Divergent Synthesis of Methylene Lactone- and Methylene Lactam-Based Spiro Compounds: Utility of Amido-Functionalized γ-Hydroxylactam as a Precursor for Cytotoxic N,O- and N,N-Spiro Compounds

A C-H functionalization approach to diverse nitrogenous scaffolds through conjugate addition of catalytic allyliron nucleophiles

Cyclopentadienyliron(ii) dicarbonyl complexes capable of coordinating to and enhancing the acidity of a range of unsaturated substrates have emerged as a new class of base-metal derived catalysts for C-H functionalization. In this manuscript, the iron-catalyzed C-H functionalization of allylic C(sp3)-H bonds using nitrogen containing α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds as coupling partners is reported. Employing a cationic cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl complex, this redox neutral process converts simple alkenes into allylic anion equivalents for 1,4-addition into maleimides, acyclic α,β-unsaturated imides, and vinylogous amides. The judicious pairing of pyridine and alkylamine bases with Lewis acid additives allowed each of these classes of substrates to be successfully employed, allowing for the formation of a diverse collection of cyclic and acyclic nitrogen-containing compounds featuring C-C unsaturation. The resulting Michael adducts can be further transformed into a variety of useful scaffolds such as allylated pyrroles, pyrrolidines, and carbocyclic acids.

Stereodivergent Synthesis of Spiroaminals via Chiral Bifunctional Hydrogen Bonding Organocatalysis

Spiroaminals represent novel structural motifs prevalent in diverse natural products and biologically active molecules. Achieving their enantioselective synthesis is a highly desirable and challenging task in synthetic endeavors due to their intricate molecular frameworks. Herein, we accomplished the first stereodivergent construction of spiroaminals using chiral bifunctional organocatalyzed intramolecular 1,2-addition followed by an oxa-Michael addition cascade in a high atom and step economical pathway. A proper modulation of the cinchona-derived squaramide catalysts efficiently provided access to all the possible stereoisomers with high yield, diastereoselectivity, and excellent enantioselectivity while displaying a broad substrate tolerance. Additionally, we validated the scalability of the reaction and demonstrated the synthesis of variable spiroaminal scaffolds, confirming the viability of our protocol.

Recent advances in microwave-assisted multicomponent synthesis of spiro heterocycles

Spiro heterocycle frameworks are a class of organic compounds that possesses unique structural features making them highly sought-after targets in drug discovery due to their diverse biological and pharmacological activities. Microwave-assisted organic synthesis has emerged as a powerful tool for assembling complex molecular architectures. The use of microwave irradiation in synthetic chemistry is a promising method for accelerating reaction rates and improving yields. This review provides insights into the current state of the art and highlights the potential of microwave-assisted multicomponent reactions in the synthesis of novel spiro heterocyclic compounds that were reported between 2017 and 2023.

Catalytic aza-Nazarov cyclization reactions to access α-methylene-γ-lactam heterocycles

We have developed a catalytic aza-Nazarov reaction of N-acyliminium salts generated in situ from the reaction of a variety of cyclic and acyclic imines with α,β-unsaturated acyl chlorides to afford substituted α-methylene-γ-lactam heterocycles. The reactions proceed effectively in the presence of catalytic (20 mol %) amounts of AgOTf as an anion exchange agent or hydrogen-bond donors such as squaramides and thioureas as anion-binding organocatalysts. The aza-Nazarov cyclization of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines with α,β-unsaturated acyl chlorides gives tricyclic lactam products 7 in up to 79% yield with full diastereocontrol (dr = >99:1). The use of acyclic imines in a similar catalytic aza-Nazarov reaction with 20 mol % of AgOTf results in the formation of α-methylene-γ-lactam heterocycles 19 in up to 76% yield and with good to high diastereoselectivities (4.3:1 to 16:1). We have demonstrated the scalability of the reaction with a gram-scale example. The relative stereochemistry of the α-methylene-γ-lactam products 19 has been determined via the single-crystal X-ray analysis of lactam 19l. In order to shed light on the details of the reaction mechanism, we have performed carefully designed mechanistic studies which consist of experiments on the effect of β-silicon stabilization, the alkene geometry of the α,β-unsaturated acyl chloride reactants, and adventitious water on the success of the catalytic aza-Nazarov reaction.

Strategies and methodologies for the construction of spiro-γ-lactams: an update

This review gives an insight into the most recent synthetic methodologies towards spiro-γ-lactams, a class of compounds that are present in a wide range of synthetic bioactive and naturally occurring molecules.

Bifurcated synthesis of methylene-lactone- and methylene-lactam-fused spirolactams via electrophilic amide allylation of γ-phenylthio-functionalized γ-lactams

New synthetic methods for spirolactams bearing an α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone or its analogous methylene-lactam have been developed. The allylation of γ-phenylthio-functionalized γ-lactams with 2-(acetoxy)methyl acrylamides was accomplished by using 2.5 equivalents of NaH to give the corresponding adducts in excellent yields. The remaining phenylthio group was substituted with a hydroxy group by treatment with CuBr, and the resulting γ-hydroxyamides were cyclized under acidic conditions to afford the corresponding methylene-lactam-fused spirolactams in high yields. On the other hand, methylene-lactone-fused spirolactams could be delivered from the allyl adducts in high yields through a sequential N-Boc protection/desulfinative lactonization.

One-Pot Synthesis of Spiro-isobenzofuran Compounds via the Sequential Condensation/Oxidation Reaction of Ninhydrin with 4-Amino-1,2-naphthoquinones/2-Amino-1,4-naphthoquinones under Mild Conditions

A one-pot route for the synthesis of spiro-isobenzofuran compounds was developed via the condensation reaction of ninhydrin with 4-amino-1,2-naphthoquinones or 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinones in acetic acid followed by the oxidative cleavage of the corresponding vicinal diols at room temperature. Various derivatives of spiro[benzo[g]indole-2,1'-isobenzofuran]-3,3',4,5(1H) tetraones and spiro[benzo[f]pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinoxaline-2,1'-isobenzofuran]-3,3'(1H)-diones were synthesized in good to high yields. Moreover, further condensation of spiro[benzo[g]indole-2,1'-isobenzofuran]-3,3',4,5(1H)-tetraones with 1,2-diamines resulted in the new spiro-isobenzofuran compounds having phenazine rings in high yields.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of fluoro-substituted spiro-isoxazolines as potential anti-viral and anti-cancer agents

Electrophilic fluorine-mediated dearomative spirocyclization has been developed to synthesize a range of fluoro-substituted spiro-isoxazoline ethers and lactones. The in vitro biological assays of synthesized compounds were probed for anti-viral activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and cytotoxicity against glioblastomas (GBM6) and triple negative breast cancer (MDA MB 231). Interestingly, compounds 4d and 4n showed significant activity against HCMV (IC₅₀ ∼ 10 μM), while 4l and 5f revealed the highest cytotoxicity with IC₅₀ = 36 to 80 μM. The synthetic efficacy and biological relevance offer an opportunity to further drug-discovery development of fluoro-spiro-isoxazolines as novel anti-viral and anti-cancer agents.

The synthetic efficacy and biological relevance extend an opportunity to further drug-discovery development of fluoro-spiro-isoxazolines as novel anti-viral and anti-cancer agents.