Rh(III)-Catalyzed Controlled Ortho-Amidation of Arylamides with Dioxazolones Using Weakly Coordinating Native Primary Amide as the Directing Group

Herein, we report a controlled introduction of an amide unit at the ortho-position of an electron-deficient arylamide system without affording any cyclized products using user-friendly dioxazolone as an amidating reagent in the presence of a Rh(III)-catalyst. This is the first report where native primary amide has been utilized as a weakly coordinating group for site-selective C-N bond formation reaction. The developed protocol works under external auxiliary-free conditions with a wide substrate scope.

iAmideV-Deep: Valine Amidation Site Prediction in Proteins Using Deep Learning and Pseudo Amino Acid Compositions

Amidation is an important post translational modification where a peptide ends with an amide group (–NH2) rather than carboxyl group (–COOH). These amidated peptides are less sensitive to proteolytic degradation with extended half-life in the bloodstream. Amides are used in different industries like pharmaceuticals, natural products, and biologically active compounds. The in-vivo, ex-vivo, and in-vitro identification of amidation sites is a costly and time-consuming but important task to study the physiochemical properties of amidated peptides. A less costly and efficient alternative is to supplement wet lab experiments with accurate computational models. Hence, an urgent need exists for efficient and accurate computational models to easily identify amidated sites in peptides. In this study, we present a new predictor, based on deep neural networks (DNN) and Pseudo Amino Acid Compositions (PseAAC), to learn efficient, task-specific, and effective representations for valine amidation site identification. Well-known DNN architectures are used in this contribution to learn peptide sequence representations and classify peptide chains. Of all the different DNN based predictors developed in this study, Convolutional neural network-based model showed the best performance surpassing all other DNN based models and reported literature contributions. The proposed model will supplement in-vivo methods and help scientists to determine valine amidation very efficiently and accurately, which in turn will enhance understanding of the valine amidation in different biological processes.

Cp*CoIII-catalyzed formal [4+2] cycloaddition of benzamides to afford quinazolinone derivatives

A Cp*Co^III-catalyzed arene C–H bond amidation/annulation of benzamides was developed to afford quinazolinone derivatives in one-pot with high yields and broad substrate scope.

Recent Progress on Cyclic Nitrenoid Precursors in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Nitrene-Transfer Reactions

Nitrene-transfer reactions are powerful synthetic tools for the direct incorporation of nitrogen atoms into organic molecules. The discovery of novel nitrene-transfer reactions has been dominantly supported not only by improvements in transition-metal catalysts but also by the employment of novel precursors of nitrenoids. Since pioneering work involving the use of organic azides and iminoiodinanes as practical synthetic tools for nitrogen-containing compounds was reported, a new approach using various N-heterocycles containing strain energy or a weak bond has emerged. In this review, we briefly summarize the history of nitrene-transfer chemistry from the viewpoint of its precursors. In particular, the use of N-heterocycles such as 2H-azirines, 1,4,2-dioxazol-5-ones, 1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-ones, isoxazol-5(4H)-ones, and isoxazoles is comprehensively described, showing the recent remarkable progress in this chemistry.

3d Transition Metals for C-H Activation

C-H activation has surfaced as an increasingly powerful tool for molecular sciences, with notable applications to material sciences, crop protection, drug discovery, and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Despite major advances, the vast majority of these C-H functionalizations required precious 4d or 5d transition metal catalysts. Given the cost-effective and sustainable nature of earth-abundant first row transition metals, the development of less toxic, inexpensive 3d metal catalysts for C-H activation has gained considerable recent momentum as a significantly more environmentally-benign and economically-attractive alternative. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview on first row transition metal catalysts for C-H activation until summer 2018.

[Cp*RhIII ]/Ionic Liquid as a Highly Efficient and Recyclable Catalytic Medium for C-H Amidation

A [Cp*Rh^III ]-catalyzed direct C-H amidation is carried out in ionic liquid. Both C(sp² )-H bonds of (hetero)arenes and alkenes and unactivated C(sp³ )-H bonds can be easily amidated with high functional-group tolerance and excellent yields under these conditions. Notably, using [Cp*Rh^III ]/[BMIM]BF₄ (BMIM=1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) as the green and recyclable medium is environmentally benign, in light of characteristics such as the reusability of the expensive rhodium catalyst, avoidance of highly toxic organic solvents, and mild reaction conditions, as well as a short reaction time.

Weinreb Amide Directed Versatile C-H Bond Functionalization under (η5 -Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)cobalt(III) Catalysis

The (η⁵ -pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)cobalt(III) (Cp*Co^III )-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and α,β-unsaturated Weinreb amides was explored. C-H allylation reactions with the use of allyl carbonate and a perfluoroalkene, oxidative alkenylation reactions with the use of ethyl acrylate, iodination reactions with the use of N-iodosuccinimide, and amidation reactions with the use of dioxazolones were catalyzed by Cp*Co(CO)I₂ in the presence of a cationic Ag salt and AgOAc to afford various synthetically useful building blocks. Mechanistic studies of the C-H allylation disclosed that the C-H activation step was rate determining and virtually irreversible.

Thiocarbonyl-enabled ferrocene C-H nitrogenation by cobalt(III) catalysis: thermal and mechanochemical

Versatile C–H amidations of synthetically useful ferrocenes were accomplished by weakly-coordinating thiocarbonyl-assisted cobalt catalysis. Thus, carboxylates enabled ferrocene C–H nitrogenations with dioxazolones, featuring ample substrate scope and robust functional group tolerance. Mechanistic studies provided strong support for a facile organometallic C–H activation manifold.

Cp*Co(iii)-catalyzed amidation of olefinic and aryl C-H bonds: highly selective synthesis of enamides and pyrimidones

A highly efficient and selective synthesis of enamides via C-H amidation of N-methoxy acrylamides with dioxazolones is realized under [Cp*CoIII] catalysis. The resulting enamide can further selectively cyclize to form pyrimidones, which can also act as a directing group for a second C-H amidation. All these three classes of products were selectively delivered under controlled conditions.

Cp*Rh(iii)-catalyzed annulation of N-methoxybenzamide with 1,4,2-bisoxazol-5-one toward 2-aryl quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives

A [Cp*Rh^III]-catalyzed annulation of N-methoxybenzamide with 1,4,2-bisoxazol-5-one was developed, affording a series of 2-aryl quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives.