Synthesis of beta- and gamma-carbolines by the palladium-catalyzed iminoannulation of alkynes

Pd(0)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Heck reaction of 2/3-Aryl(amino)methyl-3/2-bromoindoles: Syntheses of 3,4-Benzo[c]-β-carbolines, Benzo[4,5]isothiazolo[2,3-a]indole 5,5-Dioxides, and 1,2-Benzo[a]-γ-carbolines

One-pot synthesis of 3,4-benzo[c]-β-carbolines was achieved from 2-aryl(tosylamino)methyl-3-bromoindoles via 10 mol % Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃-mediated intramolecular Heck coupling using K₂CO₃ as a base in DMF at 110 °C with concomitant aromatization through an elimination of tosylsulfinic acid. Under identical conditions, the isomeric 3-aryl(tosylamino)methyl-2-bromoindoles upon intramolecular Heck reaction furnished benzo[4,5]isothiazolo[2,3-a]indole 5,5-dioxides instead of the expected γ-carbolines. However, synthesis of the expected γ-carboline framework, 3-tosyl-6,9-dihydro-1,2-benzo[a]-γ-carbolines, could be achieved from 3-aryl(tosylamino)methyl-2-bromoindoles containing a mesitylene sulfonyl unit as a protecting group on the indole nitrogen.

Alkynoates as Versatile and Powerful Chemical Tools for the Rapid Assembly of Diverse Heterocycles under Transition-Metal Catalysis: Recent Developments and Challenges

Heterocycles, heteroaromatics and spirocyclic entities are ubiquitous components of a wide plethora of synthetic drugs, biologically active natural products, marketed pharmaceuticals and agrochemical targets. Recognizing their high proportion in drugs and rich pharmacological potential, these invaluable structural motifs have garnered significant interest, thus enabling the development of efficient catalytic methodologies providing access to architecturally complex and diverse molecules with high atom-economy and low cost. These chemical processes not only allow the formation of diverse heterocycles but also utilize a range of flexible and easily accessible building units in a single operation to discover diversity-oriented synthetic approaches. Alkynoates are significantly important, diverse and powerful building blocks in organic chemistry due to their unique and inherent properties such as the electronic bias on carbon-carbon triple bonds posed by electron-withdrawing groups or the metallic coordination site provided by carbonyl groups. The present review highlights the comprehensive picture of the utility of alkynoates (2007-2019) for the synthesis of various heterocycles (> 50 types) using transition-metal catalysts (Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Ag, Au, Pt, Cu, Mn, Fe) in various forms. The valuable function of versatile alkynoates (bearing multifunctional groups) as simple and useful starting materials is explored, thus cyclizing with an array of coupling partners to deliver a broad range of oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur-containing heterocycles alongside fused-, and spiro-heterocyclic compounds. In addition, these examples will also focus the scope and reaction limitations, as well as mechanistic investigations into the synthesis of these heterocycles. The biological significance will also be discussed, citing relevant examples of drug molecules highlighting each class of heterocycles. This review summarizes the recent developments in the synthetic methods for the synthesis of various heterocycles using alkynoates as readily available starting materials under transition-metal catalysis.

Metal-free propargylation/aza-annulation approach to substituted β-carbolines and evaluation of their photophysical properties

An efficient acid-catalyzed propargylation/aza-annulation sequence was developed under metal-free reaction conditions, thus leading to a one-pot synthesis of a variety of substituted β-carbolines starting from propargylic alcohols and indole 2-carbonyls. This versatile strategy was further extended to the synthesis of 5-azaindoles and 5-azabenzothiazoles. Optical properties suggested that manipulation of electron donor and acceptor moieties on β-carbolines has an impact on their ground and excited state electronic behavior. This leads to blue or green emission and should facilitate the development of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Electrochemical and stability studies revealed that 4a-6 shows ease of redox activity and photostability during illumination.

A Unified Strategy for the Synthesis of β-Carbolines, γ-Carbolines, and Other Fused Azaheteroaromatics under Mild, Metal-Free Conditions

An efficient, unified approach for the synthesis of β-carbolines, γ-carbolines, and other fused azaheteroaromatics has been realized under metal-free conditions, from propargylic amines and (hetero)aromatic aldehydes. This unified strategy provides β- and γ-carbolines as well as a range of fused azaheteroaromatics with a broad substrate scope and excellent functional group compatibility. The formal synthesis of oxopropalines D and G has been achieved on gram scale (3a), in a one-pot reaction from commercially available materials (previous shortest reported route to 3a was 5 steps). NMR studies of the conversion of imine intermediate 3aa to β-carboline 3a were conducted and revealed that the reaction proceeded through an allene intermediate.

