2-Phenyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-3-acetamides as non-benzodiazepine anticonvulsants and anxiolytics

Imidazopyridine, a promising scaffold with potential medicinal applications and structural activity relationship (SAR): recent advances

Imidazopyridine scaffold has gained tremendous importance over the past few decades. Imidazopyridines have been expeditiously used for the rationale design and development of novel synthetic analogs for various therapeutic disorders. A wide variety of imidazopyridine derivatives have been developed as potential anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-tubercular, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, central nervous system (CNS) agents besides other chemotherapeutic agents. Imidazopyridine heterocyclic system acts as a key pharmacophore motif for the identification and optimization of lead structures to increase medicinal chemistry toolbox. The present review highlights the medicinal significances of imidazopyridines for their rationale development as lead molecules with improved therapeutic efficacies. This review further emphasis on the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of the various designed imidazopyridines to establish a relationship between the key structural features versus the biological activities.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Conversion of oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyrazines to imidazo[4,5-b]pyrazines via a tandem reduction-cyclization sequence generates new mitochondrial uncouplers

We report new mitochondrial uncouplers derived from the conversion of [1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyrazines to 1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyrazines. The in situ Fe-mediated reduction of the oxadiazole fragment followed by cyclization gave access to imidazopyrazines in moderate to good yields. A selection of orthoesters also allowed functionalization on the 2-position of the imidazole ring. This method afforded a variety of imidazopyrazine derivatives with varying substitution on the 2, 5 and 6 positions. Our studies suggest that both a 2-trifluoromethyl group and N-methylation are crucial for mitochondrial uncoupling capacity.

Biomimetic hydrogenation of electron deficient olefins using in situ generated 2-arylbenzimidazoline: synthesis of novel 3-benzylbenzo[4,5]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones

In the present study, 2-Arylbenzimidazoline generated in situ from reaction of aromatic aldehydes and o-phenylenediamine used as biomimetic reductive agents for reductive alkylation of 2-hydroxy-4H-benzo[4,5]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one for synthesis of novel 3-benzyl-2-hydroxy-4H-benzo[4,5]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones is described. The main benefits of this protocol include simplicity, reaction mildness, high yield, easy work up, and simple purification. The molecular structures were characterized by IR spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis.

Rapid Construction of an Imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine Skeleton from 2-Chloro-3-nitropyridine via Tandem Reaction in H2O-IPA Medium

A highly efficient, clean, and simple procedure for the synthesis of a privilege imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine scaffold from 2-chloro-3-nitropyridine in combination with environmentally benign H₂O-IPA as a green solvent is presented. The scope of the novel method has been demonstrated through the tandem sequence of S_NAr reaction with substituted primary amines followed by the in situ nitro group reduction and subsequent heteroannulation with substituted aromatic aldehydes to obtain functionalized imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines with only one chromatographic purification step. The synthesis pathway appears to be green, simple, and superior compared with other already reported procedures, with the high abundance of reagents and great ability in expanding the structural diversity.

A Simple Precursor for Highly Functionalized Fused Imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines and Imidazo[4,5-b]-1,8-naphthyridine

1-alkyl aryl-5-amino-4-(cyanoformimidoyl)imidazoles 4 were reacted with malononitrile and 2-amino-1,1,3-propenetricarbonitrile under mild experimental conditions, which led to 5-amino-3-(substituted benzyl)-6,7-dicyano-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines 5 and 6,8-diamino-3-(4-substituted benzyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]-1,8-naphthyridine-7,9-dicarbonitrile 6, respectively, when the reaction was carried out in the absence of a base, or to 5,7-diamino-3-(4-alkyl aryl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-6-carbonitrile 8, and 6,8,9-triamino-3-(4-substitutedbenzyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]-1,8-naphthyridine-7-carbonitrile 10 in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo(5.4.0)undec-7-ene (DBU). Both reactions evolved from an adduct formed by nucleophilic attack of the malononitrile anion or 2-amino-1,1,3-propenetricarbonitrile anion to the carbon of the cyanoformimidoyl substituent. In the case of the malononitrile anion, a 5-amino-1-alkyl aryl-4-(1-amino-2,2-dicyanovinyl)imidazole 7 was isolated when this reaction was carried out in the presence of DBU. The structure of compound 7 was confirmed by spectroscopic methods, and cyclized intramolecularly to 8 by heating in ethanol/triethyl amine.

