Unsaturated nitriles: conjugate additions of carbon nucleophiles to a recalcitrant class of acceptors

Mechanistic Insight Facilitates Discovery of a Mild and Efficient Copper-Catalyzed Dehydration of Primary Amides to Nitriles Using Hydrosilanes

Metal-catalyzed silylative dehydration of primary amides is an economical approach to the synthesis of nitriles. We report a copper-hydride(CuH)-catalyzed process that avoids a typically challenging 1,2-siloxane elimination step, thereby dramatically increasing the rate of the overall transformation relative to alternative metal-catalyzed systems. This new reaction proceeds at ambient temperature, tolerates a variety of metal-, acid-, or base-sensitive functional groups, and can be performed using a simple ligand, inexpensive siloxanes, and low catalyst loading.

Pd-Catalyzed tandem reaction of N-(2-cyanoaryl)benzamides with arylboronic acids: synthesis of quinazolines

A Pd-catalyzed tandem reaction of N-(2-cyanoaryl)benzamides with arylboronic acids for the synthesis of quinazolines has been reported.

Direct conjugate additions using aryl and alkyl organic halides in air and water

The direct aryl-conjugate addition to electron-deficient alkenes without prior stoichiometric formation of organometallic reagents in water catalyzed by copper represents an important but unresolved challenge.

Oxidative radical cascade cyclization involving C(sp3)–C(sp3), C(sp3)–C(sp2) and C(sp2)–N bonds formation: direct construction of cyano and methyl substituted polyheterocycles

Oxidative radical cascade cyclizations of 2-cyano-3-arylaniline derived acrylamides with acetonitrile and tert-butyl peroxybenzoate have been developed to construct cyano and methyl substituted pyrido[4,3,2-gh]phenanthridines.

Nickel-catalyzed cyanation of phenol derivatives activated by 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine

A nickel-catalyzed cyanation of phenol derivatives activated by 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine (TCT) using aminoacetonitrile as the cyanating agent is described.

Copper catalyzed cyanation through CC bond cleavage of gem-aryl dibromide followed by second cyanation of iodoarene by a released CN unit

A new approach for the synthesis of aryl cyanides through CC cleavage of styrenyl gem-dibromide has been achieved.

A base promoted one pot solvent free version of the Ramachary reductive coupling/alkylation reaction for the synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted ethyl cyanoacetates

An N,N-diisopropylethylamine promoted solvent-free Ramachary reductive coupling/alkylation (RRC/A) reaction for the synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted ethyl cyanoacetates has been developed. A series of 2,2-disubstituted ethyl cyanoacetates were synthesized in one pot by the RRC/A reaction of commercially available aldehydes, ethyl cyanacetates, alkyl halides and Hantzsch ester. A solvent free two step multicomponent reaction has also been developed for the preparation of 2,2-dialkylated malononitriles and 2,2-dialkylated 4-nitrophenyl acetonitriles. All the designed RRC/A products could be easily obtained with good yields by these methods.

An N,N-diisopropylethylamine promoted solvent-free Ramachary reductive coupling/alkylation (RRC/A) reaction for the synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted ethyl cyanoacetates has been developed.

Copper-catalyzed cyanothiolation to incorporate a sulfur-substituted quaternary carbon center

Sulfur-containing nitriles have important research value in the life sciences due to their diverse biological activities resulting from the sulfur and cyano functional groups. Herein, a copper-catalyzed cyanothiolation of N-tosylhydrazones with thiocyanates to generate α-arylthioalkanenitriles bearing sulfur-substituted quaternary carbon center atoms has been described. This novel protocol involves the procedure of copper carbene species promoting S-CN bond cleavage and C-CN/C-S bond reconstruction to introduce both sulfur and cyano groups onto a single carbon center. This cyanothiolation reaction will greatly enhance the synthetic utility of carbenoid species as new entries for the construction of diverse heteroatom-containing nitriles via cyanofunctionalization of metal-carbene species.

