CuI/Cu(OTf)2/DMSO system-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative cyclization of (o-alkynyl)arylketones: Efficient synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinones

A concise and efficient method for the synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinones has been successfully developed involving a CuI/Cu(OTf)₂/DMSO system-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative cyclization of (o-alkynyl)arylketones. The present protocol provided a novel approach to access functionalized 1,4-naphthoquinones from non-naphthoquinone precursors with good selectivity and functional group tolerance.     

Catalyst-free synthesis of coumarin-, quinolone- and pyridine-annulated oxazole derivatives

An efficient approach for the synthesis of coumarin-, quinolone- and pyridine-annulated oxazole derivatives has been achieved by direct base-mediated intramolecular carbon–oxygen bond formation in a transition metal catalyst-free protocol. Intramolecular cyclization of o-bromoamides in DMSO in the presence of Cs₂CO₃ at 130 °C affords heterocycle-annulated oxazole derivatives in high yields via a nucleophilic addition of amide to form the C–O bond.     

Synthesis of bicyclic N,N-enaminals by cyclization of alk-4-ynals with aliphatic diamines in DMSO upon treatment with KOH

A cyclization of alk-4-ynals with aliphatic diamines in DMSO upon treatment with KOH was found to lead to bicyclic N,N-enaminals. The studies of this reaction showed that 1,3-diaminopropane and N-methyl-1,3-diaminopropane gave (E)-6-(arylmethylidene)octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimidines in 45—78% yields, whereas 1,2-diaminoethane gave 5-(arylmethylidene)hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazoles as mixtures of E- and Z-isomers in up to 75% total yield. The mechanism of these new cascade cyclization reactions includes formation of the equilibrium mixtures of imines and cyclic aminals with subsequent intramolecular hydroamination of the triple bond having considerable ionic character.     

Copper-Catalyzed Cyanopropylation of Activated Alkenes

A practical copper-catalyzed alkylarylation of activated alkenes with azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and beyond has been developed, in which incorporation of 3^o nitrile moiety into an oxindole scaffold proceeded smoothly through cascade radical addition/C(sp²)-H cyclization. The use of readily available AIBN as radical source and inexpensive CuI as catalyst, as well as broad substrate scope and the simplicity of operation and handling, make this protocol a highly attractive approach to oxindoles bearing 3^o nitrile moiety.     

Asymmetric reactions of axially chiral amides: use of removable ortho-substituents in radical cyclizations of o-iodoacrylanilides and N-allyl-N-o-iodoacrylamides

Radical cyclizations of enantiomerically enriched o-iodoacrylanilides and N-allyl-o-iodoanilides bearing a removable ortho-substituent such as trimethylsilyl or bromine provide oxindoles and indoles in good yields and with good to excellent levels of chirality transfer from the N-Ar axis to the new stereocenter. Transition state models for the chirality transfer are suggested. Chemoselectivity of the radical cyclization in favor of the iodine in the case of 2-iodo-6-bromo-N-allylacrylamides has been exploited for the synthesis of chiral pyrroloquinolinones by a one-pot sequence of 5-exo and 6-endo cyclizations.     

Synthesis of annulated benzimidazoles via amidine cyclization

Structurally diverse annulated benzimidazoles were synthesized via two copper(I)-catalyzed cyclocondensation reactions. In the first case the title compounds were prepared from lactams and o-bromoaniline. An alternative route consisted of an intramolecular cyclization of o-bromoarylamidines.     

One-pot synthesis of substituted indolines via a copper-catalyzed sequential multicomponent/C-N coupling reaction

One-pot synthesis of 2-(N-sulfonylimino)indolines has been developed. The procedure combines the copper-catalyzed three-component reaction of sulfonyl azides, o-bromophenylacetylenes, and amines and the copper-catalyzed intramolecular C-N coupling in one sequence, which afforded the products in moderate to good yields. The resulting 2-(N-sulfonylimino)indolines could be easily transformed to pharmaceutically valuable oxindoles (indolin-2-ones).     

S<Subscript>N</Subscript><Superscript>H</Superscript> reactions of 3-fluoronitroarenes with chloromethyl sulfone as the method for the construction of 6-fluoro-3-sulfonylindoles

5-R-6-Fluoro-3-phenylsulfonylindoles were synthesized by the S_N ^H reaction of 3-fluoronitrobenzenes with chloromethyl phenyl sulfone in DMSO in the presence of KOH with subsequent reduction of the nitro group and intramolecular cyclization of imidates. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1980–1984, October, 2007.     

