Chemo- and regioselective assembly of polysubstituted pyridines and isoquinolines from isocyanides, arynes, and terminal alkynes

We have disclosed a general and efficient synthetic strategy for polysubstituted pyridines and isoquinolines with high chemo- and regioselectivity. In this methodology, 1-alkynyl imines act as the key compound to undergo a sequential alkynyl imine-allenyl imine isomerization/aza-Diels-Alder reaction/aromatization. In the first place, 1-alkynyl imines were formed in situ by a highly selective multicomponent reaction of isocyanides, arynes, and terminal alkynes and reacted with another molecule of arynes or terminal alkynes to furnish target heterocyclic products in a highly efficient and atom-economic manner. On the other hand, we attempted to prepare 1-alkynyl imines by other approaches to undergo a similar reaction sequence to afford polysubstituted pyridines and isoquinolines with a wider range. Different from the first approach, the second approach utilized the preprepared 1-alkynyl imines to introduce the related different substitutents into the final products: arynes or terminal alkynes bearing substituents different from those of 1-alkynyl imines have been successfully applied for the synthesis a wide variety of pyridines and isoquinolines with diversity.     

Hetarylamidines derived from PtIV-mediated coupling of nitriles with aminoheterocycles

The trans-[PtCl₄(EtCN)₂] complex is involved in coupling reactions (CH₂Cl₂, 30–35 °C, 10–15 min) with 2-amino derivatives of heterocyclic compounds (2-NH₂Het, where Het is pyridyl, 4-methylpyridyl, 5-methylpyridyl, 6-methylpyridyl, or thiazolyl) to form the trans-[PtCl₄{ N(H)=C(Et)NHHet}₂] complexes (1–5) with κ¹(N)-coordinated hetarylamidine ligands. The reaction with the use of 2-aminopyrimidine (2-NH₂Pym) produces the [PtCl₄(₂-NH₂Pym)₂] complex (6) as a result of complete replacement of the nitrile ligands in the [PtCl₄(EtCN)₂] complex. The compositions and structures of compounds 1–6 were confirmed by elemental analysis (C, H, N), IR spectroscopy, ¹H, ¹³C{1H}, and ¹⁹⁵Pt{¹H} NMR spectroscopy, and FAB mass spectrometry. Complex 1 was additionally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1572–1576, September, 2006.     

Scope of Ru(II)-catalyzed synthesis of pyridines from alkynes and nitriles

Pyridines can be efficiently synthesized by Ru(II)-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1,6-diynes to alpha,omega-dinitriles or electron-deficient nitriles or by Ru(II)-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cocyclization of electron-deficient alkynes and electron-deficient nitriles. The reactions with dinitriles seem likely to proceed via ruthenacyclopentadiene intermediates and the reactions with electron-poor nitriles via azaruthenacyclopentadienes. The reaction with asymmetric electron-deficient alkynes affords 2,3,6-trisubstituted pyridines in good yield.     

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed synthesis of isoquinolines from aryl ketone O-acyloxime derivatives and internal alkynes

A synthetic method of isoquinolines from aryl ketone O-acyloxime derivatives and internal alkynes has been developed using [Cp*RhCl(2)](2)-NaOAc as the potential catalyst system. The present transformation is carried out by a redox-neutral sequence of C-H vinylation via ortho-rhodation and C-N bond formation of the putative vinyl rhodium intermediate on the oxime nitrogen, where the N-O bond of oxime derivatives could work as an internal oxidant to maintain the catalytic cycle.     

Cobalt(III)-catalyzed synthesis of isoquinolines from oximes and alkynes in deep eutectic solvents

A cobalt-catalyzed redox-neutral [4 + 2] annulation of oximes and alkynes in deep eutectic solvents comprising quaternary ammonium compounds and hydrogen bond donors has been developed, the best system being Me₃N+CH₂CO₂- / HOCH(CF₃)₂. No external oxidizing reagent was required, and only water was generated as the secondary product. The catalytic system can be reused in three consecutive cycles.     

