Synthesis of new azido porphyrins and their reactivity in copper(I)-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with alkynes

We report herein the preparation of two novel porphyrins substituted with an azido group born either on the para-position of one phenyl meso-susbtituent of a tetraaryl zinc porphyrin (1) or directly on the meso-position of a trisaryl nickel porphyrin (2). We studied the scope and the limitation the Huisgen cycloaddition reaction of these two porphyrins using different catalytic conditions. We observed that the carbene (SIMes)CuBr in THF/H₂O 3:1 at 45 °C for 60 h gives almost quantitative yields for the reaction between 1 and different alkynes, but significantly lower yields with 2 probably due to its thermal instability.     

Synthesis and characterization of Mn(II) and Zn(II) azido complexes with halo-substituted pyridine derivative ligands

The synthesis, IR spectra and single-crystal structures of two Mn(II) and one Zn(II) azido complexes with halo-substituted pyridine derivative ligands are reported: [Mn(N₃)-₂(3-Brpy)₂(H₂O)]₂(3-Brpy)₂ (1), [Mn(N₃)₂(3-Brpy)₂] _n (2) and [Zn(N₃)₂(3-amino,2-chloropyridine)] _n (3) with 3-Brpy = 3-bromopyridine. In the dinuclear Mn(II) complex 1 and polymeric 1D Zn(II) complex 3, di-EO only azido bridges exist, whereas in the polymeric Mn(II) 1D system of 2, a rather less common di-EO/di-EO/di-EE azido bridging sequence has been observed (EO = end-on, EE = end-to-end). The halo-substituted pyridine derivatives act in the three compounds as terminal ligands and in 1 also as solvent molecules.     

Co-catalyzed reductive cyclization of azido and cyano substituted α,β-unsaturated esters with NaBH4: enantioselective synthesis of (R)-baclofen and (R)-rolipram

Sodium borohydride in combination with a catalytic amount of CoCl₂ has been found to be an excellent catalytic system in reductive cyclizations of suitably substituted azido and cyano groups of α,β-unsaturated esters to afford γ and δ-lactams in high yields. The process has been demonstrated for the enantioselective synthesis of (R)-baclofen, (R)-rolipram, and (R)-4-fluorophenylpiperidinone, a key intermediate for (−)-paroxetine.     

Diselenide-assisted sulfuration of dienes

Various diselenides assist in the sulfuration of dienes giving cyclic di- and tetrasulfides as main products. The reaction requires a 2-fold excess of diselenides to be efficient. Catalytic amounts of diselenides result in lower yields. This is likely due to secondary reactions (polymerization, aromatization) occurring during extended reaction times under catalytic conditions. It was verified that the sulfur-transferring properties of diselenatetrasulfides are virtually identical to those of diselenides combined with sulfur. Contrary to previous claims, not only the cyclic diselenatetrasulfide but also linear diselenatetrasulfides (RSeS_nSeR) transfer sulfur to dienes. A mechanism is proposed and its implications to the nature of diatomic sulfur are discussed.     

Metal-free synthesis of 3-chalcogen benzo[b]furans via an iodine-mediated electrophilic cyclisation of 2-alkynylanisoles

An efficient and metal-free method was developed to synthesize 3-chalcogen benzo[b]furans via the iodine-mediated electrophilic cyclisation of 2-alkynylanisoles with disulfides or diselenides. In the presence of I₂, various 3-sulfenylbenzofurans or 3-selenenylbenzofurans were obtained in moderate to high yields.     

Single end-on azido bridged 1D chain copper(II) complex: Synthesis,X-ray crystal structure and catalytic activity in homogeneous epoxidation of cyclooctene

A new azido derivative of a NNO donor tridentate Schiff-base copper(II) complex, [CuL(μ_1,1-N₃)]_n (1) (HL = 1-(N-ortho-hydroxyacetophenimine)-2-(N-ethyl)aminoethane), containing a single end-on μ_1,1-azido bridged 1D infinite chain has been synthesized and characterized. X-ray single crystal structure analysis reveals that the complex [CuL(μ_1,1-N₃)]_n (1) is a 1D chain in which neighboring Cu(II) chromophores are related by glide planes and linked by single azido bridges in the EO mode. No measurable magnetic interaction was evidenced in the complex [CuL(μ_1,1-N₃)]_n (1) through variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements (10–300 K). The complex was used as an active catalyst for the epoxidation of cyclooctene using tert-butyl-hydroperoxide as an oxidant. The catalytic activity of the complex has been compared in a series of solvents. The results show that in acetonitrile medium, the epoxide was produced in high yield with high selectivity.     

