Adriana B. Pierini

Electron-Transfer-Mediated Synthesis of Phenanthridines by Intramolecular Arylation of Anions from N-(ortho-Halobenzyl)arylamines: Regiochemical and Mechanistic Analysis

The synthesis of a series of substituted phenanthridines by photostimulated C-C cyclization of anions from N-(ortho-halobenzyl)arylamines has been found to proceed in very good to excellent yields (79-95%) in liquid ammonia and in DMSO. The N-(ortho-halobenzyl)arylamines are obtained in good to very good isolated yields (44-85%) by nucleophilic substitution of ortho-halobenzylchlorides with different arylamines. The reaction of the anions of a diverse set of N-(ortho-halobenzyl)arylamines was studied, and the methodology was extended to the synthesis of trispheridine, a natural product, in very good yield. In order to explain the regiochemical outcome of these reactions, a theoretical analysis was performed with DFT methods and the B3LYP functional.

Species with negative electron affinity and standard DFT methods

Concerned about the feasibility of traditional bound-electron models to properly describe ground state anion surfaces, we calculated the negative electron affinity of a representative set of compounds, finding a good correlation between the experimental data and theoretical values obtained with the popular B3LYP functional and Pople′s relatively inexpensive standard basis sets (6-311+G(2df,p)//6-31+G*) in the cases of valence anions.

Competitive Reaction Pathways for o-Anilide Aryl Radicals: 1,5- or 1,6-Hydrogen Transfer versus Nucleophilic Coupling Reactions. A Novel Rearrangement to Afford an Amidyl Radical

The photoinduced reactions of o-iodoanilides (o-IC6H4N(Me)COR, 4a-d) with sulfur nucleophiles such as thiourea anion (1, -SCNH(NH2)), thioacetate anion (2, MeCOS-), and sulfide anion (3, S(2-)) follow different reaction channels, giving the sulfides by a radical nucleophilic substitution or the dehalogenated products by hydrogen atom transfer pathways. After an initial photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from 1 to iodide 4, the o-amide aryl radicals 12 are generated. These aryl radicals 12 afford alternative reaction pathways depending on the structure of the alpha-carbonyl moiety: (a) 12b (R = Me) adds to 1 to render the methylthio-substituted compounds by quenching the thiolate anion intermediate with MeI after irradiation; (b) 12c (R = -CH2Ph) follows a 1,5-hydrogen transfer to give a stabilized alpha-carbonyl radical (17); and (c) 12d (R = t-Bu) affords 1,6-hydrogen transfer, followed by a 1,4-aryl migration to render an amidyl radical (20), which is reduced to the N-benzyl-N,2-dimethylpropanamide (10). Together with this last rearranged product, the ipso substitution derivative was also observed. Similar results were obtained in the PET reactions of 4d (R = t-Bu) with anions 2 and 3 under entrainment conditions with the enolate anion from cyclohexenone (5) or the tert-butoxide anion (6). From this novel rearrangement, and only under reductive conditions by PET reaction with anion 5, iodide 4d (R = t-Bu) affords quantitatively the propanamide 10. The energetic of the intramolecular rearrangements followed by radicals 12b-d were rationalized by B3LYP/6-31+G* calculations.

Synthesis, stereoelectronic characterization and antiparasitic activity of new 1-benzenesulfonyl-2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines.

The synthesis and full 3D structural characterization of nine new 1-benzenesulfonyl-2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives are reported. These belong to a library whose rationale for the design was the previous knowledge of the biological relevant properties of both structural moieties. From protozoan antiparasitic screening, compounds 3 demonstrated interesting activity against Trypanozoma cruzi with low cytotoxicity. Besides, most compounds were moderately active against Plasmodium falciparum. Of these, 3 and 9 can be considered as lead scaffolds for further optimization. The substituent on BS did not influence the 3D structure properties and the (1)H NMR spectra revealed the existence of an intramolecular weak hydrogen bond, C-Hcdots, three dots, centeredOS. Molecular modeling and X-ray crystallography also confirmed this finding, which is relevant to compound conformational preference.

Binding of modulators to mouse and human multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein. A computational study.

The human multidrug resistance (MDR) P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediates the extrusion of chemotherapeutic drugs from cancer cells. Modulators are relevant pharmaceutical targets since they are intended to control or to inhibit its pumping activity. In the present work, a common binding site for Rhodamine 123 and modulators with different modulation activity was found by molecular docking over the crystal structure of the mouse P-gp. The modulators involved a family of compounds, including derivatives of propafenone (3-phenylpropiophenone nucleus) and XR9576 (tariquidar). Our results showed that the relative binding energies estimated by molecular docking were in good correlation with the experimental activities. Preliminary classical molecular dynamics results on selected P-gp/modulator complexes were also performed in order to understand the nature of the prevalent molecular interactions and the possible main molecular features that characterize a modulator. Besides, the results obtained with a human P-gp homology model from the mouse structure are also presented and analyzed. Our observations suggest that the hydrophobicity and molecular flexibility are the main features related to the inhibitory activity. The latter factor would increase the modulator ability to fit the aromatic rings inside the transmembrane domain.

Photostimulated reactions of haloarenes with 2-naphtylamide ions. A facile synthesis of 1-aryl-2-naphthylamines.

Abstract The photostimulated reactions of aryl iodides with 2-naphthylamide ions in liquid ammonia gave 1-aryl-2-naphthylamines as the major substitution product. This reaction is proposed to occur by the S RN 1 mechanism of nucleophilic substitution

Photostimulated reaction of aryl iodides with 2-naphthoxide ions by the SRN1 mechanism

The photostimulated reactions of p-iodoanisole (2) and 1-iodonaphthalene (7) with 2-naphthoxide ions in liquid ammonia gave the corresponding 1-aryl-2-naphthols as the only substitution product. These reactions are proposed to proceed via the SRN1 mechanism for nucleophilic aromatic substitution.

The reactivity of oxygen nucleophiles with aryl radicals in the SRN1 mechanism

Abstract The photostimulated reaction of 2-naphthoxide ions 1 with o-dihalobenzenes in liquid ammonia gives the halosubstituted product 4 and the cyclized substituted product 5. This is the first report about the coupling of an aromatic σ radical with an oxygen functionality in the chain propagation cycle of the SRN1 mechanism.

Photo-SRN1 reactions of phenyl telluride anion with haloarenes

Abstract Phenyl telluride anion was prepared in liquid ammonia by reaction of dipheyyl ditelluride with two equivalents of sodium metal under nitrogen. This anion reacts with haloarenes under irradiation to form aryl phenyl tellurides, probably by the photo-SRN1 mechanism of aromatic substitution.

Synthesis of arylphenyl selenides by the SRN1 mechanism

Abstract Haloarenes react with phenyl selenide ion in liquid ammonia under irradiation by Pyrex-filtered light to form arylphenyl selenides in good yields when the aromatic moiety is phenanthrene, naphthalene and biphenyl, probably by the SRN1 mechanism.