Strain-Release Driven Cycloadditions for Rapid Construction of Functionalized Pyridines and Amino Alcohols

Lewis Acid-Catalyzed 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Bicyclobutanes with Isatogens: Access to Tetracyclic 2-Oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes

The 'escape from flatland' concept has gained significant traction in modern drug discovery, emphasizing the importance of three-dimensional molecular architectures, which serve as saturated bioisosteres of benzenoids. Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs), known for their high ring strain and numerous reactivities, offer a simple yet effective method for synthesizing these bicyclic frameworks. Although (3 + 2) annulations involving BCBs have been extensively studied, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of BCBs leading to (3 + 3) annulation has received limited attention. Herein, we report the Lewis acid-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of BCBs with isatogens allowing the synthesis of biologically relevant tetracyclic 2-oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes. Moreover, the reaction can be performed in a one-pot process by the in situ generation of isatogens from 2-alkynylated nitrobenzenes. Additionally, preliminary mechanistic and photophysical studies of the (3 + 3) annulated products and experiments toward the asymmetric version of this reaction are also provided.

Enantioselective formal (3 + 3) cycloaddition of bicyclobutanes with nitrones enabled by asymmetric Lewis acid catalysis

The absence of catalytic asymmetric methods for synthesizing chiral (hetero)bicyclo[n.1.1]alkanes has hindered their application in new drug discovery. Here we demonstrate the achievability of an asymmetric polar cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]butane using a chiral Lewis acid catalyst and a bidentate chelating bicyclo[1.1.0]butane substrate, as exemplified by the current enantioselective formal (3 + 3) cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes with nitrones. In addition to the diverse bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes incorporating an acyl imidazole group or an acyl pyrazole moiety, a wide array of nitrones are compatible with this Lewis acid catalysis, successfully assembling two congested quaternary carbon centers and a chiral aza-trisubstituted carbon center in the pharmaceutically important hetero-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane product with up to 99% yield and >99% ee.

Eu(OTf)3 -Catalyzed Formal Dipolar [4π+2σ] Cycloaddition of Bicyclo-[1.1.0]butanes with Nitrones: Access to Polysubstituted 2-Oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes

Herein, we have synthesized multifunctionalized 2-oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes, which are considered potential bioisosteres for meta-substituted arenes, through Eu(OTf)3 -catalyzed formal dipolar [4π+2σ] cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes with nitrones. This methodology represents the initial instance of fabricating bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes adorned with multiple heteroatoms. The protocol exhibits both mild reaction conditions and a good tolerance for various functional groups. Computational density functional theory calculations support that the reaction mechanism likely involves a nucleophilic addition of nitrones to bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes, succeeded by an intramolecular cyclization. The synthetic utility of this novel protocol has been demonstrated in the concise synthesis of the analogue of Rupatadine.

One-Pot Synthesis of Strain-Release Reagents from Methyl Sulfones

Sulfone-substituted bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes and housanes have found widespread application in organic synthesis due to their bench stability and high reactivity in strain-releasing processes in the presence of nucleophiles or radical species. Despite their increasing utility, their preparation typically requires multiple steps in low overall yield. In this work, we report an expedient and general one-pot procedure for the synthesis of 1-sulfonylbicyclo[1.1.0]butanes from readily available methyl sulfones and inexpensive epichlorohydrin via the dialkylmagnesium-mediated formation of 3-sulfonylcyclobutanol intermediates. Furthermore, the process was extended to the formation of 1-sulfonylbicyclo[2.1.0]pentane (housane) analogues when 4-chloro-1,2-epoxybutane was used as the electrophile instead of epichlorohydrin. Both procedures could be applied on a gram scale with similar efficiency and are shown to be fully stereospecific in the case of housanes when an enantiopure epoxide was employed, leading to a streamlined access to highly valuable optically active strain-release reagents.

Diastereoselective synthesis of 1,1,3,3-tetrasubstituted cyclobutanes enabled by cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes

A diastereoselective cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) with triazolinedione or nitrosoarenes was developed to access multi-substituted cyclobutanes.

Metal-Free Solvent Promoted Oxidation of Benzylic Secondary Amines to Nitrones with H2O2

An environmentally benign protocol for the generation of nitrones from benzylic secondary amines via catalyst-free oxidation of secondary amines using H2O2 in MeOH or CH3CN is described. This methodology provides a selective access to a variety of C-aryl nitrones in yields of 60 to 93%. Several studies have been performed to shed light on the reaction mechanism and the role of the solvent.

Polarity-Reversal Strategy for the Functionalization of Electrophilic Strained Molecules via Light-Driven Cobalt Catalysis

Strain-release-driven methodology is a powerful tool for accessing structural motifs, highly desirable by the pharmaceutical industry. The reactivity of spring-loaded cyclic reagents is dominated by transformations relying on their inherent electrophilic reactivity. Herein, we present a polarity-reversal strategy based on light-driven cobalt catalysis, which enables the generation of nucleophilic radicals through strain release. The applicability of this methodology is demonstrated by the design of two distinct types of reactions: Giese-type addition and Co/Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling. Moreover, a series of electrochemical, spectroscopic, and kinetic experiments as well as X-ray structural analysis of the intermediate alkylcobalt(III) complex give deeper insight into the mechanism of the reaction.

Strain release – an old tool for new transformations

This Feature Article provides an overview of research advances in the chemistry of spring-loaded molecules, focusing mainly on strain-release transformations.