Ligand-free copper-catalyzed arylation of amidines

Copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of amidine salts were utilized to synthesize monoarylated amidines in moderate to high yields with ligand-free conditions. DMF was the superior solvent for the N-arylation of benzamidines, while MeCN was used in the formation of N-aryl amidines in moderate to high yield.     

Amidines, isothioureas, and guanidines as nucleophilic catalysts

Over the last ten years there has been a huge increase in development and applications of organocatalysis in which the catalyst acts as a nucleophile. Amidines and guanidines are often only thought of as strong organic bases however, a number of small molecules containing basic functional groups have been shown to act as efficient nucleophilic catalysts. This tutorial review highlights the use of amidine, guanidine, and related isothiourea catalysts in organic synthesis, as well as the evidence for the nucleophilic nature of these catalysts. The most common application of these catalysts to date has been in acyl transfer reactions, although the application of these catalysts towards other reactions is an increasing area of interest. In this respect, amidine and guanidine derived catalysts have been shown to be effective in catalysing aldol reactions, Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions, conjugate additions, carbonylations, methylations, silylations, and brominations.     

The scope and mechanism of phosphonium-mediated S(N)Ar reactions in heterocyclic amides and ureas

An efficient "one-step" synthesis of cyclic amidines and guanidines has been developed. Treatment of cyclic amides and ureas with benzotriazol-1-yloxytris(dimethylamino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate (BOP), base, and nitrogen nucleophiles leads to the formation of the corresponding cyclic amidines and guanidines, typically in good to excellent yields. This method has also been used to prepare heteroaryl ethers and thioethers using phenol and thiophenol nucleophiles. Time course NMR and HPLC-MS studies have facilitated explicit characterization of the proposed intermediates (the phosphonium salt and HOBt adduct); the data reveal a stepwise reaction pathway.     

Tandem Coupling of Azide with Isonitrile and Boronic Acid: Facile Access to Functionalized Amidines

Amidine is a notable nitrogen‐containing structural motif found in bioactive natural products and pharmaceuticals. Herein, a novel rhodium(I)‐catalyzed tandem reaction of readily accessible azides with isonitriles and boronic acids via a carbodiimide intermediate is achieved. This protocol offers an alternative approach toward N‐sulfonyl‐, N‐acyl‐, and N‐ phosphoryl‐functionalized, as well as general N‐aryl and N‐alkyl amidines with broad substrate scope. In addition, functionalized guanidines can also been synthesized when amines are used instead. The accomplishment of estrone‐derived amidine and glibenclamide bioisosteres further reveals the practical utility of this strategy.     

An efficient direct amination of cyclic amides and cyclic ureas

[reaction: see text] An efficient one-step amination of cyclic amides and ureas has been developed. Treatment of cyclic amides and cyclic ureas with BOP in the presence of DBU in various solvents led to the formation of cyclic amidines and cyclic guanidines in good to excellent yields. Concise syntheses of biologically intriguing kinetin and potent kinase inhibitor olomoucin were thus achieved in just one and two steps, respectively.     

Exquisite Synthesis of a Designed PAR‐1 Antagonist

The synthesis of a designed, sterically congested geminal dimethyl‐bearing PAR‐1 antagonist was achieved by a route of ten steps, with the oxidation of an electron‐rich benzaldehyde, the construction of a tertiary alkyl azide, and the selective hydrogenolysis of a 1,5‐fused tetrazole to generate the cyclic amidine with Raney‐Ni being the key steps. The selective hydrogenolysis of 1,5‐fused tetrazole to generate the cyclic amidine with Raney‐Ni was discovered and may be generally used for the synthesis of structurally unusual cyclic amidines. Several unsuccessful attempts to construct the desired geminal dimethyl‐bearing cyclic amidine were also discussed.     

New approach to biomimetic transamination using bifunctional [1,3]-proton transfer catalysis in thioxanthenyl dioxide imines

A pyridoxamine equivalent, 9-aminothioxanthene 10,10-dioxide, has been designed that is capable of affording transamination in good to excellent yields of natural as well as artificial amino acids. Amidines and guanidines in catalytic amounts were capable of performing [1,3]-proton transfer in the imines under mild conditions, whereas various simple amines failed. The use of chiral catalysts resulted in modest asymmetric induction (ee < or = 45%). The electronic dependence in para-substituted phenyl glyoxylate imines, isotope effects, and computational studies support a stepwise, bifunctional mechanism for amidine and guanidine catalysts. Attempts toward an autocatalytic model system are described.     

Ligands with Two Monoanionic N,N-Binding Sites: Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry

Polytopic ligands have become ubiquitous in coordination chemistry because they grant access to a variety of mono- and polynuclear complexes of transition metals as well as rare-earth and main-group elements. Nitrogen-based ditopic ligands, in which two monoanionic N,N-binding sites are framed within one molecule, are of particular importance and are therefore the primary focus of this review. In detail, bis(amidine)s, bis(guanidine)s, bis(β-diimine)s, bis(aminotroponimine)s, bis(pyrrolimine)s, and miscellaneous bis(N,N-chelating) ligands are reviewed. In addition to the general synthetic protocols, the application of these ligands is discussed along with their coordination chemistry, the multifarious binding modes, and the ability of these ligands to bridge two (or more) metal(loids).     

