Logistic flexibility in the preparation of isomeric halopyridinecarboxylic acids

Although there are many conceivable ways to funtionalize, and specifically carboxylate, 2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine optionally at all three vacant positions, it is more straightforward to prepare only the 2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-3-carboxylic acid (1) from this precursor and the other 6-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-2- and -3-carboxylic acids (2 and 3) from a different one, viz. 5-bromo-2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine. In the same manner, it proved more convenient to convert 5-chloro-2-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine in only two of the corresponding acids (6 and 7) and to make the third one (8) from 3-bromo-5-chloro-2-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine as an alternative starting material. All model substrates for functionalization were readily accessible from the correspondingly substituted chloroiodopyridine through heavy halogen displacement by in situ generated (trifluoromethyl)copper.     

Synthesis and fluoride-induced chemiluminescent decomposition of bicyclic dioxetanes substituted with a 2-hydroxynaphthyl group

Five bicyclic dioxetanes bearing a 2-hydroxynaphthyl group, 1aA-1eA, were synthesized and their chemiluminescent decomposition was examined by the use of tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) as a base in DMSO. It was found that these dioxetanes hold completely the ‘odd/even’ relationship between the substitution pattern of hydroxy as a trigger on the naphthalene ring and their chemiluminescent efficiency, and that dioxetane 1aA exhibited chemiluminescence with the highest efficiency among those for the oxynaphthyl-substituted dioxetanes hitherto known. The significant change in chemiluminescent efficiency depending on the substitution pattern was clarified to be attributed to the marked change in singlet-chemiexcitation efficiency for charge-transfer-induced chemiluminescence (CTICL) of 1aA-1eA. In respect of the rate of CTICL-decomposition, ‘odd/even’ relationship was observed for 1aA-1dA.     

‘Two-point’-bound supramolecular complexes from semi-rigidified dipyridine receptors and zinc porphyrins

Two linear compounds 1 and 2 have been designed and synthesized as new receptors for zinc porphyrins. Both compounds consist of two folded aromatic amide moieties, which are connected with an acetylene linker in 1 or directly in 2. The rigid conformations of their folded moieties are stabilized by intramolecular tri-centered hydrogen bonding, while the whole molecule adopts a ‘S’- or ‘C’-styled conformation depending on the relative orientation of the two rigid moieties. Two pyridine units are introduced at the ends of 1 and 2 for the complexation of zinc porphyrin guests. Although the ¹H NMR investigation indicated that both compounds can bind two zinc porphyrin guests at high concentrations (≥5 mM) in chloroform, the UV-vis studies revealed that, at low concentration of 1 and 2 (4 μM), both compounds complex one zinc porphyrin guest to form structurally unique ‘two-point’-bound 1:1 complexes. The association constants of the 1:1 complexes have been determined with the UV-vis titration experiments.     

Synthesis of 4-substituted azepino[3,4-b]indole-1,5-diones

Mono- or dibromo derivatives 2 and 3 were prepared by an efficient two-step route from 10-methyl-azepino[3,4-b]indole-1,5-dione 1. Elimination reaction on 2 gave access to 4-bromo-10-methyl-2H,10H-azepino[3,4-b]indole-1,5-diones 4. Finally, 4-substituted 10-methyl-2H,10H-azepino[3,4-b]indole-1,5-diones 6-14 were synthesised in good yields from 4 via palladium-mediated cross-coupling reactions.     

Sodium dithionite initiated reactions of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane with enol ethers of cyclic ketones

Sodium dithionite initiated reactions of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (1) with methyl and trimethylsilyl ethers of cyclopentanone and cyclohexanone enols (2a-d) in a MeCN/H₂O system were investigated. 2-(2,2,2-Trifluoroethylidene)cyclopentanone (4a) and 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)-cyclohexanone (4b), respectively, were obtained as the main products and isolated in reasonable yields. The reaction with a 1:1 mixture of 5- and 3-methyl substituted 1-methoxycyclohexenes, 2e and 2f, revealed strong influence of steric hindrance on the reaction rate; a mixture of 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)-5-methylcyclohexanone (6) and 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)-3-methylcyclohexanone (7) in a 9:1 ratio was formed. Ketones 4a and 4b were reduced to the corresponding alcohols 8 and 9 and the reaction of 4b with hydrazine gave an indazole derivative 10.     

