Photoinduced Tandem Reactions of Isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione with Alkynes To Build Aza-polycycles

Visible-Light-Mediated [2+2] Photocycloadditions of Alkynes

Visible-light-mediated [2+2] photocycloaddition reaction can be considered an ideal solution due to its green and sustainable properties, and is one of the most efficient methods to synthesize four-membered ring motifs. Although research on the [2+2] photocycloaddition of alkynes is challenging because of the diminished reactivity of alkynes, and the more significant ring strain of the products, remarkable achievements have been made in this field. In this article, we highlight the recent advances in visible-light-mediated [2+2] photocycloaddition reactions of alkynes, with focus on the reaction mechanism and the late-stage synthetic applications. Advances in obtaining cyclobutenes, azetines, and oxetene active intermediates continue to be breakthroughs in this fascinating field of research.

Visible Light-Induced Pericyclic Cascade Reaction for the Synthesis of Quinolinone Derivatives with an Oxabicyclo[4.2.0]octene Skeleton

A photoinduced pericyclic cascade reaction has been developed to afford oxabicyclo[4.2.0]octenes. Mechanistic studies show that this reaction undergoes [2 + 2]-photocycloaddition, base-promoted elimination, retro-4π-electrocyclization, [1,5]-H shift, and 4π-electrocyclization procedures. This reaction features wide substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, and excellent diastereoselectivity.

The Paternò–Büchi reaction – a comprehensive review

This review represents the most complete description of the scientific results obtained on a photochemical reaction described 110 years ago by an Italian scientist.

Room-Temperature, Copper-Free Sonogashira Reactions Facilitated by Air-Stable, Monoligated Precatalyst [DTBNpP] Pd(crotyl)Cl

A novel application of [DTBNpP] Pd(crotyl)Cl (DTBNpP = di-tert-butylneopentylphosphine) (P2), an air-stable, commercially available palladium precatalyst that allows rapid access to a monoligated state, has been identified for room-temperature, copper-free Sonogashira couplings of challenging aryl bromides and alkynes. The mild reaction conditions with TMP in dimethyl sulfoxide afford up to 97% yields, excellent functional group tolerability, and broad reaction compatibility with access to one-pot indole formation.

Zinc-triggered hydrogelation of self-assembled small molecules to inhibit bacterial growth

There is a significant need to develop antibacterial materials that could be applied locally and directly to the places surrounded by large amount of bacteria, in order to address the problems of bacterial antibiotic-resistance or irreversible biofilm formation. Hydrogels are thought to be suitable candidates due to their versatile applications in biomedical field. Among them, small molecular hydrogels have been paid lots of attention because they are easy to design and fabricate and often sensitive to external stimuli. Meanwhile, the antibacterial activity of metal ions are attracting more and more attention because resistance to them are not yet found within bacteria. We therefore designed the zinc ion binding peptide of Nap-GFFYGGGHGRGD, who can self-assemble into hydrogels after binds Zn(2+) and inhibit the growth of bacteria due to the excellent antibacterial activity of Zn(2+). Upon the addition of zinc ions, solutions containing Nap-GFFYGGGHGRGD transformed into supramolecular hydrogels composed of network of long nano-fibers. Bacterial tests revealed an antibacterial effect of the zinc triggered hydrogels on E. coli. The studied small molecular hydrogel shows great potential in locally addressing bacterial infections.

Crystal structure of 2-(1,3-dioxoindan-2-yl)isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione

In the title isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivative, C18H9NO5, the five-membered ring of the indane fragment adopts an envelope conformation with the nitrogen-substituted C atom being the flap. The planes of the indane benzene ring and the isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione ring make a dihedral angle of 82.06 (6)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked into chains extending along thebcplaneviaC—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions, enclosingR22(8) andR22(10) loops. The chains are further connected by π–π stacking interations, with centroid-to-centroid distances of 3.9050 (7) Å, forming layers parallel to thebaxis.

From π-expanded coumarins to π-expanded pentacenes

Dihydroxyanthraquinone can be transformed into head-to-tail bis-coumarins which undergo photo-dehydrogenative coupling leading to coronene derivatives.

Oxetane synthesis through the Paternò-Büchi reaction

The Paternò-Büchi reaction is a photochemical reaction between a carbonyl compound and an alkene to give the corresponding oxetane. In this review the mechanism of the reaction is discussed. On this basis the described use in the reaction with electron rich alkenes (enolethers, enol esters, enol silyl ethers, enanines, heterocyclic compounds has been reported. The stereochemical behavior of the reaction is particularly stressed. We pointed out the reported applications of this reaction to the synthesis of naturally occuring compounds.

