Metal-Free Aminophosphonation: Eco-Friendly Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Fluorescent 3-(Aminoimidazo[1,2-a]Pyridin-2-yl)Phosphonates.

We report a novel, metal-free procedure for the direct aminophosphonation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines in green solvents under open air conditions. This method is characterized by its mild and sustainable conditions, ease of operation, scalability, and excellent functional group compatibility. The synthesized compounds exhibit promising photophysical properties, including significant Stokes shifts and quantum yields, making them potential candidates for innovative fluorescent probes.

Synthesis of 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin(thio)one Containing Scaffold: Biginelli-like Reactions.

The interest in 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1)-(thio)ones is increasing every day, mainly due to their paramount biological relevance. The Biginelli reaction is the classical approach to reaching these scaffolds, although the product diversity suffers from some limitations. In order to overcome these restrictions, two main approaches have been devised.

Synthesis of Ketones by C-H Functionalization of Aldehydes with Boronic Acids under Transition-Metal-Free Conditions.

A method for the synthesis of ketones from aldehydes and boronic acids via a transition-metal-free C-H functionalization reaction is reported. The method employs nitrosobenzene as a reagent to drive the simultaneous activation of the boronic acid as a boronate and the activation of the C-H bond of the aldehyde as an iminium species that triggers the key C-C bond-forming step via an intramolecular migration from boron to carbon. These findings constitute a practical, scalable, and operationally straightforward method for the synthesis of ketones.

How to make C-N bonds using boronic acids and their derivatives without transition metals.

This tutorial review describes recent developments in carbon-nitrogen bond-forming reactions (amination, amidation, nitration and nitrosation) that involve the use of boronic acids and some of their derivatives as carbon-nucleophiles in the absence of transition-metals. Issues pertaining to reagents and mechanisms are discussed.

Synthesis of Mono--Methyl Aromatic Amines from Nitroso Compounds and Methylboronic Acid.

The selective synthesis of mono--methyl aromatic amines was achieved by the reaction of aromatic nitroso compounds with methylboronic acid promoted by triethylphosphite under transition metal-free conditions. The target compounds are constructed efficiently without overmethylation, under environmentally benign reaction conditions that do not require bases or reductants and therefore are of interest in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical industries.

Selective Functionalization of Achmatowicz Rearrangement Products by Reactions with Potassium Organotrifluoroborates under Transition-Metal-Free Conditions.

The repertoire of synthetic transformations of the products of the Achmatowicz rearrangement has been expanded by exploring their reactivity with potassium organotrifluoroborates in the absence of transition metals. Depending on the reaction conditions and the substitution pattern of the starting material, the reaction may lead to the stereoselective synthesis of dihydropyranones (2,6- trans), tetrahydropyranones (2,3- cis-2,6- cis) or functionalized 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds. The method has also been adapted for the one-pot synthesis of functionalized pyrroles.

Synthesis of Di(hetero)arylamines from Nitrosoarenes and Boronic Acids: A General, Mild, and Transition-Metal-Free Coupling.

The synthesis of di(hetero)arylamines by a transition-metal-free cross-coupling between nitrosoarenes and boronic acids is reported. The procedure is experimentally simple, fast, mild, and scalable and has a wide functional group tolerance, including carbonyls, nitro, halogens, free OH and NH groups. It also permits the synthesis of sterically hindered compounds.

Towards understanding the behavior of polyelectrolyte-surfactant mixtures at the water/vapor interface closer to technologically-relevant conditions.

Polyelectrolyte-surfactant mixtures and their interactions with fluid interfaces are an important research field due to their use in technological applications. Most of the existing knowledge on these systems is based on models in which the polyelectrolyte concentration is around 50 times lower than that used in commercial formulations. The present work marks a step to close the gap on the understanding of their behavior under more practically-relevant conditions.

Transition-Metal-Free Stereocomplementary Cross-Coupling of Diols with Boronic Acids as Nucleophiles.

