Tandem oxidative isocyanide-based cycloaddition reactions in the presence of MIL-101(Cr) as a reusable solid catalyst

The tandem oxidative three-component synthesis of two types of the heterocycles such as furans and imidazopyridines, via isocyanides [1+4] cycloaddition reactions in the presence of MIL-101(Cr) under aerobic conditions are reported. When the 4-toluenesulfonylmethyl isocyanide was used, an unexpected [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of isocyanides with aldehydes accomplished and dihydrophenyloxazoles and phenyloxazoles produced. These syntheses were successfully carried out using a wide scope of the substrates.     

Transition Metal‐Participated Synthesis and Utilization of N‐containing Heterocycles: Exploring for Nitrogen Sources

This account aims to describe our recent efforts on the synthesis and utilization of N‐containing heterocycles, where transition metals participate in the synthesis. A variety of nitrogen sources, including amines, amides, hydrazones, pyrimidines, isocyanides, and copper nitrate, have been disclosed for the synthesis of diverse bioactive and pharmacologically interesting N‐containing heterocycles under the participation of transition metals. The well‐known nitrogen sources, such as amines and amides, were used for the construction of indoles, isatins, and quinolones. Dihydrophthalazines, isoquinolines, indazoles, and pyrazoles were obtained from hydrazones, while various pyrimidine‐containing heterocycles were afforded through regioselective C?H functionalizations using pyrimidine as the directing group. Recent research has focused on the chemistry of isocyanides to achieve several kinds of heterocyclic compounds with high efficiency under the catalysis of transition metals (Pd, Rh, Mn, Cu), through oxidative cyanation reactions, sequential isocyanide insertions into C?H, N?H, or O?H bonds, and tandem radical annulation. More recently, an efficient route to isoxazolines has been reported using copper nitrate as a novel nitrogen source.     

Isocyanides in the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles

Isocyanides have long proved themselves to be irreplaceable building blocks in modern organic chemistry. The unique features of the isocyano group make isocyanides particularly useful for the synthesis of a number of important classes of nitrogen heterocycles, such as pyrroles, indoles, and quinolines. Several cocyclizations of isocyanides via zwitterions and radical intermediates as well as transition-metal-catalyzed syntheses of different types of heterocycles have recently been developed. Methods starting from isocyanides often have distinct advantages over alternative approaches to the same heterocycles because of their enhanced convergence, the great simplicity of most of the operations with them, and the great variety of isocyanides readily available for use. Isocyanides have also been used in some enantioselective syntheses of chiral heterocyclic compounds, including natural products as well as precursors thereof.     

Since 1995 the new chemistry of multicomponent reactions and their libraries,including their heterocyclic chemistry

A growing number of products, including many heterocycles, can be prepared by the one‐pot MultiComponent Reactions (MCRs) just by mixing three or more educts, and in many cases practically quantitative yields of pure products can be obtained. The 3CR by α‐aminoalkylations of nucleophiles began in the middle of the last century, and the syntheses of heterocycles by MCRs of three and four components were introduced by Hantzsch in the 1880s. The MCRs of the isocyanides with four and more educts began in 1959, and their compound libraries were mentioned since 1961. However, only since 1995 the often automated one‐pot chemistry of the MCR of the isocyanides is used extensively. If a chemical compound can be prepared by a sequence of two component reactions or a suitable MCR, the latter is always a superior procedure. The U‐4CR can be combined with other chemical reactions and MCRs as one‐pot reactions of n > 4 components, and such unions even have a much greater variety of structurally and stereochemically different products. The educts and products of Ugi‐type MCRs are more variable than those of all previous chemical reactions and other MCRs. Due to the progress in screening and automation processes in the last few years, many new compounds have been formed and investigated more rapidly than ever before. The search for new desirable products can be accomplished more than 10,000 times faster than by the older conventional methods. The now popular chemistry of the MCRs of the isocyanides fills the since long empty part of organic chemistry.     

5+1] cycloaddition of C,N-cyclic N'-acyl azomethine imines with isocyanides

A catalyst-free [5 + 1] cycloaddition reaction between isocyanides and C,N-cyclic N'-acyl azomethine imines as the "isocyanophile" leading to novel heterocycles has been developed. These reactions proceeded quickly and cleanly to afford the corresponding imin-1,3,4-oxadiazin-6-one derivatives in high to excellent yields. A wide range of C,N-cyclic N'-acyl azomethine imines and isocyanides were applicable to this reaction.     

Straightforward α-carbamoylation of NADH-like dihydropyridines and enol ethers

The protonation of NADH-like dihydropyridines and cyclic enol ethers generates reactive cationic intermediates, which interact with isocyanides to afford α-carbamoylated heterocycles after an aqueous quenching, in Ugi and Passerini-type reactions, thus broadening the scope of these multicomponent processes.     

Synthesis of indole derivatives via isocyanides

Fast and convenient approaches to the indole nucleus from isocyanides are reviewed as a means for the tailored preparation of conveniently functionalized indoles by using the unique reactivity of isocyanides in one-pot multicomponent and cascade reactions.     

