Reaction of Pyridine‐ N ‐Oxides with Tertiary sp 2 ‐ N ‐Nucleophiles: An Efficient Synthesis of Precursors for N ‐(Pyrid‐2‐yl)‐Substituted N ‐Heterocyclic Carbenes

Mechanistic Approach Toward the C4-Selective Amination of Pyridines via Nucleophilic Substitution of Hydrogen

The development of site-selective functionalization of N-heteroarenes is highly desirable in streamlined synthesis. In this context, direct amination of pyridines stands as an important synthetic methodology, with particular emphasis on accessing 4-aminopyridines, a versatile pharmacophore in medicinal chemistry. Herein, we report a reaction manifold for the C4-selective amination of pyridines by employing nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (SNH). Through 4-pyridyl pyridinium salt intermediates, 4-aminopyridine products are obtained in reaction with aqueous ammonia without intermediate isolation. The notable regioselectivity was achieved by the electronic tuning of the external pyridine reagents along with the maximization of polarizability in the proton elimination stage. Further mechanistic investigations provided a guiding principle for the selective C-H pyridination of additional N-heteroarenes, presenting a strategic avenue for installation of diverse functional groups.

Synthesis of quinoxaline derivatives via aromatic nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen

The electrophilic nature of quinoxaline has been explored in the vicarious nucleophilic substitution (VNS) of hydrogen with various carbanions as nucleophiles in an attempt to develop a general method for functionalizing the heterocyclic ring. Only poorly stabilized nitrile carbanions were found to give the VNS products. 2-Chloroquinoxaline gave products of S_NAr of chlorine preferentially. A variety of quinoxaline derivatives containing cyanoalkyl, sulfonylalkyl, benzyl or ester substituents, including fluorinated ones, have been prepared in the VNS reactions with quinoxaline N-oxide.

Synthesis of Quinoline-2-thiones by Selective Deoxygenative C-H/C-S Functionalization of Quinoline N-Oxides with Thiourea

Quinoline-2-thiones valuable for synthetic and medicinal chemistry applications were obtained with excellent regioselectivity employing a deoxygenative C-H functionalization of readily available quinoline-N-oxides with thiourea upon activation with triflic anhydride. Unlike the current methods, this approach provides general access to diverse quinoline-2-thiones functionalized with groups of different electronic natures. Experimental simplicity and good to high yields are advantages of this protocol. Given the high reactivity of quinoline-2-thiones, this method provides an entry point for the synthesis of diverse organosulfur quinoline scaffolds.

C2-Selective, Functional-Group-Divergent Amination of Pyrimidines by Enthalpy-Controlled Nucleophilic Functionalization

Synthesis of heteroaryl amines has been an important topic in organic chemistry because of their importance in small-molecule discovery. In particular, 2-aminopyrimidines represent a highly privileged structural motif that is prevalent in bioactive molecules, but a general strategy to introduce the pyrimidine C2-N bonds via direct functionalization is elusive. Here we describe a synthetic platform for site-selective C-H functionalization that affords pyrimidinyl iminium salt intermediates, which then can be transformed into various amine products in situ. Mechanism-based reagent design allowed for the C2-selective amination of pyrimidines, opening the new scope of site-selective heteroaryl C-H functionalization. Our method is compatible with a broad range of pyrimidines with sensitive functional groups and can access complex aminopyrimidines with high selectivity.

Uniting Amide Synthesis and Activation by PIII/PV-Catalyzed Serial Condensation: Three-Component Assembly of 2-Amidopyridines

An organophosphorus (P^III/P^V redox) catalyzed method for the three-component condensation of amines, carboxylic acids, and pyridine N-oxides to generate 2-amidopyridines via serial dehydration is reported. Whereas amide synthesis and functionalization usually occur under divergent reaction conditions, here a phosphetane catalyst (together with a mild bromenium oxidant and terminal hydrosilane reductant) is shown to drive both steps chemoselectively in an auto-tandem catalytic cascade. The ability to both prepare and functionalize amides under the action of a single organocatalytic reactive intermediate enables new possibilities for the efficient and modular preparation of medicinal targets.

From Pyridine-N-oxides to 2-Functionalized Pyridines through Pyridyl Phosphonium Salts: An Umpolung Strategy

The reactions of pyridine-N-oxides with Ph₃P under the developed conditions provide an unprecedented route to (pyridine-2-yl)phosphonium salts. Upon activation with DABCO, these salts readily serve as functionalized 2-pyridyl nucleophile equivalents. This umpolung strategy allows for the selective C2 functionalization of the pyridine ring with electrophiles, avoiding the generation and use of unstable organometallic reagents. The protocol operates at ambient temperature and tolerates sensitive functional groups, enabling the synthesis of otherwise challenging compounds.