Allenyl azide cycloaddition chemistry: exploration of the scope and mechanism of cyclopentennelated dihydropyrrole synthesis through azatrimethylenemethane intermediates

Detailed studies of the thermal conversion of 1-azidohepta-3,4,6-trienes into cyclopentennelated dihydropyrroles are presented. High levels of diastereoselectivity and regioselectivity are documented. A mechanistic proposal that accounts for all of the diverse results is developed through the use of density functional calculations. These calculations provide support for the intervention of unexpected mechanistic subtleties, such as the planarity of an azatrimethylenemethane diyl intermediate and an apparent Woodward-Hoffmann-type electrocyclization of a five-atom diyl array.     

Allenyl azide cycloaddition chemistry. photochemical initiation and CuI mediation leads to improved regioselectivity

Irradiation of 2-(3-alkenyl)allenylphenyl azides in the presence of excess CuI furnished functionalized 2,3-cyclopentenylindoles in good yield with only trace amounts of competitive C-N-bonded regioisomeric products. These results represent a significant departure from the modest-to-nonexistent regioselectivity that attended thermal cyclization of these allenyl azide substrates.     

Allenyl azide cycloaddition chemistry. Synthesis of annelated indoles from 2-(allenyl)phenyl azide substrates

[reaction: see text] Thermolysis of 2-(allenyl)phenyl azides leads to a cascade cyclization sequence furnishing both C(2)-C(3) and N-C(2) cyclopentannelated indoles.     

Modular synthesis of block copolymers via cycloaddition of terminal azide and alkyne functionalized polymers

Polymeric building blocks containing terminal azide and alkyne functionalities are prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and used to modularly synthesize block copolymers via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions, which are quantitative according to SEC measurements.     

A one-step synthesis of enantiopure 2-substituted 4,5-dihydro-1,4-benzodiazepine-3-ones via intramolecular azide cycloaddition

Starting from the appropriate azides bearing the (S)-1-phenylethylamine and the l-alanine benzylester as chiral pendants, a facile and effective synthetic route to the title compounds in their enantiopure form was developed with excellent product yields obtained. Basic hydrolysis of the ester group of title compounds 3a–c gave the corresponding, readily functionalisable carboxylic acids. Catalytic reduction of 2-benzyl derivatives 3c and 3f gave 4-functionalised 1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-1,4-benzodiazepin-3-ones in enantiopure forms.     

Fluorophore targeting to cellular proteins via enzyme-mediated azide ligation and strain-promoted cycloaddition

Methods for targeting of small molecules to cellular proteins can allow imaging with fluorophores that are smaller, brighter, and more photostable than fluorescent proteins. Previously, we reported targeting of the blue fluorophore coumarin to cellular proteins fused to a 13-amino acid recognition sequence (LAP), catalyzed by a mutant of the Escherichia coli enzyme lipoic acid ligase (LplA). Here, we extend LplA-based labeling to green- and red-emitting fluorophores by employing a two-step targeting scheme. First, we found that the W37I mutant of LplA catalyzes site-specific ligation of 10-azidodecanoic acid to LAP in cells, in nearly quantitative yield after 30 min. Second, we evaluated a panel of five different cyclooctyne structures and found that fluorophore conjugates to aza-dibenzocyclooctyne (ADIBO) gave the highest and most specific derivatization of azide-conjugated LAP in cells. However, for targeting of hydrophobic fluorophores such as ATTO 647N, the hydrophobicity of ADIBO was detrimental, and superior targeting was achieved by conjugation to the less hydrophobic monofluorinated cyclooctyne (MOFO). Our optimized two-step enzymatic/chemical labeling scheme was used to tag and image a variety of LAP fusion proteins in multiple mammalian cell lines with diverse fluorophores including fluorescein, rhodamine, Alexa Fluor 568, ATTO 647N, and ATTO 655.     

Copper-catalyzed synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles via the [3+2] cycloaddition of nitriles and trimethylsilyl azide

The [3+2] cycloaddition between various nitriles and trimethylsilyl azide proceeds smoothly in the presence of a Cu^I catalyst in DMF/MeOH, to give the corresponding 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles in good to high yields. The reaction most probably proceeds through the in situ formation of a copper azide species, followed by a successive [3+2] cycloaddition with the nitriles.     

Enantiospecific synthesis of β-lactams via cycloaddition

Enantiospecific synthesis of variously substituted cis-β-lactams can be achieved by the annelation of Schiff bases from optically active ketal aldehydes derived from D-threonine. Similar annelation of Schiff bases from the triphenylsilyl ether of D-threonine ester and cinnamaldehyde leads to cis-β-lactams with high diastereofacial selectivity.     

Zeolite and sulfated zirconia as catalysts for the synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles via [2+3] cycloaddition of nitriles and sodium azide

The [2+3] cycloaddition between various nitriles and sodium azide proceeds smoothly in the presence of zeolite and sulfated zirconia as effective catalysts, in water and DMF/MeOH, to give the corresponding 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles in good to high yields. The reaction most probably proceeds through the in situ formation of catalyst azide species, followed by a successive [2+3] cycloaddition with the nitriles. This method has the advantages of high yields, simple methodology and easy work-up. The catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration and reused with good yields.     

