Lithiation-electrophilic substitution of N-thiopivaloylazetidine

Synthesis of 2-Aryl Azetidines through Pd-Catalyzed Migration/Coupling of 3-Iodoazetidines and Aryl Boronic Acids

A palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of 3-iodoazetidines and nonheteroaryl boronic acids was reported. The [1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yldicyclohexylphosphane ligand enabled the reaction that favored the formation of 2-aryl azetidines. The control experiments indicated that the reaction can proceed through either a palladium-hydride/dihydroazete complex or free dihydroazete intermediate followed by hydropalladation.

Dynamic Phenomena and Complexation Effects in the α-Lithiation and Asymmetric Functionalization of Azetidines

In this work it is demonstrated that enantiomerically enriched N-alkyl 2-oxazolinylazetidines undergo exclusive α-lithiation, and that the resulting lithiated intermediate is chemically stable but configurationally labile under the given experimental conditions that afford enantioenriched N-alkyl-2,2-disubstituted azetidines. Although this study reveals the configurational instability of the diastereomeric lithiated azetidines, it points out an interesting stereoconvergence of such lithiated intermediates towards the thermodynamically stable species, making the overall process highly stereoselective (er > 95:5, dr > 85:15) after trapping with electrophiles. This peculiar behavior has been rationalized by considering the dynamics at the azetidine nitrogen atom, the inversion at the C-Li center supported by in situ FT-IR experiments, and DFT calculations that suggested the presence of η3-coordinated species for diastereomeric lithiated azetidines. The described situation contrasted with the demonstrated stability of the smaller lithiated aziridine analogue. The capability of oxazolinylazetidines to undergo different reaction patterns with organolithium bases supports the model termed “dynamic control of reactivity” of relevance in organolithium chemistry. It has been demonstrated that only 2,2-substituted oxazolinylazetidines with suitable stereochemical requirements could undergo C=N addition of organolithiums in non-coordinating solvents, leading to useful precursors of chiral (er > 95:5) ketoazetidines.

Development of a Continuous Flow Synthesis of 2-Substituted Azetines and 3-Substituted Azetidines by Using a Common Synthetic Precursor

The generation and functionalization, under continuous flow conditions, of two different lithiated four-membered aza-heterocycles is reported. N-Boc-3-iodoazetidine acts as a common synthetic platform for the genesis of C3-lithiated azetidine and C2-lithiated azetine depending on the lithiation agent. Flow technology enables easy handling of such lithiated intermediates at much higher temperatures compared to batch processing. Flow technology combined with cyclopentylmethyl ether as an environmentally responsible solvent allows us to address sustainability concerns.

Recent advances in the synthesis and reactivity of azetidines: strain-driven character of the four-membered heterocycle

Azetidines represent one of the most important four-membered heterocycles used in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. The reactivity of azetidines is driven by a considerable ring strain, while at the same the ring is significantly more stable than that of related aziridines, which translates into both facile handling and unique reactivity that can be triggered under appropriate reaction conditions. Recently, remarkable advances in the chemistry and reactivity of azetidines have been reported. In this review, we provide an overview of the synthesis, reactivity and application of azetidines that have been published in the last years with a focus on the most recent advances, trends and future directions. The review is organized by the methods of synthesis of azetidines and the reaction type used for functionalization of azetidines. Finally, recent examples of using azetidines as motifs in drug discovery, polymerization and chiral templates are discussed.

Uncommon Four-Membered Building Blocks - Cyclobutenes, Azetines and Thietes

Strained ring systems have gained considerable importance over the last few years for their implication in natural product syntheses or in drug discovery programs. We present herein a recollection of our work on the construction and functionalization of unsaturated four-membered carbo- and heterocycles in the context of the literature, as well as their applications in further reactions.

Electrophile dependent mechanisms in the asymmetric trapping of α-lithio-N-(tert-butoxythiocarbonyl)azetidine

Sn-Li exchange and 'poor man's Hoffmann tests' establish asymmetric trapping of α-lithio-N-(tert-butoxythiocarbonyl) (Botc) azetidine to be controlled by dynamic thermodynamic resolution or dynamic kinetic resolution, depending on the electrophile. Unusually, different configurational stability is seen for the anion generated by lithiation compared to transmetallation. Configurational stability of α-lithio-N-Boc azetidine indicates instability with the N-Botc system is due to the C[double bond, length as m-dash]S group.

Iridium(I)-Catalyzed α-C(sp3)-H Alkylation of Saturated Azacycles

Saturated azacycles are commonly encountered in bioactive compounds and approved therapeutic agents. The development of methods for functionalization of the α-methylene C-H bonds of these highly privileged building blocks is of great importance, especially in drug discovery. While much effort has been dedicated toward this goal by using a directed C-H activation approach, the development of directing groups that are both general as well as practical remains a significant challenge. Herein, the design and development of novel amidoxime directing groups is described for Ir(I)-catalyzed α-C(sp³)-H alkylation of saturated azacycles using readily available olefins as coupling partners. This protocol extends the scope of saturated azacycles to piperidines, azepane, and tetrahydroisoquinoline that are incompatible with our previously reported directing group. A variety of olefin coupling partners, including previously unreactive disubstituted terminal olefins and internal olefins, are compatible with this transformation. The selectivity for a branched α-C(sp³)-alkylation product is also observed for the first time when acrylate is used as the reaction partner. The development of practical, one-step installation and removal protocols further adds to the utility of amidoxime directing groups.

Skeletal remodelling of α-substituted cyclic eneformamides to α-ketonyl cyclic amines

A modular dehomologation strategy, which skeletally remodels cyclic α-substituted eneformamides to one-carbon shorter α-ketonyl saturated cyclic amines is described.

Synthesis and Homologation of an Azetidin-2-yl Boronic Ester with α-Lithioalkyl Triisopropylbenzoates

An α-boryl azetidine, obtained by α-lithiation-borylation of N-Botc azetidine, undergoes reaction with α-triisopropylbenzoyloxy organolithiums to give homologated boronic esters that can be further oxidized, homologated, arylated, and deprotected to give a range of α-substituted azetidines. Scalemic α-boryl azetidine-α-triisopropylbenzoyloxy organolithium pairings show stereospecific reagent control, providing access to either diastereomeric series of homologated boronic esters with very high er's.

Chiral donor-acceptor azetines as powerful reactants for synthesis of amino acid derivatives

Coupling reactions of amines and alcohols are of central importance for applications in chemistry and biology. These transformations typically involve the use of a reagent, activated as an electrophile, onto which nucleophile coupling results in the formation of a carbon-nitrogen or a carbon–oxygen bond. Several promising reagents and procedures have been developed to achieve these bond forming processes in high yields with excellent stereocontrol, but few offer direct coupling without the intervention of a catalyst. Herein, we report the synthesis of chiral donor–acceptor azetines by highly enantioselective [3 + 1]-cycloaddition of enoldiazoacetates with aza-ylides and their selective coupling with nitrogen and oxygen nucleophiles via 3-azetidinones to form amino acid derivatives, including those of peptides and natural products. The overall process is general for a broad spectrum of nucleophiles, has a high degree of electronic and steric selectivity, and retains the enantiopurity of the original azetine.

Chiral 3-azetidinones are structural analogues of medicinally relevant β-lactams, however their synthesis and reactivity are underexplored. Here, the authors show a highly enantioselective copper-catalyzed [3 + 1]-cycloaddition generating 2-azetidines, which react with nucleophiles yielding amino acids via 3-azetidinones.

Organoboron synthesis via ring opening coupling reactions

One of the most atom economical synthesis reactions of organoboron compounds can be achieved by addition reactions of boron reagents to unsaturated substrates. However, when the addition reaction takes place via carbanions promoting ring opening coupling reactions, the selective cleavage of the inherent bonds and the generation of new C-C bonds warrant the selective synthesis of organoboron systems with total efficiency. Here we describe new trends towards the selective synthesis of organoboron compounds where boron reagents and cyclic substrates participate in the generation of carbanions, in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of main-group metals or catalytic amounts of transition metal complexes, via ring opening coupling transformations. The generality and limitations of these new protocols are discussed.

Synthesis of 3,3-Diarylazetidines by Calcium(II)-Catalyzed Friedel-Crafts Reaction of Azetidinols with Unexpected Cbz Enhanced Reactivity

Azetidines are valuable motifs that readily access under explored chemical space for drug discovery. 3,3-Diarylazetidines are prepared in high yield from N-Cbz azetidinols in a calcium(II)-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation of (hetero)aromatics and phenols, including complex phenols such as β-estradiol. Electron poor phenols undergo O-alkylation. The product azetidines can be derivatized to drug-like compounds through the azetidine nitrogen and the aromatic groups. The N-Cbz group is crucial to reactivity by providing stabilization of an intermediate carbocation on the four-membered ring.

