Bromination of endo-7-norbornene derivatives revisited: failure of a computational NMR method in elucidating the configuration of an organic structure.

Previously we reported on the bromination of endo-7-bromonorbornene at different temperatures yielding mixtures of addition products. The structural elucidations of the formed compounds were achieved by NMR spectroscopy. Particularly, the γ-gauche effect and long-range couplings were instrumental in assigning the stereochemistry of the adducts. However, in a recent paper, Novitskiy and Kutateladze claimed that based on an applied machine learning-augmented DFT method for computational NMR that the structure of the product, (1R,2R,3S,4S,7s)-2,3,7-tribromobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane was wrong. With the aid of their computational method, they revised a number of published structures, including ours, and assigned our product the structure (1R,2S,3R,4S,7r)-2,3,7-tribromobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane. To fit their revised structure, they proposed an alternative mechanism featuring a skeletal rearrangement without the intermediacy of a carbocation. Herein, we are not only confirming the structure originally assigned by us through crucial NMR experiments, we also present the ultimate structural proof by means of X-ray crystallography. Moreover, we disprove the mechanism proposed by the aforementioned authors based on sound mechanistic reasoning and point to an oversight by the authors that led them to an erroneous mechanistic pathway.

Nucleophilic and electrophilic cyclization of N-alkyne-substituted pyrrole derivatives: Synthesis of pyrrolopyrazinone, pyrrolotriazinone, and pyrrolooxazinone moieties.

Intramolecular nucleophilic and electrophilic cyclization of N-alkyne-substituted pyrrole esters is described. Efficient routes towards the synthesis of pyrrolopyrazinone, pyrrolotriazinone and pyrrolooxazinone have been developed. First, N-alkyne-substituted pyrrole ester derivatives were synthesized. Introduction of various substituents into the alkyne functionality was accomplished by a copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction. Nucleophilic cyclization of N-alkyne-substituted methyl 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylates with hydrazine afforded the 6-exo-dig/6-endo-dig cyclization products depending on the electronic nature of the substituents attached to the alkyne. On the other hand, cyclization of N-alkyne-substituted methyl 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylates with iodine only resulted in the formation of the 6-endo-dig cyclization product regardless of the substitution of the alkyne functionality.

Synthesis of Pyrrole-Fused C,N-Cyclic Azomethine Imines and Pyrazolopyrrolopyrazines: Analysis of Their Aromaticity Using Nucleus-Independent Chemical Shifts Values.

The AgOTf-catalyzed reaction of C-2 substituted pyrrole hydrazones having an N-propargyl group was studied. The selective 6-endo-dig mode of cyclization was observed, giving rise to the formation of pyrrole-fused C,N-cyclic azomethine imine derivatives. The reaction of one azomethine imine derivative with various dipolarophiles resulted in the formation of cycloadducts having a pyrazolopyrrolopyrazine skeleton. The aromaticity of C,N-cyclic azomethine imines as well as that of pyrazolopyrrolopyrazines was determined by calculating of nucleus-independent chemical shifts values.

Intramolecular Gold-Catalyzed and NaH-Supported Cyclization Reactions of N-Propargyl Indole Derivatives with Pyrazole and Pyrrole Rings: Synthesis of Pyrazolodiazepinoindole, Pyrazolopyrazinoindole, and Pyrrolopyrazinoindole.

Gold-catalyzed and NaH-supported intramolecular cyclization of N-propargyl indole derivatives with pyrazole and pyrrole units attached to indole is described. An efficient route to the synthesis of pyrazolodiazepinoindole, pyrazolopyrazinoindole, and pyrrolopyrazinoindole has been established. First, N-propargyl 2-(1H-pyrazol-5-yl)-1H-indole and 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-1H-indole were synthesized. Introduction of various substituents into the alkyne functionality was accomplished by Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. Gold-catalyzed cyclization of pyrazoles having a terminal alkyne afforded the 6-exo-dig cyclization product. However, exclusive formation of 7-endo-dig cyclization products was observed with internal alkynes. On the other hand, cyclization with NaH only resulted in the formation of 6-exo-dig cyclization products regardless of the substitution of the alkyne functionality. Allenic intermediates were postulated for this outcome.

Gold-catalyzed formation of pyrrolo- and indolo-oxazin-1-one derivatives: The key structure of some marine natural products.

Various N-propargylpyrrole and indolecarboxylic acids were efficiently converted into 3,4-dihydropyrrolo- and indolo-oxazin-1-one derivatives by a gold(III)-catalyzed cyclization reaction. Some of the products underwent TFA-catalyzed double bond isomerization and some did not. Cyclization reactions in the presence of alcohol catalyzed by Au(I) resulted in the formation of hemiacetals after cascade reactions.

Gold-catalyzed oxime-oxime rearrangement.

The gold-catalyzed reaction of pyrrole and indole oximes having a propargyl group attached to the nitrogen atom was studied. The selective 6-endo-dig mode of cyclization was observed for the terminal alkynes giving rise to the formation of pyrazine N-oxides in the presence of a gold catalyst. However, the reaction with substituted alkyne transferred the oxime functionality intramolecularly from one carbon atom to another via the 7-endo-dig cyclization process. This transformation is unprecedented in the literature and is named an oxime-oxime rearrangement.

Design of pyrazolo-pyrrolo-pyrazines and pyrazolo-pyrrolo-diazepines via AuCl3-catalyzed and NaH-supported cyclization of N-propargyl pyrazoles.

A concise synthetic methodology for new heterocyclic scaffolds, such as pyrazolo-pyrrolo-pyrazine and pyrazolo-pyrrolo-diazepine skeletons, was developed. The key features of this method include (i) synthesis of pyrrole-derived α,ß-alkynyl ketones, (ii) introduction of various substituents into the alkyne functionality by Sonogashira cross-coupling, (iii) synthesis of pyrazole units by the reaction of α,ß-alkynyl compounds with hydrazine monohydrate, (iv) gold-catalyzed cyclization of pyrazoles with alkyne units, and (v) cyclization with NaH. Furthermore, this methodology allows various substituents to be introduced into all positions of the target compounds.

Intramolecular heterocyclization of O-propargylated aromatic hydroxyaldehydes as an expedient route to substituted chromenopyridines under metal-free conditions.

A concise and regioselective approach to the synthesis of chromenopyridine and chromenopyridinone derivatives was developed. The synthetic strategy relies on the O-propargylation of aromatic hydroxyaldehydes followed by reaction with propargylamine. The intramolecular cycloaddition reaction between the alkyne and azadiene, which is formed as an intermediate, furnished the desired skeletons.

Trisequential photooxygenation reaction: application to the synthesis of carbasugars.

4,5-Dimethylenecyclohex-1-ene was subjected to a photooxygenation reaction to introduce oxygen functionalities. The endoperoxide obtained underwent an ene-reaction to form hydroperoxides with 1,3-diene structures. Further addition of singlet oxygen to the diene units resulted in the formation of tricyclic hydroperoxides having three oxygens in the molecule. Cleavage of the oxygen-oxygen bonds followed by epoxidation of the remaining C-C double bond and concomitant ring-opening reaction furnished the isomeric carbasugars.

Design and synthesis of pyrrolotriazepine derivatives: an experimental and computational study.

The pyrrole derivatives having carbonyl groups at the C-2 position were converted to N-propargyl pyrroles. The reaction of those compounds with hydrazine monohydrate resulted in the formation of 5H-pyrrolo[2,1-d][1,2,5]triazepine derivatives. The synthesis of these compounds was accomplished in three steps starting from pyrrole. On the other hand, attempted cyclization of a pyrrole ester substituted with a propargyl group at the nitrogen atom gave, unexpectedly, the six-membered cyclization product, 2-amino-3-methylpyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazin-1(2H)-one as the major product. The expected cyclization product with a seven-membered ring, 4-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-d][1,2,5]triazepin-1-one was formed as the minor product and was converted quantitatively to the major product. The formation mechanism of the products was investigated, and the results obtained were also supported by theoretical calculations.

Stereoselective syntheses of racemic quercitols and bromoquercitols starting from cyclohexa-1,4-diene: gala-, epi-, muco-, and neo-quercitol.

