Complexity-enhancing acid-promoted rearrangement of tricyclic products of tandem Ugi 4CC/intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction

The unexpected rearrangement of 2,3,7,7a-tetrahydro-3a,6-epoxyisoindol-1-one products of the tandem Ugi 4CC/intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction in 85% H3PO4 was discovered to provide diastereomerically pure tricyclic bislactam lactone-containing natural product-like products in high yield. Mechanistic rationale for the observed rearrangement was proposed and has been tentatively confirmed by additional experiments.     

Parallel synthesis of novel benzimidazoles on a soluble polymer support

Liquid phase combinatorial synthesis using a soluble polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer support and commercially available 3-nitro-4-fluoro benzoic acid is carried out in order to create a molecular library of trisubstituted benzimidazoles. The PEG-ester conjugate of 3-nitro-4-fluoro benzoic acid is subjected to ipso-fluoro displacement by various primary amines. The nitro group is reduced under neutral conditions using excess zinc and ammonium chloride, producing the polymer-boundo-phenylene diamines. Reaction of the diamines with different aldehydes results in cyclisation to benzimidazoles. The polymer support is cleaved releasing the desired products in high yields and purity. All reactions are performed at room temperature.      

Simultaneous accumulation of both skeletal and appendage-based diversities on tandem Ugi/Diels-Alder products

Diversity-oriented organic synthesis (DOS) is a key concept for construction of skeletally diverse small molecule libraries to discover drug-like small molecules. Here, we describe a DOS class to transform a complex 7-oxanorbornene skeleton, which is readily accessible by a tandem Ugi/Diels-Alder reaction, into two heterotricycle skeletons selectively by using tandem ROM/CM/RCM reaction. In the present study, the mode of cyclization is pre-encoded by building blocks used in the complexity-generating tandem Ugi/Diels-Alder reaction. Since variable alkenes can be used in the CM reaction, our approach can be extended to construct both skeleton- and appendage-diverse small molecule libraries.     

Parallel synthesis of 2-sulphanylated bis-benzimidazoles on soluble polymer support

A well-sustained multistep synthetic protocol has been designed for the PEG-functionalized aromatic acid amide to generate a molecular library of 2-alkylthio bis-benzimidazoles. An attempted synthesis of benzimidazole-2-thiol in dichloromethane has led to S-chloromethyl methyl sulfides, mimicking bacterial enzymatic systems. Regioselective S-alkylation was brought about under controlled conditions using a mild base at room temperature. The polymer-free compounds, 2-sulfanylated bisbenzimidazoles, were obtained in high yields and high purities. Chemical shift changes in proton and carbon NMR have been employed to monitor the progress of the reaction steps and to prove the site of S-alkylation, respectively.     

Progress toward the total synthesis of bacchopetiolone: application of a tandem aromatic oxidation/Diels-Alder reaction

A stereoselective synthesis of the bacchopetiolone (1) carbocyclic core using a tandem phenolic oxidation/Diels-Alder reaction is described. [reaction: see text].     

Studies toward the biomimetic synthesis of tropolone natural products via a hetero Diels-Alder reaction

Analogues of the tropolone natural products pycnidione and epolone B were synthesized via a hetero Diels-Alder reaction of benzotropolone 10 with humulene. The quinone methide benzotropolone 13 was generated in situ by thermalisation of benzotropolone 10. Benzotropolone 10 was derived from phthalic acid via carbonyl ylide 8a followed by an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and subsequent acid-catalyzed ring opening.     

Parallel synthesis of 4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-oxadiazoles using soluble polymer support

1,3-Dipolar cycloadditions of nitrile oxide generated in situ on soluble polymer with a variety of imines provided a library of 4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-oxadiazoles in good yields and purity.     

Application of tandem Ugi reaction/ring-closing metathesis in multicomponent synthesis of unsaturated nine-membered lactams

A new straightforward entry into unsaturated nine-membered lactams of potential use as external reverse turn inducers was developed. It is based on an Ugi multicomponent reaction using two unsaturated substrates, followed by highly stereoselective ring-closing metathesis (RCM). The synthesis of a nine-membered secondary lactam by RCM is reported for the first time.     

The synthesis of a soluble,unsymmetrical phthalocyanine on a polymer support

A 1% crosslinked divinylbenzene-styrene copolymer was used in the preparation of the unsymmetrical 2-(6'-hydroxyhexoxy)-9,16,23-triisopropoxyphthalocyanine, soluble in common organic solvents.     

Copper-catalyzed tandem reaction directed toward synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted quinazolinones from vinyl halides and 2-aminobenzamides

A copper-catalyzed tandem reaction with vinyl halides and 2-aminobenzamides has been developed. In this synthetic route, cross-coupling reaction of the amide moiety with vinyl halides initially progresses, followed by hydroamination, to provide 2,2-disubstituted quinazolinone derivatives. Moreover, the tandem reaction is used in a one-pot synthesis beginning with alkyne hydroiodination by PPh₃, I₂, and H₂O.     

An atom-economical approach to conformationally constrained tricyclic nitrogen heterocycles via sequential and tandem Ugi/intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of pyrrole

An efficient approach to rigid tricyclic nitrogen heterocycles via sequential and tandem Ugi/intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) cycloaddition of pyrrole is described. The one-pot Ugi four-component condensation (4CC) reaction was used as the key transformation to prepare trienes with a carboxamide substituent on the tether. The use of acrylic acid (21) and N-propyl- and N-benzylmaleamic acids (24b and 24C) as the acid components provided trienes 22, 25b, and 25c, respectively, which upon heating at 120 degrees C for 12 h yielded the corresponding [4 + 2] cycloaddition products. In the case of maleic acid derivative 24a, heating the reaction mixture at 60 degrees C for 6 h promoted the cycloaddition reaction and provided the desired product 26a in 78% yield. In contrast, fumaric acid monoethyl ester (27a) and 3-acetyl- and 3-(4-methylbenzoyl) acrylic acids (27b-c) directly yielded the corresponding Ugi/IMDA cycloaddition products 29a-c in high yields at room temperature without any trace of initially formed trienes 28a-c. The IMDA cycloaddition reactions proceed with excellent stereoselectivity with the formation of five stereogenic centers and three rings.     

Rapid synthesis and zebrafish evaluation of a phenanthridine-based small molecule library

A Heck cyclisation approach is described for the rapid synthesis of a library of natural product-like small molecules, based on the phenanthridine core. The synthesis of a range of substituted benzylamine building blocks and their incorporation into the library is reported, together with a highly selective cis-dihydroxylation protocol that enables access to the target compounds in an efficient manner. Biological evaluation of the library using zebrafish phenotyping has led to the discovery of compound 20c, a novel inhibitor of early-stage zebrafish embryo development.     

Application of tandem Ugi multi-component reaction/ring closing metathesis to the synthesis of a conformationally restricted cyclic pentapeptide

A conformationally restricted cyclic pentapeptide, containing an unsaturated 9-membered lactam as a semi-rigid scaffold, was prepared in a very convergent manner, through tandem Ugi reaction/ring closing metathesis.     

New approach toward the total synthesis of (+)-aphidicolin by tandem transannular Diels-Alder/aldol strategy

The synthesis of a 15-membered macrocyclic triene containing all the required substituents of ring A of (+)-aphidicolin (1) is reported. This compound underwent a thermal transannular cycloaddition followed by an intramolecular aldol reaction to yield tetracycle 32 containing 8 chiral centers which is considered a key intermediate for the synthesis of (+)-aphidicolin and related analogs.     

Oligosaccharide synthesis on a soluble, hyperbranched polymer support via thioglycoside activation

The synthesis of linear and branched di-, tri- and tetramannosides on a commercially available hyperbranched polyester as a soluble, high loading support is described. Glycosylation products were isolated in 26-63% yield as mixtures of anomers after total hydrolytic degradation of the polymer. All polymer-bound intermediates were purified through simple extraction or precipitation. Solution-phase NMR and MALDI-TOF were used to monitor the progress of the reaction directly on the hyperbranched polymer support.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of highly functionalized guanidines on soluble polymer support

An efficient method for the N,N′-di(Boc)-protected guanidines containing piperazine and homopiperazine scaffolds has been developed under multi-step microwave irradiation. Followed by alkylation of carbamate-protected guanidines with various alkyl halides is also explored. This protocol proceeds via deprotonation of the acidic N-carbamate hydrogen of the guanidine by sodium hydride on soluble polymer support. In this manner, highly functionalized guanidines were obtained after cleavage from the support. The reaction is tolerant of a wide range of functional groups on both the alkyl halide and guanidine components. In addition, the reaction is sufficiently simple workup by precipitation in each step to yield the substituted guanidines in high purity. In conjunction with microwave irradiation and soluble polymer support, this method provides an efficient route to access highly functionalized guanidines.     

Parallel synthesis and biophysical characterization of a degradable polymer library for gene delivery

We recently reported the parallel synthesis of 140 degradable poly(beta-amino esters) via the conjugate addition of 20 primary or secondary amine monomers to seven different diacrylate monomers. To explore possible structure/function relationships and further characterize this class of materials, we investigated the ability of each DNA-complexing polymer to overcome important cellular barriers to gene transfer. The majority of vectors were found to be uptake-limited, but complexes formed from polymers B14 and G5 displayed high levels of internalization relative to "naked" DNA (18x and 32x, respectively). Effective diameter and zeta potential measurements indicated that, in general, small particle size and positive surface charge led to higher internalization rates. Of the 10 DNA/polymer complexes with the highest uptake levels, all had effective diameters less than 250 nm and nine had positive zeta potentials. Lysosomal trafficking was investigated by measuring the pH environment of delivered DNA. Complexes prepared with polymers G5, G10, A13, B13, A14, and B14 were found to have near neutral pH measurements, suggesting that they were able to successfully avoid trafficking to acidic lysosomes. This work highlights the value of parallel synthesis and screening approaches for the discovery of new polymers for gene delivery and the elucidation of structure/function relationships for this important class of materials.     

Studies directed toward the synthesis of the scabrosins: validation of a tandem enyne metathesis approach

A synthetic approach to the scabrosin family of antibiotics using a ruthenium carbene-catalyzed tandem metathesis and a Pd(II)-catalyzed cyclization is described. The chiral propargyl amino acid is furnished through enantioselective phase-transfer propargylation. The synthesis of the cyclohexadiene ring system is achieved through ring synthesis using tandem enyne metathesis, previously developed in our lab. The complementary methods of methylene-free and 1,5-hexadiene-alkyne metatheses are compared. The indoline heterocycles are formed using a two-step chloroacetoxylation (Bäckvall reaction) with subsequent nucleophilic attack by an amide nucleophile. The indoline subunits were joined and cyclized to furnish the core diketopiperazine ring. The stereochemical assignment of intermediates is also discussed.