Cobalt-catalyzed reductive coupling of activated alkenes with alkynes

Cobalt complex/Zn systems effectively catalyze the reductive coupling of activated alkenes with alkynes in the presence of water to give substituted alkenes with very high regio- and stereoselectivity in excellent yields. While the intermolecular reaction of acrylates, acrylonitriles, and vinyl sulfones with alkynes takes place in the presence of CoI2(PPh3)2/Zn, the reaction of enones and enals with alkynes requires the use of the CoI2(dppe)/Zn/ZnI2 system. The intramolecular reductive coupling of activated alkenes (enones, enals, acrylates, and acrylonitriles) with alkynes also works efficiently. Further a variety of cyclic lactones and lactams were prepared using this methodology. Possible mechanistic pathways are proposed based on a deuterium-labeling experiment carried out in the presence of D2O.     

Cross coupling of polybromoiodobenzenes with some terminal alkynes

Sonogashira reactions of pentabromoiodobenzene and tetrabromo-1,4-diiodobenzene with various terminal alkynes at 20°C in benzene resulted in selective replacement of the iodine atoms with formation of the corresponding alk-1-yn-1-yl-substituted polybromobenzenes.     

Synthesis of isoquinolines and heterocycle-fused pyridines via three-component cascade reaction of aryl ketones, hydroxylamine, and alkynes

An efficient one-pot synthesis of isoquinolines and heterocycle-fused pyridines by three-component reaction of aryl ketones, hydroxylamine, and alkynes is developed. The reaction involves condensation of aryl ketones and hydroxylamine, rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H bond activation of the in situ generated aryl ketone oximes, and cyclization with internal alkynes. This protocol enables rapid assembly of multisubstituted isoquinolines as well as γ-carbolines, furo[2,3-c]pyridines, thieno[2,3-c]pyridines, and benzofuro[2,3-c]pyridines from readily available substrates.     

Generation of benzocyclobutadiene derivatives from zirconaindene derivatives

Zirconaindene derivatives produced benzocyclobutadiene derivatives in situ in the presence of CuCl and 1,4-naphthoquinone, which afforded their dimers, 6a,10b-dihydrobenzo[a]biphenylenes and dibenzosemibullvalenes or dibenzo[a,e]cycloctenes.     

Facile synthesis of isoquinolines by imination and subsequent palladacycle-catalyzed iminoannulation of internal alkynes

An efficient and facile synthesis of isoquinolines has been described via a tandem reaction of imination of o-halobenzaldehydes with tert-butyl amine and subsequent palladacycle-catalyzed iminoannulation of internal alkynes. This tandem reaction could be carried out successively in one pot without any special operation, and the annulation step could afford isoquinolines derivatives in moderate to good yields with high regioselectivity. In addition, the simple synthesis of indoles was realized by palladacycle-catalyzed annulation of o-iodoaniline or o-bromoanilines with internal alkynes.     

Synthesis of isoquinolines and pyridines by the palladium-catalyzed iminoannulation of internal alkynes.

A wide variety of substituted isoquinoline, tetrahydroisoquinoline, 5,6-dihydrobenz[f]isoquinoline, pyrindine, and pyridine heterocycles have been prepared in good to excellent yields via annulation of internal acetylenes with the tert-butylimines of o-iodobenzaldehydes and 3-halo-2-alkenals in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The best results are obtained by employing 5 mol % of Pd(OAc)(2), an excess of the alkyne, 1 equiv of Na(2)CO(3) as a base, and 10 mol % of PPh(3) in DMF as the solvent. This annulation methodology is particularly effective for aryl- or alkenyl-substituted alkynes. When electron-rich imines are employed, this chemistry can be extended to alkyl-substituted alkynes. Trimethylsilyl-substituted alkynes also undergo this annulation process to afford monosubstituted heterocyclic products absent the silyl group.     

Nickel-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkynes and epoxides

Nickel-catalyzed, intramolecular and intermolecular reductive coupling of alkynes and epoxides affords synthetically useful homoallylic alcohols of defined alkene geometry. Very high regioselectivity is generally observed, and cyclizations proceed with complete selectivity for endo epoxide opening. This catalytic reaction represents the first use of a non-pi-based electrophile in a growing class of nickel-catalyzed, multicomponent coupling reactions, and is the first catalytic method of reductive coupling of alkynes and epoxides that is effective for both intermolecular and intramolecular cases, and mechanistically distinct from these, possibly involving a nickella(II)oxetane.     

