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

1,2-Amino Alcohols and Their Heterocyclic Derivatives as Chiral Auxiliaries in Asymmetric Synthesis

A bis(oxazoline) (box) copper(II) complex and its hydrated counterpart (1 and 2) function as enantioselective Lewis acid catalysts for carbocyclic and hetero Diels−Alder, aldol, Michael, ene, and amination reactions with substrates capable of chelation through six- and five-membered rings. X-ray crystallography of the chiral complexes reveals a propensity for the formation of distorted square planar or square pyramidal geometries. The sense of asymmetric induction is identical for all the processes catalyzed by [Cu((S,S)-t-Bu-box)](X)2 complexes 1 and 2 (X = OTf and SbF) resulting from the intervention of a distorted square planar catalyst-substrate binary complex. These catalyzed processes exhibit excellent temperature−selectivity profiles. Reactions catalyzed by [Cu(S,S-Ph-pybox)](SbF6)2 and their derived chelation complexes are also discussed.

Chiral bis(oxazoline) copper(II) complexes: versatile catalysts for enantioselective cycloaddition, Aldol, Michael, and carbonyl ene reactions.

A novel series of β-amino amides incorporating fused heterocycles, i.e., triazolopiperazines, were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. (2R)-4-Oxo-4-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrazin-7(8H)-yl]-1-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butan-2-amine (1) is a potent, orally active DPP-IV inhibitor (IC50 = 18 nM) with excellent selectivity over other proline-selective peptidases, oral bioavailability in preclinical species, and in vivo efficacy in animal models. MK-0431, the phosphate salt of compound 1, was selected for development as a potential new treatment for type 2 diabetes.

(2R)-4-Oxo-4-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrazin- 7(8H)-yl]-1-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butan-2-amine: A Potent, Orally Active Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Inhibitor for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

Recent developments in the stereoselective synthesis of α-aminoacids

The asymmetric synthesis of .alpha.-amino acids. Electrophilic azidation of chiral imide enolates, a practical approach to the synthesis of (R)- and (S)-.alpha.-azido carboxylic acids

Contrasteric carboximide hydrolysis with lithium hydroperoxide

L'«amination» electrophile d'enolates chiraux derives d'acyl-3 oxazolidones par l'azoformiate de di-t-butyle permet la synthese d'α-hydrazino- et α-aminoacides

Thomas C. Britton

Papers

The asymmetric synthesis of .alpha.-amino acids. Electrophilic azidation of chiral imide enolates, a practical approach to the synthesis of (R)- and (S)-.alpha.-azido carboxylic acids

Contrasteric carboximide hydrolysis with lithium hydroperoxide

Stereoselective amination of chiral enolates. A new approach to the asymmetric synthesis of .alpha.-hydrazino and .alpha.-amino acid derivatives

The asymmetric synthesis of α-amino and α-hydrazino acid derivatives via the stereoselective amination of chiral enolates with azodicarboxylate esters

Electrophilic azide transfer to chiral enolates. A general approach to the asymmetric synthesis of .alpha.-amino acids