Multistep Flow Synthesis of 5‐Amino‐2‐aryl‐2H‐[1,2,3]‐triazole‐4‐carbonitriles

1,2,3‐Triazole has become one of the most important heterocycles in contemporary medicinal chemistry. The development of the copper‐catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition has allowed the efficient synthesis of 1‐substituted 1,2,3‐triazoles. However, only a few methods are available for the selective preparation of 2‐substituted 1,2,3‐triazole isomers. In this context, we decided to develop an efficient flow synthesis for the preparation of various 2‐aryl‐1,2,3‐triazoles. Our strategy involves a three‐step synthesis under continuous‐flow conditions that starts from the diazotization of anilines and subsequent reaction with malononitrile, followed by nucleophilic addition of amines, and finally employs a catalytic copper(II) cyclization. Potential safety hazards associated with the formation of reactive diazonium species have been addressed by inline quenching. The use of flow equipment allows reliable scale up processes with precise control of the reaction conditions. Synthesis of 2‐substituted 1,2,3‐triazoles has been achieved in good yields with excellent selectivities, thus providing a wide range of 1,2,3‐triazoles.     

Recent Developments in Azide‐Free Synthesis of 1,2,3‐Triazoles

1,2,3‐Triazoles, as one of the most significant nitrogen‐containing heterocycles due to their extensive use in biology, material science and organic synthesis, have aroused great interest. 1,2,3‐Triazoles are commonly synthesized by metal‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition and organocatalytic azide–carbonyl cycloaddition, which indispensably employ the toxic and potentially explosive azides. The azide‐free synthetic approaches provide a powerful and straightforward alternative to the assembly of diverse 1,2,3‐triazoles without the use of azides. In this review, we summarize the recent development of the construction of 1,2,3‐triazoles under azide‐free conditions.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Cycloaddition Reactions of Ethyl Diazoacetate,Nitrosoarenes, and Vinyldiazo Carbonyl Compounds: Synthesis of Isoxazolidine and Benzo[b]azepine Derivatives

Gold‐catalyzed cycloadditions of ethyl diazoacetate, nitrosoarenes, and vinyldiazo carbonyl species to yield isoxazolidine derivatives stereoselectively are described. Treatment of these isoxazolidine products with the same catalyst results in a novel 1,2‐H shift/[3,3] rearrangement to give benzo[b]azepine compounds. The mechanism of this skeletal rearrangement is elucidated with deuterium‐labeling experiments.     

Iron Salts in the Catalyzed Synthesis of 5‐Substituted 1H‐Tetrazoles

Clicking iron : Cheap and environmentally friendly [Fe(OAc)₂] is used for the catalysis of cycloadditions between aryl nitriles and trimethylsilyl azide to prepare substituted 1H‐tetrazoles in good yield (see scheme).

     

Gold‐Catalyzed Formal [4+1]/[4+3] Cycloadditions of Diazo Esters with Triazines

Reported herein is the unprecedented gold‐catalyzed formal [4+1]/[4+3] cycloadditions of diazo esters with hexahydro‐1,3,4‐triazines, thus providing five‐ and seven‐membered heterocycles in moderate to high yields under mild reaction conditions. These reactions feature the use of a gold complex to accomplish the diverse annulations and the first example of the involvement of a gold metallo‐enolcarbene in a cycloaddition. It is also the first utilization of stable triazines as formal dipolar adducts in the carbene‐involved cycloadditions. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the triazines reacted directly, rather than as formaldimine precursors, in the reaction process.     

Ethyl 3,5‐dimethyl‐4‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrrole‐2‐carboxylate

In the title compound, C₁₅H₁₇NO₂, the ethoxy­carbonyl group is anti with respect to the pyrrole N atom. The angle between the planes of the phenyl and pyrrole rings is 48.26 (9)°. The mol­ecules are joined into dimeric units by a strong hydrogen bonds between pyrrole N—H groups and carbonyl O atoms. The geometry of the isolated mol­ecule was studied by ab initio quantum mechanical calculations, employing both molecular orbital Hartree–Fock (MO–HF) and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The minimum energy was achieved for a conformation where the angle between the planes of the phenyl and pyrrole rings is larger, and that between the ethoxy­carbonyl and pyrrole planes is smaller than in the solid‐state mol­ecule.     

