Efficient copper-catalyzed intramolecular N-arylation for the synthesis of oxindoles

Antitumor activity of a pexidartinib bioisostere inhibiting CSF1 production and CSF1R kinase activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF, also known as CSF1) in tumor tissues stimulates tumor growth and tumor-induced angiogenesis through an autocrine and paracrine action on CSF1 receptor (CSF1R). In the present study, novel bioisosteres of pexidartinib (1) were synthesized and evaluated their inhibitory activities against CSF1R kinase and tumor growth. Among newly synthesized bioisosteres, compound 3 showed the highest inhibition (95.1%) against CSF1R tyrosine kinase at a fixed concentration (1 μM). The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of pexidartinib (1) and compound 3 was 2.7 and 57.8 nM, respectively. Unlike pexidartinib (1), which cross-reacts to three targets with structural homology, such as CSF1R, c-KIT, and FLT3, compound 3 inhibited CSF1R, c-KIT, but not FLT3, indicating compound 3 may be a more selective CSF1R inhibitor than pexidartinib (1). The inhibitory effect of compound 3 on the proliferation of various cancer cell lines was the strongest in U937 cells followed by THP-1 cells. In the case of cancer cell lines derived from solid tumors, the anti-proliferative activity of compound 3 was weaker than pexidartinib (1), except for Hep3B. However, compound 3 was safer than pexidartinib (1) in terminally differentiated normal cells such as macrophages. Pexidartinib (1) and compound 3 suppressed the production of CSF1 in Hep3B liver cancer cells as well as in the co-culture of Hep3B cells and macrophages. Also, pexidartinib (1) and compound 3 decreased the population ratio of the M2/M1 phenotype and inhibited their migration. Importantly, compound 3 preferentially inhibited M2 phenotype over M1, and the effect was about 4 times greater than that of pexidartinib (1). In addition, compound 3 inhibited maintenance of cancer stem cell population. In a chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) tumor model implanted with Hep3B cells, tumor growth and tumor-induced angiogenesis were significantly blocked by compound 3 to a similar extent as pexidartinib (1). Overall, compound 3, a bioisostere of pexidartinib, is an effective dual inhibitor to block CSF1R kinase and CSF1 production, resulting in significant inhibition of tumor growth.

Electrochemical Umpolung C-H Functionalization of Oxindoles

Herein, we present a general electrochemical method to access unsymmetrical 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles by direct C–H functionalization where the oxindole fragment behaves as an electrophile. This Umpolung approach does not rely on stoichiometric oxidants and proceeds under mild, environmentally benign conditions. Importantly, it enables the functionalization of these scaffolds through C–O, and by extension to C–C or even C–N bond formation.

Stereoselective three-component cascade synthesis of α-substituted 2,4-dienamides from gem-difluorochloro ethanes

Herein, we describe a new transition metal-free Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of α-substituted 2,4-dienamides. The one-pot, stereoselective three-component cascade reaction between a series of propargyl alcohols, amines, and gem-difluorochloro ethane derivatives afforded various polysubstituted 2,4-dienamides in good yields. This synthetic method for 1,1-captodative dienes, α-substituted 2,4-dienamides, can be utilized for preparing pharmaceutical analogues containing an indolin-2-one or lactone moiety.

Thermal-mediated catalyst-free heterolytic cleavage of 3-halooxindoles: rapid access to 3-functionalized-2-oxindoles

Herein a previously unreported catalyst-free S_N1 reaction of the 3-halooxindoles to build 3-functionalized-2-oxindoles is described.

Synthesis of Functionalized Indolines and Dihydrobenzofurans by Iron and Copper Catalyzed Aryl C-N and C-O Bond Formation

A simple and effective one-pot, two-step intramolecular aryl C-N and C-O bond forming process for the preparation of a wide range of benzo-fused heterocyclic scaffolds using iron and copper catalysis is described. Activated aryl rings were subjected to a highly regioselective, iron(III) triflimide-catalyzed iodination, followed by a copper(I)-catalyzed intramolecular N- or O-arylation step leading to indolines, dihydrobenzofurans, and six-membered analogues. The general applicability and functional group tolerance of this method were exemplified by the total synthesis of the neolignan natural product, (+)-obtusafuran. DFT calculations using Fukui functions were also performed, providing a molecular orbital rationale for the highly regioselective arene iodination process.

