Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of arylidenemalononitriles

A method for the nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of arylidenemalononitriles using Me₃SiCF₃ is described. The reaction is carried out in dimethylformamide in the presence of AcONa as a Lewis base, and affords products of Michael addition in high yield.     

Michael addition approach for the synthesis of novel spiro compounds and 2-substituted malonic acid derivatives from Meldrum’s acid

Novel routes for the synthesis of spiro derivatives of Meldrum’s acid and 2-substituted malonic acid derivatives have been developed. Meldrum’s acid was monoalkylated using a Michael addition reaction. Mono-Michael adducts were then alkylated using substituted haloalkanes, which on condensation gave spiro derivatives of Meldrum’s acid. Bis Michael addition of Meldrum’s acid with 1,5-diaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-one gave directly a spiro derivative of Meldrum’s acid. These compounds and bis alkylated Meldrum’s acid derivatives, on acidic methanolysis gave 2-substituted malonic acids.     

Synthesis of novel furo-pyran derivatives via reaction between an isocyanide and alkylidene-substituted Meldrum’s acid

An unexpected four-component (3+1) reaction of an alkyl isocyanide with alkylidene-substituted Meldrum’s acid in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature produces imino-furopyranones in good yields. The structures of the products are deduced from their IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectra and by X-ray analysis. The products are structurally similar to 2H-furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-one natural products.     

A novel light induced Knoevenagel condensation of Meldrum’s acid with aromatic aldehydes in aqueous ethanol

A highly efficient environment-friendly photochemical methodology has been developed for the condensation of Meldrum’s acid with aromatic aldehydes in water-ethanol solution sans any catalyst, support or promoter.     

A novel reaction between benzothiazoles and diaroylacetylenes in the presence of Meldrum’s acid: ring expansion of benzothiazoles to functionalized 1,4-benzothiazines

A novel and efficient ring expansion of benzothiazoles to functionalized 1,4-benzothiazines is described. The reactive 1:1 zwitterionic intermediates formed by addition of benzothiazoles to diaroylacetylenes were trapped with Meldrum’s acid under mild reaction conditions to produce 2-[2-hydroxy-2-aryl-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-yliden]-1-aryl-1-ethanones in excellent yields.     

Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of conjugate acceptors via phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone

A mild procedure for the conjugate addition of the trifluoromethyl anion to activated Michael acceptors such as arylidenemalononitriles (15 examples) and arylidene Meldrum’s acids (9 examples) using phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone through a reductive magnesium metal mediated procedure is described. The new methodology is used to prepare befloxatone, a reversible and selective monoamine oxidase A inhibitor.     

Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of aryl halides with methyl trifluoroacetate

When associated with an alkaline halide, such as cesium fluoride or cesium chloride, and Cu(I) species, methyl trifluoroacetate (MTFA) constitutes a valuable trifluoromethylating agent for substituting aromatic (or heteroaromatic) iodides and bromides. The reaction can be carried out in DMF at 180 °C or, better, in sulfolane which allows he reaction to proceed at a lower temperature (from 140 °C).     

Radical trifluoromethylation of ammonium enolates

The easy radical trifluoromethylation of a series of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with CF₃I is described. The reaction occurs in the presence of a nitrogen base and sodium dithionite in CH₃CN-H₂O solution. Additionally, we report a new access to ammonium triflinates.     

Mechanistical insight into ‘electrophilic’ trifluoromethylation with S-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium salts

Trifluoromethyl sulfonium salts are widely used for the introduction of a trifluoromethyl group through reaction with a wide range of nucleophiles. Nevertheless, the reaction mechanism is far from obvious and has been the subject of various literature discussions. In this Letter, we show, through trapping experiments with a radical probe that, at least in the case of nucleophiles such as enol silyl ethers, the reaction proceeds by SET.     

Nucleophilic reactivities of Schiff base derivatives of amino acids

Treatment of α-imino esters derived from glycine esters and benzophenone or benzaldehydes with potassium tert butoxide in DMSO gave persistent solutions of carbanions at 20?°C. The kinetics of their reactions with quinone methides and benzylidene malonates (reference electrophiles) have been followed photometrically under pseudo-first order conditions. The reactions followed second-order rate laws. Since addition of 18-crown-6 ether did not affect the reaction rates, the measured rate constants correspond to the reactions of the non-paired carbanions. Plots of the second-order rate constants against the electrophilicity parameters E of the electrophiles are linear, which allowed us to derive the nucleophile-specific parameters N and s_N, according to the linear Gibbs energy relationship lg k₂(20?°C)?=?s_N(N + E). The Ph₂C?=?N- and PhCH?=?N- groups act as very weak electron acceptors with the consequence that Ph₂C?=?N-CH^–-CO₂R and PhCH?=?N-CH^–-CO₂R have a similar nucleophilicity as Ph-CH^–-CO₂Et, the anion of ethyl phenylacetate.     

