2H-Azirines as dipolarophiles

2H-Azirine-3-carboxylates unsubstituted at C-2 act as dipolarophiles in the reaction with diazomethane giving new 4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrazole derivatives. The synthesis of a pyrimidine was also achieved via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of methyl 2-bromo-3-phenyl-2H-azirine-2-carboxylate with an azomethine ylide.     

Optically active aziridine esters by nucleophilic addition of nitrogen heterocycles to a chiral 2H-azirine-2-carboxylic ester

Chiral enriched ethyl 3-methyl-2H-azirine-2-carboxylate acts as an efficient alkylating agent for a variety of five-membered aromatic nitrogen heterocycles.     

Synthesis of alkyl 4-alkyl-2-hydroxy-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylates as peptidomimetic building blocks

A general synthesis of new alkyl 4-alkyl-2-hydroxy-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylate peptidomimetic building blocks from the corresponding alkyl 3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylates through carbanion oxidation is described.     

Synthesis of electron-poor 4-halo-2-azabuta-1,3-dienes by Rh(II)-catalyzed diazo ester-azirine coupling. 2-Azabuta-1,3-diene-2,3-dihydroazete valence isomerism

The Rh₂(OAc)₄-catalyzed reaction of alkyl 2-acyl-2-diazoacetates and dimethyl diazomalonate with methyl 2-bromo- and 2-chloro-3-phenyl-2H-azirine-2-carboxylates gives rise to electron-poor 4-halo-substituted (3E)-2-azabuta-1,3-dienes. Their formation proceeds with complete stereoselectivity via ring-opening of the intermediate azirinium ylide. 2-Azabuta-1,3-dienes with electron-withdrawing substituents at the 1,1,4-positions are stable compounds at room temperature, but are in equilibrium with cyclic valence isomers, 2,3-dihydroazetes, at elevated temperatures.     

Regioselective dehydrogenation of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones mediated by ceric ammonium nitrate

Ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) has been explored for the regioselective oxidation of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones (DHPMs). Interestingly, we obtained ethyl 2,4-dioxo-6-phenyl-tetrahydropyrimidin-5-carboxylates as the major products during the oxidation of DHPMs by CAN/AcOH at 80 °C. The reaction afforded a mixture of products while employing CAN in organic solvents without additives. However, the regioselective dehydrogenated product, ethyl 6-methyl-4-aryl(alkyl)-pyrimidin-2(1H)-one-5-carboxylate was obtained by performing the reaction with NaHCO₃. The single crystal X-ray crystallography of ethyl 6-methyl-4-(2-phenyl)-pyrimidin-2(1H)-one-5-carboxylate revealed that the oxidized product existed in amidic form rather than aromatized enol form of pyrimidines. The efficiency of the present protocol enabled the synthesis of structurally diverse pyrimidines in moderate to good yields under milder reaction conditions.     

Synthesis of 1H-indol-2-yl-(4-aryl)-quinolin-2(1H)-ones via Pd-catalyzed regioselective cross-coupling reaction and cyclization

An efficient and novel route for the synthesis of 1H-indol-2-yl-(4-aryl)-quinolin-2(1H)-one 1 via palladium-catalyzed site-selective cross-coupling reaction and cyclization process was described. Reaction of 3-bromo-4-trifloxy-quinolin-2(1H)-one 3 with arylboronic acid catalyzed by PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ afforded 3-bromo-4-aryl-quinolin-2(1H)-one 4, which then reacted with 2-ethynylaniline 5 via Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling and CuI-mediated cyclization leading to the desired 1H-indol-2-yl-(4-aryl)-quinolin-2(1H)-one 1 in good yields.     

Nitrenic reactivity of diazirines

Butyl 3-bromo-3H-diazirine-3-carboxylate (7) and 3-bromo-3-phenyl-3H-diazirine (17) exhibit nitrenic reactivity with phenylmagnesium bromide or tetrabutylammonium cyanide. The formation of several N,N′-disubstituted amidines is attributed to the intermediacy of 1-phenyl or 1-cyano-1H-diazirines possessing a singlet imidoylnitrene character at the N2 atom. Most notably, the reaction of 7 with PhMgBr in diethyl ether affords 2-hydroxy-2,2,N-triphenylacetamidine (9) and 2-methyl-5,5-diphenyl-4-phenylamino-2,5-dihydrooxazole (10) as products derived from nitrene insertion to the ether α-C–H bond.     

