A modular reaction pairing approach to the diversity-oriented synthesis of fused- and bridged-polycyclic sultams

Synthesis of benzimidazole-fused 1,4-benzoxazepines and benzosultams spiro-connected to a 2-oxindole core via a tandem epoxide-opening/SNAr approach

While hundreds of literature reports describe the preparation of spirooxindole-based five- and six-membered heterocycles, the construction of seven-membered heterocyclic rings spiro-connected to a 2-oxindole core has so far been less developed. Herein, we disclose a base-mediated (4 + 3) annulation of spiro-epoxyoxindoles and 2-(2-fluoroaryl)-1H-benzoimidazoles or 2-fluoro-N-arylbenzenesulfonamides toward the synthesis of two new classes of spirooxindole-based polycyclic systems. Mechanistically, this conceptually simple and high atom-economical reaction proceeds via an SN2-like intermolecular epoxide ring-opening, accompanied by a concomitant intramolecular SNAr reaction. From a synthetic aspect, the notable features of the process are its full regioselectivity, operational simplicity using readily available substrates under transition-metal-free conditions, high yields, and broad substrate scope.

Ring Expansion Strategies for the Synthesis of Medium Sized Ring and Macrocyclic Sulfonamides

Two new ring expansion strategies are reported for the synthesis of medium sized ring and macrocyclic sulfonamides. Both methods can be performed without using classical protecting groups, with the key ring expansion step initiated by nitro reduction and amine conjugate addition respectively. Each method can be used to make diversely functionalised cyclic sulfonamides in good to excellent yields, in a range of ring sizes. The ring size dependency of the synthetic reactions is in good agreement with the outcomes modelled by Density Functional Theory calculations.

A Diastereoselective Route to Benzoannelated Bridged Sultams

A practical diastereoselective method for the synthesis of benzoannelated tri- and tetracyclic bridged sultams has been developed. The synthetic route employs widely available, substituted o-iodoanilines and is based on intramolecular Michael addition followed by cycloalkylation with α,ω-dihaloalkanes, or vice versa. The target compounds were isolated in good yields and the diastereoselectivity of the reaction could be easily controlled by the order of Michael addition and cycloalkylation steps.

But-3-ene-1,3-disulfonyl difluoride (BDF): a highly selective SuFEx clickable hub for the quick assembly of sultam-containing aliphatic sulfonyl fluorides

A versatile selectively addressable SuFEx click chemistry hub, but-3-ene-1,3-disulfonyl difluoride (BDF) was designed and synthesized through head-to-tail dimerization of ethenesulfonyl fluoride (ESF). BDF possesses three active sites to selectively participate in the construction of 4-membered, 5-membered and 6-membered cyclic sulfonamide (sultams) bearing aliphatic sulfonyl fluoride moieties for further manipulations in a fast, efficient and practical manner.

Enantioselective Radical Construction of 5-Membered Cyclic Sulfonamides by Metalloradical C-H Amination

Both arylsulfonyl and alkylsulfonyl azides can be effectively activated by the cobalt(II) complexes of D₂-symmetric chiral amidoporphyrins for enantioselective radical 1,5-C-H amination to stereoselectively construct 5-membered cyclic sulfonamides. In addition to C-H bonds with varied electronic properties, the Co(II)-based metalloradical system features chemoselective amination of allylic C-H bonds and is compatible with heteroaryl groups, producing functionalized 5-membered chiral cyclic sulfonamides in high yields with high enantioselectivities. The unique profile of reactivity and selectivity of the Co(II)-catalyzed C-H amination is attributed to its underlying stepwise radical mechanism, which is supported by several lines of experimental evidence.

Application of Silica-Supported Alkylating Reagents in a One-Pot, Sequential Protocol to Diverse Benzoxathiazepine 1,1-Dioxides

Applications of silica-ROMP reagents in a one-pot, sequential protocol have been developed for the synthesis of a variety of diverse benzoxathiazepine 1,1-dioxides. This protocol includes sulfonylation, intramolecular S_NAr, alkylation with silica-supported oligomeric benzyl (Si-OBP_n) and triazole (Si-OTP_n) phosphates, and intermolecular S_NAr addition with a number of secondary amines in one-pot to afford a variety of unique benzoxathiazepine 1,1-dioxides sultams in good to excellent yields.

