Urea-Promoted Neat Synthesis of Fused Dihydroisoquinolines and Disubstituted Pyridines: A Mechanistic Observation with Molecular-Sensing Studies

An efficient and short synthesis of fused dihydroisoquinolines, diaryl substituted pyridine derivatives in good to high yields has been established by using an environmentally safe, solvent-metal-oxidant-free tandem approach. In this article, we discuss how the electrocyclic reaction is more pronounced in the solid phase in the presence of urea, whereas the typical aza-Michael addition is more prominent in presence of arylamine in the solution phase for 3-(2-formylcycloalkenyl)acrylic ester derivative substrates. The wide range of substrates and urea-promoted neat synthesis made our approach more significant in medical and also analytical science. Moreover, an isoquinoline alkaloid decumbenine B analogue has been synthesized by using our newly developed neat methodology. We have also investigated the photophysical properties of the synthesized fused dihydroisoquinoline derivatives. One of the synthesized molecules was used as a sensor for the selective detection of toxic picric acid. Therefore, the effective neat synthesis and molecular sensing applications of these compounds made our approach more exciting in the field of heterocyclic chemistry.

AgNO3 as Nitrogen Source for Cu-Catalyzed Cyclization of Oximes with Isocyanates: A Facile Route to N-2-Aryl-1,2,3-triazoles

A versatile copper-catalyzed [3 + 1 + 1] annulation of oximes and isocyanates with AgNO₃ is described. In this conversion, AgNO₃ and isocyanates instead of conventional azide or diazonium reagents were used as the nitrogen source. This three-component transformation was achieved by cleaving N-O/C-H/C-N bonds and building C═N/N-N bonds, which provides a strategy to prepare N-2-aryl-1,2,3-triazoles with a good substrate and functional compatibility.

Microwave-Assisted Palladium-Catalyzed Reductive Cyclization/Ring-Opening/Aromatization Cascade of Oxazolidines to Isoquinolines

An efficient palladium-catalyzed reaction of N-propargyl oxazolidines for the construction of 4-substituted isoquinolines under microwave irradiation is developed. This transformation proceeds through a sequential palladium-catalyzed reductive cyclization/ring-opening/aromatization cascade via C-O and C-N bond cleavages of the oxazolidine ring. The practical value of this method has also been explored by conducting a millimole-scale reaction, as well as by transforming the isoquinoline into a key intermediate for the synthesis of a lamellarin analogue.

A novel ratiometric and reversible fluorescence probe with a large Stokes shift for Cu2+ based on a new clamp-on unit

A novel ratiometric and reversible chemosensor 4-((2-(Benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)ethynyl)-N,N-diethylaniline (BT-1) based on ortho-arylethynyl benzothiazole with large Stokes shift (Δλ≈190 nm) was designed and synthesized to recognize Cu²⁺. Copper ion induces a remarkable fluorescence enhancement and causes formation of a BT-1-Cu complex. The clamp-on coordination mode of BT-1 to Cu²⁺ was demonstrated using Job's plot, mass spectrum (MS) and DFT calculations. The calculations also indicate that Cu²⁺ was chelated to BT-1 through N and alkyne instead of S and alkyne. The probe could quantify Cu²⁺ with the detection limit of 3.2 × 10^-9 M. The in vitro imaging results indicated that the probe BT-1 was membrane-permeable and could be applied into the recognition of Cu²⁺ ions in living cells.

Dioxane-involving reaction for the synthesis of 3-aryl-1-(2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy)isoquinolines catalyzed by AgOTf

Dioxane was found to be involved in the reaction of 2-(arylethynyl)benzaldehydes and 3-aminopyrazine-2-carbohydrazide, and underwent a ring-opening reaction catalyzed by AgOTf. This domino type procedure provided an efficient method for the synthesis of 3-aryl-1-(2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy)isoquinolines in good yields via the loss of a molecule of 3-aminopyrazine-2-carboxamide.

Ag(i)-Catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 4-fluorobenzo[b][1,6] naphthyridines and 4-fluoroisoquinolines via iminofluorination of alkynes with Selectfluor

Ag(i)-Catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 4-fluorobenzo[b][1,6]naphthyridines is described from o-alkynylquinolinyl aldehydes through imines.