Can a consecutive double turn conformation be considered as a peptide based molecular scaffold for supramolecular helix in the solid state?

Helices and sheets are ubiquitous in nature. However, there are also some examples of self-assembling molecules forming supramolecular helices and sheets in unnatural systems. Unlike supramolecular sheets there are a very few examples of peptide sub-units that can be used to construct supramolecular helical architectures using the backbone hydrogen bonding functionalities of peptides. In this report we describe the design and synthesis of two single turn/bend forming peptides (Boc-Phe-Aib-Ile-OMe 1 and Boc-Ala-Leu-Aib-OMe 2) (Aib: α-aminoisobutyric acid) and a series of double-turn forming peptides (Boc-Phe-Aib-Ile-Aib-OMe 3, Boc-Leu-Aib-Gly-Aib-OMe 4 and Boc-γ-Abu-Aib-Leu-Aib-OMe 5) (γ-Abu: γ-aminobutyric acid). It has been found that, in crystals, on self-assembly, single turn/bend forming peptides form either a supramolecular sheet (peptide 1) or a supramolecular helix (peptide 2), unlike self-associating double turn forming peptides, which have only the option of forming supramolecular helical assemblages.     

Hydrogelation and spontaneous fiber formation of 8-aza-7-deazaadenine nucleoside ‘click’ conjugates

Nucleoside hydrogels based on benzyl azide ‘click’ conjugates of 8-aza-7-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosine bearing 7-ethynyl, 7-octa-(1,7-diynyl), and 7-tri-prop-2-ynyl-amine side chains were synthesized (1, 3, 4). The cycloaddition adduct with the shortest linker (1) yields the most powerful hydrogelator forming stable gels at a concentration of 0.3 wt % of 1 in water. One molecule of 1 catches 7500 water molecules. Cycloaddition of the 8-aza-7-deaza-7-azido-2′-deoxyadenosine (9) and 3-phenyl-1-propyne (10) leads to the isomeric conjugate 2, with a C-N connectivity between the nucleobase and triazole moiety. This gel is less stable than that of the adduct 1. Both gels show a similar stability over a wide pH range (4.0-10.0). Xerogels of 1 and 2 studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal that both click adducts (1 and 2) form long fibers spontaneously.     

Preparation of β-fluoro- and β,β-difluoro-histidinols

Nucleophilic attack of azide on 2-bromo-3-fluoro-3-(1-trityl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propan-1-ol (1a) in aprotic solvent occurs on the 2-position to give the 2-azido derivative (2a). Reduction of azide and removal of the trityl group produces β-fluorohistidinol (6a). Elimination of HBr from 1a followed by “FBr” addition to the resulting double bond gives 2-bromo-3,3-difluoro-3-(1-trityl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propan-1-ol (1b). Nucleophilic attack of azide followed by reduction and removal of the trityl group, as for the preparation of 6a, gives β,β-difluorohistidinol (6b). Initial attempts, under a variety of conditions, to oxidize the fluorinated histidinol precursors to carboxylic acids have not been successful.     

A novel and convenient method for the synthesis of new derivatives of pyrido[3,2-e]pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine-6,11-dione

A novel methodology has been developed for the efficient synthesis of 1,4-pyridopyrrolodiazepine derivatives. The key reaction is the bromination under mild conditions by NBS of compounds resulting via peptide coupling of l-proline methyl ester with 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxylic acid 1, then intramolecular cyclization in the construction of 2-bromo-6a,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-pyrido[3,2-e]pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine-6,11-dione 4. This latter is then engaged in cross-coupling reactions to generate 1,4-pyridopyrrolodiazepines derivatives 5a-m, 6a-i, 7, and 8a-c. This strategy provides an efficient method to access a library of compounds based on privileged substructures that are of great interest in drug discovery.     

