Discovery and Mode-of-Action Characterization of a New Class of Acetolactate Synthase-Inhibiting Herbicides.

Herbicides are effective tools to manage weeds and enable food production and sustainable agriculture. Corteva Agriscience R&D has recently discovered new diphenyl-ether compounds displaying excellent postemergent efficacy on important weed species along with corn safety. Here, we describe the chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and computational modeling research that led to the discovery and elucidation of the primary mode of action for these compounds. The target protein was found to be acetolactate synthase (ALS), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of branched chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine). While weed resistance evolution to ALS herbicides is widespread, the molecular interaction of the diphenyl-ether compounds at the active site of the ALS enzyme differs significantly from that of some commercial ALS inhibitors. The unique biochemical profile of these molecules along with their excellent herbicidal activity and corn selectivity make them a noteworthy development in the pursuit of novel, safe, and sustainable weed control solutions.

A New Class of Diaryl Ether Herbicides: Structure-Activity Relationship Studies Enabled by a Rapid Scaffold Hopping Approach.

We report on the development of a novel class of diaryl ether herbicides. After the discovery of a phenoxybenzoic acid with modest herbicidal activity, optimization led to several molecules with improved control of broadleaf and grass weeds. To facilitate this process, we first employed a three-step combinatorial approach, then pivoted to a one-step Ullmann-type coupling that provided faster access to new analogs. After determining that the primary target site of our benchmark diaryl ethers was acetolactate synthase (ALS), we further leveraged this copper-catalyzed methodology to conduct a scaffold hopping campaign in the hope of uncovering an additional mode of action with fewer documented cases of resistance. Our comprehensive and systematic investigation revealed that while the herbicidal activity of this area seems to be exclusively linked to ALS inhibition, our molecules represent a structurally distinct class of Group 2 herbicides. The structure-activity relationships that led us to this conclusion are described herein.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of Isatins.

A new ruthenium-based catalytic system for branched-selective asymmetric allylic alkylation is disclosed and applied to the synthesis of chiral isatin derivatives. The catalyst, which is generated in situ from commercially available CpRu(MeCN)3PF6 and a BINOL-derived phosphoramidite, is both highly active (TON up to 180) and insensitive to air and moisture. Additionally, the N-alkylated isatins accessible using this methodology are versatile building blocks that are readily transformed into chiral analogs of achiral drug molecules.

Annulative Allylic Alkylation Reactions between Dual Electrophiles and Dual Nucleophiles: Applications in Complex Molecule Synthesis.

Metal-catalyzed allylic alkylation reactions between dual nucleophiles and dual electrophiles represent a powerful set of methods for the synthesis of small-, medium-, and even large-sized rings. Using this strategy, a handful of simple allylic diol derivatives can be transformed into a broad array of complex carbo- and heterocycles of varying ring sizes in just a single step. Because of their ability to rapidly generate complexity, annulative allylic alkylation reactions between dual nucleophiles and dual electrophiles have been extensively employed in the total synthesis of both natural products and pharmaceutical compounds.

Desymmetrization of Phosphinic Acids via Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation: Rapid Access to P-Chiral Phosphinates.

The synthesis of P-chiral compounds is challenging, especially since useful catalytic methods for preparing such molecules are scarce. Herein we disclose a desymmetrization that employs phosphinic acids as prochiral nucleophiles in a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction, furnishing phosphinates with high enantio- and diastereoselectivity. This new method has broad scope and is applied to the synthesis of an enantioenriched tertiary phosphine oxide.

Sulfones as Chemical Chameleons: Versatile Synthetic Equivalents of Small-Molecule Synthons.

Sulfones are flexible functional groups that can act as nucleophiles, electrophiles, or even radicals. Changing the reaction conditions can completely alter the reactivity of a sulfonyl group, and as a result, molecules bearing multiple sulfones are versatile building blocks. This Review highlights the unique ability of 1,1- and 1,2-bis(sulfones) to masquerade as a vast array of reactive synthons including methane polyanions, vinyl cations, and all-carbon dipoles that would be difficult or impossible to access directly.

Synthesis of Chiral, Densely Substituted Pyrrolidones via Phosphine-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization.

