Current Organic Synthesis - Volume 17, Issue 1, 2020

Background: Onychine is a 4-azafluorenone alkaloid isolated from the Annonaceae family, in low concentrations. Onychine and its analogs exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, and antimalarial. Because of the high bioactivity of some 4-azafluorenone derivatives, several synthetic methods have been developed for their procurement. Objective: Considering the importance of these alkaloids, we aim to present the main synthetic approaches to onychines and its derivatives and the biological activity of some 4-azafluorenones. Methods: The most prominent methodologies for the synthesis of onychines were reviewed. Results: In this work, we cover many synthetic approaches for the synthesis of onychine and 4-azafluorenone derivatives including intramolecular cyclizations, multicomponent reactions, microwave-assisted multicomponent reactions, Diels-alder reactions, among others. Moreover, we also review the biological activity of 4-azafluorenones. Conclusion: 4-azafluorenones have risen as prominent structures in medicinal chemistry; however, most of the time, access to new derivatives involves toxic catalysts, harsh reaction conditions, and long-step procedures. Therefore, the development of new synthetic routes with more operational simplicity, simple purification procedure, good yields, and low environmental impact, is desirable.

Background and Objective: The objective of our work was to establish a facile and scalable synthesis of imidazopyridone for further use in medicinal chemistry applications. An easy synthesis of a core scaffold will enable the medicinal chemistry community to use imidazopyridone as a privileged scaffold in new chemical entity (NCE) synthesis. Materials and Methods: The synthesis was achieved from commercially available and cheap raw materials like amino acetonitrile hydrochloride or commercially available guanidine. Results: Simple transformation starting from amino acetonitrile hydrochloride leads to the synthesis of a versatile imidazo [1, 5-a] pyrimidine-2-(1H)-one core structure. Using suitable functionalized starting materials, a set of NCEs were synthesized to demonstrate the application of the developed synthetic scheme. Similarly, guanidine was also used to synthesize a regioisomer of imidazopyridone in moderate to good yields. Conclusion: We demonstrate the synthesis of two different regio-isomers of imidazopyrimidinone using simple chemical transformations. Its application in synthesizing NCEs has also been exhibited in the present work.

Background: Quinoxaline 1,4-dioxides have a broad range of biological activity that causes a growing interest in their derivatives for drug discovery. Recent studies demonstrated that quinoxaline 1,4- dioxides have a promising anticancer activity and good hypoxia-selectivity. Objective: The preparation, isolation, structure characterization, and screening for anticancer activity of the first representatives of 6-substituted quinoxaline-2-carbonitrile 1,4-dioxides have been described. Materials and Methods: A series of 7- and 6-halogeno-3-phenylquinoxaline-2-carbonitrile 1,4-dioxides was synthesized by the Beirut reaction. The cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT test (72 h incubation) in normoxia (21% O2) and hypoxia (1% O2) conditions. Results: We found that during the Beirut reaction between a benzofuroxan bearing an electron withdrawing group and benzoylacetonitrile in the presence of triethylamine, in addition to well-known 7-substituted quinoxaline-2-carbonitrile 1,4-dioxides 7-11a, the 6-isomers 7-11b are formed. Moreover, the yield of the 6- isomers increased with the increase in the electron-withdrawing character of the substituent. For benzofuroxans with CO2Me and CF3 groups, 6-substituted quinoxaline-2-carbonitrile 1,4-dioxides 10-11b were the major products. Despite similarities in physicochemical and spectroscopic properties, the obtained isomers exhibit considerable differences in their anticancer activity and hypoxia selectivity. Conclusion: Substituents and their electronic effects play a key role in the formation of 7- and 6-substituted quinoxaline-2-carbonitrile 1,4-dioxides in the Beirut reaction and in the cytotoxicity properties of the obtained isomers.

Aims and Objectives: A one-pot synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives by threecomponent cyclo-condensation of isatoic anhydride, aldehydes and amine or ammonium acetate has been developed using 3,5-Bis(trifluoromethyl) phenylammonium triflate (BFPAT) as a new organocatalyst. Materials and Methods: All of the obtained products are known compounds and identified by IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and melting points. Results: A wide variety of structurally different aldehydes reacted easily and rapidly to result in the relating 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones in good to excellent yield. Conclusion: We have demonstrated an extremely effective and new process for synthesizing 2,3- dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones employing BFPAT as a novel organocatalyst in one-pot fashion.

