N,N′,N″-Tri-Boc-guanidine (TBG): a common starting material for both N-alkyl guanidines and amidinoureas

In this Letter, we describe the unexpected reaction pattern of N,N′N″-tri-Boc-guanidine (TBG) with amines at room temperature and under reflux conditions affording N-substituted guanidines and amidinoureas, potentially important compounds with extensive applications in medicinal chemistry. This investigation shows that TBG is an excellent, readily available common starting material for the synthesis of various N-alkyl guanidines as well as N-alkyl-N′-substituted amidinoureas by simply manipulating the reaction conditions.     

Reactivity and regioselectivity in the synthesis of spiroindoles via indole o-quinodimethanes. An experimental and computational study

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of stable nitrile oxides with indole o-quinodimethanes have been examined. In all cases the ‘exo-anti’ addition products, dispiroisoxazolines, were isolated in moderate to good yields (25-47%). In addition, from the reaction of one of the indole quinodimethanes with mesitonitrile oxide the ‘exo-syn’ addition product was isolated in 7% yield along with the remarkable indole quinodimethane dimerization and cycloaddition product, which was isolated in 13% yield. An analogous dimerization and cycloaddition product was isolated in 18% yield from the reaction of the N-acetyl-indole quinodimethane with mesitonitrile oxide. In the case of the reaction of the N-benzoylindole quinodimethane with the 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile oxide an oxime was also isolated in 13% yield. The proposed reaction mechanism is supported by semiempirical (AM1) MO calculations via FMO interactions. The observed selectivity was explained by an investigation of the transition states carried out also for analogous dispiroisoxazolines.     

Copper-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones from ortho-bromobenzamides and isothiocyanates

Copper-catalyzed tandem reaction of ortho-bromobenzamides and isothiocyanates is described, which provides an efficient and practical route for the synthesis of 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones. The optimal condition involved the following parameters: CuI as precatalyst, Cs₂CO₃ as base, N,N′-dimethylethane-1,2-diamine as ligand, and toluene as solvent, with reaction temperature at 120 °C.     

N,N,N,N-Tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine as the catalyst of choice for the Baylis-Hillman reaction of cycloalkenone: rate acceleration by stabilizing the zwitterionic intermediate via the ion-dipole interaction

N,N,N^′,N^′-Tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine (TMPDA) can be used as an efficient catalyst for the Baylis-Hillman reaction of cycloalkenones. The increased reaction rate was thought be derived from the stabilizing effect of the zwitterionic intermediate via the ion-dipole interaction.     

Three-component reaction of N′-(2-alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazide, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound, with bromine

Different outcomes were generated under different conditions for the three-component reaction of N′-(2-alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazide, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound, with bromine. 6-BromoH-pyrazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline was obtained when the reaction was performed in NMP at 70 °C in the presence of DABCO as base, while 6-bromo-1,2,3,10b-tetrahydropyrazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline was afforded when the reaction occurred in DMAc at 10 °C in the presence of K₃PO₄ as the base.     

Microwave-assisted benzyne-click chemistry: preparation of 1H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazoles

The benzotriazoles were prepared by three-component and two-component microwave-assisted [3+2] cycloadditions of various azides to benzyne, 3-methoxybenzyne, and 4,5-difluorobenzyne. In the three-component reaction, the aryne is generated, in the presence of an azide prepared in situ, by the reaction of an o-(trimethylsilylaryl) triflate with either CsF or KF/18-Crown-6. However, in the two-component reactions, a freshly prepared azide is added to the reaction vessel prior to aryne generation. Good to excellent yields of benzotriazoles were obtained in 15-20 min when the microwave-assisted reactions were carried out at 125 °C. These reaction times are significantly faster than similar reactions carried out using conventional heating.     

New environmentally friendly solvent free synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones catalysed by N-butyl-N,N-dimethyl-α-phenylethylammonium bromide

N-Butyl-N,N-dimethyl-α-phenylethylammonium bromide catalyzes efficiently the three component condensation reaction of an aromatic aldehyde, a β-keto ester and urea/thiourea under solvent free conditions at 100°C to afford the corresponding dihydropyrimidinone in high yield.     

Reaction of an Introverted Carboxylic Acid with Carbodiimide

The reaction of carboxylic acids with carbodiimides is reviewed, and an ‘introverted’ carboxylic acid is proposed as a means of trapping reactive intermediates along the reaction pathway. The introverted acid is a cavitand with the carboxylic function directed toward the floor of the cavity. Its reaction with diisopropyl carbodiimide gives a covalent adduct that is either the elusive O-acylisourea or the commonly encountered N-acylurea.     

