Highly Efficient Synthesis and Acaricidal and Insecticidal Activities of Novel Oxazolines with N-Heterocyclic Substituents

Nitrogen heterocycles are found in numerous natural products, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a series of novel 2,4-diphenyl-1,3-oxazolines bearing various N-heterocyclic substituents via a 4-(4-(chloromethyl)phenyl)-2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydrooxazole intermediate generated by a modified Ritter reaction. Evaluation of the activities of the oxazolines against carmine spider mites (Tetranychus cinnabarinus) by means of a leaf-dipping method showed that most of the compounds exhibited good to excellent larvicidal and ovicidal activities. In particular, five compounds (one with a phthalimidyl group and four with a substituted indolyl group) have lower LC₅₀ values than the commercial acaricide etoxazole (0.088 mg/L against larvae and 0.128 mg/L against eggs). This work lays a foundation for the development of novel acaricides.

Nickel-Catalyzed Cyanation of Unactivated Alkyl Sulfonates with Zn(CN)2

Cyanation of unactivated primary and secondary alkyl mesylates with Zn(CN)₂ catalyzed by nickel has been developed. The reaction provides an efficient route for the synthesis of alkyl nitriles with wide substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, and compatibility with heterocyclic compounds. Mechanistic studies indicate that alkyl iodide generated in situ serves as the reactive intermediate and the gradual release of alkyl iodide is crucial for the success of the reaction.

Copper-Catalyzed Tertiary Alkylative Cyanation for the Synthesis of Cyanated Peptide Building Blocks

In this paper, we report efficient cyanation of various peptides containing the α-bromocarbonyl moiety using a Cu-catalyzed radical-based methodology employing zinc cyanide as the cyanide source. Mechanistic studies revealed that in situ formed CuCN was a key intermediate during the catalytic cycle. Our method could be useful for the synthesis of modified peptides containing quaternary carbons.

Radical cyanomethylation via vinyl azide cascade-fragmentation

Herein, a novel methodology for radical cyanomethylation is described. The process is initiated by radical addition to the vinyl azide reagent 3-azido-2-methylbut-3-en-2-ol which triggers a cascade-fragmentation mechanism driven by the loss of dinitrogen and the stabilised 2-hydroxypropyl radical, ultimately effecting cyanomethylation. Cyanomethyl groups can be efficiently introduced into a range of substrates via trapping of α-carbonyl, heterobenzylic, alkyl, sulfonyl and aryl radicals, generated from a variety of functional groups under both photoredox catalysis and non-catalytic conditions. The value of this approach is exemplified by the late-stage cyanomethylation of pharmaceuticals.

Photoinduced, Copper-Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation with Alkyl Electrophiles: Cyanation of Unactivated Secondary Alkyl Chlorides at Room Temperature

We have recently reported that, in the presence of light and a copper catalyst, nitrogen nucleophiles such as carbazoles and primary amides undergo C-N coupling with alkyl halides under mild conditions. In the present study, we establish that photoinduced, copper-catalyzed alkylation can also be applied to C-C bond formation, specifically, that the cyanation of unactivated secondary alkyl chlorides can be achieved at room temperature to afford nitriles, an important class of target molecules. Thus, in the presence of an inexpensive copper catalyst (CuI; no ligand coadditive) and a readily available light source (UVC compact fluorescent light bulb), a wide array of alkyl halides undergo cyanation in good yield. Our initial mechanistic studies are consistent with the hypothesis that an excited state of [Cu(CN)2](-) may play a role, via single electron transfer, in this process. This investigation provides a rare example of a transition metal-catalyzed cyanation of an alkyl halide, as well as the first illustrations of photoinduced, copper-catalyzed alkylation with either a carbon nucleophile or a secondary alkyl chloride.

Perfluorobutyl iodide-assisted direct cyanomethylation of azoles and phenols with acetonitrile

A perfluorobutyl iodide-assisted transition-metal-free cyanomethylation of azoles and phenols with acetonitrile in the presence of NaH has been developed. A mechanism involving the cyanomethyl radical was proposed.