Synthesis and Properties of 2,3-Diethynyl-1,3-Butadienes

The first general preparative access to compounds of the 2,3-diethynyl-1,3-butadiene (DEBD) class is reported. The synthesis involves a one-pot, twofold Sonogashira-type, Pd⁰-catalyzed coupling of two terminal alkynes and a carbonate derivative of a 2-butyne-1,4-diol. The synthesis is broad in scope and members of this structural family are kinetically stable enough to be handled using standard laboratory techniques at ambient temperature. They decompose primarily through heat-promoted cyclodimerizations, which are impeded by alkyl substitution and accelerated by aryl or alkenyl substitution. An iterative sequence of these unprecedented Sonogashira-type couplings generates a new type of expanded dendralene. A suitably substituted DEBD carrying two terminal alkyne groups undergoes Glaser–Eglinton cyclo-oligomerization to produce a new class of expanded radialenes, which are chiral due to restricted rotation about their 1,3-butadiene units. The structural features giving rise to atropisomerism in these compounds are distinct from those reported previously.     

Transition‐Metal‐Free Formal Sonogashira Coupling and α‐Carbonyl Arylation Reactions

Transition‐metal‐free formal Sonogashira coupling and α‐carbonyl arylation reactions have been developed. These transformations are based on the nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) of β‐carbonyl sulfones to electron‐deficient aryl fluorides, producing a key intermediate that, depending on the reaction conditions, gives the aromatic alkynes or α‐aryl carbonyl compounds. The development of these reactions is presented and, based on investigations under basic and acidic conditions, mechanisms have been proposed. To develop the formal Sonogashira coupling further, a milder, two‐step protocol is also disclosed that expands the reaction concept. The scope of these reactions is demonstrated for the synthesis of Sonogashira and α‐carbonyl arylated products from a range of electron‐deficient aryl fluorides with a variety of functional groups and aryl‐, heteroaryl‐, alkyl‐, and alkoxy‐substituted sulfone nucleophiles. These transition‐metal‐free reactions complement the metal‐catalyzed versions in terms of substitution patterns, simplicity, and reaction conditions.     

Synthesis of Potentially Biologically Active 6‐(1,3‐Butadiynyl)purines

1,3‐Alkadiynyl(trimethyl)silanes were prepared by the Negishi or Sonogashira reactions of bromoethynyl(trimethyl)silane with several terminal alkynes in 34–75% yield. However, the direct Hiyama coupling of these compounds with 6‐iodopurine derivatives has not been successful. Therefore, a modified Sonogashira reaction using TBAF or CsF for in situ removal of the trimethylsilyl group has been utilized. This methodology afforded the desired 6‐(1,3‐butadiynyl)purines in 47–87% yield.     

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Butadienylcalcium‐based Heavy Grignard Reagents and a Ca4[O] Inverse Crown Ether Complex

The structure elucidation of heavy Grignard reagents (RAeX, Ae=Ca, Sr, and Ba, X=halides) has been greatly strived after, mainly because of their inaccessibility and remarkable instability. The synthesis of a series of butadienylcalcium compounds is presented, including 1‐calcio‐4‐lithio‐1,3‐butadiene, 1,4‐dicalcio‐1,3‐butadiene, and a Ca₄[O] inverse crown ether complex, via the reaction between 1,4‐dilithio‐1,3‐butadienes and calcium iodide in THF. Single‐crystal X‐ray analysis of these unprecedented heavy Grignard reagents revealed unique structural characteristics and bonding modes. Preliminary reaction chemistry was investigated. This study provides a novel class of alkenyl heavy Grignard reagents and a useful synthetic strategy for otherwise unavailable reactive organometallic compounds.     

1,4‐Dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole and Its π‐Expanded Analogues

Various approaches to the synthesis of 1,4‐dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrroles are summarized. Many two‐ and three‐step reaction sequences have been developed, and have allowed access to a broad variety of structures, including not only the parent 1,4‐dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrroles, but also their π‐expanded analogues. The newest approaches are critically compared with older strategies. The reactivity of these compounds is also reviewed, with special emphasis on electrophilic aromatic substitution. The synthesis of indolo[3,2‐b]indole derivatives has been the subject of intense investigation. Overall, a few interesting and ingenious approaches toward these ladder‐type heteroacenes have been proposed, reaching total yields in the region of 30 %. Finally, the optical, electrochemical, and other physicochemical properties are presented in the broader perspective of heteropentalenes. The parent 1,4‐dihydro‐pyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrroles constitute the most electron‐rich, simple, aromatic heterocycles, and their simple derivatives and π‐expanded analogues possess strong violet, blue, or green fluorescence both in solution and in the solid state.     

2,3:4,6‐Di‐O‐isopropylidene‐α‐l‐sorbofuranose and 2,3‐O‐isopropylidene‐α‐l‐sorbofuranose

In the title compounds, C₁₂H₂₀O₆, (I), and C₉H₁₆O₆, (II), the five‐membered furanose ring adopts a ⁴T₃ conformation and the five‐membered 1,3‐dioxolane ring adopts an E₃ conformation. The six‐membered 1,3‐dioxane ring in (I) adopts an almost ideal ^OC₃ conformation. The hydrogen‐bonding patterns for these compounds differ substantially: (I) features just one intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond [O...O = 2.933 (3) Å], whereas (II) exhibits, apart from the corresponding intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond [O...O = 2.7638 (13) Å], two intermolecular bonds of this type [O...O = 2.7708 (13) and 2.7730 (12) Å]. This study illustrates both the similarity between the conformations of furanose, 1,3‐dioxolane and 1,3‐dioxane rings in analogous isopropylidene‐substituted carbohydrate structures and the only negligible influence of the presence of a 1,3‐dioxane ring on the conformations of furanose and 1,3‐dioxolane rings. In addition, in comparison with reported analogs, replacement of the –CH₂OH group at the C1‐furanose position by another group can considerably affect the conformation of the 1,3‐dioxolane ring.     

Synthesis of 3,5‐Diarylcyclohex‐2‐enones by NH4Cl/HCl‐Catalyzed Cyclization and Deacetylation of 4‐Acetylhexane‐1,5‐diones

A new route for the synthesis of 3,5‐diarylcyclohex‐2‐enones is reported. The 4‐acetyl‐1,3‐diarylhexane‐1,5‐diones were obtained by the addition of pentane‐2,4‐dione to chalcones. The reaction of 4‐acetyl‐1,3‐diarylhexane‐1,5‐diones with NH₄Cl/HCl in EtOH under reflux conditions gave the 3,5‐diarylcyclohex‐2‐enones in good yields. All synthesized compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods (¹H‐, ¹³C‐NMR, and IR), and elemental analyses.     

An Efficient Synthesis of 6′‐methyl‐1'H‐spiro[indoline‐3,4′‐pyrimidine]‐2,2′(3'H)‐dione Derivatives

The reactions of isatins, urea and 1‐(piperidin‐1‐yl)butane‐1,3‐dione or 1‐morpholinobutane‐1,3‐dione have been developed for the preparation of spiroheterocycles compounds. It was found these reactions could be given higher yields and required shorter time in our process. In this synthesis, some useful groups, such as pyridyl and morpholinyl were introduced into the structures of the products. The compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and HRMS. Else, compounds 4i and 4r were additionally confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The other advantages of this procure were simple handling, high yields, and wide range substrates.     

1H‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydro‐1,3‐diazepines. Part I: Synthesis,spectral and chemical properties of 1,2‐diaryl derivatives

The synthesis of several 1,2‐diaryl‐1H‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydro‐1,3‐diazepines 1 by cyclization of N‐aryl‐N'‐benzoyltetramethylenediamines 2 is described. Two alternative synthetic routes to obtain precursors 2 are discussed, being that which employes pyrrolidine as starting material the most convenient. Nucleophilic attack of compounds 1 on methyl iodide affords 1,2‐diaryl‐1H‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydro‐1,3‐diazepinium iodides 3 . ¹H‐nmr spectra of these compounds are unequivocally assigned by means of NOESY experiments, ¹H‐nmr spectra of compounds 1 and 3 are analyzed and compared inter se and with those of compounds 1 run in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid‐d. Reduction of compounds 1 with borane leads regiospecifically to N‐aralkyl‐N'‐aryltetramethylenediamines 7 .     

The Molecular Structure of gauche‐1,3‐Butadiene: Experimental Establishment of Non‐planarity

The planarity of the second stable conformer of 1,3‐butadiene, the archetypal diene for the Diels–Alder reaction in which a planar conjugated diene and a dienophile combine to form a ring, is not established. The most recent high level calculations predicted the species to adopt a twisted, gauche structure owing to steric interactions between the inner terminal hydrogens rather than a planar, cis structure favored by the conjugation of the double bonds. The structure cis‐1,3‐butadiene is unambiguously confirmed experimentally to indeed be gauche with a substantial dihedral angle of 34°, in excellent agreement with theory. Observation of two tunneling components indicates that the molecule undergoes facile interconversion between two equivalent enantiomeric forms. Comparison of experimentally determined structures for gauche‐ and trans‐butadiene provides an opportunity to examine the effects of conjugation and steric interactions.     

Iodo cyclofunctionalization of 2,4‐dialkenyl‐1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds: Synthesis of substituted 3‐(2‐furylidene)‐2‐furanones

A facile method for the synthesis of substituted 3‐(2‐furylidene)‐2‐furanones has been developed using cyclofunctionalization reactions of 2,4‐dialkenyl‐1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds and iodine as electrophile in the presence of Na₂CO₃, in refluxing chloroform. Compounds 4 are obtained in modest to good yields and their structural identification was established by ¹H NMR, ¹H COSY, ¹³C NMR and ¹H‐¹³C COSY. A mechanism has been proposed to rationalize the formation of the ylidene furanone.     

Rotation‐Locked 2,6‐Pyrido‐allenophanes: Characterization of all Stereoisomers

New 2,6‐disubstituted pyrido‐allenophanes with locked rotation of aromatic spacers were designed and synthesized. The synthesis was accomplished by Pd‐catalyzed C(sp²)–C(sp) Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction between 1,3‐diethynylallene (DEA) and 2,6‐dibromopyridine followed by an intermolecular ring closure. Because racemic DEA was employed, pyrido‐allenophanes were obtained as mixtures of stereoisomers that were resolved by preparative HPLC. The conformational space of all these diastereoisomers was explored at the CAM‐B3LYP/6‐31+G*//AM1 level of theory. The isomers were characterized through their symmetry properties revealed in NMR, circular dichroism, and chiral stationary‐phase HPLC experiments. X‐ray diffraction was used to assign and to corroborate the configuration of several diastereoisomers. The unexpected encapsulation of two molecules of CHCl₃ in the crystal structures shows the potential of these conformationally hampered allenophanes as encapsulating hosts.     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Allylation–Cyclization Reactions of Cyclic 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds with 1‐Vinyl Propargyl Alcohols

Ruthenium‐catalyzed allylation–cyclization reactions of cyclic 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds with 1‐vinyl propargyl alcohols that lead to diverse carbo‐ or heterocyclic products in a one‐pot cascade process are reported. These mechanistically distinct reactions are catalyzed by a single ruthenium(0) complex that contains a redox‐coupled dienone ligand. The reaction pathway strongly depends on the substrate substitution pattern, which determines the mode of activation of the 1‐vinyl propargyl alcohol. The environmentally benign process, which generates water as the only waste product, is of wide scope and allows the atom‐economic synthesis of highly functionalized furans, pyrans, and spirocarbocycles.     

Transition‐Metal‐Free Synthesis of 1,3‐Butadiene‐Containing π‐Conjugated Polymers

This work describes the synthesis of π‐conjugated polymers possessing arylene and 1,3‐butadiene alternating units in the main chain by the reaction of α,β‐unsaturated ester/nitrile containing γ‐H with aromatic/heteroaromatic aldehyde compound. By using 4‐(4‐formylphenyl)‐2‐butylene acid ethyl ester as a model monomer, the different polymerization conditions, including catalyst, catalyst amount, and solvent, are optimized. The polymerization of 4‐(4‐formylphenyl)‐2‐butylene acid ethyl ester is carried out by refluxing in ethanol for 72 h with 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) as a catalyst to give a 1,3‐butadiene‐containing π‐conjugated polymer, poly(phenylene‐1,3‐butadiene), in 84.3% yield with and / (PDI) estimated as 6172 and 1.65, respectively. Based on this new methodology, a series of π‐conjugated polymers containing 1,3‐butadiene units with different substituents are obtained in high yields. A possible mechanism is proposed for the polymerization through a six‐membered ring transition state and then a 1,5‐H shift intermediate.

