Copper-catalyzed coupling of pyridines and quinolines with alkynes: a one-step, asymmetric route to functionalized heterocycles

A copper (I)-catalyzed, asymmetric method to directly functionalize pyridines, quinolines, and isoquinolines with terminal alkynes is described. The reaction is readily diversified to incorporate a range of pyridine-based heterocycles and electron-rich or electron-poor alkynes. This provides a straightforward alternative to nucleophilic or cross-coupling approaches to directly derivatize these heterocycles, and yields useful propargylcarbamates.     

A general method for copper-catalyzed arene cross-dimerization

A general method for a highly regioselective copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of two aromatic compounds using iodine as an oxidant has been developed. The reactions involve an initial iodination of one arene followed by arylation of the most acidic C-H bond of the other coupling component. Cross-coupling of electron-rich arenes, electron-poor arenes, and five- and six-membered heterocycles is possible in many combinations. Typically, a 1/1.5 to 1/3 ratio of coupling components is used, in contrast to existing methodology that often employs a large excess of one of the arenes. Common functionalities such as ester, ketone, aldehyde, ether, nitrile, nitro, and amine are well-tolerated.     

Molybdenum-catalyzed stannylations as key steps in heterocyclic synthesis

THF/carbonyl complexes of molybdenum and tungsten are suitable precursors for the synthesis of the corresponding monoisonitrile carbonyl complexes. Whereas complexes with electron-rich isonitriles are suitable for regioselective hydrostannations, complexes with electron-poor isonitriles are efficient catalysts for distannations, without reduction of aromatic halides. This allows for the synthesis of halogenated distannylated allyl ethers, which can be subjected to intramoleculare Stille couplings giving rise to heterocycles, which can be further modified at the remaining stannyl group.     

Indium-mediated synthesis of heterobiaryls

The palladium-mediated coupling reaction between triorganoindium reagents and organic electrophiles is extended to the synthesis of heteroaromatic compounds. Both electron-rich and electron-poor heterocycles can act as the organic electrophile or as the organoindium derivative.     

Michael addition of chloroalkyloxazolines to electron-poor alkenes: synthesis of heterosubstituted cyclopropanes

Lithiated 2-(1-chloroethyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazoline 7 adds to electron-poor alkenyl heterocycles to afford substituted cyclopropanes in excellent yields. A route to chiral nonracemic heterosubstituted cyclopropanes, starting from optically active 2-chloromethyl-2-oxazolines, is highlighted as well.     

A general method for copper-catalyzed arylation of arene C-H bonds

A general method for copper-catalyzed arylation of sp (2) C-H bonds with p K a's below 35 has been developed. The method employs aryl halide as the coupling partner, lithium alkoxide or K 3PO 4 base, and DMF, DMPU, or mixed DMF/xylenes solvent. A variety of electron-rich and electron-poor heterocycles such as azoles, caffeine, thiophenes, benzofuran, pyridine oxides, pyridazine, and pyrimidine can be arylated. Furthermore, electron-poor arenes possessing at least two electron-withdrawing groups on a benzene ring can also be arylated. Two arylcopper-phenanthroline complex intermediates were independently synthesized.     

Design and evolution of copper apatite catalysts for N-arylation of heterocycles with chloro- and fluoroarenes

We report the preparation of recyclable heterogeneous catalysts, copper-exchanged fluorapatite, and copper-exchanged tert-butoxyapatite by incorporating basic species F-/tBuO- in apatite in situ by coprecipitation and subsequent exchange with Cu(II). These basic copper catalysts catalyzed N-arylation of imidazoles and other heterocycles with chloroarenes and electron-poor fluoroarenes in good to excellent yields. Synthesis and characterization of some of the intermediates of the catalytic cycle gave some insight into the mechanism of the very important organic transformation. The necessity of basic sites for the activation of C-Cl and C-F bonds in the N-arylation of heterocycles with haloarenes is well-established.     

Palladium-catalyzed indole, pyrrole, and furan arylation by aryl chlorides

The palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of indoles, pyrroles, and furans by aryl chlorides has been demonstrated. The method employs a palladium acetate catalyst, 2-(dicyclohexylphosphino)-biphenyl ligand, and an inorganic base. Electron-rich and electron-poor aryl chlorides as well as chloropyridine coupling partners can be used, and arylated heterocycles are obtained in moderate to good yields. Optimization of base, ligand, and solvent is required for achieving best results.     

