Reaction of quinolines fluorinated at the benzene ring with nitrogen-centered nucleophiles

Copper(I)-catalyzed tandem synthesis of 2-acylquinolines from 2-ethynylanilines and glyoxals

An efficient one-step synthesis of 2-acylquinolines using a copper-catalyzed tandem reaction of 2-ethynylanilines with glyoxals in the presence of piperidine has been developed. This new protocol successfully avoids multi-step operation and the use of highly toxic cyanides required in traditional methods, and provides a practical tool for synthetic and pharmaceutical chemists. Various 2-acylquinolines are obtained with perfect regioselectivity in moderate to good yields (up to 86%). The potential synthetic utility of this method is exemplified by a large-scale experiment and synthetic transformation of the products.

A Facile Oxidative Opening of the C-Ring in Luotonin A and Derivatives

An oxidative ring opening reaction of the central ring C in the alkaloid Luotonin A and two of its derivatives was found to occur upon heating with an excess amine and potassium carbonate in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution in the presence of air oxygen. The structure of the novel amide-type products was elucidated and a possible mechanism for this reaction is proposed. Four of the new compounds show moderate in vitro anticancer activity towards human colon adenocarcinoma cells.