The Cascade Reactions of Indigo with Propargyl Substrates for Heterocyclic and Photophysical Diversity.

The synthesis of structurally diverse heterocycles for chemical space exploration was achieved via the cascade reactions of indigo with propargylic electrophiles. New pyrazinodiindolodione, naphthyridinedione, azepinodiindolone, oxazinoindolone and pyrrolodione products were prepared in one pot reactions by varying the leaving group (-Cl, -Br, -OMs, -OTs) or propargyl terminal functionality (-H, -Me, -Ph, -Ar). Mechanistic and density functional theory studies revealed that the unsaturated propargyl moiety can behave as an electrophile when aromatic terminal substitutions are made, and therefore competes with leaving group substitution for new outcomes. Selected products from the cascade reactions were investigated for their absorption and fluorescence properties, including transient absorption spectroscopy. This revealed polarity dependent excited state relaxation pathways, fluorescence, and triplet formation, thus highlighting these reactions as a means to access diverse functional materials rapidly.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroarylation of Phenol-Derived Propiolates and Certain Related Ethers as a Route to Selectively Functionalized Coumarins and 2H-Chromenes.

Methods are reported for the efficient assembly of a series of phenol-derived propiolates, including the parent system 56, and their Au(I)-catalyzed cyclization (intramolecular hydroarylation) to give the corresponding coumarins (e.g., 1). Simple syntheses of natural products such as ayapin (144) and scoparone (145) have been realized by such means, and the first of these subject to single-crystal X-ray analysis. A related process is described for the conversion of propargyl ethers such as 156 into the isomeric 2H-chromene precocene I (159), a naturally occurring inhibitor of juvenile hormone biosynthesis.

The Detosylation of Chiral 1,2-Bis(tosylamides).

The deprotection of chiral 1,2-bis(tosylamides) to their corresponding 1,2-diamines is mostly unsuccessful under standard conditions. In a new methodology, the use of Mg/MeOH with sufficient steric additions allows the facile synthesis of 1,2-diamines in 78-98% yields. These results are rationalized using density functional theory and the examination of inner and outer-sphere reduction mechanisms.

Synthesis of spirocyclic heterocycles from α,ß-unsaturated N-acyliminium ions.

The reactions of α,ß-unsaturated N-acyliminium ions, generated in situ from 4(S)-O-substitutedhydroxy-5-hydroxy-5-vinyl-N-alkylpyrrolidin-2-ones, with allylsilanes and indoles leading to the formation of spirocyclic heterocycles, are reported. Six single crystal X-ray structures and extensive 2D NMR experiments confirmed the structures and stereochemistries of these products. In addition, computational studies provided mechanistic insights and an understanding of the stereochemical outcomes of these reactions.

In Search of Fulminate Analogues: Ln M≡CP=NR.

The "CPNR" ligand may be viewed as being isolobal with fulminate, CNO; however, attempts to prepare a complex of such a ligand resulted instead in a range of novel imino and aminophosphinocarbyne complexes. Sequential treatment of [Mo(≡CBr)(CO)2 (Tp*)] (Tp*=hydrotris(dimethylpyrazolyl)borate) with nBuLi and ClP=NMes* (Mes*=C6 H2 tBu3 -2,4,6) afforded mixtures of the complexes [Mo(≡CPnBuNHMes*)(CO)2 (Tp*)] and traces of the bimetallic products [Mo2 {µ2 -C2 P2 O(NHMes)2 }(CO)4 (Tp*)2 ] and [Mo2 (µ2 -C2 PNHMes)(CO)4 (Tp*)2 ]. The reaction of [W(≡CBr)(CO)2 (Tp*)] with nBuLi and ClP=NMes* afforded predominantly the mononuclear carbyne [W{≡CP(=NMes*)nBu2 })(CO)2 (Tp*)] and traces of the binuclear complex [W2 (µ-C2 PNHMes)(CO)4 (Tp*)2 ] which is also obtained when tBuLi is used. Although not isolable, the intended complexes [M(≡CPNMes*)(CO)2 (Tp*)] could be generated in situ and spectroscopically characterized via the reactions of the stannyl carbynes [M(≡CSnnBu3 )(CO)2 (Tp*)] and ClP=NMes*. The preceding observations are mechanistically interpreted with reference to a computational interrogation of the model complex [Mo(≡CP=NCH3 )(CO)2 (Tp*)], the LUMO of which has considerable phosphorus character.

Syntheses of Dimethyl (1S,2R)-3-Bromocyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-dicarboxylate and Its Enantiomer.