Facile Synthesis of Azetidine Nitrones and Diastereoselective Conversion into Densely Substituted Azetidines

An electrocyclization route to azetidine nitrones from N-alkenylnitrones was discovered that provides facile access to these unsaturated strained heterocycles. Reactivity studies showed that these compounds undergo a variety of reduction, cycloaddition, and nucleophilic addition reactions to form highly substituted azetidines with excellent diastereoselectivity. Taken together, these transformations provide a fundamentally different approach to azetidine synthesis than traditional cyclization by nucleophilic displacement and provide novel access to a variety of underexplored strained heterocyclic compounds.

Practical Alkoxythiocarbonyl Auxiliaries for Iridium(I)-Catalyzed C-H Alkylation of Azacycles

The development of new and practical 3-pentoxythiocarbonyl auxiliaries for Ir^I -catalyzed C-H alkylation of azacycles is described. This method allows for the α-C-H alkylation of a variety of substituted pyrrolidines, piperidines, and tetrahydroisoquinolines through alkylation with alkenes. While the practicality of these simple carbamate-type auxiliaries is underscored by the ease of installation and removal, the method's utility is demonstrated in its ability to functionalize biologically relevant l-proline and l-trans-hydroxyproline, delivering unique 2,5-dialkylated amino acid analogues that are not accessible by other C-H functionalization methods.

Recent advances in the chemistry of metallated azetidines

The almost unexplored four-membered azetidines represent a particularly interesting class of molecules, among the family of saturated nitrogen heterocycles. This review reports recent developments in direct metal-based functionalization of the azetidine ring, focusing on the regio- and stereoselectivity of these reactions.

Enantioselective amine α-functionalization via palladium-catalysed C-H arylation of thioamides

Saturated aza-heterocycles are highly privileged building blocks that are commonly encountered in bioactive compounds and approved therapeutic agents. These N-heterocycles are also incorporated as chiral auxiliaries and ligands in asymmetric synthesis. As such, development of methods to functionalize the α-methylene C–H bonds of these systems enantioselectively is of great importance, especially in drug discovery. Currently, enantioselective lithiation with (–)-sparteine followed by Pd(0) catalyzed cross coupling to prepare α-arylated amines is largely limited to pyrrolidines. Here we report a Pd(II)-catalyzed enantioselective α-C–H coupling of a wide range of amines, including ethyl amines, azetidines, pyrrolidines, piperidines, azepanes, indolines, and tetrahydroisoquinolines. Chiral phosphoric acids are demonstrated as effective anionic ligands for the enantioselective coupling of methylene C–H bonds with aryl boronic acids. This catalytic reaction not only affords high enantioselectivities, but also provides exclusive regioselectivity in the presence of two methylene groups in different steric environments.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 2-Substituted Azetidin-3-ones via Metalated SAMP/RAMP Hydrazones

2-Substituted azetidin-3-ones can be prepared in good yields and enantioselectivities (up to 85% ee) by a one-pot procedure involving the metalation of the SAMP/RAMP hydrazones of N-Boc-azetidin-3-one, reaction with a wide range of electrophiles, including alkyl, allyl, and benzyl halides and carbonyl compounds, followed by hydrolysis using oxalic acid.

Exploiting structural and conformational effects for a site-selective lithiation of azetidines

Interest in molecular structures bearing four-membered heterocycles (FMHs) is growing due to the possibility to explore new regions of the chemical space and get new lead molecules. Our interest in the development of divergent synthesis of functionalized FMHs, prompted us to disclose factors affecting the reactivity of nitrogen-bearing FMHs towards metalating agents. Our investigations demonstrated that structural factors and conformational preferences need to be considered in planning a site-selective functionalization of azetidines. It will be showed how such factors could have pivotal importance in the reactivity of FMHs.

Two Scalable Syntheses of (S)-2-Methylazetidine

Two orthogonal routes for preparing (S)-2-methylazetidine as a bench stable, crystalline (R)-(-)-CSA salt are presented. One route features the in situ generation and cyclization of a 1,3-bis-triflate to form the azetidine ring, while the second route involves chemoselective reduction of N-Boc azetidine-2-carboxylic acid. Both sequences afford the desired product in good overall yields (61% and 49%) and high enantiomeric excess (>99% ee), avoid column chromatography, and are suitable for the large-scale production of this material.

Mechanistic interrogation of the asymmetric lithiation-trapping of N-thiopivaloyl azetidine and pyrrolidine

A fundamental mechanistic study of the s-BuLi/chiral diamine-mediated lithiation-trapping of N-thiopivaloyl azetidine and pyrrolidine is reported. We show that lithiated thiopivalamides are configurationally unstable at -78 °C. Reaction then proceeds via a dynamic resolution of diastereomeric lithiated intermediates and this accounts for the variable sense and degree of asymmetric induction observed compared to N-Boc heterocycles.

