The solid-phase Nicholas reaction: scope and limitations

Two libraries of alpha-substituted alkynes has been prepared on solid phase using a sequential Sonogashira/Nicholas reaction approach. The scope of nucleophiles in the Nicholas reaction on solid phase has been investigated, including carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, fluoride, and hydride nucleophiles. The conditions for the reaction sequence have been optimized in terms of Lewis acid, catalyst for the Sonogashira step, temperature, reaction time, and decomplexation method, enabling the five-step sequence to be performed in 1 day.     

The synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted furan prostanoids

The reaction of 4-phenyloxazole with methyl 10-oxodec-8-ynoate is reported as the key step in the synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted furan prostanoids.     

Microwave-assisted Piloty-Robinson synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted pyrroles

The synthesis of N-acyl 3,4-disubstituted pyrroles can be accomplished directly from hydrazine and an aldehyde via a Piloty-Robinson pyrrole synthesis. The use of microwave radiation for the cyclization and pyrrole formation greatly reduces the time necessary for this process and facilitates moderate to good yields from hydrazine for the corresponding 3,4-disubstituted products (5-12). By simple hydrolysis, the free N-H pyrroles can be accessed after the Piloty-Robinson reaction and then used directly in the synthesis of octaethylporphyrin (H2OEP, 14) and octaethyltetraphenylporphyrin (H2OETPP, 15).     

Diastereocontrolled synthesis of enantioenriched 3,4-disubstituted beta-prolines

Enantioenriched 3,4-disubstituted beta-prolines have been prepared with a high diastereocontrol through a carbometalation reaction or through a domino Michael addition/carbometalation reaction.     

A novel synthesis of cis-3,4-disubstituted cyclopentanones

A new method for the stereospecific synthesis of cis-3,4-disubstituted cyclopentanones is described.     

A new synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted 1,2,5-thiadiazoles

A simple and convenient reduction of 3,4-diamino derivatives of 2,5-thiadiazole-1-oxide to the corresponding 1,2,5-thiadiazoles has been accomplished using Ph₃P and CCl₄ in dichloromethane.     

Highly regioselective synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted 1H-pyrrole

A highly regioselective method for the synthesis of 3, 4-disubstituted 1H-pyrroles has been developed employing the ipso-directing property of a trimethylsilyl group. As a key starting material in this study, the known 3,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1H-pyrrole (3), was protected with carefully chosen groups, namely tert-butoxycarbonyl, N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl, p-toluenesulfonyl, and triisopropylsilyl. A highly regioselective monoiodination of these 1-protected pyrroles was achieved by reaction with iodine-silver trifluoroacetate at low temperatures. Subsequent palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions afforded 1-protected-4-substituted 3-trimethylsilyl-1H-pyrroles, which again underwent further room-temperature ipso-iodination and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions to provide symmetrical and unsymmetrical 1-protected-3,4-disubstituted 1H-pyrroles. Deprotection of 1-(tert-butoxycarbonyl) and 1-(N, N-dimethylaminosulfonyl) groups was found to be nontrivial. The 1-(p-toluenesulfonyl) protecting group was eventually proved to be superior to other protection groups, because it was readily removed after stepwise ipso monoiodinations and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.     

Stereospecific synthesis of alpha- and beta-C-glycosides from glycosyl sulfoxides: scope and limitations

C-Glycosides derived from alpha-L-fuco-, alpha-D-gluco-, beta-D-gluco-, and alpha-D-mannopyranose have been synthesized from the corresponding glycosyl phenyl sulfoxide through phenylsulfinyl-lithium exchange, to generate an anomeric carbanion, and subsequent reaction with a carbon electrophile. The reactions were stereospecific and proceeded with retention of the configuration at the anomeric center. Improved yields of C-glycosides were obtained by an inverse addition protocol. Trapping of the anomeric carbanion with aldehydes gave best results. Reaction with ketones, chloroformates, nitriles, and alkyl halides was also explored. Mechanistic aspects of the reaction are discussed.     

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative annulation of internal alkynes: synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted coumarins

The palladium-catalyzed annulation of internal alkynes by o-iodophenols in the presence of CO results in exclusive formation of coumarins. No isomeric chromones have been observed. The best reaction conditions utilize the 2-iodophenol, 5 equiv of alkyne, 1 atm of CO, 5 mol % Pd(OAc)2, 2 equiv of pyridine, and 1 equiv of n-Bu4NCl in DMF at 120 degrees C. The use of a sterically unhindered pyridine base is essential to achieve high yields. A wide variety of 3,4-disubstituted coumarins containing alkyl, aryl, silyl, alkoxy, acyl, and ester groups have been prepared in moderate to good yields. Mixtures of regioisomers have been obtained when unsymmetrical alkynes are employed. 2-iodophenols with electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents and 3-iodo-2-pyridone are effective in this annulation process. The reaction is believed to proceed via (1) oxidative addition of the 2-iodophenol to Pd(0), (2) insertion of the alkyne triple bond into the aryl-palladium bond, (3) CO insertion into the resulting vinylic carbon-palladium bond, and (4) nucleophilic attack of the phenolic oxygen on the carbonyl carbon of the acylpalladium complex with simultaneous regeneration of the Pd(0) catalyst. This annulation process is the first example of intermolecular insertion of an alkyne occurring in preference to CO insertion.     

