Miyaura borylation/Suzuki-Miyaura coupling (MBSC) sequence of 4-bromo-2,4'-bithiazoles with halides: straightforward access to a heterocylic cluster of d-series of thiopeptide GE2270.

Herein, palladium-catalyzed Miyaura borylation of 4-bromo-2,4'-bithiazoles followed by Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction (named the MBSC process) with (hetero)aryl- and alkenyl halides is reported. This methodology offers rapid access to various 2',4-disubstituted 2,4'-bithiazole features including naturally-occurring 4-alkenylated and 4-pyridinylated 2,4'-bithiazoles. To prove its application, a concise approach for the synthesis of a heterocyclic cluster of the thiopeptide d-series antibiotic GE2270 is reported through a late-stage MBSC strategy.

Synthesis of the heterocyclic core of the D-series GE2270.

A straightforward enantiomerically pure synthesis of the heterocyclic core of the D-series GE2270 is reported. The synthetic strategy combines the Hantzsch thiazole's building condensation with a cross-coupling reaction including direct C-H hetarylation to build and connect step-by-step thiazolyl moieties to the 5-bromopicolinate as readily available starting material.

(N-heterocyclic carbene)-Pd-catalyzed anaerobic oxidation of secondary alcohols and domino oxidation-arylation reactions.

The use of commercially available (SIPr)Pd(cinnamyl)Cl (SIPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) as a precatalyst for the anaerobic oxidation of secondary alcohols is described. The use of this complex allows for a drastic reduction in the reaction times and catalyst loading when compared to the unsaturated counterpart. This catalytic system is compatible with the use of microwave dielectric heating, decreasing even further catalyst loading and reaction times. Domino Pd-catalyzed oxidation-arylation reactions of secondary alcohols are also presented.

Rapid and selective catalytic oxidation of secondary alcohols at room temperature by using (N-heterocyclic carbene)-ni(0) systems.

The selective, anaerobic catalytic oxidation of secondary alcohols at room temperature by using an in situ (N-heterocyclic carbene)-Ni(0) system is presented. The use of non-anhydrous, non-degassed 2,4-dichlorotoluene as both the oxidant and the solvent allows for very short reaction times and very high yields. In addition, a well-defined (N-heterocyclic carbene)-Ni(0) complex was synthesized and applied to these oxidation reactions.

An efficient method for the synthesis of unsymmetrical 2,2'-bis(pyrrolyl)alkanes.

A new strategy for the preparation of unsymmetrical 2,2'-bis(pyrrolyl)alkanes has been developed. It involved the condensation of pyrrole derivatives onto N-benzylhydroxylamines in the presence of HCl. This two-step procedure provided access to a wide variety of 2,2'-dipyrromethanes (3a-m). It has also been extended to the synthesis of tripyrromethanes 4a-d and of N-confused dipyrromethanes 6a-d.

From N-triisopropylsilylpyrrole to an optically active C-4 substituted pyroglutamic acid: total synthesis of penmacric acid.

The stereoselective synthesis of penmacric acid, an optically active C-4 substituted pyroglutamic acid, has been efficiently achieved through an unusual 11-step sequence starting from simple N-triisopropylsilylpyrrole. The key-steps are the initial addition of the pyrrole nucleus onto a chiral nitrone and the obtention of the pyroglutamic acid moiety by reductive hydrogenation of the pyrrole followed by oxidation of the corresponding pyrrolidine into pyrrolidinone.

Organocatalyzed Multicomponent Synthesis of Isoxazolidin-5-ones.

An unprecedented multicomponent organocatalyzed Knoevenagel-aza-Michael-cyclocondensation reaction between Meldrum's acid, hydroxylamines, and aldehydes afforded a straightforward entry to a large array of racemic and syn-diastereoenriched isoxazolidinones as synthetically useful scaffolds. This process revealed a markedly facile aza-Michael-cyclocondensation sequence as a key domino reaction between RCO2NHOH and transient alkylidene Meldrum's acid upon Brønsted base catalysis.

Organocatalysed multicomponent synthesis of pyrazolidinones: Meldrum's acid approach.

We discovered a novel organocatalysed multicomponent domino Knoevenagel-aza-Michael-cyclocondensation reaction leading to an unprecedented straightforward synthesis of 1,5-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octane-2,6-diones. The specific capability of the (DHQ)2PHAL organocatalyst in this process was also highlighted to eventually furnish the corresponding bicyclopyrazolidinones with up to 96 : 4 er.

Identification of New Nonsteroidal RORα Ligands; Related Structure-Activity Relationships and Docking Studies.

A high throughput screen was developed to identify novel, nonsteroidal RORα agonists. Among the validated hit compounds, the 4-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-5-carbonyl-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine scaffold was the most prominent. Among the numerous analogues tested, compounds 8 and 9 showed the highest activity. Key structure-activity relationships (SAR) were established, where benzyl and urea moieties were both identified as very important elements to maintain the activity. Most notably, the SAR were consistent with the binding mode of the compound 8 (S-isomer) in the RORα docking model that was developed in this program. As predicted by the model, the urea moiety is engaged in the formation of key hydrogen bonds with the backbone of Tyr380 and Asp382. The benzyl group is located in a wide hydrophobic pocket. The structural relationships reported in this letter will help in further optimization of this compound series and will provide novel synthetic probes helpful for elucidation of complex RORα physiopathology.

Ni-catalysed, domino synthesis of tertiary alcohols from secondary alcohols.

The use of in situ generated (NHC)-Ni catalytic species (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) allows for the synthesis, in short reaction times, of a variety of tertiary alcohols from secondary alcohols through a domino oxidation-addition protocol.

Homogeneous, anaerobic (N-heterocyclic carbene)-Pd or -Ni catalyzed oxidation of secondary alcohols at mild temperatures.

The use of aryl chlorides as oxidants for the selective oxidation of a variety of secondary alcohols in anaerobic conditions with (NHC)-Pd and -Ni systems (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) at very mild temperatures is presented.

Efficient stereoselective nucleophilic addition of pyrroles to chiral nitrones.

Regioselective additions of pyrroles to a variety of optically active nitrones under smooth acidic conditions lead to chiral pyrrolic N-hydroxylamines in good to excellent yields. Depending on the position of the chirality on the nitrone partner, the addition products have been isolated with high diastereoselectivity levels. Reaction of glyoxylate based chiral nitrones either at the C-2 or at the C-3 position of the pyrrole nucleus afforded N-hydroxyamino esters in high yields as single diastereoisomers. These adducts allow access to enantio-enriched non proteinogenic 2'- and 3'-pyrrolylglycines (13 and 19 respectively).