Oxidative addition of Pd0 to Ar-SO2R bonds: heck-type reactions of sulfones.

[reaction: see text] Phenyl vinyl sulfones and sulfoxides react with Pd(OAc)(2) to form styryl sulfoxides and sulfones according to the first Mizoroki-Heck reaction reported for these thio derivatives. Only sulfones are able to react by using catalytic amounts of Pd (up to 1 mol %) in the presence of Ag(2)CO(3). 1,2-Diphenylsulfonyl ethenes, alkynylphenyl sulfones, and other sulfones, less prone to act as acceptors in the Heck-type reactions, can transfer the aryl group to alkyl acrylates forming cinnamic esters.

Privileged structure based ligands for melanocortin-4 receptors--aliphatic piperazine derivatives.

Aliphatic carbocyclic replacement of the benzyl group of compound 1 yielded compounds with high affinity for the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R). Compounds with a cyclohexyl group showed a consistent high affinity, while different polar groups with less basicity were good replacements for the original diethyl amines. Substitution of the polar group found in these privileged structures with an aliphatic moiety produced compounds with high affinity for MC4R.

Privileged structure based ligands for melanocortin receptors--substituted benzylic piperazine derivatives.

Replacement of the aryl piperazine moiety in compound 1 with a variety of substituted benzylic piperazines (6) yields compounds that afford melanocortin receptor 4 (MCR4) activity. Analogs with ortho substitution on the aromatic ring afforded the highest affinity. Resolution of the stereocenter of the benzylic piperazine based privileged structure revealed that the R-enantiomer was more active.