β-lithiations of carboxamides. Synthesis of β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated amides

N-Methyl-2-methyl-3-(benzotriazol-l-yl)propanamide, on treatment with butyllithium forms a dianion which on treatment with alkyl and benzyl halides, aldehydes and ketones affords monosubstituted products; with ethyl p-toluate, a lactam is formed. The alkylated derivatives eliminate benzotriazole in the presence of base to afford trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated amides.     

Two‐Step Synthesis of Multifunctional γ‐Lactams from γ‐Lactone

We present herein an efficient and rapid method for the synthesis of N,1‐dialkyl‐4‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐5‐oxopyrrolidine‐3‐carboxamides based on the conversion of γ‐lactone to γ‐lactam via the conjugate addition of primary amines to an ethyl α‐functionalized acrylate followed by intramolecular cyclization.     

Radical polymerization of N-phenyl-α-methylene-β-lactam

N-phenyl-α-methylene-β-lactam (PML), a cyclic analog of N,N-disubstituted methacrylamides which do not undergo radical homopolymerization, was synthesized and polymerized with α,α′-azobis (isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) in solution. Poly (PML) (PPML) is readily soluble in tetrahydrofuran, chloroform, pyridine, and polar aprotic solvents but insoluble in toluene, ethyl acetate, and methanol. PPML obtained by radical initiation is highly syndiotactic (rr = 92%), exhibits a glass transition at 180°C, and loses no weight upto 330°C in nitrogen. The kinetics of PML homo-polymerization with AIBN was investigated in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The rate of polymerization (R_p) can be expressed by R_p = k[AIBN]^0.55[PML]^1.2 and the overall activation energy has been calculated to be 87.3 kJ/mol. Monomer reactivity ratios in copolymerization of PML (M₂) with styrene (M₁) are r₁ = 0.67 and r₂ = 0.41, from which Q and e values of PML are calculated as 0.60 and 0.33, respectively.     

Reactions of α,β‐Enones with Diazo Compounds,Part 3

Carbonyl ylides arising from ethyl acetodiazoacetate/dimethyl diazomalonate and α,β‐enones with mainly s‐cis conformations underwent disrotatory cyclization to produce dihydrofuran derivatives. This process proved to be sensitive to steric effects. The corresponding ylides arising from rather s‐trans α,β‐enals yielded dioxole derivatives. The mechanisms of the reactions are discussed.     

The synthesis of β-heteroarylamino-α,β-dehydro-α-amino acid and β-heteroarylamino-α-amino acid derivatives

From heteroarylaminomethyleneoxazolones 4 , obtained from N-heteroarylformamidines 2 and 2-phenyl-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazole ( 3 ), the following β-heteroarylamino-α,β-dehydro-α-amino acid derivatives were prepared: methyl 8 and ethyl esters 9 , amides 10 and 11 , hydrazides 12 , and azides 15 . By catalytic hydrogenation the compounds 4 were converted into β-heteroarylamino substituted amides 18 and β-heteroarylamino-α-amino acids 20 .     

A Flexible Approach to the γ－Amino－β－hydroxy Acid Moiety of Hapalosin

A flexible approach to ethyl (3R,4S)-N-Boc-4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoate (N-Boc-AHPPA-OEt), the γ-amino-β-hydroxy acid moiety of hapalosin is described. The synthetic method features a ring-opening ethanolysis of an activated N-Boc-lactam, which is obtained via a diastereoselective reductive-alkylation of (R)-malimide derivative. The flexibility of the method resides in the introduction of the alkyl side chain by Grignard reagent addition.     

Structural effects on the acidity of E-α-phenyl-β-arylacrylic acids

The dissociation equilibrium constants of some is-α-phenyl-β-arylacrylic acids (Ar = 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, anthracen-9-yl) have been measured in 80% aqueous 2-methoxyethanol at 25°. The pKa values of these acids, together with those of p-substituted phenyl, 2-furyl, 2-thienyl and selenophen-2-yl derivatives, have been rationalized by an equation involving separate contributions of polar, conjugative and steric effects of heterocycles. The pKa values of some E-α-phenyl-β-alkylacrylic acids (alk = methyl; ethyl; n-propyl; i-propyl; n-butyl; i-butyl) are also reported.     

