Synthesis of 4-(2-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-4(5H)-ylidene)-5-oxo-1-aryl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates, a new triazafulvalene system

(2E,3Z)-2-(1-Methyl-2,5-dioxoimidazolidin-4-ylidene)-3-[(arylamino- or heteroarylamino)methylene]succinate 5 obtained by [2+2] cycloaddition of (5Z)-5-[(dimethylamino)methylene]-3-methylimidazolidine-2,4-dione (1) and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (2) followed by substitution of the dimethylamino group with aromatic or heteroaromatic amines, afforded by heating in ethanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide, potassium salts 6. Acidification of 6 with hydrochloric acid afforded mixtures of (E)- and (Z)-isomers of methyl 4-(2-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-4(5H)-ylidene)-5-oxo-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates. On the other hand, alkylation of compounds 6 with methyl iodide or benzyl bromide produced the corresponding methyl (E)-4-(2-methoxy- or 2-benzyloxy-1-methyl-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-4(5H)-ylidene)-5-oxo-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates 9, derivatives of a new triazafulvalene system.     

Stereoselective alkenylation of a 1,3-disubstituted pyrazol-5-one through ring transformation of 2H-pyran-2-ones

A one-pot stereoselective alkenylation of 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-3-methyl-1,4-dihydro-5-pyrazolone 2 by 2H-pyran-2-ones 1 to give (E,E)-5-aryl-5-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)-3-methyl-5-oxo-1,5-dihydropyrazol-4- ylidene]-3-methylsulfanyl-pent-3-en-carbonitrile/methyl carboxylate 3 has been delineated through ring transformation in moderate yields.     

Reactions of azulene and guaiazulene with all-trans-retinal and trans-cinnamaldehyde: comparative studies on spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of monocarbenium-ions stabilized by expanded π-electron systems with an azulenyl or 3-guaiazulenyl group

Reaction of azulene (1) with all-trans-retinal in diethyl ether in the presence of hexafluorophosphoric acid at −10 °C for 1 h in a dark room gives the corresponding monocarbenium-ion compound, (2E,4E,6E,8E)-1-azulenyl-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8-nonatetraen-1-ylium hexafluorophosphate (3), in 74% isolated yield. The spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of 3 compared with those of the previously-documented (2E,4E,6E,8E)-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8-nonatetraen-1-ylium hexafluorophosphate (4) are reported. Along with the above delocalized monocarbenium-ion compounds 3 and 4, stabilized by the expanded π-electron systems possessing an azulenyl (or 3-guaiazulenyl) group, an efficient preparation as well as the spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of (2E)-1-azulenyl-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ylium and (2E)-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ylium hexafluorophosphates (5 and 6) (90 and 96% isolated yields), having a similar partial structure [i.e., the (2E)-1-azulenyl-2-propen-1-ylium-ion or (2E)-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-2-propen-1-ylium-ion part] to those of 3 and 4, is documented. Moreover, the crystal structure of 6, whose carbenium-ion framework is planar, is shown.     

Palladium(II) and palladium(0)-cocatalyzed ring opening and oxidation reactions of 2-(arylmethylene)cyclopropylcarbinols

In the presence of Pd(II) acetate and triethylamine as well as triphenylphosphine, 2-(arylmethylene)cyclopropylcarbinols 1 underwent ring opening and oxidation reactions smoothly to deliver (2E,4E)-5-arylpenta-2,4-dienals 2 in toluene at 60 °C in moderate to good yields under ambient atmosphere. Mechanisms involved with an in situ generated Pd(0) species from Pd(II) and Et₃N or PPh₃ catalyzed isomerization of 1 to provide (E,E)-5-arylpenta-2,4-dien-1-ols 3 and following a Pd(II) catalyzed aerobic oxidation of 3 have been proposed on the basis of control and deuterium labeling experiments.     

Control of electron demand in the cycloadditions of 2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-ones

3-Methoxy-5-chloro-6-methyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 4, 3-methoxy-5-chloro-6-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 5, 3-phenylsulfenyl-5-chloro-6-methyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 6, and 3-phenylsulfenyl-5-chloro-6-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 7, are ambident dienes and undergo Diels-Alder cycloadditions with electron neutral, rich and deficient dienophiles.     

An efficient microwave assisted synthesis of novel class of Rhodanine derivatives as potential HIV-1 and JSP-1 inhibitors

(Z)-5-(2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-2-oxoethylidene)-3-phenyl-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one (7a-q) derivatives have been synthesized by the condensation reaction of 3-phenyl-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-ones (3a-h) with suitably substituted 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxoacetaldehyde (6a-d) under microwave condition. The thioxothiazolidine-4-ones were prepared from the corresponding aromatic amines (1a-e) and di-(carboxymethyl)-trithiocarbonyl (2). The aldehydes (6a-h) were synthesized from the corresponding acid chlorides (5a-d) using HSnBu₃.     

