Diethylzinc-Mediated Cross-Coupling Reactions between Dibromoketones and Monobromo Carbonyl Compounds

A novel route to synthesize 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds is described. α,α-Dibromoketones generate zinc enolates through a diethylzinc-mediated halogen-metal exchange and react with α-bromocarbonyl compounds to furnish 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds via a second generation of zinc enolates. This cross-coupling reaction is enabled by the chemoselective formation of zinc enolates from α,α-dibromoketones in the presence of α-bromocarbonyl compounds. Chiral 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds can be obtained via the enantioselective bromination of aldehydes using a chiral secondary amine catalyst and a subsequent cross-coupling reaction between the resulting chiral α-bromoaldehydes and α,α-dibromoacetophenones.     

High regioselectivity in electrochemical α-methoxylation of N-protected cyclic amines

N-Protecting groups of α-substituted cyclic amines strongly affected the regioselectivity in electrochemical methoxylation of these compounds. Namely, N-acyl derivatives were transformed into α′-methoxylated compounds, while N-cyano derivatives changed into α-methoxylated derivatives. Furthermore, Lewis acid catalyzed nucleophilic substitution of the α-methoxylated compounds protected with cyano group afforded α,α-disubstituted cyclic amines.     

The synthetic protocol for α-bromocarbonyl compounds via brominations

α-Bromocarbonyl compound easily generates α-radicals in the presence of a proper initiator, such as copper salt. Recently, tertiary-alkylation reaction using α-bromocarbonyl compound as a tertiary alkyl source is recognized as one of the most important alkylation reactions. The reactions using α-bromocarbonyl compound are increasing, whereas synthetic methods for various functionalized α-bromocarbonyl compounds are not summarized. Generally, α-bromocarbonyl compounds can be synthesized from the corresponding carboxylic acids via α-bromo acid bromide, but the brominations of carboxylic acids are sometimes problematic. In this paper, we will report some technical information for a bromination and synthetic examples of representative α-bromocarbonyl compounds.     

Simultaneous determination of six α‑dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines using high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector with pre-column derivatization

A reliable method for determination of six α-dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines was first developed and validated by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector with pre-column derivatization. α-Dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines were extracted and derivatized with 2,3-diaminaphthalene. The derivatization procedure of six α-dicarbonyl compounds was confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The limits of quantitation for six α-dicarbonyl compounds ranged from 3.70 × 10⁻³ to 2.21 × 10⁻² μM. The established method showed good linearity (regression coefficient > 0.9990), precision (relative standard deviation < 3.37%), and high recovery (97.8%∼113.1%). The developed method was successfully applied to detect the six α-dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines. The result exhibited six α-dicarbonyl compounds was found in the 15 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines, which suggested us that the determination of α-dicarbonyl compounds should be paid more attention in the quality control of traditional Chinese medicines.     

New general synthesis of α-alkoxyketones via α'-alkylation, α-alkylation and α,α'-dialkylation of α-alkoxyketimines

α-Methoxy- and α-ethoxyketones, as important intermediates in organic synthesis and flavor compounds in food chemistry, were synthesized by deprotonation of N-(1-alkoxy-2-propylidene)isopropylamine, prepared by condensation of the corresponding α-alkoxyacetone with isopropylamine, and subsequent reaction of the corresponding 1-azaallylic anions with alkyl halides to afford α'-alkylated, α-alkylated and α,α'-dialkylated ketimines. Hydrolysis of the imino function led to the desired substituted α-alkoxyketones. The ratio of α-, α'-, and α,α'-(di)alkylated compounds depended on the amount of base used and on the nature of the alkylating reagent.     

Reduction and Reductive Alkylation of α-tert-Butylthio Carbonyl Compounds. An Efficient Method for Stepwise α-Alkylation of Esters,Nitriles and Ketones Via the α-Tert-Butylthio Derivatives

An efficient and generally applicable method for stepwise α-alkylatton of esters, nitriles, and ketones via the α-tert-butylthio derivatives is described. The method involves reductive-protonation and reductive-alkylation of α-alkylthio α,α-bis-alkylated carbonyl compounds which are prepared by stepwise alkylation of the corresponding simple α-alkylthio carbonyl precursors. The reduction is conveniently performed by use of stoichiometric amounts of a dissolving metal, particularly lithium, affording correspondingly the α-mono-and the α,α-bis-alkylated carbonyl compounds in good yields.     

