Versatile Synthetic Approach for Selective Diversification of Bicyclic Aza-Diketopiperazines.

Herein, we report a convenient synthesis of unprecedented aza-diketopiperazines (aza-DKPs). The strategy is based on selective diversification of bicyclic aza-DKP scaffolds by click reaction, N-acylation, and/or N-alkylation. These scaffolds containing either azido or amino groups were obtained by a key Rh(I)-catalyzed hydroformylative cyclohydrocarbonylation reaction of allyl-substituted aza-DKP. The methodology is readily amenable to the parallel synthesis of original aza-DKPs to enlarge the chemical diversity of aza-heterocycles.

A step-economical multicomponent synthesis of 3D-shaped aza-diketopiperazines and their drug-like chemical space analysis.

A rapid and atom economical multicomponent synthesis of complex aza-diketopiperazines (aza-DKPs) driven by Rh(i)-catalyzed hydroformylation of alkenylsemicarbazides is described. Combined with catalytic amounts of acid and the presence of nucleophilic species, this unprecedented multicomponent reaction (MCR) enabled the formation of six bonds and a controlled stereocenter from simple substrates. The efficacy of the strategy was demonstrated with a series of various allyl-substituted semicarbazides and nucleophiles leading to the preparation of 3D-shaped bicyclic aza-DKPs. Moreover, an analysis of their 3D molecular descriptors and "drug-likeness" properties highlights not only their originality in the chemical space of aza-heterocycles but also their great potential for medicinal chemistry.

Intramolecular OH⋠⋠⋠Fluorine Hydrogen Bonding in Saturated, Acyclic Fluorohydrins: The γ-Fluoropropanol Motif.

Fluorination is commonly exercised in compound property optimization. However, the influence of fluorination on hydrogen-bond (HB) properties of adjacent functional groups, as well as the HB-accepting capacity of fluorine itself, is still not completely understood. Although the formation of OH⋅⋅⋅F intramolecular HBs (IMHBs) has been established for conformationally restricted fluorohydrins, such interaction in flexible compounds remained questionable. Herein is demonstrated for the first time-and in contrast to earlier reports-the occurrence of OH⋅⋅⋅F IMHBs in acyclic saturated γ-fluorohydrins, even for the parent 3-fluoropropan-1-ol. The relative stereochemistry is shown to have a crucial influence on the corresponding (h1) JOH⋅⋅⋅F values, as illustrated by syn- and anti-4-fluoropentan-2-ol (6.6 and 1.9 Hz). The magnitude of OH⋅⋅⋅F IMHBs and their strong dependence on the overall molecular conformational profile, fluorination motif, and alkyl substitution level, is rationalized by quantum chemical calculations. For a given alkyl chain, the "rule of shielding" applies to OH⋅⋅⋅F IMHB energies. Surprisingly, the predicted OH⋅⋅⋅F IMHB energies are only moderately weaker than these of the corresponding OH⋅⋅⋅OMe. These results provide new insights of the impact of fluorination of aliphatic alcohols, with attractive perspectives for rational drug design.

Room-temperature ortho-alkoxylation and -halogenation of N-tosylbenzamides by using palladium(II)-catalyzed C-H activation.

The N-tosylcarboxamide group can direct the room-temperature palladium-catalyzed C-H alkoxylation and halogenation of substituted arenes in a simple and mild procedure. The room-temperature stoichiometric cyclopalladation of N-tosylbenzamide was first studied, and the ability of the palladacycle to react with oxidants to form C-X and C-O bonds under mild conditions was demonstrated. The reaction conditions were then adapted to promote room-temperature ortho-alkoxylations and ortho-halogenations of N-tosylbenzamides using palladium as catalyst. The scope and limitation of both alkoxylations and halogenations was studied and the subsequent functional transformation of the N-tosylcarboxamide group through nucleophilic additions was evaluated. This methodology offers a simple and mild route to diversely functionalized arenes.

Stereocontrol by quaternary centres: a stereoselective synthesis of (-)-luminacin D.

Very high diastereoselectivity can be achieved by 1,3-chelation-controlled allylation of aldehydes that possess a non-chelating α-ether substituent, even if the α-position is a quaternary centre and/or a spiro-epoxide. This reaction was used as a key step in an enantioselective synthesis of the angiogenesis inhibitor luminacin D.

N-tosylcarboxamide as a transformable directing group for Pd-catalyzed C-H ortho-arylation.

The N-tosylcarboxamide group offers the possibility of directing the Pd-catalyzed C-H arylation of arenes providing a new entry to biarylcarboxamides. Moreover, its ability to react according to different reaction conditions including intramolecular reactions makes it a pivotal directing group for a divergent synthesis of biaryl-based compounds.