Maria Lurdes Santos Cristiano

Photochemical Transformations of Tetrazole Derivatives: Applications in Organic Synthesis

Tetrazoles remain a challenge to photochemists. Photolysis leads to cleavage of the tetrazolyl ring, may involve various photodegradation pathways and may produce a diversity of photoproducts, depending on the structure and conformational flexibility of the substituents and the possibility of tautomerism. If the photochemistry of tetrazoles is considered within the frame of synthetic applications the subject is even more challenging, since the ultimate goal is to achieve selectivity and high yield. In addition, the photoproducts must remain stable and allow isolation or trapping, in order to be used in other reactions. This review summarises the photochemical transformations of tetrazole derivatives that can be used as effective synthetic routes to other compounds.

Structural effects on sigmatropic shifts in heteroaromatic allyl ethersElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: selected crystal data for compound 7. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/p1/b1/b102674g/

In contrast to the known thermal, exclusively [3,3], O- to N- rearrangement of allyl groups in phenyltetrazoles (1, Scheme 1), the comparable migration of the allyl group in pseudosaccharyl ethers (3; Scheme 2) has been shown to proceed through both [1,3]- and [3,3]-mechanisms, 4, 5; for the pseudosaccharyl derivative of the natural product myrtenol (6; Scheme 3) only the product 7 of a [1,3]-shift has been observed; crystallographic data and theoretical calculations provide an explanation of this ease of [1,3]-isomerization and the observed selectivity as being due to conformational constraints and electronic factors.

Semi-synthetic and synthetic 1,2,4-trioxaquines and 1,2,4-trioxolaquines: synthesis, preliminary SAR and comparison with acridine endoperoxide conjugates

A novel series of semi-synthetic trioxaquines and synthetic trioxolaquines were prepared, in moderate to good yields. Antimalarial activity was evaluated against both the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 and resistant K1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum and both series of compounds were shown to be active in the low nanomolar range. For comparison the corresponding 9-amino acridine analogues were also prepared and shown to have low nanomolar activity like their quinoline counterparts.

Design and synthesis of novel 2-pyridone peptidomimetic falcipain 2/3 inhibitors

The structure-based design, chemical synthesis and in vitro activity evaluation of various falcipain inhibitors derived from 2-pyridone are reported. These compounds contain a peptidomimetic binding determinant and a Michael acceptor terminal moiety capable of deactivating the cysteine protease active site.

Metal-assisted reactions. Part 25. Heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic transfer hydrogenolysis of allyloxytetrazoles to yield alkenes or alkanes

Transfer hydrogenolysis of 5-allyloxy-l-phenyltetrazoles using either a heterogeneous or a homogeneous palladium catalyst and a hydrogen donor leads to cleavage of the allyloxy C–O bond to yield an alkane or an alkene and 1-phenyltetrazolone, depending on the catalyst used.

Photochemistry of 5-allyloxy-tetrazoles: steady-state and laser flash photolysis study.

The photochemistry of three 5-allyloxy-tetrazoles, in methanol, acetonitrile and cyclohexane was studied by product analysis and laser flash photolysis. The exclusive primary photochemical process identified was molecular nitrogen elimination, with formation of 1,3-oxazines. These compounds were isolated in reasonable yields by column chromatography on silica gel and were fully characterized. DFT(B3LYP)/6-31G(d,p) calculations predict that these 1,3-oxazines can adopt two tautomeric forms (i) with the NH group acting as a bridge connecting the oxazine and phenyl rings and (ii) with the -N=bridge and the proton shifted to the oxazine ring. Both tautomeric forms are relevant in the photolysis of oxazines in solution. Secondary reactions were observed, leading to the production of phenyl vinyl-hydrazines, enamines, aniline and phenyl-isocyanate. Transient absorption, detected by laser flash photolysis, is attributed to the formation of triplet 1,3-biradicals generated from the excited 5-allyloxy-tetrazoles. The 1,3-biradicals are converted to 1,6-biradicals by proton transfer, which, after intersystem crossing, decay to generate the products. Solvent effects on the photoproduct distribution and rate of decomposition are negligible.

