First selective lithiation of pyridylpiperazines: straightforward access to potent pharmacophores

The three isomers of pyridylpiperazines have been lithiated for the first time. The use of a superbase, an aminoalkoxide containing lithiating agent overcomes the chelating influence of the basic piperazine nitrogens, so that selective mono lithiation occurred alpha to pyridine nitrogen. This methodology offers a new access to diverse potent pharmacophores not easily prepared by other routes.     

Selective lithiation of 1,6-dihalohex-1-enes and 1,6-dihalohex-1-ynes

The lithiation of 1-choro- and 1-bromo-6-chlorohex-1-yne (2, 3) with lithium naphthalene in the presence of benzaldehyde in THF at −78 °C leads after hydrolysis with water to the corresponding chloroalkynol (5) resulting from a regioselective lithiation at the alkynylic position. However, the lithiation of 1-chloro-6-iodohex-1-yne (4) under the same reaction conditions and using pentan-3-one as electrophile leads to the corresponding chloroalcohol (6) from the exclusive lithiation at the aliphatic carbon-iodine bond. Double lithiation of compounds 2 and 3 under Barbier conditions allows the isolation of diols (9), whereas the two-step process leads to differently substituted diols 13. The monolithiation of (E)-1-bromo-6-chlorohex-1-ene (14) under the above conditions and using pentan-3-one as electrophile affords a mixture of chloroalcohols 15 and 16, the process being not stereospecific. However, the lithiation of the same starting material with t-BuLi leads exclusively to a bromine-lithium exchange with retention of the configuration, so after treatment with pentan-3-one only compound 16 was isolated. Finally, whereas double lithiation of compound 14 under the conditions for compounds 9 gives the mixture of compounds 18 and 19, the tandem process involving the t-BuLi-promoted bromine-lithium exchange as the first step followed by lithiation under DTBB-catalysed conditions allows the isolation of (E)-diols 19 as the only reaction products isolated.     

Reductive lithiation of alkyl phenyl sulfides in diethyl ether. A ready access to α,α-dialkylbenzyllithiums

Diethyl ether is a convenient solvent for the conversion of benzylic phenyl sulfides to the corresponding organolithiums by an uncatalyzed reductive metalation, while catalysis by naphthalene is required to achieve the same reaction for alkyl phenyl sulfides. The addition of magnesium 2-ethoxyethoxide to solutions of unstable alkyllithiums prepared in this way provides storable reagents.     

Regioselective lithiation of benzyl imidazole: Synthesis and evaluation of new organocatalysts for trans-diol functionalization.

Abstract

Benzyl imidazole was successfully lithiated using n-BuLi at ?78?°C and verified by deuterium incorporation. The chemical reaction of the lithiated benzimidazole was explored with a series of different electrophiles. This approach was utilized to synthesize new anti and syn diphenyl organocatalysts for trans-diol functionalization.     

Solid-phase lithiation of 5-carboxyindoles

Direct functionalization of protected 5-carboxyindole by metalation has been performed for the first time on solid-phase. The indole moiety has been tethered to aminomethylated polytetrahydrofuran cross-linked polystyrene, forming a secondary amide, which functions as a directing metalation group. The ortho-lithiated species have been quenched with substituted benzaldehydes affording resin bound alcohols. After cyclative cleavage regioisomeric mixtures of phthalides were obtained in the ratio 80:20.     

Isoprene-catalysed lithiation: deprotection and functionalisation of imidazole derivatives

The isoprene-catalysed lithiation of different 1-substituted imidazoles (1) (such as trityl, allyl, benzyl, vinyl, N,N-dimethylsulfamoyl, para-toluenesulfonyl, tert-butoxycarbonyl, acetyl, trimethylsilyl, tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives) leads to the cleavage of the protecting group producing 1H-imidazole. The use of 1-(diethoxymethyl)imidazole (3) in the same lithiation reaction allows the preparation of the corresponding 2-lithio intermediate, which by reacting with different electrophiles leads to 2-functionalised imidazoles 4.     

The stereochemistry of aziridine borane lithiation: diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity

Lithiation of 1-methylaziridine borane, 1-(tert-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl)aziridine borane, or 1-(tert-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl)-2-methylaziridine borane occurs syn to the boron substituent, while lithiation of 1-(tert-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl)-2-trimethylstannylaziridine borane occurs anti to boron as well as silicon due to the steric effect of trimethylsilyl group (s-butyllithium was used in all cases). Kinetically controlled lithiation in the first three cases results from a combination of steric and electrostatic effects. Enantioselective lithiation occurs in the presence of (−)-sparteine, with product enantioselectivities near 70% ee.     

New stabilising groups for lateral lithiation of ortho-cresol derivatives

1-(2-Methoxyethoxy)-2-methylbenzene and 1-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)-2-methylbenzene have been lithiated using sec-BuLi under a variety of conditions and the laterally lithiated species trapped with electrophiles.     

New efficient access to thieno[3,2-b]pyridine derivatives via regioselective lithiation of 3-methylthiopyridine

The synthesis of thieno[3,2-b]pyridines was achieved using a three-step process allowing the construction of the thiophenic ring with 17-34% overall yields. The key step was the regioselective lithiation-bromination of the 3-methylthiopyridine induced by BuLi-LiDMAE superbase followed by Sonogashira coupling and halogenocyclization producing the fused heterocycles.     

Regioselective formylation of 1,3-disubstituted benzenes through in situ lithiation

A facile method of regioselective formylation of disubstituted benzene via in situ deprotonation/metalation using n-BuLi/TMEDA/DIPA has been developed. Effect of different electron withdrawing and electron donating substituents in 1,3-interrelated aromatic system was studied; the metalation mostly occurred at the 2-position to afford the desired products in high yields.     

