Alan Ford,† Hugues Miel, Aoife Ring,† Catherine N. Slattery,† Anita R. Maguire,*,†,‡ and M. Anthony McKervey* †Department of Chemistry and ‡School of Pharmacy, Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility, Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland Almac Discovery Ltd., David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom Almac Sciences Ltd., Almac House, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon BT63 5QD, United Kingdom

Modern Organic Synthesis with α-Diazocarbonyl Compounds

Pyrrole, pyrrolidine, pyridine, piperidine and tropane alkaloids

Transition metal chemistry of cyclopropenes and cyclopropanes.

Heterocycles constitute the largest and the most diverse family of organic compounds Among them, aromatic heterocycles represent structural motifs found in a great number of biologically active natural and synthetic compounds, drugs, and agrochemicals Moreover, aromatic heterocycles are widely used for synthesis of dyes and polymeric materials of high value 1 There are numerous reports on employment of aromatic heterocycles as intermediates in organic synthesis 2

Although, a variety of highly efficient methodologies for synthesis of aromatic heterocycles and their derivatives have been reported in the past, the development of novel methodologies is in cuntinious demand Particlularly, development of new synthetic approaches toward heterocycles, aiming at achieving greater levels of molecular complexity and better functional group compatibilities in a convergent and atom economical fashions from readily accessible starting materials and under mild reaction conditions, is one of a major research endeavor in modern synthetic organic chemistry Transition metal-catalyzed transformations, which often help to meet the above criteria, are among the most attractive synthetic tools

Several excellent reviews dealing with transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of heterocyclic compounds have been published in literature during recent years Many of them highlighted the use of a particular transition metal, such as gold,3 silver,4 palladium,5 copper,6 cobalt,7 ruthenium,8 iron,9 mercury,10 rare-earth metals,11 and others Another array of reviews described the use of a specific kind of transformation, for instance, intramolecular nucleophilic attack of heteroatom at multiple C–C bonds,12 Sonogashira reaction,13 cycloaddition reactions,14 cycloisomerization reactions,15 C–H bond activation processes,16 metathesis reactions,17 etc Reviews devoted to an application of a particular type of starting materials have also been published Thus, for example, applications of isocyanides,18 diazocompounds,19 or azides20 have been discussed In addition, a significant attention was given to transition metal-catalyzed multicomponent syntheses of heterocycles21 Finally, syntheses of heterocycles featuring formation of intermediates, such as nitrenes,22 vinylidenes,23 carbenes, and carbenoids24 have also been reviewed

The main focus of the present review is a transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of aromatic monocyclic heterocycles The organization of the review is rather classical and is based on a heterocycle, categorized in the following order: (a) ring size of heterocycle, (b) number of heteroatoms, (c) type of heterocycle, and (d) a class of transformation involved A brief mechanistic discussion is given to provide information about a possible reaction pathway when necessary The review mostly discusses recent literature, starting from 200425 until the end of 2011, however, some earlier parent transformations are discussed when needed

Transition Metal-Mediated Synthesis of Monocyclic Aromatic Heterocycles

The Domino Way to Heterocycles

1-(Benzenesulfonyl-diazoacetyl)-pyrrolidin-2-one was prepared by a diazo transfer of 1-(benzenesulfonylacetyl)-pyrrolidin-2-one with p-acetamidobenzenesulfonyl azide and triethylamine. Treatment of the diazoimide with a catalytic quantity of rhodium(II) acetate resulted in the formation of an isomunchnone dipole, which underwent bimolecular trapping with various dipolarophiles in high yield. The initially formed cycloadducts were not isolable or observed, as they all readily underwent ring opening to give the 3-hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridone ring system. The 3-hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridones were readily converted to the corresponding triflates, which function as suitable substrates in various types of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Commercial tetrakis(triphenylphoshine)palladium was found to be a particularly effective catalyst for the cross-coupling with aryl, vinyl, and acetylenic partners. An application of the method to the synthesis of the indolizidine alkaloid (±)-ipalbidine was carried out in eight...

