Facultad de Ciencias Departamento de Química Orgánica CATALYTIC C− C−H FUNCTIONALIZATION OF AROMATIC AROMAT NITROGEN COMPOUNDS DIRECTED BY THE 2--PYRIDYLSULFONYL GROUP BEATRIZ URONES RUANO Directores: Dr. Juan Carlos Carretero Gonzálvez Catedrático (UAM) Dr. Ramón Gómez Arrayás Profesor Titular (UAM) Madrid, Mayo de 2013 This PhD Thesis has been done at the Department of Organic Chemistry at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid under the supervison of Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Carretero and Prof. Dr. Ramón Gómez Arrayás. This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN, CTQ200907791/BQU), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, CTQ 2012-35790) and the Consejería de Educación de la Comunidad de Madrid (programme AVANCAT, S2009/PPQ1634). B.U. thanks the MICINN for a FPU predoctoral fellowship and N.R. for a contract through her Marie Curie Career Integration Grant - CIG (CHAAS-304085). It is difficult to overstate my gratitude to my Ph.D. supervisor, Prof. Juan Carlos Carretero, who have helped and supported me along this long but fulfilling road. To Ramón. whose expertise, understanding, and patience, added considerably to my graduate experience. I appreciate his vast knowledge and skill in many areas and his guidence in writing reports. Thanks for making things easier until the last minute. A very special thanks goes out to Dr. Jorge Fernández Molina, without whose motivation and encouragement I would not have considered to do a PhD. Also thank you very much for being “tol rato tol tiempo en descontacto total” and never let me down. When I started this adventure, my mum gave me a great advice: It’s going to be a hard trip, so stick to people that loves you and support you! Maria, you are one of a kind! Thanks for being my family in Madrid, support me, encourage me and also celebrate the good moments. You have been a true friend all this time (esto es para siempre!). Nuria, there isn’t enough words to thank you and to express all my gratitutde for everything you have done for me. You were the last one arriving but you have became such a great friend. THANK YOU for being just the way you are. You are the only few people that can me make me laugh when I’m stressed…. Thanks for all your help and support and never let me down! I couldn’t have done it without you, that’s for sure… I love you!!! I must also acknowledge my colleagues in the Organic Chemistry Department for their support and good moments, in special to the members of my research group for the exchanges of knowledge, skills, and venting of frustration during my graduate program, which helped enrich the experience. Appreciation also goes out to those who provided me with helpful advice at times of critical need; Nana, Ester, Mariona, Isa ….. Primi! Thanks for your permanent smile. I would also like to thank my family for the support they provided me through my entire life and in particular, I must acknowledge my grands without whose love, encouragement and faith, I would not have embarked on this adventure. “On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur; l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are alsways so certain of themselves and wisers full of doubts” Bertrand Russell To my family, in special to my grandparents INDEX Index 1. Introduction...................................................................................................... 25 1.1. Importance and challenges of C−H functionalization ...................................................................... 25 1.2. General approaches for catalytic C−H Functionalization ................................................................ 27 1.3. C−H functionalization via aryl-metal intermediates: use of directing groups.................................. 28 1.3.1. Non-removable directing groups ........................................................................................... 33 1.3.2. Removable, auxiliary directing groups .................................................................................. 35 1.4. Precedents of our research group ................................................................................................... 45 1.5. Research objectives and Thesis organization ................................................................................. 57 2. Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles .................... 63 2.1. Importance of the 2,2’-biindole as structural motif .......................................................................... 63 2.2. Synthesis of 2,2’-biindoles ............................................................................................................... 65 2.2.1. Initial approaches to the 2,2’-biindole skeleton ..................................................................... 65 2.2.2. Transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling approach to 2,2’-biindoles................................. 69 2.2.3. Oxidative homocoupling reaction .......................................................................................... 71 2.3. Aim of the project.............................................................................................................................. 77 2.4. Catalytic dehydrogenative homocoupling of indoles: synthesis of 2,2’-biindoles .......................... 79 2.4.1. Screening of the catalytic system and the reaction conditions ............................................. 79 2.4.2. Evaluation of the directing role N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl protecting group................................. 86 2.4.3. Reaction scope....................................................................................................................... 88 2.4.4. N-Deprotection via reductive desulfonylation reaction ......................................................... 92 2.4.5. Mechanistic proposal ............................................................................................................. 92 2.4.6. Intramolecular version: oxidative coupling of bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methanes........................... 93 2.5. 3. Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 97 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines ............................................ 101 3.1. Importance of anilines and arylalkylamines................................................................................... 101 3.2. Direct C−H olefination of acetanilides ............................................................................................ 102 3.2.1. C−H olefination of N-aryl ureas............................................................................................ 113 3.2.2. C−H olefination of N-sulfonylanilines ................................................................................... 118 3.2.3. Rh-catalyzed C−H olefination of aromatic amines .............................................................. 119 3.3. C−H olefination of aryl alkylamines ................................................................................................ 125 3.4. Aim of the project ............................................................................................................................ 129 3.5. C−H ortho-olefination reaction of N-sulfonyl aniline derivatives ................................................... 132 3.5.1. C−H olefination of N-methyl anilines: optimization studies ................................................. 132 3.5.2. Structural versatility of the N-alkyl group ............................................................................. 136 3.5.3. Structural versatility of the alkene coupling parter .............................................................. 143 3.5.4. Structural variations at the aniline counterpart .................................................................... 145 3.5.5. Application to indole synthesis ............................................................................................. 147 3.6. Tether elongation: C−H olefination of arylalkylamines .................................................................. 149 3.6.1. C−H olefination of benzylamines ......................................................................................... 151 3.6.2. C−H olefination of phenethylamines and γ-arylpropylamines ............................................. 157 3.7. Deprotection .................................................................................................................................... 163 3.7.1. 3.8. 4. Attempts to isolate the palladacycle .................................................................................... 164 Conclusions..................................................................................................................................... 167 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles ...........................................................173 4.1. Importance of carbazoles ............................................................................................................... 173 4.2. Synthesis of carbazoles .................................................................................................................. 175 4.2.1. C−C bond formation: metal-catalyzed cyclization of diarylamine derivatives (route a) ..... 176 4.2.2. C−N bond formation: cyclization of 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives (route b) ........................ 184 4.2.3. Direct functionalization of the carbazole skeleton: functionalization at C1/C8 positions ... 191 4.3. Aim of the project ............................................................................................................................ 196 4.4. Results and discussion ................................................................................................................... 198 4.4.1. N-sulfonanylation of the NH-carbazole ................................................................................ 198 4.4.2. Screening of the reaction conditions.................................................................................... 198 4.4.3. Evaluation of the role of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl directing/protecting group..................... 202 4.4.4. Di-ortho olefination ............................................................................................................... 204 II 4.4.5. Olefin scope for the Pd -catalyzed di-olefination ................................................................ 205 4.4.6. Substrate scope ................................................................................................................... 207 4.4.7. C−H olefination of other nitrogen-containing compounds................................................... 214 4.4.8. Deprotection of olefinated N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazoles and indolines ........................ 218 4.5. 5. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 220 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines .............................. 225 5.1. Introduction: sustainable catalytic C−H functionalization .............................................................. 225 5.2. Coupling reactions under aerobic conditions ................................................................................ 225 5.3. Aerobic Cu-catalyzed C−H functionalization ................................................................................. 227 5.3.1. Base-promoted Cu-catalyzed C−H functionalization .......................................................... 228 5.3.2. C−H activation of relatively inert aryl C−H bonds................................................................ 232 5.4. Ortho-halogenated reactions of anilines derivatives ..................................................................... 241 5.5. Aim of the project............................................................................................................................ 248 5.6. Results and discussion .................................................................................................................. 249 5.6.1. First attempts in Cu-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines............................................ 249 5.6.2. Development of a more benign copper-catalyzed protocol for the ortho-halogenation of anilines 253 5.6.3. Evaluation of the effect of the N-directing/protecting group ............................................... 258 5.6.4. Structural versatility of the aniline in the ortho-chlorination reaction .................................. 260 5.6.5. Expanding the reaction to bromination and iodination ........................................................ 265 5.6.6. Ortho-substituted substrates: Development of the N-(2-pyrimidyl)sulfonyl directing group 269 5.6.7. Deprotection ......................................................................................................................... 274 5.6.8. Application to indole synthesis............................................................................................. 274 5.7. 6. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 278 Experimental section ..................................................................................... 285 6.1. Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles: synthesis of 2,2’-biindoles .... 285 6.1.1. General methods .................................................................................................................. 285 6.1.2. Typical procedure for the synthesis N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole derivatives: .................... 285 6.1.3. II General procedure for the Pd -catalyzed dehydrogenative homocoupling to 2,2’-biindoles: 290 6.1.4. Synthesis of 2,3’-biindoles via PdII-catalyzed dehydrogenative homocoupling ................. 292 6.1.5. Deprotection of N,N’-bis(2-pyridilsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindolyl (2) to afford free NH-biindole 41.293 6.1.6. Intramolecular homocoupling reaction ................................................................................. 294 6.2. C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines ............................................................................ 297 6.2.1. General methods .................................................................................................................. 297 6.2.2. Typical procedure for N-sulfonylation of anilines ................................................................ 298 6.2.3. Synthesis of the starting functionalized N-alkyl anilines: .................................................... 300 6.2.4. General procedure for N-sulfonylation of N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl arylalkylamines 304 6.2.5. General procedure for the C−H alkenylation reaction ......................................................... 309 6.2.6. General procedure for the Zn-promoted reductive N-desulfonylation: ............................... 325 6.2.7. Synthesis of indoles from N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-substituted olefinated adducts: cyclization-deprotection-aromatization. .......................................................................................................... 326 6.3. C−H di ortho-olefination of carbazoles ........................................................................................... 329 6.3.1. General methods .................................................................................................................. 329 6.3.2. Synthesis of the starting carbazoles and derivatives .......................................................... 329 6.3.3. C−H alkenylation reaction .................................................................................................... 335 6.3.4. Zn-promoted reductive N-desulfonylation............................................................................ 342 6.3.5. Mg-promoted reductive N-desulfonylation ........................................................................... 343 6.3.6. Oxidative aromatization ........................................................................................................ 344 6.4. Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines ............................................................. 345 6.4.1. General methods .................................................................................................................. 345 6.4.2. Typical procedure for the N-sulfonylation of anilines. ......................................................... 346 6.4.3. General procedures for the copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation ..................................... 354 6.4.4. Typical procedure for the Mg-promoted N-desulfonylation ................................................. 369 6.4.5. Typical procedure for the synthesis of 2-substitued NH-indoles from ortho-bromo- substituted N-(2-pyridil)sulfonyl anilines: Sonogahira coupling/cyclization/deprotection.............................. 370 6.4.6. Intramolecular isotopic kinetic effect .................................................................................... 371 6.4.7. Regioselectivity in the ortho-chlorination process............................................................... 373 Appendix I: Publications..................................................................................................................377 And in the CD attached: Appendix II: NMR spectra collection Appendix II-A: NMR spectra chapter 2 Appendix II-B: NMR spectra chapter 3 Appendix II-C: NMR spectra chapter 4 Appendix II-D: NMR spectra chapter 5 Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms Ac: acetyl AcOH: acetic acid Ac2O: acetyl anhydride Ar: aryl Bn: benzyl. BQ: 1,4-benzoquinone CAN: ceric ammonium nitrate δ: chemical shift in parts per million DCE: 1,2-dichloroethane DCM: dicloromethane DDQ: 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone DMA: dimethylacetamide DMAP: 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine DMF: dimethylformamide DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide EI: electron impact EM: elemental mass ESI: electrospray ionization EWG: electron-withdrawing group [F+]: N-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate FAB: fast atom bombardment GC: gas chromatography HQ: hydroquinone 21 Hz: hertz M: molar (moles per liter) MS: mass spectrometry; molecular sieves NBS: N-bromosuccinimide NCS: N-chlorosuccinimide NIS: N-iodosuccinimide Ns. 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl (nosyl) SET: single electron transfer TAA: tert-amyl alcohol TBHP: tert-butyl hydroperoxide TBPB: tert-butyl perbenzoate temp: temperature TEMPO: 2,2,6,6-trimethylpiperidin-1-oxyl Tf: trifluoromethanesulfonyl (triflyl) TFA: trifluoroacetic acid THF: tetrahydrofuran TLC: thin-layer chromatography Ts: para-toluenesulfonyl (tosyl) 22 Chapter 1: Introduction 23 24 Chapter 1 1. Introduction 1.1. Importance and challenges of C− C−H functionalization The ultimate aim of Organic Synthesis is to assemble a given organic compound (target molecule)) from readily available starting materials and reagents in the most efficient way.1 Consequently, one one of the main goals in modern organic chemistry is to increase efficiency and minimizze e chemical waste. The term atom economy has been coined to describe such a goal.2 One of the most atom economic processes is the transformation of a non-activated activated carbon-hydrogen (C−H) bond into a C−C C or C−heteroatom bond. Non-activated activated C−H C bonds are ubiquitous in organic molecules. molecules Therefore, the development of selective, energy-efficient energy chemistry for the conversion of C−H H bonds into useful functional groups is leading to a paradigm shift in Organic Synthesis (Scheme 1.1).3 The he application of C−H H functionalization technologies is fascinating from the notion that a C−H C bond can be viewed as a latent functional equivalent of an active functional group. In contrast to conventional synthesis that often requires numerous chemical operations to link two molecules together, metalmetal catalyzed C−H functionalization has tremendous potential in streamlining the synthesis of complex molecules.4 Scheme 1.1 1 K. C. Nicolaou, J. S. Chen in Classics in Total Synthesis III: Further Targets, Strategies, Methods; Methods Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2011. 2 B. M. Trost, Acc. Chem. Res. 2002,, 35, 695. 3 R. G. Bergman, Nature 2007, 446,, 391. 391 4 For reviews on the application of C−H C functionalization to the total synthesis of complex molecules: a) K. Godula, D. Sames, Science 2006, 2006 312, 67; b) L. McMurray, F. O’Hara, M. J. Gaunt, Chem. Soc. Rev, 2011, 40, 1885; c) D. Y.-K. K. Chen, Chen S. W. Youn, Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 9452. 25 Introduction The functionalization of unactivated C−H bonds, however, remains a tremendous challenge.5 This is due to: (1) The high pKa values (>35) and bond dissociation energies (375 – 440 kcal/mol) of typical unfunctionalized C−H bonds, as well as their “paraffin” nature, as they possess neither low lying HOMOs nor high lying LUMOs; (2) Over-oxidation of functionalized products is often thermodynamically favored; (3) Difficulty in functionalizing a single C−H bond with high regiocontrol within a complex structure which contains many types of C−H bonds. This is a very large, diverse, and highly active field. As consequence, the aim of this introductory chapter is not to provide a comprehensive sampling of the vast literature. Several excellent general review articles have been published on various aspects of this field, some fairly recently.6 Our goal in this chapter is to convey some general background and insight to help the reader to appreciate and put into context the research of this thesis. Subsequent chapters of this manuscript provide a wider coverage of the current state of art of the particular reaction that has been studied. Therefore, in this chapter we place our emphasis on C−H functionalization of arenes, a common feature of the research described in this manuscript, with discussion of C(sp3)−H and other C−H bonds being outside of the general scope of this Thesis. 5 For a review on direct transformations of sp2 C−H bonds: a) D.-G. Yu, B.-J. Li, Z.-J. Shi, Tetrahedron 2012, 68, 5130. See also: b) B. A. Arndtsen, R. G. Begman, T. A. Mobley, T. H. Peterson, Acc. Chem. Res. 1995, 28, 154; c) M. Tobisu, N. Chatani, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 1683. 6 For general reviews on metal-catalyzed C−H functionalization: a) W. D. Jones, Science 2000, 287, 1942; b) J. A. Labinger, J. E. Bercaw, Nature 2002, 417, 507. See also the February 2010 and March 2011 issues of Chem. Soc. Rev., the April 2011 issue of Chem. Rev. and the June 2012 issue of Acc. Chem. Res. For selected reviews: c) L. McMurray, F. O’Hara, M. J. Gaunt, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 1885. d) J. Wencel-Delord, T. Dröge, F. Liu, F. Glorius, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 4740. e) K. M. Engle, T.-S. Mei, M. Wasa, J.-Q. Yu, Acc. Chem. Res. 2012, 45, 788. f) P. B. Arockiam, C. Bruneau, P. H. Dixneuf, Chem. Rev. 2012, 112, 5879; g) J. J. Mousseau, A. B. Charette, Acc. Chem. Res. 2013, 46, 412. 26 Chapter 1 1.2. General approaches for catalytic C− −H Functionalization Different transition metal complexes are capable of catalytic activation/functionalization of C−H bonds. These catalysts can operate within two very different general mechanistic manifolds: (1) Cleaving unactivated C−H bonds to furnish carbometallated intermediates (C−[M]), which can be then transformed into the desired products (C−FG) by treatment with appropriate reagents (R−X, Scheme 1.2, a); (2) Cleaving the C−H bond by insertion of metal-oxo or metalcarbenoid/nitrenoid species7 (Scheme 1.2, b). In the latter case, a C–H bond within the substrate is not converted into a C–[M] bond for its subsequent functionalization. Rather these processes rely on the formation of high energy species on the metal center, which are then able to insert into the C–H bonds of the substrate. Scheme 1.2 The research discussed in this thesis focuses mainly on the first method. Hence, the discussion hereafter is focused in that area. The latter approach is outside of the scope of this thesis and will thus not be discussed. 7 For reviews on catalytic C–H functionalization by metal carbenoid and nitrenoid insertion, see: a) H. M. L. Davies, J. R. Manning, Nature 2008, 451, 417; b) H. M. L. Davies, D. Morton, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 1857. 27 Introduction 1.3. C− −H functionalization via aryl-metal intermediates: use of directing groups In 1968, Fujiwara and Moritani disclosed the first catalytic C−H activation reaction with Pd(OAc)2 in which benzene (as solvent) was added to styrene to afford diphenylethylene (Scheme 1.3).8,9 Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%) H + Ph Cu(OAc)2 or AgOAc (10 mol%) Ph O2 (50 atm), AcOH, 80 ºC 45% Scheme 1.3 As shown in Scheme 1.4a, the mechanism involved the electrophilic palladation of arene ring with a PdII catalyst to generate the arylpalladium intermediate I. Subsequent carbopalladation of the olefin led to the alkylpalladium complex II that underwent syn-β-H elimination to yield the styrenyl product and Pd0. The final step of the catalytic cycle was oxidation of Pd0 to PdII using Cu salts, Ag salts, benzoquinone, O2, and peroxides, among other oxidants examined. In an alternative mechanism, the PdII catalyst was proposed to coordinate to the olefin, which enhanced its electrophilicity and propensity to undergo nucleophilic addition with electron-rich aromatic rings (Scheme 1.4b).10 The resulting intermediate II was intercepted in this pathway. 8 a) Y. Fujiwara, I. Moritani, M. Matsuda, S. Teranishi, Tetrahedron Lett. 1968, 9, 3863; b) Y. Fujiwara, I. Moritani, S. Danno, R. Asano, S. Teranishi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1969, 91, 7166. 