Formation of N-heterocycles by the reaction of thiols with glyoxamides: exploring a connective Pummerer-type cyclisation

Synthesis and Evaluation of the Tetracyclic Ring-System of Isocryptolepine and Regioiso-Mers for Antimalarial, Antiproliferative and Antimicrobial Activities

A series of novel quinoline-based tetracyclic ring-systems were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their antiplasmodial, antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities. The novel hydroiodide salts 10 and 21 showed the most promising antiplasmodial inhibition, with compound 10 displaying higher selectivity than the employed standards. The antiproliferative assay revealed novel pyridophenanthridine 4b to be significantly more active against human prostate cancer (IC₅₀ = 24 nM) than Puromycin (IC₅₀ = 270 nM) and Doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 830 nM), which are used for clinical treatment. Pyridocarbazoles 9 was also moderately effective against all the employed cancer cell lines and moreover showed excellent biofilm inhibition (9a: MBIC = 100 µM; 9b: MBIC = 100 µM).

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Alkenylation of Sulfenate Anions

A novel approach to synthesize enantio-enriched alkenyl/aryl sulfoxides is achieved by using CsF to generate sulfenate anions and conducting the catalytic enantioselective alkenylation with [Pd(allyl)Cl]₂/(2 R)-1-[(1 R)-1-[bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)phosphino]ethyl]-2-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (SL-J002-1). A wide variety of sulfoxides bearing sensitive functional groups are produced with high yields (up to 94%) and enantioselectivities (up to 92%).

Fused electron deficient semiconducting polymers for air stable electron transport

Conventional semiconducting polymer synthesis typically involves transition metal-mediated coupling reactions that link aromatic units with single bonds along the backbone. Rotation around these bonds contributes to conformational and energetic disorder and therefore potentially limits charge delocalisation, whereas the use of transition metals presents difficulties for sustainability and application in biological environments. Here we show that a simple aldol condensation reaction can prepare polymers where double bonds lock-in a rigid backbone conformation, thus eliminating free rotation along the conjugated backbone. This polymerisation route requires neither organometallic monomers nor transition metal catalysts and offers a reliable design strategy to facilitate delocalisation of frontier molecular orbitals, elimination of energetic disorder arising from rotational torsion and allowing closer interchain electronic coupling. These characteristics are desirable for high charge carrier mobilities. Our polymers with a high electron affinity display long wavelength NIR absorption with air stable electron transport in solution processed organic thin film transistors.

Semiconducting polymers are usually prepared by transition metal mediated coupling reactions that cause problems for sustainability and biological applications. Here the authors synthesise fused electron deficient polymers that are air stable and have high electron affinities, via metal free aldol polymerisation reactions.

Cu(OTf)2-Catalyzed Pummerer Coupling of β-Ketosulfoxides

The copper(II) trifluoromethanesulfonate-catalyzed Pummerer reaction of β-ketosulfoxides with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds or π-nucleophiles such as phenols, arenes, and tetraallylsilane is reported. The mild conditions provide an efficient entry to a novel class of polysubstituted 3-alkylthiofuran and polysubstituted 3-thiobenzofuran heterocycles from readily available materials.

Tandem Oxidative α-Hydroxylation/β-Acetalization Reaction of β-Ketoamides and Its Applications

A tandem oxidative α-hydroxylation/β-acetalization reaction of β-ketoamides was developed in the presence of PIDA and NaOH. This reaction proceeded at 25 °C in the absence of a metal catalyst to provide 2-hydroxy-3,3-dimethoxy-N-substituted butanamides in good to excellent yields from readily available starting materials. The application of this chemistry to the construction of α-hydroxy-β-ketoamides and quinolinones was also described.

Tetrabutylammonium Iodide-Promoted Thiolation of Oxindoles Using Sulfonyl Chlorides as Sulfenylation Reagents

3-Sulfanyloxindoles were synthesised by triphenylphosphine-mediated transition-metal-free thiolation of oxindoles using sulfonyl chlorides as sulfenylation reagents. The above reaction was promoted by iodide anions, which was ascribed to the in situ conversion of sulfenyl chlorides into the more reactive sulfenyl iodides. Moreover, the thiolation of 3-aryloxindoles was facilitated by bases. The use of a transition-metal-free protocol, readily available reagents, and mild reaction conditions make this protocol more practical for preparing 3-sulfanyloxindoles than traditional methods.

Efficient total synthesis of neocryptolepine and synthetic access to 6-methylquinindoline from a common intermediate

The total synthesis of neocryptolepine and the synthesis of its non-natural isomer 6-methyl quinindoline were efficiently achieved in a few steps from a common intermediate.

