Acetylene and Ethylene: Universal C2 Molecular Units in Cycloaddition Reactions

Acetylene and ethylene are the smallest molecules that contain an unsaturated carbon–carbon bond and can be efficiently utilized in a large variety of cycloaddition reactions. In this review, we summarize the application of these C2 molecular units in cycloaddition chemistry and highlight their amazing synthetic opportunities.

1 Introduction

2 Fundamental Features and Differences of Cycloaddition Reactions Involving Acetylene and Ethylene

3 (2+1) Cycloaddition

4 [2+2] Cycloaddition

5 (3+2) Cycloaddition

6 [4+2] Cycloaddition

7 (2+2+1) Cycloaddition

8 [2+2+2] Cycloaddition

9 The Use of Acetylene and Ethylene Cycloaddition for Deuterium and 13C Labeling

10 Conclusions

3D Printing to Increase the Flexibility of the Chemical Synthesis of Biologically Active Molecules: Design of On-Demand Gas Generation Reactors

The development of new drugs is accelerated by rapid access to functionalized and D-labeled molecules with improved activity and pharmacokinetic profiles. Diverse synthetic procedures often involve the usage of gaseous reagents, which can be a difficult task due to the requirement of a dedicated laboratory setup. Here, we developed a special reactor for the on-demand production of gases actively utilized in organic synthesis (C2H2, H2, C2D2, D2, and CO2) that completely eliminates the need for high-pressure equipment and allows for integrating gas generation into advanced laboratory practice. The reactor was developed by computer-aided design and manufactured using a conventional 3D printer with polypropylene and nylon filled with carbon fibers as materials. The implementation of the reactor was demonstrated in representative reactions with acetylene, such as atom-economic nucleophilic addition (conversions of 19-99%) and nickel-catalyzed S-functionalization (yields 74-99%). One of the most important advantages of the reactor is the ability to generate deuterated acetylene (C2D2) and deuterium gas (D2), which was used for highly significant, atom-economic and cost-efficient deuterium labeling of S,O-vinyl derivatives (yield 68-94%). Successful examples of their use in organic synthesis are provided to synthesize building blocks of heteroatom-functionalized and D-labeled biologically active organic molecules.

Synthesis of spiro(cyclohexa-diene-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-4-ylidene)-malononitrile derivatives

The reaction of 4-substituted aryldiazenyl-1 H-pyrazole-3,5-diamines with 7,7′,8,8′-tetra-cyanoquinodimethane gave 2-(2′,7′-diamino-6′-cyano-3′-(aryldiazenyl)-4′ H-spiro(cyclohexa[2,5]-diene-1,5′-pyrazolo[1,5- a]pyrimidine-4-ylidene) malononitriles in 63–79% yield, while, by reaction of 2-aminobenzimidazole with 7,7′,8,8′-tetracyanoquinodimethane, 2-(3′-amino-4′-cyano-6′ H-spiro-(cyclohexa[2′,5′]diene-1,5′-benzo( d)-imidazo[1,2- a]pyrimidine)-4-ylidene)malononitrile was formed in 71% yield. Rationales for these transformations are presented.