent para to the nitro group proceeds through a pathway that is different from the initially expected Bartoli indole synthesis. Thus, instead of giving fused indole derivatives, these reactions provide a very mild and efficient new procedure for the synthesis of synthetically relevant aromatic systems containing an o‐nitrovinyl moiety, such as 5‐nitro‐4‐vinylindoles, 6‐nitro‐7‐vinylindoles, 6‐nitro‐5‐vinyl‐2(1H)quinolinones, and 4‐nitro‐3‐vinylanilines.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Tetracyclic Pyrroloindolines and Constrained Tryptamines by a Switchable Cascade Reaction

The interrupted Fischer indole synthesis of arylhydrazines and biocatalytically generated chiral bicyclic imines selectively affords either tetracyclic pyrroloindolines or tricyclic tryptamine analogues depending on the reaction conditions. We demonstrate that the reaction is compatible with a variety of functional groups. The products are obtained in high optical purity and in reasonable to good yield. We present a plausible reaction mechanism to explain the observed reaction outcome depending on the stoichiometry of the acid mediator. To demonstrate the synthetic utility of our method, pharmaceutically relevant examples of both product classes were synthesized in highly efficient reaction sequences, including a phenserine analogue as a potential cholinesterase inhibitor and constrained tryptamine derivatives as selective inhibitors of the 5‐HT₆ serotonin receptor and the TRPV1 ion channel.     

Synthesis of a 1,3,4,5-tetrahydrobenzindole β-ketoester

Pd(OAc)₂-catalyzed decomposition of ethyl 2-diazo-4-(4-indolyl)-3-oxobutanoate leads to a tricyclic tetrahydrobenzindole compound formed by a formal C-H insertion reaction. This tricyclic indole rearranges to a novel and thermodynamically more stable naphthalene derivative. Treatment of N-tosyl-protected ethyl 2-diazo-4-(4-indolyl)-3-oxobutanoate with a base induces facile pyrazole formation.     

Recent Progress on Nazarov Cyclizations: The Use of Iron Salts as Catalysts in Ionic Liquid Solvent Systems

Nazarov cyclization is an important and versatile method for the synthesis of five‐membered carbocycles, and extensive studies have been conducted to optimize the reaction. Among recent studies, several trends are recognized. One is the combination of different reactions with Nazarov cyclization in a one‐pot reaction system which enables the preparation of unique cyclization products. The second is the use of a transition‐metal catalyst, though Lewis or Brønsted acids have generally been used for the reaction. The third is the realization of the asymmetric Nazarov cyclization. The fourth is the base‐catalyzed Nazarov cyclization. Furthermore, several useful protocols for realizing Nazarov cyclization have also been developed. The recent progress on Nazarov cyclizations is summarized in Section 2. Section 3 is our chronicle in this field. We focused on the use of iron as the catalyst in Nazarov cyclizations and ionic liquids as solvents: Nazarov cyclization of thiophene derivatives using FeCl₃ as the catalyst was accomplished and we succeeded in demonstrating the first example of an iron‐catalyzed asymmetric Nazarov reaction. We next established Nazarov cyclization of pyrrole or indole derivatives using Fe(ClO₄)₃·Al₂O₃ as the catalyst with high trans selectivities in excellent yields. Since the cyclized product was reacted with a vinyl ketone in the presence of the same iron salt, the system allowed realization of the sequential type of Nazarov/Michael reaction of pyrrole derivatives. Furthermore, we demonstrated the recyclable use of the iron catalyst and obtained the desired Nazarov/Michael reaction products in good yields for five repetitions of the reactions without any addition of the catalyst using an ionic liquid, [bmim][NTf₂], as the solvent. We expect that the iron‐catalyzed Nazarov cyclization, in particular, in an ionic liquid solvent might become a useful method to synthesize functional molecules that include cycloalkene moieties.     

Synthesis of tricyclic indole-2-carboxylic [correction of caboxylic] acids as potent NMDA-glycine antagonists

The practical synthesis of a series of tricyclic indole-2-carboxylic acids, 7-chloro-3-arylaminocarbonylmethyl-1,3,4,5-tetrahydrobenz[cd]indole-2-carboxylic acids, as a new class of potent NMDA-glycine antagonists is described. The synthetic route to the key intermediate 12a comprises a regioselective iodination of 4-chloro-2-nitrotoluene, modified Reissert indole synthesis, Jeffery's Heck-type reaction with allyl alcohol, Wittig-Horner-Emmons reaction, and iodination at the indole C-3 position. The key step in the route is an intramolecular cyclization of 12a to give the tricyclic indole structure. Two methods of cyclization, (1) an intramolecular radical cyclization of 12a and (2) a sequence of intramolecular Heck reaction of 12a followed by a 1,4-reduction, were performed. The resulting tricyclic indole diester 13a was selectively hydrolyzed to afford the desired tricyclic indole monocarboxylic acid 16 on a multihundred gram scale without any chromatographic purifications. Optical resolution of 16 to (-)-isomer 17 and (+)-isomer 18 was carried out, and the resulting isomers were derivatized, respectively. Evaluation of the optically active derivatives for affinity to the NMDA-glycine binding site using the radio ligand binding assay with [(3)H]-5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid revealed that the derivatives of (-)-isomer 17 were more potent than the others and that especially substituted anilide (-)-isomer 24 (K(i) = 0.8 nM) showed high affinity.     

Indoles

A method is proposed for the synthesis of 2,3,3a,8a-tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]indole derivatives; the method is based on the reaction of 3-alkyl-3-acyl-γ-butyrolactones with N₁-substituted arylhydrazines in acidic aqueous alcohol media.     

An efficient synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles via B(C6F5)3 catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition of nitriles and sodium azide

A simple and efficient protocol is developed for the synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazole derivatives from various nitriles and sodium azide (NaN₃) via [3+2] cycloaddition reaction using B(C₆F₅)₃ as a catalyst. The present synthetic method displayed significant advantages such as low catalyst loading, mild reaction conditions, low toxicity, easy work-up, high yields, and compatibility with other functional groups.     

Proline-mediated formation of novel chroman-4-one tetrahydropyrimidines

Novel tricyclic N-benzylated chroman-4-one tetrahydropyrimidine derivatives have been prepared through a multi-component reaction between various 2-substituted chroman-4-one derivatives, N-methylenebenzylamine and a catalytic amount of proline under mild reaction conditions. The tricyclic structure of 1a was determined by NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by X-ray crystallography. An additional product, 2a, was isolated from the reaction mixture and its structure and conformation were determined by a combination of theoretical (Monte Carlo conformational search) and NMR-based (NOE and ³J_HH couplings) conformational analysis. The NMR analysis revealed one preferred geometry for 1a and 2a in CHCl₃ solution.