Photoredox-Catalyzed C-H Functionalization Reactions.

The fields of C-H functionalization and photoredox catalysis have garnered enormous interest and utility in the past several decades. Many different scientific disciplines have relied on C-H functionalization and photoredox strategies including natural product synthesis, drug discovery, radiolabeling, bioconjugation, materials, and fine chemical synthesis. In this Review, we highlight the use of photoredox catalysis in C-H functionalization reactions. We separate the review into inorganic/organometallic photoredox catalysts and organic-based photoredox catalytic systems. Further subdivision by reaction class─either sp2 or sp3 C-H functionalization─lends perspective and tactical strategies for use of these methods in synthetic applications.

Regioselective Arene C-H Alkylation Enabled by Organic Photoredox Catalysis.

Expanding the toolbox of C-H functionalization reactions applicable to the late-stage modification of complex molecules is of interest in medicinal chemistry, wherein the preparation of structural variants of known pharmacophores is a key strategy for drug development. One manifold for the functionalization of aromatic molecules utilizes diazo compounds and a transition-metal catalyst to generate a metallocarbene species, which is capable of direct insertion into an aromatic C-H bond. However, these high-energy intermediates can often require directing groups or a large excess of substrate to achieve efficient and selective reactivity. Herein, we report that arene cation radicals generated by organic photoredox catalysis engage in formal C-H functionalization reactions with diazoacetate derivatives, furnishing sp2 -sp3 coupled products with moderate-to-good regioselectivity. In contrast to previous methods utilizing metallocarbene intermediates, this transformation does not proceed via a carbene intermediate, nor does it require the presence of a transition-metal catalyst.

11C, 12C and 13C-Cyanation of Electron-Rich Arenes via Organic Photoredox Catalysis.

As a non-invasive imaging technology, positron emission tomography (PET) plays a crucial role in personalized medicine, including early diagnosis, patient screening, and treatment monitoring. The advancement of PET research depends on the discovery of new PET agents, which requires the development of simple and efficient radiolabeling methods in many cases. As bioisosteres for halogen and carbonyl moieties, nitriles are important functional groups in pharmaceutical and agrochemical compounds. Here, we disclose a mild organophotoredox-catalyzed method for efficient cyanation of a broad spectrum of electron-rich arenes, including abundant and readily available veratroles and pyrogallol trimethyl ethers. Notably, the transformations not only are compatible with various affordable 12C and 13C-cyanide sources, but also could be applied to carbon-11 synthons to incorporate [11C]nitriles into arenes. The aryl [11C]nitriles can be further derivatized to [11C]carboxylic acids, [11C]amides, and [11C]alkyl amines. The newly developed reaction can serve as a powerful tool for generating new PET agents.

ß-Functionalization of Saturated Aza-Heterocycles Enabled by Organic Photoredox Catalysis.

The direct ß-functionalization of saturated aza-heterocycles has remained a synthetic challenge because of the remote and unactivated nature of ß-C-H bonds in these motifs. Herein, we demonstrate the ß-functionalization of saturated aza-heterocycles enabled by a two-step organic photoredox catalysis approach. Initially, a photoredox-catalyzed copper-mediated dehydrogenation of saturated aza-heterocycles produces ene-carbamates. This is followed by an anti-Markovnikov hydrofunctionalization of the ene-carbamates with a range of heteroatom-containing nucleophiles furnishing an array of C-C, C-O, and C-N aza-heterocycles at the ß-position.

NHD2-15, a novel antagonist of Growth Factor Receptor-Bound Protein-2 (GRB2), inhibits leukemic proliferation.

The majority of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cases are caused by a chromosomal translocation linking the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) gene to the Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene-1 (ABL1), creating the mutant fusion protein BCR-ABL1. Downstream of BCR-ABL1 is growth factor receptor-bound protein-2 (GRB2), an intracellular adapter protein that binds to BCR-ABL1 via its src-homology-2 (SH2) domain. This binding constitutively activates growth pathways, downregulates apoptosis, and leads to an over proliferation of immature and dysfunctional myeloid cells. Utilizing novel synthetic methods, we developed four furo-quinoxaline compounds as GRB2 SH2 domain antagonists with the goal of disrupting this leukemogenic signaling. One of the four antagonists, NHD2-15, showed a significant reduction in proliferation of K562 cells, a human BCR-ABL1+ leukemic cell line. To elucidate the mode of action of these compounds, various biophysical, in vitro, and in vivo assays were performed. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays indicated that NHD2-15 antagonized GRB2, binding with a KD value of 119 ± 2 µM. Cellulose nitrate (CN) assays indicated that the compound selectively bound the SH2 domain of GRB2. Western blot assays suggested the antagonist downregulated proteins involved in leukemic transformation. Finally, NHD2-15 was nontoxic to primary cells and adult zebrafish, indicating that it may be an effective clinical treatment for CML.

Arene Cyanation via Cation-Radical Accelerated-Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution.

Herein we describe a cation radical-accelerated-nucleophilic aromatic substitution (CRA-SNAr) of alkoxy arenes utilizing a highly oxidizing acridinium photoredox catalyst and acetone cyanohydrin, an inexpensive and commercially available cyanide source. This cyanation is selective for carbon-oxygen (C-O) bond functionalization and is applicable to a range of methoxyarenes and dimethoxyarenes. Furthermore, computational studies provide a model for predicting regioselectivity and chemoselectivity in competitive C-H and C-O cyanation of methoxyarene cation radicals.