Deprotonation of chloropyridines using lithium magnesates

4-Chloropyridine was deprotonated on treatment with 1/3 equiv of the highly coordinated magnesate Bu₃(TMP)MgLi₂ in THF at −10 °C, as evidenced by trapping with I₂. The use of Bu(TMP)₂MgLi in Et₂O allowed the reaction of 2-chloropyridine, giving the 3-functionalized derivative as the main product. Mixtures of 3- and 4-functionalized derivatives were obtained when 2,6-dichloropyridine was involved in the reaction. Performing the reaction on 3-chloropyridine with lithium magnesates in THF, either the 4,4′-dimer or the 4-iodo derivative was formed after quenching by I₂, the former using 1/3 equiv of Bu₂(TMP)MgLi and the latter using 1 equiv of (TMP)₃MgLi. Similar results were observed with 3,5-dichloropyridine, 2,5-dichloropyridine and 3-chloro-2-fluoropyridine. 1,2-Migration of the lithium arylmagnesate formed by deprotonation was proposed to justify the dimers formation.     

Deprotonation of fluoro aromatics using lithium magnesates

3-Fluoropyridine was deprotonated on treatment with 1/3 equiv of Bu₃MgLi in THF at −10 °C. The lithium arylmagnesate formed was either trapped with electrophiles or involved in a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with 2-bromopyridine. The use of a less nucleophilic lithium-magnesium-dialkylamide, (TMP)₃MgLi, allowed the reaction of 3-fluoroquinoline, giving the 2,2′-dimeric derivative. 2-Fluoropyridine and 2,6-difluoropyridine were deprotonated using 1/3 equiv of the highly coordinated magnesate Bu₄MgLi₂ in THF at −10 °C in the presence of a substoichiometric amount of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine. 1,3-Difluorobenzene reacted similarly when treated with Bu₃MgLi; the reactivity of the base proved to be enhanced by the presence of TMEDA.     

Deprotonation of thiophenes using lithium magnesates

Thiophene was regioselectively deprotonated at C2 on treatment with 1/3 equiv of Bu₃MgLi in THF at room temperature. The lithium arylmagnesate formed was either trapped with electrophiles or cross-coupled in a ‘one-pot’ procedure with aryl halides under palladium catalysis. 2-Chlorothiophene and 2-methoxythiophene were similarly deprotonated at C5 under the same reaction conditions. The enhancement of the reactivity of the base using TMEDA was evidenced using ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Reductive allylation of 1H-pyridine-2-(thio)ones by means of the novel lithium allyldibutylmagnesate reagent

A new, highly efficient allylation reagent—lithium allyldibutylmagnesate (allylBu₂MgLi)—was obtained by mixing allyl-magnesium chloride (1 equiv) and n-BuLi (2 equiv). N-Lithiated and N-methyl substituted 1H-pyridine-2-thiones and -ones were successfully and regioselectively allylated by treatment with allylBu₂MgLi yielding 6-allyl-3,6-dihydro-1H-pyridine-2-(thio)ones and 4-allyl-3,4-di-hydro-1H-pyridine-2-(thio)ones. The latter were formed by a 3,3-sigmatropic Cope rearrangement of the former.     

Tributylmagnesium ate complex-mediated bromine-magnesium exchange of bromoquinolines: a convenient access to functionalized quinolines

2-, 3- and 4-bromoquinolines were converted to the corresponding lithium tri(quinolyl)magnesates at −10°C by treatment with Bu₃MgLi in THF or toluene. The resulting organomagnesium derivatives were quenched by various electrophiles to afford functionalized quinolines.     

Synthesis and reactivity of lithium tri(quinolinyl)magnesates

2-, 3- and 4-Bromoquinolines were converted to the corresponding lithium tri(quinolinyl)magnesates at −10°C when exposed to Bu₃MgLi in THF. The resulting organomagnesium derivatives were quenched with various electrophiles or involved in metal-catalyzed coupling reactions with heteroaryl halides to afford functionalized quinolines.     

First cross-coupling reactions of arylmagnesates: a convenient access to heteroarylquinolines

2-, 3- and 4-Bromoquinolines were converted to the corresponding lithium tri(quinolyl)magnesates at −10°C on treatment with Bu₃MgLi in THF. The resulting organomagnesium derivatives were involved in catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with heteroaryl bromides and chlorides to afford functionalized quinolines.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of 2-aminonicotinic acids by reacting 2-chloronicotinic acid with amines

2-(Methylamino)nicotinic acid was readily prepared in high yield by reacting 2-chloronicotinic acid with 40% aq MeNH₂ under microwave irradiation either at 120 °C for 2 h or at 140 °C for 1.5 h. Subsequently, we found that a range of 2-aminonicotinic acids could be obtained under microwave heating. The optimal reaction conditions involved the use of 3 equiv of amine, water as the solvent and heating at 200 °C for 2 h in the presence of diisopropylethylamine (3 equiv).     