9 For previous studies using stoichiometric PdII, see: a) I. Moritani, Y. Fujiwara, Tetrahedron Lett. 1967, 8, 1119; b) Y. Fujiwara, I. Moritani, M. Matsuda, Tetrahedron, 1968, 24, 4819; c) Y. Fujiwara, I. Moritani, M. Matsuda, S. Teranishi, Tetrahedron Lett. 1968, 9, 633. 10 E. M. Beck, M. J. Gaunt, Top. Curr. Chem. 2010, 292, 85. 28 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.4 This early report by Moritani and Fujiwara demonstrated the impressive reactivity of palladium(II) in activating aryl C−H bonds. However, two major drawbacks largely hampered the application of this catalytic reaction. First, a large excess of the arene was required (often used as the solvent). Second, there was a lack of control in the regioselectivity when monosubstituted benzene derivatives such as toluene or 29 Introduction anisole were used, generally resulting in the formation of undesirable mixtures of regioisomeric products (Scheme 1.5).11 Scheme 1.5 In response to these problems, the development of ligand-directed C−H activation6,12 has proved to be essential to address the challenges of improving reactivity and controlling regioselectivity.13 This strategy involves the use of 11 Y. Fujiwara, I. Moritani, R. Asano, Tetrahedron 1969, 25, 4815. 12 For a recent account on controlling regioselectivity in C−H bond functionalization: a) S. R. Neufeldt, M. S. Sanford, Acc. Chem. Res. 2012, 45, 936. For a recent review on removable directing groups in metal catalysis: b) G. Rousseau, B. Breit, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 2450. 13 Another mode of substrate-controlled regioselectivity involves the activation of C−H bonds in substrates containing halogen substituents. The transition metal catalysts are brought adjacent to the C−H bond of interest for selective cleavage via oxidative addition of the carbon-halogen (C−X) bond, thereby generating organometallic intermediates as the requisite active catalysts prior to C−H. For selected reviews, see: a) D. Alberico, M. E. Scott, M. Lautens, Chem. Rev. 2007, 107, 174; b) M. Catellani, E. Motti, N. Della Ca, Acc. Chem. Res. 2008, 41, 1512. A dramatic example on the efficient application of this strategy was described by Fagnou and co-workers in the total synthesis of Allocolchicine (see Scheme below). 30 Chapter 1 substrates bearing a coordinating functional group (L in Scheme 1.6) that can reversibly chelate to the transition metal and brings it in proximity to the unactivated C−H bond, thereby facilitating its cleavage (activation). The resulting cyclometalated complex II formed upon C−H cleavage could then react with proper reagents to afford ortho-functionalized products. Scheme 1.6 The first report of ligand-directed C−H functionalization appeared in 1963 using stoichiometric amounts of the transition metal. Kleiman and Dubeck discovered that Cp2Ni could activate C–H bonds in azobenzene (Scheme 1.7).14 In 1965, Cope and Siekman demonstrated that PdCl2 and K2PtCl4 showed an analogous reactivity.15 This total synthesis was based on a Pd-catalyzed intramolecular biaryl forming step between an aryl halide and a donor Ar−H species. The in situ generated catalytic Pd0 species undergoes oxidative addition to the aryl halide to form the PdII-aryl species that facilitates the activation of the aryl C−H donor to assemble the biaryl–PdII intermediate prior to reductive elimination. See also: c) L.-C. Campeau, M. Parisien, M. Leblanc , K. Fagnou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 9186; d) M. Leblanc, K. Fagnou, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 2849; e) L.-C. Campeau, M. Parisien, A. Jean, K. Fagnou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 581. For a review of C−H functionalization in natural product synthesis: f) L. McMurray, F. O’Hara, M. J. Gaunt, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 1885. For another example of a total synthesis, e.g. Trauner’s synthesis of rhazinilam, see: g) A. L. Bowie Jr., C. C. Hughes, D. Trauner, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 5207; h) A. L. Bowie Jr., D. Trauner, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 1581. 14 J. P. Kleiman, M. Dubeck, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1963, 85, 1544. 15 A. C. Cope, R. W. Siekman, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1965, 87, 3272. 31 Introduction Scheme 1.7 The pioneering catalytic directed C−H functionalization was reported by Murai and co-workers, who 30 years later demonstrated that [Ru(PPh3)3(CO)2] and [Ru(PPh3)3(CO)H2] were able to catalyze the insertion of olefins into the ortho-C−H bonds of aromatic ketones (Scheme 1.8).16 Scheme 1.8 As shown in Scheme 1.9, the reaction mechanism proposed by Murai involved the chelation-directed C−H bond activation by the ketone group to form the cyclometallated ruthenium(0) hydride complex III, followed by olefin insertion and reductive elimination to yield the product.17 16 S. Murai, F. Kakiuchi, S. Sekine, Y. Tanaka, A. Kamatani, M. Sonoda, N. Chatani, Nature 1993, 366, 529. 17 a) M. Sonoda, F. Kakiuchi, A. Kamatani, N. Chatani, S. Murai, Chem. Lett. 1996, 109; b) F. Kakiuchi, H. Ohtaki, M. Sonoda, N. Chatani, S. Murai, Chem. Lett. 2001, 918; c) F. Kakiuchi, S. Murai, Acc. Chem. Res. 2002, 35, 826. 32 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.9 Since this initial report, many groups have expanded the scope of this strategy to include a variety of directing groups, which can be classified conventionally as belonging to one of two principal classes: removable or non-removable (auxiliary) groups. 1.3.1. Non-removable directing groups In particular, nitrogen and oxygen-bearing structural units have been most extensively utilized for transition-metal catalyzed C−H bond cleavage (Scheme 1.10). Scheme 1.10 Especially, nitrogen played a vital role in chelation-induced activation reactions. For example, pyridine was one of the classic directing groups, and the types of reactions performed on 2-phenylpyridines range from C−C bond forming reactions 33 Introduction such as arylation with aryl halides,18 hypervalent iodine reagents19 or arenes,20 oxidative Heck reactions or alkylation with organoboron,21 to carbon-heteroatom (C−X) bond formation such as halogenation,22 acetoxylation23 or fluorination.24 For example, the pyridine moiety in 2-phenylpyridine was discovered by Sanford and coworkers to be an efficient directing group for Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed ortho-acetoxylation using PhI(OAc)2 as stoichiometric oxidant (Scheme 1.11).23 This reaction was proposed to proceed through a PdII/PdIV catalytic cycle where the hypervalent iodine reagent oxidized a cyclometallated PdII intermediate to PdIV species from which C−O beyond-forming reductive elimination released the product. 18 a) D. Shabashov, O. Daugulis, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 3657; b) L. Ackermann, A. Althammer, R. Born, Synlett 2007, 2833. 19 D. Kalyani, N. R. Deprez, L. V. Desai, M. S. Sanford, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 7330. 20 K. L. Hull, M. S. Sanford, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 11904. 21 a) X. Chen, C. E. Goodhue, J. Q. Yu, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 12634; b) B. F. Shi, N. Maugel, Y. H. Zhang, J. Q. Yu, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 4882. 22 a) A. R. Dick, K. L. Hull, M. S. Sanford, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 2300; b) D. Kalyani, M. S. Sanford, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 4149; c) D. Kalyani, A. R. Dick, W. Q. Anani, M. S. Sanford, Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 2523; d) D. Kalyani, A. R. Dick, W. Q. Anani, M. S. Sanford, Tetrahedron 2006, 62, 11483. 23 A. R. Dick, M. S. Sanford, Tetrahedron 2006, 62, 2439. 24 a) K. L. Hull, W. Q. Anani, M. S. Sanford, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 7134. For a review on catalysis for C−H fluorination and trifluoromethylation, see: b) T. Furuya, A. S. Kamlet, Tobias Ritter, Nature, 2011, 471, 470. 34 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.11 1.3.2. Removable, auxiliary directing groups The use of pyridine and similar structures as directing group to functionalize C−H bonds is restricting from a practical standpoint since many molecules of interest do not contain such directing group or its further manipulation requires extensive destruction of the core structure.25 To overcome this problem, temporary auxiliary directing groups that are easily removable after C−H functionalization have recently emerged. Important criteria for the efficiency of such catalyst-directing groups are: i) ease of installation of the directing group; ii) efficient control over the reactivity/selectivity; and iii) ease of removal from the substrate. To avoid or minimize the impact of the requirement of two extra unproductive steps involving the installation and removal of the directing group from the substrate, in some cases the directing group is also a protecting group (with dual protecting/directing role) or a source of chemical diversity, allowing its further transformation into new functionalities. This concept will be illustrated below with some remarkable examples extracted from the literature. 25 A. M. Kearney, C. D. Vanderwal, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 7803. 35 Introduction Daugulis and co-workers have demonstrated that a carboxylate substituent may be used as a directing group in the direct palladium-catalyzed ortho-arylation of free benzoic acids (Scheme 1.12).26 The possibility of a subsequent decarboxylation step makes this sequence synthetically equivalent to the regioselective arylation of unfunctionalized arenes. Likewise, it offers the possibility of a tandem reaction development by using carboxylate functionality in subsequent Heck and Suzuki couplings. Scheme 1.12 The use of an aryl iodide as the coupling partner required stoichiometric amounts of silver acetate for iodide removal in acetic acid as solvent. This method was applicable to the arylation of electron-rich to moderately electron-poor benzoic acids and tolerated chloride and bromide substituents on both coupling partners. This method most likely proceeded through a PdII-PdIV coupling cycle. The coupling with aryl chlorides was effected in the presence of cesium carbonate as base, n-butyl-di-1-adamantylphosphine as ligand (BuAd2P), in DMF as solvent. This protocol was suitable for both electron-rich and electron-poor benzoic 26 H. A. Chiong, Q.-N. Pham, O. Daugulis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 9879. 36 Chapter 1 acids and mechanistic studies pointed toward the heterolytic C−H bond cleavage as the turnover-limiting step. Importantly, it was demonstrated that the arylation products could be decarboxylated using the method developed by Goossen and co-workers,27 in the presence of CuO/quinoline in NMP (Scheme 1.13). Scheme 1.13 Yu and co-workers as well as Miura and co-workers have also used carboxylic acids and their salts as highly effective directing groups for both Pd- and Rhcatalyzed C−H activation.28 The dialkylhydrosilyl function has been devised by Hartwig and Boebel as an auxiliary directing group in the Ir-catalyzed ortho-borilation of arenes, phenols and Nalkylanilines.29 The reaction occurs with complete ortho-regiocontrol in all cases under the conditions depicted in Scheme 1.14. The mechanism implied the formation of an Ir−Si bond rather than the formation of a silaborane intermediate. The directing group could be removed upon exposure to a source of fluoride ions. 27 a) L. J. Goossen, G. Deng, L. M. Levy, Science 2006, 313, 662: For a review, see: b) L. J. Goossen, N. Rodríguez, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 5030. 28 a) R. Giri, N. Maugel, J.-J. Li, D.-H. Wang, S. P. Breazzano, L. B. Saunders, J.-Q Yu, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 3510; b) A. Maehara, H. Tsurugi, T. Satoh, M. Miura, Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 1159; c) M. Yamashita, K. Hirano, T. Satoh, M. Miura, Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 2337; d) S. Mochida, K. Hirano, T. Satoh, M. Miura, Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 5776; e) S. Mochida, K. Hirano, T. Satoh, M. Miura, J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 3024. 29 T. A. Boebel, J. F. Hartwig, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 7534. 37 Introduction Scheme 1.14 Also related to this strategy, the groups of Gevorgyan30 and shortly after Ge31 reported independently the use of Si−OH group in directed oxidative C−H alkenylation. Gevorgyan and co-workers equipped phenols with a silanol group and the PdII-catalyzed ortho-alkenylation proceeded in good to excellent yields adopting the previously described Yu’s conditions (Scheme 1.15).32 The silanol group was removed with TBAF to afford ortho-alkenylated phenols. Owing to the steric demand of the silicon atom decorated with two tert-butyl groups, the regioselectivity was complete even for unsymmetrically substituted phenols. Not surprisingly, electron-rich arenes and electron-poor alkenes were the optimal combination. 30 a) C. Huang, B. Chattopadhyay, V. Gevorgyan, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 12406. For a silanol- directed C−H oxygenation, see: C. Huang, N. Ghavtadze, B. Chattopadhyay, V. Gevorgyan, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 17630. 31 C. Wang, H. Ge, Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 14371. 32 Y. Lu, D.-H. Wang, K. M. Engle, J.-Q. Yu, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 5916. 38 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.15 Ge and co-workers described a related PdII-catalyzed alkenylation of toluenederived silanols (Scheme 1.16).31 Yields were generally good and the scope ranged from electron-rich to electron-poor arenes. The reaction worked efficiently when electron-poor alkenes were used as coupling partners. Smooth “deprotection” of the alkenylated benzylic silanols yielded the parent toluenes. Scheme 1.16 39 Introduction Directing groups based in a coordinating nitrogen-atom are very common in C−H functionalization reactions. For example, 2-pyrazol-5-ylaniline (pza-H2) has been used as an easily attachable and detachable directing group for the ortho-C−H functionalization of aromatic organoboronic acids. Suginome and co-workers reported a one-pot procedure for the Ru-catalyzed ortho-C-H silylation of arylboronic acids with triethylsilane. The reaction took place with good yields and complete regiocontrol (Scheme 1.17).33 It tolerated aromatic systems bearing both electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents. The auxiliary directing group was easily introduced by condensation of the boronic acid with the 2-pyrazol-5-ylaniline and was efficiently removed from the final products under acidic conditions. Scheme 1.17 In 2006, Sames and co-workers described a ruthenium-catalyzed α-arylation of 2-substituted pyrrolidines and piperidines with aryl boronic esters based on the use of 34 an amidine directing group (Scheme 1.18). 33 H. Ihara, M. Suginome, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 7502. 34 S. J. Pastine, D. V. Gribkov, D. Sames, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 14220. 40 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.18 The directing group facilitated the insertion of the ruthenium metal into the C(sp3)−H bond. The resulting metal hydride was then transformed into the corresponding metal-aryl complex via a metal-alkoxide intermediate (Scheme 1.19). The final reductive elimination generated the C−C bond in the product and regenerated the ruthenium catalyst. A wide range of aryl and heteroaryl boronic esters were compatible with the reaction conditions employed. Although good yields and diastereoselectivities were obtained with pyrrolidine substrates, extension of this method to piperidine systems was less successful. Removal of the amidine function from the product was possible although using rather harsh conditions. Scheme 1.19 41 Introduction The metal-coordinating 2-pyridyl unit has been widely employed as directing group in many transition metal-catalyzed transformations. 35 For example, Yoshida and co-workers has shown the efficiency of the dimethyl(2-pyridyl)silyl group in a vast variety of functionalizations. 36 More recently, Gervorgyan and co-workers have illustrated that the pyridyldiisopropylsilyl (PyDipSi) group was an efficient silicontethered directing group to allow the efficient palladium(II)-catalyzed functionalization of aromatic C−H bonds (Scheme 1.20). In particular, it proved to be very efficient in the ortho-acetoxylation/pivaloxylation and ortho-halogenation of arenes. The reaction in the presence of 2.0 equiv of PhI(OR)2 (R = Ac, Piv), in combination with AgOAc as bystanding oxidant system, provided a variety of acetoxylated and pivaloxylated aromatic compounds in good yields and excellent regiocontrol (Scheme 1.20a).37 On the other hand, the combination of PhI(OAc)2 (1.5 equiv) with 2.0 equiv of NXS (X = Cl, Br, I) furnished the corresponding ortho-halogenated arenes with excellent levels of reactivity and 38 selectivity (Scheme 1.20b). This directing group could efficiently be “traceless” cleaved by treatment with AgF in methanol, or converted into a variety of other functional groups such as iodide or boronates. Also, the pyridyldiisopropylsilyl (PyDipSi) group was used in the Hiyana-Denmark-type cross-coupling reaction with iodoarenes, providing the access to biaryl derivatives. 35 For selected examples related to 2-pyridyl protecting group in transition metal-catalyzed reactions, see: a) S. Nakamura, H. Nakashima, H. Sugimoto, N. Shibata, T. Toru, Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 7599; b) S. Nakamura, H. Sano, H. Nakashima, K. Kubo, N. Shibata, T. Toru, Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 5565; c) H. Tatamidani, K. Yokota, F. Kakiuchi, N. Chatani, Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 2519; d) P. H. Bos, A. J. Minnaard, B. L. Feringa, Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 4219; e) P. H. Bos, B. Macia, M. A. FernándezIbáñez, A. J. Minnaard, B. L. Feringa, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2010, 8, 47; f) J.-N. Desrosiers, W. S. Bechara, A. B. Charette, Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 2315. 36 For a general review: a) K. Itami, K. Mitsudo, T. Nokami, T. Kamei, T. Koike, J.-I. Yoshida, J. Organomet. Chem. 2002, 653, 105. For recent examples: b) T. Kamei, K. Itami, J.-I. Yoshida, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2004, 346, 1824; c) K. Itami, Y. Ohashi, J.-I. Yoshida J. Org. Chem. 2005, 70, 2778. 37 N. Chernyak, A. S. Dudnik, C. Huang, V. Gevorgyan, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 8270. 38 A. S. Dudnik, N. Chernyak, C. Huang, V. Gevorgyan, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 8729. 42 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.20 As another example of a directing group bearing a pyridine unit, Chatani and coworkers reported the first example of a catalyst system based on nickel that took advantage of chelation assistance. This work described the use of the N-(2pyridyl)methyl directing group in the Ni-catalyzed oxidative cycloaddition of aromatic amides with alkynes (Scheme 1.21, a).39 The same concept has been extended to the carbonylation of non-activated C(sp3)−H of aliphatic amides, in this case using Ru3(CO)12 as the catalyst (Scheme 1.21, b).40 The activation of methyl groups was favoured over methylenes, and the reaction featured a wide functional group tolerance. In both transformations, the 2-pyridylmethylamino unit was crucial for the reaction to proceed due to its coordination to the metal through the nitrogen atoms of both pyridyl and amide functions. The final removal of the directing group was effected by reaction with LDA followed by bubbing O2 and hydrolysis to afford the NHquinolone. 39 H. Shiota, Y. Ano, Y. Aihara, Y. Fukumoto, N. Chatani, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 14952. 40 N. Hasegawa, V. Charra, S. Inoue, Y. Fukumoto, N. Chatani, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 8070. 43 Introduction Scheme 1.21 More recently, in 2012, Huang and co-workers reported that triazenes were a class of effective directing groups for oxidative Heck coupling reactions (Scheme 1.22).41 The presence of two electronegative nitrogen atoms contiguous to the C−N bond attached to the arene attenuates the directing group-substrate bonding, thereby allowing its easy cleavage under ambient conditions and enabling a number of synthetic manipulations.42,43 Removal of this directing group was achieved by 41 C. Wang, H. Chen, Z. Wang, J. Chen, Y. Huang, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 7242. 42 For an account on this chemistry, see: C. Wang, Y. Huang, Synlett 2013, 24, 145. 43 Independently, the ortho-selective trifluoromethylation of phenyltriazenes with AgCF3 has been recently reported: A. Hafner, S. Bräse, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 3713. 44 Chapter 1 treatment with BF3.OEt2 at room temperature, yielding the corresponding Ar−H in quantitative yields. Scheme 1.22 1.4. Precedents of our research group In 2004 our research group started a new research line oriented to explore the potential of heteroarylsulfonyl groups (especially the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group) as temporary auxiliary directing groups in transition metal-catalyzed reactions. It was rapidly found that this group promoted a dual effect: i) it usually enhanced the reactivity and selectivity of the process by means of pre-association of the metalcatalyst to the N-pyridyl unit, and ii) after the reaction, the sulfonyl group could be readily removed under mild conditions. Along this line, a pioneering example was the development of a chelationassisted, transition metal-catalyzed protocol for the sequential multiarylation of cyclic allyl sulfones. As shown in Scheme 1.23, the metal-coordinating ability of the 2pyridyl group on the sulfone promoted the otherwise difficult intermolecular Heck monoarylation and diarylation of trisubstituted alkenes, as well as the coppercatalyzed allylic arylation with Grignard reagents.44,45 The role of the metal 44 T. Llamas, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2004, 346, 1. 45 Introduction coordinating 2-pyridylsulfonyl group was crucial to accomplish this goal, as proven by the fact that the corresponding tosyl or phenyl sulfonyl derivatives were inert in this reaction, even under harsh reaction conditions. Scheme 1.23 On the other hand, combining the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group as directing group with a chiral organometallic catalyst has led to the development of new asymmetric catalytic processes. Thus, our research group described in 2004 the first catalytic protocol for the enantioselective conjugated addition of carbon nucleophiles to α,βunsaturated sulfones.46 An exhaustive screening of different directing groups confirmed that N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl was optimal for the Rh-catalyzed conjugated addition of boronic acids to vinyl sulfones using (S,S)-Chiraphos as the most appropriate chiral ligand. The products were all isolated with excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses (76-92% ee, Scheme 1.24). The method could be applied to E- and Z-substrates and tolerated a wide variety of substituents at the β-position to 45 For the Heck arylation of α,β-insaturated 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl sulfones, see: a) P. Mauleón, I. Alonso, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 1291; b) P. Mauleón, A. A. Nuñez, I. Alonso, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Eur. J. 2003, 9, 1511; c) I. Alonso, M. Alcami, P. Mauleón, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Eur. J. 2006, 12, 4576. For the reaction of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl azabenzonorbornadienes with cuprates, see: d) R. Gómez Arrayás, S. Cabrera, J. C. Carretero, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 219; e) R. Gómez Arrayás, S. Cabrera, J. C. Carretero, Synthesis 2006, 1205. 46 a) P. Mauleón, J. C. Carretero, Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 3195; b) P. Mauleón, I. Alonso, M. Rodríguez Rivero, J. C. Carretero, J. Org. Chem. 2007, 72, 9924. 46 Chapter 1 the sulfone, as well as in the boronic acid. The elimination of the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group through a Julia-Kocienski-type reaction opened a new path to optically active alkenes substituted at the allylic position. This methodology has been extended to the construction of stereogenic quaternary centers through the enantioselective addition of boronic acids to α,β-unsaturated-β,β-disubstituted-(2-pyridyl)sulfones (88-99% ee).47 Scheme 1.24 Another important reaction that rivalizes with the asymmetric conjugate addition is the Cu-catalyzed conjugate reduction of β,β-disubstituted Michael-type acceptor olefins. Since the first protocol described by Buchwald and workers in 1999,48 this reaction has experienced a dramatic growth, being applied to a variety of α,βunsaturated carbonyl compounds.49 Our group has been pioneer on incorporating vinyl sulfones into the arsenal of electrophiles that efficiently participates in this process.50 Again, the use of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group was key to overcome the weaker Michael acceptor character that characterizes the vinyl sulfones in comparison to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated dicarbonylic compounds (Scheme 47 P. Mauleón, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Commun. 2005, 4961. 48 D. H. Apella, Y. Moritani, R. Shintani, E. M. Ferreira, S. L. Buchwald, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 9473. 