Directed Metalation of 1-Ester-Substituted Indolizines: Base/Electrophile-Controlled Regioselective Functionalization

Thermodynamic Controlled Regioselective C1-Functionalization of Indolizines with 3-Hydroxyisoindolinones via Brønsted Acid Catalyzed aza-Friedel-Crafts Reaction

A Brønsted acid catalyzed aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of indolizines with 3-hydroxyisoindolinones has been established, which constructs isoindolinone derivatives bearing a tetrasubstituted stereocenter in good to high yields and enantioselectivities. Notably, this strategy provides a new access to C1-functionalization of indolizines with excellent regioselectivities. Moreover, this intriguing C1-regioselective transformation was induced under thermodynamic control.

Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Desymmetrization of Cyclopentendiones via Friedel-Crafts Conjugate Addition of Indolizines

An organocatalytic highly diastero- and enantioselective Friedel-Crafts conjugate addition of indolizines to prochiral cyclopentenediones has been successfully developed. This desymmetric transformation provides a direct access to the desired indolizine-substituted cyclopentanediones in yields of 62-91% and excellent stereoselectivities. The utility of the approach was demonstrated by diverse late-stage functionalizations through reduction or oxidation. Importantly, the direct sp² C-H functionalization with nitromethane in one-pot process resulted in the indolizine-linked axially chiral styrene bearing a remote chiral center.

Selective Metalation and Functionalization of Fluorinated Nitriles Using 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidyl Bases

We have accomplished regioselective deprotometalation of aromatic and heteroaromatic nitriles via (TMP)₂Zn·2MgCl₂·2LiCl and TMPMgCl·LiCl (TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidyl) with the exploration of new and scarcely investigated metalation positions. Regioselectivity was rationalized by DFT calculations. The quenching of the generated organozinc and organomagnesium intermediates with various electrophiles gave access to 47 highly functionalized nitriles with yields up to 95%. Additionally, we report a difunctionalization strategy and the use of functionalized nitriles as building blocks to construct relevant heterocycles.

Ultrasound-promoted regioselective synthesis of chalcogeno-indolizines by a stepwise 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

A series of new organochalcogen derivatives of indolizines was synthesized in moderate to excellent yields from pyridinium salts and chalcogeno-alkynes. The reaction can be carried out under thermal conditions or by sonochemical processes in short reaction times. The stepwise cycloaddition reaction forming chalcogeno-indolizines is regioselective and extends to a broad range of functional groups. Furthermore, novel chalcogeno-alkynes are reported and the first derivatives of teluro-indolizine are described. The influence of selenium functionalization on the photophysical properties of indolizines is also described, in which the compounds showed absorption in the UV-Vis region around 360 nm and emission in the blue-to-green region. Relatively low fluorescence quantum yield (ϕ_fl) values were calculated, in agreement with the chalcogen effect on other heterocycles.

Brønsted-acid-catalyzed selective Friedel-Crafts monoalkylation of isatins with indolizines in water

The controlled mono-addition of indolizines to isatins under very mild conditions is described. The reaction occurs in water using diphenylphosphate as the catalyst, which is dramatically accelerated by surfactant addition. 3-Hydroxy-3-indolizinyl-2-oxindole scaffolds were synthesized in up to >99% yield. Notably, in organic solvents only bis-addition products were observed.

A Predictive Model Towards Site-Selective Metalations of Functionalized Heterocycles, Arenes, Olefins, and Alkanes using TMPZnCl⋅LiCl

The development of a predictive model towards site-selective deprotometalation reactions using TMPZnCl⋅LiCl is reported (TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl). The pKa values of functionalized N-, S-, and O-heterocycles, arenes, alkenes, or alkanes were calculated and compared to the experimental deprotonation sites. Large overlap (>80 %) between the calculated and empirical deprotonation sites was observed, showing that thermodynamic factors strongly govern the metalation regioselectivity. In the case of olefins, calculated frozen state energies of the deprotonated substrates allowed a more accurate prediction. Additionally, various new N-heterocycles were analyzed and the metalation regioselectivities rationalized using the predictive model.

