Facile preparation of difluoromethyl- and monofluoromethyl-containing amides via Ritter reaction

Both secondary and tertiary difluoromethylated carbinols were found to readily react with acetonitrile under the catalysis of concentrated sulfuric acid to give the corresponding difluoromethylated acetamides in good yields, which is remarkably more efficient than the previously reported Ritter reactions with corresponding trifluoromethylated carbinols. Similarly, monofluoromethylated and (benzenesulfonyl)difluoromethylated carbinols have shown good reactivity in the Ritter reactions. Since the acetamides can be mildly deacetylated to give amines, the present methodology provides a convenient way for the synthesis of both difluoromethyl- and monofluoromethyl-containing amines starting from simple carbonyl compounds.     

Iodine-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of amides from nitriles via Ritter reaction

Ritter reactions of alcohols and tert-butyl acetate with various nitriles were performed using iodine as a mild and effective catalyst under heating conditions to afford the corresponding amides in good to excellent yields.     

FeCl3-catalyzed Ritter reaction. Synthesis of amides

A safe and inexpensive synthesis of amides, from benzylic alcohols and nitriles and from t-butyl acetate and nitriles, using a Ritter reaction catalyzed by FeCl₃·6H₂O is described.     

Synthesis of methylenedioxy-bearing 1-aryl-3-carboxylisoquinolines using a modified Ritter reaction procedure

This paper describes original approaches aimed at the preparation of electron-rich 1-aryl-3-carboxylisoquinolines. Our first attempt led to an efficient preparation of 1-hydroxyisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester starting from bromophthalide via a rearrangement of 2-acetylamino-2-(3-oxo-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-1-yl)-malonic acid dimethyl ester. However, as its eventual application to the synthesis of methylenedioxy-bearing substrates seemed rather long, a second approach involving an extension of the Ritter reaction to safrole was devised. We thus report that, under proper experimental settings, the use of 54% tetrafluoroboric acid in ether enables a Ritter reaction between safrole and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzonitrile yielding 17% of 7-methyl-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-7,8-dihydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-g]isoquinoline. This acidic reagent avoids the extensive decomposition seen when using the classical Ritter reaction conditions (i.e.: concentrated sulfuric acid). Further chemical transformations of this methyl-bearing dihydroisoquinoline led to the methylenedioxy-bearing 1-aryl-3-carboxylisoquinoline. These derivatives are related to the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligand PK 11195 as well as falcipain-2 inhibitors and other potential antitumor agents.     

An alkaloid-like 3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-ene library obtained from the bridged Ritter reaction

A small, diverse library of novel alkaloid-like compounds was synthesised using the bridged Ritter reaction with (?)-β-pinene and subsequent scaffold derivatisation. Structural diversity was achieved by varying the nitrile used in the reaction and thus provided an understanding of the influence nitriles have on the reaction outcome; it was determined that more nucleophilic nitriles, gave higher yields. Steric factors also determined the selectivity of scaffold types produced, with larger groups producing predominantly alkene products. X-ray crystallography and attempts to derivatise the imines obtained from the bridged Ritter reaction, highlighted the way the imino nitrogen reacted either not at all or in a stereospecific mannor, due to crowding by adjacent substituents. As the compounds contain either the 3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane or 3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-ene core architecture, they will also be explored for their biological properties, due to the prevalence of bioactive alkaloids containing these core structures.     

Synthesis of biomimetic light-driven molecular switches via a cyclopropyl ring-opening/nitrilium ion ring-closing tandem reaction

A cyclopropyl ring-opening/nitrilium ion ring-closing tandem reaction has been conveniently used in an expeditious synthetic approach to light-driven Z/E molecular switches featuring an imine function conjugated to olefin groups that mimics natural protonated Schiff bases.     

Synthesis of thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridines via an unusual Mannich-type cyclization

The Mannich-type reaction of N-methylmorpholinium 4-aryl-3-cyano-6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-2-thiolates with 3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal (ocean propanal) and p-toluidine afforded 7-aryl-2-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-2-methyl-3-[(4-methylphenyl)amino]-5-oxo-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridine-8-carbonitriles in modest (25–46%) yields. The structure of the key compound was confirmed by X-ray crystal structure analysis.     

Highly efficient synthesis of amides via Ritter chemistry with ionic liquids

The utility of Brønsted-acidic imidazolium ionic liquid [BMIM(SO₃H)][OTf] as catalyst for the high yield synthesis of a wide variety of amides under mild conditions via the Ritter reaction of alcohols with nitriles has been demonstrated. As alternative methods for the carbocation generation step, NOPF₆ immobilized in [BMIM][PF₆] ionic liquid was used in the Ritter reaction of bromides with nitriles and for the synthesis of adamantyl amides from adamantane and nitriles.     

Synthesis of N-substituted amides by the Ritter reaction with heteropoly acids as catalysts

Reactions of a number of nitriles with camphene in the presence of the heteropoly acids H₃PW₁₂O₄₀, H₇PMo₁₂O₄₂, and H₄SiW₁₂O₄₀ as catalysts were studied. In all cases, N-substituted amides were obtained in sufficiently high yields. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 374–376, February, 2006.     