Grignard reagent-promoted 6-endo-dig cyclization: instantaneous synthesis of original dipyrido[1,2-a:3′,4′-d]imidazole

Dipyrido[1,2-a:3′,4′-d]imidazole derivatives can be readily synthetized from various 3-alkyne-2-cyanoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via an efficient Grignard reagent-promoted 6-endo-dig cyclization of nitrile to alkynes. A previous optimization of the Sonogashira coupling reaction at C(3) of the 2-cyanoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine was necessary as this coupling reaction is known to be largely influenced by the nature of the 2-substituent.     

A concise synthesis of asymmetrical N,N′-disubstituted guanidines

We present a new and concise method for the preparation of asymmetrical N,N′-disubstituted guanidines starting from thiourea via the reaction of N-Boc-protected N′-alkyl/aryl substituted thioureas with an amine in the presence of mercury(II) chloride and triethylamine.     

Solid-state cis-trans isomerization reaction of (η-MeC5H4)W(CO)2P(OPr)3I

cis-(η⁵-MeC₅H₄)W(CO)₂P(OⁱPr)₃I (1) was converted to the trans isomer 2 in the solid state (90-110 °C). The reaction was monitored by heating 1 in NMR tubes for periods of time (2-60 min), cooling the tubes to room temperature and determining the conversion by solution ³¹P and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The data were consistent with a first-order reaction and yielded an activation energy of 59 ± 3 kJ mol⁻¹. Comparative kinetic data were obtained from an in situ analysis of a powder-XRD study of 1. The powder-XRD study was conducted at 80-100 °C (10-60 min), yielding an activation energy of 52 ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹ (first-order reaction). The reaction could not be monitored by single crystal X-ray diffraction as the crystal disintegrated over time on heating. This disintegration process was monitored by optical microscopy and revealed that while the bulk crystal morphology was retained the crystal surface roughened with time. The compounds 1 and 2 were also structurally characterised by X-ray crystallographic techniques.     

Nickel-catalysed addition of dialkylzinc reagents to N-phosphinoyl- and N-sulfonylimines

A catalytic amount of a nickel complex (0.1-5.3 mol %) extraordinarily increases the reaction rate of the addition of dialkylzinc reagents to N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)- or N-(benzenesulfonyl)imines. The reaction of imines derived from both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with various dialkylzinc reagents in the presence of several nickel complexes gives the expected addition products in most cases in 1 h and in very good yields. In general, the formation of reduction by-products was not an important side reaction. The process represents a great improvement, with regard to the reaction rate and the yield of the addition products, in comparison with the reactions performed in the absence of the nickel catalyst, and reaction times are much shorter than the ones reported so far using other catalysts.     

The Mitsunobu reaction in preparing 3-deazapurine carbocyclic nucleosides

The coupling reaction of 4-chloro-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine (6-chloro-3-deazapurine, 3) with several cyclopentyl derivatives under Mitsunubo reaction conditions provides an efficient entry into N-7 and N-9 substituted 3-deazapurine carbocyclic nucleosides of antiviral potential. The versatility of this procedure is illustrated with a new and efficient synthesis of (−)-3-deazaaristeromycin, a formal preparation of 3-deazaneplanocin A, and a route to 3-deaza-5′-homoaristeromycin.     

Rare direct imidation of aromatic metallacycle by reaction of CpCo(dithiolene) complex with N-halosuccinimide

The aromatic [CpCo(S₂C₂(R)(H))] (R = Ph, Me, 9-phenanthryl, H) complexes reacted with N-halosuccinimides (NXS; X = Cl, Br, I) in carbon tetrachloride at room temperature to undergo the N-succinimide substitution reaction on the dithiolene ring, but no halogenated dithiolene complex was obtained. The imidation products [CpCo(S₂C₂(R)(N-sccinimide))] were yielded up to 64% where X = I and R = 9-phenanthryl. The reaction of [CpCo(S₂C₂(Ph)(H))] with N-bromophthalimide (NBP) also gave the imidation product [CpCo(S₂C₂(Ph)(N-phthalimide))]. This is the rare direct imidation reaction to an aromatic metallacycle by NXS. The reaction of [CpCo(S₂C₂H₂)] (R = H) with NIS afforded the double imidation product. One by-product in this reaction was the dithiolene-dithiolene homo-coupling product [CpCo(S₂C₂(R))]₂ (R = Ph, Me, 9-phenanthryl). The microwave-enhanced (MW) reactions were attempted in the carbon tetrachloride solution. Although the solution temperature increased up to only 43 °C by MW irradiation, the imidation reaction worked with short reaction time.     

