A convenient synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted imidazoles

An oxidative photocyclization approach to the synthesis of Securiflustra securifrons alkaloids

Securines and securamines are cytotoxic alkaloids that contain reactive alkene and heterocyclic residues embedded in skeletons comprising four to six oxidized rings. This structural complexity imparts a rich chemistry to the isolates but has impeded synthetic access to the structures in the nearly three decades since their isolation. We present a flexible route to eight isolates that exemplify the three skeletal classes of metabolites. The route proceeds by the modular assembly of the advanced azides 38 and 49 (13 steps, 6 to 10% yield), sequential oxidative photocyclizations, and late-stage functional group manipulations. With this approach, the targets were obtained in 17 to 19 steps, 12 to 13 purifications, and 0.5 to 3.5% overall yield. The structure of an advanced intermediate was elucidated by microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) analysis. The route will support structure-function and target identification studies of the securamines.

Regioselective Radical Arene Amination for the Concise Synthesis of ortho-Phenylenediamines

The formation of arene C–N bonds directly from C–H bonds is of great importance and there has been rapid recent development of methods for achieving this through radical mechanisms, often involving reactive N-centered radicals. A major challenge associated with these advances is that of regiocontrol, with mixtures of regioisomeric products obtained in most protocols, limiting broader utility. We have designed a system that utilizes attractive noncovalent interactions between an anionic substrate and an incoming radical cation in order to guide the latter to the arene ortho position. The anionic substrate takes the form of a sulfamate-protected aniline and telescoped cleavage of the sulfamate group after amination leads directly to ortho-phenylenediamines, key building blocks for a range of medicinally relevant diazoles. Our method can deliver both free amines and monoalkyl amines allowing access to unsymmetrical, selectively monoalkylated benzimidazoles and benzotriazoles. As well as providing concise access to valuable ortho-phenylenediamines, this work demonstrates the potential for utilizing noncovalent interactions to control positional selectivity in radical reactions.

Synthesis of distal and proximal fleximer base analogues and evaluation in the nucleocapsid protein of HIV-1

Anti-HIV-1 drug design has been notably challenging due to the virus’ ability to mutate and develop immunity against commercially available drugs. The aims of this project were to develop a series of fleximer base analogues that not only possess inherent flexibility that can remain active when faced with binding site mutations, but also target a non-canonical, highly conserved target: the nucleocapsid protein of HIV (NC). The compounds were predicted by computational studies not to function via zinc ejection, which would endow them with significant advantages over non-specific and thus toxic zinc-ejectors. The target fleximer bases were synthesized using palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling techniques and subsequently tested against NC and HIV-1. The results of those studies are described herein.

Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reaction of a Silyl-Substituted Vinylimidazole en Route to the Fully Substituted Cyclopentane Core of Oroidin Dimers

An intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a silyl-substituted vinylimidazole delivers a diastereomeric mixture of C4-silyl functionalized dihydrobenzimidazoles. Subsequent diastereoselective reduction and elaboration of the lactone gives rise to a polysubstituted tetrahydrobenzimidazole, which, upon oxidative rearrangement, affords a single spirofused imidazolone containing all of the relevant functionality for an approach to the oroidin dimers axinellamine, massadine, and palau'amine.

Regioselective C–H alkenylation of imidazoles and its application to the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted benzimidazoles

A palladium-catalyzed C5-selective alkenylation of imidazoles has been developed and applied to the synthesis of alkenyl imidazoles and multi-substituted benzimidazoles.

Total synthesis and cytotoxicity of Leucetta alkaloids

The total synthesis of a number of representative natural products isolated from Leucetta and Clathrina sponges containing a polysubstituted 2-aminoimidazole are described. These syntheses take advantage of the site specific metallation reactions of 4,5-diiodoimidazoles resulting in the syntheses of three different classes of Leucetta derived natural products. The cytotoxicities of these natural products, along with several precursors in MCF7 cells were determined through an MTT growth assay. For comparative purposes a series of naphthimidazole-containing family members are included.

Total synthesis of 7'-desmethylkealiiquinone, 4'-desmethoxykealiiquinone, and 2-deoxykealiiquinone

Synthetic approaches to the imidazonaphthoquinone core of kealiiquinone and related Leucetta-derived alkaloids are described. The polysubstituted benzimidazole framework can be constructed through intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of propiolate-derived enynes followed by oxidation. Adjustment of the oxidation state of the thus formed lactone allows introduction of the 2,3-dihydroxybenzoquinone moiety through a presumed benzoin-like condensation between a phthaldehyde derivative and a masked glyoxal equivalent catalyzed by a cyanide ion. Oxidation of the C2-position can be accomplished through application of an operationally simple treatment of an imidazolium salt with bleach, thus producing the corresponding 2-imidazolone. Debenzylation of a late stage intermediate en route to kealiiquinone was compromised by concomitant O-demethylation upon treatment with triflic acid resulting in the formation of non-natural 7'-desmethylkealiiquinone. Other endgame strategies were evaluated; however, these efforts did not lead to completion of a synthesis of kealiiquinone but did provide access to other closely related analogues.