Synthesis of Chiral Pyrazoles: A 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition/[1,5] Sigmatropic Rearrangement with Stereoretentive Migration of a Stereogenic Group

The reactions between terminal alkynes and α‐chiral tosylhydrazones lead to the obtention of chiral pyrazoles with a stereogenic group directly attached at a nitrogen atom. The cascade reaction includes decomposition of the hydrazone into a diazocompound, 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of the diazo compound with the alkyne, and [1,5] sigmatropic rearrangement with migration of the stereogenic group. This strategy has been successfully applied to the synthesis of structurally diverse chiral pyrazoles through α‐chiral tosylhydrazones, obtained from α‐phenylpropionic acid, α‐amino acids, and 2‐methoxycyclohexanone. Notably, the stereoretention of the [1,5] sigmatropic rearrangements represent very rare examples of this stereospecific transformation.     

New Synthesis and Reactions of Ethyl 5‐amino‐4‐cyano‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carboxylate

Synthesis of ethyl 5‐amino‐4‐cyano‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carboxylate 5 has been achieved via abnormal Beckmann rearrangement of o‐chloroaldehyde 1 . Reaction of o‐aminocarbonitrile 5 with concentrated H₂SO₄ furnished expected o‐aminocarboxamide pyrazole 6 . Key intermediates o‐aminocarbonitrile 5 and o‐aminocarboxamide 6 were successfully utilized for the synthesis of pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives. The replacement of Cl in o‐chlorocarbonitrile 3 with secondary amine furnished new synthon 13 , which was further used for the synthesis of polysubstituted heterocycles. The obtained new products were well characterized by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and mass spectra.     

A Convenient Synthesis of 1,2,4‐ and 1,3,4‐Azadiphospholes

A new synthetic route to functionalized neutral and anionic azadiphospholes from easily accessible starting materials is described. Equimolar reaction of Na(OCP) and N‐(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)pivalimidoyl chloride 2 a cleanly affords the imidoxy‐functionalized 1,2,4‐azadiphosphole 3 a . Using Na(OCP) and imidoyl chloride in a 2:1 ratio leads to an anionic four‐membered ring Na[ 4 a ], which has been structurally characterized. During 16 h at room temperature, Na[ 4 a ] rearranges to the anionic 1,3,4‐azadiphospholide Na[ 5 a ] with release of carbon monoxide. Applying the more sterically demanding N‐(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)pivalimidoyl chloride allows isolation of the 1,3,4‐azadiphospholide Na[ 5 b ] in good yield (>70 %). Possible mechanisms leading to the new isomeric azadiphospholides have been investigated with the aid of high‐level composite calculations.     

Fluoroalkyl‐Substituted Diazomethanes and Their Application in a General Synthesis of Pyrazoles and Pyrazolines

A novel continuous‐flow approach for the synthesis of fluoroalkyl‐substituted diazomethanes has been developed. Utilizing a cheap, self‐made microreactor fluoroalkyl‐substituted amines were transformed into the corresponding diazomethanes using tert‐butyl nitrite and acetic acid as catalyst. These diazomethanes were employed in [2+3] cycloaddition reactions with olefins and alkynes, yielding valuable pyrazolines and pyrazoles in good to excellent yields.     

An Efficient Route to Ethyl 5‐Alkyl‐ (Aryl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐carboxylates

An efficient general route to the synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐carboxylates was developed. N‐acylamidrazones were obtained from carboxylic acid hydrazides and ethyl thiooxamate or ethyl 2‐ethoxy‐2‐iminoacetate hydrochloride and then were reacted with chloroanhydride of the same carboxylic acid. As the next step, diacylamidrazones were cyclized to 5‐substituted 1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐carboxylates one pot in mild conditions.     

