Synthesis and Evaluation of (Bis)benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids as Antiparasitic Agents.

Visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that severely impact the developing world. With current therapies suffering from poor efficacy and safety profiles as well as emerging resistance, new drug leads are direly needed. In this work, 26 alkaloids (9 natural and 17 synthetic) belonging to the benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BI) family were evaluated against both the pro/trypomastigote and amastigote forms of the parasites Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agents of these diseases. These alkaloids were synthesized via an efficient and modular enantioselective approach based on Bischler-Napieralski cyclization/Noyori asymmetric transfer hydrogenation to build the tetrahydroisoquinoline core. The bis-benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BBI) alkaloids were prepared using an Ullmann coupling of two BI units to form the biaryl ether linkage, which enabled a comprehensive survey of the influence of BI stereochemistry on bioactivity. Preliminary studies into the mechanism of action against Leishmania mexicana demonstrate that these compounds interfere with the cell cycle, potentially through inhibition of kinetoplast division, which may offer opportunities to identify a new target/mechanism of action. Three of the synthesized alkaloids showed promising druglike potential, meeting the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi) criteria for a hit against Chagas disease.

Synthesis of Heterocycle-Substituted Bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes and Aza-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes via Photocatalytic Minisci Reaction.

A route toward heterocycle-functionalized bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes (BCHeps) and aza-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes (aza-BCHeps) has been developed, using mild, photocatalytic Minisci-like conditions to introduce various heterocycles at the bridgehead position from readily available N-hydroxyphthalimide esters of the corresponding carboxylic acids. This chemistry enables access to heterocycle-functionalized BCHep-containing structures that are highly relevant in medicinal chemistry research as potential bioisosteres of meta-substituted arenes and pyridines.

Taming nonclassical carbocations to control small ring reactivity.

Prediction of the outcome of ring opening of small organic rings under cationic conditions can be challenging due to the intermediacy of nonclassical carbocations. For example, the solvolysis of cyclobutyl or cyclopropylmethyl derivatives generates up to four products on nucleophilic capture or elimination via cyclopropylcarbinyl and bicyclobutonium ions. Here, we show that such reaction outcomes can be controlled by subtle changes to the structure of nonclassical carbocation. Using bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes as cation precursors, the regio- and stereochemistry of ring opening is shown to depend on the degree and nature of the substituents on the cationic intermediates. Reaction outcomes are rationalized using computational models, resulting in a flowchart to predict product formation from a given cation precursor.

Synthesis and evaluation of (Bis)benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids as antiparasitic agents

Visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that severely impact the developing world. With current therapies suffering from poor efficacy and safety profiles as well as emerging resistance, new drug leads are direly needed. In this work, 26 alkaloids (9 natural and 17 synthetic) belonging to the benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BI) family were evaluated against both the pro/trypomastigote and amastigote forms of the parasites Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agents of these diseases. These alkaloids were synthesized via an efficient and modular enantioselective approach based on Bischler-Napieralski cyclization/Noyori asymmetric transfer hydrogenation to build the tetrahydroisoquinoline core. The bis-benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BBI) alkaloids were prepared using an Ullmann coupling of two BI units to form the biaryl ether linkage, which enabled a comprehensive survey of the influence of BI stereochemistry on bioactivity. Preliminary studies into the mechanism of action against Leishmania mexicana demonstrate that these compounds interfere with the cell cycle, potentially through inhibition of kinetoplast division, which may offer opportunities to identify a new target/mechanism of action. Three of the synthesized alkaloids showed promising druglike potential, meeting the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi) criteria for a hit against Chagas disease.

Stereoselective Alder-Ene Reactions of Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes: Facile Synthesis of Cyclopropyl- and Aryl-Substituted Cyclobutenes.

Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs), strained carbocycles comprising two fused cyclopropane rings, have become well-established building blocks in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology due to their diverse reactivity profile with radicals, nucleophiles, cations, and carbenes. The constraints of the bicyclic ring system confer high p-character on the interbridgehead C-C bond, leading to this broad reaction profile; however, the use of BCBs in pericyclic processes has to date been largely overlooked in favor of such stepwise, non-concerted additions. Here, we describe the use of BCBs as substrates for ene-like reactions with strained alkenes and alkynes, which give rise to cyclobutenes decorated with highly substituted cyclopropanes and arenes. The former products are obtained from highly stereoselective reactions with cyclopropenes, generated in situ from vinyl diazoacetates under blue light irradiation (440 nm). Cyclobutenes featuring a quaternary aryl-bearing carbon atom are prepared from equivalent reactions with arynes, which proceed in high yields under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies highlight the importance of electronic effects in this chemistry, while computational investigations support a concerted pathway and rationalize the excellent stereoselectivity of reactions with cyclopropenes.

