Synthesis of aryl-functionalized, 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles and derivatives by arylation of zwitterionic ruthenium triazolato complexes

The synthesis of a series of ruthenium 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazolato complexes, 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles, and a triazolium salt is reported. Treatment of the ruthenium azido complex [Ru]-N₃ ( 1 , [Ru] = (η⁵-C₅H₅)(dppe)Ru, dppe = Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂) with an excess of ethyl propiolate results in the formation of a mixture of the Z- and E-forms of zwitterionic N(1)-bound N(3)-ethyl acryl-4-carboxylate triazolato complexes [Ru]N₃(CH=CHCO₂Et)C₂H(CO₂) ( Z - 2 ) and ( E - 2 ). The arylation of 2 with aromatic bromides gives a series of cationic N(1)-bound N(3)-ethyl acryl-4-alkoxycarbonyl triazolato complexes {[Ru]N₃(CH=CHCO₂Et)C₂H(CO₂CH₂R)}[Br] ( 3a , R = Ph ; 3b , R = C₆F₅; 3c , R = 4-C₆H₄CN, 3d , R = 2,6-C₆H₃F₂) and the subsequent cleavage of the Ru-N bond of 3a–d gives 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles N₃(CH=CHCO₂Et)C₂H(CO₂CH₂R) ( 4a , R = Ph; 4b , R = C₆F₅; 4c , R = 4-C₆H₄CN; 4d , R = 2,6-C₆H₃F₂) and [Ru]-Br. A 1,2,3-triazolium salt [N₃(CH=CHCO₂Et)(CH₂C₆F₅)C₂H₂][Br] ( 5 ) was formed by transformation of 4b in BrCH₂C₆F₅/chloroform mixture. The structures of Z-3a and Z-5 were confirmed by single-crystal x-ray diffraction analysis and both complexes participate in non-covalent aromatic interactions in the solid-state structures which can be favorable in the binding of DNA/biomolecular targets and have shown great potential in the application of biologically active anticancer drugs.