A mild and efficient palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl chlorides with K4[Fe(CN)6

An efficient palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl chlorides is established. In the presence of a highly effective Pd/CM-phos catalyst, cyanation of aryl chlorides proceeds at 70 °C in general, which is the mildest reaction temperature achieved so far for this process. Common functional groups such as keto, aldehyde, ester, nitrile and -NH(2), and heterocyclic coupling partners including N-H indoles are well tolerated. Moreover, a sterically hindered nonactivated ortho,ortho-disubstituted electrophile is shown to be a feasible coupling partner in cyanation.     

The methyl group as a source of structural diversity in heterocyclic chemistry: side chain functionalization of picolines and related heterocycles

The reaction of 2-picoline at the methyl group with NDA and KDA followed by dimethyldisulfide trapping furnished, respectively, dithioacetals and trithioortho esters with high selectivity. The method was successfully applied to other methyl-substituted pyridines, quinolines, and pyrazines. Dithioketals were prepared by a one-pot procedure involving the reaction of metalated 2-picoline with 2 equiv of dimethyldisulfide followed by in situ trapping with a second electrophile. All of the generated thio-substituted compounds were efficiently transformed in presence of mercury salts or under oxidizing conditions to other functional groups comprising aldehydes, ketones, ketals, thiol esters, orthoesters, and esters.     

Carbolithiation of vinyl pyridines as a route to 7-azaindoles

An effective synthesis of the 7-azaindole ring system has been developed from substituted 2-amino-3-vinyl pyridines. The methodology involves a novel cascade reaction sequence of controlled carbolithiation of the vinyl double bond, subsequent trapping of the intermediate organolithium with a suitable electrophile, followed by ring closure and dehydration.     

Cyanide ion promoted addition of acyl phosphonates to ethyl cyanoformate: synthesis of tertiary carbinols via tandem carbon-carbon bond formations

New cyanation/phosphonate-phosphate rearrangement/C-acylation reactions of cyanophosphate anion with cyanoformate esters are described. Phase-transfer cocatalysts facilitate cyanide-catalyzed reactions between acyl phosphonates and cyanoformates to afford protected tertiary carbinol products in good to excellent yields (74-95%). Ethyl cyanoformate is used as a cyanide source and electrophile. The scope of the reaction was investigated by using a number of benzoyl and acyl phosphonates along with ethyl cyanoformate. Representative chemoselective reduction of the product 5a afforded ethyl 3-amino-2-hydroxy-2-phenylpropanoate (13) in good yield.     

Catalytic Electrophilic CH Silylation of Pyridines Enabled by Temporary Dearomatization

A C? H silylation of pyridines that seemingly proceeds through electrophilic aromatic substitution (S_EAr) is reported. Reactions of 2‐ and 3‐substituted pyridines with hydrosilanes in the presence of a catalyst that splits the Si? H bond into a hydride and a silicon electrophile yield the corresponding 5‐silylated pyridines. This formal silylation of an aromatic C? H bond is the result of a three‐step sequence, consisting of a pyridine hydrosilylation, a dehydrogenative C? H silylation of the intermediate enamine, and a 1,4‐dihydropyridine retro‐hydrosilylation. The key intermediates were detected by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and prepared through the individual steps. This complex interplay of electrophilic silylation, hydride transfer, and proton abstraction is promoted by a single catalyst.     

Construction of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines and pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridines by ring closure of 3-acylpyridine N-oxide tosylhydrazones

3-Acylpyridine N-oxide tosylhydrazones give good overall yields of a mixture of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines and pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridines when treated with an electrophilic additive and an amine base. (Z)-Hydrazones cyclize readily, while (E)-hydrazones fail to react under the reported conditions. The reaction takes place at room temperature, and moderate regiocontrol over the cyclization can be achieved by varying the electrophile/solvent combination.     

