Regiospecific synthesis of mixed 2,3-dihalobenzoic acids and related acetophenones via ortho-metalation reactions

Exploiting thiol-functionalized benzosiloxaboroles for achieving diverse substitution patterns - synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of promising antibacterial agents

Benzosiloxaboroles are an emerging class of medicinal agents possessing promising antimicrobial activity. Herein, the expedient synthesis of two novel thiol-functionalized benzosiloxaboroles 1e and 2e is reported. The presence of the SH group allowed for diverse structural modifications involving the thiol-Michael addition, oxidation, as well as nucleophilic substitution giving rise to a series of 27 new benzosiloxaboroles containing various polar functional groups, e.g., carbonyl, ester, amide, imide, nitrile, sulfonyl and sulfonamide, and pendant heterocyclic rings. The activity of the obtained compounds against selected bacterial and yeast strains, including multidrug-resistant clinical strains, was investigated. Compounds 6, 12, 20 and 22-24 show high activity against Staphylococcus aureus, including both methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains, with MIC values in the range of 1.56-12.5 μg mL-1, while their cytotoxicity is relatively low. The in vitro assay performed with 2-(phenylsulfonyl)ethylthio derivative 20 revealed that, in contrast to the majority of known antibacterial oxaboroles, the plausible mechanism of antibacterial action, involving inhibition of the leucyl-tRNA synthetase enzyme, is not responsible for the antibacterial activity. Structural bioinformatic analysis involving molecular dynamics simulations provided a possible explanation for this finding.

Development of structurally extended benzosiloxaboroles - synthesis and in vitro biological evaluation

The synthesis of potassium 6-hydroxy-7-chloro-1,1-dimethyl-3,3-difluorobenzo-1,2,3-siloxaborolate 5b from readily available 4-bromo-2-chlorophenol was developed. This compound proved useful in various derivatizations resulting in a wide range of O-functionalized benzosiloxaboroles. Reactions of 5b with selected substituted benzoyl chlorides gave rise to a series of respective derivatives with 6-benzoate side groups attached to the benzosiloxaborole core. Furthermore, treatment of 5b with substituted benzenesufonyl chlorides afforded several benzosiloxaboroles bearing functionalized benzenesulfonate moieties at the 6 position. The synthesis of related chloropyridine-2-yloxy substituted benzosiloxaboroles was accomplished by a standard approach involving silylation/boronation of appropriate heterodiaryl ethers. Investigation of biological activity of obtained compounds revealed that some benzoate and most benzenesulfonate derivatives exhibit high activity against Gram-positive cocci such as methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P as well as methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300 with the MIC values in the range of 0.39–3.12 mg L⁻¹. Some benzenesulfonate derivatives showed also potent activity against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and E. faecium ATCC 6057 with MIC = 6.25 mg L⁻¹. Importantly, for the most promising cocci-active benzenesulfonate derivatives the obtained MIC values were far below the cytotoxicity limit determined with respect to human normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5). For those derivatives, the obtained IC₅₀ values were higher than 12.3 mg L⁻¹. The results of antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity indicate that the tested compounds can be considered as potential antibacterial agents.

The synthesis of potassium 6-hydroxy-7-chloro-1,1-dimethyl-3,3-difluorobenzo-1,2,3-siloxaborolate 5b from readily available 4-bromo-2-chlorophenol was developed.

The First Regioselective Metalation and Functionalization of Unprotected 4-Halobenzoic Acids

[reaction: see text] By treatment with s-BuLi, s-BuLi/TMEDA, or t-BuLi at approximately -78 degrees C, 4-fluoro- and 4-chlorobenzoic acids (1a,b) are metalated preferentially in the position adjacent to the carboxylate. A complete reversal in regioselectivity is observed for 1a when treated with LTMP; a sequential process involving a rapid intraaggregate lithiation through a quasi dianion complex "QUADAC" is postulated to explain the unusual reactivity of Me(2)S(2) and I(2).

Bromine as the Ortho-Directing Group in the Aromatic Metalation/Silylation of Substituted Bromobenzenes

The one-pot metalation/disilylation of selected bromobenzenes bearing electron-withdrawing substituents p-, m-, o-XC6H4Br (X = F, Cl, I, CN, CF3) using 2 equiv of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) and 2 equiv of chlorotrimethylsilane (TMSCl) was investigated. The best results of disilylation were obtained for para-substituted bromobenzenes, but the regioselectivity of the reaction is strongly influenced by the ortho-directing power of the substituent. On the contrary, the disilylation of meta-substituted bromobenzenes was not efficient or even failed in some cases and hence monosilylated derivatives were isolated as major or sole products. Diverse reactivity was observed for ortho-substituted bromobenzenes, e.g., 2-bromobenzonitrile and 2-bromochlorobenzene, were converted into corresponding disilylated derivatives in a high and moderate yield, respectively, whereas 1-bromo-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzene underwent only monosilylation.

Regiospecific metalation of oligobromobenzenes

The metalation of selected oligobromobenzenes with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) was investigated. 1,3-Dibromo-substituted benzenes were metalated without special precautions since the resultant 2,6-dibromophenyllithium intermediates are relatively stable under reaction conditions: corresponding benzaldehydes were obtained in good or moderate yields after subsequent quench with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Aryllithium compounds derived from 1,4- and 1,2-dibromobenzene are much less stable, but they could be trapped by the in situ use of chlorotrimethylsilane. The one-pot metalation/disilylation of 1,4-dibromo- and 1,2-dibromobenzene afforded 1,4-dibromo-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene and 2,3-dibromo-1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene, respectively.

Selectivities in reactions of organolithium reagents with unprotected 2-halobenzoic acids

[reaction: see text] Exposing 2-fluorobenzoic acid (1a) to 2.2 equiv of LTMP at ca. -78 degrees C leads to deprotonation at the 3-position whereas 2-chloro/bromobenzoic acids (1b,c) are lithiated adjacent to the carboxylate. The resulting dianions 3Li-1a and 6Li-1b,c are trapped as such by chlorotrimethylsilane. In the absence of internal quench, 6Li-1b,c isomerize to the more stable 3Li-1b,c. The latter eliminate lithium halide and set free benzyne-3-carboxylate (2) that reacts regioselectively with LTMP to give 3-tetramethylpiperidinobenzoic acid (3).

ortho-metalation of unprotected 3-bromo and 3-chlorobenzoic acids with hindered lithium dialkylamides

Upon treatment of 3-chloro/bromobenzoic acids with hindered lithium dialkylamides (LDA or LTMP) at -50 degrees C, lithium 3-chloro/bromo-2-lithiobenzoates are generated. These dianions can be trapped as such to afford after electrophilic quenching a variety of simple 2-substituted-3-chloro/bromobenzoic acids. The 3-bromo-2-lithiobenzoate is less stable than the corresponding 3-chloro derivative and partly eliminates lithium bromide, thus setting free lithium 2,3- and 3,4-dehydrobenzoates that can be intercepted in situ with the hindered base.

(19)F-encoded combinatorial libraries: discovery of selective metal binding and catalytic peptoids

A (19)F NMR method for encoding of combinatorial libraries has been developed. Aryl fluorides whose chemical shifts are modified by aromatic substituents were prepared and attached to resin support beads that were used in the split-pool synthesis of peptoids. The detection of the (19)F NMR signal of tags derived from a single "big bead" was demonstrated. The library diversity arises from peptoid amines and the cyclic anhydrides used in their acylation. The resulting 90-compound library was examined for metal ion binding, and novel ligands for iron and copper were discovered. Their binding constants were determined to be in the low micromolar range using conventional methods. The library was also examined for autocatalysis of acylation, and a molecule possessing the catalytic triad of serine proteases was deduced.