The reaction of cyclic imines with the Ruppert–Prakash reagent. Facile approach to α-trifluoromethylated nornicotine, anabazine, and homoanabazine

Alicyclic-Amine-Derived Imine-BF3 Complexes: Easy-to-Make Building Blocks for the Synthesis of Valuable α-Functionalized Azacycles

A new strategy to access α-functionalized alicyclic amines via their corresponding imine-BF3 complexes is reported. Isolable imine-BF3 complexes, readily prepared via dehydrohalogenation of N-bromoamines in a base-promoted/18-crown-6 catalyzed process followed by addition of boron trifluoride etherate, undergo reactions with a wide range of organometallic nucleophiles to afford α-functionalized azacycles. Organozinc and organomagnesium nucleophiles add at ambient temperatures, obviating the need for cryogenic conditions. In situ preparation of imine-BF3 complexes provides access to α-functionalized morpholines and piperazines directly from their parent amines in a single operation. α-Functionalized morpholines can be elaborated further, for instance by installing a second substituent in the α'-position.

Synthesis of trifluoromethyl N,N-aminals from nitrogen containing heterocycles by using a plasma flow microreactor

Trifluoromethyl N,N-aminals are important precursors allowing access to fluorinated building blocks. In this work, the direct synthesis of trifluoromethyl N,N-aminals from nitrogen containing heterocycles is reported using argon plasma in a continuous flow microreactor without any additives or metal catalysts. Their transformation to N-trifluoroethyl amines is also reported.

Cyclic Imines in Ugi and Ugi-Type Reactions

Ugi four-component reactions (U-4CRs) are widely recognized as being highly efficient for the synthesis of pseudopeptides. However, the products of these reactions are not so interesting as drug candidates because they are not conformationally restricted enough for a potent interaction with biological targets. One possible way to overcome this problem is to replace amine and oxo components in the U-4CRs with cyclic imines in so-called Joullié-Ugi three-component reactions (JU-3CRs). This approach provides a robust single-step route to peptide moieties connected to N-heterocyclic motifs that are found as core skeletons in many natural products and pharmaceutical compounds. JU-3CRs also provide much better diastereoselectivity than their four-component analogues. We survey here the redesign of many synthetic routes for the efficient preparation of a wide variety of three-, five-, six-, and seven-membered heterocyclic compounds connected to the peptide backbone. Additionally, in the Ugi reactions based on the cyclic imines, α-acidic isocyanides, or azides can be replaced with normal isocyanides or acids, respectively, leading to the synthesis of N-heterocycles attached to oxazoles or tetrazoles, which are of great pharmaceutical significance. This Review includes all research articles related to Ugi reactions based on the cyclic imines to the year 2020 and will be useful to chemists in designing novel synthetic routes for the synthesis of individual and combinatorial libraries of natural products and drug-like compounds.

α-Functionalization of Cyclic Secondary Amines: Lewis Acid Promoted Addition of Organometallics to Transient Imines

Cyclic imines, generated in situ from their corresponding N-lithiated amines and a ketone hydride acceptor, undergo reactions with a range of organometallic nucleophiles to generate α-functionalized amines in a single operation. Activation of the transient imines by Lewis acids that are compatible with the presence of lithium alkoxides was found to be crucial to accommodate a broad range of nucleophiles including lithium acetylides, Grignard reagents, and aryllithiums with attenuated reactivities.

Cyclic imines – preparation and application in synthesis

Cyclic imines, available from various nitrogen-containing reactants, serve as versatile synthetic intermediates for biologically active compounds.

α-Trifluoromethylated tertiary homoallylic amines: diastereoselective synthesis and conversion into β-aminoesters, γ- and δ-aminoalcohols, azetidines and pyrrolidines

The diastereoselective addition of allyl zinc and allylindium derivatives to α-trifluoromethyl N-tert-butanesulfinyl hemiaminals, bench stable precursors of aryl and alkyl trifluoromethyl ketimines, allows the synthesis of homoallylic amines containing a tetrasubstituted carbon stereocentre bearing a trifluoromethyl group with good diastereoselectivities (up to dr > 99 : 1). This approach was also suitable for accessing chiral homoallylic amines bearing two contiguous stereocenters. The synthetic usefulness of N-tert-butanesulfinyl homoallylamines was illustrated by preparing various trifluoromethylated nitrogen containing bifunctional synthons (aminoesters, aminoalcohols) and small azaheterocycles (azetidines, pyrrolidines).