Synthesis of 3,4-Dihydrobenzo[h]isoquinoline Derivatives

1-Substituted 3,3,4-trimethyl-3,4-dihydrobenzo[h]isoquinolines have been obtained by the reaction of 1,2-dimethyl-1-(2-naphthyl)-1-propanol with nitriles in conc. H₂SO₄. It was shown that the presence of a benzene ring annelated at positions 7 and 8 of the isoquinoline does not influence reaction of the 1-methyl derivative with isocyanate, however reactions of the 1-methylthio derivative with C and N nucleophiles are affected significantly.     

Synthesis of novel substituted naphthoquino[b]-benzo[e][1,4]diazepines via Pictet-Spengler cyclization

Synthesis of novel 4,5-dihydro-1H-1,4-naphthoquino[b]-benzo[e][1,4]diazepine derivatives via Pictet-Spengler cyclization is reported. Reaction of 2,3-diamino-naphthoquinones with aldehydes in the presence of BF₃·Et₂O gives benzodiazepine-naphthoquinones in good yields.     

Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone-supported boron trifluoride: a high-loaded,polymer-supported Lewis acid for the Ritter reaction

Abstract  A Mild and efficient method for preparing amides by reaction of nitriles with benzhydrol and tertiary alcohols is described using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone-supported boron trifluoride. Selective amidation of benzhydrol in the presence of primary benzyl alcohols was also achieved. Graphical abstract        

A Facile Synthesis of Pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines

Pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines (4) and (5) have been obtained by the condensation of 3-(alkyl/aryl)-5-amino-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxaldehydes (3) with active methylene compounds viz: diethyl malonate and malononitrile.     

Synthesis of novel ferrocenyl-containing pyrazolo[4,3-c]quinolines

Synthesis of novel ferrocenyl-substituted pyrazolo[4,3-c]quinolines via the Pictet-Spengler reaction is reported. Iminium intermediate formed by the condensation of pyrazole-based arylamine substrates with ferrocenecarboxaldehyde in acidic medium, undergoes 6-endo cyclization with sufficiently reactive aromatic moiety to form a pyrazolo[4,3-c]quinoline ring.     

Synthesis of 3-aryl-6H-isoxazolo[3,4-d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines and 3-aryl-6H-isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines

The synthesis and characterization of a number of 3-aryl-6H-isoxazolo[3,4-d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines and 3-aryl-6H-isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrazolo[3,4–6]pyridines from common precursors, 5-benzoyl-4-chloro-1H-pyrazolo-[3,4-b]pyridines, has been described. The structures were determined by unambiguous chemical synthesis and by isolation and ¹³C nmr analysis of some key, isolated, intermediates. The ability of these compounds to displace [3H]flunitrazepam from CNS binding sites was also observed.     

Regioisomerism in the Ritter reaction. 1. Synthesis of 3,3,5,6,7-, 3,3,6,7,8-, 3,3,5,7,8-, and 3,3,5,6,8-pentamethyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolines from 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzenes

Reactions of 1,2,3- or 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene with isobutyraldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate (ECA) or reactions of the corresponding 1-aryl-2-methylpropan-1-ols with ECA afforded isomeric 3,3,5,6,7-, 3,3,6,7,8-, 3,3,5,7,8-, and 3,3,5,6,8-pentamethyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolines. Isomerization is explained as the ring opening of a spiran intermediate in two possible ways followed by the Jacobsen rearrangement.     

Synthesis and Transformations of Oxy Amides Derived from Cycloalka[c]- and Pyrano[3,4-c]pyridines

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - The alkylation of 3-hyroxycycloalka[c]- and 6-hydroxypyrano[3,4-c]pyridines with ethyl chloroacetate and ethyl 4-chlorobutanoate gave the corresponding oxy...     

Synthesis and alkylation of pyrazolo[3,4-c]isoquinolines and hexahydrocyclohepta[d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines

The condensation of 1-acyl-2-(morpholin-4-yl)cycloalkenes with 3-amino-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-ones gave the corresponding 2,3,6,7,8,9-hexahydropyrazolo[3,4-c]isoquinoline and 3,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydrocyclohepta[ d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives. Alkylation of 2,3,6,7,8,9-hexahydropyrazolo[3,4-c]-isoquinolines with alkyl halides occurred at the nitrogen atom in the 3-position. The structure of 7-methyl-2,5-diphenyl-2,3,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-c]isoquinolin-1-one was proved by X-ray analysis.     

Synthesis and structure of 3-oxopyrano[3,4-c]pyridines

Acylation of the enamine of 2,2-dimethyltetrahydropyran-4-one with acid chlorides produced -acylpyran-4-ones which give 3-oxopyrano[3,4-c]pyridines when treated with cyanoacetamide.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1137–1142, August, 1989.     

Multi-component reaction to access a library of polyfunctionally substituted 4,7-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines

A practical approach to polyfunctionally substituted 4,7-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives from heteroaryl hydrazine, 3-aryl-3-oxopropanenitriles and aldehydes have been described in the report. The present catalyst-free protocol involves the intermediacy of 5-aminopyrazole and α-cyanochalcone, which undergoes in situ Michael addition to afford title compounds in moderate to good yields. All the steps were conducted concomitantly to render the procedure as practical and straightforward as possible. The expeditious synthetic protocol experiment takes less than one hour and shows broad substrate scope.