Fluorophores for Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer by an Yttrium Triflate Catalyzed Reaction of Isocyanides with Thiocarboxylic Acids

Discovery of new chemical reactivity of a given functional group can often result in innovative synthesis of important chemical entities that possess unprecedented properties. We designed and developed a one-step synthesis of 5-amino-4-carboxamidothiazoles 1 by an yttrium-triflate-catalyzed reaction of thiocarboxylic acids 2 with isocyanides 3 . In this reaction, both reactants 2 and 3 deviated from their normal reactivities because of metal coordination. The resulting heterocycles are novel prototypical structures for the double ESIPT process. Some of them were excited by visible light irradiation and emitted fluorescence at the NIR region with large Stokes shift, high quantum yield, and strong solvatochromism.     

Isocyanide ligands adsorbed on metal surfaces: applications in catalysis, nanochemistry, and molecular electronics

Knowledge of the coordination chemistry and reactivity of isocyanide ligands in transition-metal complexes forms the basis for understanding the adsorption and reactions of isocyanides on metal surfaces. In this overview, we explore reactions (often catalytic) of isocyanides adsorbed on metal surfaces that reflect their patterns of reactivity in metal complexes. We also examine applications of isocyanide adsorption to the stabilization of metal nanoparticles, the functionalization of metal electrodes, and the creation of conducting organic-metal junctions in molecule-scale electronic devices.     

Multicomponent synthesis of 2-imidazolines

[reaction: see text] A multicomponent reaction (MCR) between amines, aldehydes, and isocyanides bearing an acidic alpha-proton gives easy access to a diverse range of highly substituted 2-imidazolines. The limitations of the methodology seem to be determined by the reactivity of the isocyanide and by the steric bulk on the in situ generated imine rather than by the presence of additional functional groups on the imine. Less reactive isocyanides, for example p-nitrobenzyl isocyanide 25a, react successfully with amines and aldehydes, using a catalytic amount of silver(I) acetate. Some of the resulting p-nitrophenyl-substituted 2-imidazolines undergo air oxidation to the corresponding imidazoles. Differences in reactivity of the employed isocyanides are explained with use of DFT calculations. Difficult reactions with ketones instead of aldehydes as the oxo-compound in this MCR are promoted by silver(I) acetate as well.     

Five-membered ring systems with one heteroatom: Synthetic routes,chemical reactivity,and biological properties of furan-carboxamide analogues

This review described the synthetic methods, chemical reactivity and biological applications of furan carboxamide compounds. Furan-carboxamides are reported to have important and variable biological properties. The aim of this review is to highlight the chemistry and biological importance of this class of bioactive compounds. The basic sections covers: structure studies, synthetic methods pathways, synthesis of different heterocycles, reactions and biological applications. The reactions mechanisms of the unexpected products are discussed. The present study covers all the published work on the furan-carboxamides until now.     

Base Metal Catalyzed Isocyanide Insertions

Isocyanides are diverse C₁ building blocks considering their potential to react with nucleophiles, electrophiles, and radicals. Therefore, perhaps not surprisingly, isocyanides are highly valuable as inputs for multicomponent reactions (MCRs) and other one‐pot cascade processes. In the field of organometallic chemistry, isocyanides typically serve as ligands for transition metals. The coordination of isocyanides to metal centers alters the electronic distribution of the isocyano moiety, and reaction pathways can therefore be accessed that are not possible in the absence of the metal. The tunable reactivity of the isocyanide functional group by transition metals has evolved into numerous useful applications. Especially palladium‐catalyzed isocyanide insertion processes have emerged as powerful reactions in the past decade. However, reports on the use of earth‐abundant and cheap base metals in these types of transformations are scarce and have received far less attention. In this Minireview, we focus on these emerging base metal catalyzed reactions and highlight their potential in synthetic organic chemistry. Although mechanistic studies are still scarce, we discuss distinct proposed catalytic cycles and categorize the literature according to 1) the (hetero)atom bound to and 2) the type of bonding with the transition metal in which the (formal) insertion occurs.     

Reactions of AlCl3 and AlBr3 σ-complexes of cyclobutadienes

The useful reactivity of AlCl₃ and AlBr₃ σ-complexes of cyclobutadienes towards various reagents is demonstrated. In reactions with acetylenic derivatives (affording dewarbenzenes), nitriles (affording pyridines in the case of ethylcyanoformate) and sulfur dioxide, cycloadditions to liberated cyclobutadienes are possibly involved; in reactions with isocyanides a nucleophilic attack at the allylic moiety of the σ-complexes appears to take place. The reactivity differences between the tetramethyl- and the 3,4-dimethyl-1,2-tetramethylene-substituted complexes are pointed out. A novel route to dibromocyclobutene derivatives employing AlBr₃ σ-compIexes of cyclobutadienes is presented.     