Mild Regioselective Catalytic Hydrogenation of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds with Lindlar Catalyst

The hydrogen-Lindlar catalyst system is effective for the highly regioselective reduction of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to the corresponding α,β-saturated compounds.     

Synthesis and characterization of α,α'-bis(aminomethyl)oligothiophenes and their related compounds

We have synthesized and characterized a series of novel compounds of α,α'-bis(arninomethyl)oligothiophenes and their related compounds whose degree of polymerization spans two (dimer) to five (pentamer). The compounds presented in our studies are α,α'-bis[(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopenthyl)methyl]oligothiophene, α,α'-bis(aminomethyl)oligothiophene dihydrochloride and α,α'-bis(aminomethyl)oligothiophene. These compounds exhibit desired chemical activity while maintaining controllable electronic properties. The synthetic processes of the oligothiophenes are as follows: 2-aminomethylthiophene is first ‘protected’ and the thiophene rings are coupled using standard Grignard methods. The protected groups are removed at the final stage of the reaction. The compounds show unique properties; for example α,α'-bis(aminomethyl)oligothiophene dihydrochloride is soluble in water. The results of electronic spectra and titration are also presented.     

The Reaction of Nitrosoalkane Dimers with Acid Halides

Nitrosoalkane dimers react with acid halides to yield α-halogeno-azoxy compounds with the substituent α to the oxygen-bearing nitrogen. In the presence of silver carbonate, the corresponding α-acyloxy-azoxy compounds are formed.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of trisubstituted aziridines

A method is described which provides for the direct asymmetric catalytic synthesis of trisubstituted aziridines from imines and diazo compounds. While unactivated imines were not reactive to α-diazo carbonyl compounds in which the diazo carbon was disubstituted, N-Boc imines react with both α-diazo esters and α-diazo-N-acyloxazolidinones to give trisubstituted aziridines with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Reduction of carbonyl compounds via hydrosilylation : I. Hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds catalyzed by tris(triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium

The hydrosilylation of various carbonyl compounds such as simple aldehydes, simple ketones, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, α-diketones, acyl cyanides and ketones having an electron-withdrawing group on the α-carbon using tris(triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium as a catalyst is described. Solvolysis of these silyl ethers and silyl enol ethers afforded the corresponding reduced products. The hydrosilylation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds was found to proceed by 1,4-addition. An oxidative adduct of triethylsilane to the rhodium-(I) complex was obtained as a reaction intermediate. The structure of the adduct was discussed on the basis of its IR and far-IR spectra.     

Copper-catalyzed chemoselective cross-coupling reaction of thioamides and α-diazocarbonyl compounds: Synthesis of enaminones

The development of operationally simple and cost-effective methods for CC bond formation reactions are highly important in pharmaceutical, agrochemical and material research. In this article we describe the first copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of thioamides with acceptor/acceptor-substituted and acceptor-only substituted α-diazocarbonyl compounds to yield enaminones. The reaction shows broad substrate scope in terms of thioamides and diazocarbonyl compounds. Primary, secondary and tertiary thioamides all give enanminones when reacted with α-diazodiesters, α-diazoketoesters, α-diazodiketones, α-diazoketoamides, α-diazoesteramides, α-diazoketosulfones and α-diazomonoketones.     

Umsetzungen von Dilithio-nitroalkanen und -allylnitroderivaten mit Carbonylverbindungen

Reactions of dilithio-nitroalkanes and dilithio-allynitroalkanes with carbonyl compounds Primary nitro compounds can by acylated via dilithium derivatives 5 with carbonic-acid derivatives to give α-nitro esters 6a – i and with carboxylic-acid esters and anhydrides to give α-nitroketones 6j – q . In the reaction of 1-nitro-1-buten with two mol-equiv. of butyllithium, the dilithium compound 10 is formed by successive Michael-addition and nitronate deprotonation. Dilithium derivatives 5 also react with ketones and benzaldehyde (→ 18a – g ); the nitro aldols 25 and 26 are likewise formed by addition of doubly deprotonated allylic nitro compounds. Some of the products have been further transformed by reduction or by Nef-reactions to the hydrochloride of the α-amino-acid 26 , to 2-amino-alcohols 28a and 28b , to α-hydroxyamino-acid esters 27a – c , to α-hydroxyimino esters 35 and 36 , to α-hydroxyimino ketones 31 and 33 , to the α-diketone 34 , and to the α-keto ester 37 .     

