Asymmetric Synthesis of Bispiro[γ-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-4,4′-pyrazolone] Scaffolds Containing Two Quaternary Spirocenters via an Organocatalytic 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition

Gold-Catalyzed Formal [4+2] Cycloaddition as Access to Antitumor-Active Spirocyclic Oxindoles from Alkynes and Isatin-Derived Ketimines

Due to its excellent bioactivity profile, which is increasingly utilized in pharmaceutical and synthetic chemistry, spirooxindole is an important core scaffold. We herein describe an efficient method for the construction of highly functionalized new spirooxindolocarbamates via a gold-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction of terminal alkynes or ynamides with isatin-derived ketimines. This protocol has a good functional group compatibility, uses readily available starting materials, mild reaction conditions, low catalyst loadings and no additives. It enables the transformation of various functionalized alkyne groups into cyclic carbamates. Gram-scale synthesis was achieved and DFT calculations verify the feasibility of the mechanistic proposal. Some of the target products exhibit good to excellent antiproliferative activity on human tumor cell lines. In addition, one of the most active compounds displayed a remarkable selectivity towards tumor cells over normal ones.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Spiropyrazolone-Fused Dihydrofuran-naphthoquinones Bearing Contiguous Stereocenters via a Michael Addition/Chlorination/Nucleophilic Substitution Sequence

An enantioselective synthesis of spiropyrazolone-fused dihydrofuran-naphthoquinones is first demonstrated via a Michael addition/Chlorination/Nucleophilic substitution sequence. The reactions of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and α,β-unsaturated pyrazolones in the presence of the cinchona alkaloid derived hydrogen-bonding catalyst and NCS provide spiropyrazolone-fused 2,3-dihydronaphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-diones bearing contiguous stereocenters, of which one is the spiro quaternary stereocenter in high yields with exclusive diastereoselectivity and good to excellent enantioselectivities.

Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Dearomative [3+2] Cycloaddition of Nitroheteroarenes with Azomethines

Catalytic asymmetric dearomative [3+2] cycloaddition of α-imino γ-lactones with either 3-nitroindoles or 2-nitrobenzofurans by using a chiral copper complex as the catalyst was developed. A wide range of structurally diverse polyheterocyclic compounds containing spirocyclic-fused butyrolactone-pyrrolidine-indoline and butyrolactone-pyrrolidine-dihydrobenzofuran skeletons could be smoothly obtained with excellent results (>99:1 dr and 98% ee). The potential synthetic applications of this methodology were also demonstrated by the scale-up experiment and by the diverse transformations of one product. This method is characterized by high asymmetric induction, wide functional group tolerance and scalability, and attractive product diversification.

Synthesis of fully functionalised spiropyran pyrazolone skeletons via a formal [4 + 2] cascade process using β-nitro-styrene-derived MBH-alcohols

An efficient protocol was established to construct spiro pyrazolone tetrahydropyran scaffolds at ambient temperature under metal-free conditions. The reaction proceeded via formal [4 + 2] cyclisation of trans-β-nitro-styrene-derived Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) alcohol with α-arylidene pyrazolone. The reaction followed an oxa-Michael/Michael cascade pathway, resulting in the formation of new C-C and C-O bonds. Organocatalytic synthesis of spiropyrazolones using quinine-derived catalyst resulted in 94% enantiomeric excess (ee) and excellent (>20 : 1) diastereoselectivity.

Catalytic asymmetric Michael/cyclization reaction of 3-isothiocyanato thiobutyrolactone: an approach to the construction of a library of bispiro[pyrazolone-thiobutyrolactone] skeletons

Here, we demonstrate the first example of 3-isothiocyanato thiobutyrolactone serving as a useful building block in the Michael/cyclization reaction with alkylidene pyrazolones for the enantioselective construction of optically active structural bispiro[pyrazolone-thiobutyrolactone] skeletons containing three contiguous stereocenters with two spiroquaternary stereocenters. These products were smoothly afforded in up to 90% yield, >20 : 1 dr and >99% ee with chiral squaramide as the catalyst under mild conditions. Notably, this is also the first example of the merger of a spirocyclic pyrazolone scaffold with a spirocyclic thiobutyrolactone scaffold, potentially useful in medicinal chemistry.

