One‐Pot Diastereoselective Synthesis of Densely Functionalized 2H‐Indeno[2,1‐b]furans. Single‐Crystal X‐Ray Structure of Dimethyl 8,8a‐Dihydro‐8‐oxo‐8a‐(2,2,2‐trichloroethoxy)‐2H‐indeno[2,1‐b]furan‐2,3‐di­carboxylate

Highly reactive 1 : 1 intermediates were produced in the reaction of Ph₃P and dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates (=dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioates). Protonation of these intermediates by alcohols (2,2,2‐trichloroethanol, propargyl alcohol (=prop‐2‐yn‐1‐ol), MeOH, benzyl alcohol, and allyl alcohol (=prop‐2‐en‐1‐ol) led to vinyltriphenylphosphonium salts 4 , which underwent a Michael addition reaction with the conjugate base to produce the corresponding stabilized phosphonium ylides 5 (Scheme). Wittig reaction of the stabilized phosphonium ylides with ninhydrin ( 6 ) led to the corresponding densely functionalized 2H‐indeno[2,1‐b]furans 10 in fairly good yields (Table 1). The structures of the final products were confirmed by IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The configuration of dimethyl 8,8a‐dihydro‐8‐oxo‐8a‐(2,2,2‐trichloroethoxy)‐2H‐indeno[2,1‐b]furan‐2,3‐dicarboxylate ( 10a ) was established by a single‐crystal X‐ray structure determination, establishing that the one‐pot multicomponent condensation reaction was completely diastereoselective.     

A Practical One‐Step Synthesis of 1,2‐Oxazoline Derivatives from Unprotected Sugars and Its Application to Chemoenzymatic β‐N‐Acetylglucosaminidation of Disialo‐oligosaccharide

A facile and practical method for synthesis of sugar oxazolines (=dihydrooxazoles) from the corresponding N‐acetyl‐2‐amino sugars has been developed by using 2‐chloro‐1,3‐dimethyl‐1H‐benzimidazol‐3‐ium chloride (CDMBI) as a dehydrative condensing agent. The intramolecular dehydrative reaction between the 2‐acetamido group and the anomeric OH group of unprotected N‐acetyl‐2‐amino sugars took place smoothly in H₂O, leading to the formation of a 1,2‐oxazoline (=4,5‐dihydrooxazole) moiety in good yield. Since the reaction proceeds in H₂O without using any protecting groups, the resulting oxazolines can be utilized as effective glycosyl donors for the subsequent enzymatic glycosylation. We have successfully demonstrated a highly efficient chemoenzymatic transglycosylation of a disialo‐oligosaccharide moiety to p‐nitrophenyl N‐acetylglucosaminide catalyzed by a mutant endo‐N‐acetylglucosaminidase without isolating disialo‐oligosaccharide oxazoline as synthetic intermediate.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Functionalized 2H‐Chromene (=2H‐1‐Benzopyran) Derivatives via a Three‐Component Reaction between a CH‐Acid,a Dialkyl Acetylenedicarboxylate,and Methyl Chloroglyoxylate or Benzyl Carbonochloridate Mediated by Triphenylphosphine

An effective route to functionalized 2H‐chromene (=2H‐1‐benzopyran) derivatives 4 is described (Scheme 1). This involves the reaction of a 1,1‐diactivated alkene, resulting from the reaction of dimedone (=5,5‐dimethylcyclohexane‐1,3‐dione; 1a ) with methyl chloroglyoxylate (ClC(O)COOMe), benzyl carbonochloridate (ClC(O)OCH₂Ph) or 3,5‐dinitrobenzoyl chloride (3,5‐(NO₂)₂C₆H₃C(O)Cl), and a dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylate (=dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioate) in the presence of Ph₃P which undergo intramolecular Wittig reaction to produce 2H‐chromene derivatives (Scheme 1).     