Copper-catalyzed coupling of pyridines and quinolines with alkynes: a one-step, asymmetric route to functionalized heterocycles

A copper (I)-catalyzed, asymmetric method to directly functionalize pyridines, quinolines, and isoquinolines with terminal alkynes is described. The reaction is readily diversified to incorporate a range of pyridine-based heterocycles and electron-rich or electron-poor alkynes. This provides a straightforward alternative to nucleophilic or cross-coupling approaches to directly derivatize these heterocycles, and yields useful propargylcarbamates.     

Palladium-catalyzed diastereoselective coupling of propargylic oxiranes with terminal alkynes

[reaction: see text] A diastereoselective coupling of propargylic oxiranes with terminal alkynes has been developed with use of a palladium catalyst. The stereochemistries of the resulting 4-alkynyl-substituted 2,3-allenols have been altered depending on the palladium catalyst. An optically active anti-substituted allene was synthesized from the reaction of an enantiomerically enriched propargylic oxirane without loss of chirality.     

Synthesis of molybdenum nitrido complexes for triple-bond metathesis of alkynes and nitriles

Complexes of the type N≡Mo(OR)(3) (R = tertiary alkyl, tertiary silyl, bulky aryl) have been synthesized in the search for molybdenum-based nitrile-alkyne cross-metathesis (NACM) catalysts. Protonolysis of known N≡Mo(NMe(2))(3) led to the formation of N≡Mo(O-2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))(3)(NHMe(2)) (12), N≡Mo(OSiPh(3))(3)(NHMe(2)) (5-NHMe(2)), and N≡Mo(OCPh(2)Me)(3)(NHMe(2)) (17-NHMe(2)). The X-ray structure of 12 revealed an NHMe(2) ligand bound cis to the nitrido ligand, while 5-NHMe(2) possessed an NHMe(2) bound trans to the nitride ligand. Consequently, 17-NHMe(2) readily lost its amine ligand to form N≡Mo(OCPh(2)Me)(3) (17), while 12 and 5-NHMe(2) retained their amine ligands in solution. Starting from bulkier tris-anilide complexes, N≡Mo(N[R]Ar)(3) (R = isopropyl, tert-butyl; Ar = 3,5-dimethylphenyl) allowed for the formation of base-free complexes N≡Mo(OSiPh(3))(3) (5) and N≡Mo(OSiPh(2)(t)Bu)(3) (16). Achievement of a NACM cycle requires the nitride complex to react with alkynes to form alkylidyne complexes; therefore the alkyne cross-metathesis (ACM) activity of the complexes was tested. Complex 5 was found to be an efficient catalyst for the ACM of 1-phenyl-1-butyne at room temperature. Complexes 12 and 5-NHMe(2) were also active for ACM at 75 °C, while 17-NHMe(2) and 16 did not show ACM activity. Only 5 proved to be active for the NACM of anisonitrile, which is a reactive substrate in NACM catalyzed by tungsten. NACM with 5 required a reaction temperature of 180 °C in order to initiate the requisite alkylidyne-to-nitride conversion, with slightly more than two turnovers achieved prior to catalyst deactivation. Known molybdenum nitrido complexes were screened for NACM activity under similar conditions, and only N≡Mo(OSiPh(3))(3)(py) (5-py) displayed any trace of NACM activity.     

Carbonylative Sonogashira coupling of terminal alkynes with aqueous ammonia

[reaction: see text] Carbonylative coupling of phenylethyne with 4-methoxy-1-iodobenzene in the presence of 1 mol % PdCl(2)(PPh(3))(2), 2 equiv of 0.5 M aqueous ammonia, and CO (1 atm) gives the corresponding alpha,beta-alkynyl ketone in 72% isolated yield after stirring at room temperature for 41 h, while noncarbonylative coupling product is not obtained.     

Copper-free Sonogashira coupling of cyclopropyl iodides with terminal alkynes

The substrate scope of the copper-free Sonogashira coupling has been successfully extended to cyclopropyl iodides, allowing an efficient access to a wide variety of functionalized alkynyl cyclopropanes.