Skeletal Editing of Isatins for Heterocycle Molecular Diversity

Isatins have been widely used in the preparation of a variety of heterocyclic compounds, where the skeletal editing of isatins has shown significant advantages for the construction of diverse heterocycles. This review highlights the progress made in the last decade (2013-2023) in the skeletal editing of the isatin scaffold. A series of ring expansion reactions for the construction of quinoline skeleton, quinolone skeleton, polycyclic quinazoline skeleton, medium-sized ring skeleton, as well as a series of ring opening reactions for the generation of 2-(azoly)aniline skeleton by the cleavage of C-C bond and C-N bond are highlighted. It is hoped that this review will provide some understanding of the chemical transformations of isatins and contribute to the further realization of its molecular diversity.

Exploring the Divergent Reactivity of Vinyl Radicals Emanating from Alkynes and Thiols via Photoredox Catalysis

Organic chemistry has seen a surge in visible-light-driven transformations, which offer unique reaction pathways and access to new synthetic possibilities. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of state-of-the-art photo-mediated alkyne functionalization, with a focus on the reactive behavior of vinyl radicals. This review outlines our contributions to the field, including developing new methods for forming carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds.

Tryptanthrin and Its Derivatives in Drug Discovery: Synthetic Insights

Tryptanthrin is a golden-yellow, naturally occurring alkaloid that can be obtained from multiple sources and through different synthetic methodologies. This tetracyclic compound displays several relevant biological activities. The potential of this tetracyclic alkaloid has been widely explored, and several researchers have focused their attention on expanding the variety of tryptanthrin derivatives by using a range of synthetic strategies. In this short review, we aim to address recent developments in the synthesis of the tryptanthrin core, as well as the development of new strategies employed by synthetic organic chemists to obtain novel tryptanthrin derivatives with potential biological activity, using different tools from the chemists’ toolbox, such as photocatalysis, solvent-free approaches, and multicomponent reactions.

Divergent Synthesis of Methylisatoid and Tryptanthrin Derivatives by Ph3P-I2-Mediated Reaction of Isatins with and without Alcohols

A novel phosphonium-mediated reaction of isatins is described. In the presence of alcohol, the reaction proceeds to furnish C-12 modified tryptanthrin derivatives. Without alcohol, self-dimerization of isatins gives rise to tryptanthrin and its analogs. This divergent and step-economic approach provides a facile access to diverse indoloquinazoline structures including the natural alkaloids, methylisatoid and cephalanthrin B, in high yields from simple precursors under mild and metal-free reaction conditions.

Visible Light-Mediated [2 + 2] Cycloaddition Reactions of 1,4-Quinones and Terminal Alkynes

A single-step synthesis of 4-hydroxy-functionalized bi-aryl and aryl/alkyl ketones via oxidative coupling of terminal alkynes with benzoquinones is reported. Furthermore, with naphthoquinones, owing to the cross-resonance of carbonyl with the aromatic ring, alkene-alkyne cycloaddition is more favored to give four-membered carbocyclic adducts, thereby precluding the requirement of preactivated alkynes.

Synthesis of visible-light mediated tryptanthrin derivatives from isatin and isatoic anhydride under transition metal-free conditions

Visible light mediated transition metal-free protocol for synthesis of tryptanthrin from isatin and isatoic anhydride in mild reaction conditions.

Photoredox-catalyzed direct aminoalkylation of isatins: diastereoselective access to 3-hydroxy-3-aminoalkylindolin-2-ones analogues

A practical protocol for the direct aminoalkylation of isatins with tetrahydroisoquinolines and other aminesviaa photoredox catalyzed radical–radical cross-coupling process is described.