Control of electron demand in the cycloadditions of 2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-ones

3-Methoxy-5-chloro-6-methyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 4, 3-methoxy-5-chloro-6-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 5, 3-phenylsulfenyl-5-chloro-6-methyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 6, and 3-phenylsulfenyl-5-chloro-6-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 7, are ambident dienes and undergo Diels-Alder cycloadditions with electron neutral, rich and deficient dienophiles.     

An efficient synthesis of 4H,5H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-4,5-diones from a suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-one

An efficient synthesis of ethyl 7-aryl-2-methyl-4H,5H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-4,5-dione-1-carboxylate 5, and ethyl 6-aryl-3-cyano-2H-pyran-2-one-4-acetate 6 has been delineated by reaction of suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones 1 with ethyl acetoacetate 2.     

Lewis acid-catalyzed asymmetric radical additions of trialkylboranes to (1R,2S,5R)-2-(1-methyl-1-phenylethyl)-5-methylcyclohexyl-2H-azirine-3-carboxylate

The asymmetric addition of alkyl radicals to (1R,2S,5R)-2-(1-methyl-1-phenylethyl)-5-methylcyclohexyl-2H-azirine-3-carboxylate (1) yielding the corresponding 2-alkylaziridine-2-carboxylates has been investigated. High diastereoselectivities and good yields were obtained in the addition of primary alkyl radicals to azirine 1, while secondary radicals gave a lower dr. The influence of Lewis acids was also investigated; 10 mol% of CuCl were found to increase the dr.     

A solvent-free synthesis of ethyl 3,5-diaryl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylates via triethylphosphite mediated reductive cyclization of ethyl 2-nitro-5-oxo-3,5-diarylpentanoates under microwave irradiation

Ethyl 3,5-diaryl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylates have been synthesized in good yields from ethyl 2-nitro-5-oxo-3,5-diarylpentanoates by treatment with triethylphosphite under microwave irradiation. The integrity of the mechanism proposed has been augmented by ³¹P NMR and EIMS experiments.     

Domino reaction of 3-nitro-2-(trifluoromethyl)-2H-chromenes with 2-(1-phenylalkylidene)malononitriles: synthesis of functionalized 6-(trifluoromethyl)-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyrans and a rare case of [1,5] sigmatropic shift of the nitro group

A variety of functionalized 6-(trifluoromethyl)-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyrans were easily synthesized in good yields under mild conditions by a domino reaction of 3-nitro-2-(trifluoromethyl)-2H-chromenes with 2-(1-phenylethylidene)- and 2-(1-phenylpropylidene)malononitriles. In the latter case, intermediate 7-amino-10-methyl-10-nitro-9-phenyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-10,10a-dihydro-6H-benzo[c]chromene-8-carbonitriles were isolated as a result of a rare [1,5] sigmatropic shift of the nitro group.     

The Thorpe-Ziegler-type reaction of 3-cyanopyridine-2(1H)-thiones with Biginelli 6-bromomethyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones: cascade assembling of tetra- and pentacyclic heterocyclic scaffolds

3-Cyanopyridine-2(1H)-thiones have been shown to react with Biginelli-type ethyl 4-aryl-6-(bromomethyl)-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylates upon heating in DMF giving rise to ethyl 4-aryl-6-{[(3-cyanopyridin-2-yl)thio]methyl}-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylates. The latter upon treatment with an excess of NaH or t-BuOK in boiling DMF undergo a tandem Thorpe-Ziegler-type heterocyclization to give pyrido[3″,2″:4′,5′]thieno[2′,3′:5,6]pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives in good yields. Selected compounds were tested for antibacterial and antifungal activity.     

Regioselective synthesis of 3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-3,3-dimethyl-9-phenyl-2H-xanthene-1,8(5H,9H)-diones through ascorbic acid catalyzed three-component domino reaction

An efficient, three-component domino reaction of dimedone 1, aromatic aldehydes (2a–o), and 1,3-cyclohexanedione 1a in the regio-selective synthesis of 3,3-dimethyl-9-phenyl-2H-xanthene-1,8(5H,9H)-diones (3a–o) is reported. The desired product, 3 is efficiently promoted by ascorbic acid as an organo catalyst.     