Selective and eco-friendly procedures for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives. The role of the Er(OTf)3 catalyst in the reaction selectivity

An improved and greener protocol for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives, starting from o-phenylenediamine, with different aldehydes is reported. Double-condensation products were selectively obtained when Er(OTf)₃ was used as the catalyst in the presence of electron-rich aldehydes. Conversely, the formation of mono-condensation products was the preferred path in absence of this catalyst. One of the major advantages of these reactions was the formation of a single product, avoiding extensive isolation and purification of products, which is frequently associated with these reactions.

Theoretical calculations helped to understand the different reactivity established for these reactions. Thus, we found that the charge density on the oxygen of the carbonyl group has a significant impact on the reaction pathway. For instance, electron-rich aldehydes better coordinate to the catalyst, which favours the addition of the amine group to the carbonyl group, therefore facilitating the formation of double-condensation products.

Reactions with aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes were possible, without using organic solvents and in a one-pot procedure with short reaction time (2–5 min), affording single products in excellent yields (75–99%). This convenient and eco-friendly methodology offers numerous benefits with respect to other protocols reported for similar compounds.

Palladium(0)-catalyzed direct C–H hetero-arylation of 2-arylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridines with (E)-1-(5-bromothiophen-2-yl)-3-arylprop-2-en-1-ones and their anticancer activity

An efficient palladium(0)-catalyzed direct hetero-arylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines at the C-3 position of the imidazole ring has been described.

Directed solid-phase synthesis of trisubstituted imidazo[4,5-c]pyridines and imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines

An efficient method is described for the solid-supported synthesis of imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines and imidazo[4,5-c]pyridines from 2,4-dichloro-3-nitropyridine. The key pyridine building block was reacted with polymer-supported amines, followed by replacement of the second chlorine with amines, nitro group reduction, and imidazole ring closure with aldehydes. Depending on the combination of polymer-supported and solution-phase reagents, the strategy allowed for the simple preparation of the target trisubstituted derivatives with variable positioning of the pyridine nitrogen atom. Additionally, after a slight modification of the method, the preparation of strictly isomeric imidazopyridines was possible.

K10 montmorillonite clays as environmentally benign catalysts for organic reactions

This perspective summarizes the catalytic activity of K10 montmorillonite as a multifunctional catalyst for organic reactions.

New imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines carrying active pharmacophores: synthesis and anticonvulsant studies

Five new series of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines carrying biologically active pyrazoline (4a-e), cyanopyridone (5a, b), cyanopyridine (6a-f), 2-aminopyrimidine (7a-f) and pyrimidine-2-thione (8a-d) systems were designed and synthesized as prominent anticonvulsant agents. The target compounds were screened for their in vivo anticonvulsant activity following maximal electroshock (MES) and subcutaneous pentylene tetrazole (scPTZ) methods at a small test dose of 10 mg/kg. Further, Rotarod toxicity method was used to study the toxicity profile of selected compounds. Compounds 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 7e and 8d possessing 4-fluorophenyl substituent at 2nd position of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine ring displayed potent anticonvulsant activity without displaying any toxicity. Enhanced activity profile was observed for new compounds in PTZ method over MES method.

Highly Efficient, One-Pot, Solvent-Free Synthesis of Highly Substituted Imidazoles Using Molecular Iodine as Catalyst

Highly efficient, one-pot synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted and 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles under solvent-free conditions using molecular iodine as the catalyst is described with excellent product yields.

3-[(1-Benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-yl)meth-yl]-6-bromo-2-phenyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine

There are two crystallographically independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(22)H(17)BrN(6). The dihedral angles between the imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine mean plane and the phenyl rings are 20.4 (2) and 24.0 (2)° in the two mol-ecules. The orientation of triazoles compared to the imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine system is almost the same in both mol-ecules, with dihedral angles of 64.2 (2) and 65.1 (2)°. However, the main difference between the two mol-ecules lies in the arrangement of the phenyl groups compared to imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in each mol-ecule. Indeed, in the first mol-ecule the dihedral angle between the plane of the phenyl ring and that of the imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine system is 67.7 (2)°, while in the second mol-ecule the plane of the phenyl ring is almost perpendicular to that of the imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine system with a dihedral angle of 86.0 (2)°.