Lithium enolates from a (−)-quinic acid-derived cyclohexanone with a β-alkoxy leaving group: regioselective preparation and evaluation of enolate stability towards β-elimination

Deprotonation of a (−)-quinic acid-derived ketone {(2S,3S,4aR,8R,8aS)-8-[(tert-butyl(dimethyl)silyl)oxy]-2,3-dimethoxy-2,3-dimethylhexahydro-1,4-benzodioxin-6(5H)-one} using lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LHMDS) at −78 °C gave one regioisomeric enolate. The regiocontrol is governed by the axial β-silyloxy substituent and the resulting lithium enolate is stable towards β-elimination at temperatures up to −40 °C. It was found that the axial β-silyloxy group could be conveniently eliminated using 2.1 equiv of LHMDS at 0 °C for 1 h and that an equatorial β-alkoxy group was much more resistant to β-elimination. A chiral lithium amide base was used to overturn the inherent regioselectivity of ketone deprotonation with LHMDS.     

Aliphatic organolithiums by fluorine-lithium exchange: n-octyllithium

The reaction of 1-fluorooctane (1) with an excess of lithium powder (4-10 equiv.) and DTBB (2-4 equiv.) in THP at 0°C for 5 min gives a solution of the corresponding 1-octyllithium (2), which reacts then with different electrophiles at 0°C (D₂O, MeSiCl, Bu^tCHO, Et₂CO), or −78°C [ClCO₂Me, (PhCH₂S)₂] or −40°C (CO₂) to room temperature to give, after hydrolysis, the expected products (3). The same process applied to 2-fluorooctane gives mainly octane as reaction product, independently on the electrophile used, resulting from a proton abstraction by 2-lithiooctane formed from the reaction medium before addition of the electrophilic reagent.     

Direct selective and controlled protection of multiple hydroxyl groups in polyols via iterative regeneration of stannylene acetals

A direct selective protection (O-benzylation) of two or more hydroxyl groups in polyols displaying diverse structural patterns was made possible by the establishment of conditions that enable an efficient turnover for the Bu₂Sn group, initially at the corresponding stannylene acetals (only ∼1.0 mol equiv of Bu₂SnO was employed). It was also demonstrated that one might exert control over the number of protected groups, by means of appropriate tuning of reaction conditions. The feasibility of a substoichiometric (tin source) catalytic protocol was demonstrated as well.     

One-pot synthesis of 1,4-diarylsubstituted 1,3-diynes from the sequential coupling reactions of aryl iodides and propiolic acid

1,4-Disubstituted 1,3-dialkynes were obtained from the one-pot palladium/copper-catalyzed coupling reactions of aryl iodide and propiolic acid. The optimized catalytic system consisted of 5.0 mol % Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂, 10 mol % dppb, 10 mol % CuI, 2.4 equiv of DBU, and 1.2 equiv of K₂CO₃. The coupling reaction was carried out at 30 °C for 6 h and subsequently at 80 °C for 3 h.     

Sulfone–Metal Exchange and Alkylation of Sulfonylnitriles

The first general sulfone–metal exchange is described. Treating substituted 2-pyridylsulfonylacetonitriles with either BuLi or Bu₃MgLi generates metalated nitriles that efficiently intercept a variety of electrophiles to afford quaternary nitriles. The 2-pyridylsulfone is critical for the sulfone–metal exchange because chelation anchors the organometallic proximal to the electrophilic, tetrasubstituted sulfone to override complex-induced deprotonation. Alkylating commercial 2-pyridinesulfonylacetonitrile with mild bases, either K₂CO₃ or DBU, and subsequent sulfone–metal exchange and alkylation rapidly assembles quaternary nitriles by three alkylations, only one of which requires an organometallic reagent.     

Sulfone–Metal Exchange and Alkylation of Sulfonylnitriles

The first general sulfone–metal exchange is described. Treating substituted 2‐pyridylsulfonylacetonitriles with either BuLi or Bu₃MgLi generates metalated nitriles that efficiently intercept a variety of electrophiles to afford quaternary nitriles. The 2‐pyridylsulfone is critical for the sulfone–metal exchange because chelation anchors the organometallic proximal to the electrophilic, tetrasubstituted sulfone to override complex‐induced deprotonation. Alkylating commercial 2‐pyridinesulfonylacetonitrile with mild bases, either K₂CO₃ or DBU, and subsequent sulfone–metal exchange and alkylation rapidly assembles quaternary nitriles by three alkylations, only one of which requires an organometallic reagent.     

