Bromination of Some Aromatic Compounds with Potassium Bromide in the Presence of Benzyltriphenylphosphonium Peroxodisulfate

Synthesis of mono- and dimethoxylated polychlorinated biphenyl derivatives starting from fluoroarene derivatives

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental pollutants implicated in a variety of adverse health effects, including cancer and noncancer diseases in animals and humans. PCBs are metabolized to hydroxylated compounds, and some of these PCB metabolites are more toxic than the parent PCBs. Unfortunately, most PCB metabolites needed for toxicological studies are not available from commercial sources. Moreover, it is challenging to synthesize PCB metabolites because starting materials with suitable substitution patterns are not readily available. Here, we report the novel synthesis of a variety of mono- and dimethoxyarene derivatives from commercially available fluoroarenes via nucleophilic aromatic substitution with sodium methoxide. This reaction provided good to excellent yields of the desired methoxylated products. Suzuki coupling of selected mono- and dimethoxy haloarenes with chlorinated phenylboronic acids yielded methoxylated derivatives of PCB 11, 12, 25, 35, and 36 in low to good yields. Crystal structures of 3,3'-dichloro-2,5-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl and 3',5-dichloro-2,3-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl confirmed the substitution pattern of both compounds. This synthesis strategy provides straightforward access to a range of mono- and dimethoxylated PCB derivatives that were not readily accessible previously.

Sono-bromination of aromatic compounds based on the ultrasonic advanced oxidation processes

A novel, mild "sono-halogenation" of various aromatic compounds with potassium halide was investigated under ultrasound in a biphasic carbon tetrachloride/water medium. The feasibility study was first undertaken with the potassium bromide and then extended to chloride and iodide analogues. This methodology could be considered as a new expansion of the ultrasonic advanced oxidation processes (UAOPs) into a synthetic aspect as the developed methodology is linked to the sonolytic disappearance of carbon tetrachloride. Advantages of the present method are not only that the manipulation of the bromination is simple and green, but also that the halogenating agents used are readily available, inexpensive, and easy-handling.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of a new group of heterocyclic analogues of the combretastatins

A series of new analogs of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4, 1) with the A or B-ring replaced by a 3-oxo-2,3-dihydrofurocoumarin or a furocoumarin residue have been designed and synthesized by employing a cross-coupling approach. All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity with respect to model cancer cell lines (CEM-13, MT-4, U-937) using conventional MTT assays. Structure-activity relationship analysis reveals that compounds 2, 3, 6–8 in which the (Z)-styryl substituent was connected to the 2-position of the 3-oxo-2,3-dihydrofurocoumarin core, demonstrated increased potency compared to 3-(Z)-styrylfurocoumarins 4, 5, 9–11. The methoxy-, hydroxyl- and formyl- substitution on the aromatic ring of the (Z)-styryl moiety seems to play an important role in this class of compounds. Compounds 2 and 3 showed the best potency against the CEM-13 cell lines, with CTD₅₀ values ranging from 4.9 to 5.1 μM. In comparison with CA-4, all synthesized compounds presented moderate cytotoxic activity to the T-cellular human leucosis cells MT-4 and lymphoblastoid leukemia cells CEM-13, but most of them were active in the human monocyte cell lines U-937.

Simple and improved regioselective brominations of aromatic compounds using N-benzyl N,N-dimethyl anilinium peroxodisulfate in the presence of potassium bromide under mild reactions conditions

A simple, efficient, and mild method for the selective bromination of some activated aromatic compounds using N-benzyl N,N dimethyl anilinium peroxodisulfate in the presence of potassium bromide in non-aqueous solution is reported. The results obtained revealed good to excellent selectivity between the ortho and para positions of phenols and methoxyarenes.

Direct halogenation of organic compounds with halides using oxone in water — A green protocol

Direct bromination and iodination of various aromatic compounds with NaBr and NaI using oxone (2KHSO5·KHSO4·K2SO4) in water was accomplished successfully in high-to-excellent yields. The main benefit of this protocol is the performance of the reactions in water in the presence of a harmless oxidant without the use of any organic co-solvents. Using NaBr and NaI as the safe sources of halogens is another advantage of the protocol. This method is easily applicable to the large-scale operations. We have also applied this method successfully for the iodocyclization of an unsaturated alcohol and an unsaturated carboxylic acid.