Efficient One‐Pot Synthesis of Alkyl 2‐(Dialkylamino)‐4‐phenylthiazole‐5‐carboxylates and Single‐Crystal X‐Ray Structure of Methyl 2‐(Diisopropylamino)‐4‐phenylthiazole‐5‐carboxylate

The reaction between secondary amines, benzoyl isothiocyanate, and dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates (=dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioates) in the presence of silica gel (SiO₂) led to alkyl 2‐(dialkylamino)‐4‐phenylthiazole‐5‐carboxylates in fairly high yields. The structures of the products were confirmed by their IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, and mass spectra, and by a single‐crystal X‐ray structure determination.     

Facile and Selective Synthesis of 4‐Methyl‐ and 4‐Phenylthiosemicarbazide (=N‐Methyl‐ and N‐Phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide) Derivatives of Benzil (=1,2‐Diphenylethane‐1,2‐dione)

A selective synthesis of 4‐methylthiosemicarbazide (=N‐methylhydrazinecarbothioamide; 4a ) derivatives by reaction with benzil (=1,2‐diphenylethane‐1,2‐dione; 3 ) is described. The reaction conditions determined the condensation product formed. The most important factor was the acid used: in the presence of conc. HCl solution, the open‐chain 2 : 1 compound 1a was exclusively obtained, whereas in the presence of 2M HCl, the cyclic 1 : 1 condensation product 2a was formed. The alcohol used, the presence of H₂O, and the time of heating were additional crucial factors. The new cyclic compound 2a with a MeO group was exclusively formed when working under high‐dilution conditions. The reaction with the 4‐phenyl derivative 4b gave new cyclic compounds as the major products under all conditions used (Scheme).     

Synthesis of Bis‐Heterocyclic 1H‐Imidazole 3‐Oxides from 3‐Oxido‐1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides

The reaction of 1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides 1 , which are conveniently accessible by treatment of the corresponding esters with NH₂NH₂?H₂O, with isothiocyanates in refluxing EtOH led to thiosemicarbazides (=hydrazinecarbothioamides) 4 in high yields (Scheme 2). Whereas 4 in boiling aqueous NaOH yielded 2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thiones 5 , the reaction in concentrated H₂SO₄ at room temperature gave 1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amines 6 . Similarly, the reaction of 1 with butyl isocyanate led to semicarbazides 7 , which, under basic conditions, undergo cyclization to give 2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐ones 8 (Scheme 3). Treatment of 1 with Ac₂O yielded the diacylhydrazine derivatives 9 exclusively, and the alternative isomerization of 1 to imidazol‐2‐ones was not observed (Scheme 4). It is important to note that, in all these transformations, the imidazole N‐oxide residue is retained. Furthermore, it was shown that imidazole N‐oxides bearing a 1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thione or 1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amine moiety undergo the S‐transfer reaction to give bis‐heterocyclic 1H‐imidazole‐2‐thiones 11 by treatment with 2,2,4,4‐tetramethylcyclobutane‐1,3‐dithione (Scheme 5).     

2‐Chloro‐3‐(dimethylamino)prop‐2‐enoyl Fluoride,a Stable Acyl Fluoride

The title compound is formed as a side‐product in the reaction of CF₃CCl₃ with Zn/DMF and dimethyl(thexyl)silyl chloride (=dimethyl(1,1,2‐trimethylpropyl)silyl chloride). The structure and the double‐bond configuration are deduced from its ¹³C‐NMR data. Its formation is discussed in terms of a Vilsmeier‐type formylation and a reductive elimination.     

Selenium‐Containing Heterocycles from Isoselenocyanates: Synthesis of 5‐Amino‐2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐selones

The reaction of S‐methylisothiosemicarbazide hydroiodide (=S‐methyl hydrazinecarboximidothioate hydroiodide; 1 ), prepared from thiosemicarbazide by treatment with MeI in EtOH, and aryl isoselenocyanates 5 in CH₂Cl₂ affords 3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐selone derivatives 7 in good yield (Scheme 2, Table 1). During attempted crystallization, these products undergo an oxidative dimerization to give the corresponding bis(4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl) diselenides 11 (Scheme 3). The structure of 11a was established by X‐ray crystallography.     

