Novel synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines and piperidines via radical addition–ionic cyclization reaction of oxime ethers

Asymmetric "Clip-Cycle" Synthesis of Pyrrolidines and Spiropyrrolidines

The development of an asymmetric "clip-cycle" synthesis of 2,2- and 3,3-disubstituted pyrrolidines and spiropyrrolidines, which are increasingly important scaffolds in drug discovery programs, is reported. Cbz-protected bis-homoallylic amines were activated by "clipping" them to thioacrylate via an alkene metathesis reaction. Enantioselective intramolecular aza-Michael cyclization onto the activated alkene, catalyzed by a chiral phosphoric acid, formed a pyrrolidine. The reaction accommodated a range of substitutions to form 2,2- and 3,3-disubstituted pyrrolidines and spiropyrrolidines with high enantioselectivities. The importance of the thioester activating group was demonstrated by comparison to ketone and oxoester-containing substrates. DFT studies supported the aza-Michael cyclization as the rate- and stereochemistry-determining step and correctly predicted the formation of the major enantiomer. The catalytic asymmetric syntheses of N-methylpyrrolidine alkaloids (R)-irnidine and (R)-bgugaine, which possess DNA binding and antibacterial properties, were achieved using the "clip-cycle" methodology.

Metal-Involving Synthesis and Reactions of Oximes

This review classifies and summarizes the past 10-15 years of advancements in the field of metal-involving (i.e., metal-mediated and metal-catalyzed) reactions of oximes. These reactions are diverse in nature and have been employed for syntheses of oxime-based metal complexes and cage-compounds, oxime functionalizations, and the preparation of new classes of organic species, in particular, a wide variety of heterocyclic systems spanning small 3-membered ring systems to macroheterocycles. This consideration gives a general outlook of reaction routes, mechanisms, and driving forces and underlines the potential of metal-involving conversions of oxime species for application in various fields of chemistry and draws attention to the emerging putative targets.

Candidate PET Radioligand Development for Neurofibrillary Tangles: Two Distinct Radioligand Binding Sites Identified in Postmortem Alzheimer's Disease Brain

[(18)F]THK-523 and [(18)F]807 are promising radioligands for imaging neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) with positron emission tomography (PET) in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and traumatic brain injury. Although [(18)F]THK-523 and [(18)F]T807 are considered high-affinity selective radioligands for NFTs, uncertainty has existed as to whether PET radioligands for imaging NFTs bind to the same molecular site because in vitro assays for ligands binding to NFTs have been lacking. We labeled THK-523 and T807 with tritium to serve as reference radioligands for in vitro binding assays with AD brain homogenates for newly synthesized ligands. With these radioligands, we identified two distinct binding sites for small molecules, one site with high affinity for THK-523 and the other with high affinity for T807. Moreover, binding assays with [(3)H]PIB confirmed that the two newly identified binding sites are also distinct from the thioflavin-T binding site where all current clinically useful PET radioligands for imaging β-amyloid plaque bind with high affinity. The two newly identified binding sites are considered to reside on NFTs rather than on β-amyloid plaques. Furthermore, we applied all three binding assays to a set of newly prepared compounds, based on chain modifications to THK-523. Some compounds with high affinity and selectivity for the THK-523 binding site emerged from this set, including one with amenability to labeling with fluorine-18, namely, ligand 10b.

Radical addition to iminium ions and cationic heterocycles

Carbon-centered radicals represent highly useful reactive intermediates in organic synthesis. Their nucleophilic character is reflected by fast additions to electron deficient C=X double bonds as present in iminium ions or cationic heterocycles. This review covers diverse reactions of preformed or in situ-generated cationic substrates with various types of C-radicals, including alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, trifluoromethyl, aryl, acyl, carbamoyl, and alkoxycarbonyl species. Despite its high reactivity, the strong interaction of the radical's SOMO with the LUMO of the cation frequently results in a high regioselectivity. Intra- and intermolecular processes such as the Minisci reaction, the Porta reaction, and the Knabe rearrangement will be discussed along with transition metal and photoredox catalysis or electrochemical methods to generate the odd-electron species.

Control of asymmetry in the radical addition approach to chiral amine synthesis

The state-of-the-science in asymmetric free radical additions to imino compounds is presented, beginning with an overview of methods involving stereocontrol by various chiral auxiliary approaches. Chiral N-acylhydrazones are discussed with respect to their use as radical acceptors for Mn-mediated intermolecular additions, from design to scope surveys to applications to biologically active targets. A variety of aldehydes and ketones serve as viable precursors for the chiral hydrazones, and a variety of alkyl iodides may be employed as radical precursors, as discussed in a critical review of the functional group compatibility of the reaction. Applications to amino acid and alkaloid synthesis are presented to illustrate the synthetic potential of these versatile stereocontrolled carbon-carbon bond construction reactions. Asymmetric catalysis is discussed, from seminal work on the stereocontrol of radical addition to imino compounds by non-covalent interactions with stoichiometric amounts of catalysts, to more recent examples demonstrating catalyst turnover.

Synthesis of fused piperidinones through a radical-ionic cascade

Azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonanes were assembled, from chiral allylsilanes possessing an oxime moiety, using a stereocontrolled formal [2 + 2 + 2] radical-ionic process. The cascade involves the addition of an alpha-iodoester to the less substituted end of the enoxime which is then followed by a 5-exo-trig cyclization onto the aldoxime function, producing an alkoxyaminyl radical species which finally lactamizes to afford the titled piperidinone. High levels of stereoinduction were observed, demonstrating the ability of a silicon group located at the allylic position to efficiently control the stereochemistry of the two newly created stereogenic centers. When the radical cascade was extended to ketoximes, the resulting sterically hindered alkoxyaminyl radical did not react further with the initiator Et3B to produce the expected nucleophilic amidoborane complex. In sharp contrast, this long-lived radical recombined with the initial alpha-stabilized ester radical to produce a cyclopentane incorporating two ester fragments.