Synthesis and biological evaluation of substituted pyrrolidines and pyrroles as potential anticancer agents.

A series of polysubstituted pyrrolidines obtained via ruthenium-catalyzed cascade cyclization of diazo pyruvates and anilines as well as their corresponding pyrrole analogs obtained via dehydration were evaluated for their antiproliferation activities. Pyrrolidines 3h and 3k showed good proliferation inhibitory effects toward 10 cancer cell lines with IC values ranging from 2.9 to 16 μM.

[Cu]-catalyzed domino Sonogashira coupling followed by intramolecular 5-exo-dig cyclization: synthesis of 1,3-dihydro-2-benzofurans.

An efficient [Cu]-catalyzed domino Sonogashira coupling of o-bromobenzyl tertiary alcohols with terminal aryl acetylenes followed by an intramolecular anti-5-exo-dig cyclization is presented. The terminal aryl acetylenes were identified as ideal coupling partners that permit in situ intramolecular oxacyclization by the hydroxyl group as a pre-existing nucleophile of the alcohol. Notably, the intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the hydroxyl group took place on the alkyne moiety in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner.