Factors affecting the efficiency and stereoselectivity of α-amino acid synthesis by the Petasis reaction

The use of chiral secondary amines containing only one branched substituent has been shown to give optimal yields and stereoselectivities in the preparation of α-amino acids using the Petasis reaction. While the use of chiral primary amines generally gives products in low to moderate diastereoselectivity, chiral secondary amines generally give products in >95:5 diastereoselectivity. Additionally, the use of amines with two chiral (and by definition, branched) N-alkyl substituents results in significantly reduced yields with respect to to secondary amines with one or no branched N-alkyl substituents.     

Carbamoylimidazolium and thiocarbamoylimidazolium salts: novel reagents for the synthesis of ureas, thioureas, carbamates, thiocarbamates and amides

Carbamoylimidazolium salts act as efficient N,N-disubstituted carbamoylating reagents. These salts are readily prepared by the sequential treatment of secondary amines with N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) and iodomethane. The carbamoylimidazolium salts are more efficient carbamoyl transfer reagents than the intermediate carbamoylimidazoles, as a result of the ‘imidazolium’ effect. Kinetic studies on the base promoted hydrolysis of both carbamoylimidazoles and carbamoylimidazolium salts reveal over a hundred-fold rate acceleration. The salts react with amines, thiols, phenols/alcohols, and carboxylic acids in high yields, without the need for subsequent chromatographic purification of the products, producing ureas, thiocarbamates, carbamates, and amides, respectively. Analogous thiocarbamoylimidazolium salts were also synthesized from secondary amines and N,N′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole (TCDI), followed by methylation with iodomethane.     

A mild and practical copper catalyzed amination of halothiophenes

We have found that N,N-dimethylethanolamine (deanol) is a useful solvent and ligand for copper catalyzed amination of a variety of unactivated and activated 2- or 3-halothiophenes. Primary amines, acyclic secondary amines, cyclic secondary amines and acyclic secondary amines with 2-hydroxyethyl functionality react with halothiophenes in moderate to excellent yields. The mildly basic conditions utilized are compatible with many functional groups. The amination of halobithiophenes has also been examined. The aminothiophenes produced by this method are important intermediates in a variety of electronic and optoelectronic materials.     

Oxidation of secondary amines by molecular oxygen and cyclohexanone monooxygenase

Cyclohexanone monooxygenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus catalyzed the oxidation of tertiary and secondary amines to N-oxides and nitrones, respectively. The formation of a hydroxylamine intermediate was involved with secondary amines as starting substrates.     

Catalytic guanylation of aliphatic,aromatic, heterocyclic primary and secondary amines using nanocrystalline zinc(II) oxide

Nanocrystalline ZnO was found to be a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the guanylation of amines with various carbodiimides to afford N,N′,N″-trisubstituted guanidines in excellent yields. Structurally divergent aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic primary and secondary amines were converted to the corresponding N,N′,N″-trisubstituted guanidines using optimal conditions. The catalyst was easy to handle even under atmospheric conditions and can be easily recovered by centrifugation and reused for five cycles with consistent activity.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically-enriched N-aryl amino-amides via a Jocic-type reaction

Enantiomerically-enriched secondary trichloromethyl-alcohols react with aryl amines to give enantiomerically-enriched α-N-arylamino-acid derivatives. The intermediate acid chlorides can react in situ with aryl or, regioselectively, with alkyl amines to give aryl or alkyl α-N-arylamino amides.     

Latent ruthenium carbene complexes with six-membered N- and S-chelate rings

New ruthenium carbene complexes with chelating N- and S-benzylidene ligands were synthesized by the reactions of second- and third-generation Grubbs catalysts with ortho-vinylbenzyl-substituted amines or sulfides. These complexes were shown to exhibit catalytic activity in ring-opening metathesis polymerization and ring-closing metathesis.     

A convenient method for the synthesis of N-hydroxyureas

Treatment of amines with 1-(4-nitrophenol)-N-(O-benzylhydroxy)carbamate yields the O-benzyl protected N-hydroxyureas. Hydrogenation of the O-benzyl protected N-hydroxyureas over 5% Pd/BaSO₄ cleanly gives the N-hydroxyureas in good yield. In addition to primary and secondary aliphatic and aromatic amines, this method converts amino sugars to the corresponding N-hydroxyureas without extensive protecting group chemistry.     

N-(Benzoyloxy)amines: an investigation of their thermal stability, synthesis, and incorporation into novel peptide constructs

A series of N-benzoyloxyamines were pyrolyzed and their decomposition temperatures correlated well with the amine architecture's ability to stabilize a N-centered radical. A variety of amine substrates were treated with a biphasic mixture of benzoyl peroxide (BPO), CH₂Cl₂ and an aqueous carbonate buffer (at pH 10.5). Primary and secondary amines were successfully N-benzoyloxylated in good yield. Tertiary amines and BPO gave low yields of the corresponding N-oxide and complex product mixtures, presumably via radical decomposition. Electron deficient amines (such as fluorinated aliphatic amines, α-aminoacids, α-aminoesters, and α-aminoamides) were not N-benzoyloxylated under these conditions. Instead, N-benzoylation was observed with the fluorinated amines and the reaction was sensitive to temperature and the pH of the aqueous medium. A one-pot-two-step synthesis of N^α-FMOC-l-Leu-N^β-(benzoyloxy)-β-alanine ethyl ester, a peptide containing both an α- and a novel β-amino acid framework, was also developed.     

An easy three step synthesis of perfluoroalkylated amphetamines

A general synthesis of perfluoroalkylated amphetamines is presented. Initially, 1-aryl-1-iodo-2-(perfluoroalkyl)ethylenes are prepared by radical addition of perfluoroalkyl iodides to arylacetylenes. Key step of the reaction sequence is the following dehydroiodination in the presence of n-BuLi to give 1-perfluoroalkyl-2-arylacetylenes in situ, which are reacted with secondary amines to produce perfluoroalkylated enamines in a new one pot procedure. Final hydrogenation yields the desired products in good yields. By using N,N-dibenzylamine or N-benzylamines the corresponding primary and secondary perfluoroalkylated amines are easily available.     

Mesoionic N-heterocyclic olefin catalysed reductive functionalization of CO2 for consecutive N-methylation of amines

A mesoionic N-heterocyclic olefin (mNHO) was introduced as a metal-free catalyst for the reductive functionalization of CO₂ leading to consecutive double N-methylation of primary amines in the presence of 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9-BBN). A wide range of secondary amines and primary amines were successfully methylated under mild conditions. The catalyst sustained over six successive cycles of N-methylation of secondary amines without compromising its activity, which encouraged us to check its efficacy towards double N-methylation of primary amines. Moreover, this method was utilized for the synthesis of two commercially available drug molecules. A detailed mechanistic cycle was proposed by performing a series of control reactions along with the successful characterisation of active catalytic intermediates either by single-crystal X-ray study or by NMR spectroscopic studies in association with DFT calculations.

Mesoionic N-heterocyclic olefin (mNHO) catalysed consecutive N-methylation of primary and secondary amines was accomplished under 1 atm CO₂ pressure in the presence of 9-BBN as a reducing agent nearly at room temperature.     

Development of a new linker for the solid-phase synthesis of N-hydroxylated and N-methylated secondary amines

Merrifield resin was modified by the introduction of an ortho-nitrophenylethanal group that served as a linker moiety to attach amines to the resin by reductive amination. Resin-bound tertiary amines were shown to be readily transferred into the respective liberated N-hydroxylated or N-methylated derivatives by either an oxidation/Cope elimination or a permethylation/Hofmann elimination protocol. With these two divergent liberation/derivatization options, the new resin offers new flexibility in the solid phase synthesis of N-modified secondary amines, for instance in spider toxin synthesis.     

Enantioselective hydrosilylation of ketimines with trichlorosilane promoted by chiral N-picolinoylaminoalcohols

Enantioselective hydrosilylation of N-aryl and N-benzyl ketimines with trichlorosilane catalyzed by readily accessible chiral N-picolinoylaminoalcohols proceeded smoothly furnishing chiral secondary amines in good yields (up to 93%) and moderate to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee).     