A novel and chemoselective synthesis of substituted 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones from o-oxiranylmethylbenzonitrile intermediates and TBAB/NaCN

A novel synthesis of substituted 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones is described. o-Oxiranylmethylbenzonitriles, prepared from isovanillin via five synthetic steps, were treated with NaCN/tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) to yield 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones in good yields. This one pot reaction demonstrates the novel and chemoselective nature of ring-opening of epoxide by cyanide to generate an iminoisochroman ring via cyclization, again ring-opening by cyanide to generate a Michael acceptor and a donor, and ring re-cyclization through an intramolecular conjugate addition. The detailed mechanism is also rationally proposed.     

Revisited synthesis of fused diazepines from 3-(3-aryl-3-oxopropenyl)chromen-4-ones and binucleophilic amino enones in a three-step domino process

The synthesis of tetracyclic 11,12,13,14b-tetrahydrodi-benzo[b, f]pyrido[1,2-d][1,4]diazepines was revisited via a catalyst-free three-step domino reaction involving a pyrone ring-opening/aza-Michael addition/intramolecular cyclization, the reactants having been o-arylenediamine–dimedone adducts and 3-(3-aryl-3-oxopropenyl)chromen-4-ones. The 3-positioned exocyclic α,β-enone fragment on the chromone moiety is involved in the cyclization into the final products at the last step of the process.     

Free radical synthesis of benzofused tricyclic β-lactams by intramolecular cyclization of 2-azetidinone-tethered haloarenes

o-Halogenophenyl- and o-halogenobenzyl-4-alkenyl-β-lactams can be prepared both in the racemic form and in optically pure form using the ketene-imine cyclization. These 2-azetidinone-tethered haloarenes were used for the regio- and stereoselective preparation of benzofused tricyclic β-lactams including benzocarbapenems and benzocarbacephems via intramolecular aryl radical cyclisation.     

Ionic liquid supported multistep divergent synthesis of benzimidazole linked pyrrolo-/pyrido-/isoindolo-benzimidazolones

Diversity oriented parallel synthesis for bis-heterocyclic skeletal novel benzimidazole linked pyrrolo-/pyrido-benzimidazolones and benzimidazole linked isoindolo-benzimidazolones has been developed on ionic liquid support under microwave irradiation by utilizing the cascade cyclization. The key tandem transformation comprises (i) amino-alkylation of immobilized o-phenylenediamine with ketoacids, (ii) intramolecular cyclization through secondary amine on electrophilic imine carbon toward pentacyclic aza-ring and (iii) second amido-cyclization to deliver cycloamide ring. The synergy arises by combined use of microwave heating with ionic liquid support which is very effectively used to speed up multistep synthesis of biological interesting heterocycles.     

Efficient syntheses of 3H-azuleno[8,1-cd]pyridazines and their thermal and photochemical reactions

Azulenopyridazines 6 were efficiently synthesized from ethyl 4-hydrazinylazulene-1-carboxylate (2) by p-toluenesulfonic acid-catalyzed imine formation and intramolecular cyclization followed by dehydrogenation using KOH/MeOH in one-pot operation. Thermal and photochemical reactions of azulenopyridazines 6 afforded 1-vinylazulenes 7 in good yields.     

Stereoselective synthesis of fused heterocycles from substituted o-Benzoquinones and anilines

The reaction of trisubstituted o-benzoquinones with substituted anilines gives unstable o-benzoquinone imines which undergo intramolecular cyclization to 4aH-phenoxazine derivatives. Dimerization of the latter according to Diels-Alder yields complex heterocyclic systems, 7a,14a,15a,15b-tetrahydro-14,16-dioxa-5,9-diaza-8,15-ethenohexaphenes. Effective shielding of the carbonyl groups in 3,6-di-tert-butyl-4-isopropyl-o-benzoquinone makes it inactive toward substituted anilines.     