The transition-metal-free diastereoselective C(sp)-C(sp) cross-coupling between unprotected diols and boronic acids or potassium organotrifluoroborates is reported. Depending on the reaction conditions, the syn or the anti reaction products are obtained in a stereocomplementary fashion. This type of coupling is developed with alkenyl-, heteroaryl- and arylboron compounds as carbon nucleophiles.

Transition-metal free reactions of boronic acids: cascade addition - ring-opening of furans towards functionalized γ-ketoaldehydes.

We describe the first ring-opening of furfuryl alcohols with boronic acids to afford functionalized γ-ketoaldehydes. The transformation builds a new C-C bond at the original C-4 of the starting furan, and tolerates ring-substitution at C-3 and C-4 positions. The reaction takes place under metal-free conditions by promotion with tartaric acid.

Transition-metal-free direct anti-carboboration of alkynes with boronic acids to produce alkenylheteroarenes.

The transition-metal-free intermolecular direct 1,2-carboboration reaction of heteroarylacetylenes using boronic acids as reagents is achieved by utilizing tartaric acid as promoter. The reaction proceeds with excellent regioselectivity and anti stereoselectivity to afford boroxole frameworks. The resulting compounds are of use for the stereoselective preparation of polysubstituted alkenylheteroarenes.

Transition-metal-free C-C bond forming reactions of aryl, alkenyl and alkynylboronic acids and their derivatives.

Investigation of new methods for the synthesis of C-C bonds is fundamental for the development of new organic drugs and materials. Aryl-, alkenyl- and alkynylboronic acids and their derivatives constitute attractive reagents towards this end, due to their stability, low toxicity and ease of handling. However, these compounds are only moderately nucleophilic.

Metal-free ring-opening of epoxides with potassium trifluoroborates.

The ring-opening of epoxides with potassium trifluoroborates proceeds smoothly in the presence of trifluoroacetic anhydride under metal-free conditions. The reactions are regioselective and afford a single diastereomer. Both electron-rich and electron-poor aryltrifluoroborates are tolerated.

Transition-metal-free reactions of boronic acids: 1,3-stereochemical induction in the substrate-controlled conjugate addition.

The substrate-controlled 1,3-stereoselective conjugate addition of boronic acids and potassium trifluoroborates under metal-free conditions has been developed. This reaction affords bicyclic acetals, which have been used as key intermediates in the stereodivergent synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydropyrans.

Discovery of alkenylboronic acids as neuroprotective agents affecting multiple biological targets involved in Alzheimer's disease.

Alkenylboronic acids have shown important biological activities that contribute to neuroprotection. We have determined their influence on the β-amyloid (βA) aggregation process, β-secretase and acethylcholinesterase activities on cell-free systems, on the redox and lipid peroxidation status, and on the vulnerability to apoptotic death in an APPswe neuroblastoma cell line, before and after hydrogen peroxide treatment. We have discovered that 2-arylvinylboronic acids and some of their esters possess a set of properties which makes them highly useful as neuroprotective agents affecting multiple biological targets involved in AD.

Trifluoroacetic anhydride promoted tandem conjugate addition of boronic acids/acetal ring opening.

A new stereoselective tandem reaction consisting of the metal-free conjugate addition of boronic acids followed by an intramolecular ring opening of a cyclic acetal has been disclosed. Optically pure polysubstituted tetrahydropyrans have been synthesized diastereoselectively by this new reaction. Two new C-C bonds and up to three stereocenters are formed in a single step, allowing the generation of quaternary stereocenters.

Synthesis and evaluation of arylquinones as BACE1 inhibitors, β-amyloid peptide aggregation inhibitors, and destabilizers of preformed β-amyloid fibrils.

BACE1 activity, inhibition of Aβ aggregation, and disaggregation of preformed Aβ fibrils constitute the three major targets in the development of small-molecule lipophilic new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quinones are widely distributed among natural products and possess relevant and varied biological activities including antitumor and antibiotic, inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, antidiabetic, or COX-inhibition, among others. We report herein the interaction of several arylquinones and their derivatives with the amyloidogenic pathway of the amyloid precursor protein processing.

In vitro antiamyloidogenic properties of 1,4-naphthoquinones.