New silatranes possessing urea functionality: Synthesis, characterization and their structural aspects

The present work aims at the synthesis of various novel silatranes bearing substituted urea functionality. Nucleophilic addition of various amines (morpholine, aniline, ethylenediamine and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane) to 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane resulted in the four triethoxysilanes; N-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]morpholine-4-carboxylic acid amide (1), 1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-3-phenylurea (2), 1,2-bis{N′-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]ureido}-ethane (3) and N-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-N′-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]urea (4), respectively. In the presence of a base the resulting silanes undergo transesterification reaction with triethanolamine, thus forming the corresponding silatranes, N-(3-silatranylpropyl)morpholine-4-carboxylic acid amide (5), 1-(3-silatranylpropyl)-3-phenylurea (6), 1,2-Bis[N′-(3-silatranylpropyl)ureido]-ethane (7) and N-(3-silatranylpropyl)-N′-(3-silatranylpropyl)urea (8), respectively. Among these are four novel compounds (5-8), which were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si) NMR and mass spectroscopy. Structures of compounds 5 and 6 were deduced by X-ray crystallography. Single crystal X-ray studies revealed distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination about Si in 5 and 6 with Si-N bond distance of 2.121(1) Å and 2.189(2) Å, respectively.     

Synthesis of a solvent-sensitive highly fluorescent derivative of perfluorocyclopentene

A solvent-sensitive highly fluorescent compound, N-[2-(1′,3′,4′,4′,5′,5′-hexafluorocyclopentenyl)]-4-(5-methoxy-thiazolyl)pyridine (1D) was synthesized as an unexpected product of the reaction of 4-bromo-5-methoxy-2-(4-pyridyl)thiazole (1B) with perfluorocyclopentene in the presence of n-BuLi. Primary mechanism of this reaction was proposed, and the photophysical properties of 1D in different solvents were studied.     

Simple preparation of 7-alkylamino-2-methylquinoline-5,8-diones: regiochemistry in nucleophilic substitution reactions of the 6- or 7-bromo-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione with amines

7-Alkylamino-2-methylquinoline-5,8-diones (7) were prepared from 6-bromo-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione (2) not from 7-bromo-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione (1). The chemistry of the transformation of 6-bromo-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione (2) and various alkylamines, such as piperidine, 2-methylaziridine, benzylamine, n-butylamine, cyclohexylamine, t-butylamine, and ammonia, to 7-alkylamino compounds 7 as well as the transformation of 7-bromo compound 1 and the alkylamines to 6-alkylamino-2-methylquinoline-5,8-diones 11 was studied. The efficient and simple synthetic routes of the key intermediates, 6- and 7-bromo-2-methylquinoline-5,8-diones (2 and 1), from 5,8-dihydroxy-2-methylquinoline (15) and 5,7-dibromo-8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline (9), respectively, were developed. We also proposed the mechanism for the unusual regioselectivity on the nucleophilic amination of 6- and 7-bromo-2-methylquinoline-5,8-diones (2 and 1).     

Synthesis and reactions of 2-hydroxy-4-oxo-4-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxyphenyl)-but-2-enoic acid methyl ester

2-Hydroxy-4-oxo-4-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxyphenyl)-but-2-enoic acid methyl ester (1) was synthesized by the reaction of pentafluoroacetophenone with dimethyl oxalate in the presence of sodium methylate. Subsequently, reactions of compound 1 with aniline, o-phenylenediamine, and o-aminophenol were investigated. In addition, the thermal cyclization of ester 1 was studied and led to the formation of 5,6,8-trifluoro-7-methoxy-4-oxo-4H-chromene-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (6) due to nucleophilic substitution of the 3-fluoro group. Hydrolysis of compound 1 and subsequent cyclization by treatment with SOCl₂ gave 5-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxyphenyl)-furan-2,3-dione (3). Thermal decarbonylation of compound 3 under mild conditions resulted in the formation of 3-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxyphenyl)-propene-1,3-dione (4) which dimerized to pyranone 5.     

Synthesis and evaluation of fully (5-amidoisophthalic acid)-functionalised polyacrylamides as selective inhibitors of the beta crystal polymorph of l-glutamic acid

Poly-N-5-acrylamidoisophthalic acid (4), poly-N-(5-(N′-(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)carbamoyl)pentyl)acrylamide (10a) and poly-N-(11-(N′-(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)carbamoyl)undecyl)acrylamide (10b) were prepared and assessed as polymorph-selective crystallization inhibitors of the stable β form of l-glutamic acid. Polymerization was carried out as the final step in the preparation of 10a and 10b to ensure the preparation of fully functionalized polymers. Polymers 4, 10a and 10b were effective as complete inhibitors of the stable β form of l-glutamic acid in quantities of 0.5% w/w or greater, whereas the corresponding ‘monomeric’ additives 2 and 11 required quantities of 3% or greater to completely inhibit the β form, demonstrating a cooperative binding effect by the polymeric additives. Within the series of polymers 4, 10a and 10b, polymer 10a, which features a short tethering chain, was the most effective.     

