Novel four-component route to the synthesis of spiro[indoline-3,4′-pyridine]-3′-carboxylate derivatives

An effective route to spiro[indoline-3,4′-pyridine]-3′-carboxylate derivatives is described. This involves reaction of isatin, 1-phenyl-2-(1,1,1-triphenyl-λ⁵-phosphanylidene)-1-ethanone, and benzylamine derivatives or aliphatic amines in the presence of alkyl acetoacetate (1,3-dicarbonyl compounds) in dry methanol under reflux conditions. The reactive 1:1 enaminone, which is obtained from the addition of the amine to 1,3-dicarbonyl compound, adds to the α,β-unsaturated ketone, which is formed from the reaction of isatin and 1-phenyl-2-(1,1,1-triphenyl-λ⁵-phosphanylidene)-1-ethanone, to produce the alkyl 1′-benzyl-2′-methyl-2-oxo-6′-phenyl-1′H-spiro[indoline-3,4′-pyridine]-3′-carboxylate derivatives in excellent yields.     

Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure analysis of the first nickel bisoxazoline pincer complex

The reaction in toluene between 2-iodo-1,3-bis(4′,4′-dimethyl-2′-oxazolinyl)benzene and Ni(COD)₂ gave [2,6-bis(4′,4′-dimethyl-2′-oxazolinyl)phenyl-N,C¹,N′]iodonickle(II) isolated in 69% yield. The structure of this novel nickel bisoxazoline pincer complex was confirmed by a X-ray crystal structure analysis.     

Silver(I) complexes of bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl] ether

The reaction of AgOTf in dichloromethane with bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl) ether (DPEphos) in an equimolar ratio afforded a dinuclear complex [Ag₂(κ²-P,P′-DPEphos)₂(μ-OTf)₂] (1), whereas the similar reaction in a 1:2 molar ratio resulted in the formation of a bis-chelating complex [Ag(κ²-P,P′-DPEphos)₂][OTf] (2). The silver(I) complex 1 was obtained as a dimer, in which two silver atoms are bridged by two triflate groups to form three adjacent eight-membered spirocyclic rings. The mixed-ligand complex [Ag(κ²-P,P′-DPEphos)(2,2′-bpy)][OTf] (3) was obtained in the reaction of 1 in dichloromethane with 2,2′-bipyridine. The crystal structures of complexes 1–3 were determined by single crystal X-ray analyses.     

Mechanisms of cyclisation of indolo oxime ethers. Part 2: Formation of ethyl 6,8-dimethoxypyrazolo[4,5,1-hi]indole-5-carboxylates

The cyclisation of a series of ethyl 3′-phenyl-4′,6′-dimethoxyindol-7′-yl-2-(hydroxyimino)acetates was investigated using ¹H NMR spectroscopy to determine the mechanism of formation of the corresponding ethyl 6,8-dimethoxypyrazolo[4,5,1-hi]indole-5-carboxylates. The electronic requirements of the reaction were determined and used, along with the effect of removing the ester functionality, to determine that the reaction proceeds through a concerted intramolecular substitution.     

Mechanisms of cyclisation of indolo oxime ethers I. Formation of ethyl 9,11-dimethoxy indolo[2,3-c]quinoline-6-carboxylates

The cyclisation of a series of ethyl 3′-aryl-4′,6′-dimethoxyindol-2′-yl-2-(hydroxyimino)acetates was investigated using ¹H NMR spectroscopy to determine the mechanism of formation of the corresponding ethyl 9,11-dimethoxy indolo[2,3-c]quinoline-6-carboxylates. The electronic requirements of the reaction were determined and, along with the observation of an intermediate in the process, indicated that the reaction proceeds through an electrocyclic mechanism. The importance of the ester moiety in such a process is discussed.     

Diacenaphtho[1,2-c:1,2-e]-1,2-dithiin: synthesis, structure and reactivity

Diacenaphtho[1,2-c:1^′,2^′-e]-1,2-dithiin 2 was synthesized in 23% yield by the reaction of acenaphthylene with elemental sulfur at 120 °C. This reaction also afforded either diacenaphtho[1,2-b:1^′,2^′-d]thiophene 1 or diacenaphtho[1,2-b:1^′,2^′-e]-dihydro[e]-1,4-dithiin 3 depending on the reaction time. Compound 2 was desulfurized and converted to 1 under UV-vis irradiation in a benzene solution. Reaction of 2 with Pt(COD)₂ yielded the complex Pt(COD)(C₂₄H₁₂S₂) 4 (COD=1,5-cyclooctadiene) by insertion of a Pt(COD) group into the S-S bond of 2. When heated, 4 was desulfurized and converted to 1 by elimination of a (COD)PtS grouping. Compounds 1-4 were characterized crystallographically.     