Recent advances in the applications of pyrazolone derivatives in enantioselective synthesis

Pyrazolones and pyrazoles, featuring nitrogen-nitrogen bonds, are two of the most important classes of heterocycles, owing to their widespread occurrence in medicinal chemistry and functional materials. The last decade has witnessed a rapid increase in the construction of chiral pyrazolone and pyrazole derivatives, with the application of pyrazolone derivatives as powerful synthons. Since our last review in 2018, a large number of new achievements has emerged in this area, requiring a timely update. Thus, this review summarizes these elegant achievements based on the multiple reactive sites of different pyrazolone synthons. In addition, important mechanisms and interesting biological investigations relating to the corresponding products are also discussed.

A three-component, general and practical route for diastereoselective synthesis of aza-spirocyclic pyrazolones via a decarboxylative annulation process

An efficient, general, and practical route for highly diastereoselective synthesis of aza-spirocyclic pyrazolones from easily available α-amino acids, aldehydes, and alkylidene pyrazolones by means of a decarboxylative annulation process is reported.

Recent Advances in Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Pyrazolones with a Tetrasubstituted Stereogenic Center at the 4-Position

Pyrazolone [2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-4-one] represents one of the most important five-membered nitrogen heterocycles which is present in numerous pharmaceutical drugs and molecules with biological activity. Recently, many catalytic methodologies for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral pyrazolones have been established with great success, specially, for the synthesis of pyrazolones bearing a tetrasubstituted stereocenter at C-4. This review summarizes these excellent research studies since 2018, including representative examples and some mechanistic pathways explaining the observed stereochemistry.

1 Introduction

2 Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Pyrazolones with a Full Carbon Tetrasubstituted Stereocenter at C-4

3 Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Pyrazolones with a Quaternary Carbon Stereocenter at C-4 bearing a Heteroatom

4 Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Spiropyrazolones

5 Conclusion

Predicting Absolute Rate Constants for Huisgen Reactions of Unsaturated Iminium Ions with Diazoalkanes

The kinetics and stereochemistry of the reactions of iminium ions derived from cinnamaldehydes and MacMillan's imidazolidinones with diphenyldiazomethane and aryldiazomethanes were investigated experimentally and with DFT calculations. The reactions of diphenyldiazomethane with iminium ions derived from MacMillan's second-generation catalysts gave 3-aryl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropanecarbaldehydes with yields >90 % and enantiomeric ratios of ≥90:10. Predominantly 2:1 products were obtained from the corresponding reactions with monoaryldiazomethanes. The measured rate constants are in good agreement with the rate constants derived from the one-center nucleophilicity parameters N and sN of diazomethanes and the one-center electrophilicity parameters E of iminium ions as well as with quantum chemically calculated activation energies.

Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Spiropyrazolones and their Application in Medicinal Chemistry

Chiral spiropyrazolones are unique frameworks widely found in a large family of medicinally relevant compounds with various biological activities. Substantial research efforts have been invested toward stereoselectively by constructing spiro-cyclic structures. Over the past years, remarkable progress has been made in the organo- and metal-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of spiropyrazolones through the utilization of accessible simple pyrazolone derivatives as raw materials. This review is organized according to the size of the spiro-ring fused at the 4-position of the pyrazolone framework. In the last part, the bio-evaluations of chiral spiropyrazolones for drug discovery are summarized.

α,β-Unsaturated butenolides in an organocatalytic doubly annulative cascade for the preparation of 3,4-dihydrocoumarins

An organocatalytic doubly annulative cascade utilizing α,β-unsaturated butenolides and imines (derived from salicyl aldehydes and α-amino-γ-lactones) as starting materials is described.

Organocatalysis: A Brief Overview on Its Evolution and Applications

The use of small organic molecules as catalysts has gained increasing importance recently. These substances, the so-called organocatalysts, present a lot of advantages, like being less toxic, less polluting, and more economically viable than the organometallic catalysts that dominate asymmetric synthesis. This work intends to briefly show some classic works and recent publications, explaining the advantages of organocatalysis and the different types of compounds used in this field, as well as their course of action.