Trifluoromethyl-β-dicarbonyls as Versatile Synthons in Synthesis of Heterocycles

Trifluoromethyl group relishes a privileged position in the realm of medicinal chemistry because its incorporation into organic molecules often enhances the bioactivity by altering pharmacological profile of molecule. Trifluoromethyl-β-dicarbonyls have emerged as pivotal building blocks in synthetic organic chemistry due to their facile accessibility, stability and remarkable versatility. Owing to presence of nucleophilic and electrophilic sites, they offer multifunctional sites for the reaction. This review covers a meticulous exploration of their multifaceted role, encompassing an in-depth analysis of mechanism, extensive scope, limitations and wide-ranging applications in diverse organic synthesis, covering the literature from the 21st century. This comprehensive review encapsulates the applications of trifluoromethyl-β-dicarbonyls and their synthetic equivalents as precursors of complex and diverse heterocyclic scaffolds, fused heterocycles and spirocyclic compounds having medicinal and material importance. Their potent synthetic utility in cyclocondensation reactions with binucleophiles, cycloaddition reactions, C-C bond formations, asymmetric multicomponent reactions using classical/solvent-free/catalytic synthesis have been presented. Influence of unsymmetrical trifluoromethyl-β-diketones on regioselectivity of transformation is also reviewed. This review will benefit the synthetic and pharmaceutical communities to explore trifluoromethyl-β-dicarbonyls as trifluoromethyl building blocks for fabrication of heterocyclic scaffolds having implementation into drug discovery programs in the imminent future.

Exploring Three Avenues: Chemo- and Regioselective Transformations of 1,2,4-Triketone Analogs into Pyrazoles and Pyridazinones

A convenient approach to substituted pyrazoles and pyridazinones based on 1,2,4-triketones is presented. Chemo- and regiocontrol in condensations of t-Bu, Ph-, 2-thienyl-, and CO2Et-substituted 1,2,4-triketone analogs with hydrazines are described. The direction of preferential nucleophilic attack was shown to be switched depending on the substituent nature in triketone as well as the reaction conditions. The acid and temperature effects on the selectivity of condensations were revealed. Regiochemistry of heterocyclic core formation was confirmed by NMR and XRD studies. The facile construction of heterocyclic motifs bearing acetyl and (or) carbethoxy groups suggests them as promising mono- or bifunctional building blocks for subsequent transformations.

Acid-Switchable Synthesis of Trifluoromethylated Triazoles and Isoxazoles via Reaction of CF3-Ynones with NaN3: DFT Study of the Reaction Mechanism

A detailed study of the reaction of CF₃-ynones with NaN₃ was performed. It was found that the reaction permits the selective synthesis of either 4-trifluoroacetyltriazoles or 5-CF₃-isoxazoles. The chemoselectivity of the reaction was switchable via acid catalysis. The reaction of CF₃-ynones with NaN₃ in EtOH produced high yields of 4-trifluoroacetyltriazoles. In contrast, the formation of 5-CF₃-isoxazoles was observed under catalysis by acids. This acid-switchable procedure can be performed at sub-gram scale. The possible reaction mechanism was supported by DFT calculations. The synthetic utility of the prepared 4-trifluoroacetyltriazoles was demonstrated.

Efficient Catalytic Synthesis of Condensed Isoxazole Derivatives via Intramolecular Oxidative Cycloaddition of Aldoximes

The intramolecular oxidative cycloaddition reaction of alkyne- or alkene-tethered aldoximes was catalyzed efficiently by hypervalent iodine(III) species to afford the corresponding polycyclic isoxazole derivatives in up to a 94% yield. The structure of the prepared products was confirmed by various methods, including X-ray crystallography. Mechanistic study demonstrated the crucial role of hydroxy(aryl)iodonium tosylate as a precatalyst, which is generated from 2-iodobenzoic acid and m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in the presence of a catalytic amount of p-toluenesulfonic acid.

Trifluoromethylated Pyrazoles via Sequential (3 + 2)-Cycloaddition of Fluorinated Nitrile Imines with Chalcones and Solvent-Dependent Deacylative Oxidation Reactions

A general approach for preparation of two types of polyfunctionalized 3-trifluoromethylpyrazoles is reported. The protocol comprises (3 + 2)-cycloaddition of the in situ generated trifluoroacetonitrile imines with enones leading to trans-configured 5-acyl-pyrazolines in a fully regio- and diastereoselective manner. Initially formed cycloadducts were aromatized by treatment with manganese dioxide. Depending on the solvent used, the oxidation step either led to fully substituted pyrazoles (DMSO) or proceeded via a deacylative pathway to afford 1,3,4-trisubstituted derivatives (hexane) with excellent selectivity.

D. dos Santos AC, Kohlhepp SV, Mendoza A. Direct Addition of Grignard Reagents to Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids Enabled by Bulky turbo ‐Organomagnesium Anilides

The synthesis of ketones through addition of organometallic reagents to aliphatic carboxylic acids is a straightforward strategy that is limited to organolithium reagents. More desirable Grignard reagents can be activated and controlled with a bulky aniline‐derived turbo‐Hauser base. This operationally simple procedure allows the straightforward preparation of a variety of aliphatic and perfluoroalkyl ketones alike from functionalized alkyl, aryl and heteroaryl Grignard reagents.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of pyrimidines and their fused derivatives: A review

The pyrimidine scaffold is present in many bioactive drugs; therefore, efficient synthetic routes that provide shorter reaction times, higher yields, and site-selective reactions are constantly being sought. Ultrasound (US) irradiation has emerged as an alternative energy source in the synthesis of these heterocyclic scaffolds, and over the last ten years there has been a significant increase in the number of publications mentioning US in either the construction or derivatization of the pyrimidine core. This review presents a detailed summary (with 140 references) of the effects of US (synergic or not) on the construction and derivatization of the pyrimidine core through classical reactions (e.g., multicomponent, cyclocondensation, cycloaddition, and alkylation reactions). The main points that were taken into consideration are as follows: chemo- and regioselectivity issues, and the results of conventional heating methods compared to US and mechanistic insights that are also presented and discussed for key reactions.

Heteroarene-tethered Functionalized Alkyne Metamorphosis

Heteroarene-tethered functionalized alkynes are multipotent synthons in organic chemistry. This detailed Review described herein offers a thorough discussion of the metamorphosis of heteroarene-tethered functionalized alkynes, an area which has earned much attention over the past decade in the straightforward synthesis of architecturally complex heterocyclic scaffolds in atom and step economic manner. Depending upon the variety of functionalized alkynes, this Review is divided into multiple sections. Amongst the vast array of synthetic transformations covered, dearomatizing spirocyclizations and cascade spirocyclization/rearrangement are of great interest. Synthetic transformations involving the heteroarene-tethered functionalized alkynes with scope, challenges, limitations, mechanism, their application in the total synthesis of natural products and future perceptions are surveyed.

i-Pr2NMgCl·LiCl Enables the Synthesis of Ketones by Direct Addition of Grignard Reagents to Carboxylate Anions

The direct preparation of ketones from carboxylate anions is greatly limited by the required use of organolithium reagents or activated acyl sources that need to be independently prepared. Herein, a specific magnesium amide additive is used to activate and control the addition of more tolerant Grignard reagents to carboxylate anions. This strategy enables the modular synthesis of ketones from CO₂ and the preparation of isotopically labeled pharmaceutical building blocks in a single operation.

Synthesis of N-Pyrrolyl(furanyl)-Substituted Piperazines, 1,4-Dizepanes, and 1,4-Diazocanes

The synthetic potential of 5-bromo-1,1,1-trifluoro-4-methoxypent-3-en-2-one toward the catalyst-free synthesis of N-pyrrolyl(furanyl)-piperazines, 1,4-diazepanes, and 1,4-diazocanes through a telescoped protocol is reported. This three-component one-pot method provided 23 examples with high chemo- and regioselectivity at yields up to 96%.

A chemo- and regiocontrolled approach to bipyrazoles and pyridones via the reaction of ethyl 5-acyl-4-pyrone-2-carboxylates with hydrazines

Chemo- and regiocontrolled syntheses of pyrazoles and pyridones are presented on the basis of 4-pyrones. A novel approach towards highly functionalized 3,4'-bipyrazoles has been developed by using reactions of ethyl 5-acylcomanoates with hydrazines. The acid-promoted double cyclocondensation allows switching of the structure of the pyrazole rings easily through changing both the nature of hydrazine and the reaction conditions. The transformation of 4-pyrones with phenylhydrazine in EtOH at -20 °C leads to hydroxypyridones as monoaddition products which can be used as precursors for the preparation of pyridone and pyrazole derivatives. A novel rearrangement of 2-hydroxypyridone to pyrazolyl-1,3-diketones in DMSO was found. The structure and regiochemistry of bipyrazoles were confirmed by X-ray analysis and 2D NMR experiments.

Electrophilic halogenation of hydrazones of CF3-ynones. Regioselective synthesis of 4-halo-substituted 3-CF3-pyrazoles

An efficient approach for the synthesis of 4-halo-3-CF3-pyrazoles was elaborated using the cyclization of hydrazones of CF3-ynones induced by electrophilic halogenation. This method can be used for the regioselective synthesis of 3-CF3-pyrazoles substituted at the 4-position with any halogen (I, Br or Cl). The high (up to quantitative) yields, mild conditions and simplicity of the reaction protocol are the advantages of the proposed method. It was demonstrated that cross-coupling with 4-iodo-3-CF3-pyrazoles can be used for the synthesis of a broad family of tetrasubstituted pyrazoles. Moreover, it was found that this method is suitable for the synthesis of 4-substituted derivatives of Celebrex and SC-560.

Streamlined asymmetric α-difunctionalization of ynones

Ynones are a unique class of structural motifs that show remarkable chemical versatility. Chiral ynones, particularly those possessing an α-stereogenic center, are highly attractive templates for structural diversification. So far, only very limited examples have been reported for asymmetric α-functionalization of ynones. Asymmetric double α-functionalization of ynones remains elusive. Here we describe a streamlined strategy for asymmetric α-difunctionalization of ynones. We developed a gold-catalyzed multicomponent condensation reaction from a simple ynone, an amine, and an electrophilic alkynylating reagent to generate a 1,2-dialkynyl enamine, a key stable and isolable intermediate. This intermediate can undergo asymmetric fluorination catalyzed by a chiral phosphoric acid derivative. Chiral ynones with an α-quaternary carbon and containing a fluorine and an alkyne can be synthesized in high yield and high ee. The synthetic utility of this method is demonstrated by the synthesis of enantioenriched tri(hetero)arylmethyl fluorides.

Chiral ynones with an α-quaternary carbon are attractive synthetic building blocks for natural and pharmaceutical products. Here, the authors report an asymmetric α-difunctionalization of simple ynones, involving a gold-catalyzed step and yielding enantioenriched fluorinated quaternary stereocentres.