Piperidine and octahydropyrano[3,4-c] pyridine scaffolds for drug-like molecular libraries of the European Lead Factory.

We report short and efficient scalable syntheses of enantiomerically pure (3R,4S)-3-(hydroxymethyl4-(hydroxyethyl))-piperidine and 1-hydroxymethyl-octahydro-1H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyridine scaffolds. The alkaloid core was readily synthesized from naturally occurring quinine and can serve as a valued starting point for drug-discovery. Cleavage of a terminal 1,2-diol and acid catalysed epoxide opening cyclization are the key steps involved. A number of members of a projected small-molecular library is synthesized for each scaffold.

A Novel Mechanistic Study on Ultrasound-Assisted, One-Pot Synthesis of Functionalized Benzimidazo[2,1-b]quinazolin-1(1H)-ones.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of benzimidazo[2,1-b]quinazolin-1(1H)-ones was achieved via piperidine-catalyzed three-component reaction of 2-aminobenzimidazoles, an aromatic aldehyde, and 1,3-dione in aqueous isopropanol. This mechanism was first suspected following our identification of unusual reaction intermediates in a one-pot reaction. An unprecedented coupling reaction, it involved a nucleophilic attack by 2-aminobenzimidazole on in situ generated Michael adduct, followed by electrocyclic ring formation reaction. In contrast to the commonly accepted mechanism, that the direct reaction of 2-amino benzimidazole with a Knoevenagel adduct cannot deliver target compounds.

Multicomponent Synthesis of Functionalized Tetrahydroacridinones: Insights into a Mechanistic Route.

A mechanistic study of three-component reactions of various aromatic amines with a number of aldehydes and 1,3-diones was achieved. The unprecedented reaction involved a nucleophilic attack of an aromatic amine on the in situ generated Michael adduct intermediate followed by six-electron ring cyclizations. It is contrary to the common belief that advocates involvement of coupling reactions between a Knoevenagel adduct and an aromatic amine to deliver substituted tetrahydroacridinones.

Cyclopentitol as a scaffold for a natural product-like compound library for drug discovery.

A concise and efficient synthesis of cyclopentitols as a scaffold for a two-dimensional compound library for drug discovery is described. Starting from d-mannose, the key steps are Wittig olefination and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) followed by a [3,3]-sigmatropic Overmann rearrangement to form an sp(3)-rich, natural product-like scaffold from which a focused compound library with different functionalities is prepared.

Rapid two-step synthesis of benzimidazo[1',2':1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-c]isoquinolines by a three-component coupling reaction.

A two-step, three-component coupling reaction on ionic liquid supported 2-cyanomethylbenzimidazoles, methyl 2-formylbenzoate, and isocyanides under microwave activation is explored. Knoevenagel condensation of 2-cyanomethylbenzimidazole with methyl-2-formylbenzoate in the presence of piperidine catalyst is followed by [4+1] cycloaddition with an isocyanide in the next step. Consequent intramolecular δ-lactam formation allows rapid construction of novel aza-pentacycles, benzimidazo[1',2':1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-c]isoquinolines.

One-pot, two-step synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]benzimidazoles via a multicomponent [4 + 1] cycloaddition reaction.

A one-pot, two-step synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]benzimidazoles has been achieved by a three-component reaction of 2-aminobenzimidazoles with an aromatic aldehyde and an isocyanide. The reaction involving condensation of 2-aminobenzimidazole with an aldehyde is run under microwave activation to generate an imine intermediate under basic conditions which then undergoes [4 + 1] cycloaddition with an isocyanide.

A smooth rearrangement of N-p-toluenesulfonyl 2-tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl-substituted azetidines into N-p-toluenesulfonyl 3-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-substituted pyrrolidines.

The rearrangement of N-p-toluenesulfonyl 2-tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl-substituted azetidines into 3-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-substituted pyrrolidines under Lewis acid conditions in dichloromethane involves 1,2-migration of silicon through a siliranium ion. The formation of siliranium ion was discovered not to be in concert with σ(C-N) cleavage from stereochemical analysis of the pyrrolidine products formed from 3- and 4-substituted-2-tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl azetidines and also from the optical rotation data and chiral HPLC analysis of the pyrrolidine product formed from N-p-toluenesulfonyl 2(R)-tert-butyldiphenylsilylmethyl azetidine. The formation of sterically less hindered siliranium ion is followed by its S(N)2 opening by the internal nitrogen nucleophile. Oxidative cleavage of σ(C-Si) bond leads to the formation of 3-hydroxypyrrolidines.