Diastereoselective Synthesis of Dispirobarbiturates through Et3N-Catalyzed [3 + 2] Cycloaddition of Barbiturate-Based Olefins with 3-Isothiocyanato Oxindoles

A review of the synthetic strategies toward spirobarbiturate-fused 3- to 7-membered rings

Spiro-connected hexahydropyrimidine-2,4,6-trione heterocyclic rings have received increasing attention from the viewpoint of biological activity and synthetic methods due to the importance of the rigid heterocyclic system and unique orientation of the functional substituents. Since 1900, numerous studies have exploited the synthesis of various spirobarbiturate-fused carbo- and heterocycles by applying different strategies. Due to the importance of barbiturate-based olefins as activated alkenes, these substrates have been utilized in many reactions. In addition, the nucleophilic addition of 1,3-disubstituted barbituric acid to different electrophiles has been applied to prepare highly functionalized spirobarbiturate scaffolds. This short review highlights various strategies for synthesizing spirobarbiturate-fused 3- to 7-membered carbo- and heterocyclic rings and some catalytic diastereoselective and enantioselective chemical reactions to access chiral compounds. The sections are divided by the incorporation of 3- to 7-membered heterocyclic or carbocyclic rings into a spirobarbiturate scaffold, and are presented in different subsections depending on the mechanistic details.

Bifunctional thiourea-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] annulation reactions of 2-isothiocyanato-1-indanones with barbiturate-based olefins

Bifunctional thiourea-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] annulation reactions of 2-isothiocyanato-1-indanones with barbiturate-based olefins have been developed to afford chiral dispiro[indene-pyrrolidine-pyrimidine]s. Through this strategy, the target products could be obtained in good to excellent yields with excellent stereoselectivities. In addition, the synthetic utility was verified through a gram-scale synthesis, one-pot three-component reactions and further transformation experiments of the products.

Synthesis of functionalized 3,2′-pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles via domino 1,6-addition/annulation reactions of para-quinone methides and 3-chlorooxindoles

A highly efficient diastereoselective [4 + 1] cycloaddition of ortho-tosylaminophenyl-substituted p-QMs with 3-chlorooxindoles has been developed to afford 3,2′-pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles.

Recent synthetic strategies toward the synthesis of spirocyclic compounds comprising six-membered carbocyclic/heterocyclic ring systems

Spirocyclic compounds fascinate the synthetic chemists due to their privileged ring system and efficacy in drug discovery. Many natural compounds comprise spirocyclic moiety in their skeleton and are effective in pharmaceutical industry. Over the years, many synthetic methodologies have been established for the construction of spirocyclic compounds. In this review, recent synthetic approaches to accessing various spirocompounds comprising six-membered carbocycles/heterocycles have been summarized.

Stereoselective synthesis and applications of spirocyclic oxindoles

This review summaries recent synthetic developments towards spirocyclic oxindoles and applications as valuable medicinal and synthetic targets.

Barbiturate- and Thiobarbituarte-Based s-Triazine Hydrazone Derivatives with Promising Antiproliferative Activities

A new class of compounds, which include s-triazine with pyrimidinetrione or thiopyrimidinedione moiety through a hydrazone linkage, were synthesized and characterized. The newly synthesized s-triazine hydrazone derivatives were evaluated in vitro against four cancer cell lines: A549, HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7. Several derivatives showed growth inhibition activity in the low microgram range. The results reveal that the barbiturate derivatives showed poor to no activity, while thiobarbiturate derivatives showed better activity than the analogues barbiturate derivatives. The substituents on the s-triazine moiety have a great effect on the antiproliferative activity, where derivatives with the piperidino and diethylamino on the s-triazine ring (5h) showed the highest activity against all of the tested cell lines (IC₅₀ 1.6 ± 0.6, 3.8 ± 0.3, 1.9 ± 0.4, and 1.2± 0.5 μg/mL for the tested cell lines A549, HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7, respectively). These results indicate that thiobarbiturates-s-triazine hydrazone derivatives may provide an excellent scaffold for the development of an anticancer drug candidate.

Synthesis of spirobarbiturate-pyrrolidinones via a domino aza-Michael/SN2 cyclization of barbiturate-derived alkenes with N-alkoxy α-haloamides

A highly efficient domino aza-MIRC (Michael Induced Ring Closure) reaction between barbiturate-derived alkenes and N-alkoxy α-haloamides has been achieved in moderate to excellent yields. This reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions via a domino aza-Michael addition/intramolecular SN2 sequence, providing a practical tool in the synthesis of bioactive molecules spirobarbiturate-3-pyrrolidinones.

Enantioselective Catalytic Transformations of Barbituric Acid Derivatives

Since the beginning of the 20th century, numerous research efforts made elegant use of barbituric acid derivatives as building blocks for the elaboration of more complex and useful molecules in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry and material sciences. However, the construction of chiral scaffolds by the catalytic enantioselective transformation of barbituric acid and derivatives has only emerged recently. The specific properties of these rather planar scaffolds, which also encompass either a high Brønsted acidity concerning the native barbituric acid or the marked electrophilic character of alkylidene barbituric acids, required specific developments to achieve efficient asymmetric processes. This review covers the enantioselective catalytic reactions developed for barbituric acid platforms using an organocatalytic and metal-based enantioselective sequences. These achievements currently allow several unique addition and annulation reactions towards the construction of high valued chiral heterocycles from barbituric acid derivatives along with innovative enantioselective developments.

Diastereoselective and Enantioselective Synthesis of Barbiturate-Fused Spirotetrahydroquinolines via Chiral Palladium(0)/Ligand Complex Catalyzed [4 + 2] Cycloaddition of Vinyl Benzoxazinanones with Barbiturate-Based Olefins

Under the catalysis of chiral palladium(0)/ligand complex, the [4 + 2] cycloaddition between vinyl benzoxazinanones and barbiturate-based olefins proceeded readily and provided barbiturate-fused spirotetrahydroquinolines in up to 96% chemical yield with up to >99:1 dr and 97% ee. The absolute configuration of barbiturate-fused spirotetrahydroquinolines was clearly identified by X-ray single crystal structure analysis. The reaction mechanism was proposed to shed light on the enantioselective formation of barbiturate-fused spirotetrahydroquinolines.

Synthesis of thiazolidine-thiones, imino-thiazolidines and oxazolidines via the base promoted cyclisation of epoxy-sulfonamides and heterocumulenes

Epoxy-sulfonamides react with heterocumulenes (CS₂/RNCS/RNCO) in the presence of a base to afford ring expansion products in good to high yields with excellent regioselectivity.

Squaramide-catalyzed asymmetric Michael/cyclization cascade reaction of 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles with chalcones for synthesis of pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles

An efficient method for the construction of pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles with 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles and chalcones via a Michael/cyclization cascade reaction has been developed using squaramide. The products were obtained in high yields with excellent stereo selectivities.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Spirooxindole Enols: Regioselective and Asymmetric [3+2] Cyclization of 3-Isothiocyanato Oxindoles with Dibenzylidene Ketones

A novel cinchona-alkaloid-derived organocatalyst has been developed to catalyze the asymmetric regioselective [3+2] cycloaddition of 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles with dibenzylidene ketones. A series of spirooxindole enols could be obtained in high yields with good-to-excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.