Synthesis of Substituted α-Trifluoromethyl Piperidinic Derivatives

A comprehensive survey of pathways leading to the generation of α-trifluoromethyl monocyclic piperidinic derivatives is provided (65 references). These compounds have been synthesized either from 6-membered rings e.g., pipecolic acid or lactam derivatives by introduction a trifluoromethyl group, from pyridine or pyridinone derivatives by reduction, and from 5-membered rings e.g., prolinol derivatives by ring expansion, from linear amines by cyclization or from dienes/dienophiles by [4 + 2]-cycloaddition.

Squaramide-catalyzed domino Michael/aza-Henry [3 + 2] cycloaddition: asymmetric synthesis of functionalized 5-trifluoromethyl and 3-nitro substituted pyrrolidines

The diastereo- and enantioselective Michael/aza-Henry [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of trifluoromethyl-substituted iminomalonate and nitroalkenes has been developed employing 10 mol% of a quinine-squaramide catalyst.

Trifluoromethyl nitrogen heterocycles: synthetic aspects and potential biological targets

The synthetic methodologies and the potential biological targets of α-trifluoromethylated nitrogen heterocycles are presented.

Ring Contraction of 3-Hydroxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)piperidines: Synthesis of 2-Substituted 2-(Trifluoromethyl)pyrrolidines

A ring contraction of 3-hydroxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)piperidines was achieved via an aziridinium intermediate. This contraction facilitates the synthesis of a series of 2-substituted 2-(trifluoromethyl)pyrrolidines incorporating a quaternary center at the C2 position.

Chalcogen analogues of nicotine lactam studied by NMR, FTIR, DFT and X-ray methods

The selenoanalogue of nicotine has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction methods. The crystals of selenonicotine are isomorphic with the thionicotine homologue and consist of molecules engaged in columnar π⋯π stacking interactions between antiparallely arranged pyridine moieties. These interactions, absent in other crystals containing nicotine fragments, seem to be induced by the presence of a lactam group. The molecular structures in the vacuum of the oxo-, thio- and selenonicotine homologues have been calculated by the DFT method and compared with the available X-ray data. The delocalized structure of thionicotine is stabilized by intramolecular C-H⋯S hydrogen bond, which becomes weaker in the partial zwitterionic resonance structure of selenonicotine in favor of multiple C-H⋯Se intermolecular hydrogen-bonds. The calculated data allow a complete assignment of vibration modes in the solid state FTIR spectra. The (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts were calculated by the GIAO method with B3LYP/6-311G(3df) level. A comparison between experimental and calculated theoretical results indicates that the density functional B3LYP method provided satisfactory results for predicting FTIR, (1)H, (13)C NMR spectra properties.

Trifluoromethide as a strong base: [CF3-] mediates dichloromethylation of nitrones by proton abstraction from the solvent

An unprecedented reactivity of CF3-TMS has been revealed, which exploits the basic character of the generated [CF3(-)] capable of delivering dichloromethide from dichloromethane with subsequent transfer to nitrones under smooth conditions. The proton-abstraction pathway was demonstrated through isotopic labeling experiments in CD2Cl2. The same reaction was achieved in acetonitrile with the introduction of a cyanomethyl group onto the nitrones.

Synthesis of tetrazole-derived organocatalysts via azido-Ugi reaction with cyclic ketimines

A new route to tetrazole-derived cyclic amines based on the TMSN3-modified Ugi reaction with 2-substituted cyclic imines was elaborated. The reaction allows the direct preparation of five-, six-, and seven-membered cyclic amines substituted with a tetrazole ring, which are important types of organocatalysts. The scope and limitations of this method are discussed. In the case of the Ugi reaction with benzyl isocyanide, the N-substituted tetrazoles can be easily debenzylated under catalytic hydrogenation conditions to form NH-tetrazoles in quantitative yields. It was demonstrated that both enantiomers of tetrazole-derived cyclic amines can be prepared by resolution with tartaric acid, thereby initiating a simple route to chiral derivatives. One of the obtained chiral tetrazoles was efficiently used as an organocatalyst in the amination reaction.

Stereoselective access to fluorinated and non-fluorinated quaternary piperidines: synthesis of pipecolic acid and iminosugar derivatives

The preparation of optically pure quaternary piperidines, both fluorinated and non-fluorinated, has been achieved from a chiral imino lactone derived from (R)-phenylglycinol. In the case of the fluorinated derivatives, the addition of (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane (TMSCF(3)) followed by iodoamination and migration of the CF(3) group allowed access to four derivatives of α-(trifluoromethyl)pipecolic acid. A theoretical study of the CF(3)-group rearrangement has been carried out to help establish the reaction mechanism of this uncommon transformation. Moreover, a route to trifluoromethyl-substituted iminosugars was also developed through the diastereoselective dihydroxylation of suitable synthetic intermediates. Conversely, alkylation of the starting substrate and subsequent cross-metathesis and aza-Michael reactions led to α-alkyl derivatives of the target compounds.