Azabicycloalkenes as synthetic intermediates--synthesis of azabicyclo[X.3.0]alkane scaffolds

A general method to synthesize functionalized azabicyclo[X.3.0]alkane scaffolds 5 is reported. Key intermediates are azabicycloalkenes such as 1 and 2, which are acylated with unsaturated carboxylic acids and subsequently submitted to tandem olefin metathesis. The resulting bicyclic heterocycles are versatile intermediates for different dipeptide mimetics and can be used as intermediates for natural products with indolizidine scaffolds or analogues thereof. [reaction: see text].     

Enantiopure N-acyldihydropyridones as synthetic intermediates: asymmetric synthesis of benzomorphans

[formula: see text] Concise asymmetric syntheses of several benzomorphan derivatives have been accomplished using enantiopure 2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones as chiral building blocks.     

Indolizinones as synthetic scaffolds: fundamental reactivity and the relay of stereochemical information

Indolizinones are under-explored N-heterocycles that react with exquisite chemo- and stereoselectivity. An exploration of the fundamental reactivity of these azabicycles demonstrates the potential to relay stereochemical information from the ring-fusion to newly formed stereocenters on the bicyclic core. The indolizinone diene undergoes selective hydrogenation and readily participates in Diels-Alder cycloadditions as well as ene reactions. The vinylogous amide embedded in the five-membered ring is resistant to reaction when the diene is in place. However, removal of the diene allows for diastereoselective hydrogenation of, and 1,4-additions to, the vinylogous amide. These fundamental reactions with indolizinones have provided a structurally diverse array of products that hold promise in the context of natural product synthesis.     

A synthetic approach to 2,3,4-substituted pyridines useful as scaffolds for tripeptidomimetics

The synthesis of 2,3,4-substituted pyridine derivatives useful as scaffolds in the development of peptidomimetics is described. The use of a variety of electrophiles in a halogen-dance reaction to produce 3-alkyl-2-fluoro-4-iodo-pyridine derivatives as ‘functionalized scaffolds’ and the possibility to differentiate between the reactivities of the two halogen handles have been explored. Coupling of amino acid derivatives in the 4-position of the pyridine was found to proceed efficiently by conversion of iodo-pyridine to a Grignard derivative, which was allowed to react with a protected amino aldehyde. Substitution of fluorine in the 2-position of the pyridine was found to be facile with alkoxide nucleophiles, whereas amines were much less reactive.     

Establishing a flow process to coumarin-8-carbaldehydes as important synthetic scaffolds

Despite their usefulness as fluorophores and synthetic precursors, efficient and reliable routes to coumarin-8-carbaldehydes are lacking. We describe here a high-yielding continuous flow synthesis that requires no manual intermediate purification or work-up, giving access to multigram quantities of the aldehyde product.     

Key tricyclic synthetic intermediates for the preparation of the sesquiterpenes α- and β-cedrene

A completely novel and direct route towards the synthesis of the natural sesquiterpenes α-cedrene and β-cedrene delivered the compounds (3β,3aβ,7β)-(±)-6,6-ethyl­ene­dioxy-3,8,8-tri­methyl-2,3,3a,4,5,6,7,8-octa­hydro-3a,7-methano­azulen-2-one, C₁₆H₂₂O₃, and (3β,3aβ,7β,8aα)-(±)-6,6-ethyl­ene­dioxy-3,8,8-tri­methyl-1,2,3,3a,4,5,6,7,8,8a-deca­hydro-3a,7-methano­azulen-2-one, C₁₆H₂₄O₃, at key stages of the preparative programme. Structural elucidation showed the latter compound to have added an H atom to the same face of the cyclo­pentenone ring as that occupied by the methyl substituent, and also allowed correct isomer identification for further reaction.     

Selones as intermediates in the preparation of extremely sterically hindered molecules

The preparation and reactions of selones, selenium analogues of ketones, are described with particular emphasis on their utility in the preparation of extremely sterically hindered molecules. Mechanistic questions related to these reactions are discussed and evidence for “active selenium” is presented. Selenophilic additions of organometallic compounds to selones are also reported.     

Enantiopure N-acyldihydropyridones as synthetic intermediates: asymmetric synthesis of (-)-slaframine

[formula: see text] An asymmetric synthesis of (-)-slaframine and N-acetylslaframine has been accomplished starting from an enantiopure dihydropyridone building block. The oxygen-carbon bond at C-1 was incorporated with complete stereoselectivity by using an efficient phenylselenocyclocarbamation reaction.     

