Late-Stage Alkylation of N-Containing Heteroarenes Enabled by Homolysis of Alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines under Blue LED Irradiation

Ru-Catalyzed Ortho C-H Alkylation of 4-Aryl-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with Diazo Compounds: An Access to Fluorescent Fused Heteroarenes

A Ru(II)-catalyzed migratory insertion of carbene into ortho C-H bonds of 4-aryl-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines has been developed. This transformation endows the facile fabrication of C-C bonds with high atom economy, good regioselectivity, and wide functional group tolerance, exploiting the directing properties of pyrimidinic nitrogen. In addition, the planar polycyclic pyrrolo-pyrimido-isoindole framework has been accomplished from a cascade reaction of bromination, cyclization, and decarboxylation of synthesized products. Furthermore, the fluorescence properties of C-N annulated compounds have also been determined, which are valuable in the field of fluorescence properties of heterocycles.

Regioselective quinazoline C2 modifications through the azide-tetrazole tautomeric equilibrium

2-Chloro-4-sulfonylquinazolines undergo functional group swap when treated with an azide nucleophile: 1) the azide replaces the sulfonyl group at the C4 position; 2) the intrinsic azide-tetrazole tautomeric equilibrium directs the nucleofugal sulfinate from the first step to replace chloride at the C2 position. This transformation is effective with quinazolines bearing electron-rich substituents. Therefore, the title transformations are demonstrated on the 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline core, which is present in pharmaceutically active substances. The methodology application is showcased by transforming the obtained 4-azido-6,7-dimethoxy-2-sulfonylquinazolines into the α1-adrenoceptor blockers terazosin and prazosin by further C2-selective SNAr reaction and azide reduction.

Visible-light- and bromide-mediated photoredox Minisci alkylation of N-heteroarenes with ester acetates

A visible-light-induced photoredox Minisci alkylation reaction of N-heteroarenes with ethyl acetate has been reported. The low-toxic ethyl acetate was used for the first time as an alkylation reagent. Hence, 4-quinazolinones, quinolines and pyridines reacted smoothly in the current reaction system. Mechanistic studies indicate that LiBr plays a key role to dramatically improve the efficiency of the reaction by the mediation of hydrogen atom transfer.