Reactivity of N-protected 5-(2-bromophenyl)tetrazoles in palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of heteroarenes or fluorobenzenes

Discovery of 2-Aminopyrimidines as Potent Agonists for the Bitter Taste Receptor TAS2R14

The bitter taste receptor TAS2R14 is a G protein-coupled receptor that is found on the tongue as well as in the human airway smooth muscle and other extraoral tissues. Because its activation causes bronchodilatation, TAS2R14 is a potential target for the treatment of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Structural variations of flufenamic acid, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, led us to 2-aminopyridines showing considerable efficacy and potency in an IP₁accumulation assay. In combination with an exchange of the carboxylic moiety by a tetrazole unit, a set of promising new TAS2R14 agonists was developed. The most potent ligand 28.1 (EC₅₀ = 72 nM) revealed a six-fold higher potency than flufenamic acid and a maximum efficacy of 129%. Besides its unprecedented TAS2R14 activation, 28.1 revealed marked selectivity over a panel of 24 non-bitter taste human G protein-coupled receptors.

Recent advances in the functionalization of polyfluoro(aza)aromatics via C-C coupling strategies

Polyfluoro(aza)aromatic compounds are of interest in various fields of practical applications, such as medicinal and agrochemistry, materials science and advanced technologies. The C-C coupling reactions are known to be a promising synthetic tool to create challenging fluorinated molecules of diverse architectures. In this review, we have summarized the recent advances in the functionalization of polyfluoro(aza)aromatics via both transition metal-catalyzed and metal-free C-C coupling reactions for the period from 2006 to the beginning of 2021. Also, mechanistic features for chemical transformations of fluoroarene scaffolds and new opportunities for practical applications of the designed fluorinated molecules have been highlighted.

Pd-N-heterocyclic carbene complex catalysed C–H bond activation of 2-isobutylthiazole at the C5 position with aryl bromides

An effective and efficient catalytic system has been reported for the synthesis of C5-arylated 2-isobutylthiazoles.

Ag(I)-C-H Activation Enables Near-Room-Temperature Direct α-Arylation of Benzo[ b]thiophenes

The first example of near-room-temperature α-arylation of benzo[b]thiophenes is reported. The discovery rests on the observation of a switch in α-/β-regioselectivity at different loadings of Pd₂(dba)₃·CHCl₃ in the coupling between benzo[b]thiophene and 4-iodotoluene. We show that this unprecedented regioselectivity switch is driven by a Ag(I)-mediated C–H activation at the α-C–H position, which becomes the dominant mode of reactivity at low concentrations of Pd. Competition experiments, kinetic studies, KIE, and D/H scrambling experiments have been carried out supporting this mechanism.