Ruthenium-catalyzed reduction of N-alkoxy- and N-hydroxyamides

A ruthenium-catalyzed reduction of N-alkoxy- and N-hydroxyamides was found to afford corresponding amides in good to high yields. A simple RuCl₃/Zn-Cu/alcohol system, without the addition of any other ligands, exhibited a high catalytic activity, and therefore the present reaction does not require a stoichiometric amount of metals or metal complexes as reductants. When β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated N-methoxyamides were employed as substrates, concurrent hydrogenation of the olefin moiety proceeded slowly with deprotection of the methoxy group. In the reduction of N-hydroxyamides, the alcoholic solvent was found to function as a hydrogen donor.     

A simple and efficient biphasic method for the preparation of 4-nitrophenyl N-methyl- and N-alkylcarbamates

Treatment of 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate with alkylammonium hydrochloride salts and solid anhydrous Na₂CO₃ in either CH₂Cl₂ or CH₃CN gave 4-nitrophenyl N-methylcarbamate and other N-alkylcarbamate analogues in excellent yields. Of particular interest is the observation that 4-nitrophenyl N-methylcarbamate, a safer alternative to the highly toxic methyl isocyanate, is obtained in quantitative yield (?95% pure as determined by ¹H NMR) after simple filtration and solvent evaporation.     

A convenient method for the synthesis of N-hydroxyureas

Treatment of amines with 1-(4-nitrophenol)-N-(O-benzylhydroxy)carbamate yields the O-benzyl protected N-hydroxyureas. Hydrogenation of the O-benzyl protected N-hydroxyureas over 5% Pd/BaSO₄ cleanly gives the N-hydroxyureas in good yield. In addition to primary and secondary aliphatic and aromatic amines, this method converts amino sugars to the corresponding N-hydroxyureas without extensive protecting group chemistry.     

Thermal ring-opening reaction of N-polynitromethyl tetrazoles: facile generation of nitrilimines and their reactivity

Thermal ring-opening reaction of N-(R-dinitromethyl)-5-nitrotetrazoles (R=NO₂, F, Cl) yielded highly reactive N-(R-dinitromethyl)-nitrilimine intermediates under mild conditions. These species underwent facile and regiospecific reaction with nitriles and acetylenes to afford the corresponding nitrotriazoles and nitropyrazoles in 50-90% yields. Treatment of N-(chlorodinitromethyl)-5-nitrotetrazole with the excess of azide led to a unique compound with the molecular formula C₂N₁₄. Based on the analytical data, it was assigned a structure of diazidomethylenecarbonohydrazonic diazide.     

Oxidative entry to α-oxy N-acyl aminals and hemiaminals: efficient formation of 2-(N-acylaminal) substituted tetrahydropyrans

An efficient new method to synthesize α-oxy N-acyl aminals and hemiaminals in a single step from readily synthesized N-acyl enamines has been developed using PhI(OAc)₂ as the oxidant. The reaction conditions are very mild and the products are obtained in good yields (65-92%). A possible mechanistic pathway is laid out.     

Electrochemical fluorination of N,N-dimethylperfluoroacylamides

The electrochemical fluorination (ECF) of N,N-dimethylperfluoroacylamides gives the corresponding perfluoro-N,N-dimethylacylamides in low yield. With increase of the number of carbon atoms in the perfluoroacyl radical the yield of the required perfluoro-N,N-dimethylacylamides is slightly increased.     

Catalytic photocarboxylation of 1,1-diphenylethylene with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine and carbon dioxide

Photocarboxylation of 1,1-diphenylethylene with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in MeCN under bubbling of CO₂ proceeded with high catalytic efficiency, giving 3,3-diphenylacrylic acid (DPA) and 3-hydroxy-3,3-diphenylpropionic acid (20). The turnover number (TON=(DPA+20)/TMB) reached 17. Similarly, 1-phenyl-1-cyclohexene yielded cis-2-acetamido-2-phenylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid with TON 5.9. As compared with related N,N-dimethylaniline derivatives, TMB is more resistant to photodecomposition, has the much larger absorbance in the S₀→S₁ transition, and has the lower quenching efficiency by CO₂. Probably these factors are partly responsible for the high TON observed for TMB.     

