Selective synthesis of 2-substituted pyridine N-oxides via directed ortho-metallation using Grignard reagents

Addition of i-PrMgCl to pyridine N-oxides in THF at −78 °C generates selectively an ortho-metallated species, which can be trapped with various electrophiles to generate 2-substituted pyridine N-oxides. Furthermore, by applying a double metal-catalyzed cross-coupling, direct arylation of the pyridine N-oxides is achieved.     

Copper powder-catalyzed N-arylation of imidazoles in water using 2-(hydrazinecarbonyl)pyridine N-oxides as the new ligands

2-(2-Hydrazinecarbonyl)pyridine N-oxides, which were derived from pyrrole-2-carbohydrazides and pyridine N-oxides, were synthesized and utilized as the ligands for copper powder-catalyzed N-arylation of imidazoles with aryl halides in water. Imidazoles could be arylated smoothly with various aryl halides to provide the title products in preferable yields without the need of an inert atmosphere.     

Synthesis of N,N'-Diacyl-1,2-di-(4-pyridyl)ethylenedianiines

Reaction of N-(4-pyridylmethyl)benzamide N-oxides with acetic anhydride yielded dimerization compounds. This dimerization occurs at the atom attached to the pyridine ring. These compounds so obtained were evaluated for analgesic and antiinflammatory activity.     

Photocatalytic deoxygenation of N–O bonds with rhenium complexes: from the reduction of nitrous oxide to pyridine N-oxides

The accumulation of nitrogen oxides in the environment calls for new pathways to interconvert the various oxidation states of nitrogen, and especially their reduction. However, the large spectrum of reduction potentials covered by nitrogen oxides makes it difficult to find general systems capable of efficiently reducing various N-oxides. Here, photocatalysis unlocks high energy species able both to circumvent the inherent low reactivity of the greenhouse gas and oxidant N₂O (E⁰(N₂O/N₂) = +1.77 V vs. SHE), and to reduce pyridine N-oxides (E_1/2(pyridine N-oxide/pyridine) = −1.04 V vs. SHE). The rhenium complex [Re(4,4′-tBu-bpy)(CO)₃Cl] proved to be efficient in performing both reactions under ambient conditions, enabling the deoxygenation of N₂O as well as synthetically relevant and functionalized pyridine N-oxides.

A rhenium-based photocatalyst enables the deoxygenation of several compounds containing N–O bonds, such as N₂O and pyridine N-oxides.     

Cyclization of substituted 3,4-diaminopyridines into 1H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-c]pyridine 2-oxide derivatives during the nitration process

The nitration of pyridine-3,4-diamine, its N,N′-diacetyl derivative, and N ⁴-alkylpyridine-3,4-diamines with excess nitric acid in concentrated sulfuric acid at 60°C was accompanied by cyclization with formation of the corresponding 1-substituted 4-nitro-1H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-c]pyridine 2-oxides. 4-Chloro-1H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-c]pyridine 2-oxide derivatives were obtained under analogous conditions from 2-chloropyridine-3,4-diamine, its N,N′-diacetyl derivative, and 2-chloro-N ⁴-methylpyridine-3,4-diamine. The nitration of these compounds at 80–90°C gave 4-chloro-7-nitro-1H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-c]pyridine 2-oxides.     

Microwave activation in the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles, N-oxides of pyridine series

Oxidation of heterocycles of the pyridine series under conditions of microwave irradiation was studied. It is established that oxidation of pyridine and 4-methylpyridine with hydrogen peroxide results in the corresponding N-oxides, and oxidation of 3-(piperidin-2-yl)pyridine gives δ-oximino-δ-(pyridyl-3-N-oxide)-valeric acid.     

Cellulose chiral induction during the synthesis of cellulose N-phthaloyl-amino acid esters

Cellulose was acylated by N-phthaloyl amino acid chlorides in the presence of pyridine to prepare an original library of cellulose N-phthaloyl-amino acid esters as chiral solid supports for enantioselective adsorption of racemates. Cellulose esters derived from N-phthaloyl glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, phenylalanine, phenylglycine and isoleucine were isolated in high yields and with degrees of substitution approaching 3. Interestingly, the use of an optically pure (d or l) or a rac-amino acid led to the same cellulose ester according to (1) the measured optical rotation, (2) the enantiomeric excesses of the amino acids resulting from a non-racemising and total hydrolysis and (3) the enantioselective adsorptions of rac-benzoin, rac-Pirkle’s alcohol and rac-Tröger’s base. This suggests that either the formation of a prochiral ketene intermediate which was diastereoselectively attacked by the cellulose alcohols or, alternatively (or concomitantly), the occurrence of a chiral induction in the formed triesters during prolonged contact with the pyridine base in the reaction medium. Enantiomeric excesses in favour of the (S) form ranged from 8 % to 50 % depending on the N-phthaloyl amino acid. The memory of the chirality of the starting material was lost and new chirality was imprinted by the cellulose backbone on the amino acid residues.     

Sulfonium ylides derived from 2-hydroxy-benzoquinones: crystal and molecular structure and their one-step conversion into Mannich bases by amine N-oxides

Reaction of 2-hydroxy-para-benzoquinones with DMSO/Ac₂O produced dimethylsulfonium ylides, of which crystal structures as well as solid and liquid state NMR spectra were recorded. The ylides react with tertiary methylamine N-oxides in a one-pot, multi-step process to 3-methylamino-substituted benzoquinones. The mechanism starts with a deoxygenative deprotonation of the amine N-oxides, followed by a formal electrophilic displacement of DMSO by the resulting carbonium-iminium ion.     

Dynamic resolution of N-alkyl-2-lithiopyrrolidines with the chiral ligand (−)-sparteine

A selection of 2-lithiopyrrolidines with different N-alkyl-substituents were prepared and tested for their dynamic resolution in the presence of the chiral ligand (−)-sparteine. Good yields of the electrophile-quenched products were obtained with enantiomer ratios up to 85:15 using branched N-alkyl derivatives. The major product was shown to have the opposite absolute configuration compared with that obtained in the asymmetric deprotonation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine with (−)-sparteine. The enantioselectivity arises from a dynamic thermodynamic resolution in which the minor diastereomeric complex reacts faster with the electrophile.     

Deoxygenation of tertiary amine N-oxides under metal free condition using phenylboronic acid

A simple and efficient method for the deoxygenation of amine N-oxides to corresponding amines is reported using the green and economical reagent phenylboronic acid. Deoxygenation of N,N-dialkylaniline N-oxides, trialkylamine N-oxides and pyridine N-oxides were achieved in good to excellent yields. The reduction susceptible functional groups such as ketone, amide, ester and nitro groups are well tolerated with phenylboronic acid during the deoxygenation process even at high temperature. In addition, an indirect method for identification and quantification of tert-amine N-oxide is demonstrated using UV–Vis spectrometry which may be useful for drug metabolism studies.     

The synthesis of chiral functionalised morpholine N-oxides using a tandem Cope elimination/reverse-Cope elimination protocol

Hydroxylamine derivatives of (S)-prolinol have been generated using a Cope elimination. These undergo reverse-Cope elimination onto a pendant double bond to give morpholine N-oxides containing three contiguous chiral centres.     

Relative nucleophilic reactivity of pyridines and pyridine <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-oxides (supernucleophilicity of pyridine <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-oxides)

Supernucleophilicity of pyridine N-oxides in acyl transfer reactions was rationalized for the first time on a theoretical level. Unlike pyridines, transition state derived from pyridine N-oxides is stabilized by direct conjugation between the nucleophilic and electrophilic components.     

Asymmetric synthesis of axially chiral benzamides and anilides utilizing planar chiral arene chromium complexes

Optically active axially chiral 2,6-disubstituted benzamides and anilides were stereoselectively prepared by utilizing planar chiral (arene)chromium complexes. Nucleophilic addition to enantiomerically pure planar chiral tricarbonyl(N,N-diethyl-2-methyl-6-formyl- (or 6-acyl)benzamide)chromium complex gave axially chiral 2-methyl-6-substituted N,N-diethyl benzamide chromium complexes with high selectivity. An alternative method for the preparation of axial chiral benzamides or anilides is an enantiotopic lithiation at the benzylic methyl of prochiral tricarbonylchromium complexes of N,N-diethyl-2,6-dimethylbenzamide and N-methyl-N-acyl-2,6-dimethylaniline with a chiral lithium amide followed by electrophilic substitution. The resulting axially chiral chromium-complexed benzamides and anilides were oxidized in air to give chromium-free axially chiral benzamides and anilides in enantiomerically enriched form without axial bond rotation at room temperature.     