The efficient synthesis of gala-, epi-, neo-, and muco-quercitols and some brominated quercitols starting from cyclohexa-1,4-diene is reported. Treatment of the dibromide, obtained by the addition of bromine to cyclohexa-1,4-diene, with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) yielded the dibromoepoxide, which was successfully converted to the desired dibromodiol by treatment with sulfuric acid. The resulting diol was reacted with 2,2-dimethoxypropane to give the dibromoketal. Hydrogen bromide elimination with NaOMe gave the key compound methoxyketal, rel-(3aS,5R,7aS)-5-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-3a,4,5,7a-tetrahydrobenzo[d][1,3]dioxole. The second key compound, an isomeric methoxyketal, was prepared by ketalization of 4,5-dibromocyclohexane-1,2-diol with dimethoxypropane followed by the reaction with NaOMe. Deprotection of ketal functionality with sulfuric acid followed by acetylation with acetic anhydride in pyridine resulted in the formation of diacetate rel-(1S,2R,5R)-5-methoxycyclohex-3-ene-1,2-diyl diacetate. Epoxidation of the double bonds in isomeric methoxy diacetates and cis-hydroxylation followed by epoxide-opening and deprotection resulted in the formation of various quercitol derivatives. The inhibition activity of eleven quercitols, methoxyquercitols and bromoquercitols was tested against α-glycosidase.

Design, synthesis, and biological activities of some branched carbasugars: construction of a substituted 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]nonane skeleton.

Transformation of cyclohexa-2,4-diene-1,2-diylbis(methylene) diacetate to various carbasugars is described. Photooxygenation of a cyclohexadiene derivative gave a bicyclicendoperoxide, which was reduced with thiourea to [2-[(acetyloxy)methyl]cyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-yl]methyl acetate. Epoxidation of the remaining double bond followed by epoxide ring-opening and hydrolysis of the acetate groups gave one of the target hexols. The bicyclic endoperoxide was rearranged to a diepoxide with CoTPP. The diepoxide was reacted with sulfamic acid in acetic anhydride, resulting in the formation of a new branched carbasugar as well as in the formation of cyclitols with a 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]nonane skeleton. The mechanism of the formation of the products is discussed. The inhibition activity of six cyclitol derivatives was tested against α-glycosidase.

Synthesis of bishomoinositols and an entry for construction of a substituted 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane skeleton.

1,3,3a,7a-Tetrahydro-2-benzofuran was used as key compound for the synthesis of various bishomoinositol derivatives. The diene was subjected to an epoxidation reaction for further functionalization of the diene unit. The bisepoxide obtained was submitted to a ring-opening reaction with acid in the presence of water. Various bishomoinositols were synthesized. However, when the reaction was carried out in the presence of acetic anhydride, a substituted 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane skeleton was formed. The mechanism of the formation of the products is discussed.

Palladium-catalyzed formation of oxazolidinones from biscarbamates: a mechanistic study.

Oxazolidinones can be synthesized starting from cyclic biscarbamates via a palladium-catalyzed reaction. To test the proposed mechanism of this reaction, first, bicyclonorcarene endoperoxides derived from cyano and carbomethoxy cycloheptatrienes were synthesized and converted into the corresponding diols. The reaction of diols with toluenesulfonyl isocyanate followed by a palladium catalyzed reaction furnished oxazolidinone derivatives in similar yields. It was shown that, if one face of the double bond is blocked by substituents such as H or CN, the reaction also takes place. On the basis of these results, it was assumed that an antiperiplanar orientation of the metal and nucleophile is not necessary to form oxazolidinones. The metal is probably bonded to the allylic system from the same face as the nucleophile.

Endo- and exo-configured cyclopropylidenes incorporated into the norbornadiene skeleton: generation, rearrangement to allenes, and the effect of remote substituents on carbene stability.

For the synthesis of endo-configured cyclopropylidenes annelated to benzonorbornadiene, first the exo-bridge hydrogen in benzonorbornadiene was blocked with ethyl, bromine, and methoxy groups. All efforts to add dichloro-, dibromo-, or fluorobromocarbenes to ethylbenzonorbornadiene failed. However, addition of fluorobromocarbene to bromo- or methoxybenzonorbornadiene gave the corresponding cyclopropane derivatives bearing two halogen atoms, which were submitted to the Doering-Moore-Skattebøl reaction. The formed allene intermediates were trapped with furan. The reactivity of the double bonds in substituted benzonorbornadienes was analyzed by determination of the pyramidalization angles. Furthermore, the relative energies of various carbenes and their rearrangement to allene were studied at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level.

