Cultivating the Passion to Build Heterocycles from 1,2‐Diaza‐1,3‐dienes: the Force of Imagination

Access to novel imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazine scaffolds by the combined use of a three-component reaction and a base-assisted intramolecular cyclization

A novel and practical two-step approach to an intriguing class of imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazines with exocyclic C=X (X = CH2, O) bonds is described. The process utilizes a sequential three-component reaction of propargyl amine or aminoester, 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes and isothiocyanates to furnish functionalized 2-thiohydantoins which are transformed into thiohydantoin-fused tetrahydropyrazines by subsequent regioselective base-promoted cyclization.

Highly diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of chiral non-racemic nitrones to 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes: an experimental and computational investigation

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions between 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes and chiral non-racemic nitrones to give 3-substituted-5-diazenyl isoxazolidines were studied.

A facile synthesis of deaza-analogues of the bisindole marine alkaloid topsentin

A series of substituted ethyl 1-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-2-methyl-5-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-4-[(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)carbonyl]-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates were prepared in excellent yields (82-98%) by one-pot reactions between β-dicarbonyl compounds 12a–e and 1,2-diaza-1,3-diene (DD) 13. Derivatives 10a,c–e, deazaanalogues of the bis-indole alkaloid topsentin, screened by the National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD, USA) in the in vitro one dose primary anticancer assay against a panel of about 60 human tumor cell lines, showed no significant activity, with the exception of compound 9e, which showed moderate activity against the HOP-92 cell line of the non small cell lung cancer sub-panel and the SNB-75 cell line of the CNS sub-panel.

Powerful approach to heterocyclic skeletal diversity by sequential three-component reaction of amines, isothiocyanates, and 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes

By highly efficient, one-pot, three-component reactions, combining one set of 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs), primary amines, and isothiocyanates in a different sequential order of addition, heterocyclic skeletal diversity can be achieved. The key feature discriminating the different heterocyclic core formation is the availability of the N or S heteronucleophile to give the first Michael addition step affording regioselective substituted 2-thiohydantoins or 2-iminothiazolidinones. The hydrazone or enehydrazino side chain at the 5-position of both heterocycles represents a valuable functionality to reach novel 5-hydroxyethylidene derivatives difficult to obtain by other methods.

Divergent regioselective synthesis of 2,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-1,4-diazepin-2-ones and 5H-1,4-benzodiazepines

A novel and simple one-pot synthesis of 3-substituted 2,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-1,4-diazepin-2-ones from 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs) and N-unsubstituted aliphatic 1,3-diamines is described. Here we also report a procedure to selectively obtain alkyl 5H-1,4-benzodiazepine-3-carboxylates from the DDs and 2-aminobenzylamine. Both processes occur by means of sequential 1,4-conjugated addition followed by regioselective 7-exo cyclization. The behavior of N-methyl- and N,N'-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropanes toward the DDs furnished pyrazol-3-ones and bis-α-aminohydrazones, respectively.

Investigation of the stereochemistry of intermolecular conjugate additions of nucleophiles to acyclic nitrosoalkenes

Michael-type conjugate additions of γ-chiral aldehyde-derived acyclic nitrosoalkenes have been explored using a series of carbon and hetero nucleophiles. In all cases examined, these reactions are stereoselective, leading exclusively to the anti products.

One-Pot Synthesis of Imidazole-4-Carboxylates by Microwave-Assisted 1,5-Electrocyclization of Azavinyl Azomethine Ylides

Diversely functionalized imidazole-4-carboxylates were synthesized by microwave-assisted 1,5-eletrocyclization of 1,2-diaza-1,3-diene-derived azavinyl azomethine ylides. 1,2-Diaza-1,3-dienes were treated with primary aliphatic or aromatic amines and subjected to microwave irradiation in the presence of aldehydes. 3-Alkyl- and 3-arylimidazole-4-carboxylates were prepared in good yields through a one-pot multicomponent procedure. Modulation of the substituents at C-2, N-3 and C-5 was possible, and 2-unsubstituted imidazoles were obtained when paraformaldehyde was used.