Alcohols as Substrates and Solvents for the Construction of 3-Alkoxylated-2-Oxindoles by Direct Alkoxylation of 3-Halooxindoles

Described herein is an environmentally benign method for the synthesis of multisubstituted 3-alkoxylated-2-oxindoles 3 via direct alkoxylation of 3-halooxindoles 1. A wide variety of such multisubstituted 3-alkoxylated-2-oxindole scaffolds were smoothly obtained in good yields (up to 94%) by heating in an oil bath at 35 °C for 24 h. A particularly valuable feature of this method was the development of environment-friendly chemistry using alcohols 2 as both the substrates and solvents in the presence of a catalytic amount of base.

An I2-mediated cascade reaction of 2'-bromoacetophenones with benzohydrazides/benzamides leading to quinazolino[3,2-b]cinnoline or tryptanthrin derivatives

An efficient and facile protocol for the synthesis of quinazolinone-fused tetracyclic compounds through an iodine-mediated one-pot cascade reaction of 2'-bromoacetophenones with 2-aminobenzohydrazides or 2-aminobenzamides is reported. With 2-aminobenzohydrazides as the substrates, the reaction gave 5H-quinazolino[3,2-b]cinnoline-7,13-diones in moderate to good yields under metal-catalyst-free conditions. With 2-aminobenzamides as the substrates and CuBr as the catalyst, on the other hand, it afforded tryptanthrin derivatives with good efficiency. Mechanistically, the formation of the tetracyclic systems is initiated by iodination and oxidation of 2'-bromoacetophenones followed by a cascade procedure consisting of cyclocondensation, aromatization and intramolecular cyclization of the in situ formed 2-bromoarylglyoxals with 2-aminobenzohydrazides or 2-aminobenzamides, respectively.

Cu-catalyzed sequential C–N bond formations: expeditious synthesis of tetracyclic indoloindol-3-ones

A sequence of 3 reactions in one-pot, SNAr, nitrene C–H insertion and Ullmann coupling, three C–N bond formations.

Benzyl anion transfer in the fragmentation of N-(phenylsulfonyl)-benzeneacetamides: a gas-phase intramolecular S(N)Ar reaction

In this study, we report a gas-phase benzyl anion transfer via intramolecular aromatic nucleophilic substitution (SNAr) during the course of tandem mass spectrometry of deprotonated N-(phenylsulfonyl)-benzeneacetamide. Upon collisional activation, the formation of the initial ion/neutral complex ([C6H5CH2(-)/C6H5SO2NCO]), which was generated by heterolytic cleavage of the CH2-CO bond, is proposed as the key step. Subsequently, the anionic counterpart, benzyl anion, is transferred to conduct the intra-complex SNAr reaction. After losing neutral HNCO, the intermediate gives rise to product ion B at m/z 231, whose structure is confirmed by comparing the multistage spectra with those of deprotonated 2-benzylbenzenesulfinic acid and (benzylsulfonyl)benzene. In addition, intra-complex proton transfer is also observed within the complex [C6H5CH2(-)/C6H5SO2NCO] to generate product ion C at m/z 182. The INC-mediated mechanism was corroborated by theoretical calculations, isotope experiments, breakdown curve, substituent experiments, etc. This work may provide further understanding of the physicochemical properties of the gaseous benzyl anion.

Assembly of 3-allyl-3-ethynyl-oxindole motifs via palladium(ii)-catalyzed quaternary allylation of 3-ethynyl-3-OBoc-oxindoles

A simple and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 3-allyl-3-ethynyl-oxindoles using Pd(ii) catalyst has been developed. Applications of these intermediates were realized by synthesizing structurally diverse carbocyclic spirooxindoles.