Intramolecular cyclization reactions of 5-halo- and 5-nitro-substituted furans

Advances in Diels-Alder/aromatization of biomass furan derivatives towards renewable aromatic hydrocarbons

The effective upgrading of renewable resources into high value-added chemicals is of great significance to achieve the sustainable economic development, as well as the implementation of carbon neutral technologies practically....

Synthesis of N-methylpyridine-chlorofuranformamide analogs as novel OPG up-regulators and inhibitors of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis

The OPG/RANKL/RANK pathway is a promising target for the design of therapeutic agents used in the treatment of osteoporosis. E09241 with an N-methylpyridine-chlorofuranformamide structural skeleton was previously identified to decrease bone loss and thus protect against osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats through increasing osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression. In this study, 36 derivatives of E09241 (3a) were prepared. The synthesis, up-regulation of OPG activities, SAR (structure-activity relationship), and cytotoxicity of these compounds are presented. Compounds with good up-regulating OPG activities could inhibit RANKL (the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand)-induced osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells. Particularly, compounds 3c and 3i1 significantly reduced NFATc1 and MMP-9 protein expression through inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways in RANKL induced RAW264.7 cells. In addition, compounds 3c and 3v significantly promoted osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells in osteogenic medium, and compounds 3c, 3v, and 3i1 obviously increased OPG protein expression and secretion in MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic profiles, acute toxicity, and hERG K⁺ channel effects of compounds 3a, 3c, 3e, 3v, and 3i1 were investigated. Taken together, these results indicate that N-methylpyridine-chlorofuranformamide analog 3i1 could serve as a promising lead for the development of new agents for treating osteoporosis.

Remote asymmetric conjugate addition catalyzed by a bifunctional spiro-pyrrolidine-derived thiourea catalyst

A novel spiro-pyrrolidine (SPD)-derived bifunctional thiourea catalyst has been developed and used in a stereoselective conjugate addition of furfurals to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters.

Hydrosilylation-Promoted Furan Diels-Alder Cycloadditions with Stereoselectivity Controlled by the Silyl Group

Herein we describe an unprecedented B(C₆F₅)₃-catalyzed cascade reaction of N-allyl-N-furfurylamides involving an initial intramolecular furan Diels-Alder reaction and subsequent ether cleavage. The reaction has a broad substrate scope, even tolerating a trialkyl-substituted olefin as the dienophile, which has not previously been observed with conventional furan Diels-Alder reactions. In addition, the relative configuration of the product can be controlled by the choice of the silyl group: reactions involving Et₃SiH and ⁱPr₃SiH gave different diastereomers. Control experiments and the computational studies revealed that the steric bulk of the silyl group plays a key role in determining the reaction pathway and thus the relative configuration of the product.

Intramolecular Nitrofuran Diels-Alder Reactions: Extremely Substituent-Tolerant Cycloadditions via Asynchronous Transition States

Nitrofurans undergo intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions with tethered electron-poor dienophiles more rapidly and in higher yield than non-nitrated furans. Computational studies indicate that increased stabilization of a partial positive charge on the nitro-substituted carbon in both transition state and product is the driving force for these reactions. Frontier molecular orbital energy differences indicate a switch from normal to inverse electron demand upon nitration. There does not appear to be a contribution from any differences in aromatic stabilization energy between furans and nitrofurans. Calculations show that the nitrofuran reactions proceed via a highly asynchronous transition state allowing easier bond formation between two sterically hindered carbons.

Unusual structure-energy correlations in intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction transition states

Detailed analysis of calculated data from an experimental/computational study of intramolecular furan Diels-Alder reactions has led to the unusual discovery that the mean contraction of the newly forming C-C σ-bonds from the transition state to the product shows a linear correlation with both reaction Gibbs free energies and reverse energy barriers. There is evidence for a similar correlation in other intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions involving non-aromatic dienes. No such correlation is found for intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions.

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of cycloalkenones: stereoselectivity, Lewis acid acceleration, and halogen substituent effects

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of cycloalkenones and terminal dienes occur with high endo stereoselectivity, both thermally and under Lewis-acidic conditions. Through computations, we show that steric repulsion and tether conformation govern the selectivity of the reaction, and incorporation of either BF3 or α-halogenation increases the rate of cycloaddition. With a longer tether, isomerization from a terminal diene to the more stable internal diene results in a more facile cycloaddition.