Integrated Micro Flow Synthesis Based on Sequential Br–Li Exchange Reactions of p‐, m‐, and o‐Dibromobenzenes

A micro flow system consisting of micromixers and microtube reactors provides an effective method for the introduction of two electrophiles onto p‐, m‐, and o‐dibromobenzenes. The Br–Li exchange reaction of p‐dibromobenzene with nBuLi can be conducted by using the micro flow system at 20 °C, although much lower temperatures (p‐bromophenyllithium was allowed to react with an electrophile in the micro flow system at 20 °C. The p‐substituted bromobenzene thus obtained was subjected to a second Br–Li exchange reaction followed by reaction with a second electrophile at 20 °C in one flow. A similar transformation can be carried out with m‐dibromobenzene by using the micro flow system. However, the Br–Li exchange reaction of o‐dibromobenzene followed by reaction with an electrophile should be conducted at ?78 °C to avoid benzyne formation. The second Br–Li exchange reaction followed by reaction with an electrophile can be carried out at 0 °C. By using the present method, a variety of p‐, m‐, and o‐disubstituted benzenes were synthesized in one flow at much higher temperatures than are required for conventional batch reactions.     

Remote meta‐C–H Cyanation of Arenes Enabled by a Pyrimidine‐Based Auxiliary

An easily removable pyrimidine‐based auxiliary has been employed for the remote meta ‐C−H cyanation of arenes. The scope of this Pd‐catalyzed cyanation reaction using copper(I) cyanide as the cyanating agent was demonstrated with benzylsilanes, benzylsulfonates, benzylphophonates, phenethylsulfonates, and phenethyl ether derivatives. The method was utilized for the synthesis of pharmaceutically valuable precursors.     

Regiocontrolled Microwave Assisted Bifunctionalization of 7,8-Dihalogenated Imidazo[1,2-<em>a</em>]pyridines: A One Pot Double-Coupling Approach

The reactivity of the 7-chloro-8-iodo- and 8-chloro-7-iodoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines 1a-e diversely substituted on the 2 position, towards Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira, and Buchwald-Hartwig cross-coupling reactions as well as cyanation was evaluated. Various methodologies are proposed to introduce aryl, heteroaryl, alkyne, amine or cyano groups in the two positions depending on the nature of the substituent present in position 2. In both series, the substitution of the iodine atom was totally regioselective and the difficulty was to substitute the chlorine atom in a second step. Until now, only hetero(aryl) groups could be introduced though Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling. We overcame this problem evaluating both regioisomers in parallel. The double coupling approach was also studied allowing the one pot Suzuki/Suzuki, cyanation/Sonogashira and cyanation/Buchwald reactions leading to polyfunctionnalized imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines.     

Tert-Butyldiphenylsilylmethyl Triflate: Preparation and Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions of 1-(Tert-Butyldiphenylsilylmethyl)-6-Cyano-4-Methyl-1,2,5,6-Tetrahydropyridine

Alkylation of substituted pyridines with tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl triflate provides N-[tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl]pyridinium triflates in excellent yields. Reductive cyanation of the pyridinium triflates provides 1-(tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl)-6-cyano-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridines, azomethine ylid precursors, in modest yields. An unexpected dipolar cycloaddition reaction of an ylid derived from the title 6-cyanopiperidine is described.     

Reaction of Imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines with Aliphatic Aldehydes: A Simple and Efficient Method for the Preparation of Novel C‐3 Vinylic Derivativesof Imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines

A simple and efficient method for the preparation of novel C‐3 vinylic derivatives of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines has been developed by the reaction of imidazo [1,2‐a]pyridines with appropriate aliphatic aldehydes in acetic acid in a sealed tube.     

Mild and efficient copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl iodides and bromides

An efficient copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl iodides and bromides is reported. Our system combines catalytic amounts of both copper salts and chelating ligands. The latter, which have potential nitrogen- and/or oxygen-binding sites, have never previously been used in this type of reaction. A protocol has been developed that enables the cyanation of aryl bromides through the copper-catalyzed in situ production of the corresponding aryl iodides using catalytic amounts of potassium iodide. Aryl nitriles are obtained in good yields and excellent selectivities in relatively mild conditions (110 degrees C) compared with the Rosenmund-von Braun cyanation reaction. Furthermore, the reaction is compatible with a wide range of functional groups including nitro and amino substituents. The protocol reported herein involves two main innovations: the use of catalytic amounts of ligands and the use of acetone cyanohydrin as the cyanating agent in copper-mediated cyanation reactions.     

A direct method for the substitution of imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines at position 5

3-Ethylthioimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine lithiates at carbon 5. Quenching of the anion with an electrophile followed by desulphurisation gives 5-substituted imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines.     