Selective synthesis of structurally isomeric poly-β-ester and poly-δ-ester from β-(2-acetoxy-ethyl)-β-propiolactone with Al and Zn catalysts

It was found that structurally isomeric polymers were formed by the ring-opening polymerization of β-(2-acetoxy ethyl)-β-propiolactone with (EtAlO)_n and Et(ZnO)₂ZnEt catalysts; that is, the Al catalyst catalyzed normal polymerization which led to poly-β-ester and the Zn catalyst formed isomerized poly-β-ester as the main product. The polymer structure was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), T₁-value, thermal decomposition product, and (T_g). The NMR studies for the monomer–catalyst systems indicated that the Al catalyst interacted predominately with the lactone group, whereas the Zn catalyst interacted with the side-chain ester group. These site-selective interactions could be related to the difference in the stereoregulation by the two catalysts during the poly(β-ester)-forming polymerization process.     

Characterization of copolymers of vinyl acetate with ethyl α-cyanocinnamate

Alternating and random copolymers of ethyl α-cyanocinnamate and vinyl acetate were studied. Infrared, ¹H, and ¹³C spectra of the copolymers are discussed by comparison with a model compounds, poly(vinyl acetate), and various copolymers. The decomposition temperature and T_g of copolymers of various composition, studied by TMA and DSC, increase both with increasing content of ethyl α-cyanocinnamate.     

Reaction of pyromeconic acid with β-diazopropionic ester. Synthesis and attempted cyclization of β-(4H-pyran-4-on-3-yloxy)propionic acid

A procedure which utilizes a special sublimate condenser for preparation of pyromeconic acid (I) by decarboxylation of either meconic or comenic acid is reported. O-Alkylation of pyromeconic acid with ethyl β-diazopropionate ex situ yields ethyl β-(4H-pyran-4-on-3-yloxy)-propionate (II), acidic hydrolysis of which affords the free acid III. The acid III is refractory to ring-closure to a chromanone analog IV under a wide range of acidic conditions. O-Allylation of 1 gives 3-allyloxy-4H-pyran-4-one (V) as a low-melting crystalline solid.     

Synthesis of Heterocyclic Analogs of α‐aminoadipic Acid and its Esters Based on Imidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]Thiazole

A method for the preparation of heterocyclic analogs of α‐aminoadipic acid and its esters based on the imidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazole ring system was developed. In this method, free‐radical bromination of ethyl 6‐methylimidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazole‐5‐carboxylate with NBS afforded a versatile building block, ethyl 6‐bromomethylimidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazole‐5‐carboxylate. Coupling of ethyl 6‐bromomethylimidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazole‐5‐carboxylate with Schöllkopf's chiral auxiliary followed by acidic hydrolysis generated ethyl 6‐[(2S)‐2‐amino‐3‐methoxy‐3‐oxopropyl]imidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazole‐5‐carboxylate. A similar procedure using diethyl (Boc‐amino)malonate yielded racemic 2‐amino‐3‐[(5‐ethoxycarbonyl)imidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazol‐6‐yl]propanoic acid.     

Chemoselective anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of α,β-ethylenic compounds with amines using montmorillonite clay

The catalytic activity of montmorillonite clays as a catalyst for the hydroamination of α,β-ethylenic compounds with amines was tested. Aniline and substituted anilines reacted with α,β-ethylenic compounds in the presence of catalytic amount of commercially available clay to afford exclusively anti-Markovnikov adduct in excellent yields. Aniline reacted with ethyl acrylate to yield only anti-Markovnikov adduct N-[2-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]aniline (mono-addition product). No Markovnikov adduct (N-[1-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]aniline and double addition product N,N-bis[2-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]aniline were formed under selected reaction conditions. For a better exploitation of the catalytic activity in terms of increased activity and improved selectivity for the mono-addition product, the reaction parameters were optimized in terms of temperature, solvent, reactant mole ratio. Under optimized reaction conditions, montmorillonite clay K-10 showed a superior catalytic performance in the hydroamination of ethyl acrylate with aniline with a conversion of aniline to mono-addition product (almost 100% chemoselectivity) with a high rate constant 0.3414 min⁻¹ compared to the reported protocols. The dependence of conversion of aniline over different types of montmorillonite clays (K-10, K-20, K-30, Al-Pillared clay and untreated clay) has also been discussed. The activities of clay for the hydroamination of different aromatic and aliphatic amines have also been investigated. Under harsh reaction conditions (increased temperature and long reaction time) small amounts of di-addition products were observed. The kinetics data has been interpreted using the initial rate approach model.     