Small molecular inhibitors of miR-1 identified from photocycloadducts of acetylenes with 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthalenequinone

Small molecules which can modulate endogenous microRNAs are important chemical tools to study microRNA regulational network. In this Letter we screened the [2+2] photocycloadducts of 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthalenequinone with a series of aryl acetylenes on their activity to modulate endogenous microRNAs. A potent inhibitor of the muscle-specific miR-1 which is closely related with cardiac development and disease was identified. The small molecular inhibitor was the cyclobutene type product derived from the photocycloaddition of 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthalenequinone with tert-butyl (5-(phenylethynyl)quinolin-8-yl) carbonate. Analogues of the small molecular inhibitor were then prepared using similar photocycloaddition reactions for evaluation on inhibition activity on miR-1 to provide structure-activity relationship of the miR-1 inhibitor.

Photo-induced cycloaddition reactions of α-diketones and transformations of the photocycloadducts

Photocycloaddition, along with subsequent transformation of the photocycloadducts, provides expeditious ways to construct various structures. The photo-induced reactions of α-diketones have been reported to proceed via different reaction pathways with the involvement of one or two of the carbonyl groups. Photoinduced reactions of cyclic α-diketones including N-acetylisatin, phenanthrenequinone and isoquinolinetrione with different C=C containing compounds could take place via [2 + 2], [4 + 2] or [4 + 4] photocycloaddition pathways. We have investigated the photoreactions of these cyclic α-diketones with different types of alkenes and alkynes, with a focus on the unusual cascade reactions initiated by the photocycloaddition reactions of these cyclic α-diketones and the applications of these photocycloaddition reactions along with the transformation of the photocycloadducts. In this paper, we discuss the diverse photo-cycloaddition pathways found in the photocycloaddition of o-diones leading to various photocycloadducts and the potential applications of these reactions via further transformation reactions of the adducts.

Organic aspects. Oxygen-containing functions

In this chapter, most of the reported work deals with the photochemistry of carbonyl compounds; however, the photoreactions of other functions, such as the photo-Claisen rearrangement or the photocleavage of cyclic ethers, are also included. In the present volume, time coverage is 2010–2011, and only original research articles are quoted. In general, reviews or purely theoretical calculations are not systematically included. As usually, the material is organized according to established types of reactions (e.g., Norrish I/II, hydrogen abstraction, Paternò-Büchi, photoelimination, photo-Fries/photo-Claisen, etc.). After presenting the basic photochemical aspects, more specific findings are reported. They include synthetic applications, stereoselectivity, and biological or technological implications. Next, the attention is focused on photochemical reactions in anisotropic media, including (micro)heterogeneous or supramolecular systems, solid matrixes or fully organized crystals. Finally, mechanistic studies based on direct experimental evidence are highlighted, especially when transient absorption spectroscopy or related ultrafast detection are employed.

Direct C-H functionalization of enamides and enecarbamates by using visible-light photoredox catalysis

Direct C-H functionalization of various enamides and enecarbamates was realized through visible-light photoredox catalyzed reactions. Under the optimized conditions using [Ir(ppy)(2)(dtbbpy)PF(6)] as photocatalyst in combination with Na(2)HPO(4), enamides such as N-vinylpyrrolidinone could be easily functionalized by irradiation of the reaction mixture overnight in acetonitrile with visible light. The scope of the reaction with respect to enamide and enecarbamate substrates by using diethyl 2-bromomalonate for the alkylation reaction was explored, followed by an investigation of the scope of alkylating reagents used to react with the enamides and enecarbamates. The results indicated that reaction takes place with quite broad substrate scope, however, tertiary enamides with an internal C=C double bond in the E configuration could not be alkylated. Alkylation of N-vinyl tertiary enamides and enecarbamates gave monoalkylated products exclusively in the E configuration. Alkylation of N-vinyl secondary enamides gave doubly alkylated products. Double bond migration was observed in the reaction of electron-deficient bromides such as 3-bromoacetyl acetate with N-vinylpyrrolidinone. A mechanism is proposed for the reaction that is different from reported reactions of SOMOphiles with a nonfunctionalized C=C double bond. Further tests on the trifluoromethylation and arylation of enamides and enecarbamates under similar conditions showed that the reactions could serve as a mild, practical, and environmentally friendly approach to various functionalized enamides and enecarbamates.

A universal activator of microRNAs identified from photoreaction products

A small molecule activator of microRNAs has been identified from photoreaction products of naphthalene-1,4-dione with acetylenes and the universal activation on miRNAs was realized through significant promotion on the processing of precursor microRNAs by the compound.

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of stable oxetenes via Lewis acid-promoted [2+2] cycloaddition

A highly enantioselective and atom-economical [2 + 2] cycloaddition of various alkynes with trifluoropyruvate using a dicationic (S)-BINAP-Pd catalyst has been established. This is the first enantioselective synthesis of stable oxetene derivatives, whose structure has been clarified by X-ray analysis. This catalytic process offers a practical synthetic method for oxetene derivatives (catalyst loading: up to 0.1 mol %), which can serve as novel chiral building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals and can also be transformed into a variety of enantiomerically enriched CF(3)-substituted compounds with high stereoselectivity.

Methyl 2,2'-dimethyl-4'-[2-(methyl-sulfan-yl)eth-yl]-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H,4'H-spiro-[isoquinoline-4,5'-oxazole]-4'-carboxyl-ate

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title mol-ecule, C(18)H(20)N(2)O(5)S, the fused N-heterocyclic ring is distorted towards a half-boat conformation. The methyl formate moiety is disordered over two sets of sites with refined occupancies of 0.882 (5) and 0.118 (5). In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked via weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into one-dimensional chains along [010].

Methyl 2-acetamido-2-(4-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,3-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-4-yl)-4-methylpentanoate

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title mol­ecule, C₁₉H₂₄N₂O₆, the N-heterocyclic ring is in a half-boat conformation. The mol­ecular structure is stabilized by an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond, which generates an S(7) ring motif. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via inter­molecular bifurcated N—H⋯(O,O) and weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network.

5-Meth-oxy-1,2',3-trimethyl-4,6-dioxa-2-aza-spiro-[bicyclo-[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-7,4'-isoquinoline]-1',3'(2'H,4'H)-dione

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title mol­ecule, C₁₆H₁₆N₂O₅, the N-heterocyclic ring is in a half-boat conformation. The dioxaaza­spiro ring is essentially planar [maximum deviation = 0.022 (1) Å] and forms a dihedral angle of 24.56 (4)° with the benzene ring.

Methyl 4'-isobutyl-2,2'-dimethyl-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H,4'H-spiro-[iso-quinoline-4,5'-oxazole]-4'-carboxyl-ate

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title mol-ecule, C(19)H(22)N(2)O(5), the N-heterocyclic ring is in a half-boat conformation. The dioxa-2-aza-spiro ring is essentially planar [maximum deviation = 0.042 (1) Å] and forms a dihedral angle of 81.85 (4)° with the benzene ring. In the crystal, the mol-ecules are linked via inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into chains along [010].

1-Benzyl-5-meth-oxy-2',3-dimethyl-4,6-dioxa-2-aza-spiro-[bicyclo-[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-7,4'-isoquinoline]-1',3'(2'H,4'H)-dione

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title mol­ecule, C₂₂H₂₀N₂O₅, the N-heterocyclic ring is in a half-boat conformation. The dioxa-2-aza­spiro ring is essentially planar [maximum deviation = 0.026 (1) Å] and forms dihedral angles of 22.53 (5) and 64.46 (5)° with the benzene and phenyl rings, respectively. The mol­ecular structure is stabilized by a weak intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond, which generates an S(7) ring motif. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into layers parallel to (102).

(1S*,4'S*,5R*)-1-Isobutyl-5-meth-oxy-2',3-dimethyl-4,6-dioxa-2-aza-spiro-[bicyclo-[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-7,4'-isoquinoline]-1',3'(2'H,4'H)-dione

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title compound, C₁₉H₂₂N₂O₅, the N-heterocyclic ring is in a half-chair conformation. The dioxa-2-aza­spiro ring is essentially planar [maximum deviation of 0.025 (1) Å] and forms a dihedral angle of 23.51 (5)° with the benzene ring. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into chains along [010].

(1S*,4'S*,5R*)-1-Isopropyl-5-meth-oxy-2',3-dimethyl-4,6-dioxa-2-aza-spiro-[bicyclo-[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-7,4'-isoquinoline]-1',3'(2'H,4'H)-dione

In the isoquinoline ring system of the title mol­ecule, C₁₈H₂₀N₂O₅, the N-heterocyclic ring is in a half-boat conformation. The dioxa-2-aza­spiro ring is essentially planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.029 (1) Å, and makes a dihedral angle of 30.63 (5)° with the benzene ring. The mol­ecular structure is stabilized by a weak intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond, which generates a S(6) ring motif. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional supra­molecular network. Additional stabilization is provided by π–π stacking inter­actions between symmetry-related benzene rings with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.6507 (5) Å.

(Z)-1-Acetyl-3-[2-oxo-1-phenyl-2-(3-pyrid-yl)ethyl-idene]indolin-2-one

The title compound, C(23)H(16)N(2)O(3), exists in a Z configuration with respect to the acyclic C=C bond. The pyridine and phenyl rings are oriented at dihedral angles of 72.97 (4) and 45.05 (4)°, respectively, with respect to the almost planar indoline ring system [maximum deviation 0.080 (1) Å]. The pyridine and phenyl rings are oriented almost perpendicular to each other [dihedral angle 88.93 (5)°]. In the crystal, mol-ecules are inter-connected into a three-dimensional framework via inter-molecular C-H⋯O and C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds and weak π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.681 (1) Å].