ZrCl4 as a new and efficient catalyst for the opening of epoxide rings by amines

Zirconium(IV) chloride catalyses the nucleophilic opening of epoxide rings by amines leading to the efficient synthesis of β-amino alcohols. The reaction works well with aromatic and aliphatic amines in short times at room temperature in the absence of solvent. Exclusive trans stereoselectivity is observed for cyclic epoxides. Aromatic amines exhibit excellent regioselectivity for preferential nucleophilic attack at the sterically less hindered position during the reaction with unsymmetrical epoxides. However, in case of styrene oxide, selective formation of the benzylic amine was observed during the reactions with aromatic amines.     

Electrode processes in the oxidation of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives

The electrochemical oxidation of the alkaloid laudanosine (Ia) to O-methylflavinantine (II) has been studied in acetonitrile solvent. Using cyclic voltammetry, rotating disc voltammetry and preparative electrolyses on several alkaloids, simple aliphatic amines and aromatic compounds, some aspects of the mechanism of this coupling reaction are elucidated. The first anodic wave for laudanosine at platinum has E_p=0.55 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺. The electrode rapidly becomes partially passivated at potentials above 0.5 V. This is due to a film which “dissolves” below 0.5 V, at a rate independent of the potential. It is shown that the reaction (Ia)→(II) proceeds at 0.5 V by initial oxidation of the amine moiety. If acids such as sodium bicarbonate are added to the anolyte the amine is protonated causing the first wave to disappear. Oxidation at 1.1 V under these acidic conditions produces the same product, but more rapidly and in significantly higher yield because electrode filming and side reactions resulting from the amine oxidation are abrogated.     

Enabling Aromatic Hydroxylation in a Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase Enzyme through Protein Engineering

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) family of heme monooxygenases catalyse the selective oxidation of C−H bonds under ambient conditions. The CYP199A4 enzyme from Rhodopseudomonas palustris catalyses aliphatic oxidation of 4-cyclohexylbenzoic acid but not the aromatic oxidation of 4-phenylbenzoic acid, due to the distinct mechanisms of aliphatic and aromatic oxidation. The aromatic substrates 4-benzyl-, 4-phenoxy- and 4-benzoyl-benzoic acid and methoxy-substituted phenylbenzoic acids were assessed to see if they could achieve an orientation more amenable to aromatic oxidation. CYP199A4 could catalyse the efficient benzylic oxidation of 4-benzylbenzoic acid. The methoxy-substituted phenylbenzoic acids were oxidatively demethylated with low activity. However, no aromatic oxidation was observed with any of these substrates. Crystal structures of CYP199A4 with 4-(3′-methoxyphenyl)benzoic acid demonstrated that the substrate binding mode was like that of 4-phenylbenzoic acid. 4-Phenoxy- and 4-benzoyl-benzoic acid bound with the ether or ketone oxygen atom hydrogen-bonded to the heme aqua ligand. We also investigated whether the substitution of phenylalanine residues in the active site could permit aromatic hydroxylation. Mutagenesis of the F298 residue to a valine did not significantly alter the substrate binding position or enable the aromatic oxidation of 4-phenylbenzoic acid; however the F182L mutant was able to catalyse 4-phenylbenzoic acid oxidation generating 2′-hydroxy-, 3′-hydroxy- and 4′-hydroxy metabolites in a 83 : 9 : 8 ratio, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations, in which the distance and angle of attack were considered, demonstrated that in the F182L variant, in contrast to the wild-type enzyme, the phenyl ring of 4-phenylbenzoic acid attained a productive geometry for aromatic oxidation to occur.     

