Oxidative Dearomatization of Pyridines.

Dearomatization of pyridines is a well-established synthetic approach to access piperidines. Although remarkably powerful, existing dearomatization processes have been limited to the hydrogenation or addition of carbon-based nucleophiles to activated pyridiniums. Here, we show that arenophile-mediated dearomatizations can be applied to pyridines to directly introduce heteroatom functionalities without prior substrate activation. The arenophile platform in combination with olefin oxidation chemistry provides access to dihydropyridine cis-diols and epoxides. These previously elusive compounds are now readily accessible and can be used for the downstream preparation of diversely functionalized piperidines.

Preparation and Functionalization of Mono- and Polyfluoroepoxides via Fluoroalkylation of Carbonyl Electrophiles.

We outline a new synthetic method to prepare mono- and polyfluoroepoxides from a diverse pool of electrophiles (ketones, acyl chlorides, esters) and fluoroalkyl anion equivalents. The initially formed α-fluoro alkoxides undergo subsequent intramolecular ring closure when heated. We demonstrated the versatility of the method through the isolation of 16 mono- and polyfluoroepoxide products. These compounds provide unique entry points for further diversification via either fluoride migration coupled with ring opening, or defluorinative functionalization reactions, the latter of which can be used as a late-stage method to install select bioactive moieties. The reaction sequences described herein provide a pathway to functionalize the commonly observed products formed from 1,2-addition into carbonyl electrophiles.

Discovery and evaluation of non-basic small molecule modulators of the atypical chemokine receptor CXCR7.

The atypical chemokine receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7) is an attractive therapeutic target for a variety of cardiac and immunological diseases. As a strategy to mitigate known risks associated with the development of higher molecular weight, basic compounds, a series of pyrrolidinyl-azolopyrazines were identified as promising small-molecule CXCR7 modulators. Using a highly enabled parallel medicinal chemistry strategy, structure-activity relationship studies geared towards a reduction in lipophilicity and incorporation of saturated heterocycles led to the identification of representative tool compound 20. Notably, compound 20 maintained good potency against CXCR7 with a suitable balance of physicochemical properties to support in vivo pharmacokinetic studies.

Late-stage synthesis and application of photoreactive probes derived from direct benzoylation of heteroaromatic C-H bonds.

A C-H functionalization strategy for the expedient access to photoreactive chemical probes of commonly found heterocyclic fragments or drug molecules of pharmaceutical relevance is described. A series of aryl glyoxylic acid reagents featuring pendant alkyne or azide clickable handles have been developed for application in the radical-mediated appendage of benzoyl fragments onto simple heteroaromatic fragments, as well as more complex drug-like compounds. This unprecedented strategy of chemical probe synthesis allows for direct access to photoreactive chemical probes without any requirement of fragment pre-functionalization or significant synthetic re-evaluation.

Receptor-Mediated Delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 Endonuclease for Cell-Type-Specific Gene Editing.

CRISPR-Cas RNA-guided endonucleases hold great promise for disrupting or correcting genomic sequences through site-specific DNA cleavage and repair. However, the lack of methods for cell- and tissue-selective delivery currently limits both research and clinical uses of these enzymes. We report the design and in vitro evaluation of S. pyogenes Cas9 proteins harboring asialoglycoprotein receptor ligands (ASGPrL). In particular, we demonstrate that the resulting ribonucleoproteins (Cas9-ASGPrL RNP) can be engineered to be preferentially internalized into cells expressing the corresponding receptor on their surface. Uptake of such fluorescently labeled proteins in liver-derived cell lines HEPG2 (ASGPr+) and SKHEP (control; diminished ASGPr) was studied by live cell imaging and demonstrates increased accumulation of Cas9-ASGPrL RNP in HEPG2 cells as a result of effective ASGPr-mediated endocytosis. When uptake occurred in the presence of a peptide with endosomolytic properties, we observed receptor-facilitated and cell-type specific gene editing that did not rely on electroporation or the use of transfection reagents. Overall, these in vitro results validate the receptor-mediated delivery of genome-editing enzymes as an approach for cell-selective gene editing and provide a framework for future potential applications to hepatoselective gene editing in vivo.

C2-Selective Branched Alkylation of Benzimidazoles by Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed C-H Activation.

