2-Pivalamido-3H-pyrimidin-4-one derivatives: convenient pivalamide hydrolysis using Fe(NO3)3 in MeOH

A simple methodology for pivalamide (trimethylacetamide, pivaloylamino) hydrolysis has been discovered using Fe(NO₃)₃ in MeOH at room temperature. The pivalamido group of 2-pivalamido-3H-pyrimidin-4-ones or fused 2-pivalamido-3H-pyrimidin-4-ones such as 2-pivalamido-3H-quinazolin-4-ones and 2-pivalamido-3H-pteridines have been hydrolysed under these conditions to afford the corresponding amine.     

Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of RF-containing 4-quinolones, 8-aza- and 1-thiochromones with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane

Reactions of N-substituted 2-polyfluoroalkyl-4-quinolones and 8-aza-5,7-dimethyl-2-polyfluoroalkylchromones with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane proceed mainly as a 1,4-nucleophilic trifluoromethylation to give N-substituted 2,2-bis(polyfluoroalkyl)-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones and 5,7-dimethyl-2,2-bis(polyfluoroalkyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyrano[2,3-b]pyridin-4-ones after acid hydrolysis. Similar reaction with 2-trifluoromethyl-4H-thiochromen-4-one proceeds as a 1,2-addition to give 2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4H-thiochromen-4-yl trimethylsilyl ether.     

Silica gel supported TaBr5: new catalyst for the facile and rapid cyclization of 2′-aminochalcones to the corresponding 2-aryl-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones under solvent-free conditions

Silica gel supported TaBr₅ (5-10 mol %) is a new solid-support catalyst that can be used under solvent-free conditions for the facile and efficient isomerization of 2′-aminochalcones to the corresponding 2-aryl-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones. The catalyst is easily prepared, stable and employed under environmentally friendly conditions.     

Thiamine hydrochloride (VB1) as an efficient promoter for the one-pot synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones

A facile, efficient, and environmentally friendly procedure for the synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones from isatoic anhydride, aldehyde, and ammonium acetate in the presence of thiamine hydrochloride (VB₁) in EtOH is described. The protocol proves to be efficient and environmentally benign in terms of high yields, ease of recovery, and reusability of catalyst.     

Efficient and general asymmetric syntheses of (R)-chroman-4-amine salts

Starting from a variety of substituted chroman-4-ones, a highly enantioselective CBS reduction using in situ-generated B-H catalyst gave (S)-chroman-4-ols. Azide inversion and reduction gave crude (R)-chroman-4-amines, which could be purified without chromatography by isolation as the (R)-mandelic or d-tartaric acid salts with good yields and excellent ee.     

Alumina supported-CeCl3·7H2O-NaI: an efficient catalyst for the cyclization of 2′-aminochalcones to the corresponding 2-aryl-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones under solvent free conditions

We recently advanced silica gel supported-TaBr₅ as an efficient catalyst for the isomerization of 2′-aminochalcones to the corresponding 2-aryl-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones under solvent free conditions (Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 2725-2729). This conversion can be further improved through the use of more economic alumina supported-CeCl₃·7H₂O-NaI, providing high yields of up to 98% at lower reaction temperatures. This stable catalyst is easily prepared, active under solvent-free conditions and employed under environmentally friendly conditions.     

Efficient PhB(OH)2-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 3-substituted isoindolin-1-ones and isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones under solvent free conditions

An efficient and practical one-pot synthesis of 3-substituted isoindolin-1-ones and isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones has been developed under solvent free-conditions using non-toxic and cheap phenylboronic acid as excellent catalyst. This strategy involves the sequential two-step Mannich/lactamization cascade reaction of inexpensive 2-formylbenzoic acid with primary amines and a wide variety of ketones, and an aldol/lactonization cascade reaction of 2-formylbenzoic acid with a broad range of ketones.     

