Application of Barluenga Boronic Coupling (BBC) to the Parallel Synthesis of Drug-like and Drug Fragment-like Molecules

Design and Synthesis of 1,3-Diarylpyrazoles and Investigation of Their Cytotoxicity and Antiparasitic Profile

Herein, we report a series of 1,3-diarylpyrazoles that are analogues of compound 26/HIT 8. We previously identified this molecule as a 'hit' during a high-throughput screening campaign for autophagy inducers. A variety of synthetic strategies were utilized to modify the 1,3-diarylpyrazole core at its 1-, 3-, and 4-position. Compounds were assessed in vitro to identify their cytotoxicity properties. Of note, several compounds in the series displayed relevant cytotoxicity, which warrants scrutiny while interpreting biological activities that have been reported for structurally related molecules. In addition, antiparasitic activities were recorded against a range of human-infective protozoa, including Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei rhodesiense, and Leishmania infantum. The most interesting compounds displayed low micromolar whole-cell potencies against individual or several parasitic species, while lacking cytotoxicity against human cells.

Selective Formal Carbene Insertion into Carbon-Boron Bonds of Diboronates by N-Trisylhydrazones

Bisborylalkanes play important roles in organic synthesis as versatile bifunctional reagents. The two boron moieties in these compounds can be selectively converted into other functional groups through cross-coupling, oxidation or radical reactions. Thus, the development of efficient methods for synthesizing bisborylalkanes is highly demanded. Herein we report a new strategy to access bisborylalkanes through the reaction of N-trisylhydrazones with diboronate, in which the bis(boryl) methane is transformed into 1,2-bis(boronates) via formal carbene insertion. Since the N-trisylhydrazones can be readily derived from the corresponding aldehydes, this strategy represents a practical synthesis of 1,2-diboronates with broad substrate scope. Mechanistic studies reveal an unusual neighboring group effect of 1,1-bis(boronates), which accounts for the observed regioselectivity when unsymmetric 1,1-diboronates are applied.

Coupling Reactions of Anhydro-Aldose Tosylhydrazones with Boronic Acids

A catalyst-free coupling reaction between O-peracetylated, O-perbenzoylated, O-permethylated, and O-permethoxymethylated 2,6-anhydro-aldose tosylhydrazones (C-(β-d-glycopyranosyl)formaldehyde tosylhydrazones) and aromatic boronic acids is reported. The base-promoted reaction is operationally simple and exhibits a broad substrate scope. The main products in most of the transformations were open-chain 1-C-aryl-hept-1-enitol type compounds while the expected β-d-glycopyranosylmethyl arenes (benzyl C-glycosides) were formed in subordinate yields only. A mechanistic rationale is provided to explain how a complex substrate may change the well-established course of the reaction.

Transition metal-free reductive coupling of allylic sulfonylhydrazones with aryl boronic acids for C(sp3)–C(sp2) bond formation

The reductive coupling between allylic sulfonylhydrazones and aryl boronic acids gives 1,3-diarylpropene systems with good to excellent yields under very simple reaction conditions without metal catalysts and an inert atmosphere.

Achieving C(sp2)-C(sp3) Coupling with BCP-F2 Building Blocks via Barluenga Coupling: A Comparative Approach

We report our efforts toward achieving C(sp²)-C(sp³) coupling reactions with 2,2-difluorobicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP-F₂) building blocks. By comparing the reactivities of matching pairs of bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) and BCP-F₂ analogues, we discovered that the Barluenga coupling reaction was the only cross-coupling protocol that translated well between the two structural motifs in contrast to other reported protocols. In this chemistry, a BCP-F₂ bearing a tosylhydrazone functional group is cross-coupled with an arylboronic acid. These results further expanded the scope of BCP-F₂ building blocks for potential applications in organic chemistry as well as medicinal chemistry.

Transition-Metal-Free Valorization of Biomass-derived Levulinic Acid Derivatives: Synthesis of Curcumene and Xanthorrhizol

Levulinic acid (LA) is acknowledged one of the most promising biomass-derived platform molecules and can be transformed into various value-added chemicals. Here, we report a new reaction process for the valorization of LA derivatives under transition-metal-free condition. The protocol combined with the conversion of the levulinate to tosylhydrazone and base promoted arylation, acylation, and etherification cross-coupling. Moreover, our method was applied to synthesize three biologically active molecules, rac-curcumene, rac-xanthorrhizol and rac-4,7-dimethyl-l-tetralone. This reaction discloses a new avenue for the high-value utilization of platform molecules.

