The Density Functional Theory (DFT) method is used to elucidate the nature of the active species and the mechanism of the aerobic CuI-catalyzed cross-coupling of S-acyl thiosalicylamide thiol esters and boronic acids reported previously (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 15734–15735; Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 1417-1421). The energetically lowest isomer of the proposed active species [LC(O)R1]Cu-(O2)-Cu[LC(O)R1]2+, 2a, (where L = thiolatosalicylamide) is found to be I1(OO,OO) with a μ-η2:η2-peroxo Cu2O2-core, while its isomers I2(OO,OO) with a bis-(μ-O) Cu2O2-core and I3(OO,OO) with a (μ-η1:η1) Cu2O2-core lie only a few kcal/mol higher and separated by 4–7kcal/mol energy barriers. In all these isomers, the thiol ester is coordinated to the Cu-centers via its two O-ends. Isomers with (SO,OO) and (SO,SO) coordination modes of the thiol esters lie slightly higher and are separated with moderate energy barriers. We found the latter isomers to be vital for the reported CuI-templated cross-coupling of S-acyl thiosalicylamide thiol esters and boronic acids under aerobic conditions. The presence of an anion (halide, carboxylate modeled as formate) in the reaction medium is found to be necessary. Its coordination to the active catalyst I1(SO,SO) is the first step of the proposed anion-assisted transmetalation by boronic acid. Overall the transmetalation reaction requires 34.0 kcal/mol and is 24.0 kcal/mol exergonic. This conclusion is in reasonable agreement with available experiments. The C-C bond formation in the transmetalation product requires a 6.3 kcal/mol lower energy barrier and is highly exergonic.
Enigmol is a synthetic, orally active 1-deoxysphingoid base analogue that has demonstrated promising activity against prostate cancer. In these studies, the pharmacologic roles of stereochemistry and N-methylation in the structure of enigmols were examined. A novel enantioselective synthesis of all four possible 2S-diastereoisomers of enigmol (2-aminooctadecane-3,5-diols) from l-alanine is reported, which features a Liebeskind−Srogl cross-coupling reaction between l-alanine thiol ester and (E)-pentadec-1-enylboronic acid as the key step. In vitro biological evaluation of the four enigmol diastereoisomers and 2S,3S,5S-N-methylenigmol against two prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and LNCaP) indicates that all but one diastereomer demonstrate potent oncolytic activity. In nude mouse xenograft models of human prostate cancer, enigmol was equally effective as standard prostate cancer therapies (androgen deprivation or docetaxel), and two of the enigmol diastereomers, 2S,3S,5R-enigmol and 2S,3R,5S-enigmol, also caused statistically significant inhibition of tumor growth. A pharmacokinetic profile of enigmol and N-methylenigmol is also presented.
A new method for the synthesis of nitriles is described. As a complement to the classic cyanation of aryl halides using cyanide sources and a transition metal catalyst, the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of thiocyanates with boronic acids in the presence of copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) affords nitriles in good to excellent yields.
TpMo(CO)2(5-alkenyl-η-2,3,4-pyranyl) diene complexes function as excellent chiral scaffolds for the efficient regio- and enantiocontrolled synthesis of highly functionalized 1-oxadecaline derivatives through a novel transition metal-mediated Diels-Alder reaction. Very good to excellent yields and excellent levels of endo-selectivity are obtained and the reaction gives products with complete retention of enantiomeric purity when carried out with chiral, non-racemic scaffolds. A subtle structural modification on the diene (replacement of an H by a trans-CH3 group) leads to a complete change of regiochemistry, which is discussed from a mechanistic point of view. The role of the η3-coordinated TpMo(CO)2 moiety is also critical to the further functionalization of the [4+2] cycloadducts, as illustrated by the preparation of 20 variously functionalized 1-oxadecaline derivatives (>98% ee when carried out with high enantiopurity scaffolds).
A short and efficient synthesis of high enantiopurity (−)-D-erythro-sphingosine has been achieved in 71% yield over 6 steps from N-Boc-L-serine. The key steps are high yield, racemization-free, palladium-catalyzed, copper(I)-mediated coupling of the thiophenyl ester of N-Boc-O-TBS L-serine with E-1-pentadecenyl boronic acid and the highly diastereoselective reduction of the resulting peptidyl ketone with LiAl(O-t-Bu)3H. Using this concise route (−)-D-erythro-sphingosine can be prepared on large scale and in high enantio and diastereopurity (ee >99%, de up to 99%).
Catalytic quantities of copper (I) or copper (II) sources catalyze the N-imination of boronic acids and organostannanes through reaction with oxime O-carboxylates under non-basic conditions. This method tolerates various functional groups and takes place efficiently using aryl, heteroaryl, and alkenyl boronic acids and stannanes.
α-Amino acid thiol esters derived from N-protected mono-, di-, and tripeptides couple with aryl, π-electron-rich heteroaryl, or alkenyl boronic acids in the presence of stoichiometric Cu(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) and catalytic Pd2(dba)3/triethylphosphite to generate the corresponding N-protected peptidyl ketones in good to excellent yields and in high enantiopurity. Triethylphosphite plays a key role as a supporting ligand by mitigating an undesired palladium-catalyzed decarbonylation-β-elimination of the α-amino thiol esters. The peptidyl ketone synthesis proceeds at room temperature under non-basic conditions and demonstrates a high tolerance to functionality.
A unified strategy for the high throughput synthesis of multigram quantities of the η3-oxopyranyl- and η3-oxopyridinylmolybdenum complexes TpMo(CO)2(η3-oxopyranyl) and TpMo(CO)2(η3-oxopyridinyl) is described (Tp = hydridotrispyrazolylborato). The strategy uses the oxa- and aza-Achmatowicz reaction for the preparation of these organometallic enantiomeric scaffolds, in both racemic and high enantiopurity versions.
A simple, modular method to prepare highly substituted pyridines is disclosed. The method employs a cascade reaction comprising (1) a novel N-iminative, Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling of alkenylboronic acids at the N—O bond of α, β-unsaturated ketoxime O-pentafluorobenzoates, (2) electrocyclization of the resulting 3-azatriene, and (3) air oxidation affording highly substituted pyridines in moderate to excellent isolated yields (43–91%). Starting materials are readily available and functional group tolerance is very good.
A general non-oxidative N-amidation of organostannanes and boronic acids has been developed. Under non-basic conditions a wide variety of aryl, alkenyl, and heteroaryl organostannanes and boronic acids couple efficiently with O-acetyl hydroxamic acids in the presence of Cu(I) sources.