An improved synthesis of some 5-substituted indolizines using regiospecific lithiation

The Eschenmoser's Salt as a Formylation Agent for the Synthesis of Indolizinecarbaldehydes and Their Use for Colorimetric Nitrite Detection

C-H bond formylation is the most immediate way to incorporate the versatile formyl group into (hetero)aromatics. However, the type of reagents and severe conditions involved in the classical formylation methods often curtail their application, especially in the presence of other functional groups. Herein, we present the Eschenmoser's salt, a commercially available (dimethylamino)methylating chemical, as a useful reagent for the C-H formylation of indolizines and other compounds. The method is straightforward and mild, furnishing indolizinecarbaldehydes in modest-to-good yields with exclusive and remote regioselectivity. Furthermore, these compounds can be easily transformed into push-pull dyes and are highly selective in the colorimetric detection of nitrite, a substance extensively employed as preservative in the food industry, the concentration of which is crucial to control to prevent harmful effects in living organisms. The assay is simple, allowing the naked-eye detection of nitrite in solution or on a cotton swab for a wide range of concentrations.

Propylphosphonic acid anhydride–mediated amidation of Morita–Baylis–Hillman–derived indolizine-2-carboxylic acids

Propylphosphonic acid anhydride has been successfully used as a coupling agent in the synthesis of a series of indolizine-2-carboxamido derivatives from indolizine-2-carboxylic acid and its 3-acetylated analogue. The acid substrates were obtained by saponification of the corresponding methyl esters produced, in turn, selectively and efficiently, by time-controlled cyclisation of a single Morita–Baylis–Hillman adduct. Various amino and hydrazino compounds with medicinal potential have been used to prepare indolizine-2-carboxamido and hydrazido derivatives.

Phenacylation of 6-Methyl-Beta-Nitropyridin-2-Ones and Further Heterocyclization of Products

Reaction between the derivatives of 6-methyl-beta-nitropyridin-2-one and phenacyl bromides was studied, and the yields observed were extremely low. The pyridones were converted via chloropyridines to methoxyderivatives, which were N-phenacylated. N-Phenacyl derivatives of 4,6-dimethyl-5-nitropyridin-2-one under the action of base gave 5-hydroxy-8-nitroindolizine and under acidic conditions gave 5-methyl-6-nitrooxazole[3,2-a]pyridinium salt, which underwent recycization with MeONa to 5-methoxy-8-nitroindolizine.

Reactions of 5-Indolizyl Lithium Compounds with Some Bielectrophiles

Indolizyl-5-lithium anions react with succinic and phtalic anhidrides giving 1,4-keto acids, with oxallyl chloride giving 1,2-diketone, and with ethyl pyruvate giving 1,2-hydroxyacid. However, with α-halocarbonyl compounds, they react in different ways, forming the products of selective bromination at C-5 (with α-bromo ketones and esters of α-bromo acids) and 5-chloroacetyl indolizines.

Sensomics analysis of key bitter compounds in the hard resin of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and their contribution to the bitter profile of Pilsner-type beer

Recent brewing trials indicated the occurrence of valuable bitter compounds in the hard resin fraction of hop. Aiming at the discovery of these compounds, hop's ε-resin was separated by means of a sensory guided fractionation approach and the key taste molecules were identified by means of UV/vis, LC-TOF-MS, and 1D/2D-NMR studies as well as synthetic experiments. Besides a series of literature known xanthohumol derivatives, multifidol glucosides, flavon-3-on glycosides, and p-coumaric acid esters, a total of 11 bitter tastants are reported for the first time, namely, 1",2"-dihydroxanthohumol F, 4'-hydroxytunicatachalcone, isoxantholupon, 1-methoxy-4-prenylphloroglucinol, dihydrocyclohumulohydrochinone, xanthohumols M, N, and P, and isoxanthohumols M, N, and P, respectively. Human sensory analysis revealed low bitter recognition threshold concentrations ranging from 5 (co-multifidol glucopyranoside) to 198 μmol/L (trans-p-coumaric acid ethyl ester) depending on their chemical structure. For the first time, LC-MS/MS quantitation of these taste compounds in Pilsner-type beer, followed by taste re-engineering experiments, revealed the additive contribution of iso-α-acids and the identified hard resin components to be truly necessary and sufficient for constructing the authentic bitter percept of beer. Finally, brewing trails using the ε-resin as the only hop source impressively demonstrated the possibility to produce beverages strongly enriched with prenylated hop flavonoids.