49 For a review in the topic, see: S. Rendler, M. Oestreich, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 498. 50 T. Llamas, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 3329. 47 Introduction 1.25). In fact, analogues phenyl vinyl sulfones proved to be inert under the optimized reaction conditions. The use of CuCl/tBuONa/(R)-BINAP as the chiral catalytic system (5 mol%) and PhSiH3 as hydride source allowed the reduction of a broad range of β-alkyl-β-aryl-substituted and β,β-dialkyl-substituted α,β-unsaturated 2pyridylsulfones in excellent chemical yields and with excellent enantioselectivities (typically 90–94% ee). These enantioenriched sulfones were versatile intermediates in the preparation of a wide variety of functionalized chiral compounds. Scheme 1.25 This concept has been extended to reactions of coordinating N- (heteroaryl)sulfonyl imines. These new electrophiles have proven to be extremely reactive compared to traditional N-tosyl imines. An example of this strategy has been the development of a very general protocol for the synthesis of diaryl amines and dialkyl amines based on the Friedel-Crafts reaction of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl imines with electron-rich aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds (Scheme 1.26).51 In this reaction, the presence of the coordinating group was essential for stopping the process in the mono-addition product, whereas the analogue N-Ts or N-aryl imines provided exclusively the double addition products under identical conditions.52 The scope of the reaction was very broad with regard to both imine and nucleophile 51 J. Esquivias, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 629. 52 For selected examples, see: a) J. Hao, S. Taktak, K. Aikawa, Y. Yusa, M. Hatano, K. Mikami, Synlett 2001, 1443; b) B. Ke, Y. Qin, Q. He, Z. Huang, F. Wang, Tetrahedron Lett. 2005, 46, 1751. 48 Chapter 1 components, tolerating a wide variety of aromatics and heteroaromatics derivatives. The deprotection of the sulfonamides was very efficient under mild conditions. This method allowed an in situ second electrophilic aromatic substitution with a different nucleophilic arene species (Ar3−H) promoted by the same Lewis acid catalyst. This sequential addition of two arenes to the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl imine constituted the first one-pot synthesis of unsymmetrical triarylmethanes. DFT theoretical studies of the second Friedel-Crafts reaction have shown that the different reactivity of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl imine could be due to the different coordinating mode of this imine to the metal, in comparison to the typical N-tosyl derivatives.53 Scheme 1.26 The same strategy has been applied to the development of the first general protocol for the direct alkylation of imines with alkylzinc halides.54 This type of alkylating reagents is very attractive because of their easy preparation, high compatibility with a wide variety of functional groups and easy availability. However, 53 I. Alonso, J. Esquivias, R. Gómez-Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 6401. 54 J. Esquivias, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 9257. 49 Introduction their attenuated nucleophilic character has hampered their addition to imines.55 In the presence of a catalytic amount of Cu(OTf)2 (1-5 mol%) the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl imines of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes shown unprecedented high reactivity towards the direct addition of a wide variety of alkyl zinc bromide reagents (Scheme 1.27). The N,N-bidentate character of 2-pyridylsulfonyl imines with respect to metal coordination was proven by an X-ray crystallographic study of the CuI complex of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl imine of chalcone, and it was suggested as the origin of the exceptional reactivity displayed by these substrates. The deprotection of the sulfonamide group took place under mild reductive conditions, compatible with many sensitive functional groups. Scheme 1.27 The high reactivity offered by the N-(8-quinolyl)sulfonyl group led to the development of the first example of catalytic asymmetric inverse-electron-demand 55 Our group has also described the copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of dialkyl zinc reagents with α,β−insaturated ketimines (80-90% yield, 70-80% ee): J. Esquivias, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero J. Org. Chem. 2005, 68, 8120. 50 Chapter 1 Diels-Alder reaction of N-sulfonyl-1-aza-1,3-dienes.56 Up to that date, this reaction required harsh conditions (high temperatures and high pressure) due to the low reactivity of the 1-azadienes. This hampered the development of asymmetric versions.57 Among the numerous chiral catalysts employed, the combination of Ni(ClO4)2·6H2O/DBFOX-Ph (10 mol%) provided the best results, affording the corresponding piperidines in good yields, with excellent endo-selectivity and high enantioselectivities (typically in the range of 80-91% ee, Scheme 1.28). Scheme 1.28 The CuI-Fesulphos-catalyzed (10 mol%) asymmetric Mannich reaction of glycinate Schiff bases with N-(8-quinolyl)sulfonyl imines was reported by our group as an efficient approach to α,β−diamino esters (Scheme 1.29).58 This type of amino acids are very attractive targets in organic synthesis because of their wide range 56 J. Esquivias, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 1480. 57 The presence of an ester group in the 4-position of the 1-azadiene has allowed the development of a catalytic versión of the process using chiral auxiliaries: R. C. Clark, S. S. Pfeiffer, D. L. Boger, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 2587. 58 J. Hernández-Toribio, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 16150. 51 Introduction biological significance and high versatility as synthetic building blocks.59 A thorough study on the influence of the imine protecting group in the reaction outcome revealed the superiority of the 8-quinolylsulfonyl group over the N-Boc and other N-arylsulfonyl or N-heteroarylsulfonyl moieties. Up to date, a major limitation of the previous approaches was that they were applicable only for the selective preparation of syn-configured products. This important limitation was solved independently by the group of Hou60 and ours. An additional distinctive feature of our catalyst system was that it allowed the construction of α,β-diaminoacids with a tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenter at C-α in a highly diastereo- and enantiocontrolled manner. A variety of aryl and heteroaryl aldimines, including the challenging imine derived from 3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, proved to be excellent electrophilic substrates. The sequential amino deprotection of the α,β-aminoester adducts could be effected under mild conditions and reasonable yields. Scheme 1.29 59 a) A. Viso, R. Fernández de la Pradilla, A. García, A. Flores, Chem. Rev. 2005, 105, 3167; b) A. Ting, S. E. Schaus, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2007, 5797; c) R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2009, 38, 1940. 60 X.-X. Yan, Q. Peng, Q. Li, K. Zhang, J. Yao, X.-L. Hou, Y.-D. Wu, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 14362. 52 Chapter 1 The modification of the steric and electronic properties of the α-iminoester used as starting materials made possible the inversion of the diastereoselectivity (from anti to syn), keeping the high asymmetric induction of the process. Accordingly, it was achieved the access to α,β-diamino acid derivatives of syn configuration with high diastereoselectivities and enantiomeric excesses, starting from ketimines (instead of aldimines) from the glycinate derivatives of benzophenones poor in electrons (Scheme 1.30).61 Scheme 1.30 Very recently, our group has demonstrated that the activating effect of the 2pyridylsulfonyl unit (and related sulfur-based groups) in metal-mediated reactions could be applied to challenging Pd-catalyzed C−H activation processes. This concept was first investigated in the PdII-catalyzed regioselective C2-alkenylation of N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl indoles and pyrroles.62 The coordinating ability of the N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl group was critical for inducing C−H activation with complete regiocontrol at the less favoured C2-position, likely through formation of the palladacycle I (Scheme 1.34). For instance, the N-Ts protected indole led to less than 20% conversion under identical conditions, whereas the low conversion and 61 J. Hernández-Toribio, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 1153. 62 A. García-Rubia, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6511. 53 Introduction regiocontrol observed for the 3-pyridylsulfonyl group made unlikely the high reactivity and selectivity observed to originate from electronic effects. Both, electron-poor and non-activated alkenes were applicable, with the participation of 1,2-disubstituted alkenes and 1,3-dienes being particularly noteworthy. On the other hand, both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents were tolerated at different positions of the indole core (Scheme 1.31) Scheme 1.31 This method was also applicable to the functionalization of pyrroles (Scheme 1.32). Monosubstituted, disubstituted, as well as unsymmetrical 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles could be obtained by small variations in the reaction conditions (temperature and reaction time). 54 Chapter 1 Scheme 1.32 Removal of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group from indoles and pyrroles was readily achieved by reductive cleavage with Zn or Mg to give 2-alkenyl- or 2-alkyl-substituted heteroarenes, respectively (Scheme 1.33). Scheme 1.33 In an attempt to isolate the presumed palladacycle intermediate (type I or related species), the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole 1 was heated (60 ºC) with 1.2 equiv of 55 Introduction Pd(OAc)2 in AcOH for 18 h. Instead of the palladacycle, the 2,2’-biindolyl 2 was cleanly formed and isolated in 71% yield (Scheme 1.34). We speculated that due to the facile C2-palladation in the absence of the alkene component, the palladacycle I evolved by formation of a C2-palladated bi-indolyl intermediate II which would afford 2 via reductive elimination. Scheme 1.34 56 Chapter 1 1.5. Research objectives and Thesis organization The possibility of direct introduction into arenes of a new functionality via direct C−H bond transformation is a highly attractive strategy, owing to the ubiquitous nature of C−H bonds in organic substances. Methods involving directing groups have received significant attention because they enable the efficient and site-selective functionalization of a C−H bond. However, despite huge advances, a number of challenges, especially concerning the reactivity, selectivity and cost-effectiveness, still remain to be solved. Our group has introduced the 2-pyridyl sulfonyl moiety (and related sulfur-based groups) as a new type of removable metal-coordinating directing group in metalcatalyzed reactions of unsaturated sulfones and N-sulfonyl imines. Very recently, this activating effect was also extended to a challenging C−H activation reaction: the Pdcatalyzed regioselective C2-alkenylation of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles and pyrroles. The enhanced reactivity and regiocontrol provided by these coordinating heteroarylsulfonyl groups open very appealing scenarios for developing novel methodologies in C−H activation processes that could significantly contribute to the state of the art in the field. Therefore, the aim of this Thesis is to explore and evaluate the extension of this “N-heteroarylsulfonyl activation” to other heteroaromatic systems and less activated nitrogen-containing arenes, as well as to study other types of C(sp2)−H functionalizations such as dehydrogenative arylations or halogenations. The development of less expensive and more sustainable catalyst systems is also an important goal of this research for improving practicality. These general objectives have been organized into four chapters covering more specific goals as follows: Chapter 2 presents the development of the first protocol for the intermolecular cross-dehydrogenative homocoupling of indoles at C2 to give 2,2’-biindoles using palladium-catalysis. Achieving high regiocontrol in intermolecular dehydrogenative homocoupling of 2,3-unsubstituted indoles is a major obstacle, especially at the less activated C-2 position. The presence of a N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl directing group could ensure high reactivity and complete regioselectivity. 57 Introduction Chapter 3 describes a general procedure for the selective Pd-catalyzed direct C−H olefination of aniline derivatives that expands the current scope to difficult-toactivate substrates, most notably N-alkylated and ortho-substituted compounds. The ortho-olefination of more challenging substrates such as benzylamines, βarylethylamines and γ-arylpropyamines will be also explored. Chapter 4. Despite the significance of carbazole in pharmacy and material science, examples on direct C−H functionalization of this privileged unit remained undocumented. In this chapter, the high directing ability displayed by N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl group will be studied in the PdII-catalyzed aryl C−H ortho alkenylation of carbazole derivatives. The application of this procedure to related heterocyclic systems, such as indolines, will be also explored. 58 Chapter 1 Chapter 5. As mentioned earlier, one of the persistent challenges in direct C−H functionalization reactions is the application of more sustainable and environmentally benign catalysts. To address this challenge, recent strategies have identified to use low-toxic metal catalyst (e.g., Cu or Fe) in combination with O2 as the oxidant. Within this context, in this chapter the compatibility of the aerobic Cu-catalyzed orthohalogenation of aniline derivatives with our 2-pyridylsulfonyl group activation strategy will be explored. 59 60 Chapter 2: Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2pyridyl)sulfonylindoles 61 62 Chapter 2 2. Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2- pyridyl)sulfonylindolesImportance of the 2,2’-biindole as structural motif The biindole skeleton (two indole units connected directly by a C−C bond) is an important structural motif frequently found in pharmaceuticals and functional materials.63 Among this family of compounds, the 2,2’-biindolyl is a structural element of particular importance because of its abundance and chemical properties. This motif is present in the dyes indigo and Tyrian purple, known from ancient time (Figure 2.1).64 Figure 2.1 Moreover, this structural framework is also present in the core of indolo[2,3α]carbazoles which are extremely important natural products because of their broad range of potent biological activities. The powerful and varied biological activities of these systems endow them with many potential therapeutic applications, particularly as anticancer agents and in the treatment against several neurodegenerative diseases (Figure 2.2).65 63 G. Abbiati, A. Arcadi, E. Beccalli, G. Bianchi, F. Marinelli, E. Rossi, Tetrahedron 2006, 62, 3033; and references cited therein. 64 J. Bergman, E. Koch, B. Pelcman, Tetrahedron 1995, 51, 5631. 65 For recent reviews of the synthesis and biological activity of indolo[2,3-α]carbazoles and related carbazole alkaloids, see: a) T. Janosik, N. Wahlströmb, J. Bergman, Tetrahedron 2008, 64, 9159; b) A. W. Schmidt, K. R. Reddy, H.-J. Knölker, Chem. Rev. 2012, 112, 3193. 63 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles Figure 2.2 The juxtaposition of the two nitrogens in 2,2’-biindolyls has been also exploited in the construction of various ligand systems [Figure 2.3, a].66 This structural motif is also of current interest due to its use as precursors for the synthesis of anion sensing architectures, finding its applicability as fluorimetric sensors for anions [Figure 2.3, b].67 Figure 2.3 As another application of 2,2’-biindilyls, alkyne-linked biindole- and indolocarbazole-containing macrocycles bind selectively anions through hydrogenbonding interactions. In fact, they function as chemosensors capable of distinguishing between different anions, as it has been demonstrated on the basis of the 1H NMR chemical shifts of the corresponding complexes (Figure 2.4).68 66 D. St. C. Black, Synlett 1993, 246. 67 L. Capelli, P. Manini, A. Pezzella, A. Napolitano, M. d’Ischia, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 7191. 68 P. A. Gale, Chem. Commun. 2008, 4525; and references cited therein. 64 Chapter 2 Figure 2.4 2.2. Synthesis of 2,2’-biindoles 2.2.1. Initial approaches to the 2,2’-biindole skeleton However, although a wide variety of methods for the synthesis of indoles and indole derivatives is available,69 2,2’-biindoles are relatively inaccessible compounds. Few routes are available for their synthesis, and most of the reported procedures require harsh conditions and are correspondingly plagued by low yields. Functionalization of indoles at the 2-position, particularly the construction of 2,2’biindoles, is a synthetic challenge due to the lower inherent electron density of the indole system at the C2-position compared to that at the C3-position.70 Consequently many examples of C2-functionalization rely on indole derivatives having either a protecting group or a blocking substituent at the more reactive C3-position. The parent 2,2'-biindole was first synthesized by Madelung from the N,N’-bis(otolyl)oxamide, using the reaction which now bears his name (Scheme 2.1, a).71 The reaction is based on the intramolecular cyclization of N-acylated-ortho-alkylanilines, 69 For recent reviews in the synthesis of indoles, see: a) G. R. Humphrey, J. T. Kuethe, Chem. Rev. 2006, 106, 2875; b) K. Krüger, A. Tillack, M. Beller, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2008, 350, 2153; c) J. Barluenga, F. Rodríguez, F. J. Fañanás, Chem. Asian J. 2009, 4, 1036; d) J. J. Song, J. T. Reeves, D. R. Fandrick, Z. Tan, N. K. Yee, C. H. Senanayake, Arkivok, 2010, 1, 309; e) S. A. Patil, R. Patil, D. D. Miller, Curr. Med. Chem. 2011, 18, 615; f) S. Cacchi, G. Fabrizi, A. Goggiamani, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2011, 9, 641; g) Z. Shi, F. Glorius, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 9220. 70 D. J. Koza, W. B. Euler, Heter. Comm. 1999, 5, 399. 71 a) W. Madelung, Ber. 1912, 45, 1128; b) W. Madelung, Ann. Chem. 1914, 405, 58. 65 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles readily available by condensation between ortho-toluidine with oxalyl chloride, in the presence of a strong base at elevated temperatures. However, the yield was very low (26%) and the reaction conditions (sodium n-amylate/360 °C) were harsh, limiting the applicability of the method when the desired 2,2’-biindole has sensitive substituents. Bergman and co-workers improved the yield (80%) by changing the base, but this method still requires a strong base and high temperatures (Scheme 2.1, b).64 The useful scope of the synthesis is, therefore, limited to molecules which can survive strongly basic conditions. Scheme 2.1 In 1980, Bergman and Eklund became interested in the 2,2’-biindole skeleton because these electron-rich systems displayed strong electron-donor capacity and because their potential applications were so far unexplored.72 In order to study this structural motif, they needed a ready access to the starting material and at that point the Madelung cyclization seemed to be the only route available. Therefore, they studied some copper- and palladium-promoted coupling reactions of simple indoles for the assembly of the 2,2’-biindole skeleton. For the copper-promoted coupling, the following sequence was used: lithiation of indole at C2 with n-butillithium followed by transmetallation with CuCl2, gave a copper(II) complex that after reductive elimination led to the 2,2’-biindole skeleton (Scheme 2.2). Following this procedure, N,N’-dimethyl-2,2’-biindole was obtained from N-methyl indole in good yield (73%). However, when this protocol was applied to an indole bearing a typical electron-withdrawing N-protecting group such as N72 J. Bergman, N. Eklund, Tetrahedron 1980, 36, 1439. 66 Chapter 2 phenylsulfonyl, the reaction was found to be much less efficient, providing the corresponding N-SO2Ph-protected 2,2’-biindole in only 23% yield. Nevertheless, this product enabled the access to the free NH-2,2’-biindole upon alkaline deprotection of the two sulfonamide groups. The yield of this last step was not provided in the manuscript. Scheme 2.2 The direct oxidative coupling of either N-methyl indole or NH-indole with an stoichiometric amount of palladium acetate did not afford any shortcut to obtain the 2,2’-biindole skeleton. Instead, a very complex mixture that contained small amounts of 3,3’- and 2,3’-coupled products (but no 2,2’-isomer) was detected. The applicability of a Pd(OAc)2-induced oxidative coupling was elegantly solved by this group with the development of an intramolecular variant (Scheme 2.3). The method involved an initial step to form the 1,1’-carbonyl biindole, which was obtained in moderate yield (41%) by reaction of indole with carbonyldiimidazole. Then, the 2,2’-biindole core was assembled in good yield (84%) by palladium-mediated coupling at the 2- and 2’positions. This coupling was more facile due to its intramolecular nature (the carbonyl tether played an important role fixing the geometry of the coupling, leading to less negative entropies of activation), thereby avoiding the formation of other regioisomers. To the best of our knolewdge, this protocol represented the first example effective for the synthesis of the 2,2-biindole skeleton via a dehydrogenative 67 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles coupling. Finally, alkaline hydrolysis released the free NH-2,2’-biindole in good yield (89%). Scheme 2.3 Despite this advance,73 the need of a stoichiometric amount of palladium acetate made this procedure little amenable for large-scale synthesis from economical and environmental standpoints. Attempts to render the reaction catalytic in palladium by addition of various co-oxidants such as Ac2O, MnO2 or Cu(OAc)2 resulted in no significant improvement of the yield.74 73 For an intramolecular cyclation of a symmetrical diaminodiyne, in the presence of a strong base, to give the 2,2’-biindole skeleton, see: C. Koradin, W. Dohle, A. L. Rodriguez, B. Schmid, P. Knochel, Tetrahedron 2003, 59, 1571. 74 C. A. Merlic, Y. You, D. M. McInnes, A. L. Zechman, M. M. Miller, Q. Deng, Tetrahedron 2001, 57, 5199. 68 Chapter 2 2.2.2. Transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling approach to 2,2’- biindoles Although methods based on transition-metal-catalyzed coupling of aryl halides with aryl-metals have emerged as versatile tools for the synthesis of biaryls over the past decades,75 few examples are found for the construction of the biindole skeleton. To our knowledge, only the group of Merlic has developed a transition-metal catalyzed cross-coupling approach for the synthesis of 2,2-biindoles.74 In particular, a Suzuki reaction between 2-iodoindole and a 2-indolyl boronate was successfully applied for the preparation of unsymmetrical 2,2’-biindoles. The starting 2-iodoindole was formed using the method reported by Bergman and Venemalm, consisting of a selective ortho-lithiation (at C2-position) of the in situ generated N-carboxylindole and subsequent iodination with 1,2-diiodoethane.76 Then, the resulting 2-iodoindole was easily N-alkylated or N-protected with several groups before it was converted in situ to the corresponding 2-indolyl boronic ester via iodo/lithium exchange and trapping of the resulting anion with trimethyl borate. Using modified Suzuki conditions, the in situ prepared boronic ester was coupled with 2-iodoindole to afford unsymmetrical 2,2biindoles in reasonable yields (51-61%, Scheme 2.4). 75 For a recent review on traditional cross-coupling reactions, see: C. C. C. Johansso Seechurn, M. O. Kitching, T. J. Colacot, V. Snieckus, Ang. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 5062. 76 J. Bergman, L. Venemalm, J. Org. Chem. 1992, 57, 2495. 69 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles Scheme 2.4 Other palladium catalyzed cross-coupling reactions were also investigated by this research group (Scheme 2.5). The Stille cross-coupling reaction of the Ncarboxylindol-2-yl tin derivative II and 2-iodo-N-methylindole resulted less efficient than the Suzuki coupling, providing the corresponding 2,2’-biindole derivative in only 41% yield. Surprisingly, the Negishi approach was found not applicable for the synthesis of the 2,2’-biindolyl system; the reaction of N-methylindol-2-yl zinc chloride with 2-iodoindole resulted in the protonated product N-methylindole (Scheme 2.5). This byproduct was proposed to arise from the protonation of the zinc reagent by the unprotected 2-iodoindole coupling partner. 