Santos Fustero

Improved Regioselectivity in Pyrazole Formation through the Use of Fluorinated Alcohols as Solvents: Synthesis and Biological Activity of Fluorinated Tebufenpyrad Analogs

The preparation of N-methylpyrazoles is usually accomplished through reaction of a suitable 1,3-diketone with methylhydrazine in ethanol as the solvent. This strategy, however, leads to the formation of regioisomeric mixtures of N-methylpyrazoles, which sometimes are difficult to separate. We have determined that the use of fluorinated alcohols such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as solvents dramatically increases the regioselectivity in the pyrazole formation, and we have used this modification in a straightforward synthesis of fluorinated analogs of Tebufenpyrad with acaricide activity.

Synthesis of New Fluorinated Tebufenpyrad Analogs with Acaricidal Activity Through Regioselective Pyrazole Formation

In previous studies, our group has shown that the use of fluorinated alcohols such as trifluoroethanol (TFE) and hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) as solvents dramatically increases the regioselectivity in the pyrazole formation from 1,3-diketone with methylhydrazine. We have now applied this synthetic method to the preparation of new fluorinated pyrazoles, which have then been used as synthetic intermediates in the preparation of fluorinated analogs of Tebufenpyrad, a commercial acaricide. These compounds display a strong acaricidal activity that is either comparable to or better than that of the commercial compound.

Tandem Nucleophilic Addition−Intramolecular Aza-Michael Reaction: Facile Synthesis of Chiral Fluorinated Isoindolines

A highly stereoselective synthesis of fluorinated 1,3-disubstituted isoindolines is described. To this end, a tandem reaction consisting of a diastereoselective addition of fluorinated nucleophiles to Ellmans N-(tert-butanesulfinyl)imines followed by an intramolecular aza-Michael reaction has been developed. This strategy allows for the construction of isoindolines bearing several degrees of fluorination (mono-, di-, or trifluoromethyl as well as heavier fluorinated groups). In the majority of all cases, the products are formed as single isomers.

Gold-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroamination of o-Alkynylbenzyl Carbamates: A Route to Chiral Fluorinated Isoindoline and Isoquinoline Derivatives

Enantiomerically pure fluorinated isoindoline and dihydroisoquinoline scaffolds have been prepared through a diastereoselective addition of fluorinated nucleophiles to Ellmans N-(tert-butanesulfinyl)imines followed by a sequence of Sonogashira cross-coupling/gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of the corresponding carbamate. A more favored 5-exo-dig mechanism was observed mainly due to an electronic effect of the fluorinated group.

Solution versus fluorous versus solid-phase synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted 1,3-azoles. Preliminary antibacterial activity studies.

A small library of compounds with an oxa(thia)zole scaffold and structural diversity in both positions 2 and 5 has been synthesized. Double acylation of a protected glycine affords intermediate alpha-amido-beta-ketoesters, which in turn can be dehydrated to afford 1,3-oxazoles or reacted with Lawessons reagent to furnish 1,3-thiazoles. This procedure was designed with its adaptation to fluorous techniques in mind. Thus, when a protected glycine with a fluorous tag in the ester moiety is used as a starting material, the synthesis can be easily completed without column chromatography purification of intermediate compounds with good to excellent yields, thus affording a suitable entry to the preparation of small libraries of these bioactive compounds. The prepared oxa(thia)zoles were assayed for their antibacterial activity, and several of them were active against Staphylococcus aureus.

Tandem asymmetric Michael reaction-intramolecular Michael addition. An easy entry to chiral fluorinated 1,4-dihydropyridines.

A novel one-pot tandem asymmetric Hantzsch-type process has been employed to generate fluorinated 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHPs) as single diastereoisomers. It involves the condensation of (R)-(+)-allyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, fluorinated nitriles, and alkyl propiolates, giving access to a new family of enantiomerically pure fluorine-containing 1,4-DHPs.

Cross-Metathesis Reactions as an Efficient Tool in the Synthesis of Fluorinated Cyclic β-Amino Acids§

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure, cyclic, gamma,gamma-difluorinated beta-amino acids with various ring sizes has been carried out with a cross-metathesis (CM) reaction being one of the key steps, followed by a Dieckmann-type condensation to bring about the cyclization. Subsequent catalytic hydrogenation under microwave irradiation with (-)-8-phenylmenthol as a chiral auxiliary led to the successful chemo- and diastereoselective chemical reduction of the resulting cyclic beta-enamino esters. The efficiency and scope of the CM reaction with different types of fluorinated imidoyl chlorides and unsaturated esters has also been studied in order to determine the optimal reaction conditions with regard to selectivity and reactivity.

Asymmetric synthesis of indolines through intramolecular shifting of aromatic sulfinyl groups. Role of the pi,pi-stacking interactions in these unusual S(N)Ar processes.

Cyclization of N-aryl substituted 1-aryl-2[2-p-tolylsulfinyl]phenyl propylamines under LDA, LHMDS, or KHMDS provides a new approach for synthesizing optically pure 2,3-disubstituted indolines. Both the scope and the limitations of this method have been investigated. The pi,pi-stacking interactions are crucial for these unprecedented intramolecular S(N)Ar processes, in which a sulfinyl group located on a slightly deactivated ring is substituted by amide anions under mild conditions. X-ray and NMR proofs supporting these pi,pi-stacking interactions are presented.

Intramolecular Michael Reaction of tert-Butylsulfinyl Ketimines: Asymmetric Synthesis of 3-Substituted Indanones

Aromatic tert-butylsulfinyl ketimines bearing a suitable Michael acceptor at the ortho position readily undergo an intramolecular conjugate addition achieving indanone derivatives in good yields and complete diastereoselectivity.

A new strategy for the synthesis of optically pure beta-fluoroalkyl beta-amino acid derivatives.

The first general approach for the diastereoselective formation of a variety of optically pure anti-beta-fluoroalkyl beta-amino acid derivatives is described. The process relies on the stereocontrolled reaction, mediated by a remote sulfoxide, of fluorinated imines with sulfinylated benzyl carbanions, which are used as synthetic equivalents of chiral ester enolates.