Separation and purification of intermediates for the preparation of naproxen from synthetic mixtures by countercurrent chromatography

Three key intermediates in the preparation of the nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug naproxen were successfully separated and purified with high purity from synthetic mixtures by countercurrent chromatography with a selected biphasic solvent system. The biphasic solvent system composed of n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (9:1:9:1, v/v/v/v) was selected according to partition performance of the three components using thin‐layer chromatography. Fifty milligrams of the synthetic mixture after the three‐step reaction was injected into a preparative countercurrent chromatography separation column and yielded 3.5, 14.0, and 8.0 mg of three key intermediates with 95.0, 99.0, and 98.0% purity, and the recovery of each component was 65.2, 71.2, and 69.6%, respectively. The results indicated that countercurrent chromatography is an efficient alternative and economical method for the separation and purification of intermediate components from synthetic mixtures.     

Hydrolytically stable octahedral silicon complexes as bioactive scaffolds: application to the design of DNA intercalators

We here introduce octahedral silicon serving as a structural center for the design of hydrolytically stable bioactive complexes as demonstrated with the generation of silicon-based high affinity DNA binders. This proof-of-principle study suggests that octahedral silicon complexes are falsely neglected, promising structural templates for widespread applications in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry.     

Synthesis of (+/-)-epi-stegobinone utilizing silacyclopropanes as synthetic intermediates

The synthesis of (+/-)-1'-epi-stegobinone has been accomplished in ten steps and 17% overall yield from a recently reported silacyclopropane-derived diol. All stereocenters of the final product were established relative to the stereochemistry of the initial silacyclopropane. This synthesis represents the first time silacyclopropane reactivity has been employed in a target-directed synthesis.     

Alkylsquarates as key intermediates for the rapid preparation of original drug-inspired compounds

Many natural privileged scaffolds contain a basic nitrogen atom, which often is a key element of pharmacophore and a chemically reactive centre as well. In our ongoing research program devoted to the design of targeted libraries based on acidic templates, we developed methods to convert privileged basic compounds -like natural alkaloids or drugs into acidic compounds. This conversion led to a profound alteration of the pharmacophore, without changing the overall shape and lipophilicity of the molecule. We expect such modifications to generate unexpected biological activities. Recently, we focused on derivatives of squaric acid, a vinylogous carboxylic acid. Two series were studied. First we describe a new, selective parallel synthesis of squaramic acids from a dissymmetric diester (3-tert-butoxy-4-ethoxy-cyclobut-3-en-1,2-dione). This efficient procedure avoids the synthesis of the undesired squaramides. Secondly we describe a microplate parallel synthesis (15 micromol-scale) of squaric acid hydroxamate amides from a squaric hydroxamate ester.     

Diene-titanium complexes as synthetic intermediates for the construction of three- or five-membered carbocycles

It has been shown that diene-titanium complexes exhibit substrate-dependent 1,2- or 1,4-dicarbanion reactivity. On this basis, 3-cyclopentenylamines and spiro-vinylcyclopropane lactams were easily prepared by using homoallylic Grignard reagents, Ti(O-i-Pr)4, and nitriles or cyanoesters, respectively.     

2-Trifluoroacetyl aminoindoles as useful intermediates for the preparation of 2-acylamino indoles

A three-step method was developed to convert N-1 unprotected 3-substituted indoles to 3-substituted 2-acylaminoindoles. Established indole chlorination chemistry was employed to generate stable 2-trifluoroacetylamino indoles, which were subsequently deprotected and selectively acylated.     

Enantiopure 1,5-diols from dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation. Useful synthetic intermediates for the preparation of chiral heterocycles

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DYKAT) of a series of 1,5-diols has been performed in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), Pseudomonas cepacia lipase II (PS-C II), and ruthenium catalyst 4. The resulting optically pure 1,5-diacetates are useful synthetic intermediates, which was demonstrated by the syntheses of both an enantiopure 2,6-disubstituted piperidine and an enantiopure 3,5-disubstituted morpholine.     

The expedient access to bromo-pyridine carbaldehyde scaffolds using gem-dibromomethyl intermediates

A simple, efficient, and general two-step synthesis to bromo-pyridine carbaldehyde scaffolds is described. This direct route involves sequential reactions employing the dibromination of bromo-picolines followed by hydrolysis using an aqueous solution of calcium carbonate. Bromo-pyridine carbaldehyde scaffolds 1-7 were obtained in good overall yield. Bromo-dibromomethyl-pyridine intermediates have been isolated and characterized.     

10-hydroxy-10,9-boroxarophenanthrenes: versatile synthetic intermediates to 3,4-benzocoumarins and triaryls

10-Hydroxy-10,9-boroxarophenanthrenes were obtained as unexpected major products upon BBr(3)-mediated O-demethylation of 2-methoxybiaryls. The formation likely proceeds via intramolecular electrophilic aromatic cyclization of a reactive dibromoaryloxyborane intermediate. Essentially quantitative yields of 10-hydroxy-10,9-boroxarophenanthrenes were also obtained from 2-hydroxybiaryl and BCl(3)/AlCl(3) with use of a modified literature procedure. As synthetic intermediates, 10-hydroxy-10,9-boroxarophenanthrenes were efficiently converted to 3,4-benzocoumarins and triaryls through Pd-catalyzed CO insertion and Suzuki reaction.