3-Cyclobutenyl-1,2-dione-substituted porphyrins. 2. A simple and general entry to quinone-porphyrin-porphyrin-quinone tetrads and related molecules

The synthesis of meso-linked quinone-porphyrin-porphyrin-quinone tetrads has been accomplished by the simple treatment of a CH2Cl2 solution of zincated 5-substituted-10,20-diphenylporphyrins (where the substituent = 3-cyclobutenyl-1,2-dione, various quinonyl derivatives, and p-anisyl) with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanoquinone (DDQ). The zincated porphyrinic quinones were synthesized from 5-(3-cyclobutenyl-1,2-dione)-10,20-diphenylporphyrin(Zn). The meso-linked dimer of 5-(3-cyclobutenyl-1,2-dione)-10,20-diphenylporphyrin(Zn) was also shown to be a useful precursor to meso-linked quinone-porphyrin-porphyrin-quinone tetrads. This DDQ-based oxidative dimerization appears to be general and effective for various zincated 5-substituted-10,20-diphenylporphyrins bearing both electron-withdrawing and -donating substituents. The oxidative dimerization was very sensitive to the reaction solvent (dimerization occurred in CH2Cl2, not in THF) and required the zincated porphyrins (the corresponding free base porphyrins did not undergo dimerization). When this solvent effect was applied to the reaction of I2/AgO2CCF3 with zincated porphyrins, either the dimeric porphyrins or iodoporphyrins could be selectively prepared simply by selecting methylene chloride or THF as the reaction solvent, respectively.     

A general and efficient palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization reaction of beta-brominated porphyrins

A general and efficient synthesis of fused five-membered porphyrins from the readily available beta-brominated porphyrins via palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization has been developed, which can be applied for various metal complexes of beta-brominated porphyrins or free base ones and generally results in good yields of the fused five-membered porphyrins.     

Preparation and structural control of metal coordination-assisted supramolecular architectures of porphyrins. Nanocubes to microrods

We have successfully prepared metal coordination-assisted porphyrin assemblies such as nanocubes, nanorods and microrods by controlling the synthetic conditions. The internal structures and lifetimes of the excited states are also quantitatively discussed.     

A general,stereocontrolled entry to pyrimidine homo-C-nucleosides

A simple synthesis of nucleoside analogues with a methylene group between the ribose and 5-position of pyrimidine appendages is outlined.     

An efficient entry to pyrrolo[1,2-b]isoquinolines and related systems through Parham cyclisation

Aryllithiums generated by lithium-iodine exchange undergo intramolecular cyclisation to give pyrrolo[1,2-b]isoquinolines, in high yields. The best results were obtained when Weinreb or morpholine amides were used as internal electrophiles. The procedure has been extended to the preparation of seven and eight membered rings, opening a route to benzazepine and benzazocine skeletons.     

General synthetic entry to linearly-fused dihydrobenzocyclobutene-1,2-diones and benzocyclobutene-1,2-diones via annulation of 1,2-bis(methylene)carbocycles with 3-chloro-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione

The tandem Diels-Alder/dehydrochlorination reaction of semisquaric chloride (1) with the 1,2-bis(methylene)cycloalkanes 2a-c and 1,2-bis(methylene)-4-cyclohexene (9) affords the linearly-fused cycloalkanodihydrobenzocyclobutene-1,2-diones 3a-c and 3,4,7,8-tetrahydrocyclobuta[b]-naphthalene-1,2-dione (10), respectively. On treatment with MnO2, 3a-c are dehydrogenated to the respective carbocycle-fused benzocyclobutene-1,2-diones 4a-c in good yields. 3a and 3b react with bromine to give the addition products 5a,b, which, on treatment with silver trifluoroacetate, afford the benzocyclobutene-1,2-diones 4a,b. For preparative purposes, the sequence 3-->5-->4 can be performed advantageously as a "one-pot procedure". Double-condensation reactions of 4a,b with alpha,alpha'-biscyano-o-xylene and o-phenylenediamine afford the pentacyclic biphenylenes 7a,b and the cyclobutahetarenes 8a,b, respectively. These cyclobutenediones suggest themselves as building blocks for the construction of extended linearly-fused polycyclic compounds with novel ring sequences. o-Quinodimethanes 12a-g generated in situ by the thermal decomposition of the respective 1,4-dihydro-2,3-benzoxathiin-3-oxides (sultines) 11a-g react with semisquaric chloride (1) to afford the 3,8-dihydronaphtho[b]cyclobutene-1,2-diones 13a-g. These, on dehydrogenation with bromine and/or MnO2, furnish the naphtho[b]cyclobutene-1,2-diones 14a-g in fair to good yields. As described for 4a,b the naphtho[b]cyclobutene-1,2-diones 14a-c are condensed with alpha,alpha'-biscyano-o-xylene and o-phenylenediamine to furnish the pentacyclic biphenylenes 15a-c and the pentacyclic cyclobutahetarenes 16a-c.     

