Efficient entry into hydrazinopeptide-like structures via sequential Ugi reactions

Novel types of hydrazinopeptide-like units containing five elements of diversity have been prepared in two steps using sequential Ugi reactions.     

Thiophene-containing products of the Ugi reaction in an oxidation-triggered IMDA/aromatization cascade: a simple access to 3-oxoisoindolines

A novel approach to skeletally diverse 3-oxoisoindolines has been developed which includes preparation of Ugi adducts containing thiophene and fumaric acid residues. When treated with excess m-CPBA at room temperature, these precursors undergo a simple oxidative cycloaddition/aromatization transformation and the corresponding 3-oxoisoindoline products are isolated in fair chemical yield over two steps. The second step is thought to include S-oxidation/IMDA/S-oxidation/SO₂ extrusion/aromatization events.     

Multi-component reactions between 2-aminopyrimidine, aldehydes and isonitriles: the use of a nonpolar solvent suppresses formation of multiple products

A reliable and convenient protocol for MCRs between 2-aminopyrimidine, aldehydes and isonitriles is described. Toluene was chosen as the reaction solvent based on mechanistic reasoning. The product mixtures were found to contain a single imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine product in each case, which were isolated and purified by precipitation and crystallization. Chromatographic recovery from filtrates raised the total yields to 49-66%. The procedure provides a practical alternative to hitherto reported methods in which formation of multiple products was observed.     

BF3·OEt2-promoted reaction of isocyanides with o-aminobenzophenones

Aliphatic isocyanides react with o-aminobenzophenones in dichloromethane under Lewis acid catalysis at ambient temperature to give, unexpectedly, 4-aryl-4-hydroxy-3,4-dihydroquinazolines in good to excellent yields. The outcome of the reaction is rationalized by a skeletal rearrangement of the initially formed ‘intramolecular Passerini’ reaction products, 2-amino-3-hydroxy-3-aryl-3H-indoles.     

Air-oxidized products of multi-component reactions between 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, aromatic aldehydes and isonitriles

The Groebke-type multi-component reaction (MCR) between 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, aromatic aldehydes and isonitriles has been studied from the viewpoint of convenient generation of combinatorial arrays of imidazo[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazoles. However, it was established that the desired heterocyclic structures can be produced in moderate to good yields in an oxidized form, when benzylic isonitriles are used. Oxidation occurred at the benzylic position to produce N-alkylidene-4H-imidazo[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazol-6-amines that proved to be unusually stable towards acid hydrolysis and reduction. The presence of an easily oxidized benzylic position in the target structures is thought to be the prerequisite for successful Groebke-type MCR of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole.     

Reactions of some arenes and pyrazoles in MeCN under conditions of undivided-cell electrolysis

As exemplified for the first time by pyrazole and its 4-nitro and 3,5-dimethyl derivatives, N-arylation of pyrazoles can be performed under conditions of undivided-cell amperostatic electrolysis (Pt electrodes, MeCN) of systems containing the pyrazolate anion and (or) pyrazole, arene (benzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, or xylene), and a supporting electrolyte. In the case of electrolysis involving 1,4-dimethoxybenzene as arene, N-arylation followed simultaneously three routes to form an ortho-substitution product (1,4-dimethoxy-2-(pyrazol-1-yl)benzene), an ipso-substitution product (4-methoxy-1-(pyrazol-1-yl)benzene), and an ipso-bisaddition product (1,4-dimethoxy-1,4-di(pyrazol-1-yl)cyclohexa-2,5-diene) in a total current yield of up to 50%. The acid-base properties of the pyrazoles under study affect the ratio of the N-arylation products and govern the required composition of the starting reaction mixture. In the case of a stronger base, such as 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, N-arylation with 1,4-dimethoxybenzene occurred even in the pyrazole—arene—tetraalkylammonium perchlorate system, whereas N-arylation of 4-nitropyrazole (a weaker base) proceeded only in the presence of the pyrazolate anion or another base, viz., sym-collidine. Oxidation of arene to the radical cation is the key anodic reaction. Not only the pyrazolate anion, but also highly basic pyrazole or a solvate complex of weakly basic pyrazole with collidine can serve as a nucleophilic partner in subsequent transformations of these radical cations.     

Proline-like β-turn mimics accessed via Ugi reaction involving monoprotected hydrazines

A four-center, three-component Ugi-type reaction of a variety of keto acids, Boc- or Cbz-protected hydrazine, and isocyanides offers a simple and high yielding access to cyclic products containing an N-aminolactam unit. The latter are shown to form consistently an intramolecular hydrogen bond leading to a β-turn-like secondary structure. The possibility of integrating such N-aminolactam units (without disruption of the folded structure) into pseudotripeptide fragments is demonstrated.