Regioselective synthesis of cytotoxic 4-(1-alkynyl)-substituted 2-(5H)-furanones

4-(1-Alkynyl)-3-bromo- and 4-(1-alkynyl)-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones have been regioselectively synthesized in moderate to good yields by a new version of the Pd/Cu-catalyzed Sonogashira reaction involving treatment of 1-alkynes with 3,4-dibromo- and 3,4-dichloro-2(5H)-furanone, respectively, in the presence of KF as a base. 4-(1-Alkynyl)-3-bromo-2(5H)-furanones have been found to be able to undergo Stille-type and Suzuki-type reactions with aryl(tributyl)tins and arylboronic acids, respectively, to give 4-(1-alkynyl)-3-aryl-2(5H)-furanones in modest to satisfactory yields. Some 4-(1-alkynyl)-substituted 2(5H)-furanones so prepared have been found to exhibit significant cytotoxic activities, especially against human leukemia cell lines.     

A non-catalytic regioselective approach to the synthesis of (E)-stilbenes from suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones

Highly functionalized (E)-stilbenes 3a-m and 4-aryl-6-styryl-pyran-2-ylidineacetonitriles 4a-b have been prepared and delineated through the ring transformation of 6-aryl-3,4-disubstituted-2H-pyran-2-ones 1 with commercially available (E/Z)-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one 2 without the use of any catalyst.     

A new enlargement methodology for the preparation of 2H-1- and 2H-3-benzazepin-2-one derivatives

An investigation of the one-carbon homologation of some 1-tribromomethyl-isoquinoline and 2-tribromomethyl-quinoline derivatives was conducted. Under the influence of an aqueous solution of silver nitrate in the presence of a nucleophilic species (MeOH, H₂O, EtNH₂), these derivatives led to the respective expanded heterocycles, 2H-1- and 2H-3-benzazepin-2-one derivatives. A mechanism for this novel ring enlargement involving initial formation of an aziridinium, and its subsequent opening to form a stabilized benzylic carbocation, is proposed to explain the results.     

Investigation towards an efficient synthesis of benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones

As part of our research on 2-aza analogues of pentalongin, the active principle of Pentas longiflora Oliv., the first synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones via 3,4-disubstituted 6-hydroxybenzo[g]furo[4,3,2-de]isoquinoline-2,5(4H)-diones as the key intermediates is reported. The latter compounds have been prepared by treating 2-methoxycarbonyl-1,4-naphthoquinone with N-substituted enaminoesters under acidic conditions. These reagents are easily accessible from readily available 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, β-ketoesters and primary amines. Finally, a short synthesis of substituted benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones is achieved by an oxidative addition of N-substituted enaminoesters onto methyl 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylate.     

New convenient synthesis of 2,3-diaminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one derivates from substituted alkyl 2-(1H-tetrazol-1-yl)thiophene-3-carboxylates

4,5-Disubstituted and 4-substituted alkyl 2-amino-thiophene-3-carboxylates react with triethyl orthoformate and sodium azide in acetic acid to yield new 2-(1H-tetrazol-1-yl)-4-R¹-5-R²-thiophene derivates. It was established that the reaction of these tetrazoles with hydrazine generates the insufficiently studied 2,3-diaminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one system. It is significant that the reaction mentioned above is the unique tetrazole ring cleavage under the action of hydrazine.     

Flash vacuum pyrolysis of 2,2-dioxo-1H,3H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazoles and 2-vinyl-1H-pyrroles

The flash vacuum pyrolysis of new 1,1-dimethyl- and 1-methyl-1H,3H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazole-2,2-dioxides gave penta-substituted 2-vinyl-1H-pyrroles via sigmatropic [1,8]-H shift of the corresponding azafulvenium methide intermediates. In some cases these 1H-pyrroles underwent rearrangement to 2-allyl-1H-pyrroles. Di-substituted 2-vinylpyrroles have also been prepared and their reactivity studied. Under FVP N-benzyl-pyrrol-2-ylpropenoates were converted into 3H-pyrrolizin-3-ones. On the other hand, microwave-assisted reaction of 1-benzyl-2-vinyl-1H-pyrrole gave a 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-indole derivative.