Orthoamides by selective borohydride reduction of N,N′,N″-triacyl- and N,N′,N″-tri(alkoxycarbonyl)-guanidines

N,N′,N″-Triacylguanidines and N,N′,N″-tri(alkoxycarbonyl)guanidines were prepared and reduced with borohydride salts in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran and acetic acid to give triacyl and tri(alkoxycarbonyl) orthoamides in yields of 40–85%. However, similar reduction of N,N′,N″-tri(t-butoxycarbonyl)guanidine did not give orthoamide but the aminal di(t-butyl) methylenedicarbamate.     

Synthesis of 2-(N-arylimino-κN-methyl)pyrrolide-κN complexes of nickel

2-(N-aryliminomethyl)pyrrole precursors (2,6-R₂-C₆H₃-NCH-2-C₄H₃NH) (R = Me, IH; R = ⁱPr, IIH) were prepared and transformed into their corresponding sodium salts (Na⁺I⁻ and Na⁺II⁻) by treatment with NaH. Both salts readily react with [NiBr₂(DME)] (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) to give the respective bis{2-(N-arylimino-κN-methyl)pyrrolide-κN}nickel(II) complexes (1, 2) in almost quantitative yields. The oxidative addition of IH to [Ni(COD)₂] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) results in the formation of 3, which is a mono(iminomethylpyrrolide)-η³-(cyclic-allyl)-type organonickel(II) complex. The crystal structure of compound 1 has been established by X-ray diffraction studies.     

Cyclisation at very high temperature. Thermal transformations of N-alkyl and N, N-dialkyl amides of α,β-unsaturated acids into mono- and bicyclic heterocycles under FVT conditions

Cyclisations of N-alkyl and N,N-dialkyl cinnamic amides to the corresponding pyrrolidin-2-ones under the conditions of flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT), are described. It was found that these reactions proceed at 950-1000 °C affording in various yields the mixtures of isomeric mono and bicyclic γ-lactams, which were separated chromatographically and analysed by means of NMR spectroscopy. Two alternative mechanisms for the title process are proposed.     

An efficient one-pot synthesis of N,N′-disubstituted phenylureas and N-aryl carbamates using hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid

We have developed an efficient one-pot method for the microwave-assisted synthesis of ureas and carbamates via a proposed Lossen rearrangement. Herein we report the first examples of the direct conversion of benzoyl chlorides into N,N′-disubstituted ureas and N-aryl carbamates using hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid as reagent. Using our general method, we have produced 11 examples of N,N′-disubstituted phenylureas in yields up to 95% using various substituted anilines, and primary and secondary amines. Additionally, we were able to generate a series of N-aryl carbamates in moderate yields using primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols.     

Efficient synthesis of N-Me, N-Boc-protected α-hydrazinoacids: access to 1:1:1 [N-Me α-hydrazino/α/N-Me α-hydrazino]trimers

The preparation of optically pure N^α-Me, N^β-Boc-protected α-hydrazinoacids in large scale is described via a S_N2 protocol. These compounds were used as starting materials for the synthesis of 1:1:1 [N^α-Me α-hydrazino/α/N^α-Me α-hydrazino]trimers.     

1-(N-Acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts as synthetic equivalents of N-acylimines and new effective α-amidoalkylating agents

1-(N-Acylaminoalkyl)triphenylphosphonium salts 2a-f on reaction with DBU in MeCN are transformed into 1-(N-acylaminoalkyl)amidinium salts 3a-f. Amidinium salts 3d-f with a proton at the β-position undergo slow tautomerization into the corresponding enamides 6d-f. The same 1-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts 2d-f in the presence of Hünig’s base are transformed directly into the corresponding enamides. Phosphonium salts 2, amidinium salts 3, and enamides 6 react with dialkyl malonates in the presence of DBU to give the corresponding amidoalkylation products. α-Amidoalkylation of dialkyl malonates is not observed in the presence of (i-Pr)₂EtN, yet proceeds well under these conditions with more acidic nucleophiles, for example, phthalimide or benzyl mercaptan.     

Selective C-N bond oxidation: demethylation of N-methyl group in N-arylmethyl-N-methyl-α-amino esters utilizing N-iodosuccinimide (NIS)

Demethylation of N-methyl group in N-methyl-N-arylmethyl-α-amino esters was accomplished by the oxidation of the amino group using the N-iodosuccinimide (NIS)/acetonitrile system followed by treatment with O-methylhydroxylamine hydrochloride. This combination of reagents could provide a complementary method to catalytic hydrogenolysis, which certainly cleaves N-arylmethyl groups, in organic synthesis.     

