Dehydrative Amidation Research Articles

Organoboron catalysis for direct amide/peptide bond formation.

Amides and peptides are ubiquitous functional groups found in several natural and artificial materials, and they are essential for the advancement of life and material sciences. In particular, their relevance in clinical medicine and drug discovery has increased in recent years. Dehydrative condensation of readily available carboxylic acids with amines is the most "direct" method for amide synthesis; however, this methodology generally requires a stoichiometric amount of condensation agent (coupling reagent). Catalytic direct dehydrative amidation has become an "ideal" methodology for synthesizing amides from the perspective of green chemistry, with water as the only byproduct in principle, high atom efficiency, environmentally friendly, energy saving, and safety. Conversely, organoboron compounds, such as boronic acids, which are widely used in various industries as coupling reagents for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions or pharmaceutical structures, are environmentally friendly molecules that have low toxicity and are easy to handle. Based on the chemical properties of organoboron compounds, they have potential Lewis acidity and the ability to form reversible covalent bonds with dehydration, making them attractive as catalysts. This review explores studies on the development of direct dehydrative amide/peptide bond formation reactions from carboxylic acids using organoboron catalysis, classifying them based on chemical bonding and catalysis over approximately 25 years, from the early developmental days to 2023.

Expeditious Access to the B3NO2 Heterocycle Enabling Modular Derivatization.

DATB (1,3-dioxa-5-aza-2,4,6-triborinane) is a unique six-membered heterocycle exhibiting proficient catalytic activity in direct dehydrative amidation. Reported herein is an improved synthetic protocol for DATB derivatives featuring a concise two-step chromatography-free process. Suzuki-Miyaura coupling assembled 2,6-dibromoaniline derivatives and 1,2-phenylenediboronic acid to afford dimeric B-spiroborate salts. Acidic untying of the spiroborates gave rise to the DATB ring system with various substituents.

Heterocyclic Boron Acid Catalyzed Dehydrative Amidation of Aliphatic/Aromatic Carboxylic Acids with Amines.

A commercially available and versatile dehydrative amidation catalyst, featuring a thianthrene boron acid structure, has been developed. The catalyst shows high catalytic activity to both aliphatic and less reactive aromatic carboxylic acid substrates, including several bioactive or clinical molecules with a carboxylic acid group.

Less Is More: N(BOH)2 Configuration Exhibits Higher Reactivity than the B3NO2 Heterocycle in Catalytic Dehydrative Amide Formation.

Diboron substructures have emerged as a promising scaffold for the catalytic dehydrative amidation of carboxylic acids and amines. This Letter describes the design, synthesis, and evaluation of the first isolable N(BOH)2 compound as an amidation catalyst. The new catalyst outperforms the previously reported B3NO2 heterocycle catalyst, with respect to turnover frequency, albeit the former gradually decomposes upon exposure to amines. This work opens up an avenue for designing a better catalyst for direct amidation.

Continuous-flow dehydrative amidation between carboxylic acids and amines using modified mixed metal oxides as solid acid catalysts

High performance molybdenum (vi)-supported Zr–Sn mixed oxides were applied in continuous-flow dehydrative amidation between aliphatic carboxylic acids and amines. The desired amides were obtained in high yields with sufficient space–time-yields.

Catalytic dehydrative amide bond formation using aqueous ammonia: synthesis of primary amides utilizing diboronic acid anhydride catalysis.

Although aqueous ammonia is an inexpensive and readily available safe source of ammonia, there have been no successful studies on direct catalytic dehydrative amidations of carboxylic acids with aqueous ammonia. In this study, we report a catalytic methodology for the synthesis of primary amides through diboronic acid anhydride (DBAA)-catalyzed dehydrative condensation of carboxylic acids with aqueous ammonia as the amine substrate.

Direct Synthesis of N-Protected Serine- and Threonine-Derived Weinreb Amides via Diboronic Acid Anhydride-Catalyzed Dehydrative Amidation: Application to the Concise Synthesis of ­Garner’s Aldehyde

AbstractAn efficient method for the direct synthesis of Weinreb amides derived from serine and threonine derivatives via diboronic acid anhydride-catalyzed hydroxy-directed amidation is described. This is the first successful example of the synthesis of serine- or threonine-derived Weinreb amides using catalytic dehydrative amidations. The methodology could be applied to the concise synthesis of Garner’s aldehyde.

