Cu-catalyzed C(sp2)-N-bond coupling of boronic acids and cyclic imides

A general Cu-catalyzed strategy for coupling cyclic imides and alkenylboronic acids by forming C(sp²)-N-bonds is reported. The method enables the practical and mild preparation of (E)-enimides. A large range of cyclic imides are allowed, and di- and tri-substituted alkenylboronic acids can be used. Full retention was observed in the configuration of the alkene double bond in the coupled products. The method is also applicable for preparing N-arylimides, using arylboronic acids as coupling partners. The usefulness of this strategy is exemplified by the convenient derivatization of the chemotherapy medication 5-flurouracil, the nucleoside uridine and the anti-epileptic drug phenytoin.

Cu-catalyzed N-3-Arylation of Hydantoins Using Diaryliodonium Salts

A general Cu-catalyzed, regioselective method for the N-3-arylation of hydantoins is described. The protocol utilizes aryl(trimethoxyphenyl)iodonium tosylate as the arylating agent in the presence of triethylamine and a catalytic amount of a simple Cu-salt. The method is compatible with structurally diverse hydantoins and operates well with neutral aryl groups or aryl groups bearing weakly donating/withdrawing elements. It is also applicable for the rapid diversification of pharmaceutically relevant hydantoins.

Imide arylation with aryl(TMP)iodonium tosylates

Herein, we describe the synthesis of N-aryl phthalimides by metal-free coupling of potassium phthalimide with unsymmetrical aryl(TMP)iodonium tosylate salts. The aryl transfer from the iodonium moiety occurs under electronic control with the electron-rich trimethoxyphenyl group acting as a competent dummy ligand. The yields of N-aryl phthalimides are moderate to high and the coupling reaction is compatible with electron-deficient and sterically encumbered aryl groups.

Synthesis of Aryl(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)iodonium Trifluoroacetate Salts

The direct synthesis of aryl(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)iodonium trifluoroacetate salts from aryl iodides is described. Stoichiometric quantities of trifluoroacetic acid and trimethoxybenzene are used as the counteranion and auxiliary precursors, respectively, under oxidizing conditions. The reaction occurs at mild temperature, is broad in scope, and does not require a separate anion exchange step to install the trifluoroacetate group. The intermediacy of two distinct dicarboxy aryl-λ³-iodanes is hypothesized in the mechanism.

Metal-free Synthesis of Aryl Amines: Beyond Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution

A mild and metal-free approach to C-N coupling is described that employs diaryliodonium salt electrophiles and secondary aliphatic amine nucleophiles. This reaction results in direct ipso-substitution of the iodonium moiety and unsymmetrical aryl(TMP)iodonium salts are primarily employed. Moreover, arene substituents and substitution patterns that currently pose a challenge to classical metal-free methods are accommodated and the alicyclic amine nucleophiles used here are unprecedented in other contemporary metal-free C-N coupling reactions.

4-Alkylated Silver-N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Complexes with Cytotoxic Effects in Leukemia Cells

Computational chemistry has shown that backbone-alkylated imidazoles ought to be efficient ligands for transition metal catalysts with improved carbene-to-metal donation. In this work, such alkylated imidazoles were synthesized and complexed with silver(I) by means of an eight/nine-step synthetic pathway we devised to access a new class of biologically active silver complexes. The synthesis involves selective iodination of the imidazole backbone, followed by Sonogashira coupling to replace the backbone iodine. The installed alkyne moiety is then subjected to reductive hydrogenation with Pearlman's catalyst. The imidazole N1 atom is arylated by the palladium-catalyzed Buchwald N-arylation method. The imidazole N3 position was then methylated with methyl iodine, whereupon the synthesis was terminated by complexation of the imidazolium salt with silver(I) oxide. The synthetic pathway provided an overall yield of ≈20 %. The resulting complexes were tested in vitro against HL60 and MOLM-13 leukemic cells, two human-derived cell lines that model acute myeloid leukemia. The most active compounds exhibiting low IC50 values of 14 and 27 μM, against HL60 and MOLM-13 cells, respectively. The imidazole side chain was found to be essential for high cytotoxicity, as the imidazole complex bearing a C7 side chain at the 4-position was four- to sixfold more potent than the corresponding imidazole elaborated with a methyl group.