A general entry to guaianolides. An illustrative synthesis of (±)-compressanolide

A short and efficient synthesis of a key intermediate $\text{2}$ for the formation of guaianolides is described. The potentiality of $\text{2}$ is illustrated by its transformation into the natural occurring guaianolide, (±)-compressanolide $\text{1}$.     

A general approach to l-tyrosine porphyrins

A novel and general approach has been developed to prepare l-tyrosine-containing porphyrins. The key intermediates, 2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-3-(3-formyl-4-hexyloxy-phenyl)-propionic acid hexyl ester and 2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-3-(3-formyl-4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid methyl ester, were prepared by the Reimer-Tiemann reaction of Boc-protected l-tyrosine, which was followed by esterification and alkylation of the phenol hydroxide. A number of novel chiral l-tyrosine porphyrins were obtained from the reactions of 2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-3-(3-formyl-4-alkoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid ester with different dipyrrolylmethanes and the reaction of 5-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)pyrromethane afforded the highest yield. The tyrosine porphyrins could be readily deprotected to afford the corresponding diacid or diamine derivatives.     

A general and efficient FeCl3-catalyzed nucleophilic substitution of propargylic alcohols

A general and efficient FeCl3-catalyzed substitution reaction of propargylic alcohols with carbon- and heteroatom-centered nucleophiles such as allyl trimethylsilane, alcohols, aromatic compounds, thiols, and amides, leading to the construction of C-C, C-O, C-S and C-N bonds, has been developed.     

A catalytic-enantioselective entry to planar chiral pi-complexes: enantioselective methoxycarbonylation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene-Cr(CO)(3)

The palladium-catalyzed mono-methoxycarbonylation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene tricarbonylchromium(0) has been achieved with up to 95% ee in the presence of the chiral ferrocene ligand (R,S)-PPF-pyrrolidine. It was found that the enantioselectivity strongly depends on the reaction time (conversion). Obviously, the initial enantioselectivity is enhanced by a subsequent kinetic resolution connected to the formation of the bis-methoxycarbonylated byproduct.     

A rapid and efficient entry to synthesis of quino and chromenocarbazoles via Ullmann-Goldberg condensation

An efficient two-step method for the preparation of quino and chromenocarbazoles via Ullmann-Goldberg condensation of 3-aminocarbazole and 3-hydroxy-9-ethylcarbazole with o-halobenzoic acids followed by cyclization with POCl₃ has been described.     

An efficient route to biscardanol derivatives and cardanol-based porphyrins via olefin metathesis

Ru-catalyzed olefin metathesis has been successfully applied to the synthesis of biscardanol derivatives and cardanol-based porphyrins. Using Hoveyda–Grubbs catalyst (C627), the reactions were performed with various cardanol derivatives (2, 5, 7, and 9) to make novel biscardanol derivatives. With the use of the second-generation Grubbs catalyst (C848) and Ti(OⁱPr)₄, the ring-closing metathesis of cardanol-based porphyrin 11 was carried out to afford cyclic cardanol-based porphyrin derivative 12.     

Stereospecific and regioselective opening of an oxirane system. A new efficient entry to 1- or 3-monoacyl- and 1- or 3-monoalkyl-sn-glycerols

Acyl or alkyl glycidols in the presence of trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) and trifluoroacetate anions, undergo a regioselective and stereospecific opening of the oxirane system to produce the bis(trifluoroacetylated) derivatives, from which the corresponding 1(3)-monoacyl-sn-glycerols or 1(3)-monoalkyl-sn-glycerols can be obtained directly in high purity (>99%) and in quantitative yields.     

A general and efficient route to 3-amino-4-sulfanylcoumarins via substitution and palladium-catalyzed amination of 3-bromo-4-tosyloxycoumarins

A highly efficient and practical route to 3-amino-4-sulfanylcoumarins from 3-bromo-4-tosyloxy-coumarins via substitution and palladium catalyzed amination reactions is described.     

An efficient entry to optically active anti- and syn-beta-amino-alpha-trifluoromethyl alcohols

The reaction of chiral 5,6-dihydro-2H-1,4-oxazin-2-ones with TMSCF3 in the presence of a suitable activator leads to trifluoromethyl lactols, which can be selectively reduced to anti-beta-amino-alpha-trifluoromethyl alcohols. The corresponding syn diastereoisomers are obtained when the starting imines are reduced and the nitrogen atom is conveniently protected. In addition, a novel rearrangement of the CF3 group in the lactol intermediates has been observed. This represents a formal CF3 addition to the imine function in the starting substrates.     

Alkali-metal-catalyzed addition of primary and secondary phosphines to carbodiimides. A general and efficient route to substituted phosphaguanidines

Organo alkali metal compounds such as (n)BuLi and (Me3Si)2NK act as excellent catalyst precursors for the addition of phosphine P-H bonds to carbodiimides, offering a general and atom-economical route to substituted phosphaguanidines, with excellent tolerability to aromatic C-Br and C-Cl bonds.     

Rational or statistical routes from 1-acyldipyrromethanes to meso-substituted porphyrins. Distinct patterns, multiple pyridyl substituents, and amphipathic architectures

New methodology is described for the synthesis of porphyrins bearing four (A 4, cis-A 2B 2, cis-ABC 2, trans-A 2B 2) or fewer (A, cis-AB, cis-A 2, trans-A 2) meso substituents. The method entails condensation of two 1-acyldipyrromethanes in the presence of a metal salt (MgBr 2, 3 mol equiv) and a noncoordinating base (DBU, 10 mol equiv) in a noncoordinating solvent (toluene) with heating (conventional or microwave irradiation) and exposure to air. The rational synthesis of trans-A 2B 2- or trans-A 2-porphyrins was achieved via condensation of two identical 1-acyldipyrromethanes. The statistical synthesis of various meso-substituted porphyrins was achieved via condensation of two nonidentical 1-acyldipyrromethanes. Both routes possess attractive features including (1) no scrambling, (2) good yield (up to 60%) at high concentration (100 mM) for the macrocycle-forming step, (3) reasonable scope (aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, or no substituent), (4) short reaction time ( approximately 2 h) via microwave irradiation, (5) magnesium porphyrins as the products, which easily undergo demetalation, and (6) facile chromatographic purification. A key advantage of the statistical route is to obtain a cis-substituted porphyrin without the corresponding trans isomer. For example, reaction of an A/B-substituted 1-acyldipyrromethane and the fully unsubstituted 1-formyldipyrromethane gave the magnesium chelates of three porphyrins: the trans-A 2B 2-porphyrin, the "hybrid" cis-AB-porphyrin, and porphine (no trans-AB-porphyrin can form), which were readily demetalated and separated as the free base species. Altogether 26 1-acyldipyrromethanes and 26 target porphyrins have been prepared, including many with two different pyridyl substituents. One set of amphipathic porphyrins includes cis-A 2B 2- or cis-A 2BC-porphyrins wherein A = pentyl and B/C = pyridyl ( o-, m-, p-). Taken together, the rational and statistical routes enable facile conversion of readily available 1-acyldipyrromethanes to diverse porphyrins bearing 1-4 meso substituents for which access is limited via other methods.     

A highly efficient ruthenium-catalyzed rearrangement of alpha,beta-epoxyketones to 1,2-diketones

TpRuPPh(3)(CH(3)CN)(2)PF(6) catalyzed the efficient rearrangement of alpha,beta-epoxyketones to 1,2-diketones. Unlike a previously reported iron catalyst, the reaction in this case is applicable not only to 1,2-disubstituted epoxides but also to mono- and trisubstituted epoxides and tolerates oxygen functionalities. The sterically crowded and highly basic tris(1-pyrazolyl)borate (Tp) ligand of the ruthenium catalyst might account for its high selectivity toward 1,2-diketone rather than 1,3-diketone.