Reductive alkylation of p-aminophenol

Summary The reductive alkylation of p-aminophenol with n-butyraldehyde, isobutyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, propionaldehyde, and benzaldehyde has been described. Derivatives of p-aminophenol monoand dialkylated in the amino group have been obtained.     

Use of N-protected amino acids in the Minisci radical alkylation

[reaction: see text] The Minisci radical alkylation has been demonstrated on a range of commercially available glycine derivatives and proceeds in good to high yield. When extending the reaction to other amino acids, competitive oxidation of the initially formed radical was overcome by using the phthalimide protecting group.     

Synthesis of (S)-(+)-sotalol and (R)-(−)-isoproterenol via a catalytic enantioselective Henry reaction

A unified approach for the synthesis of (S)-(+)-sotalol and (R)-(?)-isoproterenol has been developed. The enantioselective Henry reaction of the appropriate aldehyde in the presence of a camphor-derived amino pyridine–Cu(II) complex was the key step of the synthesis. The reduction of the nitro group to give the corresponding amino alcohols followed by reductive alkylation of the amine provided the target products with high enantiomeric excesses.     

The preparation and alkylation of a butanedione-derived chiral glycine equivalent and its use for the synthesis of α-amino acids and α,α-disubstituted amino acids

A benzyloxycarbonyl protected glycine equivalent 2 has been prepared in enantiopure form and has been used in the synthesis of both α-substituted amino acids and α,α-disubstituted amino acids. The process involved deprotonation to form the corresponding enolates which underwent stereoselective alkylation with various electrophiles and upon hydrolysis gave the corresponding amino acid derivatives as enantiomerically pure products.     

Synthesis of an azide-bearing N-mustard analogue of S-adenosyl-L-methionine

The synthesis of an azide-bearing N-mustard S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) analogue, 8-azido-5'-(diaminobutyric acid)-N-iodoethyl-5'-deoxyadenosine, has been accomplished in 10 steps from commercially available 2',3'-isopropylidene adenosine. Critical to this success was executing C8 azidation prior to derivatizing the 5'-position of the ribose sugar and the late stage alkylation of the 5' amino group with bromoethanol, which was necessitated by the reactivity of the aryl azide moiety. The azide-bearing N-mustard is envisioned as a useful biochemical tool by which to probe DNA and protein methylation patterns.     

Alkylation and Acylation of 1-(4-Phenylaminophenyl)dihydropyrimidine-2,4-(1H,3H)-diones

The C- and N-substituted derivatives of 1-(4-phenylaminophenyl)dihydropyrimidine-2,4-(1H,3H)-diones have been obtained by alkylation and acylation. The secondary amino group takes part in the acylation reaction, before the amide group of the heterocycle.     

Stereospecific rearrangements during the synthesis of pyrrolidines and related heterocycles from cyclizations of amino alcohols with vinyl Sulfones

Conjugate additions of amino alcohols derived from alpha-amino acids to vinyl sulfones, followed by N-benzylation, chlorination, and intramolecular alkylation, provide a convenient route to substituted pyrrolidines. The process is accompanied by the stereospecific rearrangement of substituents from the alpha-position of the amine to the beta-position of the product and takes place via the corresponding aziridinium ion intermediates. Another type of rearrangement was observed during the reaction of (2-piperidine)methanol or 2-(2-piperidine)ethanol with phenyl trans-1-propenyl sulfone, in which the methyl group appears to migrate from the beta- to the alpha-position of the sulfone moiety. This process involves the isomerization of phenyl trans-1-propenyl sulfone to phenyl 2-propenyl sulfone by the addition-elimination of catalytic benzenesulfinate anion to the former vinyl sulfone, followed by conjugate addition of the amino group to the latter sulfone. Chlorination and intramolecular alkylation then afford the corresponding rearranged indolizidine and quinolizidine derivatives, respectively.     

Stereoselective synthesis of beta-benzyl-alpha-alkyl-beta-amino acids from L-aspartic acid

A stereoselective synthesis of beta-benzyl-alpha-alkyl-beta-amino acids 1 and 2 from L-aspartic acid 3 has been developed. Methyl 5-phenyloxazolidin-2-one-4-acetate 4 was prepared from L-aspartic acid 3 through the acylation of benzene or phenyllithium with alpha-amino carboxyl group of L-aspartic acid skeleton. Alkylation of a dianion of 4 with alkyl halides and subsequent hydrogenation afforded anti-disubstituted beta-amino acids 1b and 1c in high stereoselectivities. Complete reversal of the stereoselection was realized by the alkylation of 4-phenyl-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-4-butanolide 6 which was obtained in a single step from 4. The 2,3,4-trisubstituted amino lactone 7 thus obtained was hydrogenated to give a syn-disubstituted beta-amino acid 2a. The syn-products 2b, 2c, and 2dwere alternatively prepared via aldol condensation of 6 with aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes followed by stereoselective reduction of the double bond with nickel chloride-sodium borohydride.     