The reaction of 4-amino-2-oxazolines with isocyanates and isothiocyanates. Synthesis and X-ray structures of polysubstituted 2-imidazolidinones, 1,3-oxazolidines and 1,3-thiazolidines

Reactions of 4-alkylamino-2-phenyl-2-oxazolines 1 with isocyanates and isothiocyanates provide unprecedented efficient and regioselective heterocycle-heterocycle transformations. Compounds 1 reacted rapidly with tosyl isocyanate yielding directly 3-alkyl-4-benzamido-1-tosyl-2-imidazolidinones 4 in almost quantitative yields. The corresponding ureido intermediates 2 were not isolable species. However, the reactions with non-sulfonylated isocyanates or isothiocyanates were slower, leading to the expected ureido and thioureido derivatives 5, which were easily and efficiently transformed to either polysubstituted 2-imino-1,3-oxazolidine or 2-imino-1,3-thiazolidine hydrochlorides 7, respectively, by treatment with hydrochloric acid. The possible reasons for this disparity in chemical behaviour are discussed. X-ray crystallographic structures for 4-benzamido-3-methyl-1-tosyl-2-imidazolidinone 4b, 4-[1-isopropyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)ureido]-2-phenyl-2-oxazoline 5e, (Z)-3-benzyl-4-benzamido-2-phenylimino-1,3-oxazolidine hydrochloride 7a and (Z)-3-benzyl-4-benzamido-2-phenylimino-1,3-thiazolidine hydrochloride 7b have been determined.     

Manganese(III) acetate based oxidative cyclizations of 3-oxopropanenitriles with conjugated alkenes and synthesis of 4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carbonitriles containing heterocycles

4,5-Dihydrofuran-3-carbonitriles 3a-i were obtained through oxidative cyclizations of 3-oxo-3-phenylpropanenitrile 1a, 3-oxo-3-thien-2-ylpropanenitrile 1b, 3-(2-furyl)-3-oxopropanenitirle 1c, 3-(1-benzofuran-2-yl)-3-oxopropanenitrile 1d, and 4,4-dimethyl-3-oxopropanenitrile 1e mediated manganese(III) acetate with 1,1-diphenyl-1-butene 2a and 1,2-diphenyl-1-pentene 2b. The treatments of these 3-oxopropanenitriles with 2-thienyl substituted alkenes such as 2-[(E)-2-phenylvinyl]thiophene 2c, 2-[(E)-1-methyl-2-phenylvinyl]thiophene 2d, and 2-(1-phenylvinyl)thiophene 2e formed 5-(2-thienyl)-4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carbonitriles 3j-r in good yields (45-93%). As a result, 2-thienyl substituted alkenes formed products in higher yields than phenyl substituted derivatives.     

Asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of activated benzenes with methyl (E)-2-oxo-4-aryl-3-butenoates catalyzed by [Pybox/Sc(OTf)3]

The asymmetric Friedel-Crafts reaction between methyl (E)-2-oxo-4-aryl-3-butenoates (1a-c) and activated benzenes (2a-d) has been efficiently catalyzed by the Sc^III triflate complex of (4′S,5′S)-2,6-bis[4′-(triisopropylsilyl) oxymethyl-5′-phenyl-1′,3′-oxazolin-2′-yl]pyridine (pybox 3). The 4,4-diaryl-2-oxo-butyric acid methyl esters (4) are usually formed in good yields and the enantioselectivity is up to 99% ee. The sense of the stereoinduction can be rationalized with the same octahedral complex (10) between 1, pybox 3 and Sc triflate already proposed for other reactions involving pyruvates, and catalyzed by the same complex.     

Pd(0) catalyzed three-five-component C-2-arylallylation of active methylene heterocycles: pyrazolones, oxazolones, isoxazolones and N,N′-dimethylbarbituric acid

A Pd(0) catalyzed three-five-component cascade involving an aryl iodide, allene and a heterocyclic pronucleophile is used to prepare 2-arylallyl derivatives (10-12 and 16-24) from 3-phenyl-5-isoxazolone (6) and 1-phenyl-3-methylpyrazolin-5-one (7) in moderate yield. Similar cascade allylation of masked amino acids 4-methyl-2-phenyl-4H-oxazol-5-one (8a), 4-benzyl-2-phenyl-4H-oxazol-5-one (8b) and 4-isopropyl-2-phenyl-4H-oxazol-5-one (8c) gave analogous products (25-37) in good yield. N,N-Dimethylbarbiturates (38-49) are similarly prepared from N,N-dimethylbarbituric acid (9) in excellent yield.     

