Identification of Quinolinones as Antivirals against Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a reemerging alphavirus that can cause encephalitis resulting in severe human morbidity and mortality. Using a high-throughput cell-based screen, we identified a quinolinone compound that protected against VEEV-induced cytopathic effects. Analysis of viral replication in cells identified several quinolinone compounds with potent inhibitory activity against vaccine and virulent strains of VEEV.

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of bridged bicyclic ketals from 1,1-disubstituted-4-methylene-1,6-hexanediols and related alkenols.

Bridged bicyclic ketals display a range of bioactivities. Their catalytic enantioselective synthesis from acyclic 1,1-disubstituted alkene diols is disclosed. This reaction combines asymmetric catalysis with a distal radical migration.

Synthesis of Spirocyclic Ethers by Enantioselective Copper-Catalyzed Carboetherification of Alkenols.

Spirocyclic ethers can be found in bioactive compounds. This copper-catalyzed enantioselective alkene carboetherification provides 5,5-, 5,6- and 6,6-spirocyclic products containing fully substituted chiral carbon centers with up to 99 % enantiomeric excess. This reaction features the formation of two rings from acyclic substrates, 1,1-disubstituted alkenols functionalized with either arenes, alkenes, or alkynes, and clearly constitutes a powerful way to synthesize chiral spirocyclic ethers.

BABIPhos Family of Biaryl Dihydrobenzooxaphosphole Ligands for Asymmetric Hydrogenation.

Novel bidentate phosphine ligands BABIPhos featuring a biaryl bis-dihydrobenzooxaphosphole core are presented. Their synthesis was achieved via Pd-catalyzed reductive homocoupling of dihydrobenzooxaphosphole aryl triflates. An efficient route toward various analogues was also established, giving access to phosphines with different electronic and steric properties.

Stereoselective and Regioselective Synthesis of Heterocycles via Copper-Catalyzed Additions of Amine Derivatives and Alcohols to Alkenes.

This Perspective describes the development of a family of copper(II)-catalyzed alkene difunctionalization reactions that enable stereoselective addition of amine derivatives and alcohols onto pendant unactivated alkenes to provide a range of valuable saturated nitrogen and oxygen heterocycles. 2-Vinylanilines and related substrates undergo alternative oxidative amination or allylic amination pathways, and these reactions will also be discussed. The involvement of both polar and radical steps in the reaction mechanisms have been implicated.

Copper-promoted synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepinones via alkene diamination.

A new method for the synthesis of 2-aminomethyl functionalized 1,4-benzodiazepin-5-ones is presented. The benzodiazepine core is well-known to interact with biological receptors and many pharmaceutical drugs are derived from this structure. The alkene diamination strategy is employed for the first time for the synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepinones.

Stereoselective isoxazolidine synthesis via copper-catalyzed alkene aminooxygenation.

Isoxazolidines are useful in organic synthesis, drug discovery, and chemical biology endeavors. A new stereoselective synthesis of methyleneoxy-substituted isoxazolidines is disclosed. The method involves copper-catalyzed aminooxygenation/cyclization of N-sulfonyl-O-butenyl hydroxylamines in the presence of (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl radical (TEMPO) and O(2) and provides substituted isoxazolidines in excellent yields and diastereoselectivities.