Creation of quarternary stereocentres via [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic thiocyanates. A synthetic approach to (+)-myriocin

Straightforward access to α-thiocyanoketones and thiazoles from sulfoxonium ylides

Efficient, versatile, and metal-free strategies for synthesizing α-thiocyanoketones and thiazoles from β-ketosulfoxonium ylides and ammonium thiocyanate have been described. Due to its simplicity, benign reaction conditions, excellent chemoselectivity, and high yield, this method represents a unique approach for divergent synthesis. Finally, the potential value of the developed methods is demonstrated via large-scale reactions and synthesis of Fanetizole, an anti-inflammatory drug.

Design and synthesis of novel carbohydrate-amino acid hybrids and their antioxidant and anti-β-amyloid aggregation activity

Herein we report the synthesis of new furanoid sugar amino acids and thioureas, prepared by coupling aromatic amino acids and dipeptides with isothiocyanato- functionalized ribofuranose ring. Since carbohydrate-derived structures possess many biological activities, synthesized compounds were evaluated as anti-amyloid and antioxidant agents. The anti-amyloid activity of the studied compounds was evaluated based on their potential to destroy amyloid fibrils of intrinsically disordered Aβ₄₀ peptide and globular hen egg-white (HEW) lysozyme. The destructive efficiency of the compounds differed between the studied peptides. While the destruction activity of the compounds on the HEW lysozyme amyloid fibrils was negligible, the effect on Aβ₄₀ amyloid fibrils was significantly higher. Furanoid sugar α-amino acid 1 and its dipeptide derivatives 8 (Trp-Trp) and 11 (Trp-Tyr) were the most potent anti-Aβ fibrils compounds. The antioxidant properties of synthesized compounds were estimated by three complementary in vitro assays (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP). The ABTS assay was the most sensitive for assessing the radical scavenging activity of all tested compounds compared to the DPPH test. Significant antioxidant activity was detected for compounds in the group of aromatic amino acids depending on the present amino acid, with the highest activity in the case of dipeptides 11 and 12 containing the Tyr and Trp moiety. Regarding the FRAP assay, the best reducing antioxidant potential revealed Trp-containing compounds 5, 10, and 12.

Synthesis and Applications of Carbohydrate-Based Organocatalysts

Organocatalysis is a very useful tool for the asymmetric synthesis of biologically or pharmacologically active compounds because it avoids the use of noxious metals, which are difficult to eliminate from the target products. Moreover, in many cases, the organocatalysed reactions can be performed in benign solvents and do not require anhydrous conditions. It is well-known that most of the above-mentioned reactions are promoted by a simple aminoacid, l-proline, or, to a lesser extent, by the more complex cinchona alkaloids. However, during the past three decades, other enantiopure natural compounds, the carbohydrates, have been employed as organocatalysts. In the present exhaustive review, the detailed preparation of all the sugar-based organocatalysts as well as their catalytic properties are described.

Visible-Light-Mediated Additive-Free Decarboxylative Ketonization Reaction of Acrylic Acids: An Access to α-Thiocyanate Ketones

Visible-light-mediated additive-free decarboxylative functionalization of acrylic acids has been developed. The reaction uses inexpensive organic dye 9,10-dicyanoanthracene as a photocatalyst and uses the ubiquitous dioxygen as both an oxygen source and an oxidant. Through this mild and environmentally friendly method, a series of important α-thiocyanate ketones can be generated from easily available acrylic acids and ammonium thiocyanate. In addition, the facile transformation of product α-thiocyanate ketones makes this method have great potential for application in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry.

Photocatalytic difunctionalisations of alkenes with N-SCN sulfoximines

Reacting N-Br sulfoximines with ammonium thiocyanate leads to unprecedented sulfur reagents, which add to vinyl arenes under photocatalysis via N-centered sulfoximidoyl radicals.

Assessing the effective factors affecting the conformational preferences and the early and late transition states of the unimolecular retro-ene decomposition reactions of ethyl cyanate, ethyl thiocyanate and ethyl selenocyanate

The variations of Δ[(HCGAE(X₃–C₄weakening) – HCGAE(X₃–C₄strengthening)] parameters correlate well with the variations of the retro-ene decomposition reactions barrier heights going from compound1to compound3.

Recent advances in the chemistry of organic thiocyanates

In this review the different methods for the preparation of organic thiocyantes and their synthetic applications are presented.

Total synthesis of a protected form of sphingofungin E using the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of an allylic thiocyanate as the key reaction

An approach to the stereocontrolled synthesis of the protected form of sphingofungin E (32) starting from the known protected d-glucose derivative 3 is described herein. For the construction of a tetrasubstituted carbon atom that is substituted with nitrogen, the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of thiocyanate 8 was employed. Subsequent functional group interconversions afforded the highly functionalized fragment, allylic bromide 26. Its coupling reaction with the known C(12) hydrophobic segment 2, followed by further manipulation, completed the total synthesis.

A novel synthetic approach to C-glycosyl-D- and L-alanines

C-Glycosyl-(S)- and (R)-alanines 12a and 12b were synthesized from the known β-C-glycoside 1. The nitrogen function was introduced by aza-Claisen rearrangement of the allylic thiocyanate 7, derived from the corresponding alcohol 6. The absolute configuration of the newly created chiral carbon center (C-3) was assigned by X-ray diffraction analysis of the intermediate 3(S)-isothiocyanato-d-glycero-d-galacto-decose 8a.