Bridge Cross-Coupling of Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes.

Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) have gained growing popularity in "strain release" chemistry for the synthesis of four-membered-ring systems and para- and meta-disubstituted arene bioisosteres as well as applications in chemoselective bioconjugation. However, functionalization of the bridge position of BCBs can be challenging due to the inherent strain of the ring system and reactivity of the central C-C bond. Here we report the first late-stage bridge cross-coupling of BCBs, mediated by directed metalation/palladium catalysis.

Gold-Catalyzed Cyclization of Yndiamides with Isoxazoles via α-Imino Gold Fischer Carbenes.

Gold catalysis is an important method for alkyne functionalization. Here we report the gold-catalyzed formal [3+2] aminative cyclization of yndiamides and isoxazoles in a direct synthesis of polysubstituted diaminopyrroles, which are important motifs in drug discovery. Key to this process is the formation, and subsequent cyclization, of an α-imino gold Fischer carbene, which represents a new type of gold carbene intermediate. The reaction proceeds rapidly under mild conditions, with high regioselectivity being achieved by introducing a subtle steric bias between the nitrogen substituents on the yndiamide. DFT calculations revealed that the key to this regioselectivity was the interconversion of isomeric gold keteniminiun ions via a low-barrier π-complex transition state, which establishes a Curtin-Hammett scenario for isoxazole addition. By using benzisoxazoles as substrates, the reaction outcome could be switched to a formal [5+2] cyclization, leading to 1,4-oxazepines.

Biological activity and structure-activity relationship of dehydrodieugenol B analogues against visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected protozoan disease with high mortality. Existing treatments exhibit a number of limitations, resulting in a significant challenge for public health, especially in developing countries in which the disease is endemic. With a limited pipeline of potential drugs in clinical trials, natural products could offer an attractive source of new pharmaceutical prototypes, not least due to their high chemodiversity. In the present work, a study of anti-L. (L.) infantum potential was carried out for a series of 39 synthetic compounds based on the core scaffold of the neolignan dehydrodieugenol B. Of these, 14 compounds exhibited activity against intracellular amastigotes, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values between 3.0 and 32.7 µM. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis demonstrated a requirement for polar functionalities to improve activity. Lacking mammalian cytotoxicity and presenting the highest potency against the clinically relevant form of the parasite, compound 24 emerged as the most promising, fulfilling the hit criteria for visceral leishmaniasis defined by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). This study emphasizes the potential of dehydrodieugenol B analogues as new candidates for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and suggests 24 to be a suitable compound for future optimization, including mechanism of action and pharmacokinetic studies.

Conquering the Synthesis and Functionalization of Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes.

Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) have become established as attractive bioisosteres for para-substituted benzene rings in drug design. Conferring various beneficial properties compared with their aromatic "parents," BCPs featuring a wide array of bridgehead substituents can now be accessed by an equivalent variety of methods. In this perspective, we discuss the evolution of this field and focus on the most enabling and general methods for BCPs synthesis, considering both scope and limitation. Recent breakthroughs on the synthesis of bridge-substituted BCPs are described, as well as methodologies for postsynthesis functionalization. We further explore new challenges and directions for the field, such as the emergence of other rigid small ring hydrocarbons and heterocycles possessing unique substituent exit vectors.

Sequencing palladium-catalyzed cycloisomerization cascades in a synthesis of the gelsemine core.

Transition metal-catalyzed cycloisomerization is a powerful strategy for the construction of cyclic organic molecules, and the use of palladium catalysts can deliver a wide range of monocyclic and bicyclic products. However, applications of cycloisomerizations in complex target synthesis in which more than one cycloisomerization process is deployed in a cascade context are rare. Here we report investigations of the relative rates of two different types of ene-ynamide cycloisomerization that form fused and spirocyclic rings, and use of these results to design a sequence-controlled cascade cycloisomerization that prepares the tetracyclic core of gelsemine in a single step. Crucial to this work was an evaluation of the kinetics of each cycloisomerization in competition experiments, which revealed a key influence of the ynamide electron-withdrawing group on the cycloisomerization reaction.

Synthetic Study toward Triterpenes from the Schisandraceae Family of Natural Products.