70 Chapter 2 Scheme 2.5 Attempts to couple the protected N-benzenesulfonylindol-2-yl boronic acid resulted in the recovery of the protonated product N-benzenesulfonylindole. Identical negative result was obtained when the N-benzenesulfonylindol-2-yl zinc chloride was subjected to the Negishi-type coupling with 2-iodoindole (Scheme 2.6). Scheme 2.6 2.2.3. Oxidative homocoupling reaction As we have seen in the former section, traditional cross-coupling strategies such as Stille or Suzuki reactions have provided solutions to the catalytic synthesis of 2,2’biindoles. However, these strategies relied on pre-activated electrophiles (halides or pseudohalides) and organometallic nucleophiles as coupling partners. An enduring objective in the construction of basic skeletons of heterocyclic molecules is the search for new reactions that proceed with similar efficacy and selectivity upon 71 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles employing readily available non-preactivated starting materials such as heterocycles themselves. This activation involves a two-fold C−H bond functionalization of heteroarenes through a dehydrogenative coupling.77 Despite the fact that more and more research groups are trying to put their efforts in this challenging area due to its interest from the green and sustainable chemistry ideals,78 at the outset of our work the application of this approach to the synthesis of biindoles remained undocumented. In 2010, almost simultaneously to the publication of our work, two examples of dehydrogenative homocoupling of indoles to afford biindoles appeared in the literature. None of them provided access to the 2,2-biindole framework. Zhang and co-workers described in 2010 a palladium-catalyzed oxidative homocoupling of indoles, leading to 2,3’-biindoles.79 Under mild conditions (DMSO, room temperature) and in the presence of a stoichiometric copper oxidant, various Nsubstituted indoles yielded the corresponding 2,3’-biindole typically in high efficiency and with excellent regioselectivity (Scheme 2.7). The 2,2’- and 3,3’-isomers were not observed under the reaction conditions. As mentioned, CuII-based oxidants provided optimal results whereas silver(I) reagents such as AgOAc, Ag2CO3 and Ag2O were found to be ineffective. Only trace amounts of products were observed when K2S2O8, CuO or O2 were used as oxidants. 77 For selected examples of dehydrogenative indole arylation, see: a) D. R. Stuart, K. Fagnou, Science 2007, 316, 1172; b) D. R. Stuart, E. Villemure, K. Fagnou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12072; c) T. A. Dwight, N. R. Rue, D. Charyk, R. Josselyn, B. DeBoef, Org. Lett. 2007, 16, 3137. 78 Reviews on metal-catalyzed C−H functionalization: a) J. A. Labinger, J. E. Bercaw, Nature 2002, 417, 507; b) H. M. L. Davies, J. R. Manning, Nature 2008, 451, 417. See also the February 2010 and March 2011 issues of Chem. Soc. Rev., the April 2011 issue of Chem. Rev. and the June 2012 issue of Acc. Chem. Res. For selected reviews: c) J. Wencel-Delord, T. Dröge, F. Liu, F. Glorius, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 4740; d) L. McMurray, F. O’Hara, M. J. Gaunt, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 1885; e) K. M. Engle, T.-S. Mei, M. Wasa, J.-Q. Yu, Acc. Chem. Res. 2012, 45, 788; f) P. B. Arockiam, C. Bruneau, P. H. Dixneuf, Chem. Rev. 2012, 112, 5879. 79 Z. Liang, J. Zhao, Y. Zhang, J. Org. Chem. 2010, 75, 170. 72 Chapter 2 N-Methyl, N-benzyl and N-phenyl substitution were well tolerated, providing in all cases the homocoupling products in good yield. However, electron-withdrawing Nprotecting groups, as in the case of N-acetylindole, were non-competent in this transformation. With regard to substitution at the benzene ring of the indole moiety, the reaction tolerates both electron-rich and moderately electron-poor substituents, the former proceeding with higher yields. In the case of strongly electron-poor indoles, the reactivity in the homocoupling process dropped markedly, although it could be partially restored by enhancing the temperature and extending the reaction time. Regarding the regioposition of the substituents, higher yields were obtained for the C5-, C6- and C7-substituted indoles. However, substitution at the C4-position resulted in lower yields, possibly due to steric hindrance. Scheme 2.7 The authors invoked a plausible Pd(0)/Pd(II) catalytic cycle to account for the experimentally observed 2,3’-selectivity in the homocoupling reaction (Scheme 2.8). The electrophilic palladation was proposed to first occur at the more reactive C3position of indole. A subsequent migration of the C3-PdX bond to the C2-position 73 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles would lead to the formation of intermediate I.80 This intermediate would then undergo electrophilic palladation with a second indole molecule at the more nucleophilic C3 position, to form intermediate II. The following reductive elimination would generate the 2,3’-biindole product. The released formed Pd(0) would be then oxidized to Pd(II) by the Cu(II) salt in the system to furnish the catalytic cycle. Scheme 2.8 Almost simultaneously, Shi and co-workers described an alternative and complementary palladium-catalyzed oxidative homocoupling of indoles, allowing the construction of the 3,3’-biindole skeleton.81 This group based his work on tuning the selectivity of the dimerization of indole derivatives to afford the 3,3’-dimer by using different additives and oxidants, in particular silver salts, which had been reported before to have a pronounced impact 80 a) B. S. Lane, M. A. Brown, D. Sames, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 8050; b) N. P. Grimster, C. Gauntlett, C. R. A. Godfrey, M. J. Gaunt, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 3125. 81 Y. Li, W.-H. Wang, S.-D. Yang, B.-J. Li, C. Fengab, Z.-J. Shi, Chem. Commun. 2010, 46, 4553. 74 Chapter 2 on the regioselectivity in the direct functionalization of indole derivatives.82 Notably, AgNO3 was found to modulate the regioselectivity favoring the formation of the 3,3’dimeric indole scaffold, although the exact role of the silver salt was not well understood at this stage. In contrast to the above Zhang’s procedure towards 2,3’linked indoles,83 unprotected indoles also underwent dimerization in the presence of MgSO4, which was previously considered to tune the reactivity of free NH-indoles.80a In general, electron-deficient and electron-rich indoles worked effectively, although a slight change of the reaction conditions, for example, concentration of the substrate, reaction temperature and the presence or absence of AcOH, was necessary to achieve high efficiency for different substrates (Scheme 2.9). H 2 R R1 N Pd(TFA)2 (10 mol%) R2 AgNO3 2 N R1 (AcOH), (MgSO4) DMSO R2 N R1 1 1 R N R N R1 N R2 R2 R2 R2 N R1 R1 = H, 54% R1 = Me, 72% R1 = Bn, 69% N R1 R1 = H, R2 = CO2Me, 50% R1 = Me, R2 = Br, 79% R1 = Me, R2 = Me, 61% N R1 R1 = H, R2 = 4-CHO, 84% R1 = Me, R2 = 6-Cl, 73% R1 = Me, R2 = 7-OMe, 72% Scheme 2.9 82 a) S. Yanagisawa, T. Sudo, R. Noyori, K. Itami, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 11748; b) D. R. Stuart, E. Villemure, K. Fagnou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12072; c) S. Potavathri, A. S. Dumas, T. A. Dwight, G. R. Naumiec, J. M. Hammann, B. DeBoef, Tetrahedron Lett. 2008, 49, 4050. 83 After our work was published, Liang and co-workers described a metal-free iodine-promoted regioselective C−C bond formation, yielding 2,3-biindoles: Y.-X. Li, K.-G. Ji, H.-X. Wang, S. Ali, Y.-M. Liang, J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 744. 75 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles These authors also proposed a plausible mechanistic pathway based on the initial C3-palladation of the indole derivative via electrophilic substitution (intermediate I). Then, another molecule of indole would undergo a second electrophilic substitution at C3 by intermediate I to form intermediate II, which produced the 3,3’-linked oxidative coupling product by the release of a proton and reductive elimination (Scheme 2.10). Scheme 2.10 76 Chapter 2 2.3. Aim of the project Because of their biological and structural significance, the development of new methods for the synthesis of 2,2’-biindoles remains an important ongoing challenge. In this regard, the intermolecular oxidative homocoupling of indoles can be envisaged as the most straightforward tool for the assembly of biindolyl systems. Surprisingly, however, at the outset of our work this strategy remained undocumented. One of the most challenging issues in dehydrogenative cross-coupling of indoles has demonstrated to be the control of the reacting site.77 Indeed, direct coupling of two indoles units at their C2-position to give 2,2’-biindoles appears to be the most difficult connection. This is likely due to the higher nucleophilic character of the C3position of indole derivatives compared to their C2-position, thereby directing electrophilic palladation at C3. To address this challenge, we considered that the excellent ability of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group as regiocontrolling unit for functionalization of indoles at C2 could also enable the development of a general catalytic procedure for the intermolecular dehydrogenative coupling of indoles to access 2,2’-biindole systems. In fact, as already mentioned in the Introduction of this Thesis (Chapter 1), in an attempt to isolate the intermediate complex resulting from cyclopalladation at C2, treatment of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole 1 with a stoichiometric amount of Pd(OAc)2 in AcOH led to the clean formation of 2,2’-biindole after 18 h at 60 ºC, isolated in 71% yield. Therefore, the aim of this project is to develop a catalytic variant of this homocoupling reaction under oxidative conditions (Scheme 2.11). 77 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles Scheme 2.11 Although, we will focus in the intermolecular version of the reaction because of its greater impact, the intramolecular version will also be studied as a direct route to polycyclic structures containing the 2,2’-biindole skeleton. In this regard, the dehydrogenative intramolecular coupling of bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methanes to give tetracyclic diindole structures with fixed coplanar S-cis conformation (with both nitrogens pointing to the same side of the molecule) represents an attractive starting point (Scheme 2.12). Scheme 2.12 78 Chapter 2 2.4. Catalytic dehydrogenative homocoupling of indoles: synthesis of 2,2’biindoles 2.4.1. Screening of the catalytic system and the reaction conditions a) Screening of the oxidant Taking as starting point the palladium-mediated formation of the N,N’-bis(2pyridylsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindole 2 mentioned in the Introduction Chapter, we began our study under the same conditions (AcOH, 60 ºC, 22 h) but using a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%) and a stoichiometric amount of a terminal oxidant, needed for rendering this transformation catalytic with respect to the palladium salt. In this regard, our initial choice was Cu(OAc)2 (1.5 equiv) since it previously provided good results in the PdII-catalyzed direct C2-alkenylation of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indoles and pyrroles described by our group.84 As shown in Scheme 2.13, the Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed homocoupling reaction of N-2(pyridyl)sulfonyl indole 1 led to a very low conversion (<10%), along with a very poor regiocontrol (2/3 = 40:60) in favour of the undesired 2,3’-biindole product 3. This result highlighted the challenges associated to the development of a catalytic variation of this reaction related to the lower inherent electron density of the indole system at the C2-position in comparison to that at the C3-position. Scheme 2.13 To overcome this discouraging start, and in light of the known critical role of the nature of the co-oxidant in both the reactivity and regioselectivity of many C−H 84 A. García-Rubia, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6511. 79 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles functionalizations, we decided to carry out a exhaustive screening of metal-based and non metal-based oxidants. The experimental results are summarized in Table 2.1. Table 2.1: Screening of the co-oxidant Yield (%) [a] Entry Co-oxidant 1 - (only O2) < 10 40:60 2 Cu(OCOCF3)2 < 10 60:40 3 Cu(OTf)2 40 >98:<2 4 Ce(SO4)2 29 >98:<2 [c] Selectivity 2:3 5 AgNO3 0 6 AgOAc 10 <2:>98 7 FeCl3 < 10 25:75 8 9 PhI(OAc)2 Benzoquinone 10 Oxone 11 tBuOOH -- [c] -- - [d] -- - [d] -- < 10 40:60 0 [b] 1 [a] Conversion yield (from the H NMR spectra); [b] Determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy of the reaction mixture; [c] The starting material was recovered; [d] Complex mixture. The use exclusively of oxygen as ideal terminal oxidant proved to be ineffective (entry 1, <10% conversion). Among the other copper(II) salts explored, CuII trifluoroacetate did not produce any significant positive effect, except for a slight increase of selectivity towards the 2,2’-biindole assembly 2 (entry 2, 2/3 = 60:40). In contrast, the use of Cu(OTf)2 resulted in a higher conversion (entry 3, 40% conversion) and, more importantly, complete regiocontrol in the formation of the 80 Chapter 2 desired 2,2-biindole skeleton (2/3 = >98:<2). Identical reaction outcome, yet in lower conversion (entry 4, 29% conversion) was observed when using Ce(SO4)2 as oxidant. Despite their proven ability as oxidants in C−H activation, silver or iron salts showed very low reactivity in this transformation (entries 5-7), although the complete opposite regioselectivity achieved with AgOAc was remarkable (entry 6, 2/3 = <2:>98).85 Finally, a survey of non-metal based species such as PhI(OAc)2 (entry 8), benzoquinone (entry 9), oxone (entry 10) or t-BuOOH (entry 11) did not allow us to identify any competent oxidant for this process. Therefore, Cu(OTf)2 was chosen as the optimal oxidant for the homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole 1 since it provided complete regiocontrol and higher conversions among all the oxidants tested. b) Optimization of the reaction work-up Likely due to the metal-coordinating nature of the 2,2-biindole product 2, bearing two N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl groups, a very polar solid was obtained after a simple aqueous work-up of the reaction mixture. When isolated, this product proved to be 85 This complete regiocontrol in the formation of the 2,3’-biindole 3 when using AgOAc as co-oxidant drew our attention towards the development of a general, complementary method for the efficient access to 2,3’-biindolyl systems, which, to date, remained undocumented. For instance, we observed that increasing the reaction temperature to 100 ºC (8 h) resulted in a clean formation of 3 with complete 2,3’-regiocontrol, albeit still in a low 20% conversion (see Scheme below). However, increasing the amount of AgOAc to 3.0 equiv did not give any improved result. Unfortunately, Zhang and co-workers reported their Pd(OTFA)2-catalyzed intermolecular homocoupling approach to 2,3’biindoles (see reference 79) while we were performing these optimization studies The appearance of this literature precedent discouraged us to continue investigating this mode of connection of biindolyl and centred our focus on the 2,2’-regioselective homocoupling. H H N SO2Py 1 Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%) AgOAc (1.5 equiv) AcOH, O2, 100 ºC, 8 h selectivity 2/3 = <2:>98 conversion yield (3): 20% N SO2Py N SO2Py 3: 2,3'-biindole 81 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles non-soluble in the majority of the common polar organic solvents, which made extremely difficult its purification and structural determination. Understanding that this observation was due to the formation of a stable biindolyl-CuII complex, we envisaged that introducing an extra-step in the work-up procedure consisting of washing the organic solution of the crude reaction mixture with aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution (NH4OH)86 could deliver the Cu-free biindole product. To our delight, this was indeed the case and the 2,2’-biindole 2 was obtained in good yield (68%) after diluting the reaction mixture with ethyl acetate and successive washings with aqueous NH4OH and saturated aqueous NH4Cl, and then filtering through a pad of Celite with a thin layer of silica gel on the top. This work-up was even more necessary in the case of biindoles bearing electron-rich substituents, which turned out to be quite unstable. Proof of this unstability was found when they were purified by column chromatography, observing that the yields dramatically decreased. c) Solvent screening Having identified Cu(OTf)2 as the best co-oxidant, we next explored the influence of the nature of the solvent in the reaction (Table 2.2). Among all the different solvents tested, only acidic solvents were found to be suitable for the reaction (entries 1-3). Thus, acetic and propionic acids provided higher conversions (40% and 44% respectively, entries 1 y 2), while the reaction in trifluoroacetic acid yielded the desired homocoupling product 2 in a much lower conversion (14%, entry 3). By contrast, other protic polar solvents such as tert-amyl alcohol (entry 4) or non-protic polar solvents such as DMA (entry 5), DMSO (entry 6) and acetonitrile (entry 7), resulted in less than 10% conversion or full recovery of the starting material. Likewise, a mixture of a polar solvent (DMA) with an acid (10 equiv of TFA, entry 8) or a 1:1 mixture of acetonitrile and acetic acid (entry 9), led to full recovery of the starting material. 86 For the use of NH4OH as demetalating agent for Cu-complexes of nitrogen-heterocycles, see: J. D. Megiatto Jr., D. I. Schuster, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 1808. 82 Chapter 2 Table 2.2: Solvent screening Entry Solvent 1 AcOH 40 2 EtCOOH 44 3 TFA 14 4 TAA 0 [b] 5 DMA 0 [b] 6 DMSO 0 [b] 7 CAN 8 DMA+TFA (10 equiv) 0 [b] 9 MeCN:AcOH (1:1) 0 [b] [a] Conversion yield (from the crude starting material was recovered. Yield (%) [a] <10 1 H NMR); [b] The d) Reaction temperature Because of the low reactivity observed at 60 ºC, even under prolonged reaction times (22 h), we decided to rise the reaction temperature to 100 ºC in the two solvents that gave better yields: acetic acid and propionic acid. In both cases, a dramatic increase of the reactivity was observed. In fact, the homocoupling of 1 reached full conversion in acetic acid, after only 12 h. As expected, similar behavior (91% conversion) was observed in propionic acid as solvent (Scheme 2.14). 83 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles Scheme 2.14 A more accurate measurement of the reaction time led us to find out that 8 h were sufficient for completion while shorter reaction times resulted into incomplete reactivity. For example, a 50% conversion was observed after 4 h reaction at 100 ºC. e) Screening of the palladium(II) precatalyst Next we explored different palladium(II) salts as precatalysts in the model homocoupling reaction of 1, fixing the rest of optimized parameters. These results are summarized in Table 2.3. As expected, the reaction didn’t work at all in the absence of any palladium salt, recovering the starting material unaltered (entry 1). Table 2.3: Screening of the palladium(II) catalyst II Entry Pd catalyst Yield (%) 1 - 0 2 Pd(OAc)2 100 3 Pd(OTFA)2 66 4 PdCl2 30 5 PdCl2(CH3CN)2 1 - [a] [b] [c] [a] Conversion yield (from the H NMR spectra); [b] The starting material was recovered; [c] Complex mixture. 84 Chapter 2 Among all the palladium(II) salts tested, the best result was obtained with Pd(OAc)2, as it turned out to be the only palladium salt promoting full conversion of the starting material into the desired biindole 2 (entry 2). Pd(OTFA)2 or PdCl2 also afforded the desired product 2 with complete regiocontrol, but in lower conversions (66% y 30% respectively, entries 3 and 4). Interestingly, PdCl2(CH3CN)2 resulted to be totally ineffective, affording a complex reaction mixture (entry 5). Remarkably, the 2,3’- or 3,3’-biindole products were not detected in the reaction mixture in any case, thus highlighting the crucial role of Cu(OTf)2 in controlling the regioselectivity to favour the 2,2’-linkage. f) Importance of the aerobic conditions Having identified the optimal palladium catalyst, we next evaluated the importance of the aerobic conditions. When the reaction was run under strict nitrogen atmosphere, only 20% of conversion to the desired 2,2’-biindole 2 was achieved in the model homocoupling reaction of 1 (Scheme 2.15), evidencing the important cooperative role of molecular oxygen as oxidant together with Cu(OTf)2 (1.5 equiv) to obtain full conversions. Scheme 2.15 As summary of these initial studies, optimized conditions were established entailed the treatment of 1 with 10 mol% Pd(OAc)2 and 1.5 equiv of Cu(OTf)2 as cooxidant, in AcOH as solvent under an O2 atmosphere (1 atm) for 8-12 h. 85 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles 2.4.2. Evaluation of the directing role N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl protecting group. a) Synthesis of indoles with potentially coordinating protecting groups In order to evaluate the role of the protecting/directing group in this dehydrogenative homocoupling reaction, a variety of removable N-sulfonyl groups with different steric, electronic and coordinating properties were needed. For that purpose, the free indole (4) was efficiently derivatized into a variety of products as shown in Scheme 2.16. Scheme 2.16 These protection reactions were carried out following the typical procedure for Nsulfonylation of indole derivatives: NH-deprotonation of indole 4 with NaH as a base in THF at 0 ºC, followed by addition of the corresponding aryl-, heteroaryl- or N,Ndimethysulfamoyl chloride.84 The corresponding protected products (1 and 5-9) were obtained in all cases as bench-stable solids and in acceptable to good yields (4076%). All the corresponding sulfonyl chlorides used in the N-sulfonylation reaction of 86 Chapter 2 indole were commercially available, except for the 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride. This reactant was readily prepared according to the literature procedure,87 involving oxidation of 2-mercaptopyridine with sodium hypochlorite in sulfuric acid (Scheme 2.17). The resulting 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride was subjected immediately to the reaction with indole 4 because of its relative instability. Scheme 2.17 To evaluate the effect of a non-sulfonyl protecting group, the N-Boc derivative 10 was also prepared in an excellent yield, following the described protocol (96%, Scheme 2.18).88 Scheme 2.18 b) Evaluation of the effect of the N-protecting/directing group The synthetized indoles (1 and 5-10), bearing a potentially coordinating protecting group (PG), along with the free indole (4) and N-methyl indole (11) as control substrates, were examined under the optimized conditions. The results summarized in Table 2.4 highlight the unique efficiency of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group in the homocoupling reaction comparing to the rest of protecting groups evaluated. In fact, the homocoupling reaction did not take place when using an indole 87 S. Diltz, G. Aguirre, F. Ortega, P. J. Walsh, Tetrahedron: Asymm. 1997, 8, 3559. 88 L. F. Silva Jr., M. V. Craveiro, M. T. P. Gambardella, Synthesis 2007, 3851. 87 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles with any of the other protecting groups. Only traces of a possible homocoupling product 16 were detected when the N-(8-quinolyl)sulfonyl indole was subjected to the optimized reaction conditions. Table 2.4: Optimization of the N-protecting/directing group Entry Indole PG Product Yield (%) 1 4 H 12 - [b] 2 11 Me 13 - [b] 3 1 (2-pyridyl)SO2 2 100 (68) 4 5 Ts 14 0 [d] 5 6 (2-thienyl)SO2 15 0 [d] 6 7 (8-quinolyl)SO2 16 ~10 7 8 p-Ns 17 0 8 9 NMe2SO2 18 - [b] 9 10 Boc 19 - [b] [a] [c] [d] [a] Conversion yield (from the 1H NMR spectra); [b] Complex mixture; [c] Isolated yield after chromatography; [d] The starting material was recovered. 2.4.3. Reaction scope After the optimal reaction parameters had been established for the regiocontrolled 2,2’-homocoupling, we explored the scope of the reaction with regard to the electronic and steric variations of the substituents at the indole counterpart. For that purpose, a set of variously substituted indoles were N-sulfonylated with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride following the same standard protocol previously used for the parent N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole 1 (see Scheme 2.16). The corresponding N-(2- 88 Chapter 2 pyridyl)sulfonyl protected indoles were obtained in all cases in good yields as benchstable solids (71-85%), regardless of the electron-rich or electron-poor nature of the substitution (Scheme 2.19). Even the 7-aza-indole 31 was formed in good yield. NaH PySO 2Cl R N H R N O S 27-33 O THF, 0 ºC--rt, 18 h 20-26 MeO F N SO2Py Br N SO2Py 27, 82% N N SO2Py 28, 85% MeO2C 29, 79% N SO2Py 30, 79% CN N N SO2Py 31, 73% Me N SO2Py 32, 71% N SO2Py 33, 76% Scheme 2.19 Next, these indoles were tested in the oxidative homocoupling reaction. As shown in Scheme 2.20, the reaction tolerated electronically varied substitution at C5 and C6 of the indole unit. Both electron donating (OMe) and moderate electronwithdrawing (F) groups were well tolerated (products 34 and 35, 64% and 66% yield, respectively). Although this tendency would fall off with the 5-bromo-substituede indole (product 40, 50% conversion). By contrast, a strong electron-deficient ester group had a clear detrimental effect on reactivity, leading to the complete recovery of the starting material unaltered, even under prolonged reaction times. We attribute the lack of reactivity of this substrate to its much lower activation towards aromatic electrophilic substitution. Unexpectedly, a methyl group at the C7-position or a cyano substituent at C4 dramatically altered the reactivity, obtaining complex reaction mixtures due to the prevalence of decomposition products. This protocol was not applicable either to the 7-aza-indole derivative 31, which proved to be inert under the 89 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles reaction conditions. In this case, the coordinating nature of the “extra” pyridyl nitrogen could be responsible for this behavior, causing unproductive substrate-catalyst interactions. Scheme 2.20 On examining indoles with substituents at C5, we found that the 5-bromoindole 29 was significantly less reactive than 28, providing product 40 with only 50% conversion after 12 h at 100 ºC. However, this product was highly attractive because the resultant bromine on the biindolyl product could easily be manipulated, thus providing a flexible handle for further functionalization. 