Self-Assembly of 4,4'-Linked Dipyrromethanes from Unconventional Reactants─Propargylamines, 2-(Vinyloxy)ethyl Isothiocyanate, and Alkylating Agents under Basic Conditions

Self-assembly of 4,4'-linked dipyrromethanes from 2-(vinyloxy)ethyl isothiocyanate, tertiary propargylamines, and alkylating agents has been discovered. The plausible reaction mechanism, the major stages of which have been confirmed experimentally, includes (1) the lithiation of propargylamine (with n-BuLi); (2) the formation of lithium N-[2-(vinyloxy)ethyl]but-2-ynimidothioate (product of the addition of monolithiated propargylamine to isothiocyanate); (3) isomerization of the latter in the corresponding allenylimidothioate (under the action of the t-BuOK/t-BuOH system); (4) low-temperature (<15 °C) intramolecular cyclization of the latter into potassium N-(5-amino-2-thienyl)-N-[2-(vinyloxy)ethyl]amide; (5) the base-induced cleavage of the C-O bond of the N-[2-(vinyloxy)ethyl] group and removal of vinyloxide-anion leading to acetaldehyde; (6) interaction of acetaldehyde with two molecules of N-(5-amino-2-thienyl)-N-[2-(vinyloxy)ethyl]amide-anion resulting in dithienomethane N-anionic intermediate; (7) recyclization of the latter into dipyrromethane S-anionic intermediate. Final S-alkylation affords synthetically challenging 4,4'-dipyrromethanes in a yield of 22-51%. The whole process is carried out in a single synthetic operation in a very short time (∼10-15 min, excluding alkylation time).

Dihydropyrrole-3-thiones: one-pot synthesis from propargylamines, acyl chlorides and sodium sulfide

An efficient one-pot synthesis of 1,2,5-trisubstituted-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrrole-3-thiones (up to 91% yield), representatives of essentially new heterocyclic systems, by the successive treatment of available propargylamines with acyl chlorides (PdCl2/CuI/Ph3P/Et3N, toluene, 40-45 °C, 3 h) and sodium sulfide (Na2S·9H2O, EtOH, 20-25 °C, 7 h) has been developed. The synthesis comprises the addition of sulfide anions to the formed aminoacetylenic ketones followed by dehydrative cyclization of the prototropically rearranged adducts.

Acrylamide derivatives: A dynamic nuclear magnetic resonance study

Substituted acrylamides have found an extensive application in organic and medical chemistry; therefore, it is very important to get insight into their features such as electronic structure, spectral properties, and stereochemical transformations. A correct interpretation of the chemical behavior and biological activity of these heteroatomic systems is impossible without knowledge of the structure of stereodynamic forms and factors determining their relative stability. The structure and peculiarities of stereodynamic behavior of substituted acrylamides and their model compounds were studied by dynamic and multinuclear ¹ H, ¹³ C, and ¹⁵ N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in CDCl₃ and DMSO-d₆ solution. It has been established that acrylamides in solution are realized as Z- and E-isomers, with the E-rotamer being somewhat predominant. The obtained experimental values of the free activation energy of rotamers vary within 15-17 kcal/mol, depending on the stereochemical structure of the molecule. ¹⁵ N NMR spectroscopy is the most reliable and fastest method for determining the structural and stereochemical features of nitrogen-containing compounds.

Towards Rare-Functionalized N-Alkenyl-1H-pyrroles via Regioselectively Metalated N-Isopropenyl-1H-pyrroles

Deprotonative metalation of N-isopropenyl-1H-pyrroles with superbases followed by trapping with a variety of electrophiles was studied as an effective tool for the regioselective functionalization of 1H-pyrroles.

Metal-free SHN cross-coupling of pyridines with phosphine chalcogenides: polarization/deprotonation/oxidation effects of electron-deficient acetylenes

Terminal acylacetylenes act as trimodal auxiliaries in SHN cross-coupling of pyridines with phosphine chalcogenides. The reaction proceeds via phosphorylation of the pyridine 2 position followed by 2 → 4-migration of phosphoryl moieties.

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of new ensembles of diversely functionalized 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl selenides by a double rearrangement reaction

The reaction of 2-(bromomethyl)-1,3-thiaselenole with potassium selenocyanate proceeded via a rearrangement with ring expansion, leading to a six-membered 2,3-dihydro-1,4-thiaselenin-2-yl selenocyanate (kinetic product) which in turn underwent rearrangement with ring contraction to a 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl selenocyanate (thermodynamic product). These rearrangements occurred by a nucleophilic attack of the selenocyanate anion at two different carbon atoms of the seleniranium intermediate. The efficient regioselective synthesis of alkyl, allyl, 2-propynyl, benzyl, 4-fluorobenzyl, and 2-pyridinylmethyl 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl selenides was developed based on the generation of sodium 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethylselenolate from 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl selenocyanate or bis(1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl) diselenide followed by nucleophilic substitution reactions. Sodium 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethylselenolate underwent nucleophilic addition to alkyl propiolates in a regio- and stereoselective manner affording 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl vinyl selenides in high yields predominantly with Z-configuration. Not a single representative of the 1,3-thiaselenol-2-ylmethyl selenide scaffold has been previously described in the literature.

Catalyst-Free Double CH-Functionalization of Quinolines with Phosphine Oxides via Two SNHAr Reaction Sequences

Quinolines undergo catalyst-free double CH-functionalization upon treatment with secondary phosphine oxides (70-75 °C, 20-48 h) followed by oxidation of the intermediate 2,4-bisphosphoryltetrahydroquinolines with chloranil. The yields of the target 2,4-bisphosphorylated quinolines are up to 77%. Thus, a double-S_N^HAr reaction sequence in the same molecule of quinoline has been realized. In the case of 2,4-bisphenylphosphoryltetrahydroquinolines, the aromatization occurs with elimination of one molecule of diphenylphosphine oxide to afford the products of monofunctionalization, 4-diphenylphosphorylquinolines, in 40-45% yields.

