Regioselective, unconventional Pictet-Spengler cyclization strategy toward the synthesis of benzimidazole-linked imidazoquinoxalines on a soluble polymer support.

A novel strategy for an unconventional Pictet-Spengler reaction has been developed for the regioselective cyclization of the imidazole ring system at the C2 position. The developed strategy was utilized to develop a diversity-oriented parallel synthesis for bis(heterocyclic) skeletal novel analogs of benzimidazole-linked imidazoquinoxalines on a soluble polymer support under microwave conditions. Condensation of polymer-immobilized o-phenylenediamines with 4-fluoro-3-nitrobenzoic acid followed by nucleophilic aromatic substitution with an imidazole motif affords bis(heterocyclic) skeletal precursors for the Pictet-Spengler reaction.

Enantioselective synthesis of benzimidazolyl quinoxalinones on soluble polymer support using focused microwave irradiation.

Focused microwave irradiation has been applied to a multistep synthetic sequence of reactions designed to generate benzimidazolyl quinoxalinones using a soluble polymer support. They were obtained by the ipso-fluoro (S(N)Ar) displacement of the immobilized ortho-nitro fluoro benzimidazoles with chiral alpha amino esters under microwave irradiation. Intermediate chiral organic-polymer conjugates when subjected to neutral reduction underwent a spontaneous intramolecular ring closure.