Chemistry of α-(benzotriazol-l-yl)alkylpyridines. Unusual nucleophilic attack at c-3a of the benzotriazolyl ring

Lithiation of 2-, 3- and 4-[α-(benzotriazol-l-yl)methyl]pyridines with butyllithium followed by reactions with electrophiles (alkyl halides, aldehydes, ethyl benzoate and diphenyl disulfide) gave the corresponding α-sub-stituted derivatives in good yields. Repetition of the reaction sequence allowed substitution of the second α-proton by an electrophile. 2-[α-(Benzotriazol-l-yl)-α-(phenylthio)pentyl]pyridine thus obtained gave an unusual attack of the Grignard reagents at C-3a of the benzotriazole system on treatment with arylmagnesium bromides.     

Tandem carbon-carbon bond constructions via catalyzed cyanation/Brook rearrangement/C-acylation reactions of acylsilanes

[reaction: see text] A tandem nucleophile-catalyzed cyanation/Brook rearrangement/C-acylation has been developed. Phase transfer cocatalysts facilitate cyanide-catalyzed reactions between acylsilanes and cyanoformates to afford protected tertiary carbinol products. A catalytic cycle is proposed involving cyanation of an acylsilane, [1,2]-Brook rearrangement, and C-acylation of the derived carbanion by a cyanoformate ester. The reaction offers an efficient method for the preparation of functionalized, unsymmetrical malonic acid derivatives.     

Palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl bromides promoted by low-level organotin compounds

A novel method for palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl bromides promoted by low-level tri-n-butyltin chloride or cyanide is described. The method features low catalyst loading and mild reaction conditions. KCN is used as the cyanide source. Only trace levels of the tri-n-butyltin compound are required to achieve high conversion and yield in the cyanation of aryl bromides, iodides, and triflates.     

Asymmetric carbolithiation of conjugated enynes: a flow microreactor enables the use of configurationally unstable intermediates before they epimerize

We found that a flow microreactor system enables the generation of a configurationally unstable chiral organolithium intermediate and allows for its use in a reaction with an electrophile before it epimerizes. Based on this method, the enantioselective carbolithiation of conjugated enynes followed by the reaction with electrophiles was accomplished to obtain enantioenriched chiral allenes.     

Nucleophilicities and carbon basicities of pyridines

Rate and equilibrium constants for the reactions of pyridines with donor‐substituted benzhydrylium ions have been determined spectrophotometrically. The correlation equation log k(20 °C)=s(N+E), in which s and N are nucleophile‐specific parameters and E is an electrophile‐specific parameter, has been used to determine the nucleophilicity parameters of various pyridines in CH₂Cl₂ and aqueous solution and to compare them with N of other nucleophiles. It is found that the nucleophilic organocatalyst 4‐(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) and tertiary phosphanes have comparable nucleophilicities and carbon basicities despite widely differing Brønsted basicities. For that reason, these reactivity parameters are suggested as guidelines for the development of novel organocatalysts. The Marcus equation is employed for the determination of the intrinsic barriers of these reactions.     

Rh（III）催化的N-甲氧基苯甲酰胺系列物选择性C-H氰基化反应

采用了最近热门的Rh(III)催化C?H键活化方法,以N-甲氧基苯甲酰胺系列物为反应底物, N-氰基-N-苯基对甲苯磺酰胺(NCTS)为氰基化试剂,高效合成了含氰基官能团产物。结果表明,该反应在碳酸银存在下,使用二氧六环作为反应溶剂,于80°C反应8h生成的邻位氰基取代的N-甲氧基苯甲酰胺的产率较高。进一步研究表明,该反应具有好的区域选择性和底物/官能团适应性。一系列机理实验研究表明,该反应可能采用了一个内部的亲电取代机制及使用了C?H键切割步骤作为关键限速步骤。考虑到该反应产物包含有价值的结构单元-N-甲氧基甲酰胺和氰基取代基,因而有望用于现代有机合成中。     

Development of Pd/C-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides

A practical method for palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides using Pd/C is described. The new method can be applied to a variety of aryl bromide and active aryl chloride substrates to effect efficient conversions. The process features many advantages over existing cyanation conditions and the practical utility of the process has been demonstrated on scale.