Complexes derived from the general copper(II)/maleamic acid/N,N′,N′′-chelate reaction systems: Synthetic,reactivity, structural and spectroscopic studies

The synthetic investigation of the Cu^II/maleamate(−1) ion (HL⁻)/N,N′,N′′-chelate general reaction system has allowed access to compounds [Cu₂(HL)₂(bppy)₂](ClO₄)₂·H₂O (1·H₂O), [Cu(HL)(bppy)(ClO₄)] (2) and [Cu(HL)(terpy)(H₂O)](ClO₄) (4) (bppy = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine, terpy = 2,2′;6′,2′′-terpyridine). In the absence of externally added hydroxides, compound [Cu₂(L′)₂(bppy)₂](ClO₄)₂ (3) was obtained from MeOH solutions; L′⁻ is the monomethyl maleate(−1) ligand which is formed in situ via the Cu^II-assisted HL⁻ → L′⁻ transformation. In the case of tptz-containing (tptz = 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine) reaction systems, the Cu^II-assisted hydrolysis of tptz to pyridine-2-carboxamide (L1) afforded complex [Cu(L1)₂(NO₃)₂] (5). The crystal structures of 1–5 are stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions. Characteristic IR bands of the complexes are discussed in terms of the known structures and the coordination modes of the ligands.     

Synthesis, experimental and theoretical NMR study of 2′-hydroxychalcones bearing a nitro substituent on their B ring

The synthesis of several 2′-hydroxynitrochalcones has been accomplished by an aldol reaction of equimolar amounts of the appropriate 2′-hydroxyacetophenones with nitrobenzaldehydes in alkaline medium. The reaction of 2′-hydroxyacetophenones bearing a 6′-methoxy with 2- or 4-nitrobenzaldehydes gave the expected 2′-hydroxynitrochalcones and also 4-methoxynitroaurones, being the latter ones the unique reaction products when using 2 molar equiv of nitrobenzaldehydes. The reaction mechanisms for the formation of both products are discussed. The ¹³C NMR chemical shifts have been discussed first by means of an empirical additive model and then by comparison with GIAO/B3LYP calculated absolute shieldings.     

Formation of 5-phenyl-1,2-dithiole-3-thione from molybdenum dithiopropiolato complexes

Molybdenum dithiopropiolato complexes, [(η⁵-C₅R₄R^′)Mo(CO)₂(η²-S₂CCCPh)] (R=H, R^′=Me 1a, R=R^′=H 1b; R=R^′=Me 1c) react with trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMNO · 2H₂O) under mild thermolysis to form 5-phenyl-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (2). The reaction proceeds through the formation of the oxo-complexes, [(η⁵-C₅R₄R^′)Mo(O)(η³-S₂CCCPh)] (R=H, R^′=Me 3a, R=R^′=H 3b; R=R^′=Me 3c). Direct reaction of 3a-c with TMNO · 2H₂O under thermolysis also results in formation of 2.     

Natural (5-oxoheptene-1E,3E-dienyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one: total synthesis and revision of its absolute configuration

The synthesis of (5^′-oxoheptene-1^′E,3^′E-dienyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one has been performed in seven steps using four key steps: a ring-closing metathesis reaction to build up the unsaturated lactone, a Wittig reaction to control the C6-C7 (E) double bond, a cross-metathesis reaction to control the (E) double bond at C8-C9, and an enantioselective allyltitanation to control the absolute configuration at C5. Spectroscopic data (IR, MS, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR) were identical to those of the natural compound except for the optical rotation, which led us to re-assign the absolute configuration of the natural product.     

Step by step palladium mediated syntheses of new 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-6-R-nicotinic acids and esters

Taking advantage of palladium peculiar “rollover” C,N cyclometallation, it is possible to promote C(3) functionalization of 6-alkyl-substituted-2,2′-bipyridines. The carbonylation reaction of rollover species [Pd(Lⁿ)Cl]₂, (HL¹ = 6-isopropyl-2,2′-bipy, 1; HL² = 6-neopentyl-2,2′-bipy, 2; HL³ = 6-ethyl-2,2′-bipy, 3; HL⁴ = 6-methyl-2,2′-bipy, 4) allowed the synthesis of 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-6-alkyl-nicotinic acids or esters. These nicotinic derivatives are extremely rare and, as far as we know, quite unreported in the case of the 6-substituted molecules.     

