Benzylic Position Research Articles

Synthesis of Heterodiarylmethanes via Metallaphotoredox Decarboxylative Arylation

AbstractA metallaphotoredox-catalyzed synthesis of heterodiarylmethanes using mild reaction conditions, commercially available substrates, and bench-stable catalysts is demonstrated. Moderate yields are obtained, and further derivatization of the newly formed benzylic position is shown.

Mechanism of the Visible-Light-Promoted C(sp3)-H Oxidation via Uranyl Photocatalysis.

Uranyl cation, as an emerging photocatalyst, has been successfully applied to synthetic chemistry in recent years and displayed remarkable catalytic ability under visible light. However, the molecular-level reaction mechanisms of uranyl photocatalysis are unclear. Here, we explore the mechanism of the stepwise benzylic C-H oxygenation of typical alkyl-substituted aromatics (i.e., toluene, ethylbenzene, and cumene) via uranyl photocatalysis using theoretical and experimental methods. Theoretical calculation results show that the most favorable reaction path for uranyl photocatalytic oxidation is as follows: first, hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the benzyl position to form a carbon radical ([R•]), then oxygen addition ([R•] + O2 → [ROO•]), then radical-radical combination ([ROO•] + [R•] → [ROOR] → 2[RO•]), and eventually [RO•] reduction to produce alcohols, of which 2° alcohol would further be oxidized to ketones and 1° would be stepwise-oxygenated to acids. The results of the designed verification experiments and the capture of reactive intermediates were consistent with those of theoretical calculations and the previously reported research that the active benzylic C-H would be stepwise-oxygenated in the presence of uranyl. This work deepens our understanding of the HAT mechanism of uranyl photocatalysis and provides important theoretical support for the relevant application of uranyl photocatalysts in organic transformation.

Reactivity and Stability of (Hetero)Benzylic Alkenes via the Wittig Olefination Reaction.

Wittig olefination at hetero-benzylic positions for electron-deficient and electron-rich heterocycles has been studied. The electronic effects of some commonly used protective groups associated with the N-heterocycles were also investigated for alkenes obtained in the context of the widely employed Wittig olefination reaction. It was observed that hetero-benzylic positions of the pyridine, thiophene and furan derivatives were stable after Wittig olefination. Similarly, electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs) attached to N-heterocycles (indole and pyrrole derivatives) directly enhanced the stability of the benzylic position during and after Wittig olefination, resulting in the formation of stable alkenes. Conversely, electron-donating group (EDG)-associated N-heterocycles boosted the reactivity of benzylic alkene, leading to lower yields or decomposition of the olefination products.

Decaging-to-labeling: Development and investigation of quinone methide warhead for protein labeling

Biomolecule labeling in living systems is crucial for understanding biological processes and discovering therapeutic targets. A variety of labeling warheads have been developed for multiple biological applications, including proteomics, bioimaging, sequencing, and drug development. Quinone methides (QMs), a class of highly reactive Michael receptors, have recently emerged as prominent warheads for on-demand biomolecule labeling. Their highly flexible functionality and tunability allow for diverse biological applications, but remain poorly explored at present. In this regard, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of new QM probes with a trifluoromethyl group at the benzyl position and substituents on the aromatic ring to manipulate their chemical properties for biomolecule labeling. The engineered QM warhead efficiently labeled proteins both in vitro and under living cell conditions, with significantly enhanced activity compared to previous QM warheads. We further analyzed the labeling efficacy with the assistance of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which revealed that the QM generation process, rather than the reactivity of QM, contributes more predominantly to the labeling efficacy. Noteworthy, twelve nucleophilic residues on the BSA were labeled by the probe, including Cys, Asp, Glu, His, Lys, Asn, Gln, Arg, Ser, Thr, Trp and Tyr. Given their high efficiency and tunability, these new QM warheads may hold great promise for a broad range of applications, especially spatiotemporal proteomic profiling for in-depth biological studies.

Pd(II)-catalyzed cyclization of 2-methyl aromatic ketones with maleimides through weak chelation assisted dual C-H activation.

A palladium-catalyzed dual C-H functionalization of substituted aromatic ketones and ester with maleimides leading to tricyclic heterocyclic molecules with good to excellent yield is reported. In this protocol, weak chelation of the carbonyl groups has been successfully utilized for the selective activation of the ortho-methyl C(sp3)-H bond instead of the ortho-C(sp2)-H bond in the presence of an external bidentate ligand Ac-Ile-OH. The reaction proceeds through two-fold C-H activation to generate a five-membered cyclic ring. The first C-H activation takes place selectively at the benzylic position followed by a second C-H bond activation at the meta position. The protocol demonstrates compatibility among diverse substituted aromatic ketones and ester as well as various substituted maleimides. Further derivatization of the tricyclic ketone to an alcohol exhibits the synthetic applicability of the protocol. Also, a plausible reaction mechanism has been proposed.

Aryl carbonyls and carbinols as proelectrophiles for Friedel-Crafts benzylation and alkylation.

Friedel-Crafts benzylation/alkylation using benzylic, tertiary, and homobenzylic alcohols; aryl aldehydes, aryl ketones, and the highly challenging aryl carboxylic acids and esters as proelectrophiles has been achieved using borane-ammonia and TiCl4, greatly broadening the scope of useable substrates. Incorporation of deactivated aromatic proelectrophiles and specificity for substitution at the benzylic position are demonstrated in the synthesis of various di- and triarylalkane products. Dual protocols allow for the use of standard nucleophilic solvents (benzene, toluene, etc.) or for stoichiometric addition of more valuable nucleophiles including furans, thiophenes, and benzodioxoles.

Novel ligands from direct benzylic functionalisation of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine.

Tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amines (TPA or TPMA) are polipyrydine-based ligands extensively used in catalysis and supramolecular chemistry due their capability to form stable tetradentate complexes with a large variety of metals. The unsubstituted ligand, which is also commercially available, can be synthesised by consecutive alkylation of a picoline or by reductive amination of a pyridine aldehyde. In this article, we report a novel synthetic method which opens to the post-functionalisation of these ligands in the benzylic position. This novel derivatization strategy, beside providing synthetic access to novel structures and functions, has been used to prepare a series of metal complexes which have been tested in photochemical hydrogen evolution.

Development of PCR primers enabling the design of flexible sticky ends for efficient concatenation of long DNA fragments.

We developed chemically modified PCR primers that allow the design of flexible sticky ends by introducing a photo-cleavable group at the phosphate moiety. Nucleic acid derivatives containing o-nitrobenzyl photo-cleavable groups with a tert-butyl group at the benzyl position were stable during strong base treatment for oligonucleotide synthesis and thermal cycling in PCR reactions. PCR using primers incorporating these nucleic acid derivatives confirmed that chain extension reactions completely stopped at position 1 before and after the site of the photo-cleavable group was introduced. DNA fragments of 2 and 3 kbp, with sticky ends of 50 bases, were successfully concatenated with a high yield of 77%. A plasmid was constructed using this method. Finally, we applied this approach to construct a 48.5 kbp lambda phage DNA, which is difficult to achieve using restriction enzyme-based methods. After 7 days, we were able to confirm the generation of DNA of the desired length. Although the efficiency is yet to be improved, the chemically modified PCR primer offers potential to complement enzymatic methods and serve as a DNA concatenation technique.

Deuterated reagents in multicomponent reactions to afford deuterium-labeled products.

The utility of bio-isosteres is broad in drug discovery and methodology herein enables the preparation of deuterium-labeled products is the most fundamental of known bio-isosteric replacements. As such we report the use of both [D1]-aldehydes and [D2]-isonitriles across 8 multicomponent reactions (MCRs) to give diverse arrays of deuterated products. A highlight is the synthesis of several FDA-approved calcium channel blockers, selectively deuterated at a t 1/2 limiting metabolic soft-spot via use of [D1]-aldehydes. Surrogate pharmacokinetic analyses of microsomal stability confirm prolongation of t 1/2 of the new deuterated analogs. We also report the first preparation of [D2]-isonitriles from [D3]-formamides via a modified Leuckart-Wallach reaction and their use in an MCR to afford products with [D2]-benzylic positions and likely significantly enhanced metabolic stability, a key parameter for property-based design efforts.

Total Synthesis of (+)-Silybin A.

We report the first total synthesis of silybin A (1). Key synthetic steps include the construction of the 1,4-benzodioxane neolignan skeleton, a modified Julia-Kocienski olefination reaction between m-nitrophenyltetrazole sulfone (m-NPT sulfone) 10 and aldehyde 21, the formation of the flavanol lignan skeleton 28 via a quinomethide intermediate under acidic conditions, and stepwise oxidation of the benzylic position of flavanol 29.

Direct Substitution of a Hydroxyl Group by a Carboxyl Group at the Benzylic Position in Benzyl Alcohols by Electrochemical Reduction in the Presence of Carbon Dioxide: Improvement Enabling Electrochemical Direct Carboxylation of Benzyl Alcohols even in the Absence of an Electron-withdrawing Group on the Phenyl Ring

Direct Substitution of a Hydroxyl Group by a Carboxyl Group at the Benzylic Position in Benzyl Alcohols by Electrochemical Reduction in the Presence of Carbon Dioxide: Improvement Enabling Electrochemical Direct Carboxylation of Benzyl Alcohols even in the Absence of an Electron-withdrawing Group on the Phenyl Ring

SYNTHESIS OF A POLYFUNCTIONAL DENDRON BASED ON GALLIC ACID USING THE AZIDE-ALKYNE CYCLOADDITION REACTION

By stepwise modification of gallic acid using an azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction, a first-generation triazole-containing dendron with hydroxypropyltriazole groups and a tetraethylene glycol linker was obtained for the first time. The structure of all intermediate compounds has been proven by modern physical methods. It has been established that the use of bromomethylene derivatives of gallic acid in the synthesis of triazole-containing dendrons results in the formation of by-products of alkylation of the bases used in the reaction (triethylamine and diisopropylethylamine) due to the high mobility of the bromine atom in the benzyl position.

Oxidative Cleavage of C−C Bonds in Non‐aromatic Oxygenates with Molecular Oxygen for Synthesis of Carboxylic Acids

AbstractOxidative carbon‐carbon cleavage reactions of non‐aromatic oxygenates such as vicinal diols are reviewed. In comparison with aromatic oxygenates where the benzyl positions are easily oxidized, non‐aromatic alcohols are difficult to be oxidized. The use of excess base in combination with metal catalysts is a typical approach, and the oxidations of 1,2‐cyclohexanediol and dihydroxylated derivatives of oleic acid have been reported with good yields of (di)carboxylate. Oxidation under acidic conditions typically uses vanadium as a key component of catalyst. Vanadium alone is active in oxidation of hydroxyketones and not effective in oxidation of saturated alcohols and polyols. Oxidation of sugars to formic acid is catalyzed by vanadium. For the oxidation of vicinal diols, the combination of platinum and vanadium is effective. There are some recently‐discovered systems for carbon‐carbon dissociation reactions of 1,2‐difunctionalized compounds, such as 2‐methoxycyclohexanone oxidation to adipic acid with polyoxometalate catalysts. On the other hand, the progress of research in the oxidation of cyclohexanone to adipic acid, which is an important industrial process, is less rapid, and we commented on the situation.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Cyclobutenes Enabled by Brønsted Acid-Catalyzed Isomerization of BCBs.

Chiral cyclobutene units are commonly found in natural products and biologically active molecules. Transition-metal-catalysis has been extensively used in asymmetric synthesis of such structures, while organocatalytic approaches remain elusive. In this study, bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes are involved in enantioselective transformation for the first time to offer a highly efficient route toward cyclobutenes with good regio- and enantiocontrol. The utilization of N-triflyl phosphoramide as a chiral Brønsted acid promoter enables this isomerization process to proceed under mild conditions with low catalyst loading as well as good functional group compatibility. The resulting chiral cyclobutenes could serve as platform molecules for downstream manipulations with excellent reservation of stereochemical integrity, demonstrating the synthetic practicality of the developed method. Control experiments have also been performed to verify the formation of a key carbocation intermediate at the benzylic position.

Effect of ortho-hydroxy substituent on photochemistry of 2-bromo-1-phenylalkan-1-ones: Remote bromine atom shift reaction

Irradiation of 2-bromo-1-(2-hydroxy)phenylalkan-1-ones forms ring-brominated phenyl ketones, where bromine moves from the α-position of the carbonyl to the phenyl ring. The unprecedented remote Br shift reaction occurs with regioselectivity favoring the ortho isomer, which originates from a hypobromite intermediate. The reaction has several advantages over other known methods for the preparation of the ring-brominated 1-(2-hydroxy)phenylalkan-1-ones: no poly-bromination, ortho-selectivity, no additives, use of eco-friendly light energy only, and no bromination at other active sites such as the benzylic position.

Bridging Effect of Carbon Nitride with More Negative Conduction Potential and Halogens Promotes the Liquid-Phase Oxidation of Aromatic C-H Bonds.

The selective oxidation of benzyl C-H bonds of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons under solvent-free conditions by using heterogeneous catalysis is a challenging task. In this work, we designed a carbon nitride photocatalyst with a high charge separation efficiency and a directed charge transfer path, which was doped with Ni and Br in the carbon nitride skeleton. Br was deposited directionally onto the electron-rich Ni surface traps to form a bond with Ni, which acted as a charge transfer bridge connecting CN and Br, resulting in a bridging effect. Photogenerated electrons were transferred from Ni target to Br, and electrons were aggregated to form a directional charge transfer path, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic performance of CN. The photocatalyst was utilized for the selective oxidation of ethylbenzene at room temperature, atmospheric pressure, and solvent-free conditions. Under batch conditions simulating solar irradiation, the conversion of ethylbenzene was 43.3% and the selectivity of the product acetophenone was up to 92.0%. With the continuous flow strategy, the conversion of ethylbenzene was increased to 52.4 and 48.1%, respectively, while the selectivity reached 92.7 and 91.0%, and the reaction time was reduced from 24 to 2.1 h. The catalyst was also found to be broadly applicable for the selective oxidation of C-H bonds in the benzyl position of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.

Pd-Catalyzed Intramolecular Cyclization–Thiocarbonylation Cascade Using Thioesters

AbstractA Pd-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization–thiocarbonylation cascade using thioesters is described. The developed cascade reaction afforded chromane, coumaran, indoline, and oxindole derivatives with a chiral quaternary carbon atom at the benzylic position in high to excellent yields. Relative to those observed in the previously reported relevant cascade using TIPSSPh, the yields with thioesters are almost the same or higher, depending on the substrate. Moreover, the use of thioesters significantly reduces the reaction time to less than one hour. Therefore, AcSPh is advantageous over TIPSSPh in terms of reaction time, atom economy, and cost effectiveness.

Cu‐Catalyzed Site‐ and Enantioselective Borylcyanation of 1,2‐Disubstituted Aryl Alkenes

AbstractA catalytic chemo‐ and enantioselective generation of secondary benzylic copper complexes from Cu−B(pin) (pin=pinacolato) additions to 1,2‐disubstituted aryl alkenes followed by in situ site selective cyanation at either aryl group or benzylic position to construct multifunctional alkylboron compounds is presented. The method is distinguished by identification of chiral Cu complexes leading to not only high enantioselectivity but also better efficiency compared with achiral catalysts. In addition, an unprecedented mode of cyanation at benzylic site through dearomative isomerization was disclosed. Functionalization of multifunctional alkylboron products provides useful building blocks that are otherwise difficult to access.

Hybrids of Sterically Hindered Phenols and Diaryl Ureas: Synthesis, Switch from Antioxidant Activity to ROS Generation and Induction of Apoptosis.

The utility of sterically hindered phenols (SHPs) in drug design is based on their chameleonic ability to switch from an antioxidant that can protect healthy tissues to highly cytotoxic species that can target tumor cells. This work explores the biological activity of a family of 45 new hybrid molecules that combine SHPs equipped with an activating phosphonate moiety at the benzylic position with additional urea/thiourea fragments. The target compounds were synthesized by reaction of iso(thio)cyanates with C-arylphosphorylated phenols containing pendant 2,6-diaminopyridine and 1,3-diaminobenzene moieties. The SHP/urea hybrids display cytotoxic activity against a number of tumor lines. Mechanistic studies confirm the paradoxical nature of these substances which combine pronounced antioxidant properties in radical trapping assays with increased reactive oxygen species generation in tumor cells. Moreover, the most cytotoxic compounds inhibited the process of glycolysis in SH-SY5Y cells and caused pronounced dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane of isolated rat liver mitochondria. Molecular docking of the most active compounds identified the activator allosteric center of pyruvate kinase M2 as one of the possible targets. For the most promising compounds, 11b and 17b, this combination of properties results in the ability to induce apoptosis in HuTu 80 cells along the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Cyclic voltammetry studies reveal complex redox behavior which can be simplified by addition of a large excess of acid that can protect some of the oxidizable groups by protonations. Interestingly, the re-reduction behavior of the oxidized species shows considerable variations, indicating different degrees of reversibility. Such reversibility (or quasi-reversibility) suggests that the shift of the phenol-quinone equilibrium toward the original phenol at the lower pH may be associated with lower cytotoxicity.

Theoretical Investigations of Palladium-Catalyzed [3+2] Annulation via Benzylic and meta C-H Bond Activation.

The palladium-catalyzed reaction of aromatic amides with maleimides results in the formation of a double C-H bond activation product, which occurs at both the benzylic and meta positions. Computational chemistry studies suggest that the first C-H bond activation unfolds via a six-membered palladacycle, maleimide insertion, protonation of the Pd-N bond, and then activation of the meta C-H bond. The process concludes with reductive elimination, producing an annulation product. The energy decomposition analysis (EDA) showed that the deformation energy favors the ortho C-H bond activation process. However, this route is non-productive. The interaction energy controls the site where the maleimide is inserted into the Pd-C(sp3 ) bond, which determines its site selectivity. The energetic span model indicates that the meta C-H bond activation step is the one that determines the turnover frequency. Regarding the directing group, it has been concluded that the strong Pd-S bonding and the destabilizing effect of the deformation energy allow the 2-thiomethylphenyl to function effectively as a directing group.