The crucial role of silver(I)-salts as additives in C-H activation reactions: overall analysis of their versatility and applicability.

Transition-metal catalyzed C-H activation reactions have been proven to be useful methodologies for the assembly of synthetically meaningful molecules. This approach bears intrinsic peculiarities that are important to be studied and comprehended in order to achieve its best performance. One example is the use of additives for the in situ generation of catalytically active species. This strategy varies according to the type of additive and the nature of the pre-catalyst that is being used. Thus, silver(I)-salts have proven to play an important role, due to the resulting high reactivity derived from the pre-catalysts of the main transition metals used so far. While being powerful and versatile, the use of silver-based additives can raise concerns, since superstoichiometric amounts of silver(I)-salts are typically required. Therefore, it is crucial to first understand the role of silver(I) salts as additives, in order to wisely overcome this barrier and shift towards silver-free systems.

The Synthesis and Reactivity of Naphthoquinonynes.

The first systematic exploration of the synthesis and reactivity of naphthoquinonynes is described. Routes to two regioisomeric Kobayashi-type naphthoquinonyne precursors have been developed, and the reactivity of the ensuing 6,7- and 5,6-aryne intermediates has been investigated. Remarkably, these studies have revealed that a broad range of cycloadditions, nucleophile additions and difunctionalizations can be achieved while maintaining the integrity of the highly sensitive quinone unit. The methodologies offer a powerful diversity oriented approach to C6 and C7 functionalized naphthoquinones, which are typically challenging to access. From a reactivity viewpoint, the study is significant because it demonstrates that aryne-based functionalizations can be utilized strategically in the presence of highly reactive and directly competing functionality.

It Takes Two to Tango, Part II: Synthesis of A-Ring Functionalised Quinones Containing Two Redox-Active Centres with Antitumour Activities.

In 2021, our research group published the prominent anticancer activity achieved through the successful combination of two redox centres (ortho-quinone/para-quinone or quinone/selenium-containing triazole) through a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. The combination of two naphthoquinoidal substrates towards a synergetic product was indicated, but not fully explored. Herein, we report the synthesis of 15 new quinone-based derivatives prepared from click chemistry reactions and their subsequent evaluation against nine cancer cell lines and the murine fibroblast line L929. Our strategy was based on the modification of the A-ring of para-naphthoquinones and subsequent conjugation with different ortho-quinoidal moieties. As anticipated, our study identified several compounds with IC50 values below 0.5 µM in tumour cell lines. Some of the compounds described here also exhibited an excellent selectivity index and low cytotoxicity on L929, the control cell line. The antitumour evaluation of the compounds separately and in their conjugated form proved that the activity is strongly enhanced in the derivatives containing two redox centres. Thus, our study confirms the efficiency of using A-ring functionalized para-quinones coupled with ortho-quinones to obtain a diverse range of two redox centre compounds with potential applications against cancer cell lines. Here as well, it literally takes two for an efficient tango!

The Different Facets of Metal-Catalyzed C-H Functionalization Involving Quinone Compounds.

Metal-catalysed C-H functionalization has emerged as a powerful platform for the derivatization of quinones, a class of compounds with wide-ranging applications. This review organises and discusses the evolution of this chemistry from early Fujiwara-Moritani reactions, through to modern directing-group assisted C-H functionalization processes, including C-H functionalization reactions directed by the quinone ring itself. Mechanistic details of these reactions are provided to afford insight into how the unique reactivity of quinoidal compounds has been leveraged in each example.

Ruthenium(II)- and Palladium(II)-catalyzed position-divergent CH oxygenations of arylated quinones: Identification of hydroxylated quinonoid compounds with potent trypanocidal activity.

A diversity-oriented synthesis of hydroxylated aryl-quinones via CH oxygenation reactions and their evaluation against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, was accomplished. With the use of ruthenium(II)- or palladium(II)-based catalysts, complementary regioselectivities were observed in the hydroxylation reactions and we have identified 9 compounds more potent than benznidazole (Bz) among these novel arylated and hydroxylated quinones. For instance, 5-hydroxy-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,4-naphthoquinone (4h) with an IC50/24 h value of 22.8 µM is 4.5-fold more active than the state-of-the-art drug Bz. This article provides the first example of the application of CH activation for the position-selective hydroxylation of arylated quinones and the identification of these compounds as trypanocidal drug candidates.

Ruthenium(II)-Catalyzed Double Annulation of Quinones: Step-Economical Access to Valuable Bioactive Compounds.

Double ruthenium(II)-catalyzed alkyne annulations of quinones were accomplished. Thus, a strategy is reported that provides step-economical access to valuable quinones with a wide range of applications. C-H/N-H activations for alkyne annulations of naphthoquinones provided challenging polycyclic quinoidal compounds by forming four new bonds in one step. The singular power of the thus-obtained compounds was reflected by their antileukemic activity.

Combination of Aryl Diselenides/Hydrogen Peroxide and Carbon-Nanotube/Rhodium Nanohybrids for Naphthol Oxidation: An Efficient Route towards Trypanocidal Quinones.

This work reports a combination of aryl diselenides/hydrogen peroxide and carbon-nanotube (CNT)/rhodium nanohybrids (RhCNT) for naphthol oxidation towards the synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinones and evaluation of their relevant trypanocidal activity. Under a combination of (PhSe)2 /H2 O2 in the presence of O2 in iPrOH/hexane, several benzenoid (A-ring)-substituted quinones were prepared in moderate to high yields. We also studied the contribution of RhCNT as co-catalyst in this process and, in some cases, yields were improved. This method provides an efficient and versatile alternative for preparing A-ring-modified naphthoquinonoid compounds with relevant biological profile.

Looking deep into C-H functionalization: the synthesis and application of cyclopentadienyl and related metal catalysts.

Metal catalyzed C-H functionalization offers a versatile platform for methodology development and a wide variety of reactions now exist for the chemo- and site-selective functionalization of organic molecules. Cyclopentadienyl-metal (CpM) complexes of transition metals and their correlative analogues have found widespread application in this area, and herein we highlight several key applications of commonly used transition-metal Cp-type catalysts. In addition, an understanding of transition metal Cp-type catalyst synthesis is important, particularly where modifications to the catalyst structure are required for different applications, and a summary of this aspect is given.