Intramolecular Heck reaction: A facile sequential one-pot synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[b][1,6]naphthyridines

A simple and convenient sequential one-pot synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[b][1,6] naphthyridines has been developed. The reductive amination of 2-chloro-3-formylquinolines with various amines in the presence of sodium borohydride provided the corresponding secondary amines in high yields. Further, a sequential one-pot reaction involving N-allylation and intramolecular Heck type 6-exo-trig cyclization was performed on the secondary amines to afford a range of desired 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[b][1,6]-naphthyridine derivatives in good to high yields.     

Efficient synthetic protocol for substituted guanidines via copper(I)-mediated intermolecular amination of isothiourea derivatives

Amination of S-methyl-N,N′-bis-Boc-isothiourea with either primary or sterically hindered secondary amines promoted by copper(I) chloride and K₂CO₃ gave N,N′-bis-Boc protected guanidines in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions.     

NMR spectroscopic investigation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified by amino groups

The results of the functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotube surface by amines containing different substituents at the nitrogen atom, namely, primary n-hexylamine, secondary izadrine, and tertiary N-benzylmorpholine and dithiline, are presented. It was shown by NMR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and elemental analysis that the interaction of primary and secondary amines with modified nanotubes results in the formation of a covalent bond with the nitrogen atom of amines, while the reactions with tertiary amines afford quaternary ammonium salts; diamine is attached covalently through both amine groups.     

Aminolysis of glycal-derived allyl epoxides and activated aziridines. Effects of the absence of coordination processes on the regio- and stereoselectivity

The addition of primary and secondary aliphatic amines to glycal-derived allyl epoxides is completely 1,2-regio- and anti-stereoselective, whereas mixtures of the corresponding anti-1,2- [3-N-(substituted-amino) glycals] and anti-1,4-addition products (N-glycosyl amines) are obtained with N-(mesyl)-aziridines. In this way, structural moieties, otherwise difficult to synthesize, are obtained by means of a very simple protocol. The regio- and stereoselectivity observed with epoxides is the consequence of an isomerization process, whereas the result obtained with aziridines is explained by the absence of an effective substrate-nucleophile (amine) coordination.     

Facile N-tert-butoxycarbonylation of amines using La(NO3)3·6H2O as a mild and efficient catalyst under solvent-free conditions

Facile N-tert-butoxycarbonylation of amines is described by the treatment of various primary, secondary, benzylic and aryl amines with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate in the presence of catalytic amounts of La(NO₃)₃·6H₂O under solvent-free conditions at room temperature to afford N-tert-butylcarbamates in excellent yields.     

Efficient synthesis of N,N′-dialkyl-N″-dialkylaminocarbothioyl thioureas from cyclic secondary amines, CS2, and N,N′-dialkyl carbodiimides in water

A mild, convenient, and practical one-pot procedure for direct synthesis of N,N′-dialkyl-N″-dialkylaminocarbothioyl thioureas is described via three-component reaction of cyclic secondary amines, CS₂, and N,N′-dialkyl carbodiimides in water at room temperature.     

Organoboranes for synthesis : Reaction of organoboranes with representative organic azides. A general stereospecific synthesis of secondary amines and N-substituted aziridines

Reaction of trialkylboranes with organic azides in refluxing xylene, followed by hydrolysis, leads to good yields of secondary amines. This reaction is highly dependent on the steric effects around both boron and the azide moiety. The reaction becomes much slower when the steric bulk of one of the reagents is increased and fails when both are hindered. The dialkylchloroboranes are more reactive than trialkylboranes and provide better yields of the desired secondary amines with a11 azides tested. The alkyldichloroboranes react with organic azides at temperatures between room temperature and 60°C and produce excellent yields of secondary amines. Furthermore, the stereochemistry of the original carbon-boron bond is retained. The mechanism of these reactions is discussed and the reaction applied to the synthesis of N-alkyl- and N-arylaziridines.