Isothiourea-catalysed enantioselective radical conjugate addition under batch and flow conditions.

The photocatalytic generation of α-amino radicals is combined with chiral isothiourea derived α,ß-unsaturated acyl ammonium intermediates. The reaction proceeds VIA a [3+2] radical-polar crossover mechanism to generate γ-lactams in good yields and enantioselectivities. The enantioselective radical conjugate addition was carried out under batch and flow conditions.

Synthesis and Characterization of the Novel Rodent-Active and CNS-Penetrant P2X7 Receptor Antagonist Lu AF27139.

There remains an insufficient number of P2X7 receptor antagonists with adequate rodent potency, CNS permeability, and pharmacokinetic properties from which to evaluate CNS disease hypotheses preclinically. Herein, we describe the molecular pharmacology, safety, pharmacokinetics, and functional CNS target engagement of Lu AF27139, a novel rodent-active and CNS-penetrant P2X7 receptor antagonist. Lu AF27139 is highly selective and potent against rat, mouse, and human forms of the receptors. The rat pharmacokinetic profile is favorable with high oral bioavailability, modest clearance (0.79 L/(h kg)), and good CNS permeability. In vivo mouse CNS microdialysis studies of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed and 2'(3')-O-(benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine-5'-triphosphate (BzATP)-induced IL-1ß release demonstrate functional CNS target engagement. Importantly, Lu AF27139 was without effect in standard in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies. Based on these properties, we believe Lu AF27139 will be a valuable tool for probing the role of the P2X7 receptor in rodent models of CNS diseases.

CO2 -Enabled Cyanohydrin Synthesis and Facile Iterative Homologation Reactions*.

Thermodynamic and kinetic control of a chemical process is the key to access desired products and states. Changes are made when a desired product is not accessible; one may manipulate the reaction with additional reagents, catalysts and/or protecting groups. Here we report the use of carbon dioxide to accelerate cyanohydrin synthesis under neutral conditions with an insoluble cyanide source (KCN) without generating toxic HCN. Under inert atmosphere, the reaction is essentially not operative due to the unfavored equilibrium. The utility of CO2 -mediated selective cyanohydrin synthesis was further showcased by broadening Kiliani-Fischer synthesis under neutral conditions. This protocol offers an easy access to a variety of polyols, cyanohydrins, linear alkylnitriles, by simply starting from alkyl- and arylaldehydes, KCN and an atmospheric pressure of CO2 .

Palladium-catalyzed oxidative homocoupling of pyrazole boronic esters to access versatile bipyrazoles and the flexible metal-organic framework Co(4,4'-bipyrazolate).

A facile route to 4,4'-bipyrazole (H2bpz) and other symmetric bipyrazoles is achieved via the palladium-catalyzed homocoupling of a pyrazole boronic ester in the presence of air and water, enabling us to provide the first crystal structures and evidence of structural phase changes in the bipyrazolate-based metal-organic framework Co(bpz).

Umpolung Reactivity of Aldehydes toward Carbon Dioxide.

Carbon dioxide is an intrinsically stable molecule. Therefore, its activation requires extra energy input in the form of reactive reagents and/or activated catalysts and, often, harsh reaction conditions. Reported here is a direct carboxylation reaction of aromatic aldehydes with carbon dioxide to afford α-keto acids as added-value products. In situ generation of a reactive cyanohydrin was the key to the successful carboxylation reaction under operationally mild reaction conditions (25-40 °C, 1 atm CO2 ). The resulting α-keto acids served as a platform for α-amino acid synthesis by reductive amination reactions, illustrating the chemical synthesis of essential bioactive molecules from carbon dioxide.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative α-Arylation of tert-Butyl Cyanoacetate with (Hetero)aryl Bromides.

A three-component coupling protocol has been developed for the generation of 3-oxo-3-(hetero)arylpropanenitriles via a carbonylative palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of tert-butyl 2-cyanoacetates with (hetero)aryl bromides followed by an acid-mediated decarboxylation step. Through the combination of only a stoichiometric loading of carbon monoxide and mild basic reaction conditions such as MgCl2 and dicyclohexylmethylamine for the deprotonation step, an excellent functional group tolerance was ensured for the methodology. Through the use of (13)C-labeled carbon monoxide generated from (13)COgen, the corresponding (13)C-isotopically labeled ß-ketonitriles were obtained, and these products could subsequently be converted into cyanoalkynes and 3-cyanobenzofurans with site specific (13)C-isotope labeling.

Biosynthesis and identification of an N-oxide/N-glucuronide metabolite and first synthesis of an N-O-glucuronide metabolite of Lu AA21004.