Versatile C(sp(2) )-C(sp(3) ) Ligand Couplings of Sulfoxides for the Enantioselective Synthesis of Diarylalkanes

The reaction of chiral (hetero)aryl benzyl sulfoxides with Grignard reagents affords enantiomerically pure diarylalkanes in up to 98 % yield and greater than 99.5 % enantiomeric excess. This ligand coupling reaction is tolerant to multiple substitution patterns and provides access to diverse areas of chemical space in three operationally simple steps from commercially available reagents. This strategy provides orthogonal access to electron-deficient heteroaromatic compounds, which are traditionally synthesized by transition metal catalyzed cross-couplings, and circumvents common issues associated with proto-demetalation and β-hydride elimination.

Rhodium(ii)-catalyzed direct sulfenylation of diazooxindoles with disulfides

Rhodium(ii)-catalyzed reactions for direct sulfenylation of diazooxindoles with disulfides via C–S bond formation was developed.

N-Fused BDOPV: a tetralactam derivative as a building block for polymer field-effect transistors

An N-fused BDOPV derivative, NBDOPV, was designed and synthesized. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of NBDOPV were systematically investigated. The NBDOPV-based conjugated polymer PITET shows a large hole mobility of 1.92 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).

Sm(II)-Mediated Electron Transfer to Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Development of Complexity-Generating Cascades

Reductive electron transfer (ET) to organic compounds is a powerful method for the activation of substrates via the formation of radicals, radical anions, anions, and dianions that can be exploited in bond-cleaving and bond-forming processes. Since its introduction to the synthetic community in 1977 by Kagan, SmI2 has become one of the most important reducing agents available in the laboratory. Despite its widespread application in aldehyde and ketone reduction, it was widely accepted that carboxylic acid derivatives could not be reduced by SmI2; only recently has our work led to this dogma being overturned, and the reduction of carboxylic acid derivatives using SmI2 can now take its place alongside aldehyde/ketone reduction as a powerful activation mode for synthesis. In this Account, we set out our studies of the reduction of carboxylic acid derivatives using SmI2, SmI2-H2O, and SmI2-H2O-NR3 and the exploitation of the unusual radical anions that are now accessible in unprecedented carbon-carbon bond-forming processes. The Account begins with our serendipitous discovery that SmI2 mixed with H2O is able to reduce six-membered lactones to diols, a transformation previously thought to be impossible. After the successful development of selective monoreductions of Meldrum's acid and barbituric acid heterocyclic feedstocks, we then identified the SmI2-H2O-NR3 reagent system for the efficient reduction of a range of acyclic carboxylic acid derivatives that typically present a significant challenge for ET reductants. Mechanistic studies have led us to propose a common mechanism for the reduction of carboxylic acid derivatives using Sm(II), with only subtle changes observed as the carboxylic acid derivative and Sm(II) reagent system are varied. At the center of our postulated mechanism is the proposed reversibility of the first ET to the carbonyl of carboxylic acid derivatives, and this led us to devise several strategies that allow the radical anion intermediates to be exploited productively in efficient new processes. First, we have used internal directing groups in substrates to "switch on" productive ET to esters and amides and have exploited such an approach in tag-removal cyclization processes that deliver molecular scaffolds of significance in biology and materials science. Second, we have exploited external ligands to facilitate ET to carboxylic acid derivatives and have applied the strategy in telescoped reaction sequences. Finally, we have employed follow-up cyclizations with alkenes, alkynes, and allenes to intercept radical anion intermediates formed along the reaction path and have employed this strategy in complexity-generating cascade approaches to biologically significant molecular architectures. From our studies, it is now clear that Sm(II)-mediated ET to carboxylic acid derivatives constitutes a general strategy for inverting the polarity of the carbonyl, allowing nucleophilic carbon-centered radicals to be formed and exploited in novel chemical processes.

Thiol-promoted selective addition of ketones to aldehydes

A simple and efficient thiol-mediated addition of ketones to aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes is reported. This thermodynamically controlled Pummerer/aldol reaction, which can tolerate both moisture and protic functional groups, provides a direct entry to syn-β-thioketones in high chemo- and regioselectivity. Mechanistic studies revealed that selective transformation of the aldehyde to an electrophilic thionium ion species concurrent with the generation of a nucleophilic vinyl sulfide coupling partner from the ketone is imposing cross-coupling over dimerization.

Catalytic thia-Sommelet-Hauser rearrangement: application to the synthesis of oxindoles

A series of 3-arylthio-1,3-disubstituted-oxindoles were prepared in good yields by the reaction of α-diazocarbonyl compounds and sulfenamides. The reaction involves a Rh-catalyzed thia-Sommelet-Hauser-type rearrangement.