Copper-free Sonogashira coupling in amine–water solvent mixtures

Copper-free Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions: an overview

The Sonogashira reaction is a cross-coupling reaction of a vinyl or aryl halide with a terminal alkyne to form a C-C bond. In its original form, the Sonogashira reaction is performed with a palladium species as a catalyst while co-catalyzed by a copper species and a phosphine or amine. The reaction is conducted under mild conditions, i.e., room temperature, aqueous solutions, and the presence of mild bases. Undeniably, the Sonogashira reaction is among the most competent and efficient reactions widely used in organic synthesis. This named reaction has proved useful in many organic synthesis areas, including the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, heterocycles, natural products, organic compounds, complex molecules having biological activities, nanomaterials, and many more materials that we use in our daily lives. The presence of transition metals as a catalyst was indeed essential in the Sonogashira reaction. However, recently, the reaction has been successfully conducted without copper as a co-catalyst and phosphines or amines as bases. In this critical review, we have focused on developments in the Sonogashira reaction successfully performed in the absence of copper complexes, phosphines or amines, which could be of particular advantage in implementing green chemistry principles and making the reactions more achievable from an economic viewpoint.

Green synthesis of graphene oxide (GO)-anchored Pd/Cu bimetallic nanoparticles using Ocimum sanctum as bio-reductant: an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction

To explore the synergism between two metal centers we have synthesized graphene oxide (GO) supported Pd/Cu@GO, Pd@GO and Cu@GO nanoparticles through bio-reduction of Pd(NO3)2 and CuSO4·5H2O using Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf extract as the reducing and stabilizing agent. The graphene oxide (GO) was obtained by oxidation of graphite following a simplified Hummer's method. The as-prepared nanomaterials have been extensively characterized by FTIR, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), HRTEM, TEM-EDS, XPS, ICP-AES and BET surface area measurement techniques. The morphological study of Pd/Cu@GO revealed that crystalline bimetallic alloy type particles were dispersed on the GO layer. The activity of Pd@GO, Cu@GO and Pd/Cu@GO as catalysts for the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction have been investigated and it was found that the Pd/Cu@GO nanostructure showed highly superior catalytic activity over its monometallic counterparts, substantiating the cooperative influence of the two metals. The inter-atom Pd/Cu transmetalation between surfaces was thought to be responsible for its synergistic activity. The catalyst showed higher selectivity towards coupling of aryl iodides with both aliphatic and aryl alkynes resulting in moderate to excellent isolated yield of the desired products (45-99%). The products have been characterized by GC-MS and 1H-NMR spectroscopic techniques and compared with authentic samples. The Pd/Cu@GO catalyst could be easily isolated from the reaction products and reused for up to at least ten successive runs effectively.

A Mild Aqueous Sonogashira Reaction as a Fluorescent Labeling Strategy for 5-Bromide-2'-Deoxyuridine

C5-modified uridines are a valuable class of nucleoside analogues, both as potent chemotherapy agents and through their use as the conjunction site in DNA labeling strategies. As an important C5-modified uridine, BrdU has been used in cell proliferation assays since the 1980s. Currently, the detection of BrdU relies on traditional immunostaining; however, this approach has its limitations. Thus, it is desirable, albeit difficult, to develop chemistry methods to fluorescently label BrdU in a cellular context. In the present study, we report our efforts toward developing a robust chemistry methodology for BrdU fluorescent labeling. The Sonogashira reaction was chosen as the key reaction, and various alkynyl groups (aliphatic or aryl) containing fluorescent dyes were synthesized to cross-couple with BrdU. Various bases and catalyst systems were screened to evaluate the optimum conditions. A mild aqueous Sonogashira reaction (K₂PdCl₄, S-Phos, n-Bu₄N⁺OH^-, Sodium d-isoascorbate, EtOH/H₂O = 1:1, 37 °C, Ar) was obtained to enable high-yielding BrdU fluorescent labeling.

DNA-supported palladium nanoparticles as a reusable catalyst for the copper- and ligand-free Sonogashira reaction

Palladium nanoparticles on DNA have been shown to be an effective and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the copper- and ligand-free Sonogashira coupling reaction of aryl iodides under mild conditions in air.

Synthesis of Pd(ii) organometal incorporated ordered Im3m mesostructural silica and its catalytic activity in a water-medium Sonogashira reaction

A novel mesoporous Pd(ii) catalyst exhibits high activity for Sonogashira coupling of aryl halides with phenylacetylene in aqueous medium.

Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of some novel, highly potent anti-invasive (E)- and (Z)-stilbenes

In our ongoing exploration of the structure-activity landscape of anti-invasive chalcones, we have prepared and evaluated a number of structurally related (E)- and (Z)-stilbenes. These molecules exhibited an extraordinary high in vitro potency in the chick heart invasion assay, being active up to 10nmolL(-1), a concentration level a 100-fold lower than the lowest effective doses that have been reported for natural analogues. Furthermore, they possess an interesting pharmacological profile in silico.

Pd/C-catalyzed, copper-free Sonogashira coupling: one-pot synthesis of 1-aryl-4-(2-phenylethynyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalines in water

Abstract

Copper-free, Pd/C-catalyzed, one-pot reaction of 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline with hydrazine hydrate, bromine, phenylacetylene, and a variety of aldehydes provides an efficient and direct method for the preparation of 1-aryl-4-(2-phenylethynyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalines in water at 70 °C. This methodology involves the use of inexpensive reagents or catalysts, and thus permits a new and practical access to triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalines.

Graphical abstract

N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions: a facile synthesis of 3,5-di- and 3,4,5-trisubstituted isoxazoles

A first example of organo-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed click-type fast 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides with alkynes was developed for the regioselective synthesis of 3,5-di- and 3,4,5-trisubstituted isoxazoles. Triethylamine (Et(3)N) was employed as an effective base to generate both nitrile oxide and the organo-NHC catalyst in situ. This catalytic approach was used to attach a variety of substituents, including other biologically active fragments, onto the isoxazole ring to selectively design multinucleus structures. Further, we have also optimized the conditions for Cu(I)-free Sonogashira cross-coupling to obtain internal alkynes in high yields, which were subsequently used in cycloaddition. A catalytic cycle is proposed and the remarkable regiocontrol in the formation of isoxazoles was ascribed to a beneficial zwitterion intermediate developed by the interaction of the strongly nucleophilic organo-NHC catalyst with alkyne followed by nitrile oxide.