Vinyl Ethers Containing an Epoxy Group: XXII. Synthesis and Base-Catalyzed Transformations of 1-(Allyloxy)- and 1-[2-(Vinyloxy)ethoxy]-3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols

Reactions of 2-(allyloxymethyl)- and 2-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]methyloxiranes with 2-propynol (～3 wt % of t-BuOK, 75–85°C, 5–10 h) lead to formation of new 1-organyloxy-3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols (yield 65–95%). On heating to 45–100°C in the presence of bases (KOH, t-BuOK), 1-allyloxy- and 1-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]-3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols are transformed into the corresponding 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane, 6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxine, 6-methylene-1,4-dioxane, and 2,3-dihydro-5H-1,4-dioxepine derivatives, whose yield and ratio strongly depend on the solvent nature, catalyst, and substituent at the hydroxy group. 2-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolane and 6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxine derivatives are formed as the major products (yield 70–99%) in the presence of t-BuOK in aprotic media (toluene, THF, DMSO) or in the absence of a solvent as a result of prototropic isomerization followed by intramolecular heterocyclization. Intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization of 3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols to 6-methylene-1,4-dioxane is the predominant process in water in the presence of KOH. In all cases, the fraction of 2,3-dihydro-5H-1,4-dioxepine derivatives among the cyclization products ranges from 0 to 5% (KOH) or to 14% (t-BuOK).     

Spiroquinazoline support studies: methods for the preparation of imidazoloindolines from oxindoles

Two methods for the annulation of glycine to the 1 and 2 positions of oxindoles are described. The first method involves introduction of an α-azidoacetyl group on the oxindole nitrogen followed by an intramolecular Staudinger reaction to complete the annulation. The second method involves acylation of the oxindole nitrogen with an N-Cbz-glycine derivative followed by reduction of the oxindole carbonyl group and subsequent cyclization to provide an imidazoloindoline.     

tert-BuOK-mediated carbanion-yne intramolecular cyclization: synthesis of 2-substituted 3-benzylbenzofurans

A mild, efficient, and regioselective carbanion-yne intramolecular cyclization mediated by t-BuOK for the synthesis of 2-substituted 3-benzylbenzofurans is developed. It was started from o-iodophenol (1), based on O-alkylation, and the Sonogashira reaction in sequence to produce 2-(2-phenylethynylphenoxy)-1-arylalkanones (5). An intramolecular carbanion-yne 5-exo-dig cyclization reaction of 5, which was mediated by t-BuOK, yielded title benzofurans in good yields.     

Synthesis of new thieno[3,2-b]pyridine derivatives by palladium-catalyzed couplings and intramolecular cyclizations

Two methyl 3-aminothieno[3,2-b]pyridine-2-carboxylates were prepared from 3-fluoro or 3-nitropicolinonitriles and methyl thioglycolate in DMF/KOH(aq). From the unsubstituted precursor in the pyridine ring, di(hetero)arylamines were obtained by C-N Buchwald-Hartwig coupling with bromonitrobenzenes and with 2-bromopyridine. In the latter case a tetracyclic compound was formed by intramolecular cyclization. Using a brominated derivative in the pyridine ring as a coupling component, it was possible to synthesize C-C (Suzuki and Sonogashira) and C-N (Buchwald-Hartwig) coupling products and a tetracyclic compound obtained by bifunctionalization of the thienopyridine system.     

One-pot synthesis of quinolin-2-(1H)-ones via tandem Ugi-Knoevenagel condensations

A new application of the Ugi reaction in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds is described. Substituted quinolin-2-(1H)-ones are formed in one-pot sequential Ugi four-component condensation and intramolecular Knoevenagel cyclization between o-acylanilines, aldehydes, malonic or tosylacetic acids and cyclohexyl isocyanide.     

PIII/PV=O Catalyzed Cascade Synthesis of N-Functionalized Azaheterocycles

An organocatalytic method for the modular synthesis of diverse N-aryl and N-alkyl azaheterocycles (indoles, oxindoles, benzimidazoles, and quinoxalinediones) is reported. The method employs a small-ring organophosphorus-based catalyst (1,2,2,3,4,4-hexamethylphosphetane P-oxide) and a hydrosilane reductant to drive the conversion of ortho-functionalized nitroarenes into azaheterocycles through sequential intermolecular reductive C−N cross coupling with boronic acids, followed by intramolecular cyclization. This method enables the rapid construction of azaheterocycles from readily available building blocks, including a regiospecific approach to N-substituted benzimidazoles and quinoxalinediones.