This article describes the biosynthesis and identification of a new class of metabolites, a piperazine N-oxide/N-glucuronide metabolite 4-[2-(2,4-dimethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-phenyl]-1-ß-D-glucuronic acid-piperazine 1-oxide (4). The metabolite was found in urine and plasma from humans and animals dosed with 1-[2-(2,4-dimethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-phenyl]-piperazine hydrobromide (Lu AA21004, 1), as a novel multimodal antidepressant under development for treatment of depression. Human liver microsomes in combination with uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid were used as an in vitro system to generate enough material of 4 to perform one- and two-dimensional (1)H and (13)C NMR experiments for structure elucidation. Based on rotating frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy NMR experiments, the distance correlation between a piperazine proton and the anomeric proton of the glucuronic acid moiety is of a magnitude similar to that of the H-3' and H-5' protons and can only be explained by proximity in space and the postulated structure (4). The structural analog, the N-O-glucuronic acid conjugate 6-{4-[2-(2,4-dimethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-phenyl]-piperazin-1-yloxy}-1-ß-D-glucuronic acid (3) was also observed in biological samples from humans and animals and the first organic synthesis and structural identification of this metabolite is also reported. Treatment of the glucuronide metabolites 3 and 4 with ß-glucuronidase gave mainly the expected hydrolysis product, the hydroxyl amine 4-[2-(2,4-dimethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-phenyl]-piperazin-1-ol (2).

Recent applications of intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions to natural product synthesis.

This tutorial review presents some recent examples of intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reactions as key complexity-generating steps in the total synthesis of structurally intricate natural products. The opportunities afforded by transannular (TADA) versions of the IMDA reaction in complex molecule assembly are also highlighted. The review is aimed at a wide audience, ranging from advanced undergraduates to seasoned practitioners of total synthesis; since this is an educational overview, only selected highlights from the period 2000-2009 are presented, along with chosen references to other, more comprehensive, reviews.

Total synthesis of (+)-azaspiracid-1. An exhibition of the intricacies of complex molecule synthesis.

The synthesis of the marine neurotoxin azaspiracid-1 has been accomplished. The individual fragments were synthesized by catalytic enantioselective processes: A hetero-Diels-Alder reaction to afford the E- and HI-ring fragments, a carbonyl-ene reaction to furnish the CD-ring fragment, and a Mukaiyama aldol reaction to deliver the FG-ring fragment. The subsequent fragment couplings were accomplished by aldol and sulfone anion methodologies. All ketalization events to form the nonacyclic target were accomplished under equilibrating conditions utilizing the imbedded configurations of the molecule to adopt one favored conformation. A final fragment coupling of the anomeric EFGHI-sulfone anion to the ABCD-aldehyde completed the convergent synthesis of (+)-azaspiracid-1.

Toward the synthesis of norzoanthamine: complete fragment assembly.

The complex marine alkaloid norzoanthamine (2) was envisioned to be assembled from three key building blocks: the C1-C5 fragment A, the C6-C10 fragment B, and the C11-C24 fragment C. The synthesis of fragment A was achieved in 14 steps and 33% overall yield from (R)-gamma-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butyrolactone. Fragment B was made in two steps from PMB-protected 4-pentynol in 76% yield. The C11-C24 fragment C was made from (S)-carvone via (R)-isocarvone in 18 steps (6% overall yield). The convergent stereoselective synthesis of the entire carbon framework (C1-C24) of the target molecule was achieved via the following assemblage. Alkenyl iodide 20 derived from the C11-C24 fragment C was coupled to fragment B (C6-C10) through a high-yielding Stille coupling reaction of these two sterically very demanding coupling partners, affording the key Diels-Alder precursor 24. The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction proceeded smoothly in excellent yield and diastereoselectivity, generating the tricyclic trans-anti-trans perhydrophenanthrene motif of norzoanthamine (C6-C24). The final fragment coupling between lithiated fragment A (C1-C5) and aldehyde 40 (C6-C24) has also been successfully accomplished affording the entire carbon framework of the natural product.

Synthesis of the zoanthamine ABC ring system: some surprises from intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions.

[reaction: see text] In connection with the total synthesis of the marine alkaloids zoanthamine and norzoanthamine, an elaborate model study was conducted starting from (-)-carvone. In nine steps alkenyl iodides corresponding to the C11-C24 fragment of zoanthamine were obtained. The alkenyl iodides were coupled to various stannanes (C6-C10 fragment) via the Corey modification of the Stille reaction, affording a variety of Diels-Alder precursors. An interesting and highly unexpected cascade reaction sequence was observed during the screening of an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, generating a novel tetracyclic framework. A slight modification in the Diels-Alder precursor allowed the desired cycloaddition to take place, giving the cycloadduct in 87% yield.

Xylo-Configured oligonucleotides (XNA, xylo nucleic acid): synthesis of conformationally restricted derivatives and hybridization towards DNA and RNA complements.

Xylo-Configured oligonucleotides (XNA) containing a novel conformationally restricted 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-D-xylofuranosyl nucleotide monomer, a novel conformationally locked 2'-amino-2'-deoxy-2'-N,4'-C-methylene-beta-D-xylofuranosyl nucleotide monomer, and a known 2'-deoxy-beta-D-xylofuranosyl nucleotide monomer (XNA monomers) have been synthesized and their hybridization towards DNA and RNA complements studied. Thermal denaturation studies of nine-mer mixed-base sequences composed of a mixture of XNA monomers and DNA monomers revealed preferential hybridization towards RNA complements relative to DNA complements. For 14-mer homo-thymine XNAs containing thirteen XNA monomers, stable complexes towards single-stranded DNA and RNA were formed at pH 7. Gel-shift experiments revealed these complexes to involve at least two XNA strands per DNA or RNA target strand.