Palladium catalyzed atom-efficient cross-coupling reactions of triarylbismuths with aryl bromides

Aryl bromides (3 equiv) were coupled efficiently with triarylbismuths (1 equiv) in an atom-efficient way using the Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ catalytic system in the presence of K₃PO₄ as base in DMF at 90 °C, providing excellent yields of the cross-coupled biaryls in short reaction times.     

Conversion of ketoximes to ketones with trimethylphosphine and 2,2′-dipyridyl diselenide

Use of trimethylphosphine (Me₃P) and 2,2′-dipyridyl diselenide (PySeSePy) is an excellent method for the conversion of ketoximes to the corresponding ketones, since yields higher than 90% are obtained at rt within a few minutes (or hours for the more reluctant substrates, which do not react with Bu₃P/PhSSPh). In the simplest cases, the reaction can be completed with 30 mol % of PySeSePy, provided that an excess of phosphine is present in the reaction medium.     

Reactions of 1,2-catechol with Bu3M (M = Ga, In). Structures of intermediate products

Reactions of 1,2-catechol with ^tBu₃M (M = Ga, In) have been studied. Trinuclear compounds [^tBu₅M₃(OC₆H₄O)₂] [M = Ga (1), M = In (2)] were synthesised in the reaction of 2 equiv. of C₆H₄(OH)₂ with 3 equiv. of ^tBu₃M in refluxing solvents. At room temperature the reaction of 1,2-catechol with ^tBu₃In in Et₂O leads to the formation of a binuclear complex [^tBu₄In₂(OC₆H₄OH)₂ · 2Et₂O] (3) possessing a four-membered In₂O₂ core and two unreacted hydroxyl groups. The same reaction carried out in a non-coordinating solvent (CH₂Cl₂) results in formation a compound [^tBu₃In₂(OC₆H₄O)(OC₆H₄OH)] (4), which undergoes a reaction with ^tBu₃In to yield the product 2. Moreover two intermediate isomeric products 5 and 6 of formula [^tBu₃Ga₂(OC₆H₄O)(OC₆H₄OH)] were isolated from the post-reaction mixture of 1,2-catechol with ^tBu₃Ga. The compound 6 possessing a different coordination of gallium atoms than 5 is a result of the intramolecular rearrangement of the compound 5 to decrease the steric repultion between ligands. Compounds 3 and 6 were structurally characterised. According to the structure of intermediate products 3-6 a reaction pathway of 1,2-catechols with group 13 metal trialkyls was proposed.     

Synthesis and characterisation of titanium pyridine- and pyrimidine-thiolates and their application as precursors to titanium disulfide

The reaction of TiCl₄ with pyridine- and pyrimidine-thiol has been investigated. Reaction of TiCl₄ with 3 equiv. of 2-mercaptopyridine and 3 equiv. of tert-butylpyridine in toluene at room temperature resulted in the formation of the tris(pyridine-2-thiolate) complex [TiCl(SC₅H₄N)₃] (1). The related reaction between TiCl₄ with 3 equiv. of 2-mercaptopyrimidine and 3 equiv. of tert-butylpyridine in toluene at room temperature resulted in the isolation of the complex [TiCl(SC₄H₃N₂)₃] (2). Compound 2 has been characterised by X-ray crystallography. Low pressure CVD of 1 and 2 produced brown/gold films of TiS₂/TiO₂ on glass substrates at 550 and 600 °C.     

Direct palladium-catalyzed C-3 alkynylation of indoles

The direct palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of indoles with alkynyl bromides was described in this paper. In the presence of catalytic amount of PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ and 2.0 equiv. NaOAc, the coupling reaction of indoles with alkynyl bromides proceeded smoothly at 50 °C to give the corresponding 3-alkynylindoles with high regioselectivity in good to excellent yields.     

Simultaneous reduction of nitro- to amino-group in the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction

An efficient method for palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction with simultaneous reduction of nitro- to amino-group has been developed. This method allows nitro-substituted aryl halides to readily react with arylboronic acids, to afford aryl substituted aniline in low to excellent yields. The reaction was catalyzed by Pd(OAc)₂ (3 mol %) at 150 °C under atmospheric pressure in the presence of K₂CO₃ (3 equiv) in DMF/H₂O (5/1).