Dmitriy M. Volochnyuk

Approach to the library of fused pyridine-4-carboxylic acids by Combes-type reaction of acyl pyruvates and electron-rich amino heterocycles.

A library of fused pyridine-4-carboxylic acids (including pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines, isoxazolo[5,4-b]pyridines, furo[2,3-b]pyridines, thieno[2,3-b]pyridines, and pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines) was generated by Combes-type reaction of acyl pyruvates and electron-rich amino heterocycles followed by hydrolysis of the ester. The library members were also demonstrated to undergo the standard combinatorial transformations including amide coupling and esterification, as well as less common heterocyclizations to 1,2,4-triazoles and 1,2,4-oxadiazoles.

Dry HCl in Parallel Synthesis of Fused Pyrimidin-4-ones

The parallel solution-phase synthesis of substituted thieno[2,3- d]pyrimidin-6-carboxylic acids has been accomplished. This strategy relies on a cyclization of 2-aminothiophen-3,5-dicarboxylates with a set of nitriles, followed by hydrolysis to construct the library of corresponding acids. The convenient procedure for use and dosage of dry HCl for the reaction was elaborated and adapted for semiautomated solution-phase parallel synthesis. With the use of another (hetero)aromatic ortho-aminocarboxylate, mini-libraries of diverse fused pyrimidin-4-ones were synthesized. The scope and limitations of the approach are discussed.

Electrocyclization of phosphahexatrienes: an approach to λ5-phosphinines.

We experimentally verified an assumption that the substitution of a carbon atom with a pentavalent phosphorus atom in 1-alkoxy (dialkylamino) hexatrienes will not hamper its ability to electrocyclize. A series of 1-, 3-, and 5-phosphahexatrienes were synthesized. It was shown that parent λ(5)-phosphinines could be synthesized by electrocyclization of the 3- and 5-phosphahexatrienes. The resultant electrocyclization is a convenient method for the synthesis of parent λ(5)-phosphinines bearing different substituents on the phosphorus atom.

A bio-inspired approach to proline-derived 2,4-disubstituted oxazoles

Abstract A convenient four-step approach to the synthesis of (S)-4-alkyl-2-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)oxazoles starting from l-Boc-proline inspired by naturally occurring oxazole-containing peptidomimetics is described. The key step is the cyclization of 1-Boc-N-(1-oxoalkan-2-yl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxamides – aldehyde intermediates which demonstrate low to moderate stability – under Appel reaction conditions. This method furnishes the target compounds with more than 98% ee and in a 17–51% overall yield and has been used at up to a 45-g scale.

A conformationally restricted GABA analogue based on octahydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]pyridine scaffold

An approach to rel-(4aS,6R,7aR)-octahydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid—a bicyclic conformationally restricted γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogue was developed. The eight-step sequence relied on the reaction of 2,3-bis(chloromethyl)pyridine and a C1-binucleophile and the catalytic reduction of the pyridine ring as the key steps and allowed for the preparation of the title compound in 9.0% overall yield. Assessment of the octahydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]pyridine scaffold geometry showed that this template can be considered truly three-dimensional.

Scalable synthesis and properties of 7-methyl- 4-azaindole

Abstract An approach to the synthesis of 7-methyl-4-azaindole, which is a valuable building block for drug discovery programs, is described. The method relies on using a bromine atom as a ‘place holding group’ for one of the carbon atoms of the pyridine ring throughout the reaction sequence, and it is removed only upon the final reductive cyclization leading to the azaindole ring. Exhaustive hydrogenation of the target product proceeds in a diastereoselective manner and leads to a bicyclic conformationally restricted diamine derivative.

Catalysis and Multi-Component Reactions

We have been studying the development of new asymmetric two-center catalysis using rare earth alkoxides and bifunctional sugar and related ligands. In The Fourth International Conference on Multi-Component Reactions and Related Chemistry (MCR 2009), new catalytic asymmetric reactions using catalysts 1 and 2 and catalytic asymmetric syntheses of ranirestat 3 and tamiflu 4 will be presented.

Aminoalkylation of ‘Push-Pull’ Enamines Having a Methyl Group at the α-Position with Imines of Methyl 3,3,3-Trifluoropyruvate

The reaction of push-pull enamines having a methyl group at the α-position with imines of methyl*3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate was investigated. Structural sensitivity of the reaction was found and discussed. As a result, a set of P-dicarbonyl compounds bearing a protected amino acid moiety was obtained.