Synthesis of Weinreb amides using diboronic acid anhydride-catalyzed dehydrative amidation of carboxylic acids.

The first successful example of the direct synthesis of Weinreb amides using catalytic hydroxy-directed dehydrative amidation of carboxylic acids using the diboronic acid anhydride catalyst is described. The methodology is applicable to the concise syntheses of eight α-hydroxyketone natural products, namely, sattabacin, 4-hydroxy sattabacin, kurasoins A and B, soraphinols A and B, and circumcins B and C.

Catalytic Dehydrative Peptide Synthesis with gem-Diboronic Acids

Alkane-gem-diboronic acids have emerged as versatile organoboron catalysts for dehydrative amidation of α-amino acids. A phenol-substituted multiboron catalyst with a B–C–B structure outperformed simple arylboronic acids in the condensation of α-amino acids with suppressed epimerization of electrophiles. gem-diboronic acid catalysis were compatible with various O, N, and S-functionalized α-amino acids bearing N-protecting groups including common carbamates used in peptide synthesis (Boc, Cbz, Fmoc). N-trifluoroacetyl protection enabled an unprecedented catalytic dehydrative peptide synthesis at room temperature. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed carboxylate-binding nature of gem-diboronic acids, orthogonal to the activation of carboxylic acids by arylboronic acids. The distinctive reactivity of the gem-diboronic acids would open prospects for mild catalytic peptide condensation.

An Efficient Solvent-Free Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Cinnamamides by Amidation Reaction Using Phenylboronic Acid/Lewis Base Co-catalytic System

A microwave-assisted dehydrative amide condensation reaction is reported as an efficient access to cinnamamide derivatives under solvent-free conditions. This protocol between conjugated carboxylic acids and amines is based on the use of a co-catalytic system, including the presence of the commercially available phenylboronic acid and 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine N-oxide (DMAPO), with a complete chemoselectivity in favor of the corresponding α,β-unsaturated amides. The implementation of the reaction needs no special precaution, and less reactive amines, such as substituted anilines, are also efficient under these conditions. A series of novel conjugated amides have been evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against several human cancer cell lines.

Diboronic Acid Anhydrides as Effective Catalysts for the Hydroxy-Directed Dehydrative Amidation of Carboxylic Acids.

The direct catalytic dehydrative amidation of β-hydroxycarboxylic acids with amines is described. A biphenyl-based diboronic acid anhydride with a B-O-B skeleton is shown to be an exceptionally effective catalyst for the reaction, providing β-hydroxycarboxylic amides in high to excellent yields with a low catalyst loading (minimum of 0.01 mol %, TON up to 7,500). This hydroxy-directed amidation shows excellent chemoselectivity and is applicable to gram-scale drug synthesis.

All Non-Carbon B3 NO2 Exotic Heterocycles: Synthesis, Dynamics, and Catalysis.

The B3 NO2 six-membered heterocycle (1,3-dioxa-5-aza-2,4,6-triborinane=DATB), comprising three different non-carbon period 2 elements, has been recently demonstrated to be a powerful catalyst for dehydrative condensation of carboxylic acids and amines. The tedious synthesis of DATB, however, has significantly diminished its utility as a catalyst, and thus the inherent chemical properties of the ring system have remained virtually unexplored. Here, a general and facile synthetic strategy that harnesses a pyrimidine-containing scaffold for the reliable installation of boron atoms is disclosed, giving rise to a series of Pym-DATBs from inexpensive materials in a modular fashion. The identification of a soluble Pym-DATB derivative allowed for the investigation of the dynamic nature of the B3 NO2 ring system, revealing differential ring-closing and -opening behaviors depending on the medium. Readily accessible Pym-DATBs proved their utility as efficient catalysts for dehydrative amidation with broad substrate scope and functional-group tolerance, offering a general and practical catalytic alternative to reagent-driven amidation.

Diboron-Catalyzed Dehydrative Amidation of Aromatic Carboxylic Acids with Amines.

