Synthesis of chromanyl and dihydrobenzofuranyl piperazines

Concise Six-Step Asymmetric Approach to Ramelteon from an Acetophenone Derivative Using Ir, Rh, Cu, and Ni Catalysis

A concise six-step asymmetric synthesis of nearly enantiomerically pure ramelteon was developed from a monocyclic precursor with a 17% overall yield and a 97% ee in the asymmetric step. The synthetically challenging tricyclic 1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-indeno[5,4-b]furan core of ramelteon was assembled by using Ir-catalyzed O-vinylation and Rh-catalyzed vinyl ether annulation through directed C–H bond activation, while the chirality was introduced with enantioselective reduction of an α,β-unsaturated nitrile moiety under hydrosilylation conditions using a Cu^II/Walphos type catalyst. The presented methodology represents the shortest synthetic approach to ramelteon.

New class of 2-aryl-6-chloro-3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium salts as potential antifungal agents for plant protection: synthesis, bioactivity and structure-activity relationships

Thirty-four new 2-aryl-6-chloro-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2-ium bromides were synthesized, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Antifungal activities against Alternaria alternate, Curvularia lunata and Valsa mali were evaluated by the mycelium linear growth rate method. SAR was discussed also. All compounds showed some activity against each of the fungi at 25 μg/mL. Compared to azoxystrobin, a commercial fungicide, 31 out of 34 test compounds showed higher inhibition rates against C. lunata and 10 were more effective against A. alternate and V. mali. Compounds 5-4, 5-2 and 5-34 showed the highest activity against A. alternate (EC50 = 10.3 μg/mL), C. lunata (EC50 = 4.6 μg/mL) and V. mali (EC50 = 3.9 μg/mL), respectively, superior to azoxystrobin (EC50 = 12.8, 71.9, 37.2 μg/mL). Compound 5-4 displayed good activities against each of the fungi with EC50 of 10.3, 4.7, and 18.0 μg/mL while 5-34 displayed excellent activities against V. mali (EC50 = 3.9 μg/mL) and C. lunata (EC50 = 5.8 μg/mL). The SAR showed that the type and position of substituents on the C-ring had significant effects on the activity. Generally, the presence of 2'-F, 4'-F or 2'-CH3 could significantly improve the activities, whereas OH, OMe, NO2 or CF3 groups decreased the activities. Thus, it was concluded that the present research provided a new series of 2-aryl-6-chloro-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2-iums with excellent antifungal potency, and the results were of importance for the structure optimization design, synthesis and development of more potent isoquinoline antifungal agents.

Benzosulfones as photochemically activated sulfur dioxide (SO2) donors

A series of benzosulfones were synthesized and found to undergo photolysis to generate sulfur dioxide in aqueous buffer.

Discovery of PF-00217830: aryl piperazine napthyridinones as D2 partial agonists for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

The synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a novel series of aryl piperazine napthyridinone D(2) partial agonists is described. Our goal was to optimize the affinities for the D(2), 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1A) receptors, such that the D(2)/5-HT(2A) ratio was greater than 5 to ensure maximal occupancy of these receptors when the D(2) occupancy reached efficacious levels. This strategy led to identification of PF-00217830 (2) with robust inhibition of sLMA (MED=0.3mg/kg) and DOI-induced head twitches in rats (31% and 78% at 0.3 and 1mg/kg) with no catalepsy observed at the highest dose tested (10 mg/kg).