Investigations on the enzyme specificity of clostripain: a new efficient biocatalyst for the synthesis of peptide isosteres

To explore the ability of the cysteine protease clostripain as a biocatalyst for the synthesis of peptide isosteres, the S'-subsite specificity of this enzyme toward unnatural substrates was investigated. First, the function of clostripain for acylating aliphatic noncyclic and cyclic amines varying in chain length and ring size was analyzed using a standard acyl donor. Additionally, this series was expanded by use of aromatic amines, amino alcohols, derivatives of non-alpha-amino carboxylic acids, and symmetric and asymmetric diamines, respectively. The results obtained give a detailed picture of the unique reactivity of clostripain toward synthetic substrates, allowing insights into the basic enzyme-substrate interactions. Furthermore, the data provide a guideline for the use of clostripain as a biocatalyst for synthesis of peptide isosteres. The study was completed by the utilization of a model substrate mimetic enabling clostripain to react with noncoded and non-amino acid-derived amines as well as nonspecific acyl moieties. The results of this study indicate that this approach may extend the application range of clostripain as a biocatalyst outside of peptide synthesis.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric ring opening reactions of oxabicyclic alkenes: application of halide effects in the development of a general process

We have demonstrated halide effects in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric ring opening reaction of oxabicyclic alkenes. By employing halide and protic additives, the catalyst poisoning effect of aliphatic amines is reversed allowing the amount nucleophile to react in high yield and ee. Second, by simply changing the halide ligand on the rhodium catalyst from chloride to iodide, the reactivity and enantioselectivity of reactions employing an aromatic amine, malonate or carboxylate nucleophile are dramatically improved. Third, through the application of halide effects and more forcing reaction conditions, less reactive oxabicycle [2.2.1] substrates react to generate synthetically useful enantioenriched cyclohexenol products. Application of these new conditions to the more reactive oxabenzonorbornadiene permits the reaction to be run with very low catalyst loadings (0.01 mol %).     

Synthesis and ring‐opening polymerization of co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers

An effective approach was presented for the synthesis of co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers by catalytic oxidation of aromatic and aliphatic dithiols with oxygen in the presence of a copper‐amine catalyst. The aromatic dithiols can be 4,4′‐oxybis(benzenethiol), 4,4′‐diphenyl dithiol, 4,4′‐diphenylsulfone dithiol. The aliphatic dithiols can be 1,2‐ethanedithiol, 2,3‐butanedithiol, 1,6‐hexane dithiol. The co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers were characterized by gradient HPLC, MALDI‐TOF‐MS, GPC, ¹H‐NMR, TGA, and DSC techniques. The glass transition temperatures of these co‐cyclics ranged from ?11.3 to 56.6°C. In general, these co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers are soluble in common organic solvents, such as CHCl₃, THF, DMF, DMAc. These co‐cyclic oligomers readily underwent free radical ring‐opening polymerization in the melt at 180°C, producing linear, tough and high molecular weight poly(aromatic aliphatic disulfide)s. The glass transition temperatures of these polymers ranged from ?3.7 to 107.8°C that are higher than those of corresponding co‐cyclics. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aromatic Aminocatalysis

Aromatic aminocatalysis refers to transformations that employ aromatic amines, such as anilines or aminopyridines, as catalysts. Owing to the conjugation of the amine moiety with the aromatic ring, aromatic amines demonstrate distinctive features in aminocatalysis compared with their aliphatic counterparts. For example, aromatic aminocatalysis typically proceeds with slower turnover, but is more active and conformationally rigid as a result of the stabilized aromatic imine or iminium species. In fact, the advent of aromatic aminocatalysis can be traced back to before the renaissance of organocatalysis in the early 2000s. So far, aromatic aminocatalysis has been widely applied in bioconjugation reactions through transamination; in asymmetric organocatalysis through imine/enamine tautomerization; and in cooperative catalysis with transition metals through C?H/C?C activation and functionalization. This Focus Review summarizes the advent of and major advances in the use of aromatic aminocatalysis in bioconjugation reactions and organic synthesis.     

Ru(3)(CO)(12)-catalyzed coupling reaction of sp(3) C-H bonds adjacent to a nitrogen atom in alkylamines with alkenes.