N-[1-(Benzotriazol-1-yl)alkyl]amides from N-acyl-α-amino acids or N-alkylamides

A variety of N-(1-methoxyalkyl)amides react with benzotriazole in the presence of PPh₃·HBF₄ and organic bases (Hünig's base, DBU or DABCO) or solid-state-supported bases (SiO₂-Pip or IRA-67) in CHCl₃ to give N-[1-(benzotriazol-1-yl)alkyl]amides in good yields. The most convenient and efficient procedure for obtaining N-[1-(benzotriazol-1-yl)alkyl]amides consists, however, of the addition of benzotriazole sodium salt to a solution of crude 1-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salt, obtained in situ from N-(1-methoxyalkyl)amides and PPh₃·HBF₄. A combination of these reactions with the recently described electrochemical decarboxylative α-methoxylation of N-acyl-α-amino acids in the presence of SiO₂-Pip enables an effective two-pot transformation of N-acyl-α-amino acids to N-[1-(benzotriazol-1-yl)alkyl]amides.     

Biodegradable and thermoresponsive micelles of triblock copolymers based on 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and ε-caprolactone for controlled drug delivery

Amphiphilic triblock copolymers, poly(2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)_x-block-poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)_x, PDMAEMA_Co, were synthesized. Polymerization and structural features of the polymers were analyzed by different physicochemical techniques (GPC, ¹H NMR and FTIR). Formation of hydrophobic domains as cores of the micelles was studied by ¹H NMR and further confirmed by fluorescence. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed a monodispersed size distribution only for the copolymer with the lowest degree of polymerization, while increasing the length of PDMAEMA blocks leads to a bimodal size distribution. The micelles showed reversible dispersion/aggregation in response to temperature cycles through an outer polymer shell lower critical solution temperature (LCST) for PDMAEMA at temperatures between 54 and 87 °C. The triblock copolymer micelles were loaded with the sparingly water-soluble anticancer drug, chlorambucil, by a dialysis procedure. The drug release profile monitored by fluorescence showed that the release of chlorambucil from PDMAEMA nanoparticles is controlled by a combined degradation-diffusion mechanism.     

Hydrolytic and transglycosylation reactions of N-acyl modified substrates catalysed by β-N-acetylhexosaminidases

The hydrolytic and transglycosylation capabilities of 35 fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidases with p-nitrophenyl 2-amino-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranoside and its four N-acyl derivatives (CHO, COCH₂OH, COCH₂CH₃, COCF₃) as substrates were tested. The preparation of four novel p-nitrophenyl disaccharides from these unnatural substrates catalysed by enzymes from Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium oxalicum and Talaromyces flavus represents a considerable extension of the synthetic potential of glycosidases.     

Synthesis and decarboxylation of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acids: a new synthesis of α-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts

4-Phosphoranylidene-5(4H)-oxazolones 1 undergo hydrolysis in THF in the presence of HBF₄ at room temperature to give N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonioglycines 3 (R² = H) in very good yields. 4-Alkyl-4-triphenylphosphonio-5(4H)-oxazolones 2 react with water in CH₂Cl₂/THF solution without any acidic catalyst at 0-5 °C in a few days yielding N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acids 3 (R² = Me) or α-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salt 4 (R² = CH₂OMe). α-Triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acids 3, on heating up to 105-115 °C under reduced pressure (5 mmHg) or on treatment with diisopropylethylamine in CH₂Cl₂ at 20 °C undergo decarboxylation to give the corresponding α-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts 4, usually in very good yields.     

Temperature-dependent molecular-recognizable membranes based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and β-cyclodextrin

A novel temperature-dependent molecular-recognizable membrane, poly(N-isopropylacylamide-co-glycidyl methacrylate/cyclodextrin)-grafted-polyethylene terephthalate (P(NIPAM-co-GMA/CD)-g-PET) membrane, is prepared by the combination of plasma-induced pore-filling grafting polymerization and chemical reaction. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the surfaces and cross-sections of the prepared membranes are uniformly grafted by polymeric layer. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) results show that CDs are successfully induced onto the P(NIPAM-co-GMA) grafted chains through reaction with epoxy groups. When the environmental temperature increases from 25 °C to 45 °C, the contact angle of prepared P(NIPAM-co-GMA/CD)-g-PET membrane increases from 65° to 76.9°; whereas, that of substrate membrane decreases from 84.8° to 77.1°. During the dynamic adsorption experiments, the guest 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid ammonium salt (ANS) molecules are adsorbed onto the P(NIPAM-co-GMA/CD)-g-PET membrane at lower temperature (25 °C) and desorbed from it at higher temperature (40 °C) with good repeatability. This phenomenon of adsorption at low temperature and desorption at high temperature of the P(NIPAM-co-GMA/CD)-g-PET membrane is attributable to both the “swollen–shrunken” configuration change of P(NIPAM-co-GMA) grafted chains and the molecular recognition of CD toward ANS. The P(NIPAM-co-GMA/CD)-g-PET membrane show both good thermo-responsibility and temperature-dependent molecular-recognizable characteristics toward guest molecules, which is highly potential to be applied in temperature-controlled affinity separations.     

Synthesis of new β-trifluoromethyl containing GABA and β-fluoromethyl containing N-benzylpyrrolidinones

A whole series of 3-(mono-, di-, trifluoro)methyl-substituted N-benzylpyrrolidinones 5a-c was synthesized by deoxyfluorination of corresponding 3-functionalized N-benzylpyrrolidinones. New β-trifluoromethyl containing GABA 4a was obtained in two alternative ways: by successive hydrolysis and hydrogenolysis of 3-trifluoromethyl N-benzylpyrrolidinone 5a and from trifluoroacetone as starting compound.     

