The Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of organic azides and alkynes has gained considerable attention in recent years due to the introduction in 2001 of Cu(1) catalysis by Tornoe and Meldal, leading to a major improvement in both rate and regioselectivity of the reaction, as realized independently by the Meldal and the Sharpless laboratories. The great success of the Cu(1) catalyzed reaction is rooted in the fact that it is a virtually quantitative, very robust, insensitive, general, and orthogonal ligation reaction, suitable for even biomolecular ligation and in vivo tagging or as a polymerization reaction for synthesis of long linear polymers. The triazole formed is essentially chemically inert to reactive conditions, e.g. oxidation, reduction, and hydrolysis, and has an intermediate polarity with a dipolar moment of ∼5 D. The basis for the unique properties and rate enhancement for triazole formation under Cu(1) catalysis should be found in the high ∆G of the reaction in combination with the low character of polarity of the dipole of the noncatalyzed thermal reaction, which leads to a considerable activation barrier. In order to understand the reaction in detail, it therefore seems important to spend a moment to consider the structural and mechanistic aspects of the catalysis. The reaction is quite insensitive to reaction conditions as long as Cu(1) is present and may be performed in an aqueous or organic environment both in solution and on solid support.

Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition.

Since the discovery of organic azides by Peter Griess more than 140 years ago, numerous syntheses of these energy-rich molecules have been developed. In more recent times in particular, completely new perspectives have been developed for their use in peptide chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, and heterocyclic synthesis. Organic azides have assumed an important position at the interface between chemistry, biology, medicine, and materials science. In this Review, the fundamental characteristics of azide chemistry and current developments are presented. The focus will be placed on cycloadditions (Huisgen reaction), aza ylide chemistry, and the synthesis of heterocycles. Further reactions such as the aza-Wittig reaction, the Sundberg rearrangement, the Staudinger ligation, the Boyer and Boyer-Aube rearrangements, the Curtius rearrangement, the Schmidt rearrangement, and the Hemetsberger rearrangement bear witness to the versatility of modern azide chemistry.

Organic Azides: An Exploding Diversity of a Unique Class of Compounds

The modification of polymers after the successful achievement of a polymerization process represents an important task in macromolecular science. Cycloaddition reactions, among them the metal catalyzed azide/alkyne ‘click’ reaction (a variation of the Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between terminal acetylenes and azides) represents an important contribution towards this endeavor. They combine high efficiency (usually above 95%) with a high tolerance of functional groups and solvents, as well as moderate reaction temperatures (25–70 °C). The present review assembles recent literature for applications of this reaction in the field of polymer science (linear polymers, dendrimers, gels) as well as the use of this and related reactions for surface modification on carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, and on solid substrates, and includes the authors own publications in this field. A number of references (>100) are included.

http://www.c2p2-cpe.com/imgBase/download/Click%20Review.pdf

‘Click’ Chemistry in Polymer and Materials Science

CuI‐Catalyzed Alkyne–Azide “Click” Cycloadditions from a Mechanistic and Synthetic Perspective

In recent years, there has been an ever-increasing need for rapid reactions that meet the three main criteria of an ideal synthesis: efficiency, versatility, and selectivity. Such reactions would allow medicinal chemistry to keep pace with the multitude of information derived from modern biological screening techniques. The present review describes one of these reactions, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition ("click-reaction") between azides and alkynes catalyzed by copper (I) salts. The simplicity of this reaction and the ease of purification of the resulting products have opened new opportunities in generating vast arrays of compounds with biological potential. The present review will outline the accomplishments of this strategy achieved so far and outline some of medicinal chemistry applications in which click-chemistry might be relevant in the future.

Click chemistry reactions in medicinal chemistry: applications of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between azides and alkynes.

A general, modular strategy for the first completely stereoselective synthesis of defined heparin oligosaccharides is described. Six monosaccharide building blocks (four differentially protected glucosamines, one glucuronic and one iduronic acid) were utilized to prepare di- and trisaccharide modules in a fully selective fashion. Installation of the α-glucosamine linkage was controlled by placing a conformational constraint on the uronic acid glycosyl acceptors thereby establishing a new concept for stereochemical control. Combination of disaccharide modules to form trans-uronic acid linkages was completely selective by virtue of C2 participating groups. Coupling reactions between disaccharide modules exhibited sequence dependence. While the union of many glucosamine uronic acid disaccharide modules did not meet any problems, certain sequences proved not accessible. Elaboration of glucosamine uronic acid disaccharide building blocks to trisaccharide modules by addition of either one additional glucosamine or uronic acid allowed for stereoselective access to oligosaccharides as demonstrated on the example of a hexasaccharide resembling the ATIII-binding sequence. Final deprotection and sulfation yielded the fully synthetic heparin oligosaccharides.

Modular Synthesis of Heparin Oligosaccharides

Regioselective synthesis of [1,2,3]-triazoles catalyzed by Cu(I) generated in situ from Cu(0) nanosize activated powder and amine hydrochloride salts

Conformational locking of the glycosyl acceptor for stereocontrol in the key step in the synthesis of heparin.

Synthesis and transformations of D-glucuronic and L-iduronic acid glycals

The cover picture shows schematically a general, modular strategy for the first completely stereoselective synthesis of defined heparin oligosaccharides. Heparin is currently used as an anticoagulant to prevent the formation of thrombi. A developing thrombus is depicted as background. Di- and trisaccharide modules were derived from six monosaccharide building blocks in a fully selective fashion by placing a conformational constraint on uronic acid glycosyl acceptors. A new concept for stereochemical control of α-glucosamine glycoside formation was utilized. Locking the conformation of the glucuronic acid acceptor allowed for completely selective preparation of the desired cis-glycosides. This innovation greatly simplified the key step in the preparation of disaccharide building blocks. Combination of disaccharide modules to form trans-uronic acid linkages proved also completely selective by virtue of C2 participating groups. Coupling reactions between disaccharide modules exhibited sequence dependence. Elaboration of disaccharide building blocks to trisaccharide modules allowed for stereoselective access to oligosaccharides as demonstrated on the example of a hexasaccharide. Final deprotection and sulfation yielded the fully synthetic heparin oligosaccharides. A detailed description of this study is reported by P. H. Seeberger et al. on p. 140 ff.

Hernan A. Orgueira

Papers

Modular Synthesis of Heparin Oligosaccharides

Regioselective synthesis of [1,2,3]-triazoles catalyzed by Cu(I) generated in situ from Cu(0) nanosize activated powder and amine hydrochloride salts

Conformational locking of the glycosyl acceptor for stereocontrol in the key step in the synthesis of heparin.

Synthesis and transformations of D-glucuronic and L-iduronic acid glycals

Cover Picture: Chem. Eur. J. 1/2003