CO2 capture capacity of five- and six-membered cyclic amidines bearing silatranyl group under dry conditions

CO₂ capture and release behaviors of three amidines bearing silatranyl group in DMSO solution were evaluated under dry conditions containing a very small amount of water. A six-membered cyclic amidine with silatranyl group captured CO₂ at 25 °C under atmospheric pressure quantitatively, and the trapped CO₂ was released at 60 °C under Ar atmosphere. A five-membered cyclic amidine with silatranyl group also captured CO₂, but less efficiently, under the same conditions as above. In contrast, an acyclic amidine with silatranyl group did not capture CO₂ at all, as expected from the poor CO₂-capturing ability of the acyclic amidine moiety.     

Microwave-assisted regioselective N-alkylation of cyclic amidines

A simple and efficient methodology for regioselective alkylation of exocyclic nitrogen of cyclic amidines was developed by microwave-assisted heating in the presence of amines. Novel N-alkylated 3,4-dihydropyrazino[2,1-b]quinazolin-6-ones were prepared in good yields. The reaction occurred via a transamination (addition-elimination) process involving a first attack of the amine on the electrophilic carbon of the amidine function.     

Synthesis of five- and six-membered cyclic guanidines by guanylation with isothiouronium iodides and amines under mild conditions

Cyclic guanidine hydroiodides were obtained in one step by the reactions of isothiouronium iodides with an equimolar amount of various amines in tetrahydrofuran. The obtained hydroiodides were neutralized with sodium hydroxide or anionic exchange resin to afford the corresponding substituted cyclic guanidines in quantitative yields.     

Synthesis and decrosslinking of networked polymers having zwitterion structure consisted by cyclic amidine and isothiocyanate

We have already found that the polymers, which are obtained by the polymerization of 4‐vinylphenyl isothoiocyanate after the zwitterion formation with cyclic amidines, are networked through the ionic interaction among the zwitterions becoming insoluble to various solvents. We report here on the results of the reaction of nucleophilic reagents such as amines and alcohols with the zwitterionic adduct to investigate about the decrosslinking through the resolution of ionic interactions. In the model reactions of amines and alcohols with the zwitterion compounds, which were consisted of the phenyl isothiocyanate and cyclic amidines, the reaction of nucleophilic reagents and zwitterionic adducts having methyl group at the 2‐position of the amidine proceed quantitatively. Based on the model reaction, such nucleophilic addition was applicable to decrosslinking reaction of the networked polymers containing the zwitterion structure in the side‐chain. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2131–2137     

Synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical N,N'-diaryl guanidines via copper/N-methylglycine-catalyzed arylation of guanidine nitrate

CuI/N-methylglycine-catalyzed coupling reaction of guanidine nitrate with both aryl iodides and bromides takes place at 70-100 °C, affording symmetrical N,N'-diaryl guanidines with good to excellent yields. Unsymmetrical N,N'-diaryl guanidines can be assembled via monoarylation of guanidine nitrate with aryl iodides bearing a strong electron-withdrawing group and subsequent coupling with another aryl iodide.     

Induced fit conformational changes of a "reversed amidine" heterocycle: optimized interactions in a DNA minor groove complex

To better understand the molecular basis for recognition of the DNA minor groove by heterocyclic cations, a series of "reversed amidine" substituted heterocycles has been prepared. Amidine derivatives for targeting the minor groove have the amidine carbon linked to a central heterocyclic system, whereas in the reverse orientation, an amidine nitrogen provides the link. The reverse system has a larger dihedral angle as well as a modified spatial relationship with the groove relative to amidines. Because of the large dihedral, the reversed amidines should have reduced binding to DNA relative to similar amidines. Such a reduction is observed in footprinting, circular dichroism (CD), biosensor-surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) experiments with DB613, which has a central phenyl-furan-phenyl heterocyclic system. The reduction is not seen when a pyrrole (DB884) is substituted for the furan. Analysis of a number of derivatives defines the pyrrole and a terminal phenyl substituent on the reversed amidine groups as critical components in the strong binding of DB884. ITC and SPR comparisons showed that the better binding of DB884 was due to a more favorable binding enthalpy and that it had exceptionally slow dissociation from DNA. Crystallographic analysis of DB884 bound to an AATT site shows that the compound was bound in the minor groove in a 1:1 complex as suggested by CD solution studies. Surprisingly, unlike the amidine derivative, the pyrrole -NH of DB884 formed an H-bond with a central T of the AATT site and this accounts for the enthalpy-driven strong binding. The structural results and molecular modeling studies provide an explanation for the differences in binding affinities for related amidine and reversed amidine analogues.     

