Direct N-heterocyclization of hydrazines to access styrylated pyrazoles: synthesis of 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles and dihydropyrazoles.

A microwave-assisted method has been developed for the synthesis of tri-substituted pyrazoles via direct N-heterocyclization of hydrazines with metal-acetylacetonate and -dibenzylideneacetonate without using any base or additives. Most importantly, the synthesis of 1-aryl-5-phenyl-3-styryl-1H-pyrazoles was achieved in a single step using hydrochloride salt of various phenylhydrazines and this is the first report for direct construction of these molecules. The reaction medium and microwave conditions play a critical role for their selective product formation during the reaction. The present reaction explored the usage of metal-diketonic complexes as reaction substrates providing acetylacetone and dibenzylideneacetone moieties to directly participate in cyclization with hydrazines to form the corresponding pyrazoles in excellent yields. The present protocol introduces the important N-heterocyclic moieties in the final structures, giving the reaction great applications from a medicinal chemistry perspective, particularly in the late stage modification strategies in drug discovery.

C-H oxygenation and N-trifluoroacylation of arylamines under metal-free conditions: a convenient approach to 2-aminophenols and N-trifluoroacyl-ortho-aminophenols.

Direct ortho-hydroxylation through C-H oxygenation and N-trifluoroacylation of anilines was achieved in a single step under metal-free conditions by using a combination of TFA and oxone. The method allowed the formation of functionalised amino phenolic compounds such as ortho-hydroxy-N-trifluoroacetanilides in good yields with broad substrate scope.

Cu-Mn spinel oxide catalyzed regioselective halogenation of phenols and N-heteroarenes.

A novel simple, mild chemo- and regioselective method has been developed for the halogenation of phenols using Cu-Mn spinel oxide as a catalyst and N-halosuccinimide as halogenating agent. In the presence of Cu-Mn spinel oxide B, both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups bearing phenols gave monohalogenated products in good to excellent yields with highest para-selectivity. The para-substituted phenol gave monohalogenated product with good yield and ortho-selectivity. N-Heteroarenes such as indoles and imidazoles also gave monohalogenated products with high selectivity. Unlike the copper-catalyzed halogenation, the present method works well with electron-withdrawing group bearing phenols and gives comparatively better yields and selectivity. The Cu-Mn spinel catalyst is robust and reused three times under optimized conditions without any loss in catalytic activity. Nonphenolics did not undergo this transformation.