Catalytic Enolate Arylation with 3-Bromoindoles Allows the Formation of β-Carbolines

Synthesis of substituted β-carbolines was accomplished by utilizing the catalytic enolate arylation reaction of ketones in conjunction with several 3-bromoindole derivatives. Quenching of the arylation reaction in situ with an electrophile allowed ready incorporation of functionality at the carboline C-4 position in an efficient one-pot protocol.

Three-step synthesis of an annulated β-carboline via palladium catalysis

The synthesis of β-carbolines is a mature field, yet new methods are desirable to introduce new functionality onto the core scaffold. We describe the incorporation of an additional fused ring onto the β-carboline via a novel palladium-catalyzed, one-pot Sonogashira coupling/intramolecular [2+2+2] cyclization. This method generates three rings in one flask and produces an annulated β-carboline in 80% yield. A preliminary mechanistic study into the sequence of events is described, which confirms an unprecedented catalytic role for palladium.

Synthesis of isoquinolines and heterocycle-fused pyridines via three-component cascade reaction of aryl ketones, hydroxylamine, and alkynes

An efficient one-pot synthesis of isoquinolines and heterocycle-fused pyridines by three-component reaction of aryl ketones, hydroxylamine, and alkynes is developed. The reaction involves condensation of aryl ketones and hydroxylamine, rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H bond activation of the in situ generated aryl ketone oximes, and cyclization with internal alkynes. This protocol enables rapid assembly of multisubstituted isoquinolines as well as γ-carbolines, furo[2,3-c]pyridines, thieno[2,3-c]pyridines, and benzofuro[2,3-c]pyridines from readily available substrates.

Rapid access to pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridines via alkyne annulation: limitations of steric control in nickel-catalyzed alkyne insertions

Polyfunctionalized pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridines were readily prepared by the annulation of alkynes with tert-butyl 4-iodopyrazolocarboximines. The reaction was found to be catalyzed by both NiBr2(PPh3)2/Zn or PdCl2(PhCN)2 to yield complex heterocycles in good to moderate yields. Annulation using nickel catalysis was found to be regio-random, implying that steric control in nickel-catalyzed alkyne insertion has limitations based on the character of the Ni-C bond in the pre-insertion complex.

Synthesis of Indenes by the Transition Metal-Mediated Carboannulation of Alkynes

The synthesis of highly substituted indenes has been achieved by three different transition metal-mediated methods. The first method involves the palladium-catalyzed carboannulation of internal alkynes. The second method utilizes a two-step approach, which involves first the palladium/copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of terminal alkynes with appropriately functionalized aryl halides, followed by copper-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization. The third method involves intermolecular palladium-catalyzed arylation of the arylalkynes formed in the first step of the second method.

Synthesis of Indenes by the Palladium-Catalyzed Carboannulation of Internal Alkynes

[reaction: see text] A number of highly substituted indenes have been prepared in good yields by treating functionally substituted aryl halides with various internal alkynes in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The reaction is believed to proceed by regioselective arylpalladation of the alkyne and subsequent nucleophilic displacement of the palladium in the resulting vinylpalladium intermediate.

Synthesis of Quinolines, 2-Quinolones, Phenanthridines, and 6(5H)-Phenanthridinones via Palladium[0]-Mediated Ullmann Cross-Coupling of 1-Bromo-2-nitroarenes with β-Halo-enals, -enones, or -esters

Palladium[0]-mediated Ullmann cross-coupling of 1-bromo-2-nitrobenzene (1 R = H) and its derivatives with a range of beta-halo-enals, -enones, or -esters readily affords the corresponding beta-aryl derivatives, which are converted into the corresponding quinolines, 2-quinolones, phenanthridines, or 6(5H)-phenanthridinones on reaction with dihydrogen in the presence of Pd on C or with TiCl(3) in aqueous acetone. [reaction: see text]

Synthesis of annulated gamma-carbolines and heteropolycycles by the palladium-catalyzed intramolecular annulation of alkynes

A variety of N-substituted 2-bromo-1H-indole-3-carboxaldehydes incorporating an alkyne-containing tether on the indole nitrogen have been converted to the corresponding tert-butylimines, which have been subjected to palladium-catalyzed intramolecular iminoannulation, affording various gamma-carboline derivatives with an additional ring fused across the 4- and 5-positions in good to excellent yields. When the tethered carbon-carbon triple bond is terminal or substituted with a triethylsilyl group, the iminoannulation generates a tert-butyl-gamma-carbolinium salt as the major product. The palladium-catalyzed intramolecular annulations of N-substituted 2-bromo-1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde, methyl 2-iodo-1H-indole-3-carboxylate, and 2-iodo-3-phenyl-1H-indole containing a phenylpentynyl tether produce the corresponding heteropolycycles in moderate to good yields.