Reaction of tetraazathiapentalene and thiadiazolopyrimidine derivatives with heterocumulenes: Cycloaddition and elimination reactions via hypervalent sulfur intermediates

Tetraazathiapentalene derivative 1 reacts with heterocumulenes such as diphenylketene (2) and 2‐pyridylisothiocyanate (5) to give heterocycles 3, 6 and 7 with elimination of methylisothiocyanate. The reactions of thiadiazolopyrimidine derivatives 8a‐b with ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate (9) and carbon disulfide (11) gives heterocycles 10 and 12 via thermal decomposition of 1:1 cycloadducts C and D which have a hypervalent sulfur. The mechanistic and reactivity features of these reactions are described.     

α-Metalated Isocyanides in Organic Synthesis. New synthetic methods (6)

α-Alkali-metalated isocyanides, which can be obtained from isocyanides and bases, can be used for nucleophilic introduction of (masked) α-aminoalkyl groups. Intramolecular ring-closure may then follow if a nucleophile combines at the electron sextet of the isocyanide carbon. Treatment of α-alkali-metalated isocyanides with electrophilic agents permits rapid and efficient synthesis of, inter alia, 2- and 3-amino alcohols, straight-chain, branched, and β-functional α-amino acids, olefins, vinyl isocyanides, and of a large number of mainly five-, but also six- and seven-membered aza-, diaza-, oxa-aza-, and thia-aza heterocycles.     

Production of pyrans, pyridazines, pyrimidines, pyrazines and triazine compounds using benzoylacetonitriles as a precursor

Benzoylacetonitriles are easily available and have high chemical reactivity due to the presence of three active moieties; nitrile, carbonyl, and active methylene functions. This review article represents a survey covering the synthetic strategies leading to five six-membered heterocycles; pyrans, pyridazines, pyrimidines, pyrazines, and triazine compounds; utilizing benzoylacetonitriles as starting precursor since 1985. The reactions are subdivided into groups that cover the synthetic methods of these heterocycles.     

Catalytic [4+1] cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with isocyanides

The GaCl(3)-catalyzed [4+1] cycloaddition reactions of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones with isocyanides leading to lactone derivatives are described. While some other Lewis acids also show catalytic activity, GaCl(3) was the most efficient catalyst. The reaction is significantly affected by the structure of both the isocyanides and the alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones. Aromatic isocyanides, especially sterically demanding ones and those bearing an electron-withdrawing group, can be used, but aliphatic isocyanides cannot. The bulkiness of substituents at the beta-position of acyclic alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones is an important factor for the reaction to proceed efficiently. Generally, the more the bulky substituent, the higher is the yield. The reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones bearing geminal substituents at the beta-position gave the corresponding products in high yields. In monosubstituted derivatives, the yields are relatively low. However, substrates having a bulky substituent, such as a tert-Bu group, at the beta-position give high yields. Bulkiness is also required in cyclic alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, but the effect is small. In alkyl vinyl ketones, the reactivity decreased with the steric bulk of the alkyl group. In aryl vinyl ketones, the presence of an electron-donating group on the aromatic ring decreases the reactivity. The success of the catalysis can be attributed to the low affinity of GaCl(3) toward heteroatoms, compared with usual Lewis acids.     

Are 1,2-dihydrodiazetes aromatic? An experimental and computational investigation

A thorough experimental and computational investigation of the aromaticity of the 1,2-dihydrodiazete ring system was carried out. The X-ray crystal structure of 1,2-dihydrodiazete 6 is reported, and the alkene-like reactivity of compound 6 is described. The compound's structure and reactivity suggest that 6 is not aromatic. This conclusion is corroborated by computational results on 6 and related compounds including homodesmotic reactions to test for aromatic stabilization, NICS calculations, and NBO calculations. Compound 6, and 1,2-dihydrodiazetes in general, are concluded to be strained heterocycles with no indication for aromatic stabilization.     

Recent Advances in the Electrochemical Functionalization of Isocyanides

Isocyanides are well-known as efficient CO surrogates and C1 synthons in modern organic synthesis. Although tremendous efforts have been devoted to fully exploiting the reactivity of isocyanides, these transformations are primarily limited by their utilization of stoichiometric toxic chemical oxidants. With the recent resurgence of organic electrochemistry, which has considerably laid dormant over the past several decades, electrolysis has been identified as a green and powerful tool to enrich structural diversity by solely utilizing electric current as clean and inherently safe redox equivalents of stoichiometric chemical oxidants. In this regard, the unique reactivity of isocyanides has been studied in numerous electrochemical transformations. This review comprehensively highlights the most relevant progress in electrochemical strategies towards the functionalization of isocyanides up until June of 2022, with a focus on reaction outcomes and mechanisms.     

Synthesis of 2,3-dihydroisoxazoles from propargylic N-hydroxylamines via Zn(II)-catalyzed ring-closure reaction

A novel cyclization reaction of propargylic N-hydroxylamines to 2,3, 5-trisubstituted 2,3-dihydroisoxazoles in the presence of catalytic amounts (10 mol %) of ZnI(2) and DMAP is reported. The methodology provides a mild new approach to this useful class of substituted heterocycles that complements extant methods. The unique reactivity of the propargylic N-hydroxylamine substrates in the presence of Zn(II) and DMAP may have additional applications in other, related alkyne cyclization reactions.