90 Chapter 2 Consequently, we embarked in a more thorough optimization of the reaction conditions (Table 2.5). Regarding the reaction temperature, only a slight improvement of the conversion was observed when the temperature was raised up to 120 ºC (60% conversion, entry 2). A further increase to 140 ºC had a deleterious effect due to the appearance of unidentified by-products in the reaction mixture (30% conversion by 1 H NMR, entry 3). Fortunately, exploring higher loadings of the palladium precatalyst resulted in critical improvement of reactivity. In fact, a 77% conversion was observed when using 20 mol% of Pd(OAc)2 after 12 h at 100 ºC (entry 4). Moreover, we noticed that the conversion yield correlated positively with the reaction time. Thus, extending the reaction time to 30 h resulted in an improved 86% conversion (entry 5), the reaction requiring 46 h for reaching full conversion (entry 6). It is important to note that despite the reaction was a very clean process, the chromatographic separation of the product from trace amounts of unidentified by-products resulted in reduced yields of the dibrominated biindole 40 upon isolation (60% isolated yield). This trend has been recurrently observed in most of the homocoupling reactions. Table 2.5: Further optimization for the synthesis of 5,5’-dibromo-2,2’-biindolyl 40 Entry Temp. Pd II Reaction Conversion (%) [a] Yield (mol%) time (h) 1 100 10 12 50 2 120 10 12 60 3 140 10 12 4 100 20 12 77 47 (54) [d] 5 100 20 30 86 53 (60) [d] 6 100 20 46 100 30 (%) [b] (ºC) [c] 62 91 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles [a] Conversion yield (from the 1H NMR spectra); [b] Isolated yield after chromatography; [c] Byproducts were observed; [d] Yield based on recovered starting material. 2.4.4. N-Deprotection via reductive desulfonylation reaction The feasibility of the cleavage of the two N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl groups of the 2,2’biindolyl system led us to realize the full synthetic utility of our method. As an example, compound 2 was treated with excess of Mg turnings in MeOH, affording the free NH 2,2’-biindole 41 in 54% yield (route a, Scheme 2.21). On the other hand, 2,2’biindole 2 was also deprotected using Zn/NH4Cl/THF although prolonged reaction time was required (48 h) to obtain a similar yield (52%, route b, Scheme 2.21). Scheme 2.21 2.4.5. Mechanistic proposal As already suggested for the Pd-catalyzed C2-olefination reaction of N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl indoles, the significant activation brought about by the 2-PySO2 group suggests an auxiliary-controlled direct cyclopalladation at the C2 of indole, facilitated by the coordination of palladium(II) to the nitrogen in the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group to form a six-membered ring. The resulting palladacycle I would evolve by forming a C2 palladated bisindolyl intermediate II which would afford the 2,2’-biindolyl skeleton through a reductive elimination step (Scheme 2.22). 92 Chapter 2 Scheme 2.22 2.4.6. Intramolecular version: oxidative coupling of bis(1H-indol-3- yl)methanes Assuming that the intramolecular version of this reaction would be much more favourable than the intermolecular homocoupling, we decided to explore the feasibility of the oxidative intramolecular coupling of bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methanes to give tetracyclic diindole structures (Scheme 2.23). We settled on this type of starting materials because of their ready availability through a double Friedel-Craft reaction between the corresponding indole and a carbonyl compound in the presence of a Lewis or Brönsted acid catalyst.89 Moreover, the final products are structurally interesting because of their fixed coplanar S-cis conformation (with both nitrogens pointing to the same side of the molecule). 89 a) C. Ramesh, J. Banerjee, R. Pal, B. Das, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2003, 345, 557. b) Yadav, J. S.; Reddy, B. V. S.; Sunitha, S. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2003, 345, 349. 93 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles Scheme 2.23 a) Synthesis of bis-indoles Because of the pronounced electron-rich nature of their pyrrolic ring, indoles are very reactive towards electrophilic substitution at C3 when subjected to the reaction with carbonyl compounds in the presence of a suitable Lewis- or Brönsted-acid catalyst. This reaction typically results in the formation of a bis(indolyl)methane as a result of an initial Friedel-Crafts alkylation to give the corresponding (3indolyl)methanol derivative, which undergoes a second Friedel-Crafts alkylation assisted by the acid catalyst with another molecule of indole. In accordance to this route, bis-indole derivative 42 was prepared following a literature procedure89a and it was isolated in 78% yield (Scheme 2.24). In this case, the N-protection with 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride (2.6 equiv) was not fully completed, affording almost an equimolar mixture of the mono- and disulfonylated bis-indolyl derivatives 43 (26% yield) and 44 (32% yield), respectively (Scheme 2.24). Scheme 2.24 94 Chapter 2 However, we decided to investigate the behaviour of compounds 43 and 44 in the Pd-catalyzed homocoupling reaction before making efforts trying to optimize the efficiency and selectivity of this N-sulfonylation reaction. b) Intramolecular oxidative coupling reaction Initially, the 3,3’-bis indole derivative 43 was submitted to the optimized conditions found for the dehydrogenative intermolecular homocoupling reaction: 10 mol% Pd(OAc)2, 1.5 equiv of Cu(OTf)2, under O2 atmosphere and using acetic acid as solvent at 100 ºC. Unfortunately, the reaction didn’t take place at all and the starting material was recovered unaltered (Scheme 2.25). This lack of reactivity was attributed to a relatively strong coordination of the copper(II) salt, used as stoichiometric oxidant, with the two pyridinyl nitrogens of the 2-pyridylsulfonyl groups. This hypothesis is in accordance with the previously observed formation of an insoluble solid in the crude reaction mixture (see optimization studies, section 2.4.1b) which was attributed to the formation of a CuII-complex. Scheme 2.25 To overcome this problem, the Cu(OTf)2 was replaced by cerium(IV) sulfate as co-oxidant. Although in the initial optimization studies for the homocoupling reaction we saw it was an efficient oxidant, in this case only the starting bis-indolyl methane 43 was detected in the crude reaction mixture by 1H NMR. We next explored the reactivity of compound 44, bearing only one of its indolyl nitrogen atom protected with the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group (Scheme 2.26). In this case, after two hours of reaction at 100 ºC, a mixture of two new products 46 and 47 was obtained in a 40:60 relative ratio. After complete elucidation by NMR and EM 95 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles analysis, product 46 was identified as the 3-cyclohexenyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole while product 47 was found to be the 3-phenyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole. Longer reaction time (12 h) afforded exclusively compound 47 as the major component of the mixture, which was isolated in good yield (76%). This result suggested that compound 47 was formed in situ from the indole derivative 46 under the reaction conditions. Scheme 2.26 Mechanistically, the formation of the 3-cyclohexenyl indole derivative 46 from the bis-indole 44 could be envisaged as the result of a retro-Friedel-Crafts reaction upon activation at C3 with a Lewis acid followed by elimination to form the alkene. Additionally, the formation of 3-phenyl indole 47 can be explained by in situ aromatization of 46 under the oxidative conditions employed (Scheme 2.27). Scheme 2.27 96 Chapter 2 2.5. Conclusions We have developed a practical procedure for the catalytic oxidative intermolecular homocoupling of indole derivatives leading to 2,2’-biindolyl systems. This reaction implies a completely regiocontrolled two fold C−H bond functionalization without requiring pre-activation at the reactive site or blocking the more reactive C3 position of the idole moiety. To our knowledge, catalytic intermolecular dehydrogenative homocoupling occurring exclusively at the C2 position of indole had not been reported before. Importantly, the efficiency of the reaction, in terms of both chemical yields and the exquisite regiocontrol, strongly depends on the use of a N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group as both protecting and directing group, and the choice of Cu(OTf)2 as terminal oxidant. The key role played by the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group has been attributed to the stabilization of a presumed cyclopalladated intermediate involving the coordination of the pyridyl nitrogen to the palladium. Reaction parameters proved also to be an important factor for catalytic activity, their optimization requiring intense screening studies. Optimal conditions were established using Pd(OAc)2 as precatalyst (10 mol%), Cu(OTf)2 as the co-oxidant (1.5 equiv) under O2 atmosphere, in acetic acid as solvent and at 100 ºC. Under these reaction conditions, 2,2’-biindoles are obtained with good yields and complete regiocontrol, for a variety of substituted indoles. It is remarkable that the presence of a bromine atom is also compatible with this catalytic system, which provide flexible handle for subsequent product derivatization. 97 Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylindoles SO2Py Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%) N Cu(OTf)2 (1.5 equiv) H R R R N SO2Py N AcOH, O2, 100 ºC, 12 h SO2Py SO2Py SO2Py N N N SO2Py F N SO2Py 68% 66% SO2Py MeO F SO2Py Br N N OMe SO2Py 64% N N Br SO2Py 62% The easy reductive cleavage of the two N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl groups on the resulting 2,2’-biindolyl systems under smooth conditions (Mg turnings in MeOH at room temperature) led us to demostrate the full synthetic utility of our method. Desulfonyl deprotection of the N,N’-protected 2,2-biindole motif (Mg turnings in MeOH) afforded the free NH-biindole in acceptable yield. 98 Chapter 3: C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines 99 100 Chapter 3 3. C− −H olefination of anilines and arylalkylaminesImportance of anilines and arylalkylamines Aniline is the parent molecule of a vast family of aromatic amines. Since its discovery in 1826 it has become one of the most important building blocks in chemistry. In fact, aniline and alkylarylamine derivatives are privileged structures that are ubiquitous in nature and can be often found as key components in pharmaceutically active compounds.1 They embrace an important class of molecular building blocks used as intermediates in many different fields of applications, such as isocyanates, rubber processing chemicals, dyes and pigments, and agricultural chemicals.90 Therefore, there is much interest in the synthesis of substituted aniline and alkylarylamine derivatives. Figure 3.1 shows some representative examples of this important family of compounds. Figure 3.1 90 The Chemistry of Groups, Anilines. Part 1, Patai Series: The Chemistry of Functional; Z. Rappoport, Ed. Willey: Chichester, UK, 2007. 101 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines As we stated in the Introduction Chapter, the combination of transition metalcatalysis and a suitable directing group is a useful strategy to functionalize a particular C−H bond in the presence of opposing steric and/or electronic factors, thereby enabling the efficient construction of carbon–carbon or carbon–heteroatom bonds with the desired regiocontrol. Regarding the direct functionalization of anilines, the most commonly used N-protecting groups for this type of transformations are amides (acetamide), carbamates and ureas, while sulfonamides have been rarely used. In the following section, we will discuss the literature precedents related to the direct C−H alkenylation of these aromatic systems, which have been classified on the basis of the protecting group at the amino functionality. With respect to the catalyst, palladium has been the typically used transition-metal, although recently other metals such as rhodium have also been employed. 3.2. Direct C− −H olefination of acetanilides A number of protocols have been reported to be efficient for the metal-catalyzed ortho-olefination of acetanilide derivatives with high regioselectivity. In the early 1980s, Horino and Inue reported the ortho-alkenylation of acetanilides prior formation of their cyclopalladation complexes.91 Reaction of acetanilide with stoichiometric amounts of Pd(OAc)2 in refluxing toluene gave complex I in good isolated yields (63-68%, Scheme 3.1). This complex reacted with various olefins (such as methyl vinyl ketone, methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile or styrene) in the presence of triethylamine in refluxing toluene to afford the corresponding 2substituted vinylacetanilides in aceptable yields (Scheme 3.1). 91 H. Horino, N. Inue, J. Org. Chem. 1981, 46, 4416. 102 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.1 Different acetanilides bearing electron-donating groups (such as methyl or methoxy groups) or electron-withdrawing groups (such as acyl or ester groups) at para- or meta-positions were well tolerated, leading to the corresponding orthoolefinated acetanilides in good yields after this two-step process. In the case of metasubstituted amides, the carbopalladation occured at the less hindered ortho-position. In sharp contrast, acetanilides with ortho-substituents did not react with Pd(OAc)2 under these conditions, thus highlighting the high sensitivity of this reaction to steric effects. To explain this failure, the authors proposed that the coordination of palladium with the amide group might be an important factor, and the orthosubstituent could be occupying a sterically encumbering conformation causing a nonideal substrate-Pd interaction for carbometalation. Along the same line, Nmethylacetanilide did not undergo ortho-palladation with PdCl2 or with Pd(OAc)2 under the optimized conditions, presumably because of its increased steric requirements. These results suggested that the amide group must be able to assume its tautomeric form in order to be able to form the ortho-palladacycle. In fact, formation of complex II has been reported instead of the ortho-palladation complex in the reaction of thioacetanilide with Na2PdCl4 (Figure 3.2).92 92 H. Alper, J. K. Currie, J. Organomet. Chem. 1979, 168, 369. 103 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Figure 3.2 However, despite the significance of this C−H functionalization reaction, the requirement of a stoichiometric amount of a palladium(II) salt represents a major drawback that limited the development of synthetic applications. In 2002, de Vries, van Leeuwen and co-workers notably improved this reaction describing the first catalytic version of this reaction.93 Thus, a new protocol for the oxidative coupling of acetanilides and electron-deficient olefins was developed using catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)2 (2 mol%) and benzoquinone (BQ) as oxidant, under mild conditions (AcOH as solvent at room temperature). The use of other oxidants, such as H2O2 or Cu(OAc)2, gave significantly lower conversions in comparison to benzoquinone. The authors proposed that BQ was not only an oxidant but also served as a ligand that stabilized the active Pd species formed during the catalytic cycle. However, the addition of more than 1.0 equiv of BQ did not improve the yield significantly. Addition of inorganic acids (HCl, H2SO4) had a large detrimental effect on the catalytic performance. This effect was attributed to the coordination of the halide to the Pd(II) center, thereby decreasing its electrophilicity and blocking its catalytic activity. By contrast, the presence of a substoichiometric amount (0.5-1.0 equiv) of ptoluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) had a large beneficial effect, although larger amounts of TsOH did not improve the yields. De Vries and van Leeuwen proposed that the beneficial effect of TsOH was due to the increased electrophilicity of Pd(OTs), resulting in faster metalation of the aromatic C−H bond. 93 M. D. K Boele, G. P. F. van Strijdonck, A. H. M. de Vries, P. C. J. Kamer, J. G. de Vries, P. W. N. M. van Leeuwen, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 1586. 104 Chapter 3 Regarding the alkene counterpart, only n-butyl acrylate was used. On the other hand, substituents on the aromatic moiety of the acetanilide substrate significantly influenced the efficiency of the coupling reaction. Electron-withdrawing substituents gave lower conversions than electron-donating groups. As expected by the authors due to the known sensitivity of this reaction to steric effects, ortho-substitution hampered the reaction, providing low conversions of the alkenylated products (Scheme 3.2). In agreement with this observation, minor amounts (<1%) of ortho-diolefination was only observed in some few cases, indicating disfavored electronic and steric properties of the product to undergo a second substitution. Also disfavoured by steric effects, the reaction of N-methylacetanilide gave no conversion at all. Scheme 3.2 Mechanistic studies were driven in order to understand the mechanism of this oxidative coupling. In first place, competition studies of a series of para-substituted anilides of diverse electronic properties revealed that electron-rich arenes reacted significantly faster than electron-neutral or electron-deficient acetanilide derivatives + (ρ = 2.2, Figure 3.3). Me HN Me O HN > Me O HN = OMe Me O HN O >> CF3 Figure 3.3 105 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines The reaction exhibited a considerable intramolecular kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD = 3), indicating slow C−H bond activation (Scheme 3.3). Besides, the dimeric orthopalladated anilide complexes were tested in the reaction with n-butyl acrylate and the outcome revealed that the reaction rate was at least an order of magnitude higher when using the preformed complexes compared with the in situ generated catalysts. The authors proposed an electrophilic substitution reaction pathway involving slow electrophilic attack of cationic [PdOAc]+ species on the π-system of the arenes. Scheme 3.3 The productive catalytic cycle of this particular reaction has been delineated more recently by Brown et al. based on experimental data, NMR analysis and single crystal diffraction studies (Scheme 3.4).94 Being aware of the fact that electron-rich acetanilides were more favored substrates than electron-poor derivatives, a conventional electrophilic substitution mechanism was considered. Kinetic experiments showed the rate of the reaction to be first order in anilide and Pd(OAc)2, but independent of [p-benzoquinone], alkene or p-TsOH. It was also observed that formation of the palladacycle and its reaction with alkenes took place after the displacement of acetate by tosylate at the palladium center. Therefore, Pd(OAc)2 was first converted into a more electrophilic palladium species for effective catalysis, defining the main role of the added p-TsOH as essential component in the reaction mixture (whereas acetate was found to be dispensable). It was concluded that the palladacycle intermediate, formed in the rate-limiting stage by reaction with an electrophilic palladium entity, was directly involved in the catalysis. Given that a stoichiometric amount of BQ was required in the absence of 94 W. Rauf, A. L. Thompson, J. M. Brown, Dalton Trans. 2010, 39, 10414. 106 Chapter 3 any co-oxidants, it was generally accepted that it participated directly in the process as a two-proton, two-electron acceptor. However, the precise mechanism of the catalyst regeneration step from the palladium hydride by the oxidant was not wellunderstood. Scheme 3.4 Realizing that the original report by de Vries and van Leeuwen did not include any example of anilide derivatives containing halogen substituents, in 2005, Prasad and co-workers successfully applied this protocol to the olefination of a variety of halogenated acetanilides. Moreover, this adapted procedure required an increase amount of TsOH from 0.5 equiv to 1.0 equivalent.95 They demonstrated that the presence of a halogen (F, Cl, Br or I) at the meta- or para-positions did not interfere in the ortho C−H activation (Scheme 3.5). 95 G. T. Lee, X. Jiang, K. Prasad, O. Repič, T. J. Blacklock, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2005, 347, 1921. 107 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.5 In 2007, Jutand and co-workers rendered the protocol described by de Vries and van Leewen93 catalytic in benzoquinone (10 mol%) and eluded the use of p-TsOH as additive.96 For that purpose, an electrochemical oxidation (anode) was applied to regenerate the benzoquinone from the reduced hydroquinone formed in each catalytic cycle, the electrons playing then the role of co-oxidant. Indeed, it was also possible to start with a catalytic amount of hydroquinone since it was oxidized at the anode into benzoquinone. However, the cost of this improvement was that the amount of Pd(OAc)2 needed to be increased to 10 mol% (while de Vries/Van Leeuwen’s system used only 2 mol%). The authors proposed the following mechanism for this electrochemical Hecktype reaction (Scheme 3.6). 96 C. Amatore, C. Cammoun, A. Jutand, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007, 349, 292. 108 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.6 In the same year, Liu, Guo and co-workers, in order to avoid the use of benzoquinone in the above-mentioned protocol for the ortho-selective C−H olefination of acetanilides, devised a greener variation that replaced the oxidant by a catalytic amount of Cu(OAc)2 in the presence of molecular oxygen as terminal oxidant.97 These authors also found that TsOH had some important influence on the reaction, suggesting that the reason for this beneficial effect was that TsO− could increase the electrophilicity of the Pd(II) center by replacing an AcO− ligand and therefore causing a faster activation of the C–H bond. However, this modification towards a more sustainable process resulted in a decrease of the reactivity, being only applicable to 97 J.-R. Wang, C.-T. Yang, L. Liu, Q.-X. Guo, Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 5449. 109 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines anilide derivatives bearing electron-donating substituents and requiring higher temperatures (60 ºC) (Scheme 3.7). Scheme 3.7 These authors also found that the N-methyl-N-phenylacetamide didn’t provide the desired product even after longer reaction time, evidencing that the presence of an N-methyl group completely blocked the C–H activation (Scheme 3.8). It was suggested that the nitrogen atom (or the amide oxygen in a deprotonated amide) should be deeply involved in the Pd-mediated C–H activation process, presumably by coordinating to the metal. Scheme 3.8 In 2010, Lipshutz’s group disclosed a new protocol for the effective orthoolefination of acetanilides that was effective in water at room temperature, without requiring addition of external acid.98 A cationic palladium(II) salt was used for this purpose, in the presence of a suitable surfactant (PTS, polyoxyethanyl α-tocopheryl sebacate), and a mixture of BQ (1.0 equiv) and AgNO3 (2.0 equiv) as oxidants. The reaction proved to be limited in scope. Reactions of m-alkoxy-functionalized anilide 98 T. Nishikata, B. H. Lipshutz, Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 1972. 110 Chapter 3 derivatives with acrylates proceed smoothly to the less hindered ortho-position. Unexpectedly, the isomeric p-alkoxy analogues were found to be unreactive. This protocol could also be successfully applied to urea derivatives (Scheme 3.9). Scheme 3.9 Also in 2010, Youn and co-workers described a protocol for the selective orthoalkenylation of acetanilides using Pd(OAc)2 as catalyst (5 mol%), K2S2O8 as oxidant (1.0 equiv), in a 4:1 mixture of TFA/CH2Cl2 as solvent, at room temperature.99 Not only acrylates but also other activated olefins (N,N-dimethylacrylamide or methyl vinyl ketone) proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding 2-alkenylacetanilides in moderate to good yields. Anilides bearing electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents were well tolerated, giving cross-coupling products in moderate to good yields. For metasubstituted acetanilides the reaction took place at the sterically less hindered aryl C−H bond. The applicability of this protocol for electron-deficient substrates is remarkable, because they were found to be less reactive when using the previously mentioned reported Pd-catalyzed Fujiwara–Moritani protocol.93-99 Furthermore, orthosubstituted acetanilides were also competent substrates, providing the di-orthosubstituted products in good yields (Scheme 3.10). 99 B. S. Kim, C. Jang, D. J. Lee, S. W. Youn, Chem. Asian J. 2010, 5, 2336. 111 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.10 Hii and co-workers also focused on the development of a “greener” and environmentally more sustainable set of conditions for the ortho-olefination of acetanilides.100 This group envisioned that this reaction could be realized under ambient and homogeneous conditions while avoiding hazards associated with handling toxic BQ and hydroquinone (HQ). Thus, they found out that tert-butyl perbenzoate (TBPB) could be an effective substitute for benzoquinone, allowing the reaction to be carried out at room temperature in acetic acid as solvent. It had been previously suggested that TBPB regenerated the PdII directly from palladium hydrides (resulting from the β-hydride elimination) by O−O bond cleavage via a six-membered transition state, the perbenzoate acting as a hydrogen acceptor (Scheme 3.11, bottom).101 This could imply that the regeneration of the catalyst might occur without involving the generation of a Pd0 intermediate, which is known to display a strong tendency to undergo deactivation through the formation of metal clusters. However, Hii and co-workers observed the deposition of a small amount of Pd black even at room temperature. This was avoided by the addition of a small amount of Cu(OAc)2 (5 mol%) as a co-catalyst to reoxidize Pd0 to PdII. The optimized reaction 100 X. Liu, K. K. (Mimi) Hii, J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 8022. 