Herein, we report a Rh(I)/bisphosphine/K3PO4 catalytic system allowing for the first time the selective branched C-H alkylation of benzimidazoles with Michael acceptors. Branched alkylation with N,N-dimethyl acrylamide was successfully applied to the alkylation of a broad range of benzimidazoles incorporating a variety of N-substituents and with both electron-rich and -poor functionality displayed at different sites of the arene. Moreover, the introduction of a quaternary carbon was achieved by alkylation with ethyl methacrylate. The method was also shown to be applicable to the C2-selective branched alkylation of azabenzimidazoles.

Base-Controlled Completely Selective Linear or Branched Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed C-H ortho-Alkylation of Azines without Preactivation.

A [RhI ]/bisphosphine/base catalytic system for the ortho-selective C-H alkylation of azines by acrylates and acrylamides is reported. This catalytic system features an unprecedented complete linear or branched selectivity that is solely dependent on the catalytic base that is used. Complete branched selectivity is even achieved for ethyl methacrylate, which enables the introduction of a quaternary carbon center. Excellent functional group compatibility is demonstrated for both linear and branched alkylations. The operational simplicity and broad scope of this transformation allow for rapid access to functionalized azines of direct pharmaceutical and agrochemical relevance.

Palladium-catalyzed ß-(hetero)arylation of α,ß-unsaturated valerolactams.

A method for the palladium-catalyzed arylation of α,ß-unsaturated valerolactams is reported. This new protocol provides arylation products in yields up to 95% and is applicable to a wide array of aryl and heteroaryl bromides. The optimization, scope and limitations are described.

Fluorodecarboxylation for the Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl Aryl Ethers.

The synthesis of mono-, di-, and trifluoromethyl aryl ethers by fluorodecarboxylation of the corresponding carboxylic acids is reported. AgF2 induces decarboxylation of aryloxydifluoroacetic acids, and AgF, either generated in situ or added separately, serves as a source of fluorine to generate the fluorodecarboxylation products. The addition of 2,6-difluoropyridine increased the reactivity of AgF2 , thereby increasing the range of functional groups and electronic properties of the aryl groups that are tolerated. The reaction conditions used for the formation of trifluoromethyl aryl ethers also served to form difluoromethyl and monofluoromethyl aryl ethers.

Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of (Hetero)Aryl Alkyl Sulfones from (Hetero)Aryl Boronic Acids, Unactivated Alkyl Halides, and Potassium Metabisulfite.

A palladium-catalyzed one-step synthesis of (hetero)aryl alkyl sulfones from (hetero)arylboronic acids, potassium metabisulfite, and unactivated or activated alkylhalides is described. This transformation is of broad scope, occurs under mild conditions, and employs readily available reactants. A stoichiometric experiment has led to the isolation of a catalytically active dimeric palladium sulfinate complex, which was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Copper-catalyzed regio- and enantioselective hydroamination of alkenes with hydroxylamines.

Adding value: The catalytic hydroamination of alkenes with amines holds promise to rapidly deliver value-added chiral amines from simple and accessible starting materials. The use of mild, Cu-catalyzed electrophilic amination strategies for the regioselective preparation of both linear and chiral branched amines is highlighted.

Synthesis of Highly Substituted Aminotetrahydropyrans Enabled by Stereospecific Multivector C-H Functionalization.

Highly substituted aminotetrahydropyrans were synthesized via sequential C-H functionalizations. The process was initiated with a Pd(II)-catalyzed stereoselective γ-methylene C-H arylation of aminotetrahydropyran, followed by α-alkylation or arylation of the corresponding primary amine. The initial γ-C-H (hetero)arylation was compatible with a range of aryl iodides containing various substituents and provided the corresponding products in moderate to good yields. The subsequent α-alkylation or arylation of the isolated arylated products proceeded with high diastereoselectivity to afford value-added disubstituted aminotetrahydropyrans.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed alkenyl C-H bond functionalization: convergent synthesis of furans and pyrroles.

Ring in the new: a new annulation for the efficient synthesis of substituted furans and pyrroles is reported. The Rh(III) -catalyzed reaction of O-methyl α,ß-unsaturated oximes with aldehydes and N-tosyl imines affords secondary alcohol and amine intermediates, respectively. Cyclization and aromatization occurs under the reaction conditions to provide access to biologically relevant furans and pyrroles in good yields. Cp*=C(5)Me(5), DCE=1,2-dichloroethane, THF=tetrahydrofuran.

Palladium-catalyzed mono-α-arylation of acetone with aryl halides and tosylates.