Synthesis of bromo-conduritol-B and bromo-conduritol-C as glycosidase inhibitors.

For the synthesis of bromo-conduritol-B skeleton, bromo-1,4-benzoquinone was subjected to bromination followed by the reduction of the carbonyl groups with NaBH(4). Substitution of bromides bonded to sp(3)-hybridized carbon atoms with AgOAc gave the bromo-conduritol-B tetraacetate in high yield. For the construction of bromo-conduritol-C skeleton, 2,2-dimethyl-3a,7a-dihydro-1,3-benzodioxole was used as the starting material. Photooxygenation of the diene unit gave an unsaturated bicyclic endoperoxide. Bromine was incorporated into the molecule by the addition of bromine to the double bond. Opening of the peroxide linkage followed by HBr elimination and reduction of the carbonyl group provided the conduritol-C structure in good yield. Bromo-conduritol-B exhibited strong enzyme-specific inhibition against alpha-glycosidase.

Stereoselective synthesis of bishomo-inositols as glycosidase inhibitors.

For the synthesis of various bishomo-inositol derivatives, 1,3,3a,7a-tetrahydro-2-benzofuran was used as the key compound. For further functionalization of the diene unit, the diene was subjected to photooxygenation, epoxidation, and cis-hydroxylation reactions. The endoperoxide linkage was cleaved by thiourea. The remaining double bond was subjected to epoxidation and cis-hydroxylation reactions. The epoxide rings and tetrahydrofuran rings formed were opened by acid-catalyzed reaction with sulfamic acid. The combination of these reactions resulted in the formation of various new inositol derivatives such as bishomo-chiro-inositol, bishomo-myo-inositol, and two isomeric bishomo-allo-inositols.

rac-(2R*,3S*,5S*,6R*,7S*,8S*)-7,8-Dichloro-bicyclo-[2.2.2]octane-2,3,5,6-tetrayl tetra-acetate.

The title compound, C(16)H(20)Cl(2)O(8), contains a central bicyclo-[2.2.2]octane skeleton with slightly twisted conformation. In this structure, the C-C bond lengths are in the range 1.525 (2)-1.552 (2) Å. Two sides of this skeleton have cis,cis acet-oxy substituents and the Cl atoms have a trans arrangement. An extensive network of weak C-H⋯O interactions stabilizes the crystal structure.

Substituent effects on the ring-opening mechanism of lithium bromocyclopropylidenoids to allenes.

The ring-opening reactions of lithium bromocyclopropylidenoids to allenes have been investigated computationally at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. Formally, two pathways can be considered: the reaction may either proceed in a concerted fashion or stepwise with the intermediacy of a free cyclopropylidene. In both cases, the loss of the bromide ion determines the kinetic of the reaction. The stability of the reactive intermediate, i.e., the carbene, is dependent on the substituent. Cyclopropylidenes bearing an electron-donating group (+M) are extremely unstable and ring-open readily to the allene. In contrast, bromocyclopropylidenoids with electron-withdrawing groups are particularly stable species. Here, a high energy barrier needs to be overcome in order to split off bromide and to generate the corresponding carbene or allene. Still, for most of the monosubstituted cyclopropylidenes investigated during this study, the activation energy for the cyclopropylidene to allene rearrangement is lower than the energy required for parent compound (X = H) except for X = -SiH3 and -CF3.

Synthesis of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,3,5,6,7,8 hexols (Bishomoinositols) as glycosidase inhibitors.

For the construction of the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane skeleton, 2,2-dimethyl-3a,7a-dihydro-1,3-benzodioxole was reacted with vinylene carbonate to give two isomeric cycloadditon products having the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane skeleton. Hydrolysis of the ketal ring and the opening of the carbonate functionality, followed by hydroxylation of the remaining double bond resulted in the formation of a symmetrical hexol. Epoxidation of the double bond in the cycloaddition products and the subsequent ring-opening reactions produce two additional hexol derivatives. One of the synthesized molecules exhibited enzyme-specific inhibition against alpha-glycosidase.