Highly enantioselective synthesis of designed chiral acyclonucleosides and acyclonucleotides by organocatalytic aza-Michael addition

"All-Aqueous" Tandem Boc-Deprotection and Alkylation of N-Bocbenzimidazole Derivatives under Visible Light with Alkyl Aryl Diazoacetates: Application to Site-Selective Insertion of Carbenes into the N-H Bond of Purines

Herein, we have reported a blue LED-induced tandem Boc-deprotection and NH-alkylation of benzimidazole derivatives with methyl aryl diazoacetates. The reactions occur in water at room temperature. The desired products are obtained in good to excellent yields. The putative mechanism of this reaction is discussed based on control experiments and supported by DFT studies. Additionally, the strategy is used to alkylate various purine derivatives via site-selective N¹-alkylation to generate acyclic nucleoside analogues.

Recent advances in organocatalytic asymmetric aza-Michael reactions of amines and amides

Nitrogen-containing scaffolds are ubiquitous in nature and constitute an important class of building blocks in organic synthesis. The asymmetric aza-Michael reaction (aza-MR) alone or in tandem with other organic reaction(s) is an important synthetic tool to form new C-N bond(s) leading to developing new libraries of diverse types of bioactive nitrogen compounds. The synthesis and application of a variety of organocatalysts for accomplishing highly useful organic syntheses without causing environmental pollution in compliance with 'Green Chemistry" has been a landmark development in the recent past. Application of many of these organocatalysts has been extended to asymmetric aza-MR during the last two decades. The present article overviews the literature published during the last 10 years concerning the asymmetric aza-MR of amines and amides catalysed by organocatalysts. Both types of the organocatalysts, i.e., those acting through non-covalent interactions and those working through covalent bond formation have been applied for the asymmetric aza-MR. Thus, the review includes the examples wherein cinchona alkaloids, squaramides, chiral amines, phase-transfer catalysts and chiral bifunctional thioureas have been used, which activate the substrates through hydrogen bond formation. Most of these reactions are accompanied by high yields and enantiomeric excesses. On the other hand, N-heterocyclic carbenes and chiral pyrrolidine derivatives acting through covalent bond formation such as the iminium ions with the substrates have also been included. Wherever possible, a comparison has been made between the efficacies of various organocatalysts in asymmetric aza-MR.

Design, Synthesis, and Activity Evaluation of Novel Acyclic Nucleosides as Potential Anticancer Agents In Vitro and In Vivo

In the present work, 103 novel acyclic nucleosides were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies revealed that most target compounds inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro, of which 3-(6-chloro-9H-purin-9-yl)dodecan-1-ol (9b) exhibited the most potent effect against the HCT-116 and SW480 cells with IC50 values of 0.89 and 1.15 μM, respectively. Furthermore, all of the (R)-configured acyclic nucleoside derivatives displayed more potent anticancer activity compared to their (S)-counterparts. Mechanistic studies revealed that compound 9b triggered apoptosis in the cancer cell lines via depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane and effectively inhibited colony formation. Importantly, compound 9b inhibited the growth of the SW480 xenograft in a mouse model with low systemic toxicity. These results indicated that acyclic nucleoside compounds are viable as potent and effective anticancer agents, and compound 9b may serve as a promising lead compound that merits further attention in future anticancer drug discovery.

Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of α-Purine Substituted Alkanoic Acids: Access to Chiral Acyclic Purine Nucleosides

An efficient route to construct chiral acyclic purine nucleoside analogues via dynamic kinetic resolution of α-purine substituted alkanoic acids is reported. Using ( S)-BTM as the catalyst, diverse chiral acyclic purine nucleoside analogues were obtained in moderate to good yields (up to 93%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Chiral acyclic purine nucleosides could be obtained from the esterified products via reduction reaction, which could then be transferred into Tenofovir analogues.

Chemoselective asymmetric dearomative [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of purines with aminocyclopropanes

Chemoselective asymmetric [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of purines with aminocyclopropanes for the dearomatization of purines have been successfully developed.

Recent advances in the asymmetric synthesis of pharmacology-relevant nitrogen heterocycles via stereoselective aza-Michael reactions

In this review, recent applications of a stereoselective aza-Michael reaction for asymmetric synthesis of naturally occurring N-containing heterocyclic scaffolds and their usefulness to pharmacology are summarized.

Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of acyclic pyrimidine nucleosides by aza-Michael reaction

An efficient diarylprolinol triphenylsilyl ether-catalyzed enantioselective aza-Michael reaction of pyrimidines as N-centered nucleophiles to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, followed by reduction, provided chiral acyclic pyrimidine nucleosides in good yields (51-78% yields for two steps) and excellent enantioselectivities (91-98% ee). In addition, the chiral acyclic pyrimidine nucleoside having the tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-protected hydroxyl substituent was successfully applied to the synthesis of the corresponding chiral cyclic pyrimidine nucleoside analogue bearing the tetrahydrofuranyl ring.

Regio- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Pyrimidine Acyclic Nucleosides via Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylation of Pyrimidines

A direct route to branched N-allylpyrimidine analogues is herein reported via the highly regio- and enantioselective asymmetric allylation of pyrimidines with racemic allylic carbonates. With [Rh(COD)Cl]₂/chiral diphosphine as the catalyst, a range of chiral pyrimidine acyclic nucleosides could be obtained under neutral conditions in good yields (up to 95% yield) with high levels of regio- and enantioselectivities (15:1 to >40:1 B/L and up to 99% ee). Furthermore, chiral pyrimidine acyclic nucleoside bearing two adjacent chiral centers has been successfully synthesized by asymmetric dihydroxylation.

Palladium-catalyzed allylic amination: a powerful tool for the enantioselective synthesis of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates

Acyclic nucleoside phosphonate were prepared in high yield and up to 92% ee using an enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of acyclic nucleosides via ring-opening of vinyl cyclopropanes with purines

The diversity-oriented synthesis of acyclic nucleosides has been achieved via ring-opening of vinyl cyclopropanes with purines.

A straightforward entry to chiral carbocyclic nucleoside analogues via the enantioselective [3+2] cycloaddition of α-nucleobase substituted acrylates

A straightforward entry to chiral carbocyclic nucleoside analogues is achievedviathe enantioselective [3+2] cycloaddition of α-nucleobase substituted acrylates to vinyl cyclopropanes.

A rapid and divergent access to chiral azacyclic nucleoside analogues via highly enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of β-nucleobase substituted acrylates

A rapid and divergent access to chiral azacyclic nucleoside analogues was developed via enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of β-nucleobase substituted acrylates.

Bifunctional cinchona alkaloid-squaramide-catalyzed highly enantioselective aza-Michael addition of indolines to α,β-unsaturated ketones

An enantioselective aza-Michael addition of indolines to α,β-unsaturated ketones was achieved using a bifunctional cinchona alkaloid-derived chiral squaramide derivative. Various β-indolinyl ketone derivatives were obtained in good to excellent yields and with high enantioselectivity. DDQ or MnO2 oxidation of indoline derivatives provided convenient access to various enantioenriched N-substituted indole derivatives.

Copper-catalyzed synthesis of purine-fused polycyclics

A novel protocol for a Cu-catalyzed direct C((sp(2)))-H activation/intramolecular amination reaction of 6-anilinopurine nucleosides has been developed. This approach provides a new access to a variety of multiheterocyclic compounds from purine compounds via Cu-catalyzed intramolecular N-H bond tautomerism which are endowed with fluorescence.