Triterpenoid natural products from the Schisandraceae family have long presented a significant synthetic challenge. Lancifodilactone I, a member of the family not previously synthesized, was identified as a key natural product target, from which many other members could be synthesized. We envisaged that the core ring system of lancifodilactone I could be accessed by a strategy involving palladium-catalysed cascade cyclisation of a bromoenynamide, via carbopalladation, Suzuki coupling and 8π-electrocyclisation, to synthesize the core 7,8-fused ring system. Exploration of this strategy on model systems resulted in efficient syntheses of 5,6- and 5,8-fused systems in high yields, which represent the first such cyclisation where the ynamide nitrogen atom is 'external' to the forming ring system. The enamide functionality resident in the cascade cyclisation product was found to be less nucleophilic than the accompanying tri-/tetrasubstituted alkene(s), enabling regioselective oxidations. Application of this strategy to 7,6-, and 7,8-fused systems, and ultimately the 'real' substrate, was ultimately thwarted by the difficulty of 7-membered ring closure, leading to side product formation. Nevertheless, a tandem bromoenynamide carbopalladation, Suzuki coupling and 6/8π-electrocyclisation was shown to be a highly efficient tactic for the formation of bicyclic enamides, which may find applications in other synthetic contexts.

Rapid and Scalable Halosulfonylation of Strain-Release Reagents.

Sulfonylated aromatics are commonplace motifs in drugs and agrochemicals. However, methods for the direct synthesis of sulfonylated non-classical arene bioisosteres, which could improve the physicochemical properties of drug and agrochemical candidates, are limited. Here we report a solution to this challenge: a one-pot halosulfonylation of [1.1.1]propellane, [3.1.1]propellane and bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes that proceeds under practical, scalable and mild conditions. The sulfonyl halides used in this chemistry feature aryl, heteroaryl and alkyl substituents, and are conveniently generated in situ from readily available sulfinate salts and halogen atom sources. This methodology enables the synthesis of an array of pharmaceutically and agrochemically relevant halogen/sulfonyl-substituted bioisosteres and cyclobutanes, on up to multidecagram scale.

Chemoselective carbene insertion into the N-H bonds of NH3·H2O.

The conversion of inexpensive aqueous ammonia (NH3·H2O) into value-added primary amines by N-H insertion persists as a longstanding challenge in chemistry because of the tendency of Lewis basic ammonia (NH3) to bind and inhibit metal catalysts. Herein, we report a chemoselective carbene N-H insertion of NH3·H2O using a TpBr3Ag-catalyzed two-phase system. Coordination by a homoscorpionate TpBr3 ligand renders silver compatible with NH3 and H2O and enables the generation of electrophilic silver carbene. Water promotes subsequent [1,2]-proton shift to generate N-H insertion products with high chemoselectivity. The result of the reaction is the coupling of an inorganic nitrogen source with either diazo compounds or N-triftosylhydrazones to produce useful primary amines. Further investigations elucidate the reaction mechanism and the origin of chemoselectivity.

Rhodium-Catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] Cyclotrimerizations of Yndiamides with Alkynes.

Yndiamides offer opportunities for the synthesis of vicinally nitrogen-disubstituted aromatics and azacycles. Here we report the Rh-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of alkynyl yndiamides with alkynes, the regiochemical outcome of which is controlled by the electronic properties of the alkyne partner, enabling the formation of 7-aminoindolines with excellent selectivity (up to >20:1 r.r.). We also report a complementary synthesis of bicyclic 1,2-dianiline derivatives by cyclotrimerization of yndiamides with terminal diynes, where slow addition of the diyne overcomes self-dimerization.

Synthesis of meta-substituted arene bioisosteres from [3.1.1]propellane.

Small-ring cage hydrocarbons are popular bioisosteres (molecular replacements) for commonly found para-substituted benzene rings in drug design1. The utility of these cage structures derives from their superior pharmacokinetic properties compared with their parent aromatics, including improved solubility and reduced susceptibility to metabolism2,3. A prime example is the bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane motif, which is mainly synthesized by ring-opening of the interbridgehead bond of the strained hydrocarbon [1.1.1]propellane with radicals or anions4. By contrast, scaffolds mimicking meta-substituted arenes are lacking because of the challenge of synthesizing saturated isosteres that accurately reproduce substituent vectors5. Here we show that bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes (BCHeps), which are hydrocarbons for which the bridgehead substituents map precisely onto the geometry of meta-substituted benzenes, can be conveniently accessed from [3.1.1]propellane. We found that [3.1.1]propellane can be synthesized on a multigram scale, and readily undergoes a range of radical-based transformations to generate medicinally relevant carbon- and heteroatom-substituted BCHeps, including pharmaceutical analogues. Comparison of the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) properties of these analogues reveals enhanced metabolic stability relative to their parent arene-containing drugs, validating the potential of this meta-arene analogue as an sp3-rich motif in drug design. Collectively, our results show that BCHeps can be prepared on useful scales using a variety of methods, offering a new surrogate for meta-substituted benzene rings for implementation in drug discovery programmes.