We report the first example of selective Pd-catalyzed mono-α-arylation of acetone employing aryl chlorides, bromides, iodides, and tosylates. The use of appropriately designed P,N-ligands proved to be the key to controlling the reactivity and selectivity. The reaction affords good yields with substrates containing a range of functional groups at modest Pd loadings using Cs(2)CO(3) as the base and employing acetone as both a reagent and the solvent.

Expedient synthesis of N-acyl anthranilamides and ß-enamine amides by the Rh(III)-catalyzed amidation of aryl and vinyl C-H bonds with isocyanates.

A Rh(III)-catalyzed protocol for the amidation of anilide and enamide C-H bonds with isocyanates has been developed. This method provides direct and efficient syntheses of N-acyl anthranilamides, enamine amides, and pyrimidin-4-one heterocycles.

Probing mesitylborane and mesitylborate ligation within the coordination sphere of Cp*Ru(P(i)Pr3)+: a combined synthetic, X-ray crystallographic, and computational study.

The reaction of Cp*Ru(P(i)Pr(3))Cl (1) with MesBH(2) (Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) afforded the mesitylborate complex Cp*Ru(P(i)Pr(3))(BH(2)MesCl) (2, 66%). Exposure of 2 to the chloride abstracting agent LiB(C(6)F(5))(4)·2.5OEt(2) provided [Cp*Ru(P(i)Pr(3))(BH(2)Mes)](+)B(C(6)F(5))(4)(-) (3, 54%), which features an unusual η(2)-B-H monoborane ligand. The related borate complex Cp*Ru(P(i)Pr(3))(BH(3)Mes) (5, 65%) was prepared from 1 and LiH(3)BMes. Attempts to effect the insertion of unsaturated organic substrates into the B-H bonds of 3 were unsuccessful, and efforts to dehydrohalogenate 2 using KO(t)Bu instead afforded the mesitylborate complex Cp*(P(i)Pr(3))Ru(BH(2)MesOH) (6, 48%). Treatment of 1 with benzyl potassium generated an intermediate hydridoruthenium complex (7) resulting from dehydrogenation of a P(i)Pr fragment, which in turn was observed to react with MesBH(2) to afford the mesitylborate complex Cp*(P((i)Pr)(2)(CH(3)CCH(2)))Ru(BH(3)Mes) (8, 47%). Crystallographic characterization data are provided for 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8. A combined X-ray crystallographic and density functional theory (DFT) investigation of 3 and 5, using Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) and Atoms in Molecules (AIM) analysis, revealed that 3 and 5 are best described as donor-acceptor complexes between a Cp*(P(i)Pr(3))Ru(+) fragment and a bis(η(2)-B-H) coordinating mesitylborane(borate) ligand. Significant σ-donation from the B-H bonds into the Ru(II) center exists as evidenced by the NBO populations, bond orders, and AIM delocalization indices. In the case of 3, the vacant p orbital on boron is stabilized by Ru→B π back-donation as well as by resonance with the mesityl group.

Mechanistic study of enantioselective Pd-catalyzed C(sp3)-H activation of thioethers involving two distinct stereomodels.

Enantioselective C(sp3)-H activation has gained considerable attention from the synthetic chemistry community. Despite the intense interest in these reactions, the mechanisms responsible for enantioselection are still vague. In the course of the development of aryl thioether-directed C(sp3)-H arylation, we noticed extreme variation in sensitivity of two substrate classes to substituent effects of ligands and directing groups: whereas 3-pentyl sulfides (prochiral α-center) responded positively to substitution on ligands and directing groups, isobutyl sulfides (prochiral ß-center) were entirely insensitive. Quantitative structure selectivity relationship (QSSR) analyses of directing group and ligand substitution and the development of a new class of mono-N-acetyl protected amino anilamide (MPAAn) ligands led to high enantiomeric ratios (up to 99:1) for thioether-directed C(sp3)-H arylation. Key to the realization of this method was the exploitation of transient chirality at sulfur, which relays stereochemical information from the ligand backbone to enantiotopic carbons of the substrate in a rate- and enantio-determining cyclometallation deprotonation. The absolute stereochemistry of the products for these two substrates were revealed to be opposite. DFT evaluation of all possible diastereomeric transition states confirmed initial premises that guided rational ligand and directing group design. The implications of this study will assist in the further development of enantioselective C(sp3)-H activation, namely by highlighting the non-innocence of directing groups, distal steric influences, and the delicate interplay between steric Pauli repulsion and London dispersion in enantioinduction.

Stereo- and regioselective gold-catalyzed hydroamination of internal alkynes with dialkylamines.