A new cardo bisphenol monomer containing pendant azido group and the resulting aromatic polyesters

Expanding on our strategy to synthesize aromatic step‐growth polymers containing pendant clickable azido groups via functional monomer approach, we have now designed and synthesized a new cardo bisphenol, viz., 2‐(2‐azidoethyl)‐3, 3‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl) isoindolin‐1‐one (PPH‐N₃). PPH‐N₃ was conveniently synthesized starting from commercially available phenolphthalein by a three‐step route in an overall yield of 65% using simple organic transformations. Aromatic (co)polyesters bearing pendant azido groups were synthesized by low‐temperature solution polycondensation of PPH‐N₃ or different molar ratios of PPH‐N₃ and bisphenol‐A (BPA) with aromatic diacid chlorides in dry dichloromethane in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) as a base. The formation of medium to reasonably high‐molecular‐weight (co)polyesters was evidenced from intrinsic viscosity and number‐average molecular‐weight measurements that were in the range 0.52–0.85 dL/g and 16,700–28,200, respectively. Tough, transparent, and flexible films could be cast from chloroform solutions of these (co)polyesters. (Co)polyesters were characterized using FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, XRD, and TGA. The thermal curing reaction of (co)polyesters involving decomposition of azido groups was studied by DSC analysis. The chemical modification of a representative copolyester containing pendant azido groups was carried out quantitatively using catalyst‐free azide‐maleimide cycloaddition reaction with two maleimides, namely, N‐methylmaleimide and N‐hexylmaleimide. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1516–1526     

A simple method for the synthesis of 4-arylselanyl-7-chloroquinolines used as in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and in vivo memory improvement

We described here an alternative method for the synthesis of 4-arylselanyl-7-chloroquinolines through reactions of 4,7-dichloroquinoline with organylselenols, generated in situ by the reaction of diorganyl diselenides with H₃PO₂ (50 wt% in H₂O). These reactions proceeded efficiently at 60 °C under N₂ atmosphere and are suitable to a range of diorganyl diselenides containing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups, affording the corresponding 4-aryl-7-chloroquinolines in high yields. The synthesized compounds were screened for their in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and our results demonstrated that the 7-chloro-4-[(4-fluorophenyl)selanyl]quinoline inhibited the AChE activity and improved memory in mice, making this compound is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.     

Nitrile biotransformations for the practical synthesis of highly enantiopure azido carboxylic acids and amides, ‘click’ to functionalized chiral triazoles and chiral β-amino acids

Under very mild conditions, biotransformations of racemic azido nitriles using Rhodococcus erythropolis AJ270, a nitrile hydratase/amidase-containing microbial whole-cell catalyst, afforded highly enantiopure, (R)-α-arylmethyl- and (+)-α-cyclohexylmethyl-β-azidopropanoic acids and their (S)- and (−)-carboxamide derivatives in excellent yields. The resulting functionalized chiral organoazides were converted in a straightforward fashion to a pair of antipodes of α-benzyl-β-amino acids (R)-13 and (S)-13. Azido carboxamide (S)-11a and azido carboxylic acid (R)-12a underwent ‘click’ reactions with diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and phenylacetylene to produce functionalized chiral triazoles 14 and 15, respectively. The easy preparation of the starting nitrile substrates, highly efficient and enantioselective biotransformation reactions, and versatile utility of the resulting functionalized azido carboxylic acids and amide derivatives, render this method very attractive and practical in organic synthesis.     

Conformational studies on peptides having chiral five-membered ring amino acid with two azido or triazole functional groups within the sequence of Aib residues

The chiral cyclic α,α-disubstituted α-amino acid, (3R,4R)-1-amino-3,4-diazido-1-cyclopentanecarboxylic acid [(R,R)-Ac₅c^dN3], was introduced into achiral α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) peptides. The azido groups of (R,R)-Ac₅c^dN3 in the peptides were efficiently converted into 1,2,3-triazole functional groups. FTIR, ¹H NMR, and CD spectra revealed that the dominant conformations of all peptides in solution were 3₁₀-helical structures without controlling the helical-screw sense. X-ray crystallographic analyses of peptides containing (R,R)-Ac₅c^dN3 showed that both the right-handed (P) and left-handed (M) 3₁₀-helical structures were present in the crystal state.     

