Metal-Free Annulation of 2-Nitrobenzyl Alcohols and Tetrahydroisoquinolines toward the Divergent Synthesis of Quinazolinones and Quinazolinethiones

Denitrative Iodination of Nitroarenes via Light-Promoted Reduction

Aryl iodides are essential synthons in organic synthesis, whose conventional preparations often suffer from poor selectivity or necessitate multistep procedures. Herein, we present a light-driven denitrative iodination as a one-step approach that directly converts nitroarenes to iodoarenes under mild and transition-metal-free conditions. This streamlined method operates in the absence of strong Brønsted acids, ensuring broad functional group tolerance, including esters, cyano groups, halides, and heterocycles, while also offering operational simplicity and scalability.

"One pot" synthesis of quinazolinone-[2,3]-fused polycyclic scaffolds in a three-step reaction sequence

Diverse quinazolinone-[2,3]-fused polycyclic skeletons occupy a prominent position in drug discovery. Even with currently available methods there still remain unmet needs for flexible access to such structures. Herein, we have explored a mild "one pot" procedure for the construction of various quinazolinone-[2,3]-fused polycycles. The procedure involves Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of N-(2-iodophenyl)acetamides, release of the masked terminal amine, and two sequential and spontaneous cyclizations. This generally applicable approach features easy assembly of precursors from readily available starting materials, mild reaction conditions, non-cumbersome operation, and polycyclic diversity.

Synthesis of bioactive evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues under ball milling conditions

Mechanochemical reactions achieved by processes such as milling and grinding are promising alternatives to traditional solution-based chemistry. This approach not only eliminates the need for large amounts of solvents, thereby reducing waste generation, but also finds applications in chemical and materials synthesis. The focus of this study is on the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives by ball milling, in particular evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues. These compounds are of interest due to their diverse bioactivities, including potential anticancer properties. The study examines the reactions carried out under ball milling conditions, emphasizing their efficiency in terms of shorter reaction times and reduced environmental impact compared to conventional methods. The ball milling reaction of evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues resulted in yields of 63-78% and 22-61%, respectively. In addition, these compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity, and evodiamine exhibited an IC50 of 0.75 ± 0.04 μg mL-1 against the Ca9-22 cell line. At its core, this research represents a new means to synthesise these compounds, providing a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional approaches.

(NH4)2S2O8 promoted tandem radical cyclization of quinazolin-4(3H)-ones with oxamic acids for the construction of fused quinazolinones under metal-free conditions

A novel cascade radical addition/cyclization reaction of non-activated olefins and oxamic acids has been proposed. Under transition metal-free conditions, 36 quinazolinone derivatives containing an amide moiety were successfully synthesized, with the highest yield being 81%. This method involves the preparation of aminoacyl fused quinazolinone derivatives under mild conditions, offering advantages such as a high yield, a broad substrate compatibility, and a high atom economy.

Persulfate-Promoted Carbamoylation/Cyclization of Alkenes: Synthesis of Amide-Containing Quinazolinones

The incorporation of amide groups into biologically active molecules has been proven to be an efficient strategy for drug design and discovery. In this study, we present a simple and practical method for the synthesis of amide-containing quinazolin-4(3H)-ones under transition-metal-free conditions. This is achieved through a carbamoyl-radical-triggered cascade cyclization of N3-alkenyl-tethered quinazolinones. Notably, the carbamoyl radical is generated in situ from the oxidative decarboxylative process of oxamic acids in the presence of (NH4)2S2O8.

Synthesis of 2,3-Fused Quinazolinones via the Radical Cascade Pathway and Reaction Mechanistic Studies by DFT Calculations

An efficient radical cascade cyclization of unactivated alkenes toward the synthesis of a series of ring-fused quinazolinones has been developed in moderate to excellent yields using commercially available ethers, alkanes, and alcohols, respectively, under a base-free condition in a short time without a transition metal as catalyst. Notably, the transformations can be carried out with the advantages of a broad substrate scope and high atomic economy. Density functional theory calculations and wavefunction analyses were performed to elucidate the radical reaction mechanism.

Synthesis of Quinazolinone-Fused Tetrahydroisoquinolines and Related Polycyclic Scaffolds by Iodine-Mediated sp3 C-H Amination

An iodine-mediated intramolecular sp³ C-H amination reaction producing quinazolinone-fused polycyclic skeletons from 2-aminobenzamide precursors is reported. This reaction does not use transition metals, has a broad substrate scope, and can be used on a gram scale. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a variety of quinazolinone-fused tetrahydroisoquinolines and derivatives of Rutaecarpine were synthesized from readily accessible compounds. The reaction proceeds well with crude 2-aminobenzamide derivatives, allowing for the synthesis of the products from simple 2-aminobenzoic acids and tetrahydroisoquinolines without purification of the 2-aminobenzamide intermediates. Preliminary biological experiments have identified Cereblon (CRBN) inhibitory activity and relevant anti-myeloma medicinal properties in some of these polycyclic products.

Recent Advances on the Synthesis of 2,3-Fused Quinazolinones

As one of the most important structural units in pharmaceuticals and medicinal chemistry, quinazolinone and its derivatives exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antitubercular, antiviral,...