Molybdenum-Mediated Carbonylation of Aryl Halides with Nucleophiles Using Microwave Irradiation

Photo-Induced Carbonylation of Aryl Bromides for the Synthesis of Aryl Esters and Amides Under Transition Metal-Free Conditions

In this work, we developed a photo-induced carbonylation of aryl bromides under transition metal-free conditions. The reaction shows good activity with alcohol and amine nucleophiles. Various esters and amides were formed from aryl halides and alcohols and amines under mild conditions in moderate to good yields.

Nickel-Catalyzed Aminocarbonylation of Aryl Iodides with 1 atm CO

Reported here is a nickel-catalyzed aminocarbonylation of aromatic iodides with (hetero)aryl anilines and alkyl amines under atmospheric CO pressure. The reaction features with broad substrate scope with excellent functional group tolerance, providing an expedient method for the construction of amide analogues. Notably, amino alcohols can be selectively transformed into the corresponding amides successfully without interfering the hydroxyl group under the current standard conditions.

Synthesis of unprotected glyco-alkynones via molybdenum-catalyzed carbonylative Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction

Herein we report a novel Mo-catalyzed carbonylative Sonogashira cross-coupling between 2-iodoglycals and terminal alkynes. The reaction displays major improvements compared to a related Pd-catalyzed procedure previously published by our group, such as utilizing unprotected sugar derivatives as starting materials and tolerance to substrates bearing chelating groups. In this work we also demonstrate the utility of the glyco-alkynone products as platform for further functionalization by synthesizing glyco-flavones via Au-catalyzed 6-endo-dig cyclization.

Deaminative carbonylative thioesterification of activated alkylamines with thiophenols under transition-metal-free conditions

A transition-metal-free radical carbonylation of activated alkylamines with thiophenols has been successfully developed. Various thioesters were selectively produced with moderate to good yields.

Tandem Synthesis of 2-Carboxybenzofurans via Sequential Cu-Catalyzed C-O Coupling and Mo(CO)6-Mediated Carbonylation Reactions

A modular tandem synthesis of 2-carboxybenzofurans from 2-gem-dibromovinylphenols has been established based on a sequence of Cu-catalyzed intramolecular C-O coupling and Mo(CO)₆-mediated intermolecular carbonylation reactions. This protocol allowed one-step access to a broad variety of functionalized benzofuran-2-carboxylic acids, esters, and amides in good to excellent yields under Pd- and CO gas-free conditions.

Continuous Pd-Catalyzed Carbonylative Cyclization Using Iron Pentacarbonyl as a CO Source

This work discloses a continuous flow carbonylation reaction using iron pentacarbonyl as source of CO. The described transformation using this surrogate was designed for use in commonly accessible flow equipment. Optimized conditions were applied to a scalable synthesis of the natural compound isolated from perianal glandular pheromone secretion of the African civet cat. In addition, a flow Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of aryl halides is successfully reported.

Direct oxidative esterification of primary alcohols and oxidation of secondary alcohols over mesoporous spherical silica encapsulated MnO2nanoparticles

In this work, a simple and efficient strategy for the fabrication of novel encapsulated MnO₂nanoparticles inside spherical mesoporous silica hollow-nanoparticles was described.

Self-assembly with fluorescence readout in a free base dipyrrin–polymer triggered by metal ion binding in aqueous solution

Profound morphological and fluorogenic changes ensue upon binding of a zinc ion by two polymers, each of which bears a single dipyrrin at one terminus, forming the bis(dipyrrinato)Zn(ii) complex.

Chloroform as a carbon monoxide source in palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 2-amidoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines

A palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation strategy exploiting chloroform as a CO source has been developed for the synthesis of biologically potent 2-amidoimidazopyridine scaffolds. The aminocarbonylation reaction was found to be general with a range of amines and substituted imidazopyridines. Preliminary biological evaluation of cytotoxicity on selected examples provides scope for future investigations.

Recent progress in [11 C]carbon dioxide ([11 C]CO2 ) and [11 C]carbon monoxide ([11 C]CO) chemistry

[11 C]Carbon dioxide ([11 C]CO2 ) and [11 C]carbon monoxide ([11 C]CO) are 2 attractive precursors for labelling the carbonyl position (C═O) in a vast range of functionalised molecules (eg, ureas, amides, and carboxylic acids). The development of radiosynthetic methods to produce functionalised 11 C-labelled compounds is required to enhance the radiotracers available for positron emission tomography, molecular, and medical imaging applications. Following a brief summary of secondary 11 C-precursor production and uses, the review focuses on recent progress with direct 11 C-carboxylation routes with [11 C]CO2 and 11 C-carbonylation with [11 C]CO. Novel approaches to generate [11 C]CO using CO-releasing molecules (CO-RMs), such as silacarboxylic acids and disilanes, applied to radiochemistry are described and compared with standard [11 C]CO production methods. These innovative [11 C]CO synthesis strategies represent efficient and reliable [11 C]CO production processes, enabling the widespread use of [11 C]CO chemistry within the wider radiochemistry community.

Mo(CO)6 as a Solid CO Source in the Synthesis of Aryl/Heteroaryl Weinreb Amides under Microwave-Enhanced Condition

The facile transformation of aryl/heteroaryl nonaflates into corresponding amides via Pd-catalyzed aminocarbonylation using Mo(CO)6 as a solid CO source under microwave-enhanced condition is reported. The method was found to be tolerant with respect to a diverse range of electronically biased aryl/heteroaryl nonaflates, and exceptional yields were obtained. The optimized protocol was further extended to a diverse range of amines.

Palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation of halo-substituted 7-azaindoles and other heteroarenes using chloroform as a carbon monoxide source

A palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation of halo-substituted 7-azaindoles and other heterocycles utilizing CHCl₃ as the carbonyl source has been developed for the straightforward incorporation of an amide functional group.

Predicting Binding Affinities for GPCR Ligands Using Free-Energy Perturbation

The rapid growth of structural information for G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has led to a greater understanding of their structure, function, selectivity, and ligand binding. Although novel ligands have been identified using methods such as virtual screening, computationally driven lead optimization has been possible only in isolated cases because of challenges associated with predicting binding free energies for related compounds. Here, we provide a systematic characterization of the performance of free-energy perturbation (FEP) calculations to predict relative binding free energies of congeneric ligands binding to GPCR targets using a consistent protocol and no adjustable parameters. Using the FEP+ package, first we validated the protocol, which includes a full lipid bilayer and explicit solvent, by predicting the binding affinity for a total of 45 different ligands across four different GPCRs (adenosine A_2AAR, β₁ adrenergic, CXCR4 chemokine, and δ opioid receptors). Comparison with experimental binding affinity measurements revealed a highly predictive ranking correlation (average spearman ρ = 0.55) and low root-mean-square error (0.80 kcal/mol). Next, we applied FEP+ in a prospective project, where we predicted the affinity of novel, potent adenosine A_2A receptor (A_2AR) antagonists. Four novel compounds were synthesized and tested in a radioligand displacement assay, yielding affinity values in the nanomolar range. The affinity of two out of the four novel ligands (plus three previously reported compounds) was correctly predicted (within 1 kcal/mol), including one compound with approximately a tenfold increase in affinity compared to the starting compound. Detailed analyses of the simulations underlying the predictions provided insights into the structural basis for the two cases where the affinity was overpredicted. Taken together, these results establish a protocol for systematically applying FEP+ to GPCRs and provide guidelines for identifying potent molecules in drug discovery lead optimization projects.

The Development and Application of Two-Chamber Reactors and Carbon Monoxide Precursors for Safe Carbonylation Reactions

Low molecular weight gases (e.g., carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and ethylene) represent vital building blocks for the construction of a wide array of organic molecules. Whereas experimental organic chemists routinely handle solid and liquid reagents, the same is not the case for gaseous reagents. Synthetic transformations employing such reagents are commonly conducted under pressure in autoclaves or under atmospheric pressure with a balloon setup, which necessitates either specialized equipment or potentially hazardous and nonrecommended installations. Other safety concerns associated with gaseous reagents may include their toxicity and flammability and, with certain gases, their inability to be detected by human senses. Despite these significant drawbacks, industrial processes apply gaseous building blocks regularly due to their low cost and ready availability but nevertheless under a strictly controlled manner. Carbon monoxide (CO) fits with all the parameters for being a gas of immense industrial importance but with severe handling restrictions due to its inherent toxicity and flammability. In academia, as well as research and development laboratories, CO is often avoided because of these safety issues, which is a limitation for the development of new carbonylation reactions. With our desire to address the handling of CO in a laboratory setting, we designed and developed a two-chamber reactor (COware) for the controlled delivery and utilization of stoichiometric amounts of CO for Pd-catalyzed carbonylation reactions. In addition to COware, two stable and solid CO-releasing molecules (COgen and SilaCOgen) were developed, both of which release CO upon activation by either Pd catalysis or fluoride addition, respectively. The unique combination of COware with either COgen or SilaCOgen provides a simple reactor setup enabling synthetic chemists to easily perform safe carbonylation chemistry without the need for directly handling the gaseous reagent. With this technology, an array of low-pressure carbonylations were developed applying only near stoichiometric amounts of carbon monoxide. Importantly, carbon isotope variants of the CO precursors, such as (13)COgen, Sila(13)COgen, or even (14)COgen, provide a simple means for performing isotope-labeling syntheses. Finally, the COware applicability has been extended to reactions with other gases, such as hydrogen, CO2, and ethylene including their deuterium and (13)C-isotopically labeled versions where relevant. The COware system has been repeatedly demonstrated to be a valuable reactor for carrying out a wide number of transition metal-catalyzed transformations, and we believe this technology will have a significant place in many organic research laboratories.

Visible-Light-Mediated Synthesis of Amides from Aldehydes and Amines via in Situ Acid Chloride Formation

An efficient visible-light photocatalysis-based one-pot amide synthesis method was developed; visible-light irradiation of a mixture of an aldehyde, tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide, and N-chlorosuccinimide using a Ru(bpy)3Cl2 photocatalyst afforded an acid chloride, which subsequently reacted with amine to yield the corresponding amide. The reaction was used to synthesize moclobemide and a D3 receptor intermediate.

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of aryl halides: an efficient, heterogeneous and phosphine-free catalytic system for aminocarbonylation and alkoxycarbonylation employing Mo(CO)6 as a solid carbon monoxide source

Preparation and characterization of palladium nanoparticles immobilized on magnetic methionine-functionalized chitosan as a highly efficient, air stable, and readily reusable heterogeneous catalyst in carbonylation reactions.

Synthesis of 2-hydroxy-3-alkyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one via molybdenum hexacarbonyl mediated CO gas- and ligand free carbonylative reactions

Carbon monoxide gas and ligand-free condition were developed for the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-3-alkyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one via catalytic carbonylation with Mo(CO)₆ as an efficient carbonylating agent for the novel MCR reaction.