A study of Heck cyclization reactions to form phenanthridine ring systems

A survey of conditions for the palladium catalyzed intramolecular Heck cyclization of protected amines has shown that the Herrmann-Beller palladacycle can be exploited under ‘cationic’ conditions to provide a robust and rapid route (<2 h) to the synthesis of single double bond isomer phenanthridines in excellent yield (76-99%). In addition, the same cyclization can be performed under ‘neutral’ conditions to provide phenanthridines with a double bond isomer profile suitable for exploitation in diversity-based applications. We have also shown that the highly reactive (^tBu₃P)₂Pd catalyst can induce cyclization at low temperatures (≤50 °C), giving similar results to the ‘neutral’ conditions, and offering an alternative pathway for sensitive substrates.     

Reagent‐Free C−H/N−H Cross‐Coupling: Regioselective Synthesis of N‐Heteroaromatics from Biaryl Aldehydes and NH3

An unprecedented synthesis of N‐heteroaromatics from biaryl aldehydes and NH₃ through reagent‐free C−H/N−H cross‐coupling has been developed. The electrosynthesis uses NH₃ as an inexpensive and atom‐economic nitrogen donor, requires no oxidizing agents, and allows efficient and regioselective access to a wide range of phenanthridines and structurally related polycyclic N‐heteroaromatic products.     

Silver-catalyzed 2-isocyanobiaryls insertion/cyclization with phosphine oxides: synthesis of 6-phosphorylated phenanthridines

A silver-catalyzed 2-isocyanobiaryls insertion/cyclization with phosphine oxides was described for the construction of the 6-phosphorylated phenanthridines through radical addition of in situ formed P-centered radical to 2-isocyanobiphenyls and homolytic aromatic substitution process. The reactions could proceed smoothly to give the desired 6-phosphorylated phenanthridines promoted by AgOAc (20 mol %) with PhI(OAc)₂ (3.0 equiv).     

The first stereocontrolled synthesis of 12-methyl-hexahydrobenzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids

12-Methyl B/C hexahydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines have been synthesized stereoselectively starting from chiral nonracemic 2-aryl-4-pentenoic acids prepared by asymmetric allylation of (+)-(S,S)-pseudoephedrine-based arylacetamide enolates. Subsequent transformations (Friedel–Crafts acylation, stereocontrolled reductive amination, Pictet–Spengler cyclization and PPA catalyzed cationic cyclization) led to the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched hexahydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines in which the sequential formation of all the new stereogenic centres was controlled by the starting chiral acids.     

Visible‐Light‐Promoted Iminyl‐Radical Formation from Acyl Oximes: A Unified Approach to Pyridines,Quinolines, and Phenanthridines

A unified strategy involving visible‐light‐induced iminyl‐radical formation has been established for the construction of pyridines, quinolines, and phenanthridines from acyl oximes. With fac‐[Ir(ppy)₃] as a photoredox catalyst, the acyl oximes were converted by 1 e⁻ reduction into iminyl radical intermediates, which then underwent intramolecular homolytic aromatic substitution (HAS) to give the N‐containing arenes. These reactions proceeded with a broad range of substrates at room temperature in high yield. This strategy of visible‐light‐induced iminyl‐radical formation was successfully applied to a five‐step concise synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids.     

Radical dearomatization of benzene leading to phenanthridine and phenanthridinone derivatives related to (±)-pancratistatin

The synthesis of the phenanthridinone nucleus common to the Amaryllidaceae series of natural products is achieved by a sequence involving tributylstannane-mediated, benzeneselenol-catalyzed addition of ortho-nitrogen functionalized aryl radicals to benzene, yielding aryl-substituted cyclohexadienes. These cyclohexadienes may be manipulated by oxidative ring closure sequences to generate functionalized phenanthridines. Beginning from 2-hydroxy-6-iodopiperonic acid a key intermediate in the Danishefsky synthesis of (±)-pancratistatin is achieved in two steps.     

Syntheses of indolo[3,2,1-d,e]phenanthridines and isochromeno[3,4-a] carbazoles: palladium catalyzed intramolecular arylation via C-H functionalization

A new synthetic route has been developed for the preparation of indolo[3,2,1-d,e]phenanthridines and isochromeno[3,4-a]carbazoles via palladium catalyzed intramolecular biaryl coupling reactions. The coupling reactions proceeded smoothly and in high yields under ligand-free conditions with the catalytic system Pd(OAc)₂/Cs₂CO₃/TBAB. Under optimized reaction conditions no halogen-reduced products were observed.     