A Novel and Efficient Synthesis of 3‐[(4,5‐Dihydro‐1H‐pyrrol‐3‐yl)carbonyl]‐2H‐chromen‐2‐ones (=3‐[(4,5‐Dihydro‐1H‐pyrrol‐3‐yl)carbonyl]‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐ones)

An efficient one‐pot synthesis of 3‐[(4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrrol‐3‐yl)carbonyl]‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one (=3‐[(4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrrol‐3yl)carbonyl]‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one) derivatives 4 by a four‐component reaction of a salicylaldehyde 1 , 4‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one, a benzylamine 2 , and a diaroylacetylene (=1,4‐diarylbut‐2‐yne‐1,4‐dione) 3 in EtOH is reported. This new protocol has the advantages of high yields (Table), and convenient operation. The structures of these coumarin (=2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one) derivatives, which are important compounds in organic chemistry, were confirmed spectroscopically (IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, and EI‐MS) and by elemental analyses. A plausible mechanism for this reaction is proposed (Scheme 2).     

Novel and Stereospecific Synthesis of (2S)‐3‐(2,4,5‐Trifluorophenyl)propane‐1,2‐diol from D‐Mannitol

A stereospecific synthesis of (2S)‐3‐(2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)propane‐1,2‐diol from D ‐mannitol has been developed. The reaction of 2,3‐O‐isopropylidene‐D ‐glyceraldehyde with 2,4,5‐trifluorophenylmagnesium bromide gave [(4R)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxolan‐4‐yl](2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)methanol in 65% yield as a mixture of diastereoisomers (1 : 1). The Ph₃P catalyzed reaction of the latter with C₂Cl₆ followed by reduction with Pd/C‐catalyzed hydrogenation gave (2S)‐3‐(2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)propane‐1,2‐diol with >99% ee and 65% yield.     

Efficient Synthesis of (3E)‐3‐[Amino(aryl)methylidene]chromane‐2,4‐diones (=(3E)‐3‐[Amino(aryl)methylene]‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2,4(3H)‐diones) via a Three‐Component Reaction

The Michael‐type addition of a 4‐hydroxycoumarin (=4‐hydroxy‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one) 1 to a β‐nitrostyrene (=(2‐nitroethenyl)benzene) 2 in the presence of AcONH₄ leads to substituted (3E)‐3‐[amino(aryl)methylidene]chroman‐2,4‐diones (=(3E)‐3‐[amino(aryl)methylene]‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2,4(3H)‐diones) 4 (Table 1). High yields, short reaction time, and easy workup are advantages of this novel one‐pot three‐component reaction.     

DPPH (= 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl = 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐(2,4,6‐trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl) Radical‐Scavenging Reaction of Protocatechuic Acid Esters (= 3,4‐Dihydroxybenzoates) in Alcohols: Formation of Bis‐alcohol Adduct

Protocatechuic acid esters (= 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoates) scavenge ca. 5 equiv. of radical in alcoholic solvents, whereas they consume only 2 equiv. of radical in nonalcoholic solvents. While the high radical‐scavenging activity of protocatechuic acid esters in alcoholic solvents as compared to that in nonalcoholic solvents is due to a nucleophilic addition of an alcohol molecule at C(2) of an intermediate o‐quinone structure, thus regenerating a catechol (= benzene‐1,2‐diol) structure, it is still unclear why protocatechuic acid esters scavenge more than 4 equiv. of radical (C(2) refers to the protocatechuic acid numbering). Therefore, to elucidate the oxidation mechanism beyond the formation of the C(2) alcohol adduct, 3,4‐dihydroxy‐2‐methoxybenzoic acid methyl ester ( 4 ), the C(2) MeOH adduct, which is an oxidation product of methyl protocatechuate ( 1 ) in MeOH, was oxidized by the DPPH radical (= 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) or o‐chloranil (= 3,4,5,6‐tetrachlorocyclohexa‐3,5‐diene‐1,2‐dione) in CD₃OD/(D₆)acetone 3 : 1). The oxidation mixtures were directly analyzed by NMR. Oxidation with both the DPPH radical and o‐chloranil produced a C(2),C(6) bis‐methanol adduct ( 7 ), which could scavenge additional 2 equiv. of radical. Calculations of LUMO electron densities of o‐quinones corroborated the regioselective nucleophilic addition of alcohol molecules with o‐quinones. Our results strongly suggest that the regeneration of a catechol structure via a nucleophilic addition of an alcohol molecule with a o‐quinone is a key reaction for the high radical‐scavenging activity of protocatechuic acid esters in alcoholic solvents.     

