Pd2dba3/P(i-BuNCH2CH2)3N: a highly efficient catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of trans-4-N,N-diarylaminostilbenes and N,N-diarylaminostyrenes

A Pd₂dba₃/P(i-BuNCH₂CH₂)₃N catalyzed one-pot synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted trans-4-N,N-diarylaminostilbenes and both symmetrically and unsymmetrically substituted N,N-diarylaminostyrene derivatives is reported. The procedure involves two or more palladium catalyzed sequential coupling reactions (an amination and an inter-molecular Heck reaction) in one-pot using the same catalyst system with two different aryl halides, including aryl chlorides and hetero aryl halides as the coupling partners.     

Me3SiCl-promoted intramolecular cyclization of aromatic compounds tethered with N,O-acetals leading to the facile preparation of 1,4-benzodiazepine skeletons

The Me₃SiCl-promoted intramolecular aminomethylation of a novel type of N,O-acetals, which were prepared via a facile three-step synthesis from N-alkylaniline derivatives and N-alkyl-2-oxazolidinones that leads to the production of pharmaceutically useful 1,4-benzodiazepine skeletons with a variety of functional groups is described. This method was successfully applied to the facile preparation of both tricyclic benzodiazepine derivatives and a 1,4-benzoxazepine derivative via 7-exo-trig cyclization.     

Unprecedented InCl3-catalyzed formation of cis-fused perhydrofuro[2,3-b]oxepines

2-Methylindole and its N-substituted derivatives react smoothly with 2,3-dihydrofuran (DHF) in the presence of a catalytic amount of InCl₃ under mild conditions to afford the corresponding 2-methyl-3-perhydrofuro[2,3-b]oxepin-4-yl-1H-indole derivatives in fairly good yields with high diastereoselectivity, while 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran (DHP) affords exclusively 5,5-di(1H-3-indolyl)-1-pentanol derivatives in high yields under similar reaction conditions.     

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.     

A simple TiCl4 promoted arylation of orthoformate and benzyl ethers by N,N-dialkylarylamines

N,N-Dialkylarylamines react with trimethyl orthoformate and TiCl₄ under ambient conditions to give the corresponding formyl derivatives in 75-89% yields, whereas the corresponding arylated products are obtained from benzyl ethers and acetals in 42-78% yields.     

Stereoselective synthesis of tri- and tetrasubstituted oxepanes via n-Bu3SnH mediated 7-endo-trig vinyl radical cyclisation

A stereoselective 7-endo-trig cyclisation of homopropargyl and phenyl homopropargyl derivatives of Baylis-Hillman adducts using n-Bu₃SnH/AIBN mediated vinyl radical cyclisation affords tri- and tetrasubstituted oxepanes, respectively, in good yields.     

Palladium-catalysed allylic amination for the direct synthesis of epi-4-alkylamino-N-acetylneuraminic acid derivatives

A simple and efficient procedure has been developed for the direct formation of epi-4-alkylamino-N-acetylneuraminic acid derivatives as potential inhibitors of influenza neuraminidases. The allylic amination of oxazoline 6 has been effected with a series of primary and secondary amines in the presence of catalytic Pd(π-allyl)₂(Et₃P)₂ to give the corresponding 4-epi-alkylamino products in a stereoselective and regiospecific manner.     

Catalytic photocarboxylation of 1,1-diphenylethylene with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine and carbon dioxide

Photocarboxylation of 1,1-diphenylethylene with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in MeCN under bubbling of CO₂ proceeded with high catalytic efficiency, giving 3,3-diphenylacrylic acid (DPA) and 3-hydroxy-3,3-diphenylpropionic acid (20). The turnover number (TON=(DPA+20)/TMB) reached 17. Similarly, 1-phenyl-1-cyclohexene yielded cis-2-acetamido-2-phenylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid with TON 5.9. As compared with related N,N-dimethylaniline derivatives, TMB is more resistant to photodecomposition, has the much larger absorbance in the S₀→S₁ transition, and has the lower quenching efficiency by CO₂. Probably these factors are partly responsible for the high TON observed for TMB.     

