Synthesis and Modification of Morphine and Codeine, Leading to Diverse Libraries with Improved Pain Relief Properties

Morphine and codeine, two of the most common opioids, are widely used in the clinic for different types of pain. Morphine is one of the most potent agonists for the μ-opioid receptor, leading to the strongest analgesic effect. However, due to their association with serious side effects such as respiratory depression, constriction, euphoria, and addiction, it is necessary for derivatives of morphine and codeine to be developed to overcome such drawbacks. The development of analgesics based on the opiate structure that can be safe, orally active, and non-addictive is one of the important fields in medicinal chemistry. Over the years, morphine and codeine have undergone many structural changes. The biological investigation of semi-synthetic derivatives of both morphine and codeine, especially morphine, shows that studies on these structures are still significant for the development of potent opioid antagonists and agonists. In this review, we summarize several decade-long attempts to synthesize new analogues of morphine and codeine. Our summary placed a focus on synthetic derivatives derived from ring A (positions 1, 2, and 3), ring C (position 6), and N-17 moiety.

Subtle Mitsunobu couplings under super-heating: the role of high-throughput continuous flow and microwave strategies

Fragile Mitsunobu reaction can efficiently be performed under super-heating.

Synthesis of 9-amino(9-deoxy)epi cinchona alkaloids, general chiral organocatalysts for the stereoselective functionalization of carbonyl compounds

We describe two procedures for the synthesis of primary amines derived from 9-amino(9-deoxy)epi cinchona alkaloids, valuable catalysts used in the asymmetric functionalization of carbonyl compounds. The first approach allows the one-pot 5-g-scale syntheses of four cinchona-based analogs (1, 3, 5 and 7) from the alkaloids quinine (QN), quinidine (QD), dihydroquinine (DHQN) and dihydroquinidine (DHQD), respectively, performed by means of a Mitsunobu reaction to introduce an azide group, followed by reduction and hydrolysis. Demethylation of 1, 3, 5 and 7 with BBr(3) provided direct access to the bifunctional aminocatalysts 2, 4, 6 and 8. A second approach, more convenient for scale-up (tested to a 20-g scale), is also provided. In this second procedure, the azides, formed from the O-mesylated derivatives of QN and QD, are selectively reduced with LiAlH(4) to afford catalysts 1 and 3, whereas hydrogenation (Pd/C) provides 5 and 7. Demethylation of 1, 3, 5 and 7 using an alkylthiolate affords 2, 4, 6 and 8 in a process in which the less-expensive QN and QD are the only starting materials used.

Cyclocarbopalladation of Alkynes: A Stereoselective Method for Preparing Dibenzoxapine Containing Tetrasubstituted Exocyclic Alkenes

[reaction: see text] A palladium-catalyzed cascade carbometalation-cross coupling of alkyne route was developed for the preparation of tetrasubstituted exocyclic alkenes with high stereo- and regiocontrol. The effectiveness of this novel methodology was demonstrated by the synthesis of a number of dibenzoxapines in sufficient quantities to support their further development.

Density Functional Investigation of the Mitsunobu Reaction

In this article we performed an extensive density functional [BP86/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level] investigation of the hypersurface of the Mitsunobu reaction. Reaction of a phosphine with a dialkyl azodicarboxylate (first step in the Mitsunobu conversion) leads to either a five-membered oxadiazaphosphole ring (more stable) or a betaine. The subsequent formation of two stable intermediates, a dialkoxyphosphorane and an acyloxyalkoxyphosphorane, constitutes the second step in the mechanism. These intermediates are in equilibrium with each other (under exchange of alkoxy and acyloxy ligands), and both can undergo an acid-induced decomposition to yield the alkoxy- and/or acyloxyphosphonium salts. The alkoxyphosphonium salt generates the desired ester via a SN2 mechanism (inversion product). Alternatively, the phosphorus atom in a mixed acyloxyalkoxyphosphorane species can easily undergo Berry pseudorotation. A subsequent intramolecular substitution leads to the final ester via a retention mechanism. The hypersurface is much more complicated than previously assumed, and the Mitsunobu reaction is fundamentally capable of running under either inversion or retention. The possibility of selective stereocontrol is discussed. Side reactions include the formation of a degradation product and an anhydride.

Application of Mitsunobu reaction to solid-phase peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomer synthesis

PNA type I monomer backbone with a reduced peptide bond was synthesized on a Merrifield resin in Mitsunobu reaction of Boc-aminoethanol with resin-bound o-nitrobenzenesulfonylglycine. The pseudodipeptide secondary amine group was deprotected by thiolysis and acylated with thymin-1-ylacetic acid. The monomer was released as a methyl ester. The procedure seems to be of general applicability and allows various modifications of PNA structure by using diverse alcohols and amino acid esters.

Carbon nucleophiles in the Mitsunobu reaction. Mono- and dialkylation of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) malonates

[formula: see text] Simple dialkyl malonate esters, for example diethyl malonate, exhibit relatively limited scope as carbon nucleophiles in the Mitsunobu dehydrative alkylation reaction. In contrast, bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) malonate readily undergoes dehydrative alkylation with primary alcohols, and using only a slight excess of malonate gives monoalkylated product in good yield. Some secondary alcohols can also be employed, and bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) malonates can be used in a second dehydrative alkylation to give dialkylated products in good to excellent yield.

An approach to the stereoselective synthesis of syn- and anti-1,3-diol derivatives. Retention of configuration in the Mitsunobu reaction

The Mitsunobu reaction typically proceeds with inversion of configuration at the hydroxyl center. However, with a series of hindered alcohols, the intramolecular version of the Mitsunobu reaction afforded exclusively the product of retention of configuration. A mechanistic rationale for this observation is discussed, wherein this atypical stereochemical outcome is attributed to steric congestion at the reaction center.

A novel route to the vinyl sulfide nine-membered macrocycle moiety of Griseoviridin

The synthetic potentialities of cerium(III) chloride are demonstrated by the synthesis of a nine-membered ring heterocycle component of Griseoviridin (3) in optically active form. The key step involves the stereospecific formation of the alpha-carbalkoxy alkenyl sulfide moiety using a combination system of cerium(III) chloride heptahydrate and sodium iodide.

Catalyzed asymmetric diels-alder reaction of benzoquinone. Total synthesis of (-)-ibogamine

The Diels-Alder addition of diene 2 with benzoquinone catalyzed by (S)-BINOL-TiCl(2) produced cycloadduct 5 in >65% yield and 87% ee. The cycloadduct was transformed into (-)-ibogamine in nine steps (10% overall yield from benzoquinone). A model for the transition state leading to 5 is proposed.

Synthesis and guanase inhibition studies of a novel ring-expanded purine analogue containing a 5:7-fused, planar, aromatic heterocyclic ring system

The synthesis of a novel planar, potentially aromatic, ring-expanded xanthine analogue (1), containing the 5:7-fused imidazo[4,5-e][1,4]diazepine ring system, along with guanase inhibition studies are reported. The compound was synthesized in six steps, starting from 1-benzyl-5-nitroimidazole-4-carboxylic acid (2), and was biochemically screened against rabbit liver guanase. Compound 1 is a moderate competitive inhibitor of the enzyme with a Ki of 2.27 +/- 0.66 x 10(-4) M.