Expedient one-step synthesis of nitrogen stilbene analogs by transition metal-free hydroamination of arylacetylenes with pyrroles

Substrate-Controlled Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of ( Z)- and ( E)- N-Styrylated Carbazoles, Aza-carbazoles, and γ-Carbolines via Hydroamination of Alkynes

We report herein the substrate-controlled regio- and stereoselective hydroamination of carbazoles, aza-carbazoles, and γ-carbolines with functionalized aromatic as well as aliphatic alkynes in a KOH/DMSO system in good yields. The electronic effect of the substrates governs the stereochemistry of the product. Electron-donating alkynes provided ( Z)-stereoselective products, and electron-withdrawing alkynes provided ( E)-stereoselective products. This approach also provides an easy route for the synthesis of mono- and bis-hydroaminated product. The deuterium-labeling studies were also conducted to support the mechanistic pathway.

Highly Chemo- and Regioselective Vinylation of N-Heteroarenes with Vinylsulfonium Salts

An efficient chemo- and regioselective N-vinylation of N-heteroarenes has been developed using vinylsulfonium salts. The reaction proceeded under mild and transition-metal-free conditions and consistently provided moderate to high yields of vinylation products with 100% E-stereoselectivity. This reaction is also highly chemoselective, and compatible with a variety of functional groups, such as -NHR, -NH₂, -OH, -COOH, ester, etc.

Chemo-, Regio-, and Stereoselective N-Alkenylation of Pyrazoles/Benzpyrazoles Using Activated and Unactivated Alkynes

Transition-metal-free chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective synthesis of (Z) and (E) styryl pyrazoles and benzpyrazoles by the addition of N-heterocycles onto functionalized terminal and internal alkynes using a super basic solution of KOH/DMSO has been described. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction was governed by time and quantity of the base. The reaction of pyrazoles and benzpyrazoles onto alkynes takes place chemoselectively without affecting the free -NH₂ group of pyrazoles and -OH group of alkynes. The designed protocol was well implemented on alkynes bearing long alkyl chain, an alicyclic ring, hydroxy, ether, and ester functionality, which offer the N-alkenylated products in good yields. This developed methodology also provides easy access for the synthesis of bis-vinylated heterocycles. The presence of free -NH₂, -OH, -COOR, and halo group in styryl pyrazoles, could be further utilized for synthetic elaboration, which is advantageous for biological evaluation. For the first time, we have disclosed the base-mediated conversion of (Z)-styryl pyrazoles to (E)-styryl pyrazoles in KOH/DMSO system. The cis-trans isomerization was supported by the control experiments and deuterium labeling studies.

Base-Mediated Hydroamination of Alkynes

Inter- or intramolecular hydroamination reactions are a paradigmatic example of modern sustainable organic chemistry, as they are a catalytic, 100% atom-economical, and waste-free process of fundamental simplicity in which an amine is added to an alkyne substrate. Many enamines are found in many natural and synthetic compounds possessing interesting physiological and biological activities. The development of synthetic protocols for such molecules and their transformation is a persistent research topic in pharmaceutical and organic chemistry. Hydroamination is conspicuously superior to the other accessible methods, such as the imination of ketones or the aminomercuration/demercuration of alkynes, that involve the stoichiometric use of toxic reagents. Additionally, the hydroamination of alkyne substrates has been successfully employed as a key step in synthesizing target molecules through total syntheses containing substituted indoles, pyrroles, imidazoles, and other heterocycles as core moieties. Many research groups have explored inter- or intramolecular hydroamination of alkynes for the synthesis of diversely substituted nitrogen heterocycles using expensive metal catalysts. However, in contrast to metal-catalyzed hydroamination, the base-mediated hydroamination of alkynes has not been extensively studied. Various inorganic (such as hydroxides, phosphates, and carbonates) and organic bases have been proven to be valuable reagents for achieving the hydroamination process. This method represents an attractive strategy for the construction of a broad range of nitrogen-containing compounds that prevents the formation of byproducts in the creation of a C-N linkage. The presence of a base is thought to facilitate the attack of nitrogen nucleophiles, such as indoles, pyrroles, and imidazoles, on unsaturated carbon substrates through the activation of the triple bond and thus transforming the electron-rich alkyne into an electrophile. In the past few years, we have been involved in the development of methods for the nucleophilic addition of N-heterocycles onto terminal and internal alkynes using alkali base catalysts to achieve new carbon-nitrogen bond-forming reactions. During our study, we discovered the regioselective preferential nucleophilic addition of N-heterocycles onto the haloarylalkyne over N-arylation of the aryl halide. In this Account, we summarize our latest achievements in regio-, stereo-, and chemoselective hydroamination chemistry of N-nucleophiles with alkynes using a superbasic medium to produce a broad range of highly functionalized vinyl and styryl enamines, which are valuable and versatile synthetic intermediates for the synthesis of bioactive compounds. Interestingly, the stereoselectivity of the addition products (kinetically stable Z and thermodynamically stable E isomers) was found to be dependent upon time. It is worthwhile to note that hydroaminated products formed by the addition reaction can further be utilized for the synthesis of indolo-/pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines, naphthyridines, and bisindolo/pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolinesvia tandem cyclization. This chemistry is expected to find application in organic synthesis for constructing a diverse variety of fused π-conjugated compounds, enaminones, and C-C coupled products.

Structural peculiarities of configurational isomers of 1-styrylpyrroles according to 1Н, 13С and 15N NMR spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations: electronic and steric hindrance for planar structure

Comparative analysis of the (1)Н and (13)С NMR data for a series of the E and Z-1-styrylpyrroles, E and Z-1-(1-propenyl)pyrroles, 1-vinylpyrroles and styrene suggests that the conjugation between the unsaturated fragments in the former compounds is reduced. This is the result of the mutual influence of the donor p-π and π-π conjugation having opposite directions. According to the NMR data combined with the density functional theory calculations, the Z isomer of 1-styrylpyrrole has essentially a nonplanar structure because of the steric hindrance. However, the E isomer of 1-styrylpyrrole is also an out-of-plane structure despite the absence of a sterical barrier for the planar one. Deviation of the E isomer from the planar structure seems to be caused by an electronic hindrance produced by a mutual influence of the p-π and π-π conjugation. The structure of the E isomer of the 2-substituted 1-styrylpyrroles is similar to that of the 2-substituted 1-vinylpyrroles. The steric effects in the Z isomer of the 2-substituted 1-styrylpyrroles result in the large increase of the dihedral angle between planes of the pyrrole ring and double bond.