Synthesis of N,N-dialkylaminobenzonitriles and halo-(N,N-dialkyl)benzamidines by reaction of halobenzonitriles with lithium amides

3- and 4-N,N-Dialkylaminobenzonitriles and 4-chloro-(N,N-dialkyl)benzamidines were isolated by reacting 4-chlorobenzonitrile with hindered lithium amides under thermodynamic (0 °C) and kinetic control conditions (−78 °C), respectively. As previously reported, a benzyne mechanism seems to be confirmed since N,N-dialkylaminobenzonitriles are formed. Only benzamidines were isolated in fair to high yields at both 0 °C and −78 °C with non-hindered lithium amides. Exploitation and mechanistic rationale of the reaction of different halobenzonitriles are also reported.     

Synthesis of N-acyl-N,O-acetals from N-aryl amides and acetals in the presence of TMSOTf

Secondary amides undergo in situ silyl imidate formation mediated by TMSOTf and an amine base, followed by addition to acetal acceptors to provide N-acyl-N,O-acetals in good yields. An analogous, high-yielding reaction is observed with 2-mercaptothiazoline as the silyl imidate precursor. Competing reduction of the acetal to the corresponding methyl ether via transfer hydrogenation can be circumvented by the replacement of CY₂NMe with 2,6-lutidine under otherwise identical reaction conditions.     

Michael addition of chiral formaldehyde N,N-dialkylhydrazones to activated cyclic alkenes

The nucleophilic conjugate addition of chiral formaldehyde N,N-dialkylhydrazones 1 to doubly activated cyclic alkenes 2-8 proceeds smoothly to afford the corresponding Michael adducts 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 25 in variable yields and selectivities. The reactions take place either spontaneously or in the presence of MgI₂ as a mild Lewis acid depending on the type of substrate. Release of the chiral auxiliary was achieved by transformation of the hydrazone moiety into acetals, dithioacetals or nitriles.     

Selective N-debenzylation of amides with p-TsOH

N-Benzylamides were debenzylated efficiently with 4 equiv. of p-TsOH in refluxing toluene. Good to quantitative yields of the desired primary amides were obtained within 2-4 h from a wide variety of N-2,4-dimethoxybenzylamides. N-4-Methoxylbenzyl amides and N-benzylamides were also debenzylated cleanly. In the case of N-2,4-dimethoxylbenzylamides, selective N-debenzylation was possible in the presence of N-Fmoc, N-t-BOC or N-trityl-protection. Protected amino acid amides survived these conditions without any detectable epimerization.     

Synthesis and optical properties of conjugated N,N-dimethyl and thienyl end-capped 2,5-(arylethynyl)thiophene oligomer structures

End-capped (N,N-dimethylaminophenyl) and 2′-thienylethynyl 2,5-thiophene oligomer structures were synthesized by heterocoupling between the terminal acetylenes such as: p-(N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)ethyne (3) [or 1-(p-(N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-2-p-(ethynylphenyl)ethyne, 4]; p-(β-ethenyl-2′-thienyl)phenylethyne (E-9) [or p-(β-ethynyl-2′-thienyl)phenylethyne, 11], and 2,5-diiodothiophene, catalyzed by the Cl₂Pd(PPh₃)₂/CuI system, in good to excellent yields. The 2,5-di[(3′,5′-di(trimethylsilylethynyl)phenyl]_x-1-ethynyl]thiophene oligomers were prepared by heterocoupling between 3′,5′-di[(trimethylsilylethynyl)phenyl]_x-1-ethyne (n = 0-2) terminal acetylenes and 2,5-diiodothiophene, in excellent yields. The terminal acetylenes were efficiently prepared by a specific protection-deprotection methodology. All the ethynylphenyl compounds obtained show fluorescence radiation emission, with a bathochromic shift of the wavelength that increases with the chain conjugation.     