Visible‐Light‐Promoted Iminyl‐Radical Formation from Acyl Oximes: A Unified Approach to Pyridines,Quinolines, and Phenanthridines

A unified strategy involving visible‐light‐induced iminyl‐radical formation has been established for the construction of pyridines, quinolines, and phenanthridines from acyl oximes. With fac‐[Ir(ppy)₃] as a photoredox catalyst, the acyl oximes were converted by 1 e^? reduction into iminyl radical intermediates, which then underwent intramolecular homolytic aromatic substitution (HAS) to give the N‐containing arenes. These reactions proceeded with a broad range of substrates at room temperature in high yield. This strategy of visible‐light‐induced iminyl‐radical formation was successfully applied to a five‐step concise synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids.     

Synthesis and physicochemical characterization of novel 6-aminopyrido[3,4-c][1,9]phenanthrolines as aza-analogs of benzo[c]phenanthridines

Based on the 6-aminobenzo[c]phenanthridines, a compound class showing noteworthy antitumor activity, an efficient one-step synthesis consisting of a base-catalyzed condensation of 2 equiv of 4-methylpyridine-3-carbonitrile and various aldehydes causing twofold ring closure is described. The obtained 6-amino-11,12-dihydropyrido[3,4-c][1,9]phenanthrolines could be aromatized with Pd/C at high temperatures to form 6-aminopyrido[3,4-c][1,9]phenanthrolines. All compounds were systematically characterized regarding both lipophilicity and solubility and a high cytotoxic potential was evaluated in preliminary in vitro studies. Compared to formerly described 6-aminobenzo[c]phenanthridines our newly developed phenanthrolines turned out to possess improved drugability, due to significantly increased water-solubility and decreased lipophilicity.     

Direct synthesis of 6-sulfonylated phenanthridines via silver-catalyzed radical sulfonylation-cyclization of 2-isocyanobiphenyls

A convenient and straightforward synthesis of 6-sulfonylated phenanthridines via silver-catalyzed sequential radical insertion, cyclization and aromatization of 2-isocyanobiphenyls is reported. The protocol does not require a phenanthridine scaffold as a substrate and presents a highly regioselective synthesis of 6-alkyl/arylsulfonyl phenanthridines. The protocol utilizes readily available and easy to handle sodium sulfinates as sulfonating agents and potassium persulfate as an oxidant to afford good to excellent yields of the desired products in a one-pot operation at room temperature.     

The directed metalation connection to aryl-aryl cross coupling.Regiospecific synthesis of phenanthridines,phenanthridinones and the biphenyl alkaloid ismine

Concise general routes to phenanthridines 4 and phenanthridinones 5 based on directed ortho metalation and cross coupling tactics are described; a short synthesis of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloid ismine (8b) is reported.     

Synthesis of Aromatic Compounds by Catalytic C?C Bond Activation of Biphenylene or Angular [3]Phenylene

Substituted phenanthrenes and picenes were easily prepared by reaction of biphenylene or angular [3]phenylene with various alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of [IrCl(cod)]₂/dppe (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene, dppe=1,2‐bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane). The reaction is based on C? C bond activation of the cyclobutane ring. The reaction tolerates the presence of bulky groups on the alkyne, such as the ferrocene moiety. In addition, a catalytic system based on [RhCl(cod)]₂/dppe enabled the, hitherto unreported, reaction of biphenylene with nitriles to provide phenanthridines.     

Improved synthesis of porous C2N for CO2 conversion

Since the initial introduction of porous C₂N-h2D materials by the Baek group in 2015, these materials have exhibited highly promising applications in fields such as semiconductor devices, heterogeneous catalysis, gas storage and separation, biomedicine, and more. However, much of the existing research on C₂N materials has been based on theoretical calculations due to the challenges associated with their synthesis. In this study, an enhanced synthesis method for porous C₂N materials has been successfully developed, involving the innovative and nonexplosive synthesis of hexaaminobenzene trihydrochloride (HAB·3HCl) as a crucial intermediate, as well as a time-efficient synthesis of C₂N. Rigorous structural characterizations have been conducted, including solid-state NMR analysis, among others. The resultant C₂N material has been effectively employed to improve the efficiency of CO₂ conversion reactions. This straightforward protocol for synthesizing C₂N materials is poised to stimulate further exploration and application of this promising 2D material in the near future.     

The reaction of tetralones with nitriles: a simple approach to the synthesis of new substituted benzo[h]quinazolines, benzo[f]quinazolines and dibenzo[a,i]phenanthridines

The one-pot reaction of 1-tetralone with nitriles in the presence of triflic anhydride affords in good yields 2,4-disubstituted 5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]quinazolines, which oxidation with DDQ leads to the corresponding benzo[h]quinazolines. 2-Tetralone undergoes identical process forming 1,3-disubstituted 5,6-dihydrobenzo[f]quinazolines. However, when the reaction of 2-tetralone is carried out with methylthiocyanate as nitrile, 5-methylthiotetrahydrodibenzo[a,i]phenanthridines are isolated in good yields. Easy transformations of the methylthio group offer possible access to a variety of substituted dibenzo[a,i]phenanthridines.     

