Preparation and Synthetic Applications of Five-to-Seven-Membered Cyclic α-Diazo Monocarbonyl Compounds

5-Diazo Dihydrouracils: Preparation and Some Transformations

An approach to a new type of diazo reagents─diazo dihydrouracils─has been developed, and various transformations of the obtained diazo heterocycles have been studied, demonstrating their high synthetic potential for obtaining structurally diverse derivatives based on the privileged dihydrouracil scaffold. The X-H insertion reactions provide high yields of a variety of 5-substituted dihydrouracils. Cyclopropanation and 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions involving a carbonyl ylide intermediate have been carried out to give spiro-annulated derivatives. The limitations of the modification methods with respect to the nature of substituents on the nitrogen atoms of the diazo heterocycle have been outlined.

Synthesis of Azabicyclic Isosteres of Piperazine 2S-Carboxylic Acid

Methods have been developed for the stereocontrolled synthesis of bicyclic diaza [3.3.0] octane carboxylic acids as possible isosteres of piperazine 2S-carboxylic acid. In the first approach, l-pyroglutamic acid was functionalized adopting new as well as documented reaction sequences via Michael and aza-Michael reactions, leading to two of the four intended isosteres. An alternative shorter route relying on enolate chemistry starting with N-Pf 4-keto l-proline methyl ester led to two other isosteres. Calculated pKa values and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have provided some insights into the relative basicities of the nitrogen atoms in these diaza [3.3.0] octane carboxylic acids in relation to piperazine 2S-carboxylic acid.

DFT Study on Mechanism of Ni-Al Bimetallic-Catalyzed C-H Cyclization to Construct Tricyclic Imidazoles: Roles of NHC Ligand and AlMe3

The mechanism of the Ni-Al bimetallic-catalyzed C-H cyclization to construct tricyclic imidazoles is investigated using density functional theory calculations. The calculation result shows that the reaction mechanism involves sequential steps of substrate coordination, ligand-to-ligand hydrogen transfer (LLHT), and C-C reductive elimination to produce the final product tricyclic imidazole. The LLHT step is calculated to be the rate-determining step. The oxidative addition of the benzimidazole C-H bond to the Ni center and the insertion of the alkene into the Ni-H bond occur concertedly in the LLHT step. The effects of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands and AlMe3 on the reactivity and regioselectivity were also analyzed. These calculation results shed light on some ambiguous suggestions from experiments.