A Facile Synthesis of 2‐Imino‐4‐methylene‐1,3‐dithiolanes

A one‐pot synthesis of 2‐imino‐4‐methylidene‐1,3‐dithiolanes via a three‐component reaction of propargyl bromide (=3‐bromoprop‐1‐yne), primary amines, and carbon disulfide (CS₂) is described.     

An Efficient Synthesis of 3‐(1H‐Tetrazol‐5‐yl)coumarins (=3‐(1H‐Tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐ones) via Domino Knoevenagel Condensation,Pinner Reaction,and 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition in Water

A novel straightforward synthesis of 3‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)coumarins (=3‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐ones) 6 via domino Knoevenagel condensation, Pinner reaction, and 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of substituted salicylaldehydes (=2‐hydroxybenzaldehydes), malononitrile (propanedinitrile), and sodium azide in H₂O is reported (Scheme 1 and Table 2). This general protocol provides a wide variety of 3‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)coumarins in good yields under mild reaction conditions.     

Efficient Synthesis of Novel Coumarin‐3‐carboxamides (=2‐Oxo‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxamides) Containing Lipophilic Spacers

The novel coumarin‐3‐carboxamides (=2‐oxo‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxamides) 5a – 5g containing lipophilic spacers were synthesized through the Ugi‐four‐component reaction (Scheme 1). The reactions of aromatic aldehydes 1 , 4,4′‐oxybis[benzenamine] or 4,4′‐methylenebis[benzenamine] as diamine 2 , coumarin‐3‐carboxylic acid (=2‐oxo‐2H‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxylic acid; 3 ), and alkyl isocyanides 4 lead to the desired substituted coumarin‐3‐carboxamides 5a – 5g at room temperature with high bond‐forming efficiency. These novel coumarin derivatives exhibit brilliant fluorescence at 544 nm in CHCl₃.     

Ultrasound‐Promoted Catalyst‐Free Synthesis of 2,2′‐(1,4‐Phenylene)bis[1‐acetyl‐1,2‐dihydro‐4H‐3,1‐benzoxazin‐4‐one] Derivatives

A convenient approach to 2,2′‐(1,4‐phenylene)bis[1‐acetyl‐1,2‐dihydro‐4H‐3,1‐benzoxazin‐4‐one] derivatives 4 was explored employing the one‐pot condensation of anthranilic acids (=2‐aminobenzoic acids) 1 with terephthalaldehyde (=benzene‐1,4‐dicarboxaldehyde; 2 ) under ultrasound‐irradiation conditions (Scheme 1). The reactions proceeded smoothly in the presence of excess Ac₂O in the absence of any other catalyst and solvent to afford the respective products in high yields.     