C-Glycosylidene derivatives (exo-glycals): their synthesis by reaction of protected sugar lactones with tributylphosphonium ylids, conformational analysis and stereoselective reduction

Stabilised tributylphosphonium ylids Bu₃PCHCH(EWG), where EWG is CO₂Me, CO₂^tBu or CN, react with protected sugar lactones under mild conditions to give high yields of glycosylidene derivatives (4 and 5) with good Z/E selectivity. X-Ray crystallography shows that in the solid state the tetra-O-benzyl protected (Z)-glucosylideneacetonitrile (Z)-4c adopts a conformation intermediate between a boat and a twist-boat, whereas the isomeric galactose derivative (Z)-5c exists as a distorted chair. NMR data suggest that in solution chair-like conformations are again more favoured for galactosylidene derivatives than for their glucosylidene analogues. Solution phase NMR studies and molecular modelling show that the (E)-double bond geometry disfavours the chair-like geometry of the ring, even in the galactose series; this is consistent with the avoidance of allylic 1,3-strain. Reduction of the glycosylidene double bond to give stereoselective formation of β-C-glycoside derivatives may be achieved by using Et₃SiH-CF₃CO₂H or Et₃SiH-BF₃·Et₂O.     

Short and efficient access to imidazo[1,2-a]pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridine derivatives

Access to N-protected or N-free imidazo[1,2-a]pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridine derivatives as potential antiviral compounds was achieved in good yields from N-protected 7-amino-8-halo-2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines by catalytic coupling of terminal acetylenes under mild conditions using [PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂] or [Cu(Phen)(PPh₃)₂]NO₃.     

Synthesis of 1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]quinoline derivatives via palladium-catalyzed heteroannulation of 2-aryl-3-iodo-4-(phenylamino)quinolines and 4-(N,N-allylphenylamino)-2-aryl-3-iodoquinolines

Palladium(0)/copper iodide catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling of 2-aryl-3-iodo-4-(phenylamino)quinolines with terminal alkynes afforded series of 1,2,4-trisubstituted 1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]quinolines in a single-step operation. Conversely, the 4-(N,N-allylphenylamino)-2-aryl-3-iodoquinoline derivatives were found to undergo PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂/CuI catalyzed intramolecular Heck reaction to yield the corresponding 1,3,4-trisubstituted 1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]quinolines.     

Regioselective oxidation of N-alkylpyrrolidines to pyrrolidin-5-ones by RuCl3/NaIO4

RuCl₃/NaIO₄ under EtOAc/H₂O biphasic conditions, selectively oxidizes the Nα-endo-methylene group of pyrrolidine derivatives, without affecting the exo-methylene group adjacent to the N-heteroatom.     

6,8-Dimethylpyrimido[4,5-c]pyridazine-5,7(6H,8H)-dione: new heterocyclizations based on SN-methodology. Unexpected formation of the first iso-π-electronic analogue of the still unknown dibenzo[a,o]pycene

N₍₂₎-Oxide and 3-amino derivatives of 6,8-dimethylpyrimido[4,5-c]pyridazine-5,7(6H,8H)-dione have been shown to react with primary alkylamines in the presence of an oxidant to produce condensed imidazolines or imidazoles. Both conversions based on S_N^H-strategy represent a new approach to imidazoline-(imidazole-)ring annulation. Heterocyclic analogues of the still unknown dibenzo[a,o]pycene were obtained as a by-products of the above transformations upon using of cyclohexylamine.     

One-pot synthesis of ortho-hydroxycinnamate esters

Phenols are converted to salicylaldehydes with paraformaldehyde, MgCl₂-Et₃N in THF, and subsequent treatment with methyl (triphenylphosphoranylidene)acetate gave the corresponding methyl ortho-hydroxycinnamate derivatives. The sequence is conveniently carried out as a one-pot procedure.     

A novel synthesis of new 2-aryl-6-(arylamino)-1H-imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carbonitrile derivatives

New 2-aryl-6-(arylamino)-1H-imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carbonitriles are synthesized in good yields, via cyclocondensation of 5-amino-1-(2-oxo-2-arylethyl)-3-(arylamino)-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonitriles, which are prepared by the reaction of 5-amino-3-arylamino-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonitriles and α-bromoacetophenone derivatives in the presence of K₂CO₃ using acetone as the solvent.     