Room Temperature Coupling of Aryldiazoacetates with Boronic Acids Enhanced by Blue Light Irradiation

A visible-light-promoted photochemical protocol is reported for the coupling of aryldiazoacetates with boronic acids. This photochemical reaction shows great enhancement compared to the same protocol performed in the absence of light. Except for a few cases, the room temperature coupling in the dark (thermal process) generally does not work. When it does, it is likely to also involve free carbenes as key intermediates. Alternatively, photochemical reactions show a broad scope, can be performed under air and tolerate a wide variety of functional groups. Reaction-evolution monitoring, DFT calculations and control experiments have been used to evaluate the main aspects of this intricate mechanistic scenario. Biologically active molecules Adiphenine, Benactyzine and Aprophen have been prepared as examples of synthetic applications.

Metal-Free Denitrogenative C-C Couplings of Pyridotriazoles with Boronic Acids To Afford α-Secondary and α-Tertiary Pyridines

Pyridotriazoles are utilized as robust building blocks to access α-secondary and α-tertiary pyridines via the development of a simple yet practically useful metal-free denitrogenative C-C cross-coupling with boronic acids. The reaction shows a high level of functional tolerance, broad substrate scope, and facile scalability. The synthetic potential of the method is demonstrated by the strurctural modification of a bioactive molecule and concise synthesis of pheniramine analogs.

Synthesis of 3-Aryl-1-Indanones via CsF-Promoted Coupling of Arylboronic Acids with N-Tosylhydrazones

A series of 173-aryl-1-indanones, four of which are novel, were prepared in good yield via a CsF-promoted reductive cross-coupling of the monotosylhydrazone of a 1,3-indanedione with an arylboronic acid. The method demonstrates wide substrate scope and good functional group tolerance. Moreover, the 3-aryl-1-indanones could also be prepared on a multi-gram scale.

A Versatile Route to Unstable Diazo Compounds via Oxadiazolines and their Use in Aryl-Alkyl Cross-Coupling Reactions

Coupling of readily available boronic acids and diazo compounds has emerged recently as a powerful metal-free carbon-carbon bond forming method. However, the difficulty in forming the unstable diazo compound partner in a mild fashion has hitherto limited their general use and the scope of the transformation. Here, we report the application of oxadiazolines as precursors for the generation of an unstable family of diazo compounds using flow UV photolysis and their first use in divergent protodeboronative and oxidative C(sp2 )-C(sp3 ) cross-coupling processes, with excellent functional-group tolerance.

Stereoselective Domino Carbocyclizations of γ- and δ-Cyano-N-tosylhydrazones with Alkenylboronic Acids with Formation of Two Different C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) Bonds on a Quaternary Stereocenter

A novel strategy for the synthesis of functionalized carbocycles is defined, through the cascade carbocyclization of alkenylboronic acids with δ- or γ-cyano-N-tosylhydrazones. In the reaction, two C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) bonds are formed on the former hydrazonic carbon generating an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter, and leading to cyclic ketones featuring an alkenyl side chain with complete diastereoselectivity. The processes are conducted under very simple experimental conditions, only in the presence of K2CO3, in 1,4-dioxane as solvent and under microwave irradiation, and have been applied for the synthesis of a wide structural variety of fused cyclopentanones and cyclohexanones. Moreover, the versatility of this methodology has been demonstrated in the structural modification of androsterone.

Flow chemistry as a discovery tool to access sp2-sp3 cross-coupling reactions via diazo compounds

The room temperature sp²–sp³ cross-coupling of flow-generated diazo compounds with boronic acids is reported.

The work takes advantage of an important feature of flow chemistry, whereby the generation of a transient species (or reactive intermediate) can be followed by a transfer step into another chemical environment, before the intermediate is reacted with a coupling partner. This concept is successfully applied to achieve a room temperature sp²–sp³ cross coupling of boronic acids with diazo compounds, these latter species being generated from hydrazones under flow conditions using MnO₂ as the oxidant.

Transition-metal-free C–C bond forming reactions of aryl, alkenyl and alkynylboronic acids and their derivatives

Transition-metal-free C–C bond forming reactions of boronic acids are new emerging tools in organic synthesis which complement metal-based procedures.