Coupling-isomerization-N,S-ketene acetal-addition sequences--a three-component approach to highly fluorescent pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines, [1,8]naphthyridines, and pyrido[2,3-b]azepines

Annelated 2-amino pyridines such as pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines, [1,8]naphthyridines, and pyrido[2,3-b]azepines can be synthesized in moderate to good yields in a consecutive one-pot three-component process by a coupling-isomerization-enamine-addition-cyclocondensation sequence of an electron-poor (hetero)aryl halide, a terminal propargyl N-tosylamine, and an N,S-ketene acetal. After the coupling-isomerization sequence, a Diels-Alder reaction with inverse electron demand of the intermediate enimine and the N,S-ketene acetal and subsequent aromatization furnish annelated 2-amino pyridines 4 that were unambiguously characterized by numerous X-ray structure analyses. These heterocycles are highly fluorescent and partially pH sensitive, and their electronic structure was studied with spectroscopic and computational methods.     

Amide Synthesis by Nickel/Photoredox-Catalyzed Direct Carbamoylation of (Hetero)Aryl Bromides

Herein, we report a one-electron strategy for catalytic amide synthesis that enables the direct carbamoylation of (hetero)aryl bromides. This radical cross-coupling approach, which is based on the combination of nickel and photoredox catalysis, proceeds at ambient temperature and uses readily available dihydropyridines as precursors of carbamoyl radicals. The method's mild reaction conditions make it tolerant of sensitive-functional-group-containing substrates and allow the installation of an amide scaffold within biologically relevant heterocycles. In addition, we installed amide functionalities bearing electron-poor and sterically hindered amine moieties, which would be difficult to prepare with classical dehydrative condensation methods.     

Synthesis of Diaryl Ethers, Diaryl Sulfides, Heteroaryl Ethers and Heteroaryl Sulfides under Microwave Heating

Diaryl ether moiety is found in a pool of naturally occurring and medicinally important compounds.[1] As a consequent, considerable efforts have been devoted to the assembly of this framework.[2] Recently, we have developed a microwave heating version of the synthesis of diaryl ethers as well as aryl sulfides. Under our conditions, even the extremely electron-poor 4-nitrophenol works well and its reaction with 1-halo-4-nitrobenzenes produces 4-(nitrophenoxy)-benzonitriles in satisfactory yield. The scope of the present protocol has been expanded to hydroxylated six-membered heterocycles as well as 2-pyrimidinethiol with mildly activated aryl halides, affording heteroaryl ethers and respectively sulfides. The advantages of the present method include the wide substrate scope, no use of any metal catalysts, the ease of product isolation and high yields.     

Synthesis of benzo-fused five- and six-membered heterocycles by palladium-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation

A novel and simple synthetic methodology, based on palladium-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation reaction, is presented for preparing five- and six-membered benzo-fused heterocycles. A mechanism for the process is also proposed and discussed.     

Selective synthesis of oxazoles and pyrazines from α-bromo-1-phenylethanone using a by-product-promoted strategy

Oxazoles and pyrazines are fundamental heterocycles that widely found in natural products or drugs. In this work, a selective strategy for oxazoles and pyrazines synthesis using α-bromo-1-phenylethanone and ammonium acetate as starting materials was reported. This methodology features mild reaction conditions, readily accessible starting materials and good chemoselectivity. Mechanistic study indicates that this reaction involves a by-product-promoted (BPP) process for the formation of oxazole, that is, the in-situ formed hydrogen bromide (HBr) during the reaction promotes the whole tandem process.     

Intramolecular palladium-catalysed enolate arylation of 2- and 3-iodoindole derivatives for the synthesis of β-carbolines, γ-carbolines, and pyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles

The palladium-catalysed intramolecular α-arylation of carbonyl compounds with amino-tethered 2- and 3-iodoindoles provides a useful methodology for the synthesis of indolo-b-fused nitrogen heterocycles. A variety of substituted tetrahydro β- and γ-carbolines, and pyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles, have been prepared by means of this palladium-catalysed annulation process.     

