Direct 1,4-difunctionalization of isoquinoline

Metal and Activating Group Free C-4 Alkylation of Isoquinolines via a Temporary Dearomatization Strategy

A simple method for the C-4 alkylation of isoquinolines is described using benzoic acid as a nucleophilic reagent and vinyl ketones as an electrophile. The reaction shows tolerance for substitution at C-3, and C-5-C-8 positions as well as allowing some variation of the vinyl ketone electrophiles. The products contain a carbonyl that can act as a synthetic handle for further manipulations giving esters, amines, or simple alkyl products.

Iridium-catalyzed 1,5-(aryl)aminomethylation of 1,3-enynes by alkenyl-to-allyl 1,4-iridium(i) migration

A novel multicomponent coupling reaction involving the iridium-catalyzed 1,5-difunctionalization of 1,3-enynes with arylboronic acids and triazinanes is described.

Site-Selective C-H Functionalization of (Hetero)Arenes via Transient, Non-Symmetric Iodanes

A strategy for C-H functionalization of arenes and heteroarenes has been developed to allow site-selective incorporation of various anions, including Cl, Br, OMs, OTs, and OTf. This approach is enabled by in situ generation of reactive, non-symmetric iodanes by combining anions and bench-stable PhI(OAc)₂. The utility of this mechanism is demonstrated via para-selective chlorination of medicinally relevant arenes, as well as site-selective C-H chlorination of heteroarenes. Spectroscopic, computational, and competition experiments describe the unique nature, reactivity, and selectivity of these transient, unsymmetrical iodanes.

Protecting-Group-Free Synthesis of 1-Phenylisoquinolin-4-ols: Thermal Cyclization of Methyl 2-[(Diphenylmethylidene)amino]acetates

A protecting-group-free synthetic approach to 1-phenylisoquinolin-4-ols was developed by the intramolecular thermal cyclization of methyl 2-[(diphenylmethylidene)amino]acetates. R¹ and R² substituents were found to affect the required reaction temperatures, time, and yields of the cyclized products. The reactivity of the Schiff bases increased upon introduction of α-benzoyl and α-ester groups (R²). The cyclization yield also depended on the position of the R¹ substituents on the phenyl groups.

Synthesis of polyhalogenated 4,4'-bipyridines via a simple dimerization procedure

Polyhalogenated 4,4'-bipyridines were conveniently synthesized in a single step starting from dihalopyridines. A mechanism was proposed on the basis of experiments performed with 2-chloro-5-bromopyridine 1a. 2-Chloro-4-lithio-5-bromopyridine A1 was produced via ortholithiation of 1a by using either LDA or t-BuLi bases. When LDA was used, dimer 3a containing two chlorines and two bromine atoms was formed predominantly accompanied by several byproducts whose structure and mechanism of formation are discussed. In the case of t-BuLi, although the major product was 2-chloropyridine 7, a new pyridone product 8 was formed that is probably the result of the dihydropyridine intermediate hydrolysis. The dimerization procedure involving LDA was employed to prepare a large number of halogenated 4,4'-bipyridines in moderate to good yields. In some specific cases, halogenated 3,4' and 2,4'-bipyridines were obtained in lower yields and their structures were unambiguously assigned by X-ray diffraction analysis.