PyrAtes: Modular Organic Salts with Large Stokes Shifts for Fluo-rescence Microscopy.

The deployment of small-molecule fluorescent agents plays an ever-growing role in medicine and drug development. Herein, we complement the portfolio of powerful fluorophores, reporting the serendipitous discovery and development of a novel class with an imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinium triflate core, which we term PyrAtes. These fluorophores are synthesized in a single step from readily available materials (>60 examples) and display Stokes shifts as large as 240 nm, while also reaching NIR-I emissions at λmax as long as 720 nm. Computational studies allow the development of a platform for the prediction of λmax and λEm. Furthermore, we demonstrate the compatibility of these novel fluorophores with live cell imaging in HEK293 cells, suggesting PyrAtes as potent intracellular markers.

Leveraging Electron-Deficient Iminium Intermediates in a General Synthesis of Valuable Amines.

The development of reactions converting alkenes and alkynes into valuable building blocks remains one of the main goals of synthetic chemistry. Herein, we present the leveraging of highly electron-deficient iminium ions, rare and fleeting intermediates, into a general amine synthesis. This enables the preparation of amines bearing e.g. valuable α-trifluoromethyl moieties under mild conditions. This broad concept is highlighted by the late-stage amination of quinine into a biologically interesting new analogue.

Total Synthesis of (-)-Strictosidine and Interception of Aryne Natural Product Derivatives "Strictosidyne" and "Strictosamidyne".

Monoterpene indole alkaloids are a large class of natural products derived from a single biosynthetic precursor, strictosidine. We describe a synthetic approach to strictosidine that relies on a key facially selective Diels-Alder reaction between a glucosyl-modified alkene and an enal to set the C15-C20-C21 stereotriad. DFT calculations were used to examine the origin of stereoselectivity in this key step, wherein two of 16 possible isomers are predominantly formed. These calculations suggest the presence of a glucosyl unit, also inherent in the strictosidine structure, guides diastereoselectivity, with the reactive conformation of the vinyl glycoside dienophile being controlled by an exo-anomeric effect. (-)-Strictosidine was subsequently accessed using late-stage synthetic manipulations and an enzymatic Pictet-Spengler reaction. Several new natural product analogs were also accessed, including precursors to two unusual aryne natural product derivatives termed "strictosidyne" and "strictosamidyne". These studies provide a strategy for accessing glycosylic natural products and a new platform to access monoterpene indole alkaloids and their derivatives.

Cyanoamidine Cyclization Approach to Remdesivir's Nucleobase.

We report an alternative approach to the unnatural nucleobase fragment seen in remdesivir (Veklury). Remdesivir displays broad-spectrum antiviral activity and is currently being evaluated in Phase III clinical trials to treat patients with COVID-19. Our route relies on the formation of a cyanoamidine intermediate, which undergoes Lewis acid-mediated cyclization to yield the desired nucleobase. The approach is strategically distinct from prior routes and could further enable the synthesis of remdesivir and other small-molecule therapeutics.

Treating a Global Health Crisis with a Dose of Synthetic Chemistry.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has prompted scientists from many disciplines to work collaboratively toward an effective response. As academic synthetic chemists, we examine how best to contribute to this ongoing effort.

Vinyl Cation Stabilization by Silicon Enables a Formal Metal-Free α-Arylation of Alkyl Ketones.

The ability of silicon to stabilize vinyl cationic species leads to a redox arylation of alkynes whereby the stringent limitations of reactivity and regioselectivity of alkyl-substituted alkynes are lifted. This allows the synthesis of a range of α-silyl-α'-arylketones under mild conditions in good to excellent yields and with high functional group tolerance, whereby the silicon moiety in the final products can either be removed for a formal acetone monoarylation transform, or capitalized upon for subsequent electrophilic substitutions at either side of the carbonyl group.

A General Acid-Mediated Hydroaminomethylation of Unactivated Alkenes and Alkynes.

In comparison to the extensively studied metal-catalyzed hydroamination reaction, hydroaminomethylation has received significantly less attention despite its considerable potential to streamline amine synthesis. State-of-the-art protocols for hydroaminomethylation of alkenes rely largely on transition-metal catalysis, enabling this transformation only under highly designed and controlled conditions. Here we report a broadly applicable, acid-mediated approach to the hydroaminomethylation of unactivated alkenes and alkynes. This methodology employs cheap, readily available, and bench-stable reactants and affords the desired amines with excellent functional group tolerance and impeccable regioselectivity. The broad scope of this transformation, as well as mechanistic investigations and in situ domino functionalization reactions are reported.

Hydroxamic Acids as Chemoselective (ortho-Amino)arylation Reagents via Sigmatropic Rearrangement.

The use of readily available hydroxamic acids as reagents for the chemoselective (ortho-amino)arylation of amides is described. This reaction proceeds under metal-free, mild conditions, displays a very broad scope, and constitutes a direct approach for the metal-free attachment of aniline residues to carbonyl derivatives.

Reversing Polarity: Carbonyl α-Aminations with Nitrogen Nucleophiles.

The synthesis of α-amino carbonyl compounds is an important challenge in synthesis en route to biologically essential structures. While classical approaches involve the use of enol or enolate chemistries in combination with an electrophilic source of nitrogen, those strategies usually necessitate further transformations to reach the desired targets. In recent years, a new approach arose involving the direct use of nucleophilic sources of nitrogen along with an oxidant. This approach advantageously leads, in one-pot, to the biologically relevant α-amino compound without requiring further transformation. This review highlights the recent advances in the emerging field of oxidative α-amination reactions using nucleophilic sources of nitrogen.

Direct Regioselective Synthesis of Tetrazolium Salts by Activation of Secondary Amides under Mild Conditions.

Tetrazolium salts are biologically active molecules that have found broad applications in biochemical assays. A regioselective synthesis of tetrazolium salts is described through a formal (3 + 2) cycloaddition. The possibility of employing simple amides and azides as starting material and the mild conditions allow a broad functional group tolerance.

Chemo- and Stereoselective Transition-Metal-Free Amination of Amides with Azides.

The synthesis of α-amino carbonyl/carboxyl compounds is a contemporary challenge in organic synthesis. Herein, we present a stereoselective α-amination of amides employing simple azides that proceeds under mild conditions with release of nitrogen gas. The amide is used as the limiting reagent, and through simple variation of the azide pattern, various differently substituted aminated products can be obtained. The reaction is fully chemoselective for amides even in the presence of esters or ketones and lends itself to preparation of optically enriched products.

Divergent ynamide reactivity in the presence of azides - an experimental and computational study.

An unusually divergent reactivity of ynamides in the presence of azides is reported. This new keteniminium-based methodology, which only requires triflic acid as promoter, facilitates access to ß-enaminoamides and biologically important oxazolidine-2,4-diones in a highly selective, divergent manner that is fully controllable by the present azide. A mechanistic rationale for these divergent reaction pathways is delineated and supported by extensive density functional theory analyses, as well as selected mechanistic experiments.