Marla N. Godoi

Multicomponent Biginelli's synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones promoted by SnCl2.2H2O

The ability of SnCl2.2H2O as catalyst to promote the Biginelli three-component condensation reaction from a diversity of aromatic aldehydes, ethyl acetoacetate and urea or thiourea is described. The reaction was carried out in acetonitrile or ethanol as solvents in neutral media and represents an improvement of the classical Biginelli protocol and an advantage in comparison with FeCl3.6H2O, NiCl2.6H2O and CoCl2.6H2O which were used with HCl as co-catalyst. The synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidinones was achieved in good to excelent yields.

The Multicomponent Hantzsch Reaction: Comprehensive Mass Spectrometry Monitoring Using Charge‐Tagged Reagents

A novel strategy for the ESI-MS monitoring of reaction solutions involving the alternate use of permanently charge-tagged reagents has been used for comprehensive mass spectrometry monitoring of the multicomponent Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine reaction. By placing a charge tag on either, or both, of the two key reactants, ion suppression effects for ESI were eliminated or minimized, and comprehensive detection of charge-tagged intermediates was achieved. The strategy allowed the trapping and characterization of the important intermediates in the mechanism for 1,4-dihydropyridine formation.

Phosphine-free Heck reaction: mechanistic insights and catalysis “on water” using a charge-tagged palladium complex

A novel Pd-complex with a charge tag (imidazolium cation) was applied for online monitoring of the neutral Heck reaction by electrospray ionization (tandem) mass spectrometry – ESI-MS(/MS). The results shed light on the mechanism of the reaction, whereas the charge-tagged ligand also allowed the unprecedented MS monitoring of Pd2+ reduction to Pd0. Key reaction intermediates associated with Pd catalysis could also be detected and characterized due to the presence of the charge tag on the Pd-complex. DFT calculations supported the proposed mechanism. The new charge-tagged Pd-complex is also shown to function as an active catalyst “on water” with the advantage of using cheaper and less reactive aryl chloride substrates in a phosphine-free version of the Heck reaction.

Chemo-, Regio- and Stereoselective Heck Arylation of Allylated Malonates: Mechanistic Insights by ESI-MS and Synthetic Application toward 5-Arylmethyl-γ-lactones

We describe herein a general method for the controlled Heck arylation of allylated malonates. Both electron-rich and electron-poor aryldiazonium salts were readily employed as the aryl-transfer agents in good yields and in high chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity without formation of decarboxylated byproducts. Reaction monitoring via ESI-MS was used to support the formation of chelated Pd species through the catalytic cycle. Additionally, some Heck adducts were successfully used in the total synthesis of pharmacologically active γ-lactones.

Charge Tags for Most Comprehensive ESI-MS Monitoring of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH)/aza-MBH Reactions: Solid Mechanistic View and the Dualistic Role of the Charge Tagged Acrylate

Neutral and charge tagged reagents were used to investigate the mechanism of the classical Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction as well as its aza-version using mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI-MS). The use of an acrylate (activated alkene) with a methylimidazolium ion as a charge tag eliminates the requirement for adding acids as ESI(+) additives, which are normally used to favor protonation and therefore detection of reaction partners (reagents, intermediates, and products) by ESI(+)-MS. For both charge tagged reactions (MBH/aza-MBH), most reactants, intermediates, and the final adducts were efficiently detected in the form of abundant doubly and singly charged ions. Characterization of the reactions partners was performed via both tandem mass spectrometry (ESI(+)-MS/MS) and accurate m/z measurements. The charge tagged reactions also showed faster conversion rates when compare to the neutral reaction, indicating a dualistic role for the charge tagged acrylate. It acts as both the reagent and a cocatalyst due to the inherent ionic-coordination nature of the methylimidazolium ion, which stabilizes the zwitterionic intermediates and reagents through different types of coordination ion pairs. Hemiacetal intermediates for the rate-limiting proton transfer step were also intercepted and characterized for both classical and aza-MBH charge tagged reactions.

Probing the formation of monoalkyl carbonates and pyrocarbonates in water with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The anionic hemiesters of carbonic acid with aliphatic alcohols were demonstrated to be formed in aqueous medium containing HCO3− or CO32− by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Some monoalkyl carbonates (MACs) have been previously detected by capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D), but ESI-MS is structurally diagnostic and more sensitive allowing unequivocal characterization, which allowed, for the first time, detection of hydrogen pyrocarbonate and monoalkyl pyrocarbonates (MAPs). Methanol, ethanol, and different isomers of alcohols from C3 to C6 were studied. The relatively slow kinetics of formation of the MACs allowed us to confirm their formation in solution before the electrospray process takes place. The loss of CO2 to form the corresponding alkoxide is the most important process in gas phase dissociation, but dehydro-alkoxides were also observed. Monocyclohexyl and monocyclopentyl carbonates were also characterized by ESI-MS. These species, formed from cyclohexanol and cyclopentanol in diluted aqueous solution of HCO3−, are important because these alcohols are prototypes for the hydroxyl-containing portion of sterols. No biological role has been yet attributed to either MACs or MAPs, but their spontaneous formation in aqueous solution at room temperature indicates that these species are present in biological media.

Microwave-Assisted Heck Arylations of Non-Activated N-Acyl-3-pyrrolines with Arenediazonium Tetrafluoroborates

Successful Heck-Matsuda arylations of non-activated olefins applying microwave irradiation as an alternative heating mode are presented. Cleaner reactions were performed with arenediazonium tetrafluoroborates bearing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups in good to excellent yields with reaction times reduced from 3.5-18 h to 12-30 min.