α- and α'-Lithiation-Electrophile Trapping of N-Thiopivaloyl and N-tert-Butoxythiocarbonyl α-Substituted Azetidines: Rationalization of the Regiodivergence Using NMR and Computation

(1)H NMR and computational analyses provide insight into the regiodivergent (α- and α'-) lithiation-electrophile trapping of N-thiopivaloyl- and N-(tert-butoxythiocarbonyl)-α-alkylazetidines. The magnitudes of the rotation barriers in these azetidines indicate that rotamer interconversions do not occur at the temperature and on the time scale of the lithiations. The NMR and computational studies support the origin of regioselectivity as being thiocarbonyl-directed lithiation from the lowest energy amide-like rotameric forms (cis for N-thiopivaloyl and trans for N-tert-butoxythiocarbonyl).

α-Arylation of Saturated Azacycles and N-Methylamines via Palladium(II)-Catalyzed C(sp(3))-H Coupling

Pd(II)-catalyzed α-C(sp(3))-H arylation of pyrrolidines, piperidines, azepanes, and N-methylamines with arylboronic acids has been developed for the first time. This transformation is applicable to wide arrays of pyrrolidines and boronic acids, including heteroaromatic boronic acids. A diastereoselective one-pot heterodiarylation of pyrrolidines has also been achieved.

Easy access to constrained peptidomimetics and 2,2-disubstituted azetidines by the unexpected reactivity profile of α-lithiated N-Boc-azetidines

The unprecedented reactivity profile of lithiatedN-Boc-2-arylazetidines gave access either to new azetidine-based peptidomimetics or to the regioselective functionalization of the azetidine ring.

Amine protection/α-activation with the tert-butoxythiocarbonyl group: application to azetidine lithiation-electrophilic substitution

tert-Butoxythiocarbonyl (Botc), the long-neglected thiocarbonyl analogue of Boc, facilitates (unlike its alkoxycarbonyl cousin) α-lithiation and electrophile incorporation on N-Botc-azetidine. N,N,N',N'-endo,endo-Tetramethyl-2,5-diaminonorbornane proved optimal as a chiral ligand, generating adducts with er up to 92:8. Facile deprotection, under conditions that left the corresponding N-Boc systems intact, was achieved using either TFA or via thermolysis in ethanol.

On the synthesis of α-amino sulfoxides

A synthetic study on the preparation of N-Boc α-amino sulfoxides has revealed an unexpected instability which is believed to be due to α-elimination of the sulfoxide to give an iminium ion. Full synthetic details are reported on two main synthetic routes: lithiation and sulfinate trapping of N-Boc heterocycles and oxidation of N-Boc α-amino sulfides. Six novel α-amino sulfoxides were successfully prepared and isolated. It is speculated that four other α-amino sulfoxides were synthesised but could not be isolated due to their propensity to α-eliminate the sulfoxide. Ultimately, a stable, cyclic N-Boc α-amino sulfoxide was prepared and this successful synthesis relied on the α-amino sulfoxide being part of a bicyclic [3.1.0] fused ring system that could not undergo α-elimination of the sulfoxide.

Generation and electrophile trapping of N-Boc-2-lithio-2-azetine: synthesis of 2-substituted 2-azetines

s-BuLi-induced α-lithiation–elimination of LiOMe from N-Boc-3-methoxyazetidine and further in situ α-lithiation generates N-Boc-2-lithio-2-azetine which can be trapped with electrophiles, either directly (carbonyl or heteroatom electrophiles) or after transmetalation to copper (allowing allylations and propargylations), providing a concise access to 2-substituted 2-azetines.

α-Lithiation-electrophile trapping of N-thiopivaloylazetidin-3-ol: stereoselective synthesis of 2-substituted 3-hydroxyazetidines

α-Lithiation of N-thiopivaloylazetidin-3-ol and subsequent electrophile trapping provides access to a range of 2-substituted 3-hydroxyazetidines with generally good trans-diastereoselectivity, aside from deuteration, which gives the cis-diastereoisomer. Deuterium labeling studies indicate that the initial α-deprotonation occurs preferentially, but not exclusively, in a trans-selective manner. These studies also suggest that the stereochemical outcome of the electrophile trapping depends on the electrophile used but is independent of which α-proton (cis or trans to the hydroxyl group) is initially removed.