Nucleophilic Addition of 1,1′-Bis(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene to Alkynes: Synthesis of Ferrocene Diethenyl Ethers

Chemoselective and atom-economical methods for the synthesis of ferrocene diethenyl ethers have been developed via direct base-catalyzed addition of 1,1′-bis(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene to various acetylenes. This ferrocene diol has been shown to be capable of adding to acetylene (KOH/DMSO, 70–80 °C, 1–3 h), propyne (KOH/DMSO, 70 °C, 12 h), phenylethyne (KOH/DMSO, 20–25 °C, 48 h), alkylpropiolates (DABCO, 10 mol%/CH2Cl2, 20–25 °C, 0.5 h), and acylacetylenes (DABCO, 1 mol%/CH2Cl2, 20–25 °C, 0.5 h) to afford the corresponding diethenyl ethers in 73–98% yields.

Synthesis of 2-[(5-Amino-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)sulfanyl]acetic Acid Esters: One-Pot Assembly from Propargyl Amines, Isothiocyanates, and Alkyl­ 2-Bromoacetates

2-[(5-Amino-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)sulfanyl]acetic acid esters have been synthesized in up to 77% yield by the one-pot reaction of lithiated propargylamines with isothiocyanates followed by sequential treatment with t-BuOK–DMSO and alkyl 2-bromoacetates. The process occurs through the initial formation of the thiophene core, followed by its recyclization into the pyrrole nucleus at a higher temperature (ca. 45–60 °C).

New methodology of nucleophilic substitution at three different centers of a seleniranium intermediate in reactions of 2-bromomethyl-1,3-thiaselenole with mercapto benzazoles

Regio- and stereoselective reactions accompanied by rearrangements with ring extension or contraction.

Metal-free site selective cross-coupling of pyridines with secondary phosphine chalcogenides using acylacetylenes as oxidants

Pyridines are easily cross-coupled with secondary phosphine chalcogenides in the presence of acylphenylacetylenes under mild conditions to afford 4-chalcogenophosphorylpyridines.

Study of spontaneous E/Z isomerization of bis[(Z)-cyanomethylidene]-diazapentacyclodienedicarboxylates by 1 H, 13 C, and 15 N NMR spectroscopy, X-ray, and quantum chemical calculation data

X-ray data show that the diethyl 6,13-bis[(Z)-cyanomethylidene]-5,5,14,14-tetramethyl-4,15-dioxa-7,12-diazapentacyclo[9.5.2.0^2,10 .0^3,7 .0^12,16 ]octadeca-8,17-diene-10,17-dicarboxylate is formed as the ZZ isomer and diastereomer with the (1R*,2R*,3R*,10S*,11R*,12R*,16R*) configuration. The ¹ H, ¹³ C, and ¹⁵ N NMR data exhibit that on standing in chloroform-d solution, there is a spontaneous isomerization of this compound resulting in a thermodynamically stable mixture of the ZZ, ZE, EE, and EZ isomers with the same backbone. Using the 2D [¹ H-¹ H] COSY, [¹ H-¹³ C] HSQC, and [¹ H-¹³ C, ¹ H-¹⁵ N] HMBC NMR techniques and quantum chemical calculations makes it possible a complete assignment of signals in the ¹ H, ¹³ C, and ¹⁵ N NMR spectra of each of the isomers. Such isomerization does not occur for similar compounds with the more bulky substituents at the 1,3-oxazolidine rings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Aerobic addition of secondary phosphine oxides to vinyl sulfides: a shortcut to 1-hydroxy-2-(organosulfanyl)ethyl(diorganyl)phosphine oxides

Secondary phosphine oxides react with vinyl sulfides (both alkyl- and aryl-substituted sulfides) under aerobic and solvent-free conditions (80 °C, air, 7–30 h) to afford 1-hydroxy-2-(organosulfanyl)ethyl(diorganyl)phosphine oxides in 70–93% yields.

Experimental and theoretical study of the intramolecular C-H···N and C-H···S hydrogen bonding effects in the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of the 2-(alkylsulfanyl)-5-amino-1-vinylpyrroles: a particular state of amine nitrogen

In the (1)H NMR spectra of the 1-vinylpyrroles with amino- and alkylsulfanyl groups in 5 and 2 positions, an extraordinarily large difference between resonance positions of the HA and HB terminal methylene protons of the vinyl group is discovered. Also, the one-bond (1)J(C(β),H(B)) coupling constant is surprisingly greater than the (1)J(C(β),H(A)) coupling constant in pyrroles under investigation, while in all known cases, there was a reverse relationship between these coupling constants. These spectral anomalies are substantiated by quantum chemical calculations. The calculations show that the amine nitrogen lone pair is removed from the conjugation with the π-system of the pyrrole ring so that it is directed toward the HB hydrogen. These factors are favorable to the emergence of the intramolecular C-HB •••N hydrogen bonding in the s-cis(N) conformation. On the other hand, the spatial proximity of the sulfur to the HB hydrogen provides an opportunity of the intramolecular C-HB •••S hydrogen bonding in the s-cis(S) conformation. Presence of the hydrogen bond critical points as well as ring critical point for corresponding chelate ring revealed by a quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) approach confirms the existence of the weak intramolecular C-H•••N and C-H•••S hydrogen bonding. Therefore, an unusual high-frequency shift of the HB signal and the increase in the (1)J(C(β),H(B)) coupling constant can be explained by the effects of hydrogen bonding.