Current Organic Synthesis - Volume 19, Issue 2, 2022

The development of new sustainable catalytic conversion methods of carbon dioxide (CO2) is of great interest in the synthesis of valuable chemicals. N-formylation of CO2 with amine nucleophiles as substrates has been studied in depth. The key to benign formylation is to select a suitable reducing agent to activate CO2. This paper showcases the activation modes of CO2 and the construction strategies of sustainable and catalyst-free N-formylation systems. The research progress of catalyst-free N-formylation of amines and CO2 is reviewed. There are two broad prominent categories, namely reductive amidation of CO2 facilitated by organic solvents and ionic liquids in the presence of hydrosilane. Attention is also paid to discussing the involved reaction mechanism with practical applications and identifying the remaining challenges in this field.

Guar gum (GG) is a natural heteropolysaccharide. Due to its non-toxic, eco-friendly, and biodegradable nature, GG has found wide applications in many areas, in particular food, paper, textile, petroleum, and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, GG is often called “Black Gold” as well. Due to the presence of hydroxyl groups, GG can be modified by various methods. The physical and biological properties of GG can be modulated by chemical modifications. In this manuscript, various methods for the chemical modifications of GG have been discussed according to the type of modifications. Mechanistic insights have also been provided whenever possible. In addition, potential applications of new GG derivatives have also been briefly mentioned.

N,O-heterocycles containing the dicarbonyl ring play a significant role in heterocyclic and therapeutic chemistry. Since the discovery of 1,3-diketones, numerous research works have been achieved regarding the synthesis and its chemical reactivity. In this review, we have described the most relevant publications involving β-diketone compounds published during the period between 2018 to date. In addition, we include the 1,3-diketones-based heterocyclic compounds prepared by various synthetic methodologies.

Background: The use of polymer-based catalysts has increased because of their high potential application as an effective catalyst in organic reactions. They have benefits such as high efficiency and reactivity, simple separation, and safety compared to other heterogeneous catalysts. Aim and Objective: The objective of the current research is to prepare solid polymer-based catalysts, poly(aniline-co-m-phenylenediamine) (PAmPDA), and its superparamagnetic nanocomposite. Then, the catalytic activity of the resulting superparamagnetic nanocomposite was investigated in the synthesis of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phetalazine-5,10-diones and 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-5,8-dione derivatives. A series of some 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phetalazine-5,10-diones and 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-5,8-dione derivatives was tested for its antibacterial properties against the Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli bacteria. Materials and Methods: PAmPDA copolymer was synthesized in a 1:2 molar ratio of Ani to mPDA via radical oxidative polymerization at room temperature. Superparamagnetic PAmPDA@Fe3O4 nanocompo-site was synthesized from a mixture of Fe(II), Fe(III) solution, and PAmPDA copolymer via the in-situ co-precipitation technique. 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phetalazine-5,10-diones were synthesized via one-pot three-component condensation reaction of Phthalhydrazide, aromatic aldehyde derivatives, and malono-nitrile in the presence of PAmPDA under solvent-free conditions at 80 °C. The synthesis of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-5,8-dione derivatives was carried out via a one-pot three-component condensa-tion reaction of maleic hydrazide, aromatic aldehyde derivatives, and malononitrile in the presence of PAmPDA under reflux conditions at EtOH/H2O 1:1. The antibacterial activity of some derivatives was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Results: First, superparamagnetic PAmPDA@Fe3O4 nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized successfully, and then the resulting nanocatalyst was used for the synthesis of pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine and pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine. We obtained the maximum yield of the desired 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10 dione derivatives with 0.05 g of catalyst at 80°C, under solvent free conditions, whereby the reaction was complete within 30 min. A wide range of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10 dione derivatives were synthesized in good to excellent yield. On the other hand, pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine derivative was synthesized successfully in high yield using PAmPDA as a nanocatalyst. The antibacterial activity of some derivatives, according to the data (inhibition zone%), showed good ac-tivity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. Conclusion: In this research, PAmPDA was used for mild preparation of 1H-pyrazolo [1,2-a]pyridazine-5,8-diones & 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phetalazine-5,10-diones derivatives with excellent yields and short reac-tion times. The attractive features of this protocol are simple procedure, cleaner reaction, and the use of recyclable nanocatalyst. Satisfactory yields of products and easy workup make this a useful protocol for the green synthesis of this class of compounds. The antibacterial activity of some derivatives, according to the data (inhibition zone%), showed good activity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.

Aims: The present investigation is targeted towards the synthesis of a novel analogue of a natural peptide of marine origin. Background: Marine sponges are enriched with bioactive secondary metabolites, especially circu-lar peptides. Heterocycles are established organic compounds with potential biological value. Tak-ing into consideration the bio-properties of heterocycles and marine sponge-derived natural pep-tides, an effort was made for the synthesis of a heterocyclic analogue of a natural cyclopeptide. Objective: A heterocyclic analogue of a sponge-derived proline-containing cyclic peptide, rolloam-ide A, was synthesized by interaction of Boc-protected L-histidinyl-L-prolyl-L-valine and L-prolyl-L-leucyl-L-prolyl-L-isoleucine methyl ester and compared with synthetic rolloamide A with bioac-tivity against bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. Methods: The synthesis of cycloheptapeptide was accomplished employing the liquid phase method. The larger peptide segment was prepared by interaction of Boc-protected L-prolyl-L-leu-cine with L-prolyl-L-isoleucine methyl ester. Similarly, the tripeptide unit was synthesized from Boc-protected L-histidinyl-L-proline with L-valine ester. The linear heptapeptide segment (7) was cyclized by utilizing pentafluorophenyl (pfp) ester, and the structure was elucidated by elemental and spectral (IR, ¹H/¹³C NMR, MS) analysis. The peptide was also screened for diverse bioactivities such as antibacterial, antifungal, and potential against earthworms and cytotoxicity. Results: The novel cyclooligopeptide was synthesized with 84% yield by making use of car-bodiimides. The synthesized cyclopeptide exhibited significant cytotoxicity against two cell lines. In addition, promising antifungal and antihelmintic properties were observed for newly synthesized heterocyclic peptide derivative (8) against dermatophytes and three earthworm species at 6 μg/mL and 2 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Solution-phase technique employing carbodiimide chemistry was established to be promising for synthesizing the cycloheptapeptide derivative (8), and C5H5N was proved to be a better base for heptapeptide circling when compared to N-methylmorpholine and triethylamine.

Introduction: The preparation of model 6-chloro-5-nitrothieno[2,3-c]pyridazines incorporating (2'-halo-5'-nitrophenyl) entity is described. Interaction of these substrates with N'-(aryl)benzothiohydrazides, in the presence of triethylamine, followed a formal [4+1] annulation, furnishing the respective 1,3,4-thiadiazoline–benzothiazolo [3,2-b]pyridazine hybrids directly. This one-pot synthesis implies thiophene ring-opening and two consecutive intramolecular cyclizations. The structures of the synthesized new hybrids are supported by MS, NMR, and IR spectral data and further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. These hybrids exhibit antiproliferative activity with notable selectivity against solid tumor cell lines (IC50: 4-18 μM). Aims: This study aimed at exploring the scope and applicability of thiophene ring-opening reaction towards the synthesis of new thiadiazoline–[fused]tricyclic conjugates. Background: α-Chloro-β-nitrothienopyridazine underwent ring-opening upon reacting with N'-(aryl)benzothiohydrazides generating 1,3,4-thiadiazoline–benzothiazolo[3,2-b]pyridazines. Objective: This new thiophene ring-opening reaction is applied to the one-pot synthesis of thiadiazoline–benzothiazolo[3,2-b]pyridazine couples. Method: A direct interaction of α-chloro-β-nitrothienopyridazine with N'-(aryl)benzothio-hydrazide at room temperature for 1-2 h occurred. Result: a-Chloro-β-nitrothieno[2,3-c]pyridazines are suitable substrates for the facile synthesis of thiadiazoline–benzothiazolo[3,2-b]pyridazine hybrids. Conclusion: This novel ring-opening reaction proceeds via formal [4+1] annulation and provides a versatile approach to various conjugated and/or fused five-membered heterocycles.