2(H)-1,4-Oxazin-2-ones as ambident azadienes

3,5-Dichloro-6-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 3, 5-chloro-3,6-dimethyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 4, 5-chloro-6-methyl-3-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 5 and 5-chloro-3,6-diphenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 7, are ambident azadienes reacting efficiently and selectively with both electron rich and electron poor dienophiles.     

Unusual conversion of substituted-3-formylchromones to 3-(5-phenyl-3H-[1,2,4]dithiazol-3-yl)chromen-4-ones: a facile and efficient route to novel 1,2,4-dithiazoles

Substituted 3-formylchromones react with 2-phenyl-4-dimethylamino-1-thia-3-azabuta-1,3-diene (4) or thio-benzamide (7) by heating their toluene solution in a sealed tube to give novel substituted 3-(5-phenyl-3H-[1,2,4]dithiazol-3-yl)chromen-4-ones (6a-e) in high yields.     

Synthesis of polyfunctionalized furans from 3-acetyl-1-aryl-2-pentene-1,4-diones

The BF₃-catalyzed cyclization of 3-acetyl-1-aryl-2-pentene-1,4-diones 1a-e in the presence of water in boiling tetrahydrofuran gave bis(3-acetyl-5-aryl-2-furyl)methanes 2a-e in 26-79% yields along with a small amount of 3-acetyl-5-aryl-2-methylfurans 3a-e. The exact structure of 2a was determined by X-ray crystallography. The use of a half volume of the solvent for the reaction of 1a resulted in the formation of 2,4-bis(3-acetyl-5-phenyl-2-furfuryl)-3-acetyl-5-phenylfuran (4) together with 2a and 3a. A similar reaction of 1a was carried out in the presence of 3-acetyl-5-(4-methylphenyl)-2-methylfuran (3d) to afford 4-(3-acetyl-5-phenyl-2-furfuryl)-3-acetyl-5-(4-methylphenyl)-2-methylfuran (5) in 49% yield. The BF₃-catalyzed reaction of 1a with 2,4-pentanedione in dry tetrahydrofuran at 23°C gave 3-(3-acetyl-5-phenyl-2-furfuryl)-4-hydroxy-3-penten-2-one (6a) and 3-(3-acetyl-2-methyl-4-phenyl-5-furyl)-4-hydroxy-3-penten-2-one (7a) in 66 and 24% yields, respectively. The product distribution depended on the reaction temperature. A similar reaction of 1b-e also yielded the corresponding trisubstituted furans 6b-e and tetrasubstituted furans 7b-e in good yields. These results suggested the presence of the furfuryl carbocation intermediate A during the reaction. The one-pot synthesis of 6a and 7a was also achieved by a similar reaction using phenylglyoxal. The deoxygenation of 1a with triphenylphosphine gave 3a in 88% yield, while 1a was treated with concentrated hydrochloric acid to yield 3-acetyl-2-chloromethyl-5-phenylfuran (8) which was quantitatively transformed in ethanol into 3-acetyl-2-ethoxymethyl-5-phenylfuran (9) and in water into 3-acetyl-5-phenylfurfuryl alcohol (10), respectively. In addition, the Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopantadiene with 1a gave the corresponding [4+2] cycloaddition products 11 and 12.     

Cyclodimerization of phenyliodoacetylene with elemental tellurium: New pathway to 1.3-ditellurofulvenes

Thermal reaction between PhCCI and powdered Te afforded a mixture of (E)-4-iodo-2-(iodo(phenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3-ditellurofulvene (1) and (Z)-4-iodo-2-(iodo(phenyl)-5-phenyl-1-(diiodo),3-ditellurofulvene (2), which was subsequently reduced to (Z)-4-iodo-2-(iodo(phenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3-ditellurofulvene (3). Formation of 1 and 3 as the thermodynamically most stable products has been rationalized using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Molecular structures of 1-3 were established crystallographically. In the solid state the coordination sphere of both tellurium atoms in 2 is extended by weak intermolecular Te?π interactions with the solvate molecule of toluene which completes the pseudo-trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry around each Te atom and assembles 2 into the chains along the crystallographic c-axis.     

Antileukemic α-pyrone derivatives from the endophytic fungus Alternaria phragmospora

Four new (1–4) and two known (5 and 6) α-pyrone derivatives have been isolated from Alternaria phragmospora, an endophytic fungus from Vinca rosea, leaves. The isolated compounds were chemically identified to be 5-butyl-4-methoxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (1), 5-butyl-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methoxy-2H-pyran-2-one (2), 5-(1-hydroxybutyl)-4-methoxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (3), 4-methoxy-6-methyl-5-(3-oxobutyl)-2H-pyran-2-one (4), 5-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methoxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (5), and 5-[(2E)-but-2-en-1-yl]-4-methoxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (6). Compounds 2 and 4 showed moderate antileukemic activities against HL60 cells with IC₅₀ values of 2.2 and 0.9 μM and against K562 cells with IC₅₀ values of 4.5 and 1.5 μM, respectively.     

