Claire Janet Russell

DABSO-Based, Three-Component, One-Pot Sulfone Synthesis

The addition of Grignard reagents or organolithium reagents to the SO2-surrogate DABSO generates a diverse set of metal sulfinates, suitable for direct conversion to sulfone products. The metal sulfinates can be trapped in situ with a wide range of C-electrophiles, including alkyl, allyl, and benzyl halides, epoxides, and (hetero)aryliodoniums.

Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Sulfinates from Boronic Acids and DABSO: A Redox‐Neutral, Phosphine‐Free Transformation

Abstract A redox‐neutral palladium(II)‐catalyzed conversion of aryl, heteroaryl, and alkenyl boronic acids into sulfinate intermediates, and onwards to sulfones and sulfonamides, has been realized. A simple Pd(OAc)2 catalyst, in combination with the sulfur dioxide surrogate 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(sulfur dioxide) (DABSO), is sufficient to achieve rapid and high‐yielding conversion of the boronic acids into the corresponding sulfinates. Addition of C‐ or N‐based electrophiles then allows conversion into sulfones and sulfonamides, respectively, in a one‐pot, two‐step process.

Combining Organometallic Reagents, the Sulfur Dioxide Surrogate DABSO, and Amines: A One‐Pot Preparation of Sulfonamides, Amenable to Array Synthesis

We describe a method for the synthesis of sulfonamides through the combination of an organometallic reagent, a sulfur dioxide equivalent, and an aqueous solution of an amine under oxidative conditions (bleach). This simple reaction protocol avoids the need to employ sulfonyl chloride substrates, thus removing the limitation imposed by the commercial availability of these reagents. The resultant method allows access to new chemical space, and is also tolerant of the polar functional groups needed to impart favorable physiochemical properties required for medicinal chemistry and agrochemistry. The developed chemistry is employed in the synthesis of a targeted 70 compound array, prepared using automated methods. The array achieved a 93 % success rate for compounds prepared. Calculated molecular weights, lipophilicities, and polar surface areas are presented, demonstrating the utility of the method for delivering sulfonamides with drug-like properties.

Scalable total synthesis and comprehensive structure–activity relationship studies of the phytotoxin coronatine

Natural phytotoxins are valuable starting points for agrochemical design. Acting as a jasmonate agonist, coronatine represents an attractive herbicidal lead with novel mode of action, and has been an important synthetic target for agrochemical development. However, both restricted access to quantities of coronatine and a lack of a suitably scalable and flexible synthetic approach to its constituent natural product components, coronafacic and coronamic acids, has frustrated development of this target. Here, we report gram-scale production of coronafacic acid that allows a comprehensive structure–activity relationship study of this target. Biological assessment of a >120 member library combined with computational studies have revealed the key determinants of potency, rationalising hypotheses held for decades, and allowing future rational design of new herbicidal leads based on this template.Development of comprehensive structure–activity relationships for coronatine has been a major goal in the agrochemical industry. Here, the authors report the gram-scale production and structure–activity relationship of parent coronafacic acid and ultimately rationalise the biological activity of analogues of this phytotoxin.