Development of a regioselective N-methylation of (benz)imidazoles providing the more sterically hindered isomer

An efficient and highly regioselective N-methylation of (NH)-(benz)imidazoles furnishing the sterically more hindered, less stable, and usually minor regioisomer has been developed. The methodology involves very mild reaction conditions and tolerates a wide range of functional groups.

The discovery of new potent non-peptide Angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockers: a concise synthesis, molecular docking studies and biological evaluation of N-substituted 5-butylimidazole derivatives

A convenient and facile synthesis, in silico docking studies and in vitro biological evaluation of N-substituted 5-butylimidazole derivatives as potent Angiotensin II (ANG II) receptor type 1 (AT1) blockers (ARBs) has been reported in the current study. Our efforts have been directed towards the development of an efficient synthetic route allowing the facile introduction of substituents on the imidazole ring. In particular, a series of imidazole based compounds bearing the biphenyl moiety at the N - 1 position, a halogen atom at the C-4 and polar substituents such as hydroxymethyl, aldo or carboxy group at the C-2 position were designed and synthesized. These compounds were evaluated for binding to human AT1 receptor and for ANG II antagonism in vitro on isolated rat uterus. Among them, 5-butyl-1-[[2'-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]imidazole-2-carboxylic acid (30) exhibited higher binding affinity compared to the other analogues tested (-log IC(50) = 8.46). The latter analogue was also found to be the most active in the rat uterotonic test (pA(2) = 7.83). Importantly, the binding affinity was higher to that of losartan (-log IC(50) = 8.25) indicating the importance of carboxy group at the C-2 position. Experimental findings are in good agreement with docking studies, which were undertaken in order to investigate ligand/AT1 receptor interactions.

C-H bonds as ubiquitous functionality: a general approach to complex arylated imidazoles via regioselective sequential arylation of all three C-H bonds and regioselective N-alkylation enabled by SEM-group transposition

Imidazoles are an important group of the azole family of heterocycles frequently found in pharmaceuticals, drug candidates, ligands for transition metal catalysts, and other molecular functional materials. Owing to their wide application in academia and industry, new methods and strategies for the generation of functionalized imidazole derivatives are in demand. We here describe a general and comprehensive approach for the synthesis of complex aryl imidazoles, where all three C-H bonds of the imidazole core can be arylated in a regioselective and sequential manner. We report new catalytic methods for selective C5- and C2-arylation of SEM-imidazoles and provide a mechanistic hypothesis for the observed positional selectivity based on electronic properties of C-H bonds and the heterocyclic ring. Importantly, aryl bromides and low-cost aryl chlorides can be used as arene donors under practical laboratory conditions. To circumvent the low reactivity of the C-4 position, we developed the SEM-switch that transfers the SEM-group from N-1 to N-3 nitrogen and thus enables preparation of 4-arylimidazoles and sequential C4-C5-arylation of the imidazole core. Furthermore, selective N3-alkylation followed by the SEM-group deprotection (trans-N-alkylation) allows for regioselective N-alkylation of complex imidazoles. The sequential C-arylation enabled by the SEM-switch allowed us to produce a variety of mono-, di-, and triarylimidazoles using diverse bromo- and chloroarenes. Using our approach, the synthesis of individual compounds or libraries of analogues can begin from either the parent imidazole or a substituted imidazole, providing rapid access to complex imidazole structures.

C-H bonds as ubiquitous functionality: a general approach to complex arylated pyrazoles via sequential regioselective C-arylation and N-alkylation enabled by SEM-group transposition

