Irishi N. N. Namboothiri

Synthesis of Imidazopyridines from the Morita–Baylis–Hillman Acetates of Nitroalkenes and Convenient Access to Alpidem and Zolpidem

A variety of functionalized imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines have been synthesized through a one-pot, room temperature, and reagent-free reaction between MBH acetates of nitroalkenes and 2-aminopyridines. The reaction involves a cascade inter-intramolecular double aza-Michael addition of 2-aminopyridines to MBH acetates. Our methodology is marked by excellent yield, regioselectivity and, above all, adaptability to synthesize imidazopyridine-based drug molecules such as Alpidem and Zolpidem.

Phosphonylpyrazoles from Bestmann—Ohira Reagent and Nitroalkenes: Synthesis and Dynamic NMR Studies

Application of diethyl 1-diazo-2-oxopropylphosphonate (Bestmann-Ohira reagent) as a cycloaddition partner with nitroalkenes has been extensively investigated. Base-mediated reaction of the Bestmann-Ohira reagent with various nitroalkenes such as beta-substituted, alpha,beta-disubstituted, and nitroethylene that are part of a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring provided functionalized phosphonylpyrazoles through a one-pot regioselective reaction at room temperature in high yield. The substituted nitroalkenes employed in these reactions also included Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts of conjugated nitroalkenes with various electrophiles. Detailed dynamic NMR studies were performed on the prototropic tautomerism exhibited by the phosphonylpyrazoles using CDCl(3) and DMSO-d(6) as solvents and (1)H and (31)P as the probe nuclei. These studies unraveled the existence of two tautomers in solution with a small energy difference but considerable barrier to interconversion.

Chiral squaramide-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of pyranones and pyranonaphthoquinones via cascade reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls with Morita–Baylis–Hillman acetates of nitroalkenes

Cascade reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls with Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates of nitroalkenes using a quinine derived chiral squaramide organocatalyst led to the formation of pyranones and pyranonaphthoquinones in good to excellent yields and high diastereo- and enantioselectivities. Representative examples of the reaction scale-up with a much lower catalyst loading without an appreciable loss of selectivities and synthetic transformations of the products are also reported here. The compounds described herein for the first time were evaluated against the infective bloodstream form of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, since the structures are related to bioactive α-lapachones.

Regioselective synthesis of sulfonylpyrazoles via base mediated reaction of diazosulfones with nitroalkenes and a facile entry into Withasomnine.

A base mediated reaction of α-diazo-β-ketosulfone with nitroalkenes affords sulfonylpyrazoles as single regioisomers in excellent yield in a one-pot room temperature reaction. Aryl, heteroaryl, styrenyl, alkyl, hydroxymethyl, and hydrazinyl groups could be introduced on the pyrazole ring by the appropriate choice of nitroalkenes. Synthesis of sulfonylpyrazole fused to other heterocycles and application of the methodology to an expedient synthesis of a pyrazole alkaloid, Withasomnine, are also reported.

The Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts of β-aryl nitroethylenes with other activated alkenes: synthesis and anticancer activity studies

The Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) adducts of beta-aryl nitroethylenes with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and acrylate, formed in moderate to good yield when mediated by imidazole/LiCl in THF at room temperature, inhibit HeLa cell proliferation by binding to tubulin.

Cooperative Dehydrogenation of N‐Heterocycles Using a Carbon Nanotube–Rhodium Nanohybrid

Rhodium nanoparticles were anchored on carbon nanotubes and the resulting nanohybrid was studied as co-catalyst, along with tert-butylcatechol, for the dehydrogenation of various N-heterocycles. The co-catalytic system operates in high yields, under the mildest conditions reported so far, and can be applied to a wide variety of secondary amine-containing scaffolds.

Part I: Nitroalkenes in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds

The applications of nitroalkenes in the synthesis of three- to five-membered O, N and S-heterocycles, including natural products are investigated in this review. These heterocyclic compounds were synthesized from nitroalkenes with a variety of substituents at the α and β-positions and those that were part of common and medium rings via a wide variety of reactions such as Michael addition reactions, epoxidation, [3 + 2] cycloaddition and many cascade/domino/tandem reactions. In addition, the potential of nitroalkenes to take part in multi-component and cascade reactions, particularly, in diastereo- and enantioselective versions is reviewed. The high reactivity of nitroalkenes and their potential to coordinate with the metal catalysts as well as organocatalysts signify them as efficient precursors in synthetic organic chemistry. Also, the flexibility of the nitro group in functional group manipulations has expanded the scope of the nitro group, in general, and nitroalkenes, in particular, in organic synthesis.

Stereoselective Intramolecular 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions

An in depth account of intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions involving dipoles such as nitrile oxides, silyl nitronates, H-nitrones, azides, and nitrilimines is presented with particular emphasis on the stereochemistry during the cycloaddition. Various methods employed for the generation of the dipoles and their applications to stereoselective synthesis are also discussed.

Room temperature Suzuki coupling of aryl iodides, bromides, and chlorides using a heterogeneous carbon nanotube-palladium nanohybrid catalyst

Palladium nanoparticles were immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes by a layer-by-layer approach, resulting in a well-defined assembly. The nanohybrid was found effective in promoting Suzuki cross couplings of various halogenated aromatics, including chlorinated ones, with arylboronic acids under sustainable conditions. The heterogeneous catalyst could also easily be recovered from the reaction mixture and reused with no loss of activity over several cycles.

One-Pot, Two-Step Conversion of Aldehydes to Phosphonyl- and Sulfonylpyrazoles Using Bestmann–Ohira Reagent

A one-pot, two-step, three-component method for the conversion of commercially available aldehydes to phosphonylpyrazoles has been developed, demonstrating, for the first time, the dual reactivity of the Bestmann-Ohira reagent (BOR) in a single-pot transformation. This method, extended to the synthesis of sulfonylpyrazoles by employing BOR in the first step and a diazomethyl sulfone in the second step, is complementary, with regard to regioselectivity, to the previous methods for the synthesis of such functionalized pyrazoles.