Carbodefluorination of fluoroalkyl ketones via a carbene-initiated rearrangement strategy.

The C-F bond cleavage and C-C bond formation (i.e., carbodefluorination) of readily accessible (per)fluoroalkyl groups constitutes an atom-economical and efficient route to partially fluorinated compounds. However, the selective mono-carbodefluorination of trifluoromethyl (CF3) groups remains a challenge, due to the notorious inertness of C-F bond and the risk of over-defluorination arising from C-F bond strength decrease as the defluorination proceeds. Herein, we report a carbene-initiated rearrangement strategy for the carbodefluorination of fluoroalkyl ketones with ß,γ-unsaturated alcohols to provide skeletally and functionally diverse α-mono- and α,α-difluoro-γ,δ-unsaturated ketones. The reaction starts with the formation of silver carbenes from fluoroalkyl N-triftosylhydrazones, followed by nucleophilic attack of a ß,γ-unsaturated alcohol to form key silver-coordinated oxonium ylide intermediates, which triggers selective C-F bond cleavage by HF elimination and C-C bond formation through Claisen rearrangement of in situ generated difluorovinyl ether. The origin of chemoselectivity and the reaction mechanism are determined by experimental and DFT calculations. Collectively, this strategy by an intramolecular cascade process offers significant advances over existing stepwise strategies in terms of selectivity, efficiency, functional group tolerance, etc.

Collective Synthesis of Illudalane Sesquiterpenes via Cascade Inverse Electron Demand (4 + 2) Cycloadditions of Thiophene S,S-Dioxides.

Thiophene S,S-dioxides are underutilized tools for the de novo construction of benzene rings in organic synthesis. We report a collective synthesis of nine illudalane sesquiterpenes using bicyclic thiophene S,S-dioxides as generalized precursors to the indane core of the natural products. Exploiting furans as unusual dienophiles in this inverse electron demand Diels-Alder cascade, this concise and convergent approach enables the synthesis of these targets in as little as five steps. Theoretical studies rationalize the reactivity of thiophene S,S-dioxides with both electron-poor and electron-rich dienophiles and reveal reaction pathways involving either nonpolar pericyclic or bifurcating ambimodal cycloadditions. Overall, this work demonstrates the wider potential of thiophene S,S-dioxides as convenient and flexible precursors to polysubstituted arenes.

Silver-catalyzed site-selective C(sp3)-H benzylation of ethers with N-triftosylhydrazones.

The insertion of carbenes into the α-C-H bonds of ethers represents one of the most powerful approaches to access polysubstituted α-branched ethers. However, intermolecular carbene insertions remain challenging, since current approaches are generally limited to the use of toxic and potentially explosive α-diazocarbonyl compounds. We now report a silver-catalyzed α-C-H benzylation of ethers using bench-stable N-triftosylhydrazones as safe and convenient carbene precursors. This approach is well suited for both inter- and intramolecular insertions to deliver medicinally relevant homobenzylic ethers and 5-8-membered oxacycles in good yields. The synthetic utility of this strategy is demonstrated by its easy scalability, broad scope with valuable functional groups, high regioselectivity, and late-stage functionalization of complex oxygen-containing molecules. The relative reactivities of different types of silver carbenes and C-H bonds were also investigated by experments and DFT calculations.

Ag-Catalyzed Insertion of Alkynyl Carbenes into C-C Bonds of ß-Ketocarbonyls: A Formal C(sp2) Insertion.

Here we report a silver-catalyzed alkynyl carbene insertion into ß-ketocarbonyls using alkynyl N-nosylhydrazones as alkynyl carbene precursors, which provides access to trisubstituted allenyl ketones. This reaction represents the first example of an alkynyl carbene insertion into a C-C σ bond, affording products homologated with an sp2 carbon center. The products are useful substrates for further transformations. Experimental investigations and theoretical calculations suggest the reaction proceeds through a stepwise enol cyclopropanation/retro-aldol pathway.