Asymmetric Henry reactions catalyzed by copper(II) complexes of chiral 1,2,4-triazine-oxazoline ligands: the impact of substitution in the oxazoline ring on ligand activity

Chiral pyridine oxazoline and 1,2,4-triazine oxazoline ligands incorporating electron-withdrawing substituents and their application in the Cu-catalyzed enantioselective nitroaldol reaction

Eight pyridine-containing and four 1,2,4-triazine-containing chiral oxazoline ligands incorporating electron-withdrawing substituents have been synthesized by two-step route including Buchwald–Hartwig amination. Enantio-inducing activity of the ligands has been assessed in the copper-catalyzed asymmetric nitroaldol reactions and the influence of the electron-withdrawing substituents on the ligands' activity has been investigated.

Graphical abstract

Synthesis and structures of three new pyridine-containing oxazoline ligands of complexes for asymmetric catalysis

Three new chiral pyridine-containing oxazoline derivatives with fluorine and perfluoromethyl groups, namely, 2-({2-[(4S)-4-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl]phenyl}amino)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine, C₂₁H₁₆F₃N₃O, 2-({5-fluoro-2-[(4S)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl]phenyl}amino)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine, C₁₈H₁₇F₄N₃O, and 2-({2-[(3aR,8aS)-8,8a-dihydro-3aH-indeno[1,2-d]oxazol-2-yl]phenyl}amino)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine, C₂₂H₁₆F₃N₃O, as chiral ligands in metal-catalysed asymmetric reactions, were synthesized and characterized by spectral and X-ray diffraction methods. The conformation of the molecules is influenced by strong N-H...N hydrogen bonding and weak C-H...X (X = O and N) interactions. There are no intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the crystal structures of the analysed compounds. Hirshfeld surface analysis showed that the H...H contacts constitute a high percentage of the intermolecular interactions. The conformational analysis was performed by theoretical calculations using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The mechanism of complex formation in terms of the electron-withdrawing effect of the substituents on the oxazoline ring and the ligand conformation is discussed.

Design, Synthesis, Fungicidal Activity, and Unexpected Docking Model of the First Chiral Boscalid Analogues Containing Oxazolines

Chirality greatly influences the biological and pharmacological properties of a pesticide and will contribute to unnecessary environmental loading and undesired ecological impact. No structure and activity relationship (SAR) of enantiopure succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) was documented during the structure optimization of boscalids. On the basis of commercial SDHIs, oxazoline natural products, and versatile oxazoline ligands in organic synthesis, the first effort was devoted to explore the chiral SDHIs and the preliminary mechanism thereof. Fine-tuning furnished chiral nicotinamides 4ag as a more promising fungicidal candidate against Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with EC₅₀ values of 0.58, 0.42, and 2.10 mg/L, respectively. In vivo bioassay and molecular docking were investigated to explore the potential in practical application and plausible novelty in action mechanism, respectively. The unexpected molecular docking model showed the different chiral effects on the binding site with the amino acid residues. This chiral nicotinamide also featured easy synthesis and cost-efficacy. It will provide a powerful complement to the commercial SDHI fungicides with the introduction of chirality.

Chiral oxazoline ligands with two different six-membered azaheteroaromatic rings – synthesis and application in the Cu-catalyzed nitroaldol reaction

Synthesis and catalytic activity of chiral ligands 5,6-diphenyl-3-{3-[(4S/R)-4-R/Ar-4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}amino-1,2,4-triazines 2 and their analogs 3 possessing an N-oxide function in the pyridine ring are described. The pivotal step in the synthesis of ligands 2 is the Buchwald-Hartwig Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between 3-bromo-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine (7a) and enantiopure 3-(4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)pyridin-2-amines 6a–d. Aromatic nucleophilic substitution of chlorine in 3-chloro-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine (7b) with 3-(4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)pyridin-2-amine 1-oxides 12 was investigated as the key reaction in the synthesis of ligands 3. Two undesired derivatives 13 or 14, resulting from unexpected reactions of 3, were isolated depending on reaction conditions. Compounds 2 and 3 as well as the side products 13 and 14 were screened as chiral ligands in the copper catalyzed enatioselective nitroaldol reaction.

Structural characterization of copper complexes with chiral 1,2,4-triazine-oxazoline ligands

The crystal structure determination of oxazoline-1,2,4-triazine ligand