Advances in the Synthesis of Ring-Fused Benzimidazoles and Imidazobenzimidazoles

This review article provides a perspective on the synthesis of alicyclic and heterocyclic ring-fused benzimidazoles, imidazo[4,5-f]benzimidazoles, and imidazo[5,4-f]benzimidazoles. These heterocycles have a plethora of biological activities with the iminoquinone and quinone derivatives displaying potent bioreductive antitumor activity. Synthesis is categorized according to the cyclization reaction and mechanisms are detailed. Nitrobenzene reduction, cyclization of aryl amidines, lactams and isothiocyanates are described. Protocols include condensation, cross-dehydrogenative coupling with transition metal catalysis, annulation onto benzimidazole, often using CuI-catalysis, and radical cyclization with homolytic aromatic substitution. Many oxidative transformations are under metal-free conditions, including using thermal, photochemical, and electrochemical methods. Syntheses of diazole analogues of mitomycin C derivatives are described. Traditional oxidations of o-(cycloamino)anilines using peroxides in acid via the t-amino effect remain popular.     

Dinuclear Nickel(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes of 2,6-[N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyphenylmethyl)-N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenol

Abstract

The symmetric 'end-off' compartmental proligand 2,6-[N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-phenylmethyl)-N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenol (H₃L) has been used to generate homodinuclear nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes. The crystal structures of the complexes reveal that the di-nickel(II) complex is donor asymmetric and the di-zinc(II) complex is coordination number asymmetric. In both complexes non-coordinated acetic acid molecules are tightly hydrogen-bonded to the pendant phenols of the ligand generating a double acid salt of the type[CH₃COO…H…L…H…OOCCH₃]^3? in the dinickel complex and a single acid salt of the type [CH₃COO…H…L]^3? in the dizinc complex. In both cases the ligand periphery has been extended to provide a supraligand in which the donor potential of the original ligand has been enhanced.     

A Short and Efficient Stereoselective Synthesis of the Potent 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor CMI-977

A short and efficient synthesis of the potent 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor CMI-977 is described using as the key step a stereoselective anomeric oxygen to carbon rearrangement of an alkynyl stannane tetrahydrofuranyl ether derivative mediated by boron trifluoride etherate.     

An Interwoven Metal‐Organic Framework Combining Mechanically Interlocked Linkers and Interpenetrated Networks

New dibenzo[24]crown‐8 ether derivatives were prepared that contain appendages with thioether donors that can coordinate to a metal ion. These macrocycles were then combined with 1,2‐bis(pyridinium) ethane axles to create two types of [2]rotaxane ligands; those with the four thioether donors on the crown ether and those with six donor groups, four from the crown ether and two more attached to the stoppering groups of the dumbbell. The crown ethers and both types of [2]rotaxane ligands were allowed to react with Ag^I ions to form metal‐organic rotaxane framework (MORF) style coordination polymers. The interlocked hexadentate ligand forms the first example of a new type of lattice containing interwoven frameworks resulting from both interpenetration of frameworks due to the presence of an interlocked ligand and more classical interpenetration of independent frameworks.     

A 3D Porous Metal Organic Framework Based on Infinite 1D Nickel(II) Chains with Rutile Topology Displaying Open Metal Sites

The reaction of Ni^II with a tetra‐benzoate pyrene ligand produces a 3D porous framework based on infinite 1D Ni^II chains. The Ni^II–O connectivity and the formation of a hydroxo‐bridge (μ₃‐OH) responsible for the connection of the central Ni^II atoms within the 1D Ni^II–(μ₃‐OH)₂–Ni^II chains can be straightforwardly compared with the Ti^IV–O–Ti^IV connectivity seen in TiO₂. The arrangement of the TBAPy ligand around the 1D rutile‐based chains leads in the generation of a porous framework with two distinct types of pores; based on the chemistries of these two types of pores, one can be labelled as hydrophobic and the other as hydrophilic. The use of different activation methods results in the generation of either a porous framework free of guest molecules or a completely solvent‐free material, in which the terminal H₂O molecules bound to Ni^II were removed, leading thus to a framework with open Ni^II sites. CO₂ isotherms collected on both frameworks at 195 K and one barshowed type I isotherms characteristic of microporous materials (BET surface areas for: guest‐free framework: 257(3) m² · g^–1; solvent‐free framework: 362(2) m² · g^–1). The affinity of both networks at zero coverage for both CO₂ and CH₄ was found to be greater when the unsaturated Ni^II sites are available within the void space.     

Synthetic studies directed toward the AB decalin common to HMP-Y1 and hibarimicinone

Efforts toward the synthesis of the decalin ring system common to the hibarimicin shunt metabolite HMP-Y1 and parent aglycone hibarimicinone are reported herein. An intramolecular Diels–Alder cyclization rapidly generated the decalin framework. Two approaches toward completion of the AB decalin were vetted. Incorporation of a phenylsulfonyl leaving group β- to both a ketone and a γ-lactone followed by base-induced elimination of sulfinate led to the undesired α,β-unsaturated lactone. Methanolysis of the γ-lactone followed by elimination produced the unexpected bridged cyclic ether by way of an intramolecular oxy-Michael addition of the endo oriented C13 alcohol.     

A feasibility study of X‐ray phase‐contrast mammographic tomography at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron

Results are presented of a recent experiment at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron intended to contribute to the implementation of low‐dose high‐sensitivity three‐dimensional mammographic phase‐contrast imaging, initially at synchrotrons and subsequently in hospitals and medical imaging clinics. The effect of such imaging parameters as X‐ray energy, source size, detector resolution, sample‐to‐detector distance, scanning and data processing strategies in the case of propagation‐based phase‐contrast computed tomography (CT) have been tested, quantified, evaluated and optimized using a plastic phantom simulating relevant breast‐tissue characteristics. Analysis of the data collected using a Hamamatsu CMOS Flat Panel Sensor, with a pixel size of 100 µm, revealed the presence of propagation‐based phase contrast and demonstrated significant improvement of the quality of phase‐contrast CT imaging compared with conventional (absorption‐based) CT, at medically acceptable radiation doses.