Synthetic utility of ammonium salts in a Cu-catalyzed three-component reaction as a facile coupling partner

Ammonium salts were found to be a convenient and inexpensive reagent in the Cu-catalyzed three-component reaction with terminal alkynes and sulfonyl or phosphoryl azides leading to N-unprotected amidines. Thus obtained amidines bearing 2-bromobenzenesulfonyl moiety were efficiently cyclized by the Cu-catalyzed intramolecular N-arylation to give an important pharmacophore skeleton of 2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine 1,1-dioxides. Conveniently, two tandem catalytic procedures could be readily operated in one pot.     

Saturated heterocycles. 242. Synthesis of 2-substituted-6-(6′,7′-dimethoxy-3′,4′-dihydro-1′-isoquinolyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro- quinazolin-4(3H)-one Derivatives

In the reactions of the recently synthesized β-ketoesters 1-[(3′-methoxycarbonyl- and 1-[(3′-ethoxycarbonyl-4′-oxo)-1′-cyclohexyl]-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline 4, 5 with amidines or cyclic guanidines, a number of 2-substituted-6-(6′,7′-dimethoxy-3′,4′-dihydro-1′-isoquinolyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives 6–8 were prepared. The new compounds possess various pharmacological actions.     

Revisiting aryl amidine synthesis using metal amide and/or ammonia gas: Novel molecules and their biological evaluation

Amidines, due to their unique biocompatibility and desirable physical characteristics, have been the functionality of choice as a scaffold for large number of drug synthesis. But still synthesis of amidines in the presence of other active functional groups or pharmacophore, remained a challenge. In this work, a simple and reliable protocol for conversion of nitrile-amide to unsubstituted amidine–amide is developed using metal amide and/or ammonia gas. The scope and efficiency of this synthetic strategy are demonstrated on several substrates which differ in functional groups will be discussed. In this process, 10 novel aryl amidines in good yields (upto 85%) were synthesized. Biological evaluation revealed that compound 4-(aminoiminomethyl)-N-(2-furanyl methyl) benzamide (IC₅₀?=?9?µM) and 4-(aminoiminomethyl)-N-(3-pyridinylmethyl) benzamide (73.36% growth inhibition) showed moderate efficacy for cancer cells.     

Concise, flexible syntheses of 4-(4-imidazolyl)pyrimidine cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitors

A flexible six-step synthesis of potential cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitors is reported. The synthesis involves the condensation between 3-chloro-4,4-dimethoxy-2-butanone and amidines, which provides acetyl-imidazoles and late stage palladium-catalyzed N-arylation to give the target pyrimidine derivatives.     

Acyl guanidine functional poly(2‐oxazoline)s as reactive intermediates and stimuli‐responsive materials

The many postpolymerization modification opportunities of biocompatible poly(2‐alkyl/aryl‐2‐oxazoline)s (PAOx), such as thiol–ene/thiol–yne, azide–alkyne cycloadditions, amidation, and transesterification, are one of the most appealing features of this polymer class for its popularity in biomedicine. Inspired by recent reports on guanidine‐catalyzed transesterification and amidation reactions of methyl ester substrates, we explored the use of guanidines as a reactant for the modification of methyl ester functional PAOx, to obtain the respective acyl guanidines. The obtained acyl guanidines functional polymers display reactivity toward α‐haloketones, yielding imidazole functional PAOx. The obtained polymer structures are protonated in a broad pH range, and the acyl guanidine moiety is demonstrated to be a cleavable linker under basic conditions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 2616–2624     

Amidine nitrosation

The acidic nitrosation chemistry of nine acyclic secondary and tertiary amidines (Ph-N=C(R(1))NR(2)R(3); R(1) = H, CH(3), Ph; R(2), R(3) = H, Ph or (CH(3))(2) or C(CH(2))(4)) and several N-acylamidines was investigated. The principal nitrosation products were amides derived from the amino moiety and compounds derived from the benzenediazonium ion, which was independently trapped for quantitation in several cases. Tertiary amidines also produce nitrosamines in minor, but significant, yields. The benzamidines did not react, and the N-acylamidines hydrolyzed much more rapidly than they nitrosated. The data support the hypothesis that the reaction occurs by nitrosation on the imino nitrogen, followed by the addition of H(2)O to give a tetrahedral intermediate (alpha-hydroxynitrosamine) for which the main decomposition pathway generates an amide and a diazonium ion. In the case of the pyrrolidine-derived amidines, about 25% of the decomposition results in cleavage of the amine moiety, which nitrosates to give N-nitrosopyrrolidine. Pseudo-first-order rate constants for amidine nitrosation in aqueous acetic acid with excess nitrite at 25 degrees C ranged from (3 to 106) x 10(-5) s(-1), while the amidine basicity ranged over 5 pK(a) units. Rate constants corrected for amidine basicity showed the pyrrolidine derived amidines to be most reactive. The lack of benzamidine nitrosative reactivity is attributed to a very slow rate of H(2)O additon to the N-nitrosoamidinium ion and reversible nitrosation.