Jimena E. Díaz

Atropisomerism in amidinoquinoxaline N-oxides: effect of the ring size and substituents on the enantiomerization barriers.

The atropisomerism of novel 2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]quinoxaline 6-oxides 1 bearing dissymmetric (ortho-substituted) 5-aryl residues and the homologous 1,2-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline 5-oxides 2 was investigated. The existence of a chiral axis was demonstrated for compound 1a by X-ray diffraction and by DFT calculations of the ground state geometry. The resolution of the atropisomeric enantiomers on chiral stationary phases is reported. The barriers to enantiomerization were determined by off-line racemization studies and/or by treatment of the plateau-shaped chromatograms during chromatography on chiral support. A clear ring size effect was evidenced. In all cases, six-membered amidine derivatives 1 showed higher barriers than the corresponding lower homologues 2, which also display lower sensitivity to the substituent size. Transition states for the interconversion of the atropisomers were located using DFT calculations, and involved the interaction of the ortho substituent with the formally sp(2) nitrogen in the amidine moiety. In contrast, in the most favored enantiomerization transition state of the 2-nitro derivative the ortho substituent is close to the N-oxide group.

Amidinoquinoxaline N-oxides as novel spin traps

A novel type of spin traps 1 derived from the pyrimidoquinoxaline N-oxide heterocyclic core is reported. EPR technique was used to evaluate their ability to trap methyl radicals generated in a Fenton reaction in the presence of DMSO. All the synthesized nitrones showed spin trapping properties and the corresponding nitroxides 2 were characterized by EPR. The novel spin traps showed remarkably persistent signals, as confirmed in a competition experiment with DMPO. The addition rate constants leading to the spin adducts (kadd) were determined, and very good correlations were found with steric and electronic parameters of the parent nitrones. The spin adducts decomposition rate constants (kdec) and the corresponding half-life times (t1/2) were also determined. DFT and MP2 calculations were used in order to rationalize the adducts hfcc and the structural factors influencing their addition and decomposition rates.

An Efficient Synthesis of N-Alkyl-N-arylputrescines and Cadaverines

N-Substituted 1,4-diaminobutane (putrescine) and 1,5-diaminopentane (cadaverine) derivatives are of biochemical and pharmacological interest as synthetic analogs of natural polyamines.1 Several der...

Synthesis of dihydroquinazolines from 2-aminobenzylamine: N3-aryl derivatives with electron-withdrawing groups

The sequential N-functionalization of 2-aminobenzylamine (2-ABA) followed by cyclodehydration allowed for a straightforward and efficient synthesis of 3,4-dihydroquinazolines with N-aryl substituents bearing electron-withdrawing groups. The sequence involves an initial SNAr displacement, N-acylation and MW-assisted ring closure. Remarkably, the uncatalyzed N-arylation of 2-ABA led to the monosubstitution product using equimolar amounts of both reagents. The individual steps were optimized achieving good to excellent overall yields of the desired heterocycles, avoiding additional protection and deprotection steps. A mechanistic interpretation for the cyclodehydration reaction promoted by trimethylsilyl polyphosphate (PPSE) is also proposed on the basis of literature data and our experimental observations.

Syntheses of 3,4- and 1,4-dihydroquinazolines from 2-aminobenzylamine

A straightforward strategy for the synthesis of dihydroquinazolines is presented, which allows for the preparation of 3,4- and 1,4-dihydroquinazolines with different substitution patterns from 2-aminobenzylamine (2-ABA) as common precursor. The required functionalization of both amino groups present in 2-ABA was achieved by different routes involving selective N-acylation and cesium carbonate-mediated N-alkylation reactions, avoiding protection/deprotection steps. The heterocycles were efficiently synthesized in short reaction times by microwave-assisted ring closure of the corresponding aminoamides promoted by ethyl polyphosphate (PPE).

Microwave-assisted cyclizations promoted by polyphosphoric acid esters: a general method for 1-aryl-2-iminoazacycloalkanes

Summary The first general procedure for the synthesis of 5 to 7-membered 1-aryl-2-iminoazacycloalkanes is presented, by microwave-assisted ring closure of ω-arylaminonitriles promoted by polyphosphoric acid (PPA) esters. 1-Aryl-2-iminopyrrolidines were easily prepared from the acyclic precursors employing a chloroformic solution of ethyl polyphosphate (PPE). The use of trimethylsilyl polyphosphate (PPSE) in solvent-free conditions allowed for the synthesis of 1-aryl-2-iminopiperidines and hitherto unreported 1-aryl-2-iminoazepanes. The cyclization reaction involves good to high yields and short reaction times, and represents a novel application of PPA esters in heterocyclic synthesis.