Double Anionic Cycloaromatization of 2-(6-Substituted-3-hexene-1,5-diynyl)benzonitriles Initiated by Methoxide Addition

Synthetic Strategies in the Preparation of Phenanthridinones

Phenanthridinones are important heterocyclic frameworks present in a variety of complex natural products, pharmaceuticals and displaying wide range of pharmacological actions. Its structural importance has evoked a great deal of interest in the domains of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry to develop new synthetic methodologies, as well as novel compounds of pharmaceutical interest. This review focuses on the synthesis of phenanthridinone scaffolds by employing aryl-aryl, N-aryl, and biaryl coupling reactions, decarboxylative amidations, and photocatalyzed reactions.

"Golden" Cascade Cyclization to Benzo[c]-Phenanthridines

Herein, we describe a gold-catalyzed cascade cyclization of Boc-protected benzylamines bearing two tethered alkyne moieties in a domino reaction initiated by a 6-endo-dig cyclization. The reaction was screened intensively, and the scope was explored, resulting in nine new Boc-protected dihydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines with yields of up to 98 %; even a π-extension and two bidirectional approaches were successful. Furthermore, thermal cleavage of the Boc group and subsequent oxidation gave substituted benzo[c]phenanthridines in up to quantitative yields. Two bidirectional approaches under the optimized conditions were successful, and the resulting π-extended molecules were tested as organic semiconductors in organic thin-film transistors.

(Hetero)aromatics from dienynes, enediynes and enyne–allenes

Recent advances in the synthesis of (hetero)aromatics starting from polyenes, such as dienynes, enediynes and enyne–allenes, are discussed.

Insight into Pd-catalyzed branching cyclizations of enediyne-imides towards furo[2,3-b]pyridines: a DFT study

The DFT mechanisms for Pd-catalyzed branching cyclizations of cross-conjugated enediyne-imides towards furo[2,3-b]pyridines have been investigated to discover the crucial factors of controlling the chemo- and solvent-directed product selectivity.

An efficient synthesis of (NH)-phenanthridinones via ligand-free copper-catalyzed annulation

An efficient and concise procedure for the ligand-free copper-catalyzed cascade reaction of C–O and C–N bond coupling was developed to afford various (NH)-phenanthridinones.

Synthesis of Carbazoles via an Intramolecular Cyclization of 2-(6-Substituted 3(Z)-hexen-1,5-diynyl)anilines and Their Related Molecules

Various 2-(6-substituted 3(Z)-hexen-1,5-diynyl)anilines 1a-g were treated with potassium tert-butoxide or potassium 3-ethylpentanoxide in NMP at 60 degrees C for 2 h to give the corresponding 5-substituted carbazoles 2a-g in 36-65% yields together with indoles 9a-g in 21-40% yields, respectively. Exposing the trifluoroacetamide analogues 10h-k under the same reaction conditions gave the carbazoles 2b-e in 37-57% yields and indoles 9b-e in 15-27% yields. Subsequent cyclizations of acetamide analogues 10a-g gave carbazoles 2a-g in 53-86% yields.

Anionic cycloaromatization of 1-aryl-3-hexen-1,5-diynes initiated by methoxide addition: synthesis of phenanthridinones, benzo[c]phenanthridinones, and biaryls

Treatment of 2-((Z)-6-substituted-3-hexene-1,5-diynyl)benzonitriles with sodium methoxide in refluxing methanol in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent, such as DMSO, HMPA, THF, or 18-crown-6, gave phenanthridinones in 21-77% yields. In these cases, addition of 10% DMSO into the reaction mixture gave the highest yield. On the other hand, methanolysis of 2-(2-(2-alkynylphenyl)ethynyl)benzonitriles under the same reaction conditions gave benzo[c]phenanthridinones in 31-57% yields. Methanolysis of (Z)-1-aryl-3-hexen-1,5-diynes in the presence of 2 equiv of tetrabutylammonium iodide gave biaryls in 14-64% yields. It is found that the reactions with aryl groups bearing electron-withdrawing groups proceeded at greater rates and gave better yields.

A series of enediynes as novel inhibitors of topoisomerase I

A series of acyclic enediynes, 2-((6-substituted)-3-hexen-1,5-diynyl)benzonitriles (8--11), display potent inhibition against topoisomerase I without the formation of active biradical intermediates and show inhibitory activity against topoisomerase I at 10 microM, which is five times that of camptothecin from the results of agarose gel electrophoresis.