A novel potent non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor acylthiocarbamate derivative with extensive intramolecular pi-pi interactions.

In the crystal structure of the novel acylthiocarbamate derivative O-[2-(1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-2-yl)ethyl] N-(4-methylphenyl)-N-(3-nitrobenzoyl)thiocarbamate, C25H19N3O6S, intra- and intermolecular pi-pi interactions occur between the phthalimide and N-benzoyl moieties. The partial atomic charges, calculated by ab initio methods, are consistent with the observed structure.

Access to ring-fused homo- and heteroaromatic derivatives via an initial ring-opening of 3-nitro-4-(phenylsulfonyl)thiophene.

Within an overall ring-opening/ring-forming protocol, the (E,E)-4-methylthio-2-nitro-3-phenylsulfonyl-1-pyrrolidino-1,3-butadiene (7) [derived from the initial opening of 3-nitro-4-(phenylsulfonyl)thiophene (6) with pyrrolidine and silver nitrate in EtOH] is revealed to be an excellent precursor of nitro(phenylsulfonyl) derivatives of ring-fused aromatic (naphthalene, phenanthrene) or heteroaromatic (benzothiophene) compounds whose substitution pattern cannot be easily achieved by conventional methods. The key step is represented by a thermal electrocyclic rearrangement of (E,E)-1-aryl-4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitro-3-phenylsulfonyl-1,3-butadienes (9), which, thanks to proper geometric and electronic factors, occurs in unprecedentedly mild conditions and is followed by an irreversible, concerted syn beta-elimination of methanesulfinic acid to aromatize the newly formed cyclohexadienic ring.