Synthesis of 1‐Methyl‐6,10‐diphenylheptalene Derivatives

The reduction of heptalene diester 1 with diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAH) in THF gave a mixture of heptalene‐1,2‐dimethanol 2a and its double‐bond‐shift (DBS) isomer 2b (Scheme 3). Both products can be isolated by column chromatography on silica gel. The subsequent chlorination of 2a or 2b with PCl₅ in CH₂Cl₂ led to a mixture of 1,2‐bis(chloromethyl)heptalene 3a and its DBS isomer 3b . After a prolonged chromatographic separation, both products 3a and 3b were obtained in pure form. They crystallized smoothly from hexane/Et₂O 7 : 1 at low temperature, and their structures were determined by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis (Figs. 1 and 2). The nucleophilic exchange of the Cl substituents of 3a or 3b by diphenylphosphino groups was easily achieved with excess of (diphenylphospino)lithium (=lithium diphenylphosphanide) in THF at 0° (Scheme 4). However, the purification of 4a / 4b was very difficult since these bis‐phosphines decomposed on column chromatography on silica gel and were converted mostly by oxidation by air to bis(phosphine oxides) 5a and 5b . Both 5a and 5b were also obtained in pure form by reaction of 3a or 3b with (diphenylphosphinyl)lithium (=lithium oxidodiphenylphospanide) in THF, followed by column chromatography on silica gel with Et₂O. Carboxaldehydes 7a and 7b were synthesized by a disproportionation reaction of the dimethanol mixture 2a / 2b with catalytic amounts of TsOH. The subsequent decarbonylation of both carboxaldehydes with tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(1+) chloride yielded heptalene 8 in a quantitative yield. The reaction of a thermal‐equilibrium mixture 3a / 3b with the borane adduct of (diphenylphosphino)lithium in THF at 0° gave 6a and 6b in yields of 5 and 15%, respectively (Scheme 4). However, heating 6a or 6b in the presence of 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) in toluene, generated both bis‐phosphine 4a and its DBS isomer 4b which could not be separated. The attempt at a conversion of 3a or 3b into bis‐phosphines 4a or 4b by treatment with t‐BuLi and Ph₂PCl also failed completely. Thus, we returned to investigate the antipodes of the dimethanols 2a, 2b , and of 8 that can be separated on an HPLC Chiralcel‐OD column. The CD spectra of optically pure (M)‐ and (P)‐configurated heptalenes 2a, 2b , and 8 were measured (Figs. 4, 5, and 9).     

Multicomponent Transformation of Isoindoline‐1,3‐diimine (=1H‐Isoindole‐1,3(2H)‐diimine), Acetylenic Esters,and Triphenylphosphine to Novel Dihydropyrimido[2,1‐a]isoindole Derivatives

The three‐component reaction of the zwitterions generated from dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates (=dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioates and triphenylphosphine (Ph₃P) with isoindoline‐1,3‐diimine (=1H‐isoindole‐1,3(2H)‐diimine) is described (Scheme 1). This reaction affords the corresponding special type of substituted dihydropyrimido[2,1‐a]isoindole derivatives in good yields without using any catalyst and activation (Table).     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Novel Pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxaline‐4(5H)‐ones Using Benzene‐1,2‐diamine,Acetylenedicarboxylates, and β‐Nitrostyrene Derivatives

The reaction between a variety of o‐phenylenediamines (=benzene‐1,2‐diamines), dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates, and derivatives of nitrostyrene (=(E)‐(2‐nitroethenyl)benzene) in the presence of sulfamic acid (SA; H₃NSO₃) as catalyst led to the corresponding pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxaline‐4(5H)‐one derivatives in high yields.     

Substituted 2,2′‐Bis(2‐oxidobenzylideneamino)‐4,4′‐dimethyl‐1,1′‐biphenyl Complexes of Zinc

The condensation reaction of 2,2′‐diamino‐4,4′‐dimethyl‐6,6'‐dibromo‐1,1′‐biphenyl with 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde as well as 5‐methoxy‐, 4‐methoxy‐, and 3‐methoxy‐2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde yields 2,2′‐bis(salicylideneamino)‐4,4′‐dimethyl‐6,6′‐dibromo‐1,1′‐biphenyl ( 1a ) as well as the 5‐, 4‐, and 3‐methoxy‐substituted derivatives 1b , 1c , and 1d , respectively. Deprotonation of substituted 2,2′‐bis(salicylideneamino)‐4,4′‐dimethyl‐1,1′‐biphenyls with diethylzinc yields the corresponding substituted zinc 2,2′‐bis(2‐oxidobenzylideneamino)‐4,4′‐dimethyl‐1,1′‐biphenyls ( 2 ) or zinc 2,2′‐bis(2‐oxidobenzylideneamino)‐4,4′‐dimethyl‐6,6′‐dibromo‐1,1′‐biphenyls ( 3 ). Recrystallization from a mixture of CH₂Cl₂ and methanol can lead to the formation of methanol adducts. The methanol ligands can either bind as Lewis base to the central zinc atom or as Lewis acid via a weak O–H ··· O hydrogen bridge to a phenoxide moiety. Methanol‐free complexes precipitate as dimers with central Zn₂O₂ rings.