Quantitative explanation on structure-carcinogenic activity relationship of aromatic amines by di-region theory

Di-region theory, the theory for the mechanism of carcinogenesis, has been extended successfully on the quantitative structure-carcinogenic activity relationship (QSCAR) of 63 aromatic amines. A quantitative equation for the QSCAR of aromatic amines has been established by the mechanism conception of the specialized di-functional alkylation between the nitrenium ion of the amino group and the epoxide of the aromatic ring. The agreement between calculation and experiment comes up to 98%. Thus, it can now express the puzzling variation of the carcinogenicity of aromatic amines, as a comprehensible structure-chemical reactivity relationship.     

Synergistic Cu/Pd Catalysis for Enantioselective Allylic Alkylation of Aldimine Esters: Access to α,α‐Disubstituted α‐Amino Acids

An unprecedented enantioselective allylic alkylation of readily available aldimine esters has been developed, and is catalyzed by a synergistic Cu/Pd catalyst system. This strategy provides facile access to nonproteinogenic α,α‐disubstituted α‐amino acids in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity. The more challenging double allylic alkylation of glycinate‐derived imine esters was also realized. Furthermore, this methodology was applied for the construction of the key intermediate of PLG peptidomimetics.     

Synthesis of Linear Poly(1-Benzyltrimethyleneimine) by the Hofmann Reaction of Poly(1-Cyanoethyltrimethyleneimine) Quaternized with Benzylbromide

The synthesis of a linear polymer having a tertiary amino group in a part of the main chain has been attempted by several methods. However, it was difficult for the linear polyamine to form because of the complicated reaction of the amino group. In the polymerization of weakly basic cyclic amines, e.g., 1-cyanoethylazetidine or 1-cyanoethylaziridine, high molecular weight polymers, poly-1-cyanoethyltrimethyleneimine (poly-CET) and poly-1-cyanoethyl-ethyleneimine (poly-CEE), were obtained. An attempt was made to convert poly-CET and poly-CEE into poly(l-benzylalkyleneimine)s (poly-BET and poly-BEE). Linear poly-BET was prepared by the alkylation of poly-CET (MW about 6000) with benzylbromide, followed by the elimination of the cyanoethyl group of polymer by heating. The poly-BET obtained was a white, greasy substance with a molecular weight of about 5000; its structure was determined by NMR spectroscopy. The cyanoethyl groups were replaced completely by benzyl groups. However, poly-BEE with a complete exchange to benzyl group was not obtained from poly-CEE due to the remaining cyanoethyl groups. Residual cyanoethyl groups replaced about 40% of the amino groups in poly-CEE.     

QUANTITATIVE EXPLANATION ON STRUCTURE-CARCINOGENIC ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP OF AROMATIC AMINES BY DI-REGION THEORY

Di-region theory, the theory for the mechanism of carcinogenesis, has been extendedsuccessfully on the quantitative Structure-carcinogenic activity relationship (QSCAR) of 63aromatic amines. A quantitative equation for the QSCAR of aromatic amines has been estab-lished by the mechanism conception of the specialized di- functional alkylation between thenitrenium ion of the amino group and the epoxide of the aromatic ring. The agreementbetween calculation and experiment comes up to 98%. Thus, it can now express the puzzlingvariation of the carcinogenicity of aromatic amines, as a comprehensible structure-chemicalreactivity relationship.     

Hydrogen bonding of aromatic amines in hydroxylic solvents 2. Absorption and emission spectroscopy of substituted 7-aminocoumarins and 7-aminocarbostyrils

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of 7-aminocoumarins and 7-aminocarbostyrils with different degrees of alkylation were studied in 2-propanol (IP), polyfluorinated alcohols and water. The spectral properties of substituted 7-aminocoumarins and 7-aminocarbostyrils in hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFP) are very different from those in 2-propanol due to the strong hydrogen-bonding (HB) interaction between the solute and the solvent (HFP). The spectral behaviour can be explained in terms of the strength of the HB interaction which depends on the degree of alkylation of the amino group and the electron affinity of the electron-accepting moiety. The absorption spectra indicate that a structural change at the amino nitrogen is induced on formation of strong hydrogen bonds.     

Rhoda-Electrocatalyzed C−H Methylation and Paired Electrocatalyzed C−H Ethylation and Propylation

The use of electricity over traditional stoichiometric oxidants is a promising strategy for sustainable molecular assembly. Herein, we describe the rhoda-electrocatalyzed C−H activation/alkylation of several N-heteroarenes. This catalytic approach has been successfully applied to several arenes, including biologically relevant purines, diazepam, and amino acids. The versatile C−H alkylation featured water as a co-solvent and user-friendly trifluoroborates as alkylating agents. Finally, the rhoda-electrocatalysis with unsaturated organotrifluoroborates proceeded by paired electrolysis.     

