Recent advances in pyrazole synthesis employing diazo compounds and synthetic analogues

This review summarizes the recent developments in the construction of pyrazoles using diazo compounds, nitrile imines and their synthetic equivalents.

Thermal Stability and Explosive Hazard Assessment of Diazo Compounds and Diazo Transfer Reagents

Despite their wide use in academia as metal-carbene precursors, diazo compounds are often avoided in industry owing to concerns over their instability, exothermic decomposition, and potential explosive behavior. The stability of sulfonyl azides and other diazo transfer reagents is relatively well understood, but there is little reliable data available for diazo compounds. This work first collates available sensitivity and thermal analysis data for diazo transfer reagents and diazo compounds to act as an accessible reference resource. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) data for the model donor/acceptor diazo compound ethyl (phenyl)diazoacetate are presented. We also present a rigorous DSC dataset with 43 other diazo compounds, enabling direct comparison to other energetic materials to provide a clear reference work to the academic and industrial chemistry communities. Interestingly, there is a wide range of onset temperatures (T onset) for this series of compounds, which varied between 75 and 160 °C. The thermal stability variation depends on the electronic effect of substituents and the amount of charge delocalization. A statistical model is demonstrated to predict the thermal stability of differently substituted phenyl diazoacetates. A maximum recommended process temperature (T D24) to avoid decomposition is estimated for selected diazo compounds. The average enthalpy of decomposition (ΔH D) for diazo compounds without other energetic functional groups is -102 kJ mol-1. Several diazo transfer reagents are analyzed using the same DSC protocol and found to have higher thermal stability, which is in general agreement with the reported values. For sulfonyl azide reagents, an average ΔH D of -201 kJ mol-1 is observed. High-quality thermal data from ARC experiments shows the initiation of decomposition for ethyl (phenyl)diazoacetate to be 60 °C, compared to that of 100 °C for the common diazo transfer reagent p-acetamidobenzenesulfonyl azide (p-ABSA). The Yoshida correlation is applied to DSC data for each diazo compound to provide an indication of both their impact sensitivity (IS) and explosivity. As a neat substance, none of the diazo compounds tested are predicted to be explosive, but many (particularly donor/acceptor diazo compounds) are predicted to be impact-sensitive. It is therefore recommended that manipulation, agitation, and other processing of neat diazo compounds are conducted with due care to avoid impacts, particularly in large quantities. The full dataset is presented to inform chemists of the nature and magnitude of hazards when using diazo compounds and diazo transfer reagents. Given the demonstrated potential for rapid heat generation and gas evolution, adequate temperature control and cautious addition of reagents that begin a reaction are strongly recommended when conducting reactions with diazo compounds.

Development of Cyanopyrazoles as Building Blocks to Fungicide Fluxapyroxad and Analogues

Herein, we present a facile approach to a diverse collection of 1,4-disubstituted 3-di- or mono-fluoromethylpyrazoles utilizing our previously developed cyanopyrazoles as key building blocks. This method features several merits, such as easily accessible starting materials, broad substrate scope, mild reaction conditions, and simple operation. This protocol further deserves to be highlighted by the successful translation into the synthesis of commercialized fungicide fluxapyroxad and its analogues.

Direct Regioselective [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Reactions of Masked Difluorodiazoethane with Electron-Deficient Alkynes and Alkenes: Synthesis of Difluoromethyl-Substituted Pyrazoles

Phenylsulfone difluorodiazoethane (PhSO₂CF₂CHN₂), an easy-to-prepare and bench-stable masked CF₂-building block, has been developed. The synthetic utility of this reagent is demonstrated by a direct regioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition with electron-deficient alkynes and alkenes. This protocol enables facile construction of an array of difluoromethyl-substituted pyrazoles in good to high yields under mild reaction conditions.

Heptafluoroisopropyl diazomethane (i-C3F7CHN2): in situ generation and synthesis of pyrazoles

A novel chemical reagent, heptafluoroisopropyl diazomethane (i-C₃F₇CHN₂), has been generated in situ in aqueous media. It reacts with electron-deficient alkynes towards polyfluorinated pyrazoles that are important in agrochemistry.

Fluoride-Mediated Dephosphonylation of α-Diazo-β-carbonyl Phosphonates

The possibility of fluoride-mediated selective dephosphonylation of α-diazo-β-carbonyl phosphonates such as the Ohira-Bestmann reagent has been proposed and executed. The resulting α-diazocarbonyl intermediates undergo a (3 + 2)-cycloaddition at room temperature with conjugated olefins and benzynes. Interestingly, under the current conditions, the resulting cycloaddition products underwent either N-acylation (with excess α-diazo-β-carbonyl phosphonates) or Michael addition (with conjugated olefins).