Modular, One-Pot, Sequential Aziridine Ring Opening-S(N)Ar Strategy to 7-, 10-, and 11-Membered Benzo-Fused Sultams

The generation of common and stereochemically rich medium-sized benzo-fused sultams via complementary pairing of heretofore-unknown (o-fluoroaryl)sulfonyl aziridine building blocks with an array of amino alcohols/amines in a modular one-pot, sequential protocol using an aziridine ring opening and intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution is reported. The strategy employs a variety of amino alcohols/amines and proceeds with 6 + 4/6 + 5 and 6 + 1 cycloetherification pathways in a highly chemo- and regioselective fashion to obtain skeletally and structurally diverse, polycyclic, 10- to 11- and 7-membered benzo-fused sultams for broad-scale screening.

Palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of sultams with aryl and heteroaryl iodides

Palladium(0)-catalyzed conditions for the α-arylation of sultams with aryl and heteroaryl iodides have been developed. Arylation of 3-substituted 1,3-propanesultams gave rise to high yields and high diastereomeric ratios, leading to the thermodynamically favored cis product. The arylation was broadly applicable to various electron-rich and electron-poor (hetero)aromatic iodides.

Rapid, scalable assembly of stereochemically rich, mono- and bicyclic acyl sultams

A one-pot, sequential protocol is reported that involves complementary ambiphile pairing (CAP) of a vinyl sulfonamide with a variety of unprotected amino acids via aza-Michael addition and subsequent intramolecular amidation. The method generates diverse, sp(3)-rich mono- and bicyclic acyl sultams in a highly scalable manner. Modular pairing of stereochemically rich building blocks allows quick access to all possible isomers. Extension to include one-pot, sequential 3-, 4-, and 5-multicomponent protocols is also discussed.

A simple copper-catalysed tandem cyclisation of ynamides leading to triazolo-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxides in PEG-400 medium

Tandem cyclisation of ynamides to triazolo-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxides by using copper-catalysis is reported.

Parallel syntheses of eight-membered ring sultams via two cascade reactions in water

From vinyl sulfonamides as precursors to vinyl sulfonamide epoxides, two cascade reaction protocols were developed to synthesize eight-membered ring sultams in water. These protocols employ intermolecular Michael addition by NaOH or NaHS in water, followed by rapid proton transfer and intramolecular 8-endo-tet epoxide ring-opening to give medium-size sultams selectively in one-pot. Novel core structures and high synthetic efficiency make these cascade reactions highly suitable for sultam library production. Both reactions proceeded well and afforded the respective sultams in good yields under environmentally friendly conditions.

Halonium ion triggered rearrangement of unsaturated benzo-annulated bi- and tricyclic sulfonamides

The halonium ion mediated 1,2-Wagner-Meerwein-type rearrangement of a series of benzo-fused bi- and tricyclic sulfonamides is reported. During this rearrangement the carbon-carbon bond that migrates was selectively set in the intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck (IHR) synthesis of the starting materials. Consequently, this method constitutes a means to access the regioisomeric series of cyclic sulfonamides not observed during the Mizoroki-Heck reaction.

Skeletal diversification via heteroatom linkage control: preparation of bicyclic and spirocyclic scaffolds from N-substituted homopropargyl alcohols

The discovery and application of a new branching pathway synthesis strategy that rapidly produces skeletally diverse scaffolds is described. Two different scaffold types, one a bicyclic iodo-vinylidene tertiary amine/tertiary alcohol and the other, a spirocyclic 3-furanone, are each obtained using a two-step sequence featuring a common first step. Both scaffold types lead to intermediates that can be orthogonally diversified using the same final components. One of the scaffold types was obtained in sufficiently high yield that it was immediately used to produce a 97-compound library.

Hits, leads and drugs against malaria through diversity-oriented synthesis

Malaria is a devastating infectious disease and approximately half the world’s population is at risk. Since vaccination is not yet available, small-molecule-based medicines are currently the best option for the treatment of patients suffering from malaria and combating the spread of infection. Development of resistance against existing drugs has created a need for new types of small molecules to be screened against Plasmodium falciparum, the etiological agent of malaria. The advent of diversity-oriented synthesis has enabled access to novel chemical structures. Evaluation of diversity-oriented synthesis compounds in phenotypic assays for growth inhibition of P. falciparum has resulted in novel hits, leads and even investigational drugs against malaria.

Exploring chemical diversity via a modular reaction pairing strategy

The efficient synthesis of an 80-member library of unique benzoxathiazocine 1,1-dioxides by a microwave-assisted, intermolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) diversification pathway is reported. Eight benzofused sultam cores were generated by means of a sulfonylation/S_NAr/Mitsunobu reaction pairing protocol, and subsequently diversified by intermolecular S_NAr with ten chiral, non-racemic amine/amino alcohol building blocks. Computational analyses were employed to explore and evaluate the chemical diversity of the library.