We report the use of a P,N-ligand to support a gold complex as a state-of-the-art precatalyst for the stereoselective hydroamination of internal aryl alkynes with dialkylamines to afford E-enamine products. Substrates featuring a diverse range of functional groups on both the amine (ether, sulfide, N-Boc amine, fluoro, nitrile, nitro, alcohol, N-heterocycles, amide, ester, and carboxylic acid) and alkyne (ether, N-heterocycles, N-phthalimide amines, and silyl ethers) are accommodated with synthetically useful regioselectivity.

[Ir(COD)Cl]2 as a catalyst precursor for the intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes with primary amines and secondary alkyl- or arylamines: a combined catalytic, mechanistic, and computational investigation.

The successful application of [Ir(COD)Cl](2) as a precatalyst for the intramolecular addition of primary as well as secondary alkyl- or arylamines to unactivated olefins at relatively low catalyst loading is reported (25 examples), along with a comprehensive experimental and computational investigation of the reaction mechanism. Catalyst optimization studies examining the cyclization of N-benzyl-2,2-diphenylpent-4-en-1-amine (1a) to the corresponding pyrrolidine (2a) revealed that for reactions conducted at 110 degrees C neither the addition of salts (N(n)Bu(4)Cl, LiOTf, AgBF(4), or LiB(C(6)F(5))(4) x 2.5 OEt(2)) nor phosphine coligands served to enhance the catalytic performance of [Ir(COD)Cl](2). In this regard, the rate of intramolecular hydroamination of 1a employing [Ir(COD)Cl](2)/L2 (L2 = 2-(di-t-butylphosphino)biphenyl) catalyst mixtures exhibited an inverse-order dependence on L2 at 65 degrees C, and a zero-order rate dependence on L2 at 110 degrees C. However, the use of 5 mol % HNEt(3)Cl as a cocatalyst was required to promote the cyclization of primary aminoalkene substrates. Kinetic analysis of the hydroamination of 1a revealed that the reaction rate displays first order dependence on the concentration of Ir and inverse order dependence with respect to both substrate (1a) and product (2a) concentrations; a primary kinetic isotope effect (k(H)/k(D) = 3.4(3)) was also observed. Eyring and Arrhenius analyses for the cyclization of 1a to 2a afforded DeltaH(double dagger) = 20.9(3) kcal mol(-1), DeltaS(double dagger) = -23.1(8) cal/K x mol, and E(a) = 21.6(3) kcal mol(-1), while a Hammett study of related arylaminoalkene substrates revealed that increased electron density at nitrogen encourages hydroamination (rho = -2.4). Plausible mechanisms involving either activation of the olefin or the amine functionality have been scrutinized computationally. An energetically demanding oxidative addition of the amine N-H bond to the Ir(I) center precludes the latter mechanism and instead activation of the olefin C=C bond prevails, with [Ir(COD)Cl(substrate)] M1 representing the catalytically competent compound. Notably, such an olefin activation mechanism had not previously been documented for Ir-catalyzed alkene hydroamination. The operative mechanistic scenario involves: (1) smooth and reversible nucleophilic attack of the amine unit on the metal-coordinated C=C double bond to afford a zwitterionic intermediate; (2) Ir-C bond protonolysis via stepwise proton transfer from the ammonium unit to the metal and ensuing reductive elimination; and (3) final irreversible regeneration of M1 through associative cycloamine expulsion by new substrate. DFT unveils that reductive elimination involving a highly reactive and thus difficult to observe Ir(III)-hydrido intermediate, and passing through a highly organized transition state structure, is turnover limiting. The assessed effective barrier for cyclohydroamination of a prototypical secondary alkylamine agrees well with empirically determined Eyring parameters.

Zwitterionic relatives of cationic platinum group metal complexes: applications in stoichiometric and catalytic sigma-bond activation.

Zwitterionic platinum group metal complexes that feature formal charge separation between a cationic metal fragment and a negatively charged ancillary ligand combine the desirable reactivity profile of related cationic complexes with the broad solubility and solvent tolerance of neutral species. As such, zwitterionic complexes of this type have emerged as attractive candidates for a diversity of applications, most notably involving the breaking and/or forming of E-H and E-C sigma bonds involving a main group element E. Important advances in ancillary ligand design are documented that have enabled the construction of platinum group metal zwitterions. Also summarized are the results of stoichiometric and catalytic investigations in which the reactivity of such zwitterions and their more traditionally employed cationic relatives in sigma bond activation chemistry are compared and contrasted.