Aqueous synthesis of 1-H-2-substituted benzimidazoles via transition-metal-free intramolecular amination of aryl iodides

Three Polyoxometalate-Based Ag-Organic Compounds as Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Synthesis of Benzimidazoles

Three new POM-based compounds, with formulae [Na0.63Ag3(Htba)2.37(tba)0.63(H2O)2(PMo12O40)]·4H2O (Ag3PMo), [Ag4(Htba)4(H2O)2(PMo12O40)](NO3)·H2O (Ag4PMo), and [Ag3(Htba)2(tba)(PW12O40)0.5](NO3)0.5·13H2O (Ag3PW), were prepared with a 3-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)benzoic acid (Htba) ligand, Keggin-type anions ([PMo12O40]3-/[PW12O40]3-), and a silver ion (Ag+). The structural features of these compounds are particularly different from the multinuclear subunits, which are [Ag3(tba)3] clusters in Ag3PMo, [Ag4(tba)3] chains in Ag4PMo, and [Ag3(tba)3]2 clusters in Ag3PW, connected by multidonor atom tba ligands and Ag+ ions. Meanwhile, in these compounds, polyanions act as polydentate ligands to link adjacent Ag-tba metal-organic units and expand their spatial dimensions. These compounds, as heterogeneous catalysts, exhibit high stability and excellent catalytic activity to construct benzimidazoles. Ag3PMo could efficiently catalyze the condensation of benzene-1,2-diamines and benzaldehydes and produce benzimidazoles in good yields. In addition, Ag3PMo could be reused up to 7 times and was suitable for gram-scale reactions.

Improved and ligand-free copper-catalyzed cyclization for an efficient synthesis of benzimidazoles from o-bromoarylamine and nitriles

We present an improved copper-catalyzed cyclization for an efficient synthesis of benzimidazoles from o-bromoarylamine and nitriles, under mild and ligand-free conditions. The optimal conditions yielded exceptional products of up to 98%, demonstrating the broad applicability of this synthetic strategy in generating a wide range of valuable imidazole derivatives. This methodology enables the efficient synthesis of various substituted benzimidazole derivatives and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods. By eliminating the use of harsh reagents and high temperatures associated with traditional synthesis approaches, this method proves to be more efficient and robust. Notably, we successfully applied this synthetic approach to the synthesis of bendazol and thiabendazole, yielding 82% and 78%, respectively, on a 100 gram scale.

Gram-Scale Synthesis of 1,8-Naphthyridines in Water: The Friedlander Reaction Revisited

The products of the Friedlander reaction, i.e., 1,8-naphthyridines, have far-reaching impacts in materials science, chemical biology, and medicine. The reported synthetic methodologies elegantly orchestrate the diverse synthetic routes of naphthyridines but require harsh reaction conditions, organic solvents, and expensive metal catalysts. Here, we introduce gram-scale synthesis of 1,8-naphthyridines in water using an inexpensive and biocompatible ionic liquid (IL) as a catalyst. This is the first-ever report on the synthesis of naphthyridines in water. This is a one-step reaction, and the product separation is relatively easy. The choline hydroxide (ChOH) is used as a metal-free, nontoxic, and water-soluble catalyst. In comparison to other catalysts reported in the literature, ChOH has the advantage of forming an additional hydrogen bond with the reactants, which is the vital step for the reaction to happen in water. Density functional theory (DFT) and noncovalent interaction (NCI) plot index analysis provide the plausible reaction mechanism for the catalytic cycle and confirm that hydrogen bonds with the IL catalyst are pivotal to facilitate the reaction. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are also performed to demonstrate the potentialities of the newly synthesized products as drugs. Through MD simulations, it was established that the tetrahydropyrido derivative of naphthyridine (10j) binds to the active sites of the ts3 human serotonin transporter (hSERT) (PDB ID: 6AWO) without perturbing the secondary structure, suggesting that 10j can be a potential preclinical drug candidate for hSERT inhibition and depression treatment.