Tetrakis(dimethylamido)diboron and tetrahydroxydiboron are herein reported as new catalysts for the synthesis of aryl amides by catalytic condensation of aromatic carboxylic acids with amines. The developed protocol is both simple and highly efficient over a broad range of substrates. This method thus represents an attractive approach for the use of diboron catalysts in the synthesis of amides without having to resort to stoichiometric or additional dehydrating agents.

Unique physicochemical and catalytic properties dictated by the B3NO2 ring system.

The expansion of molecular diversity beyond what nature can produce is a fundamental objective in chemical sciences. Despite the rich chemistry of boron-containing heterocycles, the 1,3-dioxa-5-aza-2,4,6-triborinane (DATB) ring system, which is characterized by a six-membered B3NO2 core, remains elusive. Here, we report the synthesis of m-terphenyl-templated DATB derivatives, displaying high stability and peculiar Lewis acidity arising from the three suitably arranged boron atoms. We identify a particular utility for DATB in the dehydrative amidation of carboxylic acids and amines, a reaction of high academic and industrial importance. The three boron sites are proposed to engage in substrate assembly, lowering the entropic cost of the transition state, in contrast with the operative mechanism of previously reported catalysts and amide coupling reagents. The distinct mechanistic pathway dictated by the DATB core will advance not only such amidations, but also other reactions driven by multisite activation.

2‐Furanylboronic Acid as an Effective Catalyst for the Direct Amidation of Carboxylic Acids at Room Temperature

Abstract2‐Furanylboronic acid has been identified as an inexpensive and effective catalyst for the dehydrative amide formation of carboxylic acids and amines. This transformation can be efficiently carried out at room temperature and is applicable to a wide range of carboxylic acids with primary and secondary amines to afford amides in good to excellent yields.

ChemInform Abstract: Primary Alkylboronic Acids as Highly Active Catalysts for the Dehydrative Amide Condensation of α‐Hydroxycarboxylic Acids.

AbstractThe title reaction allows the direct amination of a variety of α‐hydroxycarboxylic acids with primary and secondary amines.

Primary Alkylboronic Acids as Highly Active Catalysts for the Dehydrative Amide Condensation of α-Hydroxycarboxylic Acids

Primary alkylboronic acids such as methylboronic acid and butylboronic acid are highly active catalysts for the dehydrative amide condensation of α-hydroxycarboxylic acids. The catalytic activities of these primary alkylboronic acids are much higher than those of the previously reported arylboronic acids. The present method was easily applied to a large-scale synthesis, and 14 g of an amide was obtained in a single reaction.

An improved amide coupling procedure for the synthesis of N-(pyridin-2-yl)amides

Dehydrative amide couplings with 2-pyridylamines suffer from variable yields. A mild and high-yielding synthesis of N-(pyridin-2-yl)amides employing 2-aminopyridine- N-oxides is presented as a solution.

Convergent total syntheses of fluvibactin and vibriobactin using molybdenum(vi) oxide-catalyzed dehydrative cyclization as a key step

Efficient total syntheses of fluvibactin and vibriobactin have been achieved via molybdenum(VI) oxide-catalyzed dehydrative cyclization, Sb(OEt)(3)-catalyzed ester-amide transformation, and WSCI and HOAt-promoted dehydrative amide formation.

Preparation of polysaccharide–polymethacrylate hybrid materials by radical polymerization of cationic methacrylate monomer in the presence of anionic polysaccharide

AbstractThis article describes preparation of polysaccharide–polymethacrylate hybrid materials by means of free‐radical polymerization of a cationic methacrylate monomer in the presence of anionic polysaccharides. In particular, synthesis of the hybrid material composed of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and a cationic polymethacrylate, i.e. poly(2‐aminoethyl methacrylate) is disclosed. The formation of the materials was achieved by radical polymerization of 2‐aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEMA‐HCl) in aqueous solution of CMC. The insoluble material was formed and the structure was determined by the IR spectra and elemental analysis to be composed of CMC and polymethacrylate. Thermal analyses such as thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were performed to confirm the network structure of the material. The dehydrative amidation occurred by heating the material at 200°C, giving rise to the new hybrid material hybridized by the amide linkages. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.