The title compounds, (-)-2 and (+)-2, representing potentially valuable building blocks for chemical synthesis, have each been prepared from cyclopentanone in eight steps. The pivotal one involves a resolution, through the quinine- or quinidine-promoted methanolysis of the cyclic anhydride (±)-10, leading to chromatographically separable pairs of enantiomerically pure forms of regioisomeric methyl half esters.

High-Pressure-Promoted and Facially Selective Diels-Alder Reactions of Enzymatically Derived cis-1,2-Dihydrocatechols and Their Acetonide Derivatives: Enantiodivergent Routes to Homochiral and Polyfunctionalized Bicyclo[2.2.2]octenes.

cis-1,2-Dihydrocatechols 5 (X = Me and Cl), which are available in the homochiral form through the whole-cell biotransformation of toluene and chlorobenzene, respectively, undergo Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions with a range of electron-deficient dienophiles at 19 kbar (1.9 GPa). The favored products of such reactions are adducts of the general form 7 and that arise through the operation of a contrasteric or syn-addition pathway. In contrast, the acetonide derivatives of metabolites 5 undergo anti-selective addition reactions under the same conditions and so producing adducts of the general form 11. Bicyclo[2.2.2]octenes 7 and 11, which embody carbocyclic frameworks of opposite enantiomeric form, are useful scaffolds for chemical synthesis. Computational studies reveal that syn-adduct formation is kinetically and normally thermodynamically favored over anti-adduct formation when the free diols 5 are involved, but the reverse is so when the corresponding acetonides participate as the 4π-addend. Furthermore, the reactions become more exothermic as pressure increases while, concurrently, the activation barrier diminishes and at 6 GPa (60 kbar) almost vanishes.

Total Syntheses of the 3H-Pyrrolo[2,3-c]quinolone-Containing Alkaloids Marinoquinolines A-F, K, and Aplidiopsamine A Using a Palladium-Catalyzed Ullmann Cross-Coupling/Reductive Cyclization Pathway.

Compounds 1-6 and 11 representing key members of the marinoquinoline family of natural products, together with the related marine alkaloid aplidiopsamine A (12), have been synthesized using various combinations of palladium-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling and reductive cyclization processes involving a C3-arylated pyrrole as the common intermediate. These natural products have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray analyses and evaluated as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with congener 2 proving to be the most active.

Application of Electrocyclic Ring-Opening and Desymmetrizing Nucleophilic Trappings of meso-6,6-Dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes to Total Syntheses of Crinine and Haemanthamine Alkaloids.

The thermally induced electrocyclic ring-opening of C2-symmetric ( meso) 6,6-dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes such as 10 in the presence of the chiral, nonracemic 1°-amine 28 afforded a ca. 1:1 mixture of the diastereoisomeric and chromatographically separable 1-amino-2-bromo-2-cyclohexenes 37 (42%) and 38 (45%). Each of these was elaborated over 13 steps, including Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, radical cyclization, and Pictet-Spengler reactions, into (-)- or (+)-crinane (1 or ent-1, respectively). Variations on these protocols were applied to the total syntheses of (+)- and (-)-11-hydroxyvattitine [(+)- and (-)-3], (+)- and (-)-bulbispermine [(+)- and (-)-4], (+)- and (-)-haemanthamine [(+)- and (-)-5], (+)- and (-)-pretazettine [(+)- and (-)-6], and (+)- and (-)-tazettine [(+)- and (-)-7] as well as (±)-hamayne [(±)-8] and (±)-apohaemanthamine [(±)-9]. A number of these alkaloids were synthesized for the first time.

Desymmetrization Reactions of Indigo with Grignard Reagents for the Synthesis of Selective Antiplasmodial [1H,3'H]-3-Aryl-2,2'-diindol-3'-ones.

The nucleophilic addition of organomagnesium and organolithium species to the cheap and robust natural dye indigo led to desymmetrization of the heterocyclic nucleus via a Grignard addition-dehydration procedure. Twenty-seven diversely functionalized [1H,3'H]-3-substituted 2,2'-diindol-3'-ones were synthesized by this methodology, with several showing submicromolar inhibition and exquisite selectivity against P. falciparum parasites (3D7 and Dd2 strains) in vitro. This work demonstrates the utility of indigo dye as a highly versatile scaffold for the synthesis of structurally diverse, bioactive heterocycles.

1,2-Addition versus homoconjugate addition reactions of indoles and electron-rich arenes to α-cyclopropyl N-acyliminium ions: synthetic and computational studies.