Cobalt complexes of a selenium diimide and a tellurium diimide dimer

[CoCl₂{N,N′-Te₂(N^tBu)₄}] (1) was obtained in good yields by the reaction of equimolar amounts of (^tBu)NTe(μ-N^tBu)₂TeN(^tBu) and CoCl₂ in toluene under an argon atmosphere. The crystal structure of 1·CH₂Cl₂ showed that the dimeric tellurium diimide ligand is N,N′-chelated to cobalt. The related reaction of Se(N^tBu)₂ and CoCl₂ affords a green product tentatively identified as a 1:1 adduct [CoCl₂{N,N′-Se(N^tBu)₂}] (CHN analysis). However, recrystallization from thf produces the ion-separated complex [Co₂(μ-Cl)₃{N,N′-Se(N^tBu)₂}₂(thf)₂][CoCl₃{NH₂(^tBu)}]·1½thf (2·1½thf), in which the monomeric selenium diimide ligand is N,N′-chelated to cobalt in the cation. A pathway for the formation of 2 from [CoCl₂{N,N′-Se(N^tBu)₂}] in thf is proposed.     

Syntheses of C-substituted icosahedral dicarbaboranes bearing the 8-dioxane-cobalt bisdicarbollide moiety

The treatment of 1,2-, 1,7- and 1,12-carbaborane lithiated isomers with [3,3′-Co-8-(CH₂CH₂O)₂-(1,2-C₂B₉H₁₀)-(1′,2′-C₂B₉H₁₁)] (1) at molar ratios 1:1 or 1:2 at room temperature in THF leads generally to the formation of a series of orange double-cluster mono and dianions. These were characterized by NMR and MS methods as [1′′-X-1′′,2′′-closo-C₂B₁₀H₁₁]⁻, [2]⁻; [1′′-X-1′′,7′′-closo-C₂B₁₀H₁₁]⁻, [3]⁻ and [1′′-X-1′′,12′′-closo-C₂B₁₀H₁₁], [4]⁻ for the monoanions, whereas [1′′,2′′-X₂-1′′,2′′-closo-C₂B₁₀H₁₀]²⁻, [2]²⁻; [1′′,7′′-X₂-1′′,7′′-closo-C₂B₁₀H₁₀]²⁻, [3]²⁻; and [1′′,12′′-X₂-1′′,12′′-closo-C₂B₁₀H₁₀]²⁻, [4]²⁻ for the dianions (where X = 3,3′-Co-8-(CH₂CH₂O)₂-(1,2-C₂B₉H₁₀)-1′,2′-(C₂B₉H₁₁)). Moreover, these borane-cage subunits can be easily modified via attaching variable substituents onto cage carbon and boron vertices, which makes these compounds structurally flexible potential candidates for BNCT of cancer and HIV-PR inhibition.     

The first synthesis of N,O-protected β-isoserines bearing two adjacent quaternary stereogenic centers and their corresponding β-lactams

The reaction of chiral (2S)-enolates of dioxolan-4-ones, derived from lactic and mandelic acids, with (S_R)-tert-butyl sulfinyl ketimines, derived from butan-2-one, pentan-2-one, and decan-2-one, afforded conformationally restrained β^2,2,3,3-isoserines bearing two adjacent quaternary stereogenic centers in the form of N-sulfinyl protected 1′-amino-dioxolan-4-ones. The selective acid-induced removal of the sulfinyl protecting group provided the corresponding 1′-aminodioxolanones, whose base-induced cyclization afforded the corresponding chiral tetra-substituted 3-hydroxy-β-lactams. The synthesis of a dipeptide by reaction coupling between the 1′-aminodioxolanone (2S,5R,1′R)-19 and N,N-dimethylglycine was successfully achieved.     

Preparation of ribavirin analogues by copper- and ruthenium-catalyzed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

In this study, we described the synthesis of 1,4- and 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazolo-nucleosides from various alkynes with 1′-azido-2′,3′,5′-tri-O-acetylribose using either copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) or ruthenium-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (RuAAC), respectively. Optimized RuAAC conditions were realized with the commercially available [Cp^∗RuCl(PPh₃)₂] under microwave heating, which allows a significant acceleration of the reaction times (from 6 h to 5 min). This reaction can work under water-containing system. RuAAC and CuAAC are useful tools for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazolyl-nucleosides small libraries.     