Transforming Olefins into γ,δ-Unsaturated Nitriles through Copper Catalysis

We have developed a strategy to transform olefins into homoallylic nitriles through a mechanism that combines copper catalysis with alkyl nitrile radicals. The radicals are easily generated from alkyl nitriles in the presence of the mild oxidant di-tert-butyl peroxide. This cross-dehydrogenative coupling between simple olefins and alkylnitriles bears advantages over the conventional use of halides and toxic cyanide reagents. With this method, we showcase the facile synthesis of a flavoring agent, a natural product, and a polymer precursor from simple olefins.

Novel fused pyrimidine and isoquinoline derivatives as potent HIV-1 NNRTIs: a patent evaluation of WO2016105532A1, WO2016105534A1 and WO2016105564A1

INTRODUCTION

In the three patent applications, the impact of changing the pyrimidine core of the rilpivirine (RPV) to a variety of alternative fused cores was explored, culminating in the identification of a series of conformationally restricted compounds with comparable potencies against WT and mutant HIV-1 strains with those of efavirenz (EFV) and RPV, and higher security in the Human Ether-a-go-go-Related Gene (hERG) assay. Areas covered: The present review provides a fused pyrimidine and isoquinoline derivatives as potent HIV-1 NNRTIs, and highlights the conformational restriction strategies in the development of NNRTIs. Expert opinion: The molecular docking analysis of the newly synthesized compounds maintain the classical horseshoe conformation and shares similar binding mode with RPV. The conformational restriction strategies have greatly accelerated the optimization of the DAPY NNRTIs and contribute to finding new chemical entities (NCEs) with favorable druggability.

Room temperature decarboxylative cyanation of carboxylic acids using photoredox catalysis and cyanobenziodoxolones: a divergent mechanism compared to alkynylation

The one-step conversion of aliphatic carboxylic acids to the corresponding nitriles has been accomplished via the merger of visible light mediated photoredox and cyanobenziodoxolones (CBX) reagents. The reaction proceeded in high yields with natural and non-natural α-amino and α-oxy acids, affording a broad scope of nitriles with excellent tolerance of the substituents in the α position. The direct cyanation of dipeptides and drug precursors was also achieved. The mechanism of the decarboxylative cyanation was investigated both computationally and experimentally and compared with the previously developed alkynylation reaction. Alkynylation was found to favor direct radical addition, whereas further oxidation by CBX to a carbocation and cyanide addition appeared more favorable for cyanation. A concerted mechanism is proposed for the reaction of radicals with EBX reagents, in contrast to the usually assumed addition elimination process.

Palladium-catalyzed tandem addition/cyclization in aqueous medium: synthesis of 2-arylindoles

Pd-catalyzed tandem reaction of potassium aryltrifluoroborates with nitriles for the synthesis of 2-arylindoles in aqueous medium.

Iron-catalyzed cascade cyanoalkylation/radical dearomatization of N-phenylcinnamamides: access to cyanoalkylated 1-azaspiro[4.5]decanes

An iron-catalyzed tandem cyanoalkylative dearomatization of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-cinnamamides via C(sp³)–H functionalization of nitriles with excellent regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity was developed.

Cyanation of aromatic/vinylic boronic acids with α-cyanoacetates

A protocol is reported to achieve safe and convenient aromatic and vinylic cyanation of boronic acids (as well as halides) with α-cyanoacetates, avoiding the use of toxic cyanide salts.

Acid-promoted denitrogenative Pd-catalyzed addition of arylhydrazines with nitriles at room temperature

Pd(TFA)₂-catalyzed denitrogenative addition proceeded with selective C–N bond cleavage of arylhydrazines with nitriles under air at room temperature.

Crystal structure of 2-(2,4-diphenyl-3-aza-bicyclo-[3.3.1]nonan-9-yl-idene)aceto-nitrile

In the title 3-aza-bicyclo-nonane derivative, C22H22N2, both the fused piperidine and cyclo-hexane rings adopt a chair conformation. The phenyl rings attached to the central aza-bicylononane fragment in an equatorial orientation are inclined to each other at 23.7 (1)°. The amino group is not involved in any hydrogen bonding, so the crystal packing is stabilized only by van der Waals forces.