An Isomünchnone-Based Method for the Synthesis of Highly Substituted 2(1H)-Pyridones

Synthesis of the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor (−)-A58365A via an Cycloaddition Reaction

Intramolecular Diels−Alder reactions involving a series of N-alkenyl-substituted furanyl amides were investigated. Stable functionalized oxanorbornenes were formed in high yield upon heating at 80−110 °C. The cycloaddition reactions include several bromo-substituted furanyl amides, and these systems were found to proceed at a much faster rate and in higher yield than without substitution. This effect was observed by incorporating a halogen in the 3- or 5-position of the furan ring and appears to be general. The origin of increased cycloaddition rates for halo-substituted furans has been investigated with quantum mechanical calculations. The success of these reactions is attributed to increases in reaction exothermicities; this both decreases activation enthalpies and increases barriers to retrocycloadditions. Halogen substitution on furan increases reactant energy and stabilizes the product, which is attributed to the preference of electronegative halogens to be attached to a more highly alkylated and the...

Halo substituent effects on intramolecular cycloadditions involving furanyl amides.

A convenient synthesis of various substituted hexahydroindolinones has been achieved by an intramolecular Diels−Alder cycloaddition (IMDAF) reaction of 2-amido substituted furans. The initially formed [4 + 2] cycloadduct undergoes nitrogen-assisted ring opening followed by deprotonation of the resulting zwitterion to give the rearranged ketone. The stereochemical outcome of the IMDAF cycloaddition has the sidearm of the tethered alkenyl group oriented syn with respect to the oxygen bridge. The reaction rate and product yield were found to be markedly dependent upon the electronic properties of the alkenyl π-bond. 2-[2-(tert-Butoxycarbonylfuran-2-yl-amino)ethyl]acrylic acid methyl ester was synthesized from 3-chlorocarbonyl-but-3-enoic acid methyl ester. Thermolysis of the carbomethoxy activated furanamide occurred at 80 °C to produce a rearranged hexahydroindolinone. When Me3Al or (MeO)3Al was used as a Lewis acid to promote the cycloaddition, a rearranged alcohol was obtained. The initially formed [4 + 2...

Cycloaddition-Rearrangement Sequence of 2-Amido Substituted Furans as a Method of Synthesizing Hexahydroindolinones.

A series of 2-alkynyl 2-diazo-3-oxobutanoates, when treated with a catalytic quantity of rhodium(II) acetate, afforded furo[3,4-c]furans in good yield. The reaction proceeds by addition of a rhodium-stabilized carbenoid onto the acetylenic pi-bond to give a vinyl carbenoid that subsequently cyclizes onto the neighboring carbonyl group to produce the furan ring. These furo[3,4-c]furans react with various dienophiles, furnishing anisole derivatives derived by loss of water from the initially formed Diels-Alder cycloadducts. The Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclization reaction was quite versatile with regard to the nature of the interacting carbonyl group. The methodology was applied to the synthesis of several oxa-polyheterocyclic systems by first generating a 2-alkoxy-substituted furan and then allowing it to undergo a subsequent intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition. Ring opening of the resulting cycloadduct is followed by deprotonation to furnish a rearranged keto lactone. The potential use of this method for the synthesis of the alkaloid strychnine was probed using suitable model diazo compounds. To establish the viability of this approach, the Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclization/cycloaddition sequence of alpha-diazo amides 64 and 68 were studied. Both compounds underwent the sequential process in good overall yield, leading to novel pentacyclic products. The structural features of the resultant products present numerous opportunities for postcycloaddition manipulations that could be exploited to synthetic advantage.

Christopher S. Straub

Papers

An Isomünchnone-Based Method for the Synthesis of Highly Substituted 2(1H)-Pyridones

Synthesis of the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor (−)-A58365A via an Cycloaddition Reaction

Halo substituent effects on intramolecular cycloadditions involving furanyl amides.

Cycloaddition-Rearrangement Sequence of 2-Amido Substituted Furans as a Method of Synthesizing Hexahydroindolinones.

Synthesis of furo[3,4-c]furans using a rhodium(II)-catalyzed cyclization/Diels-Alder cycloaddition sequence.