Moderate generation of sulfenylnitrenes from novel N-sulfenylsulfodiimides

N-Sulfenylated sulfodiimides were first prepared by the reaction of S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfodiimide with arenesulfenyl chlorides under the basic conditions. Thermolysis of S,S-diphenyl-N-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)- and S,S-diphenyl-N-(2,4-dinitrophenylsulfenyl)sulfodiimides in the presence of olefins proceeded at 50-80 °C to give the corresponding deiminated S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfimide and N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields. 2,4-Dinitrophenyl-sulfenylnitrene was trapped by trans- and cis-1-phenylpropenes stereospecifically. The thermolysis temperature of the N-sulfenylsulfodiimides was found to be lower than N-sulfenylsulfoximide and higher than N-sulfenyliminosulfonium salt and very effective to trap the sulfenylnitrene to give the N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields.     

Alkynylation of N-tosylimines with aryl acetylenes promoted by ZnBr2 and N,N-diisopropylethylamine in acetonitrile

We found a suitable condition for the effective alkynylation of N-tosylimines with aryl acetylenes. The reaction of N-tosylimines and aryl acetylenes in the presence of ZnBr₂ and DIEA (N,N-diisopropylethylamine) in CH₃CN afforded the desired N-tosyl propargylamines in moderate to good yields.     

A practical synthesis of 2-(N-substituted)-aminobenzimidazoles utilizing CuCl-promoted intramolecular cyclization of N-(2-aminoaryl)thioureas

A practical protocol for synthesis of 2-(N-substituted)-aminobenzimidazoles was developed. N-(2-Aminoaryl)thioureas undergo a CuCl-promoted intramolecular cyclization to give the corresponding 2-(N-substituted amino)benzimidazoles in good to excellent isolated yields.     

A convenient and efficient method for the synthesis of mono- and N,N-disubstituted thioureas

A convenient method for the synthesis of mono- and N,N-disubstituted thioureas by the debenzoylation of N-substituted- and N,N-disubstituted-N′-benzoylthioureas with hydrazine hydrate under solvent-free conditions has been developed. N-Substituted-N′-benzoylthioureas and hydrazine hydrate were mixed, and stirred at room temperature without a solvent to give the corresponding N-substituted thioureas in high yields.     

N-Arylation of 4-fluoro-5-trimethylsilyl-1H-pyrazole

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of fluoro(trimethylsilyl)acetylene prepared in situ with an excess of diazomethane smoothly proceeded to give the corresponding 4-fluoro-5-trimethylsilyl-1H-pyrazole in 84% yield. The copper iodide-catalyzed N-arylation of the fluorinated pyrazole with a variety of aryl iodides afforded N-aryl-4-fluoropyrazoles as desilylation products in good to excellent yields.     

A novel three-component reaction of N-fluoropyridinium salts: a facile approach to imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines

The reaction of N-fluoropyridinium triflate with isonitriles in acetonitrile and propionitrile in the presence of NaBH(OAc)₃ led to the formation of the corresponding imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines in 44-73% yields. The proposed reaction mechanism involves the intermediate formation of a highly reactive carbene species and apparent reduction of the pyridinium intermediate with NaBH(OAc)₃ to yield the targeted heterocycles.     

A novel one-pot synthesis of hydroximoyl chlorides and 2-isoxazolines using N-tert-butyl-N-chlorocyanamide

Treatment of aldoximes with N-tert-butyl-N-chlorocyanamide gave hydroximoyl chlorides in quantitative yields in less than a minute, which on dehydrohalogenation in the presence of triethylamine gave the corresponding nitrile oxides. The nitrile oxides underwent 1,3-dipolar addition to dipolarophiles and gave 2-isoxazolines in excellent yields under mild conditions.     

Nucleophilic alkynylation of N-bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl aldimines

N-Bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl aldimines undergo nucleophilic addition reaction with premixed lithium alkynides/BF₃·OEt₂ to give moderate to good yields of N-bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl propargyl amines.