Amine-directed hydroboration: scope and limitations

Iodine activation induces intramolecular hydroboration of homoallylic and bis-homoallylic amine boranes with good to excellent control of regiochemistry compared to control experiments using excess THF*BH 3. Deuterium labeling and other evidence confirm that the iodine-induced hydroboration reaction of homoallylic amine boranes occurs via an intramolecular mechanism equivalent to the classical 4-center process and without competing retro-hydroboration. Longer carbon chain tethers result in lower regioselectivity, whereas the shorter tether in allylic amines results in a switch to dominant intermolecular hydroboration. Regioselectivity in THF*BH 3 control experiments is higher for the allylic amine boranes compared to the iodine activation experiments, whereas the reverse is true for homoallylic amine borane activation.     

Solid-phase supported nitrosocarbonyl intermediates: Old scope and new limitations in the organic synthesis

Nitrosocarbonyl intermediates on solid polystyrenic support are generated at room temperature by the mild oxidation of resin-bound stable nitrile oxides. They undergo one-pot ene reactions with tetramethyl- and trimethyl-ethylene and other highly substituted olefins. Less substituted ethylenes as well as cyclohexene and cyclopentene are heavily disfavoured and nitrosocarbonyls on solid phase undergo fast dimerization and/or decomposition pathways. These outcome strongly limit the SP applications in organic synthesis, although applicable to structurally specific N-alkenyl hydroxamic acids.     

Enantiospecific access to various C(9),C(10)-disubstituted camphors: scope and limitations

The valuable chiral sources C(9),C(10)-disubstituted camphors can be enantiospecifically obtained from the corresponding C(9)-substituted camphors by a general and straightforward synthetic method. This method involves the electrophilic treatment of a key 2-methylenenorbornan-1-ol intermediate, followed by a controlled tandem carbon-carbon double-bond addition-Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement of the norbornane framework. Discussion of the results presented suggests possible extensions and limitations of the methodology used. The feasibility of this method has been exemplified by the highly efficient enantiospecific preparation of several interesting C(9)-halogen-, C(10)-halogen, O-, S-, or Se-substituted camphors.     

One-pot synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted 1H-pyrroles from 2-tropanones

3,4-Disubstituted pyrroles (2, 3) were prepared from 6/7-carboxyethyl-3-phenyl-3-tropen-2-ones (1) regioselectively and with high yields by using tosylmethyl isocyanide (TosMIC). This procedure enables the synthesis of pyrroles substituted with two distinct groups: a phenyl group and a substituted pyrrolidine analogue. The crystal structure of product 2a was determined, and the analogous derivatives were identified by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy.     

Traceless solid-phase synthesis of N1,N7-disubstituted purines

A highly regioselective and traceless solid-phase route to N1,N7-disubstituted purines has been developed. Key steps in the reaction strategy involves (i) coupling of 6-chloropurine to the REM resin (Michael addition), (ii) oxidation, (iii) N1-alkylation, (iv) quaternization, and (v) product release through Hofmann elimination. A library of 15 N1,N7-disubstituted purines was synthesized.     

Convenient asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of 3,4-disubstituted 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones

Both enantiomers of N-substituted 3-arylated 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones were conveniently synthesized up to 93:7 er based on the dynamic kinetic resolution of either (R)-pantolactone- or l-mandelate-derived α-bromo arylacetates in nucleophilic substitution with N-alkylated 2-aminophenols.     

The sulfone linker in solid-phase synthesis: preparation of 3,5-disubstituted cyclopent-2-enones

The preparation of functionalized 3,5-disubstituted cyclopent-2-enones via a solid-phase sulfone linker strategy is described. Polystyrene/divinylbenzene sulfinate 1 underwent S-alkylation followed by alpha,alpha-dialkylation with cis-1,4-dichloro-2-butene to form polymer-bound 3-phenylsulfonylcyclopentenes 8. Subsequent epoxidation of the cyclopentene moiety in 8 was accomplished by treatment of mCPBA, and the resulting oxirane ring in resin 9 was opened with various nucleophiles, i.e., Grignard and cuprate reagents, azide ion, and amines. To complete the sulfone-based linker strategy, Swern or TPAP oxidation of 10 gave a transient gamma-ketosulfone, which underwent sulfinate elimination, thus cleaving the sulfone linker. Eleven 3,5-disubstituted cyclopent-2-enones (11) were prepared with this five-step process in 18-40% overall yield from solid-phase benzene sulfinate 1.     

A new and efficient method for the synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine-2,5-diones

A newly found reaction for the synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted 1-hydroxy-pyrrolidine-2,5-diones from 3-substituted coumarins and nitromethane has been elaborated. The reaction involved a simple and convenient experimental procedure. The applicability of the rearrangement reaction is determined.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of tetrahydrofurans from gamma-hydroxy terminal alkenes: scope, limitations, and stereoselectivity

A new, stereoselective synthesis of substituted tetrahydrofurans via Pd-catalyzed reactions of aryl and vinyl bromides with gamma-hydroxy terminal alkenes is described. This transformation affords trans-2,5- and trans-2,3-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans with up to >20:1 dr. This methodology also provides access to bicyclic and spirocyclic tetrahydrofuran derivatives in good yield with 10-20:1 dr. The scope and limitations of these transformations are discussed in detail, as are the effect of substrate sterics and electronics on yield and stereoselectivity. A proposed mechanism of these transformations is presented along with a model that rationalizes the stereochemical outcome of the reactions.     

An efficient solid-phase synthesis of 3-substituted and 3,3-disubstituted 1,2-dialkylpyrazolidine-3,5-diones

An efficient and regioselective procedure for the synthesis of di-, tri- and fully-substituted pyrazolidine-3,5-diones on a solid-phase format is described. Microwave irradiation provided significant rate enhancement in this protocol. To demonstrate the versatility of this chemistry, a representative set of 25 compounds was prepared.