Microwave-assisted sequential amide bond formation and intramolecular amidation: a rapid entry to functionalized oxindoles

Identification of a new bisindolinone arresting IGROV1 cells proliferation

In an initial screening, a series of novel Knoevenagel adducts were submitted to the National Cancer Institute for evaluation of antitumor activity in human cell lines. In particular, compound 5f showed remarkable selectivity against IGROV1, an ovarian cancer cell line, without affecting healthy human fibroblast cells. Analyses of cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, cell migration, epigenetic changes, gene expression, and DNA damage were performed to obtain detailed information about its antitumor properties. Our results show that 5f causes proliferation arrest, decrease in motility, histone hyperacetylation, downregulation of cyclin D1 and α5 subunit of integrin β1 gene transcription. In addition, 5f treatment reduces transcript and protein levels of cyclin D1, which increases sensitivity to ionizing radiation and results in DNA damage comparable to cyclin D1 gene silencing.

Microwave-assisted chemoselective synthesis and photophysical properties of 2-arylazo-biphenyl-4-carboxamides from hydrazonals

The reaction of 3-oxo-2-arylhydrazonopropanals with acetoacetanilide in an equimolar ratio, under DBU/1,4-dioxane/microwave irradiation reaction conditions, resulted in chemoselective formation of 4-arylazo-5-hydroxy-benzamide derivatives. The structures of the obtained biphenyl-4-carboxamides were characterized by several spectroscopic techniques including IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, MS and HRMS, and X-ray single crystals of three examples. The photophysical properties of the new products were also evaluated, with a particular focus on their absorption and emission spectra, which provided valuable information regarding their optical properties. The new compounds emitted 513-549 nm green fluorescence in acetone solution under UV irradiation.

Visible light promoted polyhalomethylation of alkenes: alkylation and cyclization

The report describes a visible light promoted carbochloromethylation of 2-bromomethyl acrylate and N-arylmethacrylamide, and a series of trihalomethyl substituted allylic acid esters and indolone derivatives were synthesized.

A de novo Synthesis of Oxindoles from Cyclohexanone-Derived γ-Keto-Ester Acceptors Using a Desaturative Amination–Cyclization Approach

Here we report a desaturative approach for oxindole synthesis. This method uses simple ethyl 2-(2-oxocyclohexyl)acetates and primary amine building blocks as coupling partners. A dual photoredox–cobalt manifold is used to generate a secondary aniline that, upon heating, cyclizes with the pendent ester functionality. The process operates under mild conditions and was applied to the modification of several amino acids, the blockbuster drug mexiletine, as well as the formation of dihydroquinolinones.

I2-Mediated Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling and Amidation of 3-Aryl Benzofuranones with Aryl Amines for the Synthesis of 3,3-Diaryl Indolin-2-ones

We have developed a protocol for efficient synthesis of indolin-2-ones from benzofuranones and aryl amines using iodine as a mediator. A diverse range of benzofuranones and aryl amines undergo cross-dehydrogenative coupling and amidation of 3-aryl benzofuranones for the cascade reaction to generate products in 24-93% yields. This reaction can be easily scaled-up to give an indolin-2-one in a gram scale. Further chemical manipulation of the products enabled useful transformations of the phenol ring including alkylation, arylation, etc.

PIII /PV =O Catalyzed Cascade Synthesis of N-Functionalized Azaheterocycles

An organocatalytic method for the modular synthesis of diverse N-aryl and N-alkyl azaheterocycles (indoles, oxindoles, benzimidazoles, and quinoxalinediones) is reported. The method employs a small-ring organophosphorus-based catalyst (1,2,2,3,4,4-hexamethylphosphetane P-oxide) and a hydrosilane reductant to drive the conversion of ortho-functionalized nitroarenes into azaheterocycles through sequential intermolecular reductive C-N cross coupling with boronic acids, followed by intramolecular cyclization. This method enables the rapid construction of azaheterocycles from readily available building blocks, including a regiospecific approach to N-substituted benzimidazoles and quinoxalinediones.