Regioselective monobromination of (E)-1-(2′-hydroxy-4′,6′-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-aryl-2-propen-1-ones using bromodimethylsulfonium bromide and synthesis of 8-bromoflavones and 7-bromoaurones

A wide variety of monobrominated compounds 2a-l have been prepared in good yields from (E)-1-(2′-hydroxy-4′,6′-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-aryl-2-propen-1-ones (1a-l) through regioselective ring bromination using 1.5 equiv of bromodimethylsulfonium bromide (BDMS) at room temperature. Similarly, some of the 2′-hydroxychalcones can be converted directly into tribromides 3 or dibromides 4 by employing 4.0 equiv of BDMS under different reaction conditions which in turn can be transformed into 8-bromoflavones and 7-bromoaurones on treatment with 0.2 M ethanolic KOH solution. Mild reaction conditions, good yields and no chromatographic separation are some of the salient features of the present protocol.     

Mechanistic studies of DCC/HOBt-mediated reaction of 3-phenylpropionic acid with benzyl alcohol and studies on the reactivities of ‘active ester’ and the related derivatives with nucleophiles

Despite of the extensive study for peptide synthesis, DCC-mediated esterification is left still unclear. Therefore, DCC- and DCC/HOBt-mediated reactions of 3-phenylpropionic acid (1) with benzyl alcohol were carried out under several mechanistic considerations. Further, in order to determine the reactivities of the so-called ‘active esters’ compounds changing the substituents bearing carbonyl and related derivatives group for the purpose of the development of new class of non-symmetry cross-linkers, we have studied the reaction of model compounds, N-(3-phenylpropionyloxy)benzotriazole (6), N-(3-phenylpropionyloxy)phthalimide (7), 3-phenylpropionyloxybenzothiazole (8), and N-(3-phenylpropionyl)benzotriazole (9) with various nucleophiles under similar conditions were carried out for the comparison. It was revealed to exhibit the order of 6>>8>9>7.     

An easy preparation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl propenyl sulfones

Sodium tridecafluorohexanesulfinate (1a) and sodium 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethanesulfinate (1b) were prepared by the treatment of 1-iodo-tridecafluorohexane and 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane with sodium dithionite in a water-acetonitrile solution. Prolonged reaction of 1a with allyl bromide in DMF afforded tridecafluorohexane 1-propenyl sulfone 2 as the only product in good yield. A similar treatment of 1b gave exclusively 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 3-propenyl sulfone 4. Bromination of 4 followed by dehydrobromination with Et₃N resulted in a mixture of 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 3-bromo-1-propenyl sulfone 6 and 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 2-bromo-3-propenyl sulfone 7, while dehydrobromination with pyridine gave sulfone 6 practically as the only product. α,β-Unsaturated sulfones 2 and 6 were shown to be active dienophiles.     

Selective radical cyclisation of propargyl bromoethers to tetrahydrofuran derivatives via electrogenerated nickel(I) tetramethylcyclam

The controlled-potential reduction of [1-bromo-2-methoxy-2-(prop-2′-ynyloxy)ethyl]benzene (1a), 1-[2-bromo-2-phenyl-1-(prop-2′-ynyloxy)ethyl]-4-methoxybenzene (1b) and 2-bromo-3-(3′,4′-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-propargyloxypropanamide (1c) catalysed by (1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane)nickel(I), [Ni(tmc)]⁺, at a vitreous carbon cathode in DMF/Et₄NBF₄ leads to 2-methoxy-4-methylene-3-phenyl-tetrahydrofuran (2a), 2-(4′-methoxyphenyl)-4-methylene-3-phenyl-tetrahydrofuran (2b) and 2-(3′,4′-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-carbamoyl-4-methylenetetrahydrofuran (2c), respectively, in very high yields.     

First synthesis of naturally occurring (±)-epi-conocarpan

(±)-epi-Conocarpan 1 was synthesized via the key intermediate 5-bromo-cis-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran 6 which was synthesized by a ruthenium(II) porphyrin-catalyzed intramolecular C-H insertion reaction using aryl tosylhydrazone salt 5 as the carbene source, starting from the commercially available 5-bromo-2-hydroxyacetophenone.