Catalytic reactions which involve the cleavage of an sp(3) C-H bond adjacent to a nitrogen atom in N-2-pyridynyl alkylamines are described. The use of Ru(3)(CO)(12) as the catalyst results in the addition of the sp(3) C-H bond across the alkene bond to give the coupling products. A variety of alkenes, including terminal, internal, and cyclic alkenes, can be used for the coupling reaction. The presence of directing groups, such as pyridine, pyrimidine, and an oxazoline ring, on the nitrogen of the amine is critical for a successful reaction. This result indicates the importance of the coordination of the nitrogen atom to the ruthenium catalyst. In addition, the nature of the substituents on the pyridine ring has a significant effect on the efficiency of the reaction. Thus, the substitution of an electron-withdrawing group on the pyridine ring as well as a substitution adjacent to the sp(2) nitrogen in the pyridine ring dramatically retards the reaction. Cyclic amines are more reactive than acyclic ones. The choice of solvent is also very important. Of the solvents examined, 2-propanol is the solvent of choice.     

Amino acid promoted CuI-catalyzed C-N bond formation between aryl halides and amines or N-containing heterocycles

CuI-catalyzed coupling reaction of electron-deficient aryl iodides with aliphatic primary amines occurs at 40 degrees C under the promotion of N-methylglycine. Using l-proline as the promoter, coupling reaction of aryl iodides or aryl bromides with aliphatic primary amines, aliphatic cyclic secondary amines, or electron-rich primary arylamines proceeds at 60-90 degrees C; an intramolecular coupling reaction between aryl chloride and primary amine moieties gives indoline at 70 degrees C; coupling reaction of aryl iodides with indole, pyrrole, carbazole, imidazole, or pyrazole can be carried out at 75-90 degrees C; and coupling reaction of electron-deficient aryl bromides with imidazole or pyrazole occurs at 60-90 degrees C to provide the corresponding N-aryl products in good to excellent yields. In addition, N,N-dimethylglycine promotes the coupling reaction of electron-rich aryl bromides with imidazole or pyrazole to afford the corresponding N-aryl imidazoles or pyrazoles at 110 degrees C. The possible action of amino acids in these coupling reactions is discussed.     

Arylation of Amines and Monoarylation of Symmetrical Diamines in the Presence of Brine Solution with Diheteroaryl Halides

A simple, scalable, ligand-free, and metal-free protocol for arylation of amines and monoarylation of symmetrical diamines with diheteroaryl halides in the presence of brine solution has been developed. The protocol has broad structural applicability for chemoselective monoarylation of a wide variety of symmetrical, cyclic, and acyclic aliphatic diamines. The protocol is also applicable for selective arylation of aliphatic amine in the presence of aromatic amine.     

Transformations of 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-2-ethoxycarbonylchromone under the action of primary amines

5,6,7,8-Tetrafluoro-2-ethoxycarbonylchromone in aprotic polar solutions formed by nucleophilic aromatic ipso-substitution 7-alkyl(aryl)amino-5,6,8-trifluorochromones. This transformation in ethanol depended on the reactivity of the acting amine: with stronger nucleophiles, aliphatic amines, an opening of the γ-pyrone ring occurred, with aromatic amines 7-monosubstituted chromones were the main products, and the open-chain esters formed in lesser amount.     

Reactions of N-polyfluorophenylcarbonimidoyl dichlorides with primary and secondary amines. Kinetics and mechanism. Synthesis of polyfluorinated carbodiimides, chloroformamidines, guamidines and benzimidazoles.

The reaction of N-polyfluorophenylcarbonimidoyl dichlorides with primary and secondary aliphatic and aromatic amines have been studied. With primary aliphatic amines, the reactions led to carbodiimides or guanidines, depending on the amount of amine. The carbodiimides obtained reacted with amines to form guanidines. The reactions with primary aromatic amines produced only triarylguanidines. N-Pentafluorophenyllcarbonimidoyl dichloride (I) reacted with tetrafluoro-o-phenylene diamine to give 2-pentafluoroanilino-4,5,6,7-tetrafluorobenzimidazole. Polyfluorinated benzimidazole derivatives were also produced by the thermolysis of polyfluorinated triarylguanidines. Heating of N¹,N²,N³-tris(pentafluorophenyl)guanidine with K₂CO₃ in dimethylformamide led to 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10-octafluoro-5-pentafluorophenyl-5H-benzimidazol[1,2-a]benzimidazole. N-Polyfluorophenylcarbonimidoyl dichlorides reacted with various secondary amines already at room temperature giving N-polyfluorophenylchloroformamidines in high yields. Elevated temperature and prolonged reaction time led to formation of N-polyfluorophenylguanidines. Kinetics and mechanism of the reactions of N-polyfluorophenylcarbonimidoyl dichlorides with primary and secondary amines in acetonitrile at 25°C have been studied. The reactions have been found to proceed by a bimolecular nucleophilic addition-elimination mechanism via a tetrahedral intermediate. Possible reasons of formation of different products in the above transformation are discussed in terms of this mechanism.     