Stereoregularity of poly(alkyl α-chloroacrylates) and mechanism of isotactic polymerization

The catalytic activity of the complexes prepared by the reaction of Grignard reagents with ketones, esters, and an epoxide as polymerization catalysts of methyl and ethyl α-chloroacrylates was investigated. The modifiers which gave isotactic polymers were α,β-unsaturated ketones such as benzalacetophenone, benzalacetone, dibenzalacetone, mesityl oxide, and methyl vinyl ketone, and α,β-unsaturated esters such as ethyl cinnamate, ethyl crotonate, and methyl acrylate. Catalysts with butyl ethyl ketone, propiophenone, and propylene oxide as modifiers produced atactic polymers but no isotactic polymers. It was revealed that the complex catalysts having a structure ? C?C? O? MgX (X is halogen) gave isotactic polymers. The mechanism of isotactic polymerization was discussed. In addition, for radical polymerization of ethyl α-chloroacrylate, enthalpy and entropy differences between isotactic and syndiotactic additions were calculated to give ΔH_i^* ? ΔH_s^* = 910 cal/mole and ΔS_i^* ? ΔS_s^* = 0.82 eu.     

Nucleophilic 1,2-Shifts of Alkoxycarbonyl and Carboxylate Groups in the Benzilic-Acid Type Rearrangement of α,β-Dioxobutyric Esters

tert-Butyl α,β-dioxobutyrate (hydrate; 1d ) undergoes, at medium or high pH, the benzilic-acid rearrangement with exclusive 1,2-shift of the COO(t-Bu) group; the same is true for the corresponding isopropyl ester 1c and ethyl ester 1b at high pH, whereas at lower pH, the overall picture of these reactions is complicated by concurrent hydrolysis of the ester, followed by a 1,2-shift of the COO ^? group. Consequently, the shift of these electron-attracting groups cannot be considered to be systematically disfavoured (compared, e.g., with alkyl-group shifts). Kinetic measurements of the rearrangement show for both esters (as well as for the analogous ethyl ester 1b , and also for ethyl 3-cyclopropyl-α,β-dioxopropionate ( 4 )) a characteristic rate profile: at relatively low pH, k is proportional to [HO^?], approaching saturation with increasing [HO^?] (interpreted as complete transformation of the substrate into the hydrate monoanion), which is followed at higher pH by another rate increase with k proportional to [HO^?] (probably due to the reaction of the hydrate dianion). The similarity of k values for 1b-d shows that in the shift of COOR steric hindrance caused by R is negligible.     

β-substitution of simple pyrroles in metal-assisted reactions with kthyl diazoacetate

The reaction of N-methylpyrrole with ethyl diazoaeelate, assisted by copper bronze or copper powder, as described previously by a number of researchers, produces not only ethyl N-melhylpyrrole-2-acetate ( 3 ), but also heretofore unrecognized ethyl N-melhylpyrrole-3-acetate ( 4 ); the ratio of 3/4 was ca. 84/16. Promotion of this reaction with other transition metal catalysts furnished differing proportions of 3 and 4 , indicating that the metal is intimately involved in the substitution process. Certain agents, notably cupric fluoborate, cupric trifluoromelhylsullonate, palladous acetate, and (π-C₃H₅ PdCI)₂, were particularly active in this reaction and gave β-substi-lulion to the extent of ca. 35-45%. Other pyrrole compounds, namely 1,2-dimethylpyrrole, 1,3-dimethylpyrrole, 3 , and pyrrole, were also found (in preliminary work) to undergo β-substi-tution in their reaction with copper carbenoids.     

Synthesis of 3,4‐Fused γ‐Lactone‐γ‐Lactam Bicyclic Moieties as Multifunctional Synthons for Bioactive Molecules

A short approach for the synthesis of 3,4‐fused γ‐lactone‐γ‐lactam bicyclic systems ( 1 ) in diastereomeric mixtures from chiral D ‐alanine methyl ester hydrochloride is described. The key step towards lactonisation is the reduction of the carbonyl ketone of the 5R‐configured 3,5‐dimethylpyrrolidine‐2,4‐dione diastereomers ( 8 ) via sodium borohydride in the presence of hydrochloric acid. With the presence of ethyl acetyl functionality at C3‐position, ester hydrolysis of 8 occurred concomitantly with keto reduction leading to lactonisation and eventually affording the anticipated (3S,4S,5R), (3R,4R,5R), (3R,4S,5R) and (3S,4R,5R) bicyclic moieties. The formation of the fused systems was confirmed by mass spectroscopy (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses.     