Specificity of 15N NMR chemical shifts to the nature of substituents and tautomerism in substituted pyridine N-oxides

¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁵N NMR chemical shifts have been measured for 2-aminopyridine N-oxide (1), its eleven derivatives (2–10, 13, 14), and 3-Cl and 3-Br substituted 4-nitropyridine N-oxides (11, 12). δ(¹⁵N) of pyridine ring nitrogen in 2-acetylaminopyridine N-oxides are 5.9–11.5 ppm deshielded from those in 2-aminopyridine N-oxides. When amino and acetylamino substituents are in 4-position, δ(¹⁵N) of ring nitrogen is 21.3 ppm deshielded in the acetylated derivative. The strong resonance interaction between 2-amino and 5-nitro groups reflects in the decrease of amino nitrogen shielding about 5.3–17.9 ppm. Also, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectral data are in agreement with ¹⁵N NMR results reflected as deshielded amino protons and carbons C-2 and C-5. The pyridine nitrogen chemical shift in all amino- and acetylamino derivatives vary between ?101.2 and ?126.7 ppm, which has been connected with the tautomeric balance in our earlier studies.     

Chiral pyridine N-oxides derived from monoterpenes as organocatalysts for stereoselective reactions with allyltrichlorosilane and tetrachlorosilane

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure C₂-symmetric dipyridylmethane ligands and related N,N′-dioxides is reported. A procedure for the synthesis of a few new enantiomerically pure C₂-symmetric pyridine N-oxides and the preparation of four pyridine N-oxides with oxygen and nitrogen atoms as further coordinating elements in the heterocycle framework is described. All compounds were prepared from naturally occurring monoterpenes. These new compounds were assessed as organocatalysts in two different reactions, namely the allylation of aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilane that afforded homoallylic alcohols in good yields and up to 85% ee and the stilbene oxide opening by the addition of tetrachlorosilane that gave chlorohydrin in quantitative yield and up to 70% ee.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of chiral 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine derivatives

Chiral 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine derivatives have been prepared through a chemoenzymatic synthesis where the enzymatic kinetic resolution of a family of 4-chloro-2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)pyridines is the key step for the formation of potentially important chiral catalysts. Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PSL) showed excellent enantioselectivity in the acylation of the (R)-enantiomers (E > 200) using vinyl acetate as acylating agent and THF as solvent, obtaining products and substrates enantiomerically pure and with excellent yields.     

Copper(II)-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of nitro esters to 2-enoyl-pyridine N-oxides

A highly enantioselective Michael addition of nitro esters to 2-enoyl-pyridine N-oxides was developed by using chiral copper catalysts. The Michael addition products can be obtained in high yields and with up to 96% ee.     

Evidence for a single minimum potential for hydrogen bonds of pyridine N-oxide complexes with dichloroacetic acid in dichloromethane

FTIR spectra of dichloracetic acid and its eight complexes with substituted pyridine N-oxides and N,N-dimethylaniline in dichloromethane-d₂ are reported. 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine N-oxides form two types of complexes with dichloroacetic acid; the acid interacts with NO or Me₂N groups. The shape of the second derivative of absorption in the carbonyl region implies that the hydrogen bonds are described by a strongly asymmetrical quasi-single minimum potential. The situation with regard to the observed carbonyl frequencies as related to conformational equilibria is reviewed.     

Asymmetric addition of a Reformatsky-type reagent to 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline N-oxides

The asymmetric addition of a Reformatsky-type reagent, prepared in situ from diethylzinc and iodoacetic acid ester, to a carbon–nitrogen double bond in 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline N-oxides was achieved by utilizing diisopropyl (R,R)-tartrate as a chiral auxiliary to afford the corresponding (S)-1-substituted 2-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines with enantioselectivities up to 86% ee.     

Phosphite mediated asymmetric N to C migration for the synthesis of chiral heterocycles from primary amines

A phosphite mediated stereoretentive C–H alkylation of N-alkylpyridinium salts derived from chiral primary amines was achieved. The reaction proceeds through the activation of the N-alkylpyridinium salt substrate with a nucleophilic phosphite catalyst, followed by a base mediated [1,2] aza-Wittig rearrangement and subsequent catalyst dissociation for an overall N to C-2 alkyl migration. The scope and degree of stereoretention were studied, and both experimental and theoretical investigations were performed to support an unprecedented aza-Wittig rearrangement–rearomatization sequence. A catalytic enantioselective version starting with racemic starting material and chiral phosphite catalyst was also established following our understanding of the stereoretentive process. This method provides efficient access to tertiary and quaternary stereogenic centers in pyridine systems, which are prevalent in drugs, bioactive natural products, chiral ligands, and catalysts.

N-Alkylpyridinium salt of chiral amines undergoes phosphite mediated stereoretentive migrations to generate chiral alkylpyridines. The role of phosphite on reactivity and stereoselectivity were examined to achieve a catalytic asymmetric version.