Synthesis of 3‐aminomethylidenechroman‐2‐carboxamides by a Sequential One‐pot Three Component Reaction and by Post‐Passerini Condensation Modification

3‐Arylaminomethylidenechroman‐2‐carboxamide has been synthesized by a one‐pot three component reaction among 3‐formylchromone, aromatic amine, and cyclohexyl isocyanide. 3‐(N‐alkylsubstitued/unsubstituted)aminomethylidenechroman‐2‐carboxamides were synthesized by heating Passerini products derived from chromone‐3‐carbaldehyde with different aliphatic primary amines. The products obtained from the reactions of aliphatic primary amines readily form chromeno[2,3‐c]pyrrole when heated in acetic acid. Bischromanones have also been synthesized using this methodology.     

General but discriminating fluorescent chemosensor for aliphatic amines

Aliphatic amines are sensitively and discriminatively detected through binding with demethylated naphthol AS-BI (7-bromo-3-hydroxy-2-naphth-o-hydroxyanilide, 2) and fluorescence of the resulting complex. Recognition of the amine by the chemosensor 2 occurs via proton transfer of the naphtholic proton to the amine and is facilitated by the presence of the phenol group. Amine basicity is the primary controller of detection. Poorly basic aromatic and conjugated amines such as pyridine and aniline are not detected. Hydrogen bonding within the complex allows further differentiation of aliphatic amines. Doubly primary, conformationally flexible diamines are the most sensitive to detection, followed by secondary amines.     

水相胶束体系中底物微环境对辣根过氧化物酶催化反应的影响

利用荧光测活法比较了HRP在有机相与水相胶束体系中催化不同芳香胺类的动力学常数,发现在水相胶束体系中,HRP是在一个较严格的亲、疏水界面进行催化反应。同时对界面酶学性质进行了初步研究,讨论了在胶束中不同增溶位置对反应动力学常数的影响。     

Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones with Sodium Triacetoxyborohydride. Studies on Direct and Indirect Reductive Amination Procedures(1)

Sodium triacetoxyborohydride is presented as a general reducing agent for the reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones. Procedures for using this mild and selective reagent have been developed for a wide variety of substrates. The scope of the reaction includes aliphatic acyclic and cyclic ketones, aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, and primary and secondary amines including a variety of weakly basic and nonbasic amines. Limitations include reactions with aromatic and unsaturated ketones and some sterically hindered ketones and amines. 1,2-Dichloroethane (DCE) is the preferred reaction solvent, but reactions can also be carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and occasionally in acetonitrile. Acetic acid may be used as catalyst with ketone reactions, but it is generally not needed with aldehydes. The procedure is carried out effectively in the presence of acid sensitive functional groups such as acetals and ketals; it can also be carried out in the presence of reducible functional groups such as C-C multiple bonds and cyano and nitro groups. Reactions are generally faster in DCE than in THF, and in both solvents, reactions are faster in the presence of AcOH. In comparison with other reductive amination procedures such as NaBH(3)CN/MeOH, borane-pyridine, and catalytic hydrogenation, NaBH(OAc)(3) gave consistently higher yields and fewer side products. In the reductive amination of some aldehydes with primary amines where dialkylation is a problem we adopted a stepwise procedure involving imine formation in MeOH followed by reduction with NaBH(4).     

