Synthetic approaches to 2-tetralones

Brønsted Base-Catalyzed Enantioselective α-Functionalization of Carbonyl Compounds Involving π-Extended Enolates

Chiral Brønsted base (BB) catalyzed asymmetric transformations constitute an important tool for synthesis. A meaningful fraction of these transformations proceeds through transiently generated enolate intermediates, which display quite versatile reactivity against a variety of electrophiles. Some years ago, our group became interested in developing BB-catalyzed asymmetric reactions of enolizable carbonyl substrates that involve π-extended enolates in which, besides control of reaction diastereo and enantioselectivity, the site-selectivity control is an additional issue in most cases. In the examples covered in this account the opportunities deployed, and the challenges posed, by these methods are illustrated, with a focus on the generation of quaternary carbon stereocenters. In the way, new bifunctional BB catalysts as well as achiral templates were developed that may find further applications.

The xanthate route to tetralones, tetralins, and naphthalenes. A brief account

The present account summarises routes to tetralones, tetralines, and naphthalenes based on the chemistry of xanthates developed in the authors' laboratory. The degenerative reversible transfer of xanthates allows radical addition even to unactivated, electronically unbiased alkenes, and tolerates a broad range of functional groups, in particular common polar groups such as esters, ketones, nitriles, amides, carbamates, etc. Xanthates also allow radical ring closures onto aromatic rings. This feature, in combination with the intermolecular addition to alkenes, can be used to construct tetralones and tetralines. With the appropriate appendages, the former can be converted into napthalenes with a variety of substitution patterns. This translates into a convergent approach to a vast array of building blocks of interest to the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries, and to material sciences.

Research progress in pharmacological activities and structure-activity relationships of tetralone scaffolds as pharmacophore and fluorescent skeleton

The tetralone and tetralone derivatives, as crucial structural scaffolds of potential novel drugs targeted at multiple biological end-points, are normally found in several natural compounds and also, it can be used as parental scaffold and/or intermediate for the synthesis of a series of pharmacologically active compounds with a broad-spectrum of bioactivities including antibacterial, antitumor, CNS effect and so on. Meanwhile, SAR information of its analogues has drawn attentions among medicinal chemists, which could contribute to the further research related to tetralone derivatives aimed at multiple targets. This review encompasses pharmacological activities, SAR analysis and docking study of tetralone and its derivatives, expecting to provide a general retrospect and prospect on tetralone derivatives.

Investigation of Pharmaceutical Importance of 2H-Pyran-2-One Analogues via Computational Approaches

Highly functionalized spirocyclic ketals were synthesized through asymmetric oxidative spirocyclization via carbanion-induced ring transformation of 2H-pyran-2-ones with 1,4-cyclohexandione monoethyleneketal under alkaline conditions. Further acidic-hydrolysis of obtained spirocyclic ketals yields highly substituted 2-tetralone in good yield. Computational analysis based on the DFT calculations and MD simulations has been performed in order to predict and understand global and local reactivity properties of newly synthesized derivatives. DFT calculations covered fundamental reactivity descriptors such as molecular electrostatic potential and average local ionization energies. Nitrogen atom and benzene rings have been recognized as the most important molecular sites from these aspects. Additionally, to predict whether studied compounds are stable towards the autoxidation mechanism, we have also studied the bond dissociation energies for hydrogen abstraction and identified the derivative which might form potentially genotoxic impurities. Interactions with water, including both global and local aspects, have been covered thanks to the MD simulations and calculations of interaction energies with water, counting of formed hydrogen interactions, and radial distribution functions. MD simulations were also used to identify which excipient could be used together with these compounds, and it has been established that the polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer could be highly compatible with these compounds, from the aspect of calculated solubility parameters.

An efficient route to highly enantioenriched tetrahydroazulenes and β-tetralones by desymmetrization reactions of δ,δ-diaryldiazoaceto-acetates

A highly stereoselective desymmetrization reaction of δ,δ-diaryl-α-diazo-β-ketoesters catalyzed by chiral dirhodium carboxylates forms aromatic cycloaddition products in up to 97% ee.

Mechanistic studies on the CAN-mediated intramolecular cyclization of δ-aryl-β-dicarbonyl compounds

The synthesis of 2-tetralones through the cyclization of δ-aryl-β-dicarbonyl substrates by using CAN is described. Appropriately functionalized aromatic substrates undergo intramolecular cyclizations generating 2-tetralone derivatives in moderate to good yields. DFT computational studies indicate that successful formation of 2-tetralones from δ-aryl-β-dicarbonyl radicals is dependent on the stability of the subsequent cyclohexadienyl radical intermediates. Furthermore, DFT computational studies were used to rationalize the observed site selectivity in the 2-tetralone products.

New Approach to 4-Phenyl-β-aminotetralin from 4-(3-Halophenyl)tetralen-2-ol Phenylacetate

Mixed trifluoroacetyl phenylacetyl anhydride and 3-halostyrenes (fluoro, chloro, and bromo) or vinylcycloalkanes (cyclohexyl, cyclooctyl), undergo cascade Friedel-Crafts cycli-acylalkylation, enolization, and O-acylation to give 4-substituted tetralen-2-ol phenylacetates, without additional solvent in good yields. Base alcoholysis of 4-phenyltetralen-2-ol phenylacetate reveals the tetral-2-one for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation. Bromophenyltetralen-2-ol phenylacetate undergoes Suzuki coupling, and provides a short route to trans-4-phenyl-β-aminotetralin.

Synthesis of the common propellane core structure of the hasubanan alkaloids

The racemic synthesis of the common propellane core structure found in various hasubanan alkaloids is reported. The successful completion hinged upon the stereocontrolled construction of the cis-substituted heterobicycle as a precursor for the intramolecular Dieckmann condensation. A novel strategy is introduced for the facile hydrolysis of a sterically demanding carboxamide under a mild condition. The 2-nitroanilide obtained by the Goldberg arylation of a carboxamide with 2-iodonitrobenzene was readily converted to the corresponding ester derivative by way of N-acylbenzotriazole. We expect that the reported synthetic route will allow the synthesis of a series of hasubanan alkaloids starting from the correspondingly functionalized 2-tetralone derivatives.