Catalyst-Free Conjugate Addition of Indolizines to In Situ-Generated Oxidized Morita-Baylis-Hillman Adducts

Sequential one-pot 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) oxidation of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) adducts followed by catalyst-free indolizine conjugate addition was developed. The wide scopes of MBH adducts and indolizines were investigated, and densely functionalized adducts were obtained in yields of up to 94%. The conjugate addition step occurred in less than a minute at room temperature with total regioselectivity toward indolizine C3 carbon. Less nucleophilic C1 carbon was also alkylated when C3-substituted indolizines were employed as the substrate.

Catalyst-Free Annulation of 2-Pyridylacetates and Ynals with Molecular Oxygen: An Access to 3-Acylated Indolizines

A catalyst and additive-free annulation of 2-pyridylacetates and ynals under molecular oxygen was the first developed, affording 3-acylated indolizines in good to excellent yields. Molecular oxygen was used as the source of the carbonyl oxygen atom in indolizines. This approach was compatible with a wide range of functional groups, and especially it has been successfully extended to unsaturated double bonds and triple bonds, which were difficult to prepare by previous methods in a single step.

Organic Synthesis: New Vistas in the Brazilian Landscape

In this overview, we present our analysis of the future of organic synthesis in Brazil, a highly innovative and strategic area of research which underpins our social and economical progress. Several different topics (automation, catalysis, green chemistry, scalability, methodological studies and total syntheses) were considered to hold promise for the future advance of chemical sciences in Brazil. In order to put it in perspective, contributions from Brazilian laboratories were selected by the citations received and importance for the field and were benchmarked against some of the most important results disclosed by authors worldwide. The picture that emerged reveals a thriving area of research, with new generations of well-trained and productive chemists engaged particularly in the areas of green chemistry and catalysis. In order to fulfill the promise of delivering more efficient and sustainable processes, an integration of the academic and industrial research agendas is to be expected. On the other hand, academic research in automation of chemical processes, a well established topic of investigation in industrial settings, has just recently began in Brazil and more academic laboratories are lining up to contribute. All these areas of research are expected to enable the future development of the almost unchartered field of scalability.

Base-Controlled Regioselective Functionalization of Chloro-Substituted Quinolines

We prepared a number of di- and trifunctionalized quinolines by selective metalation of chloro-substituted quinolines with metal amides followed by reaction with different electrophiles. Metalation of the C-3 position of the quinolinic ring with lithium diisopropylamide at -70 °C is easy to achieve, whereas reaction with lithium-magnesium and lithium-zinc amides affords C-2 or C-8 functionalized derivatives in a regioselective fashion. These complementary methods could be rationalized by DFT calculations and are convenient strategies toward the synthesis of bioactive quinoline derivatives such as chloroquine analogues.

One-Pot Synthesis of Indolizines via Sequential Rhodium-Catalyzed [2 + 1]-Cyclopropanation, Palladium-Catalyzed Ring Expansion, and Oxidation Reactions from Pyridotriazoles and 1,3-Dienes

An efficient, one-pot synthetic method for producing functionalized indolizine derivatives was developed via a Rh-catalyzed [2 + 1]-cyclopropanation, Pd-catalyzed ring expansion, and subsequent oxidation using manganese dioxide from pyridotriazoles and 1,3-dienes.

C-H Functionalization of Azines

Azines, which are six-membered aromatic compounds containing one or more nitrogen atoms, serve as ubiquitous structural cores of aromatic species with important applications in biological and materials sciences. Among a variety of synthetic approaches toward azines, C-H functionalization represents the most rapid and atom-economical transformation, and it is advantageous for the late-stage functionalization of azine-containing functional molecules. Since azines have several C-H bonds with different reactivities, the development of new reactions that allow for the functionalization of azines in a regioselective fashion has comprised a central issue. This review describes recent advances in the C-H functionalization of azines categorized as follows: (1) S_NAr reactions, (2) radical reactions, (3) deprotonation/functionalization, and (4) metal-catalyzed reactions.

One-pot synthesis of indolizine via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition using a sub-equivalent amount of K2Cr2O7 as an efficient oxidant under base free conditions

X = Cl or Br; EWG₁, EWG₂ = electron withdrow group, one-pot reaction, 29 examples, yields from moderate to high, gram scale-up potential confirmed.

C3 functionalization of indolizines via In(iii)-catalyzed three-component reaction

Post-functionalization at the C3 position of indolizines via In(iii)-catalyzed three-component coupling reaction with amines and aldehydes allowed rapid access to a new class of indolizines with diverse functional groups at the C3 position in good to excellent yields.