The aim of this study is to find out whether several 1,4-naphthoquinones (1,4-NQ) can interact with the amyloidogenic pathway of the amyloid precursor protein processing, particularly targeting at β-secretase (BACE), as well as at β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) aggregation and disaggregating preformed Aβ fibrils. Compounds bearing hydroxyl groups at the quinoid (2) or benzenoid rings (5, 6) as well as some 2- and 3-aryl derivatives (11-15) showed BACE inhibitory activity, without effect on amyloid aggregation or disaggregation. The halogenated compounds 8 and 10 were selective for the inhibition of amyloid aggregation.

Conjugate addition reactions of carbon nucleophiles to electron-deficient dienes.

The conjugate addition reaction of carbon nucleophiles to electron-deficient olefins is one of the most reliable methods for selective C-C bond formation. However, the conjugate addition to the vinylogous electron-deficient dienes has been much less developed, as there is considerably more difficulty in controlling the regioselectivity of the addition to these extended conjugate systems due to the presence of three electrophilic sites, as well as the stereoselectivity. Although still underdeveloped, new approaches to tackle these challenges are beginning to emerge.

N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed monoacylation of 1,4-naphthoquinones with aldehydes.

The NHC-catalyzed conjugate hydroacylation of 1,4-naphthoquinones allows for the synthesis of monoacylated 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene derivatives. These targets, difficult to prepare selectively by standard protocols, represent important intermediates in the elaboration of highly substituted 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives, which constitute relevant pharmaceutical scaffolds. High regioselectivity has been observed in the hydroacylation reaction when starting from nonsymmetrical quinones.

Arylation of benzo-fused 1,4-quinones by the addition of boronic acids under dicationic Pd(II)-catalysis.

The first examples of the direct arylation of benzo-fused 1,4-quinones by the dicationic Pd(II)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids are reported. The addition reaction is carried out under very mild conditions (dioxane-H(2)O, rt, open air atmosphere) and is tolerant of free OH groups. In addition, the reaction shows high regioselectivity when using nonsymmetrical quinones as starting materials.

Stereoselective rhodium-catalyzed conjugate addition of boronic acids to unprotected delta-hydroxy-gamma-butenolides. Synthesis of (-)-7-oxamuricatacin and beta-substituted derivatives.

The chiral delta-hydroxy-gamma-butanolide moiety is widely found among biologically active natural products. We report herein the stereoselective synthesis of beta-substituted analogues of these compounds by the Rh(I)-catalyzed conjugate addition of boronic acids to chiral delta-hydroxy-gamma-butenolides, easily prepared from the chiral pool. The reaction takes place with high trans diastereoselectivity without protection of the hydroxyl group.

Stereoselective RhI-catalyzed tandem conjugate addition of boronic acids-Michael cyclization.

The first examples of the stereoselective sequence RhI-catalyzed tandem conjugate addition of boronic acids to enones-Michael cyclization, is reported. The reaction is carried out in dioxane-H2O at rt, and 1,2,3-trisubstituted indans are obtained in a highly regio- and stereoselective fashion.

Stereoselective conjugate addition of aryl- and alkenylboronic acids to acyclic gamma,delta-oxygen-substituted alpha,beta-enoates.

The substrate-controlled RhI-catalyzed conjugate addition of aryl- and alkenylboronic acids to alpha,beta-unsaturated esters which bear gamma- and delta-oxygen substituents takes place in a highly anti diastereoselective fashion either when using gamma-hydroxyl unprotected starting materials or when the gamma-oxygen substituent is protected with a nonbulky group. The delta-oxygen substituent plays a role in the stereoselectivity of the reaction, and better results are obtained when this OH-group is protected.

Benzylic substitution of gramines with boronic acids and rhodium or iridium catalysts.

Gramine-MeI salts were useful starting materials for the synthesis of 3-benzyl- and 3-allylindoles by the 1,4-addition of boronic acids to the C=C-C=N linkages generated in situ under Rh(I)-catalysis. On the other hand, under Ir(I) catalysis, the reaction of gramines with indoles was used to produce nonsymmetrical diindolylmethanes. [reaction: see text]