Radical trifluoromethylation of ketone Li enolates

It has generally been believed that highly basic Li enolates cannot be applied as substrates for radical trifluoromethylation due to defluorination of the α-CF₃ product. However, Li enolates can be in fact employed for radical trifluoromethylation. Moreover, the reaction is extremely fast and the minimum reaction time is only ∼1 s.     

A general and practical preparation of alkylidene Meldrum’s acids

Although many methods have been reported for the Knoevenagel condensation of aldehydes and Meldrum’s acid, most are not general or use unconventional reagents and conditions. We have found that alkylidene Meldrum’s acids form readily in benzene solution under mild pyrrolidinium acetate catalysis, and that this reaction is general, highly functional group compatible, and can be scaled-up easily.     

An efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of novel ferrocene-triamide conjugates via pseudo five-component reaction

A simple and efficient one-pot synthesis of novel ferrocene-triamide conjugates from the reaction of ferrocenecarboxaldehyde with Meldrum’s acid and isocyanides in the presence of NH-containing compounds is described. This transformation proceeds through the creation of two CC bonds, two CN bonds, and one CO bond, leading to three peptide bonds, and presumably occurs via a domino sequence involving Knoevenagel condensation, [1+4] cycloaddition, deacetonation, and aminolysis reactions.     

Regioselective electrophilic trifluoromethylation of indolines, oxindoles and indoles in superacid

Treatment of indolines and N-acylindoles with HF/SbF₅/CCl₄ yields 6-trifluoro derivatives (indole numbering) whereas indoles and oxindoles give the 5-trifluoro derivatives in good yield.     

Nickel nanoparticles catalyzed chemoselective Knoevenagel condensation of Meldrum’s acid and tandem enol lactonizations via cascade cyclization sequence

A novel protocol has been reported wherein, polyethylene glycol (PEG) stabilized nickel nanoparticles have been used as catalyst for chemoselective Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic aldehydes and Meldrum’s acid to give 5-arylidene Meldrum’s acid which underwent tandem enol lactonization by Michael addition/cyclization sequence with active methylene compounds in the presence of Ni nanoparticles to give corresponding enol lactone derivatives.     

Synthesis of the peptide moiety of the jamaicamides

The jamaicamides, isolated from cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula in Jamaica, are unique mixed polyketide-peptides that are reported to be blockers of the sodium channels. The peptide moiety contains a pyrrolinone ring and a β-methoxy enone functionality. Herein, we report the stereoselective synthesis of the N-(Boc)₂-protected peptide moiety of the jamaicamides by utilizing Meldrum’s acid starting from l-alanine and N-Boc-β-alanine.     

Sulfated zirconia, a mild alternative to mineral acids in the synthesis of hydroxycoumarins

Sulfated zirconia (1%) was employed as Pechmann’s catalyst without solvent or in some cases using a small amount of ethanol to obtain coumarins in moderate to good yields. With this procedure, no significant acidic waste was obtained and an environmental friendly alternative to obtain coumarins is provided.     

An unexpected multi-component reaction to synthesis of 3-(5-amino-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-3-arylpropanoic acids in ionic liquid

A new, one-pot, four-component condensation of 3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one, ammonium acetate, aromatic aldehydes, and meldrum’s acid in [bmim]BF₄ as solvent is described for the synthesis of 3-(5-amino-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-3-arylpropanoic acid derivatives. This methodology resulting in excellent isolated yields in short reaction time is characterized by simple work up procedure and little environmental impact.     

Copper-mediated trifluoromethylation of potassium alkynyltrifluoroborates with Langlois' reagent

Synthesis of trifluoromethylated acetylenes by copper-mediated trifluoromethylation of potassium alkynyltrifluoroborates with CF₃ radicals generated from NaSO₂CF₃ and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) is communicated. The trifluoromethylated acetylenes were obtained in good to moderate yields. The presented method tolerates a wide range of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic potassium alkynyltrifluoroborates.     

Reactions of cyclic enhydrazinoketones with arylidene derivatives of malononitrile. Synthesis of fusedN-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines

A new method for the synthesis of fusedN-amino-1,4-dihydropyridines was proposed. The method is based on the addition of cyclic enhydrazinoketones to arylidenemalononitriles. The structures of the compounds synthesized were studied using¹H NMR spectroscopy. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1254–1257, July, 2000.