Practical method for synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indole derivatives promoted by β-(benzotriazol-1-yl)allylic O-stannyl ketyl radicals

Treatment of β-aryl-β-(benzotriazol-1-yl)-α-primary alkyl (or aryl)-α,β-unsaturated ketones 1 with n-Bu₃SnH (4 equiv) in a catalytic amount of AIBN in PhH at reflux afforded 3-alkyl (or aryl)-2-arylindoles 8 in good yields. However, when tert-butyl group is bonded at α-position, 3-acyl (or aroyl)-2-arylindoles 9 were obtained as major products along with phenanthridines 5 as minor products.     

Metal-free tandem carbene N–H insertions and C–C bond cleavages

A metal-free C–H [5 + 1] annulation reaction of 2-arylanilines with diazo compounds has been achieved, giving rise to two types of prevalent phenanthridines via highly selective C–C cleavage. Compared to the simple N–H insertion manipulation of diazo, this method elegantly accomplishes a tandem N–H insertion/S_EAr/C–C cleavage/aromatization reaction, and the synthetic utility of this new transformation is exemplified by the succinct syntheses of trisphaeridine and bicolorine alkaloids.

A metal-free C–H [5 + 1] annulation reaction of 2-arylanilines with diazo compounds has been achieved, giving rise to two types of prevalent phenanthridines via highly selective C–C cleavage.     

Thiophene-Containing Covalent Organic Frameworks for Overall Photocatalytic H2O2 Synthesis in Water and Seawater

H₂O₂ is a significant chemical widely utilized in the environmental and industrial fields, with growing global demand. Without sacrificial agents, simultaneous photocatalyzed H₂O₂ synthesis through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and water oxidation reaction (WOR) dual channels from seawater is green and sustainable but still challenging. Herein, two novel thiophene-containing covalent organic frameworks (TD-COF and TT-COF) were first constructed and served as catalysts for H₂O₂ synthesis via indirect 2e⁻ ORR and direct 2e⁻ WOR channels. The photocatalytic H₂O₂ production performance can be regulated by adjusting the N-heterocycle modules (pyridine and triazine) in COFs. Notably, with no sacrificial agents, just using air and water as raw materials, TD-COF exhibited high H₂O₂ production yields of 4060 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ and 3364 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ in deionized water and natural seawater, respectively. Further computational mechanism studies revealed that the thiophene was the primary photoreduction unit for ORR, while the benzene ring (linked to the thiophene by the imine bond) was the central photooxidation unit for WOR. The current work exploits thiophene-containing COFs for overall photocatalytic H₂O₂ synthesis via ORR and WOR dual channels and provides fresh insight into creating innovative catalysts for photocatalyzing H₂O₂ synthesis.     

Efficient Synthesis of [1,3]Oxazino[3,2‐f]phenanthridine Derivatives by a Novel 1,4‐Dipolar Cycloaddition Involving a Phenanthridine–Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate Zwitterion and Aromatic Aldehydes

An efficient synthesis of [1,3]oxazino[3,2‐f]phenanthridine derivatives via a three‐component reaction of phenanthridine, dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), and aromatic aldehydes is described. This novel method is complementary to the classical Huisgen 1,4‐dipolar cycloaddition in that it is well‐suited to the preparation of [1,3]oxazino[3,2‐f]phenanthridines.     

Nitrenoid from Oxime: A Practical Synthesis of Planar Chiral Ferrocenyl Phenanthridines via Nitrene-Involved Ring-Expansion Reaction

Nitrenes and nitrenoids are highly reactive species and the proposed key intermediates in nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound synthesis. In this work, we developed a practical method for the synthesis of phenanthridines by the reaction of oximes and Grignard reagents (with or without diethylzinc) via ring-expansion of magnesium coordinated nitrenoid complex as the key step. The method has been used to synthesize optically active planar chiral ferrocenyl phenanthridines.     

CoFe2O4@SiO2-NH2-CoII NPs catalyzed Hantzsch reaction as an efficient,reusable catalyst for the facile,green, one-pot synthesis of novel functionalized 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives

A magnetically heterogeneous CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂-NH₂-Co^II nanoparticle was synthesized by the immobilization of Co (II) complex onto CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles, and the heterogeneous magnetic nanocatalyst was characterized by XRD, TEM, TGA, EDX, and FT-IR techniques. Then, the green and reusable method was introduced for a multicomponent synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives via Hantszch reaction. The synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives was proceeded by the reaction of aldehyde, ethyl acetoacetate, and ammonium acetate in the presence of this magnetic nanocatalyst in EtOH/Water (1:1). Simple work-up, short reaction times, excellent yields (60–96%) as well as green solvent are some advantages of this novel approach, and the corresponding products were purified with no need for chromatographic separation.