1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions of Ethyl 2‐Diazo‐3,3,3‐trifluoropropanoate to Alkynes and [1,5] Sigmatropic Rearrangements of the Resulting 3H‐Pyrazoles: Synthesis of Mono‐, Bis‐ and Tris(trifluoromethyl)‐Substituted Pyrazoles

The 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions of ethyl 2‐diazo‐3,3,3‐trifluoropropanoate with electron‐rich and electron‐deficient alkynes, as well as the van Alphen? Hüttel rearrangements of the resulting 3H‐pyrazoles were investigated. These reactions led to a series of CF₃‐substituted pyrazoles in good overall yields. Phenyl‐ and diphenylacetylene proved to be unreactive, but, at high temperature, the diazoalkane and phenylacetylene furnished a cyclopropene derivative. As expected, the 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition to the ynamine occurred much faster than those to electron‐deficient alkynes. With one exception, all cycloadditions proceeded with excellent regioselectivities. The [1,5] sigmatropic rearrangement of the primary 3H‐pyrazoles provided products with shifted acyl groups; products resulting from the migration of a CF₃ group were not detected. In agreement with literature reports, this rearrangement occurs faster with 3H‐pyrazoles bearing electron‐withdrawing substituents.     

Synthesis of Thermally Stable Energetic 1,2,3‐Triazole Derivatives

Various thermally stable energetic polynitro‐aryl‐1,2,3‐triazoles have been synthesized through Cu‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition reactions between their corresponding azides and alkynes, followed by nitration. These compounds were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods and the solid‐state structures of most of these compounds have been determined by using X‐ray diffraction techniques. Most of the polynitro‐bearing triazole derivatives decomposed within the range 142–319 °C and their heats of formation and crystal densities were determined from computational studies. By using the Kamlet–Jacobs empirical relation, their detonation velocities and pressures were calculated from their heats of formation and crystal densities. Most of these newly synthesized compounds exhibited high positive heats of formation, good thermal stabilities, reasonable densities, and acceptable detonation properties that were comparable to those of TNT.     

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of alkyl 1‐heteroaryl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐4‐carboxylates

A series of alkyl l‐heteroaryl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐4‐carboxylates 6a‐u were synthesised in four steps from methyl (Z)‐2‐benzyloxycarbonylarmino‐3‐(dimethylamino)prop‐2‐enoate ( 1 ) and heterocyclic amines 2a‐s. Triazoles 6a‐o were tested against antimycobacterial activity. For the most active compound, n‐pentyl 1‐(6‐phenylpyridazin‐3‐yl)‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐4‐carboxylate ( 6n ), minimum inhibitory concentration 3.13 μg/ml was determined.     

An Efficient Synthesis of Isomeric 1‐(1‐Alkyl‐1H‐pyrazolyl) Ethanones

A simple and versatile general method for the preparation of N‐substituted 3‐, 4‐, or 5‐acetylpyrazoles from corresponding acids via hydrolysis and decarboxylation of substituted diethyl [(1‐alkyl‐1H‐pyrazolyl)carbonyl]malonates was developed. Title compounds were prepared in three steps without isolation of intermediates in 48–82% overall yield.     

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Ethyl 4‐Alkyl‐2‐(2‐(substituted phenoxy)acetamido)thiazole‐5‐carboxylate

A series of novel ethyl 4‐(methyl or trifluoromethyl)‐2‐(2‐(substituted phenoxy)acetamido)thiazole‐5‐carboxylates 7a , 7b , 7c , 7d , 7e and 8f , 8g , 8h , 8i , 8j , 8k , 8l , 8m , 8n , 8o , 8p , 8q , 8r were synthesized, and their structures were confirmed by IR, ¹H‐NMR, MS spectra and elemental analysis. The results of preliminary bioassays show that some of the title compounds exhibit moderate to good herbicidal activities. Compared with the fluorine free compounds 7a , 7b , and 7e , the compounds bearing fluorine 8g , 8j , and 8q showed higher herbicidal activities with 70–100% inhibition against Capsella bursa‐pastoris, Amaranthus restroflexus, and Eclipta prostrata at the dosage of 150 g/ha, which indicated that the trifluoromethyl on the thiazole ring was beneficial for the herbicidal activity. Furthermore, compounds 8f , 8g , 8h , 8i , 8j , 8k , 8l , 8m , 8n , 8o , 8p , 8q , 8r were tested for fungicidal activity against Pseudoperonospora cubensis at 500 µg/mL. Compounds 8f and 8q showed the best fungicidal activity with more than 80% inhibition.