Tautomer selective photochemistry in 1-(tetrazol-5-yl)ethanol.

A combined matrix isolation FTIR and theoretical DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) study of the molecular structure and photochemistry of 1-(tetrazol-5-yl)ethanol [1-TE] was performed. The potential energy surface landscapes of the 1H and 2H tautomers of the compound were investigated and the theoretical results were used to help characterize the conformational mixture existing in equilibrium in the gas phase prior to deposition of the matrices, as well as the conformers trapped in the latter. In the gas phase, at room temperature, the compound exists as a mixture of 12 conformers (five of the 1H tautomer and seven of the 2H tautomer). Upon deposition of the compound in an argon matrix at 10 K, only three main forms survive, because the low barriers for conformational isomerization allow extensive conformational cooling during deposition. Deposition of the matrix at 30 K led to further simplification of the conformational mixture with only one conformer of each tautomer of 1-TE surviving. These conformers correspond to the most stable forms of each tautomer, which bear different types of intramolecular H-bonds: 1H-I has an NH···O hydrogen bond, whereas 2H-I has an OH···N hydrogen bond. Upon irradiating with UV light (λ > 200 nm), a matrix containing both 1H-I and 2H-I forms, an unprecedented tautomer selective photochemistry was observed, with the 2H tautomeric form undergoing unimolecular decomposition to azide + hydroxypropanenitrile and the 1H-tautomer being photostable.

Photoisomerization of Saccharin

Most known applications of saccharin and saccharyl derivatives and their potential for new uses rely on the thermal and photochemical stability of the saccharyl system. Here, we show that saccharin undergoes structural rearrangement when subjected to a narrow-band ultraviolet irradiation. Monomeric saccharin was isolated in low-temperature argon matrices and its photochemistry was characterized by means of infrared spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Among several DFT methods used, the O3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level gave the best match with the experimental spectra. Irradiation of matrix-isolated saccharin, with a narrow-band source (290 nm), generates a so far unknown isomer that we call iso-saccharin. The structures of the conjugate bases of saccharin and iso-saccharin were also computed theoretically. Their free energies and dipole moments suggest that both anions may be relevant in systems where saccharin participates, as is the case of the recently proposed saccharin-based ionic liquids.

Investigations into the mechanism of action of nitrobenzene as a mild dehydrogenating agent under acid-catalysed conditions

Protonated nitrobenzene can be used to dehydrogenate a range of hydrocarbons, which already possess at least one double bond. Kinetic and spectroscopic results, together with known electrode potentials, yield approximate limits within which protonated nitrobenzenes can be expected to effect dehydrogenation of hydroaromatic compounds. A high yielding synthesis of benzo[j]fluoranthene is described.

Rational Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Heterocyclic Quinolones Targeting the Respiratory Chain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A high-throughput screen (HTS) was undertaken against the respiratory chain dehydrogenase component, NADH:menaquinone oxidoreductase (Ndh) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The 11000 compounds were selected for the HTS based on the known phenothiazine Ndh inhibitors, trifluoperazine and thioridazine. Combined HTS (11000 compounds) and in-house screening of a limited number of quinolones (50 compounds) identified ∼100 hits and four distinct chemotypes, the most promising of which contained the quinolone core. Subsequent Mtb screening of the complete in-house quinolone library (350 compounds) identified a further ∼90 hits across three quinolone subtemplates. Quinolones containing the amine-based side chain were selected as the pharmacophore for further modification, resulting in metabolically stable quinolones effective against multi drug resistant (MDR) Mtb. The lead compound, 42a (MTC420), displays acceptable antituberculosis activity (Mtb IC50 = 525 nM, Mtb Wayne IC50 = 76 nM, and MDR Mtb patient isolates IC50 = 140 nM) and favorable pharmacokinetic and toxicological profiles.