Solid-phase synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

The solid-phase synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of polymer-bound azides to various alkynes is reported. Polymer-bound azides were synthesized from polymer-bound halides and sodium azide and reacted with alkynes to produce polymer-bound 1,2,3-triazoles. Cleavage of the triazoles was performed with trifluoroacetic acid. A traceless synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles was developed using 2-methoxy-substituted resin (polymer-bound 4-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzyl alcohol). In addition, a synthesis of 4-hydroxybenzyl-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles from the bromo-Wang resin (4-(bromomethyl)phenoxymethyl polystyrene) was achieved.     

Studies on the synthesis of gymnodimine. construction of the spiroimine portion via Diels-Alder cycloaddition

An azaspiro[5.5]undecadiene corresponding to a subunit of the shellfish toxin gymnodimine was synthesized by Diels-Alder cycloaddition. One member of the pair of stereoisomeric adducts was transformed to a spiroimine, which will serve as the core around which the macrocyclic portion of the toxin will be assembled. [structure: see text]     

Asymmetric synthesis of epicylindrospermopsin via intramolecular nitrone cycloaddition. Assignment of absolute configuration

A synthesis of (-)-epicylindrospermopsin (2) was completed that establishes its absolute configuration and corroborates the corrected structural assignment previously made to this toxin by Weinreb et al. The hydroxylamine 3, prepared from 4-bromobenzyloxyacetaldehyde, was condensed with aldehyde 4, obtained in nine steps from (R)-methionine, to give nitrone 16. Intramolecular cycloaddition of 16 proceeded stereoselectively to yield the oxazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane 17, which after reduction and deprotection afforded piperidine 18. The latter was transformed via cyclic urea 19 to the inverted C12 alcohol 20, and the derived azide 22 was cyclized to produce the guanidine moiety of 25. Final sulfation of the C12 hydroxyl group furnished (-)-2.     

Azepine synthesis from alkyl azide and propargylic ester via gold catalysis

An efficient new method was developed to synthesize multisubstituted 4,5-dihydro-1H-azepine derivatives through the gold-catalyzed reaction of two molecules of propargylic esters with one molecule of alkyl azide. It was proposed that vinyl gold carbenoid, in situ generated from propargylic ester through gold-catalyzed 1,2-rearrangement, was trapped by alkyl azide to give vinyl imine intermediate. These, in turn, could undergo a formal [4 + 3] cycloaddition with another molecule of vinyl gold carbenoid to afford the desired azepine product.     

Halogen-metal exchange in 1,2-dibromobenzene and the possible intermediacy of 1,2-dilithiobenzene

The one-step high-yield synthesis of 1,2-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene from 1,2-dibromobenzene using tert-butyllithium and trimethylsilyltriflate is reported. A mechanistic investigation shows that 1,2-dilithiobenzene is not an intermediate in this reaction; the coexistence of trimethylsilyltriflate and tert-butyllithium at very low temperatures allows a sequence of bromine-lithium exchange and subsequent derivatization reactions to operate.     

Total synthesis of the immunosuppressant FR901483 via an amidoacrolein cycloaddition

[reaction: see text]. The total synthesis of the potent immunosuppressant FR901483 is described. In a key step, the intermolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition of an amidoacrolein with 2-(triisopropylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadiene produced the desired 3-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde. This compound was subjected to basic followed by acidic conditions which effected two sequential aldol cyclizations to deliver the tricyclic ring system of the natural product, suitably functionalized for completion of the total synthesis.     

An efficient synthesis of fused tricycles with a benzene core via intramolecular double ring-closing enyne metathesis

A double enyne metathesis reaction has been developed for the efficient synthesis of tricyclic products with a benzene core in good yields. By this protocol, bisannulated benzenes with different ring sizes may be simultaneously constructed from the corresponding precursors in just ‘one shot’.     

Synthesis of 1-substituted tetrazoles via the acid-catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition between isocyanides and trimethylsilyl azide

1-Substituted tetrazoles were synthesized via the [3+2] cycloaddition between isocyanides and trimethylsilyl azide in the presence of an acid catalyst and MeOH. Various 1-substituted tetrazoles were obtained in good to high yields. The reaction probably proceeds through the in situ formation of hydrazoic acid, followed by a successive [3+2] cycloaddition with the isocyanide activated by an acid.     

Alkaloid synthesis via the intramolecular imidate methylide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction

A concise synthesis for the neurotoxic physostigmine alkaloid d,l-eserethole is described which relys upon an intramolecular cycloaddition reaction involving a “non-stabilized” imidate methylide and an unactivated alkene. The facility of this cyclization is enhanced by the rigid alignment inforced upon the dipole and dipolarophile by their ortho-disposition on an aryl nucleus. The synthetic limitations of this annulation method were revealed in an attempted synthesis of the erythrina skeleton. In this instance, prototropic rearrangement of the imidate methylide to the isomeric enamine occurred to the exclusion of the desired cyclization reaction.