Densely substituted chiral pyrrolidones are synthesized via phosphine-catalyzed cycloisomerization of enantioenriched ß-amino ynones, which are prepared in a single step using a highly enantioselective Zn-ProPhenol-catalyzed Mannich reaction. The exocyclic alkenes in the cyclization products provide versatile handles for further transformations and typically form with good E/ Z selectivity. This cycloisomerization method can be performed in streamlined fashion, without purification of the intermediate Mannich adduct, and extends to anthranilic acid based scaffolds in addition to ProPhenol-derived Mannich adducts.

Direct Enantio- and Diastereoselective Vinylogous Addition of Butenolides to Chromones Catalyzed by Zn-ProPhenol.

We report the first enantio- and diastereoselective 1,4-addition of butenolides to chromones. Both α,ß- and ß,γ-butenolide nucleophiles are compatible with the Zn-ProPhenol catalyst, and preactivation as the siloxyfurans is not required. The scope of electrophiles includes a variety of substituted chromones, as well as a thiochromone and a quinolone, and the resulting vinylogous addition products are generated in good yield (31 to 98%), diastereo- (3:1 to >30:1), and enantioselectivity (90:10 to 99:1 er). These Michael adducts allow rapid access to several natural product analogs, and can be easily transformed into a variety of other interesting scaffolds as well.

Highly Chemoselective Deprotection of the 2,2,2-Trichloroethoxycarbonyl (Troc) Protecting Group.

Nonreducing, pH-neutral conditions for the selective cleavage of the 2,2,2-trichloroethoxycarbonyl (Troc) protecting group are reported. Using trimethyltin hydroxide in 1,2-dichloroethane, Troc-protected alcohols, thiols, and amines can be selectively unmasked in the presence of various functionalities that are incompatible with the reducing conditions traditionally used to remove the Troc group. This mild deprotection protocol tolerates a variety of other hydrolytically sensitive and acid/base-sensitive moieties as well.

Sulfones as Synthetic Linchpins: Transition-Metal-Free sp3 -sp2 and sp2 -sp2 Cross-Couplings Between Geminal Bis(sulfones) and Organolithium Compounds.

A valuable umpolung strategy that highlights the ambiphilic nature of the bis(phenylsulfonyl)methyl synthon and demonstrates its utility as a synthetic linchpin is reported. Although the bis(phenylsulfonyl)methyl group is typically introduced as an sp3 -carbon nucleophile, it is demonstrated that it can also function as an effective sp2 -carbon electrophile in the presence of organolithium nucleophiles. Alkyl- and aryllithiums couple with the central carbon of the bis(phenylsulfonyl)methyl unit to ultimately generate trisubstituted alkenes, comprising formal sp3 -sp2 and sp2 -sp2 cross-couplings between organolithium reagents and bis(sulfones). This process occurs almost instantaneously at -78 °C in the absence of any transition metals. By developing this curious transformation, it has been demonstrated that bis(phenylsulfonyl)methane is a valuable synthetic linchpin, which can undergo two C-C bond-forming processes as an sp3 -nucleophile, followed by a third C-C bond-forming reaction as an effective sp2 -electrophile. This discovery significantly enhances the utility of this ubiquitous, but underutilized, linker group.

Zn-ProPhenol Catalyzed Enantio- and Diastereoselective Direct Vinylogous Mannich Reactions between α,ß- and ß,γ-Butenolides and Aldimines.

We report a Zn-ProPhenol catalyzed reaction between butenolides and imines to obtain tetrasubstituted vinylogous Mannich products in good yield and diastereoselectivity with excellent enantioselectivity (97 to >99.5% ee). Notably, both α,ß- and ß,γ-butenolides can be utilized as nucleophiles in this transformation. The imine partner bears the synthetically versatile N-Cbz group, avoiding the use of the specialized aryl directing groups previously required in related work. Additionally, the reaction can be performed on gram scale with reduced catalyst loading as low as 2 mol %. The functional group-rich products can be further elaborated using a variety of methods.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Exocyclic Tetrasubstituted Vinyl Halides via Ru-Catalyzed Halotropic Cycloisomerization of 1,6-Haloenynes.

Herein, a ruthenium-catalyzed cycloisomerization that transforms 1,6-haloenynes into 5-membered carbo- and heterocycles that bear exocyclic, stereodefined, tetrasubstituted vinyl halides is reported. The reaction is insensitive to air and water, tolerates a variety of functional groups, and proceeds with good to excellent stereoselectivity and yield.