Synthesis of 3-fluoroazetidines.

N-(Alkylidene or 1-arylmethylidene)-2-propenylamines were regiospecifically functionalized to novel N-(alkylidene or 1-arylmethylidene)-3-bromo-2-fluoropropylamines, which were proven to be excellent precursors for 3-fluoroazetidines.

Asymmetric synthesis of 1-(2- and 3-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones as precursors for novel piperazine, morpholine, and 1,4-diazepane annulated beta-lactams.

A high-yielding, asymmetric synthesis of novel 4-formyl-1-(2- and 3-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones was developed as valuable starting materials for the synthesis of different enantiomerically enriched bicyclic azetidin-2-ones, such as piperazine, morpholine, and 1,4-diazepane annulated beta-lactam derivatives. Especially the hydride reduction of 4-imidoyl-1-(2- and 3-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones turned out to be an efficient and straightforward method for the preparation 2-substituted piperazines and 1,4-diazepanes.

Synthesis of 1-arylmethyl-2-(cyanomethyl)aziridines and their ring transformation into methyl N-(2-cyanocyclopropyl)benzimidates.

1-Arylmethyl-2-(cyanomethyl)aziridines were prepared in high yields from the corresponding 2-(bromomethyl)aziridines upon treatment with potassium cyanide in DMSO. Ring opening of the aziridine moiety with N-chlorosuccinimide in CCl4 and subsequent treatment of the thus formed 4-chloro-3-(N-chloro-N-(alpha,alpha-dichlorobenzyl)amino)butanenitriles with sodium methoxide in methanol resulted in novel methyl N-(2-chloro-1-(cyanomethyl)ethyl)benzimidates, although in low yields. The latter gamma-chloro nitriles were smoothly converted into methyl N-(2-cyanocyclopropyl)benzimidates as precursors of biologically relevant beta-ACC derivatives through a 1,3-cyclization protocol by reaction with potassium tert-butoxide in THF.

Metabolism of the food-associated carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine by human intestinal microbiota.

2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine is a putative human carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amine formed from meat and fish during cooking. Although the formation of hazardous PhIP metabolites by mammalian enzymes is well-documented, nothing is known about the PhIP transformation potency of human intestinal bacteria. In this study, the in vitro metabolism of PhIP by human fecal samples was investigated.

Ring transformation of 2-(haloalkyl)azetidines into 3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidines and piperidines.

[reaction: see text] Reduction of 4-(haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones with chloroalane (AlH(2)Cl) afforded new 2-(haloalkyl)azetidines in high yields. The latter compounds proved to be very useful starting materials for rearrangements toward stereospecifically defined five- and six-membered azaheterocycles, such as 3,4-cis-disubstituted pyrrolidines and piperidines. During these reactions, bicyclic azetidinium intermediates were formed which were ring opened by a variety of nucleophiles.

Reduction of 4-(haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones with LiAlH4 as a powerful method for the synthesis of stereodefined aziridines and azetidines.

[reaction: see text] A new synthesis of stereodefined aziridines and azetidines, starting from 4-(1- or 2-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones, is described. Treatment of the latter compounds with LiAlH(4) gave 1,2-fission of the beta-lactam, followed by an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution of the halogen, giving rise to the formation of 2-(1-alkoxy-2-hydroxyethyl)aziridines in the case of 4-(1-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones and of 2-(1-alkoxy-2-hydroxyethyl)azetidines in the case of 4-(2-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones. The resulting 2-(1-alkoxy-2-hydroxyethyl)aziridines were transformed into the corresponding trans-3,4-substituted oxolanes via an intramolecular nucleophilic ring opening, triggered by AlCl(3).

Electrophile-induced ring expansions of beta-lactams toward gamma-Lactams.

[reaction: see text] An efficient and straightforward route toward 3,4-cis-4-isopropenylazetidin-2-ones was developed from 4-(1-chloroalkyl)azetidin-2-ones. Starting from the latter beta-lactams, a new synthesis of pyrrolidin-2-ones was achieved. When 4-isopropenylazetidin-2-ones were treated with bromine in dichloromethane, diastereoselective electrophile-induced ring expansions toward 5-bromopyrrolidin-2-ones were performed.

Diastereoselective ring expansion of beta-lactams toward gamma-lactams via N-acyliminium intermediates.

[reaction: see text] The diastereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized gamma-lactams starting from 4-(1-bromoalkyl)-2-azetidinones via N-acyliminium intermediates is described. The carbenium ions, formed by dissociation of bromide from 4-(1-bromoalkyl)-2-azetidinones in polar medium, are converted via a ring expansion toward N-acyliminium ions, which are susceptible to attack of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon nucleophiles. In this way, a variety of 5-hydroxy-, 5-alkoxy, 5-cyano-, 5-allylamino- and 5-azido-4,4-dimethyl-2-pyrrolidinones were synthesized.

New synthesis of propargylic amines from 2-(bromomethyl)aziridines. Intermediacy of 3-bromoazetidinium salts.

A new, efficient, and straightforward synthesis provides propargylamines in high overall yields (64-77%) by transformation of 1-(arylmethyl)-2-(bromomethyl)aziridines into N,N-di(arylmethyl)-N-(2-propynyl)amines via N-(2,3-dibromopropyl)amines and N-(2-bromo-2-propenyl)amines. The conversion of N-(2,3-dibromopropyl)amines into N-(2-bromo-2-propenyl)amines is based on a novel analogue of the Hofmann elimination. A Yamaguchi-Hirao alkylation, a Sonogashira coupling, or a hydroarylation reaction further functionalized these propargylamines toward potentially interesting compounds for medicinal and agrochemical use.