An investigation of the reactivity of α-cyclopropyl N-acyliminium ions towards indoles has resulted in the unprecedented synthesis of 5-cyclopropyl-5-(3-indoyl)pyrrolidin-2-ones via 1,2-addition reactions and, in the case of highly electron deficient indoles and electron rich arenes, spiroheterocycles via sequential homoconjugate and 1,2-addition reactions with often high diastereoselective control at the C-5 quaternary stereocentres. Computational studies provided support for the proposed mechanisms and stereochemical outcome of these reactions, clearly showing that the 1,2-addition pathway is kinetically controlled. In reactions where the 1,2-adduct is destabilised, for example when the arene ring is less nucleophilic, the 1,2-addition is reversible and the thermodynamically preferred homoconjugate addition and subsequent rearrangement and cyclisation reactions become the major pathway.

Corrected Structure of Natural Hyacinthacine C1 via Total Synthesis.

Hyacinthacines C1 and C4 are natural products that were isolated from Hyacinthoides non-scripta and Scilla socialis in 1999 and 2007, respectively. Despite their different 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic data, these compounds have been assigned the same structures, including absolute configurations. This work details the total synthesis of natural (+)-hyacinthacine C1, whose structure is confirmed as being the C-6 epimer of that reported. The synthetic strategy focused on inverting the configuration at C-1 of the final hyacinthacines via operating the inversion at the corresponding carbon atom in three previously synthesized intermediates. To do this, the advanced intermediates were subjected to Swern oxidation, followed by a stereoselective reduction with L-Selectride. This approach led to the synthesis of (+)-5 -epi-hyacinthacine C1 (15), the corrected structure for (+)-hyacinthacine C1 (19), (+)-6,7-di- epi-hyacinthacine C1 (23), and (+)-7- epi-hyacinthacine C1 (29). Glycosidase inhibition assays revealed that (+)-hyacinthacine C1 (19) proved the most active, with IC50 values of 33.7, 55.5, and 78.2 µM, against the α-glucosidase of rice, human lysosome, and rat intestinal maltase, respectively.

Polyoxygenated Cyclohexenes and Their Chlorinated Derivatives from the Leaves of Uvaria cherrevensis.

The chemical study of leaf extracts from Uvaria cherrevensis resulted in the identification of 11 new polyoxygenated cyclohexenes, cherrevenols A-K (1-11), and a new seco-cyclohexene derivative, cherrevenol L (12). Nine known compounds (13-21) were also isolated. Three of the isolated compounds are chlorinated polyoxygenated cyclohexenes. The structures of these compounds were determined using spectroscopic methods and, in some cases (compounds 2, 6, 8, and 10), single-crystal X-ray crystallographic structural analysis or chemical correlation (compounds 6 and 7). Compounds 6 and 7 were both isolated as scalemic mixtures (ee 23-24%).

Total Synthesis of (±)-Crinane from 6,6-Dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane Using a 5- exo- trig Radical Cyclization Reaction to Assemble the C3a-Arylated Perhydroindole Substructure.

Crinane embodies the tetracyclic framework associated with some of the most common Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. It has now been prepared in 10 steps from 6,6-dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane (2). The initial step involves the thermally induced electrocyclic ring opening of cyclopropane 3 and capture of the resulting π-allyl cation with benzylamine to give an allylic amine that is readily elaborated to the 3°-amine 10. This last compound was engaged in a 5- exo- trig free radical cyclization reaction to give the C3a-arylated perhydroindole 11. Compound 11 was then converted, over two steps, into (±)-crinane, the hydrochloride salt of which has been subjected to single-crystal X-ray analysis.

Total Synthesis of (+)-Viridianol, a Marine-Derived Sesquiterpene Embodying the Decahydrocyclobuta[ d]indene Framework.

A total synthesis of the title sesquiterpene 4 is described that starts with the chiral, non-racemic cis-1,2-dihydrocatechol 10 obtained through the whole-cell biotransformation of p-iodotoluene. Compound 10 is elaborated over seven steps, including Negishi cross-coupling and intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) cycloaddition reactions, to ketone 7 that engages in a photochemically promoted 1,3-acyl migration and so affording cyclobutanone 6. Compound 6 was converted over further steps into the title compound 4.

Total Synthesis of Natural Hyacinthacine C5 and Six Related Hyacinthacine C5 Epimers.