炔基苯甲酰胺衍生物的液相合成

液相合成兼容了固相合成可快速简便地对产物进行分离纯化以及溶液相合成可 在均相条件下进行反应和用常规手段对反应中间体进行分析检测的优点，用聚乙二 醇(PEG)4000作为可溶性聚合物支持体，通过醚键将[1，3，5]氯三嗪连接在PEG上 制备成PEG支持的新型的可溶性聚合物试剂I．该试剂在N-甲基吗啉的作用下与对碘 苯甲酸反应生成相应的活性酯中间体Ⅱ，该中间体继而在Pd(Ⅱ)／Cu(Ⅰ)共催化下 与端炔发生Sonogashira偶联反应得到另一中间体Ⅲ，在伯胺或仲胺的存在下进行 胺解反应得到炔基苯甲酰胺衍生物Ⅳ．由于PEG具有柔韧的长链而不会对链端连接 的反应中心的活性产生影响，因此该反应在均相体系中进行，不仅反应条件温和， 产率良好，而且反应还具有良好的选择性．实验发现，芳香胺和非芳香胺均可获得 良好的反应结果，但芳香胺所需的反应时间较长；伯胺和仲胺都是良好的胺解试剂 ，但使用仲胺时产率较低；N原子亲核试剂比O原子亲核试剂具有更大的反应性．此 外，PEG 4000支持的[1，3，5]氯三嗪试剂没有强烈的刺激性，可长期储存使用．     

Dihydroquinolines,Dihydronaphthyridines and Quinolones by Domino Reactions of Morita-Baylis-Hillman Acetates

An efficient synthetic route to highly substituted dihydroquinolines and dihydronaphthyridines has been developed using a domino reaction of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) acetates with primary aliphatic and aromatic amines in DMF at 50–90 °C. The MBH substrates incorporate a side chain acetate positioned adjacent to an acrylate or acrylonitrile aza-Michael acceptor as well as an aromatic ring activated toward S_NAr ring closure. A control experiment established that the initial reaction was an S_N2′-type displacement of the side chain acetate by the amine to generate the alkene product with the added nitrogen nucleophile positioned trans to the S_NAr aromatic ring acceptor. Thus, equilibration of the initial alkene geometry is required prior to cyclization. A further double bond migration was observed for several reactions targeting dihydronaphthyridines from substrates with a side chain acrylonitrile moiety. MBH acetates incorporating a 2,5-difluorophenyl moiety were found to have dual reactivity in these annulations. In the absence of O₂, the expected dihydroquinolines were formed, while in the presence of O₂, quinolones were produced. All of the products were isolated in good to excellent yields (72–93%). Numerous cases (42) are reported, and mechanisms are discussed.     

Application of modified Pictet-Spengler reaction for the synthesis of thiazolo- and pyrazolo-quinolines

Two new thiazole and pyrazole-based arylamine substrate have been used for the Pictet-Spengler reaction. This is in contrast to the traditionally used indole/imidazole-based aliphatic amine substrates that has remained in use for the last ∼100 years. The condensation of both the substrates with a variety of aldehydes in the presence of 2% TFA-DCM at 0° for 30 min or pTsOH in toluene at reflux led to the synthesis of thiazoloquinolines and pyrazoloquinolines, respectively. Unlike aliphatic amine substrates, our substrates readily underwent Pictet-Spengler cyclization even with aldehydes having electron donating group. The studies are based on a new concept proposed by us that arylamines linked to an activated heterocyclic ring can lead to a variety of second-generation substrates for the Pictet-Spengler cyclization. Our studies open up new avenues for the application of Pictet-Spengler reaction beyond syntheses of the tetrahydroisoquinolines and tetrahydro-β-carbolines.     

Nucleophilic substitutions and radical reactions of phenylazocarboxylates

tert-Butyl phenylazocarboxylates are versatile building blocks for synthetic organic chemistry. Nucleophilic substitutions of the benzene ring proceed with aromatic amines and alcohols under mild conditions. The attack of aliphatic amines may be directed to the aromatic core as well as to the carbonyl unit leading to azocarboxamides. The benzene ring can further be modified through radical reactions, in which the tert-butyloxycarbonylazo group enables the generation of aryl radicals at either elevated temperatures or under acidic conditions. Radical reactions include oxygenation, halogenation, carbohalogenation, carbohydroxylation, and aryl-aryl coupling.