101 J. Tsuji, H. Nagashima, Tetrahedron 1984, 40, 2699. 112 Chapter 3 conditions were applied to the reaction of different acetanilides with butyl acrylate. The pattern of reactivity was found to be comparable to previous reactions performed using BQ as an oxidant: higher yields were obtained with electronically neutral or electron-rich anilides, while the reaction with an electron-poor aromatic substrate was sluggish (Scheme 3.11). Scheme 3.11 3.2.1. C− −H olefination of N-aryl ureas Although less used than the acetamide, the urea motif is another common directing group that has provided excellent results in the ortho-functionalization of aniline derivatives. Brown and co-workers described the ortho-olefination of N,N-dimethyl-N’-aryl ureas with butyl acrylate using the catalytic system described by de Vries and van Leeuwen for the ortho-olefination of acetanilides [Pd(OAc)2/BQ/TsOH].102 The authors conducted competitive reactivity studies between anilides and N-aryl ureas, stablishing that the latter were more reactive. They also noted that palladacycles were formed faster from aryl ureas than from anilides. According to the authors, this 102 W. Rauf, A. L. Thompson, J. M. Brown, Chem. Commun. 2009, 3874. 113 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines was important since the turnover-limiting step for the overall reaction was the formation of palladacycle. Nevertheless, it should be noticed that these experiments were carried out in acetone as solvent, and the results obtained were compared with the results found in literature,93 whereas the alkenylation reaction of anilides was performed in acetic acid or acetic acid/toluene as solvent. Therefore, the palladium intermediates involved could differ (Scheme 3.12). Scheme 3.12 Lloyd-Jones, Booker-Milburn and co-workers found out that the reaction of Nethyl-N’-phenyl urea with α-methylstyrene, in toluene, with PdCl2(MeCN)2 (10 mol%) as catalyst, gave surprisingly the indoline shown in Scheme 3.13, although in a very low yield (10%).103 Scheme 3.13 The authors envisioned that the generation of the indoline could proceed via an interrupted Heck-type process. After the urea-directed ortho-cyclopalladation and 103 C. E. Houlden, C. D. Bailey, J. G. Ford, M. R. Gagné, G. C. Lloyd-Jones, K. I. Booker-Milburn, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 10066. 114 Chapter 3 migratory insertion of the olefin, the resulting PdII-complex intermediate would react with de NH group from the urea motif instead of evolving through the typical β-hydride elimination to afford the indoline via cyclization. This discovery prompted the research team to optimize this new reaction pathway by switching the substrate from α-methyl-styrene to an electron-deficient diene such as (E)-ethyl penta-2,4-dienoate, in this case leading to a C2-alkenyl indoline derivative. The desired indoline derivative was isolated with low yield (37% after 24 h at 50 ºC) when the usual mixture toluene/AcOH was used as solvent. It was found that p-TsOH was a necessary additive, whereas water was detrimental for the reaction. Finally, the reaction in THF in the presence of molecular sieves or Ac2O as drying agents afforded the C2-alkenylated indoline in an improved 82% yield. These optimized conditions were successfully applied to the reaction of several aniline derivatives with different electron-deficient dienes, except for the case of aromatic substrates substituted with electron-withdrawing groups, for which reduced reaction rates and yields were observed (Scheme 3.14). Ortho-substitution inhibited the reaction, possibly because an ortho-substituent would prevent the urea moiety from adopting a conformation suitable for Pd-complexation and/or ortho C−H insertion. Scheme 3.14 The requirement for TsOH in the reaction medium suggested the in situ formation of a reactive palladium mono- or bis-tosylate species from the Pd(OAc)2 115 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines precatalyst. Indeed, when (MeCN)2Pd(OTs) (10 mol%) was used as catalyst in the absence of added TsOH, the reaction took place in good yield (85%). These results demonstrated that aromatic C−H bond activation could occur under mild conditions, that was, relatively non acidic conditions and 50 ºC for 2-4 h, when highly electrophilic PdII species were used as catalyst. The authors proposed the catalytic cycle shown in Scheme 3.15. It is noteworthy that although these were oxidative reaction conditions, no oxidation of indolines to the corresponding indoles was observed. Scheme 3.15 More recently, and after our work was published, Yu and co-workers described an efficient method for the selective ortho-olefination of N-alkyl-N’-aryl ureas using the catalytic system developed by de Vries-van Leeuwen.104 Urea derivatives bearing electron-donating or withdrawing substituents were well tolerated, giving crosscoupling products in moderate to good yields. Substitution in the nitrogen of the urea motif was also well tolerated (R2, Scheme 3.16). 104 L. Wang, S. Liu, Z. Li, Y. Yu, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 6137. 116 Chapter 3 NHR2 HN NHR2 O CO2Bu + R1 1.2 equiv HN HN Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%) BQ (1.0 equiv) TsOH (30 mol%) AcOH, 60 ºC HN CO2Bu R1 NHR2 HN O HN CO2Bu O HN O CO2Bu O CO2Bu R1 R1 = p-Me, 90% R1 = p-OMe, 86% R1 = p-CF3, 82% 75% R2 = H, 46% R2 = Bz, 72% Scheme 3.16 These authors also proposed a plausible mechanistic pathway involving initial coordination of PdII to the NH of the urea moiety and subsequent cyclopalladation at the ortho-position to afford an aryl-PdII metastable complex, stabilized by coordination to the urea motif (Scheme 3.17). Then, olefin insertion would take place followed by β-hydride elimination of the intermediate to produce the E-olefinated products. Finally, p-benzoquinone would oxidize the reduced Pd0 to the PdII oxidation state. Scheme 3.17 117 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines 3.2.2. C− −H olefination of N-sulfonylanilines To the best of our knowledge, the only example found in literature of a protocol for the direct ortho-olefination of N-sulfonylanilines was described by Miura and coworkers in 1998.105 In particular, N-arylsulfonyl derivatives of 2-phenylaniline were found to react efficiently with acrylate esters to give phenanthridine derivatives. The appropriate catalytic system was: Pd(OAc)2 as catalyst (5 mol%), Cu(OAc)2 as oxidant (5 mol%), and molecular sieves in dry DMF under air. The presence of a base was also needed (NaOAc, 0.5 equiv) for achieving high conversions. Various activated olefins such as acrylates, acrylamides or acrylonitrile performed well in this reaction. An electron-withdrawing group (e.g. Cl) in the benzenesulfonyl moiety seemed to enhance the reactivity (Scheme 3.18). O O N S H + Cl Pd(OAc)2 (5 mol%) Cu(OAc)2.H2O (5 mol%) R 3.0 equiv NaOAc (0.5 equiv) MS 4A, DMF, air 100-120 ºC O O S 4-ClC H 6 4 R O O S 4-ClC H 6 4 N O O S 4-ClC H 6 4 N CO2Bu 97% O O S 4-ClC H 6 4 N N CONMe2 76% CN 38% Scheme 3.18 The authors proposed that the ArSO2NH group would direct the initial orthopalladation step of the benzene ring at the ortho-position, to afford the heteropalladacycle I, whose subsequent intermolecular reaction with the alkene would finally release the ortho-olefinated product (Scheme 3.19, path a). Later on, Muzart and Le Bras suggested an alternative mechanistic pathway involving the 105 M. Miura, T. Tsuda, T. Satoh, S. Pivsa-Art, M. Nomura, J. Org. Chem. 1998, 63, 5211. 118 Chapter 3 formation of complex II, which would evolve to the reaction product via a Heck-type reaction (Scheme 3.19, path b).106 Scheme 3.19 Independently from the reaction pathway, the acidic nature of the NH protons of the arylsulfonyl group is a crucial factor since the catalytic oxidative coupling did not proceed with 2-phenylaniline or N-benzylideneaniline as substrates. If the alkene bears an electron-withdrawing group, an aza-Michael-type reaction occurs after the C−H alkenylation reaction. 3.2.3. Rh-catalyzed C− −H olefination of aromatic amines Although palladium catalysis has captured the focus of most of the research effort in the Fujiwara-Moritani reaction of aromatic amines with olefins, several research groups have recently discovered that other transition metal-based catalysts are also competent in this transformation. Specifically, rhodium often allows lower 106 J. Le Bras, J. Muzart, Chem. Rev. 2011, 111, 1170. 119 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines catalytic loadings than palladium as well as complementary selectivities and olefin scope.107 In 2009, Satoh, Miura and co-workers found out that catalytic amounts of (Cp*RhCl2)2 induced the oxidative ortho-olefination of N-phenylpyrazoles, 2phenylpyridines and related compounds with various alkenes (such as acrylates and styrenes) in the presence of a copper oxidant.108 Interestingly, this catalyst system allowed for a sequential double ortho-olefination with two different alkenes, enabling the acces to di-ortho-olefinated arenes in good yields (Scheme 3.20). Scheme 3.20 The mechanistic cycle proposed for this transformation implies a RhIII/RhI catalytic cycle similar to the one proposed in PdII/Pd0 catalysis: ortho-methalation, olefin insertion, β-H elimination and re-oxidation of the catalyst (Scheme 3.21). 107 After our work was published, a Ru-catalyzed oxidative C−H olefination of anilides and benzamides in water has been developed: L. Ackermann, L. Wang, R. Wolfram, A. V. Lygin, Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 728. 108 N. Umeda, K. Hirano, T. Satoh, M. Miura, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 7094. 120 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.21 More recently, Glorius and co-workers developed a related Rh-catalyzed oxidative olefination of acetanilides using a cationic rhodium salt, generated in situ from the combination of (Cp*RhCl2)2 (0.5 mol%) and a silver salt (AgSbF6, 2 mol%), in the presence of Cu(OAc)2 (2.1 equiv) as the terminal oxidant in tert-amyl alcohol at 120 ºC.109 The reaction proceeded smoothly with acrylates and less activated olefins such as styrenes (Scheme 3.22). Even an ortho-vinylation took place under mild pressure of ethylene (2 bar), although higher catalytic loading was required for this particular case (2.5 mol% [Rh]). Scheme 3.22 109 F. W. Patureau, F. Glorius, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 9982. 121 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines The reaction tolerated the presence of both electron-rich and electron-poor substituents, at para- and meta-positions (Scheme 3.22). Importantly, halide substitution was well tolerated, both in the acetanilide and in the styrene. Thus, valuable brominated products could be formed efficiently with no proto-debromination or Heck coupling products, allowing further functionalization through other crosscoupling reactions. However, ortho-methyl-acetanilide was less reactive (51% isolated yield), compared to the electronically analogous product meta-methyl acetanilide that gave the ortho-olefinated product in high yield (88%). The authors attributed this decrease in the reactivity to the steric hindrance between the amide directing group and the CH3 substituent at the ortho-position, thus disturbing the planarity of the intermediate complex (Scheme 3.23). Similarly, N-methyl-acetanilide only led to 13% conversion of the expected ortho-olefination product with styrene. Scheme 3.23 This ortho-steric effect might also account for the fact that the transformation was virtually stopped at the mono-olefination stage. In other words, the second C−H activation was disfavored compared to the first one because of the difficulty for the directing group to access a conformation coplanar with the aromatic ring due to steric hindrance caused with the stilbene functional group on the other ortho position. Thus, a planar conformation of the acetanilide seemed important for effective cyclometalation. One year later, in 2011, the group of Glorius developed a Rh-catalyzed orthoolefination reaction of aniline derivatives using a N-methoxy urea as an oxidizing- 122 Chapter 3 directing group.110 The authors envisioned that the N−O bond could act as internal oxidant.111 As the oxidant was pre-installed in the substrate, this strategy benefited from milder reaction conditions, thereby allowing broader scope of substrates. However, it was found that in this case the oxidation was not exclusively internal,112 being necessary to use a second equivalent of the substrate (N-methoxy-N’-aryl urea) as external oxidant. One equivalent served as the substrate, whereas the other equivalent was used as organic oxidant; the alkene being the limiting reagent. Due to the Michael acceptor character of the olefin, after initial olefination step, a 6-exo azaMichael addition took place to afford dihydroquinazolinones (Scheme 3.24). H N H N R O (2.0 equiv) H N OMe EWG EWG = CN, 44% EWG = SO2Ph, 69% OMe H N (Cp*RhCl2)2 (2.5 mol%) R NaOAc (30 mol%) t-BuOH, 70 ºC, 18 h O N OMe EWG H N O N EWG (1.0 equiv) R O N O N OMe CO2Et R = NO2, 71% R = Me, 77% R H N R O N OMe CO2Et R = Cl, 61% R = OMe, 73% H N OMe CO2Et R = Me, 60% R = Br, 64% Scheme 3.24 The reaction proceeded smoothly with a variety of olefins such as acrylates, methyl vinyl ketone, acrylonitrile or sulfonates. Regarding the electronic effects of substituents in para-position, the reaction tolerated the presence of electronwithdrawing and electron-donating groups, although for electron-rich aromatic systems a higher reaction temperature was required. Regardless of their electronic 110 J. Willwacher, S. Rakshit, F. Glorius, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2011, 9, 4736. 111 For a recent mini-review on internal oxidants in C−H bond activation, see: F. W. Patureau, F. Glorius, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 1977. 112 For an example of full internal oxidation in ortho-functionalization of N-methoxybenzamides, see: S. Rakshit, C. Grohmann, T. Besset, F. Glorius, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 2350. 123 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines nature, substituents at the meta-position afforded the desired cyclized products in good yields and high regioisomeric ratios (13:1 to >24:1), favouring the activation of the less hindered C−H bond. Substitution at the ortho-position was also compatible with the reaction conditions. It is also noteworthy that all tested halogen substituents (Br, Cl, F) on the aromatic ring were amenable to the reaction, not being detected the corresponding Heck-products from oxidative addition. To gain insights into the mechanism of this transformation, a series of deuteriumlabeling and kinetic competition experiments were carried out. The use of tBuOD as solvent, under otherwise identical reaction conditions, resulted in 89% deuterium incorporation at the two ortho-positions, indicating that the C−H bond activation step was reversible under the reaction conditions (Scheme 3.25). H N H N O D OMe (Cp*RhCl2)2 (2.5 mol%) NaOAc (30 mol%) t-BuOD, 70 ºC, 18 h D N D N D OMe O ortho-incorporation: 89% (1H NMR analysis) Scheme 3.25 On the other hand, a competition experiment between deuterated and nondeuterated substrates revealed an intermolecular kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD) of 2.7 at low conversion (20%), suggesting that C−H bond activation was involved in the rate-determining step of the catalytic cycle (Scheme 3.26). Scheme 3.26 124 Chapter 3 Furthermore, based on their observation that electron-poor substrates generally reacted faster than electron-rich urea substrates, the authors suggested that C−H bond activation was most likely occuring via a concerted metallation-deprotonation mechanism (CMD). In the absence of NaOAc, the reaction did not work, showing the crucial role of the acetate ion in the reaction. Finally, reductive cleavage of the N−O bond was readily achieved by treatment of the obtained aza-Michael addition product with SmI2 at room-temperature, affording the free dihydroquinazolinone in good yield (89%, Scheme 3.27), thereby expanding the synthetic utility of the reported transformation. Scheme 3.27 3.3. C− −H olefination of aryl alkylamines Although the ortho-cyclopalladation complex with N,N-dimethylbenzylamine was reported in 1966 by Cope and Friedrich,113 the reactivity of such complex with styrene was disclosed by Tsuji in 1969 without experimental details.114 Six years later, Julia and co-workers reported the reaction of a similar cyclopalladated complex with ethyl acrylate.115 113 A. C. Cope, E. C. Friedrich, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1966, 90, 909. 114 Unpublished results from J. Tsuji, K. Ohno, cited in J. Tsuji, Acc. Chem. Res. 1969, 2, 144, note 67. 115 M. Julia, M. Duteil, J. Y. Lallemand, J. Organomet. Chem. 1975, 102, 239. 125 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines More than a quarter of a century later, in 2007, the first catalytic procedure was developed by Shi and co-workers.116 After intense screening optimization studies, including Pd(0) reoxidants (CuII salts, O2, BQ, PhI(OAc)2) and solvents, the optimal conditions were: PdCl2 (5 mol%) as catalyst, Cu(OAc)2 as oxidant (1.0 equiv) and 16 equiv of AcOH in CF3CH2OH as solvent. Various olefins such as acrylates and acrylamide were successfully coupled, although less activated olefins such as styrene failed to react. With regard to substitution at the arene counterpart, the catalyst system tolerated the presence of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups, even in the ortho-positions. The olefination of other benzylamine derivatives with N-alkyl groups different than NMe2 provided low yields. Aside from the interest of dimethylbezylamines as structural subunits found in some bioactive molecules,117 this method could not be applied to the synthesis of other nitrogen-derivatives. The NMe2 group cannot be considered as a protected amino group. Therefore, as synthetic application, the N,N-dimethylaminomethyl unit was transformed into a methyl group by hydrogenolisis (H2, Pd/C) to provide access to 3-(o-tolyl)propanoic acid derivatives, which are also interesting structural motifs (Scheme 3.28). Both transformations (ortho-olefination and hydrogenolisis) could be combined in one vessel to offer a much more environmentally benign process. Scheme 3.28 116 G. Cai, Y. Fu, Y. Li, X. Wan, Z. Shi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 7666. 117 a) J. M. Fevig, J. Cacciola, J. Buriak, K. A. Rossi, R. M. Knabb, J. M. Luettgen, P. C. Wong, S. A. Bai, R. R. Wexler, P. Y. S. Lam, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2006, 16, 3755; b) H. F. Kung, S. Newman, S.-R. Choi, S. Oya, C. Hou, Z.-P. Zhuang, P. D. Acton, K. Ploessl, J. Winkler, M.-P. Kung, J. Med. Chem. 2004, 47, 5258. 126 Chapter 3 After mechanistic studies, it has been proposed that the role of the AcOH is most likely to tune the concentration of the free amine moiety in order to promote the Pdcatalyzed C−H cleavage. In this case, the use of cationic PdII-complexes such as Pd(CH3CN)4(BF4)2 in the absence of AcOH resulted in very poor yields. To confirm the key role of the N,N-dimethylaminomethyl group in controlling the reactivity and regioselectivity of the process, palladacycle I was prepared using stoichiometric amounts of PdII. Hence, it was confirmed the stabilization of the orthometalation intermediate by coordination with the tertiary amine through a fivemembered metallacycle. This palladacycle could catalyze ortho-olefination in excellent efficiency under the standard conditions (Scheme 3.29), thus suggesting that it could be a key intermediate during this catalytic cycle. Moreover, the authors performed some deuterium-labeling studies which revealed an intermolecular isotope effect (kH/kD) of 2.2. Consequently, they postulated that the cleavage of the C−H bond at the ortho-position was involved in the rate-determining step. Scheme 3.29 In 2007, Yu and co-workers reported the PdII-catalyzed ortho-alkenylation of homobenzyl and bis-homobenzyl sulfonamides using AgOAc as reoxidant in a DMF/ClCH2CH2Cl mixture. This protocol provided an access to structural motifs of high relevance in medicinal chemistry.118 Triflamide was found to be the optimal sulfonamide group. A cyclopalladation was suggested as the initial step; phenethylamine derivatives leading to a 6-membered ring palladacycle, whereas the bis-homobenzylic sulfonamides would evolve through a 7-membered ring palladacycle. Both electron-deficient (such as acrylates) and less activated olefins 118 J.-J. Li, T.-S. Mei, J.-Q. Yu, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 6452. 127 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines (such as styrenes) were reactive (Scheme 3.30). Although dialkenylated products were formed in some cases, their formation was decreased in the presence of NaH2PO4. Vinyl ketones provided tetrahydroisoquinolines via a tandem C−H alkenylation/aza-Michael addition. Hence, this olefination cyclization reaction could be envisaged as an approach to the isoquinoline skeleton complementary to the wellestablished Pictet–Spengler condensation and the Bischler–Napieralski cyclization. Interestingly, unlike these latter two strategies that often require at least two electrondonating groups at the aromatic ring, the reaction developed by Yu did not require electron-donating groups on the aryl rings. Another important feature of this transformation was its wide functional tolerance, being compatible with sensitive groups such as trifluoromethylsulfonate (OTf). Scheme 3.30 128 Chapter 3 3.4. Aim of the project Despite great advances made in the C−H ortho-olefination reaction of aniline and arylalkylamine derivatives, there are still important challenges to be solved. For instance, one of the main limitations refers to the structural versatility of the process: few methods have demonstrated to tolerate a wide range of olefin coupling partners (the vast majority are restricted to the use of acrylates). With regard to the aromatic substitution, the structural limitation is a consequence of the significant electronic and steric sensitivity. Thus, anilides substituted with strong electron-withdrawing groups or with ortho-substituents showed generally poor reactivity. Also, due to steric demands, the reaction is currently limited to NH-anilide derivatives; the presence of an alkyl substituent at the nitrogen inhibits the reaction. Another issue to be solved is the lack of protocols allowing di-ortho-olefination (except for some isolated examples). With this general view of the state-of-art of the reaction, we envisioned to apply the concept of C−H functionalization assisted by a directing N-(heteroaryl)sulfonyl group to aniline derivatives. Thus, our main objective would be to broaden the structural scope of the reaction to difficult-to-activate substrates, focusing on N-alkyl aniline derivatives, which have been, so far, reported to be unreactive substrates in this reaction. Along the same line, another challenge that needed to be addressed would be the double C−H ortho-alkenylation of this type of compounds, which implies solving the poor reactivity showed by ortho-substituted aniline derivatives (Scheme 3.31). Scheme 3.31 129 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines The presence of an alkyl group (R1) onto the nitrogen, especially if it is functionalised, is important because it provides flexible handles for further functionalization of the final products. As an illustration, we envisioned that a direct synthetic application for this alkenylation protocol could be the synthesis of indole derivatives from an aniline derivative containing an adequately functionalized N-alkyl group (e.g. methoxycarbonyl methyl group) as shown in Scheme 3.32. Scheme 3.32 Another structural limitation generally found in C−H functionalization processes assisted by directing groups is that the length of the tether connecting the coordinating unit to the substrate plays a critical role in the efficiency of the reaction. In contrast, there have been only isolated examples of successful reactions where different tether lengths satisfied geometrical requirements to generate reactive metallacyclic complex intermediates.119 In fact, in the vast majority of cases, longer or shorter tethers provided insufficient or lack of reactivity. To push further the limits of this coupling reaction and to expand the substrate scope, we planned to test the structural flexibility of this method with regard to the tether length. A direct consequence of elongating the tether length was the formation of palladacycles of increased ring-sizes. Therefore, in case of achieving this goal, the process could find applicability to benzylamine (n = 1), phenethylamine (n = 2) and γ-arylpropylamine (n = 3) derivatives (Scheme 3.33). 119 D.-H. Wang, K. M. Engle, B.-F. Shi, J.-Q. Yu, Science 2010, 327, 315. 