Synthesis of isoindolo[2,1-alpha]indoles by the palladium-catalyzed annulation of internal acetylenes.

A wide variety of substituted isoindolo[2,1-alpha]indoles have been prepared via annulation of internal alkynes by imines derived from o-iodoanilines in the presence of a palladium catalyst. This methodology provides an extremely efficient route for the synthesis of these tetracyclic heterocycles from readily available starting materials. The mechanism of this interesting annulation process appears to involve (1) oxidative addition of the aryl iodide to Pd(0), (2) alkyne insertion, (3) addition of the resulting vinylic palladium intermediate to the C-N double bond of the imine, (4) either electrophilic palladation of the resulting sigma-palladium intermediate onto the adjacent aromatic ring derived from the internal alkyne or oxidative addition of the neighboring aryl carbon-hydrogen bond, and (5) reduction of the tetracyclic product and Pd(0). A variety of internal acetylenes have been employed in this annulation process in which the aromatic ring of the alkyne contains either a phenyl or a heterocyclic ring.     

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular coupling of vinyl halides and ketone enolates. Synthesis Of bridged azabicyclic compounds

The palladium-mediated intramolecular coupling of amino-tethered vinyl halides and ketone enolates is a useful methodology for the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles and constitutes a new synthetic entry to the 2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane framework. A study about the reaction conditions and the scope of the process is reported.     

In situ generated stabilized phosphorus ylides mediated a mild and efficient method for the preparation of some new sterically congested electron-poor N-vinylated heterocycles

Protonation of the highly reactive 1:1 intermediate produced in the reaction between triphenylphosphine and an acetylenic ester by a N-H acid (4-phenylphthalazin-1(2 H)-one, 5,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2,4-dione) leads to the formation of a vinyltriphenylphosphonium salt. The cation of the salt undergoes an addition reaction with the counter anion in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature to yield the corresponding stabilized phosphorus ylide. Elimination of triphenylphosphine from the stabilized phosphorus ylides leads to the formation of corresponding electron-poor N-vinylated heterocycles in moderate to high yields (67–95%). The reaction is completely regio- and stereoselective.     

Improved and expanded one-pot,two-component Boulton-Katritzky syntheses of N–N bond containing bicyclic heterocycles

Improved and expanded one-pot, two-component syntheses of bicyclic heterocycles containing a 3-N-acyl-3-amino-1,2-pyrazole motif from N′-hydroxy-carboxyamidines and acylbenzotriazoles have been developed. Importantly, this sequence obviates the need for hydrazine or N-aminating reagents to synthesize the key nitrogen–nitrogen (N–N) bond of these heterocycles, which is formed via Boulton-Katritzky rearrangement. A diverse array of pharmaceutically relevant N–N containing heterocycles has been prepared with this methodology using readily available reagents without the need for special equipment or conditions.     

Simple synthesis of some pentafluoropropenyl derivatives of pyrimidine and purine based on addition-elimination reaction

Various pentafluoropropenyl derivatives of pyrimidine and purine bases have been obtained in good to high yield. The procedure involves the reaction of appropriate lithium derivatives prepared from both electron-rich and electron-poor pyrimidines, with the hexafluoropropene at a low temperature, via an addition-elimination process. Organolithiums of pyrimidine and purine bases give addition-elimination products as E/Z mixtures, whereas the products of the reaction of lithium amide of protected inosine with hexafluoropropene contain traces of an addition product as well as the stable perfluoroenamine. The methodology proposed allows a series of perfluorovinyl nucleobases to be obtained quickly and conveniently.     

Partial reduction of annulated heterocycles as a general route to medium rings containing oxygen and nitrogen

The preparation of annulated furans and pyrroles is described as part of a general strategy for the synthesis of medium ring heterocycles. After Birch reduction, the corresponding dihydro compounds were oxidatively cleaved to produce medium ring ethers and amines in an efficient manner. This methodology was successfully applied to the formation of eight- and nine-membered cyclic ethers and nine-membered cyclic amines. Attaching a chiral auxiliary (bismethoxymethylpyrrolidine) to the furan allowed the formation of nine-membered ethers in 95% ee.