Catalytic Direct Construction of Cyano-tetrazoles.

Cyano-tetrazole is the first reported compound that bears four nitrogen atoms in a single five-membered ring. This unique molecular scaffold has long been ignored after its discovery in 1885, mainly attributed to the scarcity of available synthetic methods. Indeed, the most popular approach to tetrazoles (that is the cycloaddition reaction between nitriles and azides) has inevitably excluded the possibility of introducing valuable cyano groups to decorate the final heterocyclic cores. Here, we describe a completely different disconnection strategy to the long time-pursued cyano-tetrazoles via a simple, direct, and practical cycloaddition transformation between readily accessible aryl diazonium salts and diazoacetonitrile. This method provides both regioisomers of disubstituted tetrazoles from the same set of starting materials in a metal cation controlled fashion.

Construction of Difluoromethylated Tetrazoles via Silver-Catalyzed Regioselective [3 + 2] Cycloadditions of Aryl Diazonium Salts.

A silver-catalyzed regioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of PhSO2CF2CHN2 with aryl diazonium salts is described. This protocol enables the straightforward construction of a novel class of difluoromethylated tetrazoles under mild conditions, tolerates a broad spectrum of functionalities, and is applicable to one-pot operation from commercially available aniline derivatives. The synthetic merit of this method is further demonstrated by the facile preparation of versatile difluoromethylated azoles, including a valuable HCF2-analogue of P2X3 receptor antagonist.