Oxidative Deselenylation with Sodium Perborate and Sodium Percarbonate

In the presence of acetic anhydride, both sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate have been found to be effective reagents for the oxidation of α-phenylselenocarbonyl compounds to α,β,-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.     

Rh(Ⅱ) and Zn(Ⅱ) co-catalyzed multi-component reaction for the synthesis of vicinal diols

Oxonium ylide intermediates generated fromα-diazocarbonyl compounds and water were trapped by Zn(Ⅱ)-activatedα-dicarbonyl compounds.The reaction gaveα,β-dihydroxyl acid derivatives in moderate yield.     

Synthesis of new α-glucosidase inhibitors based on oleanolic acid incorporating cinnamic amides

A series of α-glucosidase inhibitors with the oleanolic acid core and different cinnamic amide ligands were designed and synthesized. Their preliminary structure-activity relationships were analyzed. In general, the compounds with 3,28-disubstituted oleanolic acid exhibited stronger activity than those 28-monosubstituted analogues, and variation of cinnamic amide substitution significantly affected α-glucosidase inhibition activities. Most of the compounds showed potent inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with much greater efficacy than a typical α-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose.     

Domino reactions for the synthesis of various α-substituted nitro alkenes

Efficient one-pot methods for the synthesis of variously functionalised conjugated nitro alkenes have been reported. Despite the utility in different fields of these compounds, only a few multi-step syntheses have been reported in the literature, giving the target compounds in low overall yields. α-Nitro acrylates or cinnamates, α-nitro α,β-unsaturated ketones and, most importantly, aromatic and heteroaromatic (E)- 2-nitro allylic alcohols, compounds characterised by a well-known anticancer activity, were obtained in high yields and high diastereomeric purity by a domino condensation-dehydration process.     

Chemical composition and α-amylase inhibitory activity of the essential oil from Sabina chinensis cv. Kaizuca leaves

Sabina chinensis cv. Kaizuca (SCK) is a variant of S. chinensis L. The essential oil from its leaves exhibited α-amylase inhibitory activity in vitro and the IC₅₀ value was 187.08 ± 0.56 μg/mL. Nineteen compounds were identified from this essential oil by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The major compounds identified were bornyl acetate (42.6%), elemol (20.5%), β-myrcene (13.7%) and β-linalool (4.0%). In order to study the reason of the α-amylase inhibitory activity of this essential oil, the identified compounds were docked with α-amylase by molecular docking individually. Among these compounds, γ-eudesmol exhibited the lowest binding energy (?6.73 kcal/mol), followed by α-copaen-11-ol (?6.66 kcal/mol), cubedol (?6.39 kcal/mol) and α-acorenol (?6.12 kcal/mol). The results indicated that these compounds were the active ingredients responsible for the α-amylase inhibitory activity of essential oil from SCK.     

Reaction of β-trimethylsiloxy α-diazocarbonyl compounds with trimethylsilyl halides: a novel diazo decomposition process

When β-trimethylsiloxy α-diazocarbonyl compounds were treated with trimethylsilyl halide, a mixture of α- and γ-halide substituted unsaturated carbonyl compounds was obtained. The mechanism of this novel diazo decomposition process is discussed.     

Convenient One-Pot Synthesis of β-Alkylthio Acid Derivatives from Thioacetates and the Corresponding α,β-Unsaturated Compounds

Various β-alkylthio acid derivatives were prepared conveniently from thioacetates and α,β-unsaturated compounds through borohydride exchange resin (BER)-Pd catalyzed transesterification of thioacetates to the corresponding thiols and Michael addition of the resulting thiols to α,β-unsaturated compounds.