Simple and catalyst-free method for the synthesis of diaryl selenides by reactions of arylselenols and arenediazonium salts

We describe here a simple and catalyst-free method to synthesize diaryl selenides by reaction of arenediazonium tetrafluoroborate salts with arylselenols, generated in situ by using diaryl diselenides and hypophosphorous acid (H₃PO₂), using THF as solvent. This is a direct nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reaction performed with diaryl diselenides and arenediazonium salts bearing electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups affording the corresponding diaryl selenides in moderated to good yields.     

A rare ferromagnetically coupled asymmetric doubly azido bridged copper(II) dimer with an N,N, O donor Schiff base

A new end-to-end (EE) doubly azido bridged dinuclear complex [Cu₂L₂(μ_1,3-N₃)₂] (1) [where L = (E)-4-(2-(dimethylamino)ethylimino)-1,1,1-trifluoropentan-2-one)] has been synthesized and characterized by elemental and spectroscopic techniques. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the dimeric complex possesses a center of inversion. Each copper atom in 1 is in a distorted square pyramidal geometry with a CuN₄O chromophore as revealed from the τ value, 0.19. The four basal positions are occupied by two imine N and one keto O atom of the Schiff base and one N atom from the azide anion. Another N atom from a coordinated azide occupies the apical position. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of 1 was fitted using the Bleaney–Bowers expression which led to the parameters J = 13.6 cm⁻¹ and R = 3.4 × 10⁻⁵. It indicates a ferromagnetic interaction through the double azido bridges connecting the individual copper Schiff base units.     

An Improved Synthesis of Symmetrical Diselenides from Aromatic Aldehydes

An improved method for the synthesis of symmetrical diselenides is described. Reductive selenation of aromatic aldehydes with Se/CO/H₂O/Et₃N system in THF gave the corresponding aromatic diselenides in good yields.     

Crystal structures of (azido)(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)iridium(III) complexes containing various types of bidentate ligands

Several (azido)iridium(III) complexes having a pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp∗) group, [Cp∗Ir(N₃)₂(Ph₂Ppy-κP)] (1: Ph₂Ppy = 2-diphenylphosphinopyridine), [Cp∗Ir(N₃)(Ph₂Ppy-κP,κN)]CF₃SO₃ (2), [Cp∗Ir(N₃)(dmpm)]PF₆ (3: dmpm = bis(dimethylphosphino)methane), [Cp∗Ir(N₃)(Ph₂Pqn)]PF₆·$·$CH₃OH (4·$·$CH₃OH: Ph₂Pqn = 8-diphenylphosphinoquinoline), and [Cp∗Ir(N₃)(pybim)] (5: Hpybim = 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole) have been prepared and their crystal structures have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction. In complex 1, the Ph₂Ppy ligand is only coordinated via the P atom (-κP), while in 2 it acts as a bidentate ligand through the P and N atoms (-κP,κN) to form a four-membered chelate ring. Comparing the structural parameters of the chelate ring in 2 with those of a similar five-membered chelate ring formed by Ph₂Pqn in 4, it became apparent that the angular distortion in the Ph₂Ppy-κP,κN ring was remarkable, although the Ir–P and Ir–N bonds in the Ph₂Ppy-κP,κN ring were not elongated very much from the corresponding bonds in the Ph₂Pqn-κP,κN ring. In the pybim complex 5, the five-membered chelate ring was coplanar with the pyridine and benzimidazolyl rings. With the related (azido)iridium(III) complexes analyzed previously, comparison of the structural parameters of the Ir–N₃ moiety in [Cp∗Ir^III(N₃)(L–L′)]^+/0 complexes reveals an anomalous feature of the 2,2′-bipyridyl (bpy) complex, [Cp∗Ir(N₃)(bpy)]PF₆.     

Rearrangement energies for radicals of azido nitroaromatic compounds

Dissociation energies of C–N₃ bonds have been determined on the basis of data on the enthalpies of formation for a series of azido nitroaromatic compounds and the enthalpies of formation of radicals. Using fundamental relationships of chemical physics, a procedure has been suggested to calculate the energy of rearrangement of molecule fragments into radicals on the basis of special properties of rearrangement energy and the sums of average thermochemical energies for bonds comprising radical fragment in molecule. This calculation procedure provided a possibility to determine the energy of the N₃ moiety transformation into N₃ radical and the rearrangement energies of nitroaromatic radicals.     