Halogenation effects in intramolecular furan Diels-Alder reactions: broad scope synthetic and computational studies

For the first time a comprehensive synthetic and computational study of the effect of halogen substitution on both furan and dienophile for the intramolecular Furan Diels-Alder (IMDAF) reaction has been undertaken. Contrary to our initial expectations, halogen substitution on the dienophile was found to have a significant effect, making the reactions slower and less thermodynamically favourable. However, careful choice of the site of furan halogenation could be used to overcome dienophile halogen substitution, leading to highly functionalised cycloadducts. These reactions are thought to be controlled by the interplay of three factors: positive charge stabilisation in the transition state and product, steric effects and a dipolar interaction term identified by high level calculations. Frontier orbital effects do not appear to make a major contribution in determining the viability of these reactions, which is consistent with our analysis of calculated transition state structural data.

IMDAF/aromatization path of halogenated furylacrylamides and furylpropiolamides to dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones

Intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloadditions of chlorofuryl- (R = Cl) secondary (R' = H) acrylamides and propiolamides of type 1 followed by (optional modification and) base-induced aromatization of the resulting chlorinated oxanorborn(adi)enes 2 afford N-free-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-ones 3 with different aromatic substitution patterns.

Cycloaddition across the benzofuran ring as an approach to the morphine alkaloids

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of several amidofurans tethered onto a benzofuran ring was examined as a strategy for the synthesis of morphine. Bromo substitution on the furan ring did not provide sufficient activation to allow the cycloaddition to take place across the aromatic benzofuran. However, the presence of a large o-methylbenzyl group on the amido nitrogen atom causes the reactive s-trans conformation of the amidofuran to be highly populated, thereby facilitating its Diels-Alder cycloaddition across a tethered benzofuran.

Comparative Studies on Conventional and Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Benzimidazole and Their 2-Substituted Derivative with the Effect of Salt Form of Reactant

Benzimidazole and their derivative were reported to have wide biological activities and were synthesized by using different solvents and ring closing agents. The present work deals with the comparative synthesis of 2-alkyl and aryl substituted benzimidazole derivative in the presence of polyphosphoric acid through microwave and conventional methods and also studied the effect of salt form of reactant for completion of the reaction. The 2-substituted aryl and alkyl benzimidazole derivative were synthesized via microwave and was observed to be more beneficial, in respect of yield (increases up to 10 to 50%) and time (96 to 98% was reduced) than conventional method of synthesis. This study was concluded that the salt form of reactant (o-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride) gave reduced colour impurities, homogenous mixing and reduced time for completion of reaction.

Halo Substituent Effects on Intramolecular Cycloadditions Involving Furanyl Amides

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions involving a series of N-alkenyl-substituted furanyl amides were investigated. Stable functionalized oxanorbornenes were formed in high yield upon heating at 80-110 degrees C. The cycloaddition reactions include several bromo-substituted furanyl amides, and these systems were found to proceed at a much faster rate and in higher yield than without substitution. This effect was observed by incorporating a halogen in the 3- or 5-position of the furan ring and appears to be general. The origin of increased cycloaddition rates for halo-substituted furans has been investigated with quantum mechanical calculations. The success of these reactions is attributed to increases in reaction exothermicities; this both decreases activation enthalpies and increases barriers to retrocycloadditions. Halogen substitution on furan increases reactant energy and stabilizes the product, which is attributed to the preference of electronegative halogens to be attached to a more highly alkylated and therefore more electropositive framework.

Chiral Template Mediated Diastereoselective Intramolecular Diels−Alder Reaction Using Furan as a Diene. Toward the Synthesis of Enantiopure Trisubstituted Tetrahydroepoxyisoindolones

[reaction: see text] Chiral precursors to the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction using furan as a diene (IMDAF) have been prepared by diastereoselective addition of furyllithium to imines attached to perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines derived from (-)-8-aminomenthol. The acylation of the furylamines with alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl chlorides and subsequent IMDAF reaction under thermal conditions provided the corresponding cycloadducts as single diastereoisomers. The hydrolytic elimination of the chiral template yielded enantiopure perhydroepoxyisoindolones with up to five stereocenters.