N^N^C platinum(II) and palladium(II) cyclometallates of 6,6′-diphenyl-2,2′-bipyridine, L: Crystal and molecular structure of [Pd(L-H)Cl]

Reaction of K₂[PtCl₄] or Na₂[PdCl₄] with 6,6′-diphenyl-2,2′-bipyridine, L, gives the cyclometallated species [Pt(L-H)Cl], 1, and [Pd(L-H)Cl], 2, respectively, where L-H is a terdentate N^N^C anionic ligand originated by direct activation of a C(sp²)-H bond. The crystal structure of 2 has been solved by X-ray diffraction and compared to that of the analogous complex [Pd(L′-H)Cl] L′ = 6-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine. The second phenyl ring in 2 entails a considerable distortion of the coordination around the metal. A similar distortion is also to be expected in the analogous compound 1, due to the almost equal covalent radii of palladium(II) and platinum(II).From the complexes 1 and 2 the chloride can be displaced with AgBF₄ and substituted by CO or PPh₃ to give the corresponding cationic species. By reaction of 1 with Na[BH₄] substitution of H⁻ for Cl⁻ can be achieved: the rare hydrido complex [Pt(L-H)H], stabilized only by nitrogen ligands, was isolated in the solid state and fully characterized in solution. It is noteworthy that in the case of the 6-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine the analogous terminal hydride [Pd(L′-H)H] is unstable. In platinum chemistry the reaction of 6-substituted 2,2′-bipyridines is known to give either N^N^C or N′^C(3) rollover cyclometallation, depending on the nature of the metal precursor. In the case of 6,6′-Ph₂-2,2′-bipy cyclometallation was also shown to undergo multiple C-H activation giving the C^N^C pincer complex [Pt(L-2H)(DMSO)]. The latter species can be related to complex 1: indeed its reaction with HCl produces complex 1 and [Pt(L-H)(DMSO)Cl], a rollover species with a pendant phenyl substituent.     

Practical synthesis of biaryl colchicinoids containing 3,4-catechol ether-based A-rings via Suzuki cross-coupling with ligandless palladium in water

Eight new biaryl colchicinoids containing 3^′,4^′-methylene or benzodioxy ether bridges were synthesized. The key synthetic step employed a ligandless, aqueous Suzuki cross-coupling reaction catalyzed by Pd(OAc)₂ with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) and potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃). The biaryl Suzuki products were typically formed in 5-30 min and always in less than 1 h.     

Elaboration of a novel effective approach to enantiopure functionalised 2,2-dialkyl-1,1-binaphthyls by stereoconservative cross-couplings at positions 2 and 2

The yield and the stereochemical outcome of methylations of 1,1^′-binaphthyl-2,2^′-dielectrophiles (ditriflate and diiodide) clearly depend on the reactivity of the organometallics used. It was found that only the Negishi reaction of a diiodide allows direct effective synthesis of non-racemic functionalised C₂-symmetric 2,2^′-dialkyl-1,1^′-binaphthyls.     

Macrocyclic receptors containing sucrose skeleton

Crown ether analogues with incorporated sucrose unit were prepared by reaction of 1′,2,3,3′,4,4′-hexa-O-benzylsucrose with polyethylene ditosylates in up to 52% yield. Stability constants of their complexes with Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, NH₄⁺ were determined by the NMR titration method. The macrocycles were also tested as catalysts in the enantioselective Michael reaction, but with little success (ee up to only 22%). The macrocycle containing nitrogen in the ring was also prepared in good yield. All prepared macrocycles were easily converted into the free sucrose crowns (H₂/Pd/C) without destroying the (very labile) glycosidic bond. The crystal structure of the selected receptor was determined.     

Photo-induced aromatic assembly of benzocycloalka[1,2-b] furan and spiro[furan-2(3H),1′-benzocycloalkane] derivatives

The photo-induced benzannulation of benzocycloalka[1,2-b]furans produced hydrohelicene-type compounds in good yields. A similar photoreaction of the spiro[furan-2(3H),1′-benzocycloalkane]s afforded dihydrophenalene derivatives in moderate yields. Benzo[kl]xanthene was also formed by a similar photoreaction of spiro[furan-2(3H),9′-xanthene]. The reaction pathway was elucidated by the ¹H NMR spectrum of the reaction mixture and the alternative synthesis of the intermediate.