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of glycine imino ester using a chiral phase-transfer catalyst

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of the glycine imino ester 1a has been developed using a chiral quaternary ammonium salt 3d without chiral phosphine ligands. The proper choice of the achiral Pd ligand, P(OPh)3, is important to achieve high enantioselectivity. By this method with the dual catalysts, numerous enantiomerically enriched alpha-allylic amino acids 4a-h could be prepared with comparable to higher enantioselectivity than that of the conventional asymmetric alkylation of 1a. In addition, the Pd-catalyzed reaction of 1a with 1-phenyl-2-propenyl acetate 2i afforded the branch product 6 with high enantio- and diastereoselectivity (>95% de, 85% ee).     

Origin of diastereocontrol in the oxy-Michael reactions of delta-lactol anions: a computational and experimental study

The diastereoselectivity in the alkylation and Michael addition of "naked" 6-substituted delta-lactolates has been studied by density functional (B3LYP) calculations with ab initio (MP2) energy refinements. The resulting proposed model for the origins of stereocontrol in this reaction has been tested by experiment. The reactions lead to a high cis diastereoselectivity across the THP ring due to the preference for both the alkoxide and the 6-substituent to sit equatorial in the alkylation transition structure. In the oxy-Michael addition of these lactolates to beta-substituted nitroolefins, we propose that the high diastereoselectivity beta- to the nitro group is a result of a combination of steric, stereoelectronic and solvation factors.     

Catalytic, enantioselective alkylation of alpha-imino esters: the synthesis of nonnatural alpha-amino acid derivatives.

Methodology for the practical synthesis of nonnatural amino acids has been developed through the catalytic, asymmetric alkylation of alpha-imino esters and N,O-acetals by enol silanes, ketene acetals, alkenes, and allylsilanes using chiral transition metal-phosphine complexes as catalysts (1-5 mol %). The alkylation products, which are prepared with high enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) and diastereoselectivity (up to 25:1/anti:syn), are protected nonnatural amino acids that represent potential precursors to natural products and pharmaceuticals. A kinetic analysis of the catalyzed reaction of alkenes with alpha-imino esters is presented to shed light on the mechanism of this reaction.     

Enantioselective Addition of Diethylzinc to Aromatic Aldehydes Catalyzed by Pyrolidine and Piperidine β-Amino Alcohols

The enantioselective alkylation of aryl aldehydes by diethylzinc in the presence of catalytic amounts of several chiral pyrolidine- and piperidine-based amino alcohol ligands, synthesized from the reaction of (R)-2-amino-1-butanol and (S)-2-amino-3-phenylpropan-1-ol with appropriate dibromoalkanes, was studied. The influence of temperature and ligand structure has been investigated. Addition of diethylzinc to aromatic aldehydes under the optimized condition gave the corresponding products in excellent yields with ee values of up to 77%.     

Detailed Studies of the Alkylation Sides of Pyridin‐2‐yl and 4,6‐Dimethylpyrimidin‐2‐yl‐cyanamides

Pyridin‐2‐yl‐ and 4,6‐dimethylpyrimidin‐2‐yl‐cyanamides entered into an alkylation reaction in the form of sodium salts. Pyridin‐2‐yl cyanamide 2 was alkylated at endo‐nitrogen atom of pyridine ring, while 4,6‐dimethylpyrimidin‐2‐yl cyanamide 1 was effectively alkylated at exo‐nitrogen atom of amino cyanamide group. The alkylation of cyanamides 1 and 2 with phenacylbromide gave the corresponding acetophenone derivatives. As a result of their intramolecular cyclization reactions 3‐(4,6‐dimethylpyrimidin‐2‐yl)‐5‐phenyloxazol‐2(3H )‐imine in the case of cyanamide 1 and 2‐amino‐3‐benzoylimidazo[1,2‐a ]pyridine in the case of cyanamide 2 were formed. The alkylated derivatives of pyridin‐2‐ylcyanamide 2 possess visible blue fluorescence with the main peak at 421 – 427 nm.     

Cytosine to uracil conversion through hydrolytic deamination of cytidine monophosphate hydroxy‐alkylated on the amino group: a liquid chromatography – electrospray ionization – mass spectrometry investigation

A novel pathway for cytosine to uracil conversion performed in a micellar environment, leading to the generation of uridine monophosphate (UMP), was evidenced during the alkylation reaction of cytidine monophosphate (CMP) by dodecyl epoxide. Liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization – ion trap ‐ mass spectrometry was used to separate and identify the reaction products and to follow their formation over time. The detection of hydroxy‐amino‐dodecane, concurrently with free UMP, in the reaction mixture suggested that, among the various alkyl‐derivatives formed, CMP alkylated on the amino group of cytosine could undergo tautomerization to an imine and hydrolytic deamination, generating UMP. Interestingly, no evidence for this peculiar conversion pathway was obtained when guanosine monophosphate (GMP), the complementary ribonucleotide of CMP, was also present in the reaction mixture, due to the fact that NH₂‐alkylated CMP was not formed in this case. The last finding emphasized the role played by CMP–GMP molecular interactions, mediated by a micellar environment, in hindering the alkylation reaction at the level of the cytosine amino group. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.