Synthesis of 2-(trifluoromethyl)-1,2-dihydro-4H-thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones and 2-(trifluoromethyl)-4H-thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones from 2-trifluoromethylchromones and ethyl mercaptoacetate

The redox reaction of 2-trifluoromethylchromones with ethyl mercaptoacetate in the presence of triethylamine results in the formation of 1,2-dihydrothieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones and diethyl 3,4-dithiadipate in high yields. Oxidation of the first compounds with nitrogen dioxide gave 1,2-dihydrothieno[2,3-c]chromen-3,4-diones which were converted into thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-ones.     

The triflic acid-mediated cyclisation of N-benzylcinnamanilides

N-Benzylcinnamanilides cyclise with triflic acid to form 1-benzyl-4-aryl-2,4-dihydro-1H-quinolin-2-ones and 2,5-diaryl-benzazepin-3-ones. The product ratio is determined by the preferred orientation of the amide and by the electronics of the substituents. With ortho-substituted anilides, N-debenzylation also occurs to give 4-aryl-2,4-dihydro-1H-quinoline-2-ones.     

Synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones and 1,4-dihydropyridines using ammonium carbonate in water

Various known and new 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones and 1,4-dihydropyridines are prepared efficiently via Biginelli and Hantzsch reactions using ammonium carbonate in water. Competition between Biginelli and Hantzsch reactions is observed with pyridine carbaldehydes. Using this methodology, Hantzsch esters are synthesized in higher yields and purities than with other procedures without the use of a catalyst or an organic solvent.     

Tandem versus single C-C bond forming reaction under palladium-copper catalysis: regioselective synthesis of α-pyrones fused with thiophene

We herein report a highly convenient protocol for rapid construction of α-pyrone fused with thiophene. This includes one-pot and regioselective synthesis of 4,5-disubstituted and 5-substituted thieno[2,3-c]pyran-7-ones, 6,7-disubstituted and 6-substituted thieno[3,2-c]pyran-4-ones. The synthesis of thieno[2,3-c]pyran-7-ones involves palladium mediated cross coupling of 3-iodothiophene-2-carboxylic acid with terminal alkynes in a simple synthetic operation. The coupling-cyclization reaction was initially studied in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂ and CuI in a variety of solvents. 5-Substituted 4-alkynylthieno[2,3-c]pyran-7-ones were isolated in good yields when the reaction was performed in DMF. Similarly, 6-substituted 7-alkynylthieno[3,2-c]pyran-4-ones were synthesized via palladium-catalyzed cross coupling of 2-bromothiophene-3-carboxylic acid with terminal alkynes. A tandem C-C bond forming reaction in the presence of palladium catalyst rationalizes the formation of coupled product in this apparently three-component reaction. The cyclization step of this coupling-cyclization-coupling process occurs in a regioselective fashion to furnish products containing six-membered ring only. This sequential C-C bond forming reaction however, can be restricted to the formation of single C-C bond by using 10% Pd/C-Et₃N-CuI-PPh₃ as catalyst system in the cross coupling reaction. 5-Substituted thieno[2,3-c]pyran-7-ones were obtained in good yields when the coupling reaction was performed under this condition. Some of the compounds synthesized were tested in vitro for their anticancer activities.     

New applications of cellulose-SO3H as a bio-supported and biodegradable catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of some three-component reactions

A bio-supported solid acid catalyst, cellulose-SO₃H, was used for three-component reactions to synthesize 2-amino-4-aryl-5-oxo-4H,5H-pyrano[3,2-c]chromene-3-carbonitriles, spirooxindoles, 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones, 12-aryl-8,9,10,12-tetrahydrobenzo[a]xanthen-11-ones, α-amidoalkyl-β-naphthols, and α-carbamato-alkyl-β-naphthols derivatives under solvent-free conditions.     

TaBr5-catalyzed Biginelli reaction: one-pot synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones/thiones under solvent-free conditions

An efficient TaBr₅ (5-10 mol %)-catalyzed Biginelli reaction under solvent-free conditions for one-pot syntheses of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones (DHPMs) and their thione analogs is reported. The catalyst is stable at room temperature and employed under mild and environmentally friendly conditions.     

l-Proline-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 2-aryl-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones

l-Proline is utilized as an organocatalyst for the synthesis of substituted 2-aryl-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones, in good yields. The efficiency of the catalyst was proved with a variety of substrates ranging from electron-deficient to electron-rich aryl aldehydes.     