Synthesis of fluorinated imines and carbodiimides from azides via aza-Wittig reaction

The Staudinger reaction of fluoroalkylazides were studied. A series of N-fluoroalkylimines were synthesized via aza-Wittig reaction of N-fluoroalkyliminophosphoranes. The N,N′-difluoroalkylated carbodiimide was also synthesized via the reaction of N-fluoroalkyliminophosphoranes with carbon dioxide or carbon disulfide.     

Facile nucleophilic fluorination by synergistic effect between polymer-supported ionic liquid catalyst and tert-alcohol reaction media system

A highly efficient method was developed for nucleophilic fluorination using an alkali metal fluoride through the synergistic effect of the polymer-supported ionic liquid (PSIL) as a catalyst and tert-alcohol as an alternative reaction media. This PSIL/tert-alcohol system not only enhances the reactivity of alkali metal fluorides and reduces the formation of by-products but also allows the use of a polymer-supported catalyst protocol. As an example, the nucleophilic fluorinations of the model compound, 2-(3-bromopropoxy)naphthalene, with CsF using only tert-amyl alcohol as solvent (for 2 h reaction time), 0.5 equiv of PS[hmim][BF₄] in CH₃CN (for 12 h reaction time), and 0.5 equiv of PS[hmim][BF₄] in tert-amyl alcohol (which is a PSIL/tert-alcohol system for the synergistic effect; for 2 h reaction time) provided 18, 40, and 84% yield, respectively. The characteristics of the nucleophilic fluorination reactions of some halo- and alkanesulfonyloxyalkane systems to the corresponding fluoroalkanes using various alkali metal fluorides are also reported.     

A new approach to construction of isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinoline alkaloids Nuevamine, Jamtine, and Hirsutine via IMDAF reaction

The interaction between 1-furyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines and unsaturated acids derivatives (acryloyl, methacryloyl, and crotonoyl chloride, maleic and citraconic anhydride) was studied. It was shown that the reaction proceeds via amide formation and subsequent intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of the furan (IMDAF). The [4+2] cycloaddition proceeded under mild reaction conditions (25-80 °C) and afforded only the exo-adduct in a high yield. With this method, a new approach to the isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinoline system, the basic structural element of alkaloids Jamtine, Hirsutine, and Nuevamine, is proposed.     

Synthesis of fused-tricyclic indole derivatives through an acid-promoted skeletal rearrangement

We developed a novel method for synthesizing fused-tricyclic indole derivatives with a 3-aminomethyl indole motif through a reaction cascade involving ipso-Friedel–Crafts alkylation of phenols, rearomatization of the spirocyclohexadienone unit, and iso-Pictet–Spengler reaction. Using TFA as an acid promoter, six-, seven-, and eight-membered ring-fused indoles were obtained in 31–99% yield.     

Chemiluminescence of 6-aryl-2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-ones in DMSO/TMG and in diglyme/acetate buffer: support for the chemiexcitation process to generate the singlet-excited state of neutral oxyluciferin in a high quantum yield in the Cypridina (Vargula) bioluminescence mechanism

The chemiluminescence of 6-aryl-2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-ones (Cypridina luciferin analogues) in DMSO/1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine and in diglyme/acetate buffer was investigated. The results indicate that the reaction mechanism that produces a high chemiluminescence quantum yield involves a chemiexcitation process from a neutral dioxetanone intermediate possessing an electron-donating aryl group (σ_Ar <−0.6) to the singlet-excited state of neutral acetamidopyrazine. This result may be applied to the reaction mechanism for Cypridina (Vargula) bioluminescence.     

pTSA-catalyzed condensation of xylenols and aldehydes under solvent-free conditions: One-pot synthesis of 9H-xanthene or bisphenol derivatives

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of 9H-xanthene or bisphenol derivatives has been developed by one-pot condensation of xylenols with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA) as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions at 100 °C. It is noteworthy that the condensation reaction of 3,5-xylenol with aldehydes produces 9H-xanthene derivatives, while the reaction with other xylenols leads to the corresponding bisphenol derivatives. Different types of aromatic aldehydes are used in the reaction and in every case the products were obtained in good to excellent yields. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and CHN data.