Microwave enhanced reduction of nitro and azido arenes to N-arylformamides employing Zn-HCOONH4: synthesis of 4(3H)-quinazolinones and pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines

Microwave mediated reduction of nitro and azido arenes to N-arylformamides using Zn-HCOONH₄ is described. In the absence of microwave conditions, this methodology affords amines. This protocol has been extended to the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines and 4(3H)-quinazolinones.     

Synthesis of arene ruthenium triazolato complexes by cycloaddition of the corresponding arene ruthenium azido complexes with activated alkynes or with fumaronitrile

The neutral arene ruthenium azido complexes [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(LL)(N₃)], [LL = acetylacetonato (acac) (4), benzoylacetonato (bzac) (5) diphenylbenzoyl methane (dbzm) (6)] undergo [3+2] cycloaddition reaction with a series of activated alkynes and fumaronitrile to produce the arene ruthenium triazolato complexes: [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(LL){N₃C₂(CO₂R)₂}] [LL = (acac), R = Me (7); LL = (bzac), R = Me (8); LL = (dbzm), R = Me (9); LL = (acac), R = Et (10); LL = (bzac), R = Et (11); LL = (dbzm), R = Et (12) and [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(LL)(N₃C₂HCN)]; LL = acac (13), bzac (14); dbzm (15). However, cationic azido complexes, [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(dppe)(N₃)]⁺ and [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(dppm)(N₃)]⁺ do not undergo such cycloaddition reactions. The complexes were characterized on the basis of microanalyses, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic data. Crystal structures of representative complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Synthesis of non-glycosidically linked selenoether pseudodisaccharides

Non-glycosidically linked disaccharide mimetics with a selenoether functionality linking the two monosaccharide residues have been synthesised. Protected Glc(Se3-3)Glc, Glc(Se3-6)Glc and Glc(Se3-6)Man structures were obtained. Selenium was introduced by displacement of carbohydrate sulfonates with a selenobenzoate anion. Conversion into diselenides by methanolysis of the benzoate and aerial oxidation was followed by reduction of the diselenides to selenolates, and in situ displacement of a second carbohydrate sulfonate in an S_N2 reaction to give selenoethers. Glc(Se3-3)Glc and Glc(Se3-6)Glc were also obtained in deprotected form.     

Hydroalumination of diazo and azido compounds: An Al-H addition to end-on nitrogen of substrates

This paper reports the reactions of a monomeric aluminum dihydride LAlH₂ (L = HC[C(Me)N(Ar)]₂, Ar = 2,6-i-Pr₂C₆H₃) with diazo, azido, and terminal alkyne compounds. The reaction of LAlH₂ with N₂CH(SiMe₃) and N₃(1-Ad) occurred through an Al-H addition to end-on nitrogen to yield respective compounds LAl[N(H)N = CH(SiMe₃)]₂ (1) and LAl[N(H)N=N(1-Ad)]₂ (2), while the reaction of LAlH₂ with PhC≡CH occurred through a stepwise deprotonation to yield LAlH(C≡CPh) (5) and LAl-(C≡CPh)₂ (6), respectively. 2 further reacted by N₂-release to yield LAl[NH(1-Ad)][N(H)N=N(1-Ad)] (3) and LAl[NH-(1-Ad)]₂ (4) upon the increased temperature treatment. Compounds 1–6 have been fully characterized, revealing novel reactivity patterns of LAlH₂ toward different substrates under the steric influence from the bulky L ligand at Al.     

A convergent synthesis of (17R,5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)-17-hydroxyeicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenoic acid analogues and their tritiated derivatives

17(R)-OH-AA and 14,15-dehydro-17(R)-OH-AA were synthesized from a common tetraacetylenic precursor and their azide derivatives were obtained in moderate yields via the corresponding p-toluenesulfonates. Since the azido group remained stable during tritiation procedure on Lindlar's catalyst in benzene, both 14,15-dehydro-17(S)-N₃-AA and 14,15-dehydro-17(R)-OH-AA constitute useful intermediates in the synthesis of radio-labelled 17(S)-N₃-AA and 17(R)-OH-AA. In contrast, reduction of azide in methanol afforded 17(S)-NH₂-AA with 95% yield.