Reactions of 3‐methylamino‐5‐phenylthiophene with α,β‐unsaturated esters and α,β‐unsaturated nitriles

Treatment of 3‐methylamino‐5‐phenylthiophene with α,β‐unsaturated esters, i.e., methyl acrylate, (E)‐methyl crotonate, diethyl fumarate, diethyl maleate and ethyl propiolate, in tetrahydrofuran for several days at reflux gave 1‐methyl‐3,4‐dihydrothieno[2,3‐e]pyridin‐2‐ones 4 and/or 1‐methylthieno[2,3‐e]pyridin‐2‐ones 5 , depending on the structure of the esters. On the other hand, the same reactions with α,β‐unsaturated nitriles such as acrylonitrile and tetracyanoethene, gave the corresponding thiophenes 7 and 10 bearing 2‐cyanoethyl and 1,2,2‐tricyanoethenyl groups at C‐2, respectively. The reaction with (Z)‐1,2‐dicyanoethene under the same conditions produced the corresponding thiophene 9 bearing the 1,2‐dicyanoethenyl group and 1,2‐dicyano‐5‐methylaminobiphenyl.     

Polymerization and properties of optically active α-(p-substituted benzenesulfonamido)-β-lactones

Optically active α-(p-substituted benzenesulfonamido)-β-lactones having as para substituents OMe, Me, H, and Cl were polymerized in bulk, in ethyl acetate solution with triethylamine or betaine, and in dioxane with butyllithium as initiators. The rate of polymerization was followed by the change of specific rotation with time and was decreasing in following order of para substituents: OMe > Me > H > Cl. The relative reactivity in logarithmic form was plotted against Hammett's σ functions showing a linear relationship with reaction constant ρ = ?0.57.     

Optisch aktive 3-Amino-2H-azirine als Bausteine für enantiomerenreine αα-disubstituierte α-Aminosäuren: Synthese von Isovalin-Synthonen und Einbau in ein Trichotoxin-A-50-Segment

Optically Active 3-Amino-2H-azirines as Synthons for Enantiomerically Pure αα-Disubstiuted α-Amino Acids: Syntheses of Isovaline Synthons and a Segment of Trichotoxin A-50 The synthesis of a novel 3-amino-2-methyl-2-[2-(phenylsulfonyl)ethyl]-2H-azirine derivative 12 with a chiral substituent at the amino group is described. Chromatographic separation of the diastereoisomer mixture gave pure diastereoisomers which, after an electrochemical cleavage of the phenylsulfonyl group, yielded the (S)- and (R)-isovalin (Iva) synthons 13a and 13b , respectively. The absolute configuration of the precursor molecule 12b was established by X-ray crystallography. The Iva synthons were successfully used in the synthesis of the C-terminal pentapeptide Z-Leu-Aib-(R)-Iva-Gln-Valol of the peptaibole Trichotoxin A-50 and its epimer.     

Poly(γ-alkyl glutamates). I

Good yields of some crystalline γ-alkyl esters of L -glutamic acid were obtained by carrying out the esterfication with a small (20–50 mole-%) excess of alcohol in aqueous hydrochloric acid or 60–80% sulfuric acid followed by neutralization with an alkaline solution. This new method made it possible to synthesize various γ-alkyl L -glutamates, including those higher than ethyl, and consequently, various poly(γ-alkyl L -glutamates) such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, and isoamyl. The conformation of these poly-L -glutamates in the solid state was determined by the infrared absorption method. The molecular motions of the polymers of γ-methyl, -ethyl, -n-propyl, -n-butyl, and-isoamyl L -glutamates and poly(γ-methyl-D -glutamate) in the solid state were studied by NMR, and dielectric and mechanical measurements. At temperatures up to 400°K., the NMR spectra of poly(γ-methyl D -glutamate) can be explained only by rotational motion of the side chain. Also, from NMR results, rotational motion of C?O groups in the side chain of poly(γ-methyl D -glutamate) is expected near room temperature, and such a motion was examined by dielectric measurements. Rotation of C?O groups in the side chains of polymers of γ-methyl, γ-ethyl, γ-n-propyl, γ-n-butyl, and γ-isoamyl L -glutamate was also observed near room temperature by dielectric measurements in the frequency range from 10² to 10⁶ cps. Activation energies obtained by dielectric and mechanical measurements were similar to those for the side chain motions of the corresponding esters of poly(methacrylic acid). Although it has been noted that the molecular motion of poly(γ-benzyl L -glutamate) in the solid state at room temperature may be related to the motion of its back bone, the molecular motion in these poly-L -glutamates at these temperatures can be explained only in terms of side-chain rotation.