N-Heterocyclic carbenes: deducing σ- and π-contributions in Rh-catalyzed hydroboration and Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions

The effect of tuning the electronic properties of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands was evaluated in multiple, mechanistically distinct, metal-mediated reactions. Hydroboration and Heck reactions, catalyzed by Rh-NHC and Pd-NHC complexes, respectively, were found to result in yields that were up to ten times lower when π-withdrawing substituents were incorporated into the NHC backbone relative to analogues bearing σ-withdrawing groups.     

In vitro and in vivo studies of N,N′-bis[2(2-pyridyl)-methyl]pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide–copper(II) and rheumatoid arthritis

The thermodynamic equilibria of copper(II), zinc(II) and calcium(II) with N,N′-bis[2(2-pyridyl)-methyl]pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide (L1) have been studied at 25 °C and an ionic strength of 0.15 mol dm⁻³. Spectroscopic studies suggest metal ion complexation promotes deprotonation and coordination of the amide nitrogens resulting in overall tetragonal coordination of Cu²⁺. Blood–plasma modelling predicts that Cu(II) competes effectively against Zn(II) and Ca(II) for L1 in vivo. Octanol–water partition coefficient studies show that Cu(II)–L1 complexes are reasonably lipophilic. However, the CuL1H₋₂ species which predominates at the physiological pH of 7.4 has poor superoxide dismutase activity. Bio-distribution experiments showed activity accumulation and retention in the body of about 50% of the injected dose for the [⁶⁴Cu]Cu(II)–L1 complex after 24 h.     

Catalytic syntheses of γ-functionalized α-keto esters from thioacetals and N,O-acetals

Ethyl 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)acrylic ester (1a) reacts with thioacetals providing the corresponding α-keto-γ-thio esters in good to satisfactory yields. Whereas aminals do not react, N,O-acetals lead to γ-amino-α-keto esters in good to excellent yields. All reactions proceed under mild reaction conditions, and no additional work up is required. Subsequent transformations of the obtained products to the corresponding α-oximes have been demonstrated.     

Transition-metal-free synthesis of multisubstituted N-arylindoles via reaction of arynes and α-amino ketones

A simple transition-metal-free protocol for the synthesis of indoles has been developed using aryne cycloaddition. The in situ-generated arynes couple with α-amino ketones through a one-step N-arylation–nucleophilic addition process under mild conditions and efficiently produce multisubstituted N-arylindoles.     

N,3,4-Trisubstituted pyrrolidines by electron transfer-induced oxidative cyclizations of N-allylic β-amino ester enolates

Oxidative radical cyclizations starting from easily accessible N-allylic β-alanine esters are reported. Deprotonation generates the corresponding enolates, which are transformed efficiently into α-ester radicals by single electron transfer mediated by ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate. The stereochemistry of the radical 5-exo cyclization can be switched by the configuration of the enolate precursor. First examples of asymmetric oxidative radical cyclizations using N-(1-phenylethyl)-substituted β-amino esters are reported. Only two of the four possible diastereomers are formed from the (E)-enolate with high cis-selectivity. From (Z)-enolates, an additional diastereomer is formed, which is likely to be formed only under chelation control.     

Pyrrole β-amides: Synthesis and characterization of a dipyrrinone carboxylic acid and an N-Confused fluorescent dipyrrinone

Pyrrole β-amides are useful building blocks for the preparation of novel molecular architectures that can be used in supramolecular chemistry and sensor development. Under basic conditions, pyrrole β-amides with an α-aldehyde produce different condensation products when reacted with pyrrolinones depending on the amide substitution. Secondary amides form the expected dipyrrinones, but unexpectedly undergo a subsequent trans-amidation with the pyrrolinone nitrogen to produce an unsymmetrical imide (an N-confused fluorescent dipyrrinone). Under the same conditions, tertiary amides produce the expected dipyrrinone carboxylic acids, which have been shown to have strong self-association properties as determined by vapor pressure osmometry measurements, NMR studies, and X-ray crystal structure determination. Furthermore, an N-confused fluorescent dipyrrinone was produced from the same trans-amidation reaction during attempts to decarboxylate a dipyrrinone amide with a 9-carboxylic moiety.     

Selective and facile synthesis of α,β-unsaturated nitriles and amides with N-hydroxyphthalimide as the nitrogen source

The direct conversion of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to corresponding nitriles promoted by Pd(OAc)₂ and phthalic acid which was hydrolyzed from N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) has been disclosed. Additionally, it was found that when water was used as the solvent, α,β-unsaturated amides was obtained as the main products in good to excellent yields. It was first reported that NHPI was utilized as the nitrogen source to synthesize α,β-unsaturated nitriles and amides from aldehydes. Control experiment demonstrated that aldehydes undergo a process of oximation and dehydration to form nitriles and amides.