The total synthesis of natural (+)-hyacinthacine C5 was achieved, which allowed correction of its initially proposed structure, as well as six additional hyacinthacine C-type compounds. These compounds were readily accessible from two epimeric anti-1,2-amino alcohols. Keeping a common A-ring configuration, chemical manipulation occurred selectively on the B-ring of the hyacinthacine C-type products through methods of syn-dihydroxylation, SN2 ring-opening of a cyclic sulfate, and also employing either ( R)- or ( R, S)-α-methylallyl amine for the Petasis borono Mannich reaction. Our small analogue library was then assessed for its glycosidase inhibitory potency against a panel of glycosidases. (-)-6- Epi-hyacinthacine C5 and (+)-7- epi-hyacinthacine C5 (compound names are based on the corrected structure of hyacinthacine C5) proved most active, with inhibitory activities ranging between weak (IC50 = 130 µM) and moderate (IC50 = 9.9 µM) against the α-glucosidases of rat intestinal maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase, thus identifying potential new leads for future antidiabetic drug development.

Mechanistic Studies on the Base-Promoted Conversion of Alkoxy-Substituted, Ring-Fused gem-Dihalocyclopropanes into Furans: Evidence for a Process Involving Electrocyclic Ring Closure of a Carbonyl Ylide Intermediate.

The mechanism associated with the base-promoted conversion of alkoxy-substituted and ring-fused gem-dihalocyclopropanes such as 40 into annulated furans has been explored. Treatment of compound 40 with potassium tert-butoxide affords a mixture of furans 23/27 and 41, an outcome that suggests the intermediacy of the slowly interconverting carbonyl ylides 42 and 43 that undergo rapid [1,5]-electrocyclizations and subsequent dehydrohalogenation to afford the observed products. This proposal is supported by ab initio MO and DFT calculations that also suggest a vinylcarbene insertion pathway is less likely to be operative.

Cascade reactions of indigo with oxiranes and aziridines: efficient access to dihydropyrazinodiindoles and spiro-oxazocinodiindoles.

The base-initiated alkylation of the abundant natural dye indigo 1 with ring-strained electrophiles results in the unprecedented, one-pot synthesis of functionalised dihydropyrazino[1,2-a:4,3-a']diindoles, dihydroepoxy[1,5]oxazocino[5,4-a:3,2-b']diindoles, and dihydrodiazepino[1,2-a:4,3-a']diindoles, resulting from intramolecular ring opening-expansion cyclisation processes of their parent oxiranes and aziridines. Regiochemical and stereochemical aspects of the reactions are reported together with integrated mechanistic proposals. This new indigo cascade chemistry should have broad applicability in the synthesis of chemical architectures, not readily-accessible by other means. The three-step synthesis of the useful synthetic precursor (R)-2-(chloromethyl)-1-tosylaziridine 14 is also described. Initial biological activity investigations into these new 2,2'-dindolyl-based heterocyclic derivatives revealed potent, selective antiplasmodial activity in vitro for several isolated structures, with IC50 values as low as 76.6 nM for (±)-8, while demonstrating low human cell toxicity.

Synthesis, X-ray Structural Characterization, and DFT Calculations of Mononuclear Nickel(II) Complexes Containing Diamine and Methacrylate Ligands.

The mononuclear Ni(II) complexes [Ni(en)2(H2O)2](MAA)2 (1) and [Ni(pn)2(MAA)2] (2), where MAA, en and pn are methacrylate, ethylendiamine and 1,3-propylendiamine, respectively, have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and UV�Vis spectroskopy. Structures of the complexes have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. In the nickel(II) complexes 1 and 2 nickel(II) ion is six-coordinate and has a distorted octahedral geometry. Ni(II) is bonded to four nitrogen atoms of the two diamines and additionally to two oxygen atoms of aqua ligand in 1, and two oxygen atoms of methacrylate ligands in 2. The theoretical geometries of the studied compounds have been calculated by means of density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)/LanL2DZ level and considering effective core potential (ECP). The comparison of the results indicates that the employed DFT method yields good agreement with experimental data.

The Palladium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Alder-Ene Reactions of O- and N-Linked 1,6-Enynes Incorporating Triethylsilyl Capping Groups.

A series of O- and N-linked 1,6-enynes (e.g., 11) have been prepared with each subjected to a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular Alder-ene (IMAE) reaction, thus producing the isomeric and cyclic 1,4-diene (e.g., 12). These processes proceed most effectively when a triethylsilyl group is attached to the alkyne moiety and so generating alkenylsilanes that can be manipulated in various useful ways, including via iododesilylation (to give, for example, iodoalkene 62).