Microwave Assisted Synthesis of 4-Aryl/Alkylaminocoumarins

4–Aryl and 4–alkylaminocoumarins were prepared by reaction of 4–hydroxycoumarin with amines under microwave irradiation in solvent-free conditions in good to excellent yields.

Copper powder-catalyzed chelation-assisted cascade reaction of o-chloroarylacetic acids with amines under solvent- and ligand-free conditions: synthesis of oxindoles

Copper powder-catalyzed sequential C–Cl amination/intramolecular N-acylation under solvent- and ligand-free conditions is developed to access oxindoles.

Orthogonal Discrimination among Functional Groups in Ullmann-Type C-O and C-N Couplings

The copper-catalyzed arylation of nucleophiles has been established as an efficient methodology for the formation of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds. Considering the advances during the last two decades, the ligand choice plays a key role in such transformations and can strongly influence the catalytic efficiency. The applicability of these Ullmann-type coupling reactions regarding the orthogonal selectivity of different functional groups constitutes a challenging subject for current synthetic strategies. Herein, we report a useful toolkit of Cu-based catalysts for the chemoselective arylation of a wide-range of nucleophiles in competitive reactions using aryl iodides and bromides. We show in this work that the arylation of all kinds of amides can be orthogonal to that of amines (aliphatic or aromatic) and phenol derivatives. This high chemoselectivity can be governed by the use of different ligands, yielding the desired coupling products under mild conditions. The selectivity trends are maintained for electronically biased iodobenzene and bromobenzene electrophiles. Radical clock experiments discard the occurrence of radical-based mechanisms.

Visible light induced radical cyclization of o-iodophenylacrylamides: a concise synthesis of indolin-2-one

Radical cyclization of o-iodophenylacrylamides afforded indolin-2-ones in good yields.

Cytotoxic activities of substituted 3-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylidene)-1,3-dihydroindol-2-ones and studies on their mechanisms of action

The synthesis of new trimethoxybenzylidene-indolinones is reported. Their cytotoxic activity was evaluated according to Developmental Therapeutics Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, drug screen protocols. The study of the mechanism of action suggests that inhibition of Nox4 in B1647 cells (acute myeloid leukemia) could contribute to the antiproliferative effect of some compounds. Moreover, inhibition of tubulin assembly was observed for the most cytotoxic compound, and the structural basis for this activity was delineated by binding models.

Ultrasound promoted clay catalyzed efficient and one pot synthesis of substituted oxindoles

A simple facile, one-pot synthesis of oxindoles in reasonable purity is reported via intramolecular Friedal-Craft cyclization. Clay KSF is an inexpensive, efficient and mild catalyst for the synthesis of substituted oxindoles by the reaction of chloroacetyl chloride and various anilines under the influence of ultrasonic irradiation under solvent-free conditions. The remarkable advantages of this method are the simple experimental procedures, short reaction times, high yields of products, suitability for a wide variety of substituents, and the green aspects through the avoidance of toxic catalyst and solvents.

Dialkylbiaryl Phosphines in Pd-Catalyzed Amination: A User's Guide

Dialkylbiaryl phosphines are a valuable class of ligand for Pd-catalyzed amination reactions and have been applied in a range of contexts. This review attempts to aid the reader in the selection of the best choice of reaction conditions and ligand of this class for the most commonly encountered and practically important substrate combinations.

Pd-catalyzed N-arylation of secondary acyclic amides: catalyst development, scope, and computational study

We report the efficient N-arylation of acyclic secondary amides and related nucleophiles with aryl nonaflates, triflates, and chlorides. This method allows for easy variation of the aromatic component in tertiary aryl amides. A new biaryl phosphine with P-bound 3,5-(bis)trifluoromethylphenyl groups was found to be uniquely effective for this amidation. The critical aspects of the ligand were explored through synthetic, mechanistic, and computational studies. Systematic variation of the ligand revealed the importance of (1) a methoxy group on the aromatic carbon of the "top ring" ortho to the phosphorus and (2) two highly electron-withdrawing P-bound 3,5-(bis)trifluoromethylphenyl groups. Computational studies suggest the electron-deficient nature of the ligand is important in facilitating amide binding to the LPd(II)(Ph)(X) intermediate.