An improved synthesis of telmisartan via the copper-catalyzed cyclization of o-haloarylamidines

A concise synthetic route was designed for making telmisartan. The key bis-benzimidazole structure was constructed via the copper-catalyzed cyclization of o-haloarylamidines. By adopting this approach, telmisartan was obtained in a 7-step overall yield of 54% starting from commercially available 3-methyl-4-nitrobenzoic acid, and the use of HNO₃/H₂SO₄ for nitration and polyphosphoric acid (PPA) for cyclization in the reported literatures were avoided.

A concise synthetic route of telmisartan was developed via the copper-catalyzed cyclization of o-haloarylamidines, avoiding the use of HNO₃/H₂SO₄ and polyphosphoric acid (PPA).

An iodine/DMSO-catalyzed sequential one-pot approach to 2,4,5-trisubstituted-1H-imidazoles from α-methylene ketones

A sequential one-pot approach to 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles has been developed from α-methylene ketones and aldehydes. This methodology employs air-moisture stable reaction conditions and an inexpensive iodine/DMSO system affording a diverse range of known and novel (substrate scope) 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles in moderate to excellent yields. The iodine/DMSO system was extended to the domino convergent synthesis of two functionalized intermediates, benzil and benzaldehyde, to produce the final product.

Selective and eco-friendly procedures for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives. The role of the Er(OTf)3 catalyst in the reaction selectivity

An improved and greener protocol for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives, starting from o-phenylenediamine, with different aldehydes is reported. Double-condensation products were selectively obtained when Er(OTf)₃ was used as the catalyst in the presence of electron-rich aldehydes. Conversely, the formation of mono-condensation products was the preferred path in absence of this catalyst. One of the major advantages of these reactions was the formation of a single product, avoiding extensive isolation and purification of products, which is frequently associated with these reactions.

Theoretical calculations helped to understand the different reactivity established for these reactions. Thus, we found that the charge density on the oxygen of the carbonyl group has a significant impact on the reaction pathway. For instance, electron-rich aldehydes better coordinate to the catalyst, which favours the addition of the amine group to the carbonyl group, therefore facilitating the formation of double-condensation products.

Reactions with aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes were possible, without using organic solvents and in a one-pot procedure with short reaction time (2–5 min), affording single products in excellent yields (75–99%). This convenient and eco-friendly methodology offers numerous benefits with respect to other protocols reported for similar compounds.

The Conversion of 4-Anilinoquinazoline- and 3-Aryl-4-imino-3,4-dihydro-quinazoline-2-carbonitriles into Benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline-6-carbonitriles via Oxidative and Nonoxidative C-N Couplings

Benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline-6-carbonitriles are prepared in high yields via three new routes: (1) a Cu(OTf)2 (0-5 mol %) catalyzed hypervalent iodine [PhI(OTf)2] mediated oxidative coupling of 4-anilinoquinazoline-2-carbonitriles in neat trifluoroacetic acid (TFA); (2) a Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol %) or CuI (10 mol %) mediated nonoxidative coupling of 4-(2-bromoanilino)quinazoline-2-carbonitrile; and (3) a nonoxidative Pd(Ar3P)3 [Ar = 3,5-(F3C)2C6H3] [aka Superstable Pd(0) Catalyst] (10 mol %) mediated intramolecular C-N cyclization of 3-(2-bromophenyl)-4-imino-3,4-dihydroquinazoline-2-carbonitriles. All new compounds are fully characterized.

Base-Mediated N- and O-Arylations of NH-Containing Heterocycles, Heterocyclic Amines and Phenols

Nucleophilic substitution reactions of N -heterocycles such as imidazole, benzimidazole, indole and pyrazole as well as NH2 or OH containing heterocycles, with electron-deficient aryl halides in the presence of t-BuOK or K2CO3 as base and DMSO as solvent are reported. A series of N -aryl azoles, unsymmetric diaryl ethers and diaryl amines were obtained in good yields.