Background: A wide variety of dihydropyrimidins (DHPMs) exhibit pharmacological and biological activities. Herein, an efficient one-pot synthesis of some 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives is reported using Fe3O4 @SiO2–Pr-INH. Objective: Recently, several catalysts have been used to improve the Biginellis-reaction. However, some of these catalysts have imperfections. Herein, a convenient method for the synthesis of 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin- 2(1H)-ones and their sulfur derivatives using Fe3O4 @SiO2–Pr-INH is reported. Materials and Methods: Firstly, the catalyst was synthesized through a simple four-step method. The Fe3O4 MNPs were synthesized using the chemical co-precipitation method, coated with a layer of silica using TEOS, and then functionalized with CPTMS. Subsequently, a nucleophilic substitution of Cl by isoniazid resulted in the formation of the magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr-INH. After the preparation and characterization of Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr-INH, its catalytic activity was studied in the synthesis of 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives. Following the optimization of the reaction conditions, several 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of ethyl acetoacetate or acetylacetone, thiourea or urea and aromatic aldehydes at 80 °C under solvent-free conditions. Results: Isoniazid-functionalized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr-INH) were prepared using Fe3O4 with silica layer and their surface was modified with isoniazid. They were characterized successfully by infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and were used for the synthesis of some 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives as catalysts. Aromatic aldehydes with electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups afforded 3, 4- dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones and their sulfur derivatives in good to excellent yields in short reaction times. Conclusion: Isoniazid-functionalized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr-INH) were used as an efficient catalyst for Biginelli-type synthesis of 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones and 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin- 2(1H)-thiones in good to excellent yields and short reaction times. It is noteworthy that this method has several advantages such as simple experimental procedures, the absence of solvent, environmentally benign process, stability and reusability of the catalyst.

Background: A novel series of pyridine containing 1,3,4-oxa/thiadiazol derivatives 4a,b, pyrazole derivatives 5-7, thiazole derivatives 9a,b and 17a-c, urea derivatives 12a-c, imidiazole derivative 16, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives 18a, b, tetrazole 19, pyrane 20 and pyridine derivatives 21 has been synthesized. Objective: This research aims to synthesize 6-(Trifluoromethyl)-2-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] amino} nicotinohydrazide 2 and 6-(trifluoromethyl)-2-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]amino} pyridin-3-carboaldhyde 15 as key intermediate for the synthesis of novel pyridine derivatives bearing different heterocyclic rings in order to study the additive effect of this ring toward tumor cell lines. Methods: 6-(Trifluoromethyl)-2-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]amino} nicotinohydrazide 2 was synthesized in a series of synthetic steps and was used as key intermediate for the synthesis of compounds 3-(1,3,4- oxa/thiadiazol-2-yl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)-N-(3- trifluoromethyl) phenyl) pyridin-2-amine 4a,b, (3,5-dimethyl- 1H-pyrazol-1-yl derivatives) [6-(trifluoromethyl)-2-{[3- trifluoromethyl) phenyl] amino} pyridin-3- yl]methanone 5a,b, 6-8, 9a,b and 12a-c. Also, 6-(trifluoromethyl)-2-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]amino} pyridin-3-carboaldhyde (15) was used as a key intermediate for the synthesis of novel series of pyridine derivatives with different heterocyclic ring (16-21). Results: Structures of the newly synthesized compounds were established by elemental analysis and spectral data. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against liver cancer (HepG2), human colon cancer (HT-29) and human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines (MCF-7). Conclusion: All the synthesized compounds were investigated for their in vitro antitumor activity. Compounds 4b, 9a,b and 19 showed higher antitumor activity than the doxorubicin. Interestingly, pyridine with pfluorophenyl urea 12a demonstrated the most potent antitumor activity. The activity of these compounds is strongly dependent on the basic skeleton of the molecules and the nature of the heterocyclic ring attached to the pyridine moiety.

Introduction: An effective Cu-complex, [Cu(NH3)4SO4 • H2O] was prepared conveniently from the inexpensive and easily available starting reagents in a simple route. Materials and Methods: Excellent reactivity of the catalyst was observed towards two competent clickcycloadditions: (a) oxidative cycloaddition of azides with electron-poor olefins and (b) one-pot cycloaddition of alkynes with boronic acid and sodium azide under “click-appropriate” conditions. Results: No external oxidant, short reaction time, high product yield, wide substrate scope, and aqueous solvent media make the azide-olefin cycloaddition approach a greener route in contrast to the reported methods. Conclusion: The newly developed mild, green, and rapid three-component strategy shows product diversity with superb yields at room temperature by reducing the synthetic process time and using only 1 mol % of the synthesized copper complex.

Aims and Objectives: An efficient and facile DBU catalysed synthesis of highly significant motif 5,7-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines under solvent-free condition has been reported. Materials and Methods: To a round bottom flask, 1.0 mmol of chalcone (1), 1.5 mmol of 3-amino-1,2,4- triazole (2) and 30 mol% of DBU were added at 70 °C and stirred in solvent-free condition. After the completion of the reaction (monitored by TLC), water (10 ml) was added. The aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (3 x10 ml). The combined organic layers were dried over anhydrous Na2SO4. The combined organic layers were evaporated under reduced pressure and the resulting crude product was purified by column chromatography by using ethyl acetate and hexane as eluent. Results: Reaction using chalcone and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole as model substrates were carried out under different reaction conditions and it was observed that 30 mol% of DBU under the solvent-free condition at 70 °C was the optimum temperature for the proposed synthesis. Conclusion: Use of DBU (an organocatalyst) as a base, operational simplicity, high yield of products and short reaction time are some of the significant advantages associated with the proposed strategy.