Synthesis and photochemistry of pH-sensitive GFP chromophore analogs

GFP chromophore analogs (7a-e, 8, and 10a,b) containing 2-thienyl-, 5-methyl-2-furyl-, 2-pyrryl, and 6-methyl-2-pyridyl-groups were synthesized and their fluorescence spectra recorded in the pH range 1-7. NMR studies showed that protonation of 8 (2-thienyl system) inhibited photoisomerization (Z-E) about the exocyclic double bond but that protonation of 7c (E + Z) (2-pyrryl system) gave only 7cE. Fluorescence studies revealed enhancement of fluorescence intensity of 7c and 7b,e (furyl system) below pH 2.5 and gave a similar result for 10a (pyridyl system) below pH 6. Quantum yields at pH 1 were low, probably due to excited state proton transfer (ESPT).     

π-Extended conjugate phenylacetylenes. Synthesis of 4-[(E) and (Z)-2-(4-ethenylphenyl)ethenyl]pyridine. Dimerization, quaternation and formation of charge-transfer complexes

The conjugate (E)- and (Z)-(4′-pyridylethenyl)-4-phenylethyne (E-4 and Z-4) has been satisfactorily prepared by two different routes: (a) by dehydrohalogenation of 4′-pyridylethenyl-4-phenyl-β-chloroethene; (b) by the Wittig reaction between p-(iodobenzyl)(triphenyl)phosphine ylide and 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, E/Z isomer separation, and cross-coupling with 2-methyl-but-3-yn-2-ol followed the propanone elimination. The Glaser oxidative dimerization of (Z)-4 yields (Z,Z)-1,4-di[(4′-pyridylethenyl)-4-phenyl]-buta-1,3-diyne in good yield, (Z,Z)-5. (E,E)-5 was obtained by phase transfer oxidative dimerisation of (E)-4 in presence of their N-methyl salt (E)-10. Mono- and di-N-methylated salts of conjugate (E,E)-5 and (Z,Z)-5, were obtained by quaternation with iodomethane. The (Z,Z)-5 di-N-methylated salt forms charge-transfer complexes with TCNE, TCNQ and TMPD.     

Facile access to stereodefined dienoates and cyclopropylenoates containing a trifluoromethyl group

Ethyl (2E,4E)-3-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dienoates 1a-e and ethyl (E)-3-trans-alkylcyclopropyl-4,4,4-trifluoro-2-butenoates 2a-e were prepared from the trans-alkenylboronic acids 3a-e and the trans-cyclopropylboronic acids 4a-e with ethyl (Z)-3-iodo-4,4,4-trifluoro-2-butenoate (5) by the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction in high yields (88-95%). The configurations of both 3a-e or 4a-e and 5 were retained in the reaction.     

Nucleophilic reactivity of 1-zirconacyclopent-3-ynes: Carbon-carbon bond formation with aldehydes

Nucleophilic reactions of 1,1-bis(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)-1-zirconacyclopent-3-yne (1) with proton and aldehydes were studied. The reaction with HCl gave a mixture of 2-butyne and 1,2-butadiene. Complex 1 reacted with benzaldehyde to give 1-phenyl-2-methyl-2,3-butadien-1-ol (3) in moderate yields in the presence of a proton source such as triethylammonium hydrochloride, while it gave 2-methylene-1-phenyl-3-buten-1-ol (4) on using triethylammonium tetraphenylborate.     

Rearrangements of tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-b]isoxazole-2,3-dicarboxylates to pyrrolo[1,2-e]imidazol-6-ols, precursors of 2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole derivatives

Isoxazolines 2 from the cycloaddition of imidazoline 3-oxides 1 with DMAD rearrange in the presence of methoxide to give cis-3-methoxy-7-(methoxycarbonyl)-2,7a-diaryl-5-oxo-2,3,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-e]imidazol-6-olates 3 with 100% de. The acidic hydrolysis of 3 led to kinetically controlled formation of methyl 1-formyl-4-hydroxy-5-oxo-2-phenyl-2-((arylamino)methyl)-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates 6a-e. The intramolecular transformylations of the latter to the corresponding (E)- and (Z)-methyl 4-hydroxy-2-((N-(aryl)formamido)methyl)-5-oxo-2-phenyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates 7a-e were shown to be substituent dependent (correlate with σ) and characterized by Hammett type equations. The effect of temperature was investigated and the ρ constants determined for the same reaction series at 50, 60 and 70 °C. The amide diastereomeric ratio [(E)-7]/[(Z)-7] is substituent dependent and can be described by the equation log[(E)]/[(Z)]_x=−ρσ_I+log[(E)]/[(Z)]_x=H.