Further studies of tetrakis(N,N′-dialkylbenzamidinato)diruthenium(III) chloro and alkynyl compounds: molecular engineering of metallayne monomers

Three diruthenium(III) compounds Ru₂(L)₄Cl₂, where L is mMeODMBA (N,N′-dimethyl-3-methoxybenzamidinate, 1a), DiMeODMBA (N,N′-dimethyl-3,5-dimethoxy benzamidinate, 1b), or DEBA (N,N′-diethylbenzamidinate, 1c), were prepared from the reactions between Ru₂(OAc)₄Cl and respective HL under reflux conditions. Metathesis reactions between 1 and LiC₂Y resulted in bis-alkynyl derivatives Ru₂(L)₄(C₂Y)₂ [Y=Ph (2), SiMe₃ (3), SiⁱPr₃ (4) and C₂SiMe₃ (5)]. The parent compounds 1 are paramagnetic (S=1), while bis-alkynyl derivatives 2-5 are diamagnetic and display well-solved ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra. Molecular structures of compounds 1b, 1c, 2c, 3c and 4b were established through single crystal X-ray diffraction studies, which revealed RuRu bond lengths of ca. 2.32 Å for parent compounds 1 and 2.45 Å for bis-alkynyl derivatives. Cyclic voltammograms of all compounds feature three one-electron couples: an oxidation and two reductions, while the reversibility of observed couples depends on the nature of axial ligands.     

Synthesis of novel deuterium labelled derivatives of N-alkylated polyamines

Novel di-, tetra- and octadeuterated derivatives of mono-N-alkylated diaminopropanes, spermidines, spermines, symmetrically bis-N-alkylated spermines and unsymmetrically bis-N-alkylated spermines were synthesized. Deuterium labels were introduced into the RHNCH₂CH₂CN intermediate either by exchanging the protons next to the nitrile group under basic conditions with D₂O-EtOD mixture or/and by reducing the nitrile group to a CD₂-NH₂ fragment with LiAlD₄.     

Synthesis of N-functionalized 2,2′-dipyridylamine ligands, complexation to ruthenium (II) and anchoring of complexes to papain from papaya latex

2,2′-Dipyridylamine (dpa) derivatives carrying a thiol-targeted maleimide group located at the end of an alkyl substituent on the central amine were synthesized. Reaction with the organometallic precursors [(η⁶-arene)RuCl₂]₂ (arene = benzene or p-cymene) yielded the half-sandwich cationic complexes [(η⁶-arene)Ru(dpa)Cl]⁺ where the dipyridylamine derivatives were coordinated as bidentate N,N donor ligands. Enzymatic studies showed that these derivatives were able to inactivate the cysteine endoproteinase papain by S-alkylation of the cysteine active site.     

Synthesis of imidazolidin-4-one and 1H-imidazo[2,1-a]isoindole-2,5(3H,9bH)-dione derivatives of primaquine: scope and limitations

The synthesis of imidazolidin-4-one derivatives of primaquine as potential antimalarial agents is described. The target compounds were synthesized in three steps: (i) condensation of (±)-primaquine with N^α-protected amino acids, (ii) removal of the N^α-protecting group, and (iii) reaction of the N-acylprimaquine with a carbonyl compound: acetone, three cyclic ketones and veratraldehyde. Using 2-formylbenzoic acid in the third step afforded 1H-imidazo[2,1-a]isoindole-2,5(3H,9bH)-diones. All products were isolated in good to excellent yields. Whereas imidazolidin-4-ones were formed as mixtures of all possible diastereomers in equal amounts, 1H-imidazo[2,1-a]isoindole-2,5(3H,9bH)-diones were produced in a stereoselective fashion. The compounds hydrolyse very slowly (t_1/2 5-30 d) in pH 7.4 buffer to release primaquine. These primaquine derivatives are being submitted to biological assays, and preliminary results of their antimalarial activity are quite encouraging.     

Synthesis of liquid crystalline materials based on 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene and 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-s-triazine

C₃-symmetric alkyloxy/aryloxy polyether dendrimers have been synthesized from 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene and 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-s-triazine and their liquid crystalline properties have been studied. C₃-symmetric derivatives with n-hexyl and n-dodecyl chains at the periphery show mesophase properties when they are complexed with trinitrofluorenone at different temperatures.