130 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.33 Surprisingly, in none of the already existing protocols for the ortho-olefination of aniline derivatives, the selective deprotection of the amino group without altering the conjugated alkene motif (typically acrylate) has been described. The reason could be that harsh (strongly basic) conditions were typically needed for the deprotection of amides and ureas. By contrast, one of the advantages associated to the use of N(heteroaryl)sulfonyl directing group was the easy deprotection of the amino group under mild reductive conditions, compatible with the labile conjugated olefin moiety present in the products. In the case of homologated substrates (n ≥1), this deprotection would enable the construction of nitrogen containing heterocycles relevant from synthetic and medicinal chemistry standpoints. Scheme 3.34 Before entering into the “results and discussion” section of this chapter, it must be noted that this research project aimed to address the above-mentioned challenges has constituted the point of intersection of two Ph.D. Theses, both focussing on catalytic C−H functionalization. Nevertheless, each student’s contribution is clearly specified along the presentation/discussion of the results. 131 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines 3.5. C− −H ortho-olefination reaction of N-sulfonyl aniline derivatives 3.5.1. C− −H olefination of N-methyl anilines: optimization studies In light of the previous good results obtained with the use of the N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl group in the C(2)-alkenylation of indoles and pirroles120 as well as in the homocoupling reaction of indoles,121 we began our optimization studies choosing the Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed olefination of N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline (I) with butyl acrylate as the model reaction. At the outset of our study, acetic acid was chosen as solvent because it has been proposed in the literature that the presence of weak acids enhanced the electrophilic nature of the active palladium(II) species, favouring electrophilic palladation processes.122 We envisioned that this effect could compensate the weaker nucleophilic character of aniline derivatives compared to that of indole or pyrrole derivatives. The optimization of the reaction parameters for this model reaction (catalyst, oxidant, solvent, temperature…) and the choice of the most suitable protecting group were carried out by Alfonso García Rubia. 120 A. García-Rubia, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6511. 121 A. García-Rubia, B. Urones, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 9676. 122 A. D. Ryabov, Inorg. Chem. 1987, 26, 1252. 132 Chapter 3 Table 3.1: Screening of the oxidant Entry Oxidant 1 Cu(OAc)2 5 2 O2 4 3 t-BuOOH 4 K 2 S2 O 8 13 5 Oxone 37 6 PhI(OAc)2 58 7 Ce(SO4)2 65 8 + [F ] Yield (%) 0 [a] [b] 100 (78) [c] [a] Conversion yield (from the 1H NMR spectra); [b] The starting material was recovered unaltered; [c] Isolated yield after column chromatography. Fixing those variables, a variety of oxidants typically used in C−H olefination were examined in a first place. In this study, two equivalents of oxidant were used and all reactions were stopped after 12 h. The results summarized in Table 3.1 highlighted the important role played by the oxidant in the reaction. This strong dependence of the reactivity on the nature of the oxidant has been recurrently observed in other C−H functionalization protocols. Most of the oxidants tested, including copper(II) salts, molecular oxygen, potassium persulfate or peroxides gave very low reactivity (entries 1-4, <15%). Higher conversions were achieved using stronger oxidants such as oxone (entry 5, 37%), PhI(OAc)2 (entry 6, 58%) or cerium(IV) sulphate (entry 7, 65%). However, a stronger organic oxidant such as Nfluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([F+]) resulted highly effective, providing the desired ortho-alkenylated product II with complete conversion and in 78% isolated yield after column chromatography. It is remarkable the complete 133 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines ortho-regiocontrol observed in all cases, likely due to the coordinating nature of the 2pyridylsulfonyl protecting group. Table 3.2: Screening of the solvent Entry Solvent Yield (%) 1 DMF 0 [b] 2 DMSO 0 [b] 3 1,4-Dioxane 65 4 Toluene 80 5 AcOH 100 (78) [a] [c] [a] Conversion yield (from the 1H NMR spectra); [b] The starting material was recovered unaltered; [c] Isolated yield after column chromatography. With regard to the solvent, polar and aprotic solvents such as DMF and DMSO did not give any reaction (entries 1 and 2, 0% conversion yield), recovering unaltered the starting aniline. Less polar solvents such as 1,4-dioxane (entry 3, 65% conversion yield) gave better reactivity although the best results were achieved in toluene (entry 4, 80% conversion yield) and, especially, in AcOH (100% conversion yield, 87% isolated yield). To evaluate the role of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl as protecting/directing group in this reaction, structurally diverse N-protecting groups were surveyed for the alkenylation of N-methylaniline with butyl acrylate under the optimized conditions (Table 3.3). 134 Chapter 3 Table 3.3: Evaluation of the effect of the directing/protecting group Entry Protecting Group Yield [a] (PG) (%) 1 Boc __ 2 Ts 0 [c] 3 p-Ns 0 [c] 4 (8-quinolyl)-SO2 0 [c] 5 (2-pyridyl)- SO2 78 [b] [a] Isolated yield after column chromatography; [b] A complex mixture was observed (1H NMR); [c] Only starting material detected (1H NMR). The N-Boc derivative led to a complex reaction mixture (entry 1), suggesting that this protecting group was too labile under the reaction conditions. Switching to a N-Ts or a N-Ns group led to the recovery of the starting material unaltered after 24 h (entries 2 and 3), and an identical disappointingly result was also obtained with the potentially coordinating N-(8-quinolyl)sulfonyl-protected aniline. These results were in sharp contrast with the complete conversion observed in the case of the 2pyridylsulfonyl aniline I, providing the ortho-olefinated product in 78% isolated yield. The key role played by the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group was likely due to the stabilization of the cyclopalladated intermediate by N-coordination. At this point, the work of Alfonso García Rubia focused on the exploration of the structural scope of this reaction with regard to the substitution at both the alkene and the aniline counterpart (these results are not included in this manuscript). Within the same context, the present Thesis embarked on studying the structural versatility at the N-alkyl group, paying special attention to the compatibility with synthetically versatile functional groups, as shown in the next point. 135 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines 3.5.2. Structural versatility of the N-alkyl group a) Synthesis of the starting functionalized N-alkyl anilines For the development of future synthetic applications, it was very interesting to examine the structural versatility of this olefination reaction with regard to the alkyl chain at the nitrogen of the aniline and functional group tolerance. For that purpose, the variously substituted N-alkyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines (3-7) were designed as substrates containing several functional groups (Scheme 3.35). All of these substrates were prepared from the same intermediate 2 by applying different protocols found in the literature. Scheme 3.35 Methyl (E)-3-(N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamido)acrylate 3 was prepared by conjugate addition of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 2 with methyl propiolate in the presence of N-methylmorpholine (NMM) (MeCN, 0 °C). 123 The desired β- aminoacrylate derivative 3 was obtained as a mixture of geometric isomers with acceptable stereoselectivity [(E)/(Z) = 80:20]. After separation by flash chromatography, the major diastereoisomer of E-configuration of the N-sulfonyl enaminoate E-3 was isolated in good yield (67%, Scheme 3.36). 123 M. Barbazanges, C. Meyer, J. Cossy, Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 3245. 136 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.36 The N-acylation reaction of sulfonamide 2 with trans-crotonyl chloride led to the clean formation of the (E)-N-phenyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2-butenamide 4, in the presence of triethylamine as base in dichloromethane (85% isolated yield, Scheme 3.37).124 O PyO2S NH Cl (1.4 equiv) Et3 N (2.0 equiv) O PyO2S N CH2Cl2, rt, 30 min 2 4, 85% Scheme 3.37 The N-(homoallyl)-substituted derivative 5 was readily synthesized by Nalkylation of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 2 with 4-bromo-2-pentene (1.1 equiv) using K2CO3 (1.5 equiv) as base and in DMF at 40 ºC. The resulting N-(but-3-en-1-yl)-Nphenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide 5 was isolated in 70% isolated yield (Scheme 3.38).125 124 M. R. Jeddeloh, J. B. Holden, D. H. Nouri, M. J. Kurth, J. Comb. Chem. 2007, 9, 1041. 125 V. A. Rassadin, A. A. Tomashevskiy, V. V. Sokolov, A. Ringe, J. Magull, A. de Meijere, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2009, 2635. 137 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.38 Similarly, sulfonamide 2 underwent N-alkylation with methyl 2-bromoacetate or with 2-bromoacetonitrile, under similar reaction conditions used for the preparation of 5 (in the presence of K2CO3 as base, in acetonitrile at room temperature). The resulting N-alkyl sulfonamides 6 and 7 were isolated in high yields (98% and 87%, Scheme 3.39). Scheme 3.39 b) Ortho-olefination of sulfonamides 3-7 N-alkyl anilines 3-7 were subjected to the reaction with butyl acrylate (2.0 equiv) under the optimized reaction conditions previously found for the model compound Nmethyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline I: Pd(OAc)2 as catalyst (10 mol%), [F+] as oxidant (2.0 equiv), in AcOH at 110 ºC for 12 h. Disappointingly, the reaction of the enaminoate derivative 3 led to a complex reaction mixture in which the N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 2 was detected (roughly in 20% by NMR) (Scheme 3.40). 138 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.40 Unfortunately, comparable negative results were obtained in the reaction of the N-sulfonyl crotonamide 4 and the N-homoallyl derivative 5 with butyl acrylate under identical reaction conditions, presumably due to decomposition of the starting sulfonamides (Scheme 3.41). Scheme 3.41 In contrast and to our delight, the desired ortho-alkenylated aniline derivative 8 was cleanly formed with full conversion when the glycinate derivative 6 was submitted to the optimized reaction conditions with methyl acrylate as the coupling partner, being isolated in 89% yield after chromatographic purification (Scheme 3.42). This was not the case of the N-(cyanomethyl) sulfonamide 7, which did not react at all. Even after 12 h, 7 was recovered unaltered. 139 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.42 Understanding that the decomposition products largely observed in the reaction of substrates 3-5 could be due to their sensitivity to the acidic conditions used, we decided to undertake a brief solvent screening to identify non acidic solvents compatible with this olefination reaction. Therefore, a reaction of glycinate 6 with methyl acrylate was performed in several solvents (Table 3.4). While no reaction was observed in MeCN (entry 1), the use of toluene allowed the reaction to give the desired olefinated product 8 in moderate conversion (entry 2, 50%). It would be with DCE when product 8 was formed with complete conversion, isolated in 91% yield (entry 3), providing a suitable solvent alternative to AcOH. Table 3.4: Short screening of the solvent Entry Solvent Yield (%) 1 MeCN 0 2 Toluene 3 DCE [a] [b] 50 100 (91) [c] [a] Conversion yield (from the 1H NMR spectra); [b] The starting material was recovered unaltered; [c] Isolated yield after column chromatography. 140 Chapter 3 As both AcOH and DCE gave good results, a comparative study of efficiency in terms of catalyst loading and temperature was run in the reaction of glycinate 6 with methyl acrylate in these two solvents under shorter reaction time (4 h). These results are summarized in Table 3.5. Table 3.5: Study of catalyst loading and temperature Entry Pd(OAc)2 Solvent (mol%) Temperature Yield (ºC) (%) [a] 1 10 AcOH 110 100 (89) [b] 2 10 DCE 110 100 (91) [b] 3 5 AcOH 110 100 (85) [b] 4 5 DCE 110 100 (86) [b] 5 5 AcOH 80 95 6 5 DCE 80 95 [a] Conversion yield (from the chromatography. 1 H NMR spectra); [b] Isolated yield after column The main conclusion obtained from this Table is that the results with DCE as solvent nicely parallel those observed in AcOH, both solvents being equally effective. The loading of Pd(OAc)2 precatalyst could be reduced to 5 mol% without significant impact in the reaction conversion (measured by 1H NMR) affording comparable yields of the desired ortho-alkenylated product 8. A decrease of the temperature from 110 ºC to 80 ºC resulted in incomplete conversions when using both DCE and AcOH, a small amount of unreactive starting material being detected in both cases in the crude reaction mixture (95% conversion). Having established that AcOH and DCE provided comparable yields, the latter was chosen for future scope investigation because of its higher functional group tolerance. On the other hand, although it was demonstrated that the catalyst loading 141 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines could be reduced to 5 mol% without appreciable loss of chemical efficiency, a 10 mol% was maintained for practical reasons and reliability of the results due to the small scale experiments. Unfortunately, the reaction of the more sensitive substrates 3-5 with methyl acrylate using DCE instead of AcOH under otherwise identical optimized conditions also resulted in the formation of complex reaction mixtures. At this stage, having demonstrated that this new protocol for ortho-olefination reaction of anilines was compatible with the presence of functionalized N-alkyl substituents, we decided to continue investigating the reaction scope as well as the potential synthetic applications. First, noticing that the N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl group contains a carbonyl group that could also play a directing role in the C−H olefination reaction, we begun by determining the directing ability of the ester group. For that purpose, the corresponding N-tosyl derivative 11 was readily synthesized following a similar sequence employed for the preparation of its analogue substrate 6 (Scheme 3.43). Interestingly, no reaction was observed when the N-tosyl derivative 11 was evaluated for ortho-alkenyation under the standard reaction conditions, showing the strong reliance on the presence of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group. Ts NH2 1 Ts N NH Ts TsCl (1.2 equiv) Br CO2Et (2 equiv) pyridine (1.2 equiv) THF, 0 ºC--rt K2CO3 (1.5 equiv) MeCN, rt CO2Et H + 10, 76% Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%) CO2Me (5.0 equiv) N [F ] (2.0 equiv) DCE, 110 ºC, 18 h 12 Scheme 3.43 CO2Et 11, 82% + 11 142 Ts N CO2Et CO2Me Chapter 3 3.5.3. Structural versatility of the alkene coupling parter By using these optimized conditions, we next explored the alkene scope of the reaction. The results are summarized in Scheme 3.44. Scheme 3.44 Not only acrylates but a variety of monosubstituted electrophilic alkenes (2.0 equiv) reacted efficiently with the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 6, leading to the corresponding mono-alkenylated products in high isolated yields (Scheme 3.44, typically ≥80%). Although an excess of the olefin was used in all cases, the diolefinated product was never detected by NMR. Using acrylonitrile as coupling partner, the mono-olefinated product 14 was obtained as a mixture of diastereoisomers (Z-14/E-14 = 50:50), which unfortunately could not be separated by column chromatography. The absence of diastereoselectivity in this case could be owed to the lower steric side of the cyano group compared to the rest of activating groups examined. Other alkenes bearing electron-withdrawing groups such as phenyl vinyl sulfone and dimethyl vinylphosphonate showed high reactivity, yielding exclusively the product of E-configuration with complete diasterocontrol (13 and 15, 83% and 93% yield respectively). At this point we confirmed that the catalyst loading could be reduced to 5 mol% in the case of the reaction with methyl acrylate and phenyl vinyl sulfone without affecting the reactivity and obtaining similar yields after 4 h of reaction (Scheme 3.45, products 8 and 13, 91% and 83% yields, respectively). For the rest of alkenes, incomplete conversions were attained even after longer 143 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines reaction times (8 h, Scheme 3.45), therefore indicating that 10 mol% of the palladium(II) catalyst was required for achieving complete conversions in these cases. Scheme 3.45 Unfortunately, other activated alkenes proved to be much less efficient as coupling partners in the reaction with aniline 6. For example, the reaction with acrylic acid resulted in 50% conversion, while N,N-dimethylacrylamide, 3-buten-2-one, or (E)-methyl crotonate were totally unreactive (the starting aniline was recovered). In contrast, the reaction of 6 with a less electrophilic alkene such as styrene led to a 30% conversion (Scheme 3.46). Scheme 3.46 144 Chapter 3 3.5.4. Structural variations at the aniline counterpart To evaluate the effect of the substitution at the aromatic ring of the aniline derivative, a series of N-aryl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl glycinates bearing electronwithdrawing and electron-donating groups at ortho-, meta- and para-positions were synthesised following the same two-step procedure to that previously used to prepare the parent substrate 6 (Scheme 3.47). Thus glycinates 31-37 were obtained in good yields from N-sulfonylation reaction of the corresponding anilines and subsequent Nalkylation with methyl bromoacetate, in the presence of K2CO3 as base, in acetonitrile as solvent. All compounds were isolated as bench-stable solids. Scheme 3.47 These different substituted anilines were submitted to the C−H olefination protocol with methyl acrylate as the coupling partner. As shown in Scheme 3.48, a broad range of para- and meta-substituted aryl rings with diverse steric and electronic properties (ether, halide and ester groups) could be readily exploited in this procedure, affording the corresponding olefinated product in yields typically above 70%. The wide tolerance of functional groups, as well as variations in the substitution 145 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines pattern at the aromatic ring was remarkable and rather unusual for this type of transformation. Scheme 3.48 Halides such as chloride and bromide survived under the reaction conditions, with no Heck-type coupling or proto-dehalogenation being detected (products 38 and 42). For example, the para-chloro substituted derivative 38 was isolated in good yield (79%), while the meta-bromo substituted aniline 34 was less reactive, providing only 50% conversion. In spite of this low conversion, the desired brominated product 42 was isolated in an acceptable 46% yield after chromatographyc purification, and 47% of the starting material was recovered. This feature was important since halogens substituents are versatile handles for further transformations via transition metalcatalyzed cross-coupling. High regiocontrol was observed in meta-substituted 146 Chapter 3 anilines, favoring the C−H functionalization at the sterically less hindered orthoposition (products 40 and 42, 67% and 46% yield). Notably, 2-naphthalenamine derivative was also amenable to the olefination reaction, which proceeded with high selectivity at the more accessible ortho-position (product 41, 84% yield). It is important to note the excellent catalyst performance with challenging aniline substrates, including those bearing a strong electron-withdrawing substituent (e.g. CO2Me group, product 39, 73% yield). Unfortunately, aniline derivatives substituted at ortho-positions with both electron-donating (OMe, aniline 31) or electron-withdrawing groups (F, aniline 32) did not show any reactivity, recovering the starting aniline unaltered in both cases. 3.5.5. Application to indole synthesis In these products, both the ortho-alkenyl group and the N- (methoxycarbonyl)methyl offered high versatility as building blocks. As an illustrative synthetic application, a three-step synthesis was designed to transform the olefinated aniline products containing a N-CH2CO2Me group into functionalized indoles (Scheme 3.49). 147 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.49 The indoline skeleton was readily assembled as a 1:1 diastereomeric mixture by intramolecular Michael addition of the ester-stabilized carbanion generated in situ with LHMDS (THF, 0 ºC). The crude product was subjected to reductive desulfonylation under mild basic conditions upon treatment with magnesium turnings (MeOH, room temperature, and sonication). Aromatization with DDQ (CH2Cl2, room temperature) of the resulting NH-indoline afforded the corresponding indole in acceptable overall yield (generally 58-63%) after chromatographic purification. As exceptions, the compound 46, resulting from ortho-olefination with acrylonitrile, and the meta-methoxy substituted acrylate 40 provided the corresponding indole derivatives in low yields (products 46 and 50, 28% and 26% yield, respectively). In the former case, this unsatisfactory conversion could be attributed to the lower reactivity as Michael acceptor displayed by α,β-unsaturated nitrile derivatives compared to acrylates. The same argument is also applicable to the latter case, since the methoxy substituent is located at para-position with regard to the carbon directly 148 Chapter 3 attached to the conjugated alkene, resulting in higher electron density at the β-carbon of the acrylate moiety, thereby attenuating its electrophilic character. It is important to note that this Mg-promoted N-sulfonyl deprotection was compatible with sensitive functional groups such as halides or esters (products 48 and 49). In the case of aniline 13, bearing an α,β-unsaturated phenylsulfone as Michael-acceptor group, the application of this sequence of reactions led to 3-methylsubstituted indole 47 due to concomitant both N- and C-desulfonylation with Mg/MeOH (63% overall yield for the 3 steps). 3.6. Tether elongation: C− −H olefination of arylalkylamines While exploring suitable N-alkyl groups for the model C−H olefination reaction of aniline derivatives with butyl acrylate, we became interested in the N-benzyl protected substrate 52. This compound was readily prepared from commercially available N-benzyl-N-phenylamine (51) by N-sulfonylation with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride under the usual conditions (73% yield, Scheme 3.50). Scheme 3.50 149 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Unexpectedly, the Pd-catalyzed reaction of 52 with n-butyl acrylate under the standard reaction conditions led to the diolefinated product 53, in which both aromatic rings had undergone mono-olefination at their ortho-position (Scheme 3.51).126 Scheme 3.51 The formation of product 53 clearly suggested that the directing ability of the 2pyridylsulfonyl group could be extended through longer tethers. As a consequence, 126 At this point, we briefly explored the intramolecular deshydrogenative cross-coupling of this type of compounds as a potential efficient method for the assembly of tricyclic nitrogen systems such as 54. Screening of different oxidants and solvents led to the recovery of the starting material in all cases (see Scheme below). Considering that this failure in the cyclization could be due to the fact that the palladacycle was too rigid, the more flexible derivative 55 was also prepared and studied in this intramolecular dehydrogenative coupling. Unfortunately, as in the previous case, after screening different oxidants and solvents, the starting material was recovered unaltered. 150 Chapter 3 our focus was turned to test the applicability of this methodology to the C−H alkenylation of arylalkylamines. Having already demonstrated the versatility of this protocol to the N-alkyl substitution, in these studies we considered only a methyl as model alkyl-substituent at the nitrogen functionality. 3.6.1. C− −H olefination of benzylamines The N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl benzylamine 58 was synthesised in good yield from commercially available N-methyl benzylamine (57), following the described N-protection protocol with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride and pyridine as base. Correspondingly, for comparative purposes, the N-tosyl derivative 59 was also synthesised under identical conditions except for using tosyl chloride instead of 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride (Scheme 3.52). Scheme 3.52 The alkenylation reaction of N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl benzylamine 58 with n-butyl acrylate under the optimized conditions led to a mixture of 80:20 of mono- and di-olefinated products 60 and 61, respectively. This outcome demonstrated the high reactivity displayed by this substrate, similar to that of electron-rich aniline derivatives (Scheme 3.53). 151 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.53 To address the problem of mono- versus di-substitution selectivity, we undertook a brief screening of the oxidants that proved to be effective in this reaction, on the basis of our previous experience in other aryl C−H functionalization processes, where the reactivity was efficiently tuned by the proper choice of the oxidant, resulting in an excellent control of the mono- versus di-substitution selectivity.127 These results are summarized in in Table 3.6. Table 3.6: Short screening of oxidants Yield (%) [a] Ratio 60:61 Entry Oxidant 1 [F ] 100 80:20 2 K2 S2 O 8 15 >98:<2 3 Ce(SO4)2 27 >98:<2 4 PhI(OAc)2 39 75:25 + 1 [a] Conversion yield (from the H NMR spectra). Weaker oxidants such as K2S2O8 and Ce(SO4)2 showed very low reactivity (lower than 30%, entries 2 and 3), although the olefination product was formed with 127 See, for instance: A. García-Rubia, M. A. Fernández-Ibáñez, R. Gómez Arrayás, J. C. Carretero, Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 3567. 