Efficient assembly of 1-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-methylene-1H-indenes via tandem reaction of (2-(alkynyl)benzylidene)malonates with imidazoles

The tandem nucleophilic addition and 5-exo-cyclization of (2-(alkynyl)benzylidene)malonates with imidazole derivatives in the presence of t-BuOK is reported. This reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions with high selectivity to afford the corresponding 1-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-methylene-1H-indene-2,2(3H)-dicarboxylates in good to excellent yields.

A Solvent-Free Synthesis of 1,2,4,5-Tetrasubstituted Imidazoles Using Molecular Iodine as Catalyst

An efficient method for the synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles by three-component condensation of benzil, benzonitrile derivatives and primary amines under solvent-free conditions using molecular iodine as catalyst is described with high product yields. The significant features of the iodine-catalysed condensation are operational simplicity, inexpensive reagents, high yield of products and use of non-toxic reagents.

An Efficient Stereo Selective Synthesis of Benzyl, (Benzimidazol-2-yl)-Methyl and (6H-Imidazo[4,5-e][2,1,3]Benzothiadiazol-7-yl)Methyl Styryl Sulfones

A facile and an efficient one-pot synthesis of (E)-styryl sulfones is described by condensation of 2-(chloromethyl)benz-imidazoles or 7-(chloromethyl)-6H-imidazo[4,5-e][2,1,3]benzothiadiazole or benzyl bromides with sodium (E)-styryl sulfinates in DMF gave corresponding styryl sulfones. They have been prepared in good yields, in the absence of any catalyst.

The Synthesis of Benzimidazole Derivatives in the Absence of Solvent and Catalyst

Differently substituted benzimidazoles have been synthesised from o-phenylenediamine and arylaldehydes or arylmethylene-malononitriles absorbed on silica gel. The reaction was carried out by intermittent grinding or by a microwave-assisted technique under solvent- and catalyst-free conditions giving good yields of the products.

Towards organo-click reactions: development of pharmaceutical ingredients by using direct organocatalytic bio-mimetic reductions

Economic and environmentally friendly bio-mimetic one-pot three and four-component Knoevenagel-hydrogenation (K-H), five-component Knoevenagel-hydrogenation-alkylation (K-H-A) and six-component Knoevenagel-hydrogenation-alkylation-Huisgen cycloaddition (K-H-A-HC) reactions of aldehydes, CH-acids, o-phenylenediamine, alkyl halides and azides using proline, proline-metal carbonate and proline-metal carbonate-Cu(I)-catalysis, respectively have been developed. Many of K-H and K-H-A compounds have direct application in pharmaceutical chemistry.

Clozapine derived 2,3-dihydro-1H-1,4- and 1,5-benzodiazepines with D4 receptor selectivity: synthesis and biological testing

Novel 4-arylpiperazin-1-yl-substituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-1,4- and 1H-1,5-benzodiazepines and their aza-analogues were synthesized as debenzoclozapine derivatives for evaluation as potential D4-ligands. While Ki values of some of the title compounds came within the range of clozapine, they showed an impressively greater selectivity over other dopamine receptor subtypes, especially D2. For the most promising compounds, intrinsic activity and binding properties to serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 were also determined.

Molecular basis of peripheral vs central benzodiazepine receptor selectivity in a new class of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligands related to alpidem

Alpidem (1), the anxiolytic imidazopyridine, has nanomolar binding affinity for both the central benzodiazepine receptor (CBR) and the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). A novel class of PBR ligands related to alpidem has been designed by comparing the interaction models of alpidem with PBR and CBR. Several compounds in this class have shown high selectivity for PBR vs CBR, and the selectivity has been discussed in terms of interaction models. The binding behavior of the three selected compounds was extensively studied by competition and saturation assays, and the results suggest that they are capable of recognizing two sites labeled by [3H]PK11195. The molecular structure of one of the most active compounds (4e) has been determined by X-ray diffraction and compared with that of alpidem. Molecular modeling studies suggest that the bioactive conformation of 4e is likely to be very similar to the conformation found in the crystal.