Pyrazoles are important azole heteroarenes frequently found in pharmaceuticals and protein ligands, and there has been a growing interest in new synthetic methods for their preparation. We report the first catalytic intermolecular C-H arylation of pyrazoles, namely SEM-protected pyrazoles and N-alkylpyrazoles, which lays the foundation for a new approach to the synthesis of complex arylated pyrazoles, where new arene rings are directly attached to predetermined positions of the heteroarene nucleus ("topologically obvious synthesis"). Through a systematic search, we identified a palladium-pivalate catalytic system as the most effective protocol and mapped the reactivity of all three C-H bonds of the pyrazole (C-5 > C-4 >> C-3). To circumvent the low reactivity of the C-3 position, we developed a "SEM switch", which transposes the SEM-protecting group from one nitrogen to the other in one step, and in the process transforms the unreactive C-3 position to the reactive C-5 position. The SEM switch thus enables sequential arylation of C-5 and C-3 position, providing rapid access to protected or free 3,4,5-triarylpyrazoles (the C-4 arene ring is readily introduced by bromination and Suzuki coupling). Furthermore, N-alkylation of SEM-protected pyrazoles allows for regioselective introduction of the amine substituent, addressing the low regioselectivity of N-alkylation of pyrazoles lacking sufficient steric bias. Thus, the catalytic C-H arylation combined with the protecting group transposition and N-alkylation provides a rapid route to fully substituted pyrazoles with complete regiocontrol of all substituents. The particular strength of this strategy is the ability to commence the synthesis from either the parent pyrazole or practically any pyrazole intermediate.

Synthesis of imidazole derivatives with antimycobacterial activity

4-Substituted 1-(p-methoxybenzyl)imidazoles were designed and synthesized in order to mimic parts of the structure of highly potent antimycobacterial 6-aryl-9-(p-methoxybenzyl)purines. 4-Haloimidazoles were subjected to Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling in order to introduce a (hetero)aryl group, or they were converted to Grignard reagents and reacted with (hetero)arylaldehydes. Further transformations of the adducts gave a variety of potential antimycobacterials with different "spacers" between the imidazole and (hetero)aryl group. The adduct from furfural was rearranged to a cyclopentenone derivative when treated with methanol under acidic conditions. Several target compounds exhibited antimycobacterial activity in vitro (IC(90 )13 microg/mL for the best inhibitors), but they were not as active as the most potent purines and pyrimidines synthesized before.

Studies toward the Total Synthesis of Axinellamine and Massadine

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of several N-O linked 4-vinylimidazole dimers provide the expected adduct in moderate to good yield as a single, all trans stereoisomer, along with smaller amounts of the inverse electron demand adduct. Oxidative rearrangement of the cycloadducts occurs on treatment with Davis' reagent, providing a single spiro imidazolone in good yield and with excellent levels of stereocontrol albeit epimeric at the spiro center found in axinellamine and massadine.

Preparation and Diels−Alder Chemistry of 4-Vinylimidazoles

Various 4-vinylimidazole derivatives have been prepared from the corresponding 4-iodoimidazoles or from urocanic acid. Several methods for the elaboration of these vinylimidazoles and their Diels-Alder reactions are reported. All of the vinylimidazoles prepared in the course of this study react with N-phenylmaleimide quite readily with mild thermal activation providing a single cycloadduct, in most cases the initial, nonaromatic adduct. With more electron rich substrates, there is a tendency for these initial cycloadducts to undergo aromatization, ene reaction, and oxidation although this can be circumvented to a large extent by the choice of reaction conditions. Limited reactions were observed with other dienophiles, providing the expected cycloadducts in most cases, although an abnormal adduct was obtained in one case with dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate. These substrates also participate in regioselective Diels-Alder reactions with monoactivated dienophiles, but require fairly forcing conditions, thus only providing the aromatized cycloadducts in modest yields. An investigation of substituent effects at the 2-position of the imidazole moiety was undertaken, in which electron-donating and weakly electron-withdrawing substituents are tolerated. In addition, several substrates with terminally substituted vinyl moieties have been investigated.

Explorations on the Total Synthesis of the Unusual Marine Alkaloid Chartelline A

In work directed toward a total synthesis of chartelline A (1a), a strategy was investigated to construct the 10-membered ring of this marine alkaloid via an intramolecular aldehyde/beta-lactam cyclocondensation to form the macrocyclic enamide functionality. Therefore, spiro-beta-lactam and imidazole fragments were first prepared. Tribromooxindole beta-lactam 24 was synthesized from commercially available 5-nitroisatin (18) in seven steps and 30% overall yield via a Staudinger ketene-imine [2 + 2]-cycloaddition strategy. The requisite 2-bromoimidazole subunit 40 bearing a terminal alkyne and a masked aldehyde was efficiently prepared from the readily available imidazole ester 25 in 10 steps. With both advanced intermediates available, the addition of the lithium acetylide generated from 2-bromoimidazole subunit 40 to the gamma-lactam carbonyl group of N-Boc-tribromooxindole 24 was investigated, affording the desired N-Boc-aminal 41. Hydrolysis of the acetonide moiety of 41, followed by oxidative cleavage of the resulting diol, gave the aldehyde 42. Unfortunately, treatment of aldehyde 42 with p-toluenesulfonic acid did not give the desired 10-membered macrocyclic (Z)-enamide 46, but rather the highly unsaturated seven-membered ring compound 44.