152 Chapter 3 complete mono-selectivity. In contrast, the use of PhI(OAc)2 caused a loss in the mono-selectivity (mono-/di- = 75:25, entry 4) even at low conversions (39% conversion after 8 h). Finally, complete selectivity (>95:<5) in favour of the monoolefination product was achieved by simply adjusting the amount of butyl acrylate to 1.1 equiv. As shown in Scheme 3.54 product 60 was isolated in 81% yield under these conditions. Scheme 3.54 The key directing role of the 2-pyridylsulfonyl unit was again demonstrated by the lack of reactivity displayed by the related N-tosyl protected benzylamine 59, only the starting material being detected in the reaction mixture (Scheme 3.55). Scheme 3.55 a) Substitution at the alkene partner To evaluate the scope with regard to the alkene partner, several electrondeficient olefins were surveyed for the olefination of benzylamine derivative 58. Due to the different reactivity of each olefin, the number of equivalents of this reactant needed to be adjusted between 1.1 and 2.0 for maximizing the selectivity in the mono-alkenylated product. As shown in Scheme 3.56, good yields were obtained in the reaction of 58 with vinyl phenyl sulfone, vinyl phenyl sulfonate and vinyl phosphonate (71-80%). Instead, the reaction with acrylonitrile resulted in low 153 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines conversion (product 66, 35% conversion yield by 1H NMR analysis). In the latter case, increasing the amount of either alkene or oxidant did not improve the conversion. Other alkenes such as styrene and N,N-dimethyl acrylamide did not react. Scheme 3.56 b) Versatility at the benzylamine counterpart The study of the substitution at the arene ring of the benzylamine counterpart was carried out by Alfonso Garcia Rubia, as part of his Thesis. These results are summarized in Scheme 3.57. The ortho-olefination reaction of variously substituted benzylamines with butyl acrylate gave results less homogenous than those previously obtained with N-alkylanilines derivatives. For example, para-substituted derivatives with Me or F groups gave the mono-olefinated products in good yields using 1.1 equiv of acrylate (products III and IV, 72% and 81%, respectively), whereas other para-substituted derivatives (e.g. OMe, Br and CF3) showed an increased reactivity, even when 2.0 equiv of butyl acrylate were used (products V-VII, 35%-41% yield). High regiocontrol was observed in meta-substituted benzylamines, favoring the C−H functionalization at the sterically less hindered ortho-position and providing the desired ortho-alkenylated products in good yields (76-78%). One exception was the 154 Chapter 3 meta-fluor derivative, which led to a 2:1.5 mixture of regioisomers of which the major component of the mixture was identified as the isomer X. Ortho-methoxy and ortho-methyl-substituted derivatives gave the corresponding di-ortho-substituted derivatives in good yields (products XI and XII, 72% and 81%, respectively). However, ortho-halogenated substituted derivatives (e.g., F or Br) showed a lack of reactivity even when 3.0 equiv of oxidant were used. Finally, 1-napthyl and 2-napthyl-methylamine derivatives led to the corresponding ortho-alkenylated products with complete regiocontrol at the less hindered position (products XIII and XIV, 83% and 50%, respectively). 155 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Scheme 3.57 156 Chapter 3 3.6.2. C− −H olefination of phenethylamines and γ-arylpropylamines The outstanding flexibility showed by the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group with regard to the tether length, prompted us to go one step further and explore substrates with even longer tethers. This study was performed working together in collaboration with Alfonso García Rubia. First, by the typical N-sulfonylation protocol, the N-methyl-N(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl derivatives of phenethylamine (product 68, 85% yield), γphenylpropylamine (product 71, 79%) and δ-phenylbutylamine (product 73, 77%) were efficiently prepared (Scheme 3.58). Besides, N-tosyl derivative of the N-methyl2-phenylethanamine 69 was also prepared in order to evaluate the effect of the protecting group. NH N SO2Ar ArSO2Cl (1.2 equiv) pyridine (1.2 equiv) THF, 0 ºC--rt 68, Ar = 2-Py, 85% 69, Ar = 4-MeC6H4, 88% 67 NH H N PyO2S N N PySO2Cl (1.2 equiv) PySO2Cl (1.2 equiv) pyridine (1.2 equiv) THF, 0 ºC--rt pyridine (1.2 equiv) THF, 0 ºC--rt 71, 79% 70 SO2Py 72 73, 77% Scheme 3.58 A clean reaction was observed when N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl phenethylamine (68) was combined with butyl acrylate under standard conditions to give the corresponding alkenylated product 74 in good yield (87%, Scheme 3.59). As occurred in the case of the N-methyl benzylamine derivative, the higher reactivity displayed by the N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl phenethylamine (58) made necessary to adjust the amount of butyl acrylate to 1.1 equiv in order to minimize the formation 157 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines of diolefinated products. Once more, the key directing role of the 2-pyridylsulfonyl unit was confirmed by the lack of reactivity of the related N-tosyl protected substrate 69. Scheme 3.59 Even the γ-phenylpropylamine derivative 71 underwent the alkenylation reaction providing the corresponding product 76, with 78% yield. In this case 3.0 equiv of oxidant were needed in order to achieve full conversion (Scheme 3.60). Scheme 3.60 Unfortunately, N-methyl-4-(phenylbutyl)amine derivative 72 did not react, even with excess of butyl acrylate and 3.0 equiv of oxidant. The starting N-protected amine 72 was recovered unaltered after 12 h reaction, revealing the limitation of the method with respect to the tether length (Scheme 3.61). 158 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.61 c) Versatility at the alkene Next, a study of the alkene versatility was carried out using phenethylamine derivative 68 as the model substrate. As shown in Scheme 3.62, a variety of olefins, not only acrylates but also alkenes substituted with sulfone, sulfonate, phosphonate and even nitrile groups were well tolerated in the alkenylation reaction. The corresponding mono-olefinated products were obtained in good yields in all cases (products 78-82, 79-89% yield). It is remarkable the high reactivity of the substrate 74, only requiring 1.1 equiv of the alkene counterpart to afford full conversion. Scheme 3.62 159 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines The high reactivity displayed by this substrate allowed us to carry out the double C−H olefination reaction in the presence of an excess of the alkene. Di-orthoolefinated products were obtained in good yields with a variety of olefins (Scheme 3.63, products 83-86, 79-89%). Scheme 3.63 Because of the good results obtained in the double C−H olefination leading to symmetrical di-olefinated products, we envisioned that it could then be possible the installation of two different alkenes at the two ortho-positions of the arene via sequential double C−H alkenylation, leading therefore to unsymmetrical di-orthoolefinated products. To our delight, this was indeed the case, as demonstrated in the second ortho-olefination reaction performed on the acrylate derivative 74 with phenyl vinyl sulfone (3.0 equiv) to afford the product 87 with two different types of Michael acceptor olefins (vinyl sulfone/acrylate) in 80% yield (Scheme 3.64). However, the level of efficiency in the second ortho-olefination process was found to be much lower in the reaction with acrylonitrile, leading to a modest conversion (product 88, 36% isolated yield, 60% yield in converted product). 160 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.64 b) Structural versatility with regard to aromatic substituion The versatility of the reaction with regard to electronic and steric modifications in the arene ring was also studied. For that purpose, a variety of differently substituted derivatives were prepared (Scheme 3.65). Scheme 3.65 161 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines These derivatives were submitted to the olefination reaction with butyl acrylate as the coupling partner (Scheme 3.66). The olefination reaction proved to be rather general (yields typically above 70%) regardless of the electron-donating (Me, OMe) or electron-withdrawing (F) nature of the attached groups and the substitution pattern, including ortho-substituted arenes. For the para- (products 105-106, 75-80%) and meta-substituted (products 107-108, 81-84%) derivatives only 1.1 equiv of alkene was needed to achieve complete conversion, affording the mono-alkenylated products in good yields. In the latter case, the substitution occurred with high regiocontrol at the less sterically hindered ortho-position. Similarly, the 2-naphtyl derivative 104 afforded the mono-olefinated product 109 with good yield (75%) and complete regiocontrol at C3. Interestingly, ortho-substituted derivatives also showed a high reactivity (products 110-112, 77-86%), although in these cases 2.0 equiv of butyl acrylate were needed to ensure full conversion. 162 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.66 3.7. Deprotection Finally, the easy reductive removal of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl directing group under smooth acidic conditions led us to realize the full synthetic utility of this method towards the access to different nitrogen-containing skeletons (Scheme 3.67). We had previously found that simple treatment of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonamide product with excess of Zn powder in a 1:1 mixture of THF and saturated aqueous NH4Cl at room temperature allowed the smooth N-deprotection, leading to the corresponding free amino derivative. In contrast, the N-deprotection with magnesium turnings in MeOH occured with concomitant reduction of the conjugated double bond. 163 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Applying the Zn-based deprotection to the ortho-alkenylated products in the homologous series was very interesting, allowing the construction of nitrogencontaining heterocycles relevant from synthetic and medicinal chemistry standpoints. For example, the N-desulfonylation reaction of sulfonamide products possessing one or two carbons between the nitrogen atom and the aryl moiety, simultaneously triggers the cyclization of the free amines under the reaction conditions, leading to isoindoline (product 113) and tetrahydroisoquinoline (114) bicyclic frameworks in synthetically useful yields (73-78%, Scheme 3.67). Scheme 3.67 3.7.1. Attempts to isolate the palladacycle Unfortunately, up to date, attempts to prepare and isolate the orthocyclopalladated intermediate of the aniline derivative XV by reaction of several N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline, benzylamine or phenethylamine derivatives with a stoichiometric amount of Pd(OAc)2 have been unsuccessful, recovering the starting material unaltered in the vast majority of the cases (Scheme 3.68). 164 Chapter 3 Scheme 3.68 Although we had then no experimental proof related to the coordination of the 2pyridylsulfonyl activating group to the palladium, a reasonable explanation for the outstanding flexibility observed with regard to the tether length between the amine moiety and the aromatic ring is shown in Figure 3.4. While for the aniline derivatives, the formation of a seven-membered palladacycle was viable128 (intermediate XV), for the homologous series, the stabilization of the corresponding palladacycles intermediates could imply the coordination of the metal not only to the pyridine nitrogen but also to the amine nitrogen. Therefore, bicyclic species would be formed: two five-membered rings for the benzyl amine derivatives (intermediate XVI), a fivemembered ring fused with a six-membered ring for phenethylamine derivatives (intermediate XVII) and finally a fused 7/5 bicyclic species for phenethylamine derivatives (intermediate XVIII). This extra stabilizating effect should not be effective for palladacycles of more than seven-membered, which is in agreement with the literature and would explain the fact that N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-4- phenylbutylamine derivative did not show any reactivity (in this case the fused bicyclic palladacycle would be 8/5 in ring size). 128 G.-W. Wang, T.-T. Yuan, D.-D. Li, Angew. Chem. 2011, 123, 1416; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 1380. 165 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Figure 3.4 Currently, computational studies are carrying out with Prof. Peter Fristrup (Technical University of Denmark) to study the viability and stability of the proposed palladacycles intermediates XV-XVIII along with obtaining a complete mechanistic picture of this reaction, including a justification for the need of a strong oxidant such as [F+]. In fact, the stabilization energies of the palladacycles have already been calculated by this group, confirming our hypothesis: fused palladacycles XVI, XVII and XVIII are more stable than simple palladacycle XV (Scheme 3.69) Scheme 3.69 166 Chapter 3 3.8. Conclusions 1) We have developed the first palladium-catalyzed C−H olefination reaction of N-alkyl aromatic amines. One of the most important features of this catalytic system is its unprecedented structural versatility. In fact, not only simple N-methyl anilines but also a functionalized N-alkyl group such as a N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl group is well tolerated. The method also features wide tolerance with regard to the substitution at the alkene partner, as well as steric and electronic variations at the arene moiety, including difficult-to-activate substrates, such as substrates bearing strong electrondeficient groups. The corresponding ortho-olefinated products were generally obtained in high yields (typically ≥ 70%), complete regiocontrol and excellent levels of (E)-diastereoselectivity. 2) Together with this remarkable structural tolerance, an exceptional flexibility with regard to the tether length connecting the arene unit to the directing unit has 167 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines enabled the extension of this reaction to other type of aromatic amines such as benzylamine derivatives (one-carbon longer tether), phenethylamine derivatives (twocarbon longer tether) and γ-arylpropylamine derivatives (three-carbon longer tether), showing comparable reactivity. 168 Chapter 3 3) The high reactivity of this catalytic system has allowed us to solve another important limitation of this reaction: its applicability to double C−H olefination, thereby enabling the access to di-ortho-substituted products. Apart from the symmetrical diortho-alkenylated products, a sequential double olefination with two different olefins has been achieved, leading to unsymmetrical di-ortho-alkenylated products with two different types of Michael acceptor olefins. 4) Both the ortho-alkenyl group and the possibility of having a functionalized group at the nitrogen (e.g., N-CH2CO2Me) provided the resulting products with high versatility as building blocks. As an application of the synthetic potential of this method, a simple three steps transformation of the olefination products into functionalized indoles has been devised. The corresponding indole derivatives are generally obtained in acceptable overall yield (58-63%), after a single chromatographic purification. 169 C−H olefination of anilines and arylalkylamines Moreover, the easy N-desulfonylation of the amino group in the olefinated products enabled a direct access to highly functionalized nitrogen-containing heterocycles relevant tetrahydroisoquinolines. 170 in medicinal chemistry, such as isoindolines and Chapter 4: C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles 171 172 Chapter 4 4. C− −H di-ortho-olefination of carbazolesImportance of carbazoles Carbazoles are a distinguished class of aromatic heterocyclic nuclei, prevalent as structural motifs in various synthetic materials and naturally occurring alkaloids (Figure 4.1, structure of carbazole).129 Figure 4.1 The properties imported by the carbazole motif have also found applications in material science 131 polymers as optoelectronic and synthetic dyes. 132 or luminescent materials,130 conducting In fact, they are known for their intense luminescence and they are widely used in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as blue, green, red, and white emitters, depending on the substitution of the carbazole core.133 In recent years, carbazole-containing ligands have been demonstrated to be 129 For recent reviews of the synthesis and biological activity of carbazoles, see: a) A. W. Schmidt, K. R. Reddy, H.-J. Knölker, Chem. Rev. 2012, 112, 3193; b) I. Bauer, H.-J. Knölker, Top. Curr. Chem. 2012, 309, 203; c) J. Roy, A. K. Jana, D. Mal, Tetrahedron 2012, 68, 6099. 130 a) G. Bubniene, T. Malinauskas, M. Daskeviciene, V. Jankauskas, V. Getautis, Tetrahedron 2010, 66, 3199; b) H.-Y. Wang, F. Liu, L.-H. Xie, C. Tang, B. Peng, W. Huang, W. J. Wei, Phys. Chem. C 2011, 115, 6961; c) W.-L. Gong, F. Zhong, M. P. Aldred, Q. Fu, T. Chen, D.-K. Huang, Y. Shen, X.-F. Qiao, D. Ma, M.-Q. Zhu, RSC Advances 2012, 2, 10821; d) H. Huang, Y. Wang, B. Pan, X. Yang, L. Wang, J. Chen, D. Ma, C. Yang, Chem. −Eur. J. 2013, 19, 1828. 131 For selected references, see: a) Y. Morisaki, J. A. Fernandes, N. Wada, Y. Chujo, J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem. 2009, 47, 4279. b) O. D. Is, F. B. Koyuncu, S. Koyuncu, E. Ozdemir, Polymer 2010, 51, 1663; c) N. Dubey, M. Leclerc, J. Polym. Sci. B: Polym. Phys. 2011, 49, 467. 132 a) E. M. Barea, C. Zafer, B. Gultekin, B. Aydin, S. Koyuncu, S. Icli, F. F. Santiago, J. Bisquert, J. Phys. Chem. C 2010, 114, 19840; b) K. Srinivas, C. R. Kumar, M. A. Reddy, K. Bhanuprakash, V. J. Rao, L. Giribabu, Synth. Met. 2011, 161, 96. 133 R. M. Adhikari, D. C. Neckers, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 3341, and references cited therein. 173 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles effective as anion receptors134 [Figure 4.2, a] as well as ligands in asymmetric catalysis [Figure 4.2, b].135 Figure 4.2 As a core skeleton for naturally occurring alkaloids, carbazoles prominently embody a wide range of plant natural products (Figure 4.3). A large number of them are endowed with revelant biological activities, which include antitumor, psychotropic, antiinflammatory, antihistaminic, antibiotic, and anti-oxidative activities.129 Moreover, the carbazole moiety is considered as one of the pharmacophores in the cardiovascular pharmaceuticals carvedilol136 and carazolol,137 which are used in the treatment of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure. 134 M. J. Chmielewski, M. Charon, J. Jurczak, Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 3501. 135 T. Niwa, M. Nakada, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 13538; and references cited therein. 136 N. Senthilkumar, Y. S. Somannavar, S. B. Reddy, B. K. Sinha, G. K. A. S. S. Narayan, R. Dandala, K. Mukkanti, Synth. Commun. 2010, 41, 268. 137 E. A. Dubois, J. C. van den Bos, T. Doornbos, P. A. P. M. van Doremalen, G. A. Somsen, J. A. J. M. Vekemans, A. G. M. Janssen, H. D. Batink, G. J. Boer, J. Med. Chem. 1996, 39, 3256. 174 Chapter 4 Figure 4.3 4.2. Synthesis of carbazoles Due to the unique structural features and biological activities of carbazole derivatives, the development of efficient synthetic methods to prepare such compounds continues being a subject of intense research. Among the repertoire of synthetic methods currently available, transition-metal-catalyzed C−C or C−N bond forming reactions are the most powerful and attractive ones, considering that the starting materials could be easily prepared with synthetic convergence and practicality. In recent years, C−H bond functionalization strategies have been incorporated to the synthesis of carbazoles. Within this context, two main approaches have been used functionalization: 138 138 for the assembly of the carbazole skeleton via C−H i) the metal-catalyzed cyclization of diarylamine derivatives (C−C For selected examples of cyclization of halogenated diarylamines to carbazoles, see: a) L.-C. Campeau, M. Parisien, A. Jean, K. Fagnou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 581; b) L.-C. Campeau, P. Thansandote, K. Fagnou, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 1857; c) R. B. Bedford, C. S. J. Cazin, Chem. Commun. 2002, 2310. For an intramolecular photo-stimulated synthesis of carbazoles from 2-chloro diarylamines: M. E. Budén, V. A. Vaillard, S. E. Martin, R. A. Rossi, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 4490. 175 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles bond formation, route a, Scheme 4.1); ii) the metal-catalyzed cyclization of 2aminobiphenyl derivatives (C−N bond formation, route b, Scheme 4.1). Scheme 4.1 4.2.1. C− −C bond formation: metal-catalyzed cyclization of diarylamine derivatives (route a) In 1975, Åkermark and co-workers reported for the first time the synthesis of carbazoles via a palladium-mediated oxidative intramolecular cyclization of N,N-diaryl amines under reflux of acetic acid (Scheme 4.2).139 Scheme 4.2 This transformation tolerated a wide range of substituents but it was mainly limited to the synthesis of 3-substituted carbazoles. The use of N,N-diaryl amines bearing a strong electron-withdrawing group (e.g. NO2) required 2.0 equiv of palladium. The oxidative cyclization was believed to proceed via electrophilic attack of palladium(II) at the ortho-positions of the two aromatic rings to afford a diarylpalladium(II) intermediate, which underwent reductive elimination to generate the carbazole product and palladium(0). Despite this palladium(II)-mediated oxidative For a one-pot synthesis of carbazoles via coupling reaction of anilines with 1,2-haloarenes: L. Ackermann, A. Althammer, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 1627. 139 B. Åkermark, L. Eberson, E. Jonsson, E. Petterson, J. Org. Chem. 1975, 40, 1365. 176 Chapter 4 cyclization was later applied to the convergent total synthesis of a range of structurally different carbazole alkaloids,129 the need of stoichiometric amounts of palladium(II) acetate was a serious drawback that limited the development of truly efficient synthetic applications. The evolution of this palladium-mediated reaction, described over more than 30 years ago, to a catalytic version did not take place until 1994, when Knölker and coworkers found out that the cyclization of 2-anilino-1,4-naphthoquinone to obtain benzo[b]carbazoles could be rendered catalytic in palladium by using an equimolar amount of copper(II) acetate as oxidant (Scheme 4.3).140 Scheme 4.3 Soon later, Åkermark and co-workers designed a similar palladium-catalyzed protocol for the cyclization of arylaminoquinones to give carbazoloquinones using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the terminal oxidant, in acetic acid at 90 ºC (Scheme 4.4).141 Although the yields were good for a broad range of arylaminoquinones, when this protocol was applied to diphenylamine to obtain carbazole as the product, the yield dramatically decreased to 30%. 140 H.-J. Knölker, N. O’Sullivan, Tetrahedron 1994, 50, 10893. 141 B. Åkermark, J. D. Oslob, U. Heuschert, Tetrahedron Lett. 1995, 36, 1325. 177 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.4 Few years later, in 1999, the same authors described a more environmental friendly protocol for this palladium-catalyzed cyclization of arylaminoquinones using molecular oxygen as the oxidant, under otherwise identical reaction conditions.142 When they applied this protocol to diphenylamine to obtain the carbazole core, the reactivity was higher than the observed when tert-butyl hydroperoxide was used the terminal oxidant (61%, route a, Scheme 4.5). In fact, changing the palladium(II) salt for a more electrophilic catalyst (palladium(II) trifluoroacetate) and adding 10 mol% of Sn(OAc)2 resulted in a slight increase of the reactivity, isolating the desired carbazole in 66% yield (route b, Scheme 4.5). However, the authors did not study the structural scope of the reaction with regard to the substitution at the diphenylamino moiety. Scheme 4.5 142 H. Hagelin, J. D. Oslob, B. Åkermark, Chem. Eur. J. 1999, 5, 2413. 178 Chapter 4 Nonetheless, when this palladium-catalyzed cyclization protocols were applied in a concrete step of a total synthesis with fully substituted N,N-diaryl amines, only decomposition was observed when the substructures contained alkoxy substituents conjugated with the nitrogen. Presumably, the decomposition can be explained through oxidative pathways involving the formation of quinone imines as intermediates.143 This could be the reason why literature references to the preparation of polyoxygenated carbazoles by cyclodehydrogenation of diarylamines are scarce and give moderate yields.144 It wasn’t until recently when this reaction has received fresh impetus, allowing extending the scope to obtain differently substituted carbazoles. In 2007, Ohno and co-workers developed a one-pot carbazole synthesis from anilines and aryl triflates via palladium-catalyzed N-arylation (Buchwald-Hartwig N-arylation) followed by biaryl oxidative coupling in the presence of molecular oxygen or air (Scheme 4.6).145 Regarding the substitution in the triflate and in the aniline, the best combination was the coupling between electron-rich triflates (3- or 4- substituted) and 4-substituted electron-deficient anilines. Thus, 2- and/or 4-substitutes carbazoles were obtained in moderate to good yields. It is remarkable that in many cases, N-arylation proceeded almost quantitatively, suggesting that the yield of the carbazoles was mainly dependent on the reactivity of the C−H activation step of