Practical Chemoselective Acylation: Organocatalytic Chemodivergent Esterification and Amidation of Amino Alcohols with N-Carbonylimidazoles.

Chemoselective transformations are a cornerstone of efficient organic synthesis; however, achieving this goal for even simple transformations, such as acylation reactions, is often a challenge. We report that N-carbonylimidazoles enable catalytic chemodivergent aniline or alcohol acylation in the presence of pyridinium ions or 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), respectively. Both acylation reactions display high and broad chemoselectivity for the target group. Unprecedented levels of chemoselectivity were observed in the DBU-catalyzed esterification: A single esterification product was obtained from a molecule containing primary aniline, alcohol, phenol, secondary amide, and N-H indole groups. These acylation reactions are highly practical as they involve only readily available, inexpensive, and relatively safe reagents; can be performed on a multigram scale; and can be used on carboxylic acids directly by in situ formation of the acylimidazole electrophile.

One-pot Unsymmetrical Ketone Synthesis Employing a Pyrrole-Bearing Formal Carbonyl Dication Linchpin Reagent.

A one-pot procedure for the synthesis of unsymmetrical ketones utilizing a pyrrole-bearing carbonyl linchpin reagent (carbonyl linchpin N,O-dimethylhydroxylamine pyrrole; CLAmP) is reported. In contrast to other carbonyl dielectrophile equivalents, CLAmP enables the synthesis of ketones from a variety of organolithium and Grignard reagents. The electrophilic nature of CLAmP enables the addition of less reactive as well as thermally unstable nucleophiles. CLAmP was designed to form kinetically stable tetrahedral intermediates upon the addition of organometallic nucleophiles. Evidence for the existence of persistent tetrahedral intermediates was obtained through in situ IR studies.

Protic-solvent-mediated cycloisomerization of quinoline and isoquinoline propargylic alcohols: syntheses of (±)-3-demethoxyerythratidinone and (±)-cocculidine.

Putting the "benz" in indolizinones: A cycloisomerization approach to benz[g]indolizinones and benz[e]indolizinones provides the first general route to these unique azacycles (see example). The utility of the benzindolizinone products was demonstrated by the application of this method to the total synthesis of the Erythrina alkaloids 3-demethoxyerythratidinone and cocculidine.

Enantioselective cyclization of enamide-ynes and application to the synthesis of the kopsifoline core.

We report the palladium-catalyzed enantioselective cyclization of 1,6-enamidynes to form spirocyclic ring systems. We applied this methodology to the concise synthesis of the skeletal core of the kopsifoline alkaloids.

Dual Brønsted acid/nucleophilic activation of carbonylimidazole derivatives.

Carbonylimidazole derivatives have been found to be highly active acylation reagents for esterification and amidation in the presence of pyridinium salts. These reactions are thought to involve both Brønsted acid and nucleophilic catalysis. This mode of activation has been applied to the synthesis of difficult to access oxazolidinones, as well as esters and amides. Finally, the use of pyridinium salts has been shown to accelerate the esterification of carboxylic acids with imidazole carbamates.

Chemoselective esterification and amidation of carboxylic acids with imidazole carbamates and ureas.

Imidazole carbamates and ureas were found to be chemoselective esterification and amidation reagents. A wide variety of carboxylic acids were converted to their ester or amide analogues by a simple synthetic procedure in high yields.

Rapid access to pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridines via alkyne annulation: limitations of steric control in nickel-catalyzed alkyne insertions.

Polyfunctionalized pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridines were readily prepared by the annulation of alkynes with tert-butyl 4-iodopyrazolocarboximines. The reaction was found to be catalyzed by both NiBr2(PPh3)2/Zn or PdCl2(PhCN)2 to yield complex heterocycles in good to moderate yields. Annulation using nickel catalysis was found to be regio-random, implying that steric control in nickel-catalyzed alkyne insertion has limitations based on the character of the Ni-C bond in the pre-insertion complex.

p38 MAP kinase inhibitors. Part 6: 2-arylpyridazin-3-ones as templates for inhibitor design.

p38 inhibitors based on 3,4-dihydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidazin-2-one template were synthesized and their SAR explored. Benchmark compounds 30, 35, and 36 were found to be potent against the enzyme. Crystal structure of p38 in complex with 30 indicated a key pi-stacking interaction with the pendant tyrosine residue-35 in the glycine-rich loop.

1,3-diketones from acid chlorides and ketones: a rapid and general one-pot synthesis of pyrazoles.

[reaction: see text] 1,3-Diketones were synthesized directly from ketones and acid chlorides and were then converted in situ into pyrazoles by the addition of hydrazine. This method is extremely fast, general, and chemoselective, allowing for the synthesis of previously inaccessible pyrazoles and synthetically demanding pyrazole-containing fused rings.