New stabilising groups for lateral lithiation of ortho-cresol derivatives and a new route to 2-substituted chromans

2-(2-Methoxyethoxy)-toluene and 2-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)-toluene have been lithiated using sec-BuLi under a variety of conditions and the laterally lithiated species trapped with electrophiles, including but-1-ene oxide, leading to a new synthesis of 2-ethylchroman.     

Regioselective lithiation of 1‐benzylpyrazole derivatives: Synthesis of amides derived from pyrazole

A series of brominated 1‐benzylpyrazoles were deprotonated at the pyrazole 5‐position or the benzylic position on treatment with lithium diisopropylamide in tetrahydrofuran at low temperature. The obtained organolithium intermediates were subjected to reaction with Me₃SiCl, t‐BuNCO, ClCONEt₂ or ClCON(i‐Pr)₂ affording the respective silanes or amides after hydrolysis.     

Arene-catalysed lithiation of phenyl- and 1,1-diphenylcyclopropane: synthetic applications

The reaction of phenylcyclopropane (1) with an excess of lithium and a catalytic amount of DTBB (2.5% molar) in THF at room temperature, followed by treatment with an electrophile [Me₃SiCl, PhMe₂SiCl, t-BuCHO, PhCHO, Me₂CO, Et₂CO, (CH₂)₅CO, adamantan-2-one, i-Pr₂CO, di(cyclopropyl)ketone] and final hydrolysis with water leads to allylic products 10 or 11 depending on the structure of the electrophile: whereas for chlorosilanes or crowded ketones γ-products 11 are isolated, for aldehydes and non-congested ketones α-products 10 are formed. The application of the same protocol to 1,1-diphenylcyclopropane (7) leads to a mixture of products 13-15 resulting from the introduction of one or two electrophilic fragments to the open-chain mono- or dilithiated intermediate: also in this case the regiochemistry of the reaction is governed by steric reasons.     

Convenient Synthesis of 6-Bromo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline and 3-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-[2,7]-naphthyridine via Reductive Amination of Schiff's Bases

Synthesis of 7-bromo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline and 6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-[2,7]-naphthyridine via lithiation of 2-methylarylidene-tert-butylamines, followed by formylation, reductive amination in one-pot, and removal of the tert-butyl group from the nitrogen, is described.     

Generation of ynolates via reductive lithiation using flow microreactors

A new method has been developed for the generation and subsequent reaction of ynolates in a micro flow reactor system. This new procedure allowed for ynolates to be prepared at 0 °C or ambient temperature within 1 min via a reductive lithiation reaction, whereas the corresponding batch processes generally require low temperature control and extended reaction times of up to 1 h. The resulting ynolates were applied to the olefination of carbonyl compounds, with the reactions reaching completion in a much shorter reaction time in the continuous flow reactor than the batch reactor. These results highlight the practical utility of the ynolate reaction, and represent the first reported example of the use of lithium naphthalenide in a flow microreactor, which would contribute to progress of the flash chemistry.     

Stereoselective functionalization of 2-(1-aminoalkyl)aziridines via lithiation of aziridine-borane complexes

Highly selective functionalization of the aziridine ring of (2S,1'S)-2-(1'-aminoalkyl)aziridines 1, through successive formation of aziridine-borane complexes, lithiation, treatment with a variety of electrophiles and final decomplexation is described. The influence of the structure of the starting complexes 2 and of the electrophiles in the stereoselectivity of this process has been studied. Finally, successive double lithiation-electrophile reactions were carried out affording enantiopure 1,2,3,3-tetrasubstituted aziridine-borane complexes with high selectivity.     

2,2′-Dilithiobiphenyl by direct lithiation of biphenylene

The reaction of biphenylene (1) with an excess of lithium powder (1:14 molar ratio) and a catalytic amount of DTBB (10 mol %) in THF at room temperature leads to the formation of the dilithiated species I by reductive opening of the four-membered ring. Further reaction of this intermediate with different electrophiles [Electrophile = H₂O, D₂O, Me₃SiCl, t-BuCHO, Et₂CO, n-Pr₂CO, (CH₂)₅CO, Ph₂CO and adamantanone] at 0 °C yields the corresponding products 2, after hydrolysis with water. Cyclisation of some representative examples of compounds 2 with H₃PO₄ gives the corresponding dibenzoxepines 3.     

A new access to C-arylglycosides related to the gilvocarcins

A new strategy has been developed for the synthesis of C-aryl glycosides based on a xanthate-mediated free radical addition-cyclization sequence of an acetophenone xanthate to a vinylic carbohydrate followed by aromatization.     

Efficient synthesis of new chiral 1,2-benzothiazin-3-one 1,1-dioxide derivatives via lateral lithiation of 3-N-mesitylenesulfonyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones

Chiral 3-N-mesitylenesulfonyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones 4a-e derived from (l)- and (d)-amino acids 1a-e undergo lateral lithiation with lithium diisopropylamide and TMEDA in anhydrous THF to provide new optically-active 1,2-benzothiazin-3-one 1,1-dioxide derivatives 5a-e with yields ranging from 63% to 79%.     

An efficient synthesis of cyanoarenes and cyanoheteroarenes via lithiation followed by electrophilic cyanation

A one-pot procedure for the conversion of mono-substituted arenes and heteroarenes into the ortho-cyano derivatives was achieved through directed lithiation followed by electrophilic cyanation with phenyl cyanate. This reaction method proved to be applicable to halogen-lithium exchanged intermediates, so especially useful for the synthesis of benzonitriles. The scope of the reaction sequence was explored using a number of substrates.