     

An Efficient Synthesis of Novel 2‐(5‐indolyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole Derivatives and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial Activities

In this paper, we report the synthesis of novel 2‐(5‐indolyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole derivatives. The methodology involves the Sonogashira reaction of 4‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)‐2‐bromo‐N,N‐dimethylaniline ( 3 ) with variety of terminal alkynes to get corresponding novel 4‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)‐2‐alkynyl‐N,N‐dimethylaniline derivatives ( 4 ). These compounds on iodocyclization afforded novel iodoindolylbenzimidazole derivatives ( 5 ). The resulting compounds were functionalized further via palladium‐mediated carbon–carbon bond formation for generating novel structurally diversified heterocyclic compounds. All these newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for antimicrobial activity.     

Studying the synthesis of 4‐tert‐butyl‐1,3‐dihydroimidazol‐2‐ones and their corresponding thiones

4‐tert‐Butyl‐1,3‐dihydroimidazol‐2‐ones and 1,3‐dihydroimidazol‐2‐thiones were synthesized from 1‐amino‐3,3‐dimethylbutanone and subjected to alkylation reactions. The latter compounds were S‐alkyl‐ated with iodoacetamide under alkaline conditions. The N¹ N³‐unsubstituted derivative was iodinated and subsequently alkylated with alkylation reagents which previously have been used for the synthesis of anti‐HTV active imidazoles. Unfortunately, the present products were devoid of activity against HTV.     

Synthesis of two 1,3‐2,4‐calix[4]bis‐crown ethers containing two 1,2‐phenylene and one pyridine or anisole units in each crown ether moiety

Syntheses of 1,3–2,4‐calix[4]bis‐crown ethers ( 1 and 2 ) fixed in the 1,3‐alternate conformation by 1,3‐ and 2,4‐bridges made of two modified polyether chains each containing two 1,2‐phenylene residues and one pyridine or anisyl unit are reported. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were established by ¹H nmr, ¹³C nmr, hrms and elemental analyses.     

Gas‐Phase Synthesis of 1‐Silacyclopenta‐2,4‐diene

Silole (1‐silacyclopenta‐2,4‐diene) was synthesized for the first time by the bimolecular reaction of the simplest silicon‐bearing radical, silylidyne (SiH), with 1,3‐butadiene (C₄H₆) in the gas phase under single‐collision conditions. The absence of consecutive collisions of the primary reaction product prevents successive reactions of the silole by Diels–Alder dimerization, thus enabling the clean gas‐phase synthesis of this hitherto elusive cyclic species from acyclic precursors in a single‐collision event. Our method opens up a versatile and unconventional path to access a previously rather obscure class of organosilicon molecules (substituted siloles), which have been difficult to access through classical synthetic methods.     

Microwave‐assisted synthesis and diels–alder reactions of 1,3‐azaphospholo[5,1‐a]isoquinolines

The application of microwave technique has been extended successfully for the first time to the synthesis of a representative class of azaphospholes, viz. 1,3‐bis(alkoxycarbonyl)‐1,3‐azaphospholo[5,1‐a]isoquinolines ( 2 ), which occurs rapidly giving higher yields. Stereoselectivity is observed in the reaction with 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐butadiene, and isoprene reacts regioselectively as well. 1‐Methyl‐3‐ethoxycarbonyl‐1,3‐azaphospholo[1,5‐a]pyridine ( 4 ) remains inert toward [2+4] cycloaddition. The nonoccurrence of the Diels–Alder reaction in the latter case has been supported by semiempirical PM3 calculations. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:560–563, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10193     

A Novel and Efficient Synthesis of Pyrido[1,2‐a]‐Fused 1,3‐Diazaheterocyclic Compounds via a One‐Pot Three‐Component Reaction

An efficient one‐pot synthesis of pyrido[1,2‐a]‐fused 1,3‐diazaheterocyclic compounds by three‐component reaction of diamine, nitroketene dithioacetal (=1,1‐bis(methylsulfanyl)‐2‐nitroethene), and electron‐poor itaconic anhydride (=2‐methylidenesuccinic anhydride=2‐methylidenebutanedioic anhydride) in aqueous EtOH is reported. This protocol has the advantages of easiness, higher yields, and shorter reaction times. The structures were corroborated spectroscopically (IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, and EI‐MS) and by elemental analyses. A plausible mechanism for this type of cyclization is proposed (Scheme 2).