Gold-catalyzed rearrangement of propargylic tert-butyl carbonates

Diversely substituted 4-alkylidene-1,3-dioxolan-2-ones are efficiently synthesized by a gold(I)-catalyzed rearrangement of propargylic tert-butyl carbonates. The substrates are readily accessible and the transformation, which is performed under mild reaction conditions using a low loading of catalyst, allows the synthesis of cyclic carbonates, which would be less efficiently obtained using traditional methods. This procedure has also been applied to the stereoselective synthesis of (E)- or (Z)-4-halomethylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-ones, which proved to be suitable substrates for palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.     

A simple and efficient synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones via Biginelli reaction catalyzed by nanomagnetic-supported sulfonic acid

Nanomagnetic-supported sulfonic acid is found to be a new, powerful, and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the rapid synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones under conventional heating and microwave irradiation. This is the first example of combination of magnetic iron nanoparticles and microwave technique for the multicomponent reaction. The optical behaviors of the 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones have been investigated by UV–vis spectroscopy.     

Efficient synthesis of 6-aryl-4-trifluoromethyl/ethoxycarbonyl-2H-pyran-2-ones through self-condensation of penta-2,4-dienenitriles

An efficient synthesis of two new series of 6-aryl-4-trifluoromethyl-2H-pyran-2-ones and 6-aryl-4-carboxyethyl-2H-pyran-2-ones, obtained through the self-condensation reaction of 5-aryl-5-methoxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)penta-2,4-dienenitriles 3 and ethyl 4-aryl-2-(cyanomethylene)-4-methoxybut-3-enoates 4 respectively, is reported. The self-condensation reaction of the enoates 4 was performed in water in the presence of hydrochloric acid whereas the self-condensation reaction of the penta-2,4-dienenitriles 3 required the use of zinc bromide and hydrochloric acid in order to give the respective 2H-pyran-2-ones. Products were obtained up to 97% yield.     

Gallium(III) triflate-catalyzed one-pot selective synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones and quinazolin-4(3H)-ones

A series of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones and quinazolin-4(3H)-ones have been synthesized in good to excellent yields and high selectivity by one-pot reaction using isatoic anhydride, ammonium acetate (or amines), and aldehydes in ethanol or in DMSO under mild conditions, respectively. The reaction was efficiently promoted by 1 mol % Ga(OTf)₃ and the catalyst could be recovered easily after the reactions and reused without evident loss of reactivity.     

Glyoxylic acid in the reaction of isatoic anhydride with amines: a rapid synthesis of 3-(un)substituted quinazolin-4(3H)-ones leading to rutaecarpine and evodiamine

A dual reactant/catalyst role of glyoxylic acid in the reaction of isatoic anhydride with various amines afforded a novel, robust and rapid synthesis of 3-(un)substituted quinazolin-4(3H)-ones. This metal catalyst-free reaction proceeds via an unusual and unexpected cleavage of C–C bond. A shorter and common route to two alkaloids, that is, rutaecarpine and evodiamine is also accomplished.     

Asymmetric syntheses of diarylheptanoid natural products (−)-centrolobine and (−)-de-O-methylcentrolobine via hetero-Diels-Alder reaction catalyzed by dirhodium(II) tetrakis[(R)-3-(benzene-fused-phthalimido)-2-piperidinonate]

Catalytic asymmetric syntheses of (−)-centrolobine and (−)-de-O-methylcentrolobine have been achieved, incorporating a hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reaction between 4-aryl-2-silyloxy-1,3-butadienes and phenylpropargyl aldehyde derivatives as a key step. The HDA reaction using dirhodium(II) tetrakis[(R)-3-(benzene-fused-phthalimido)-2-piperidinonate], Rh₂(R-BPTPI)₄, as a chiral Lewis acid catalyst provides exclusively cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyran-4-ones in up to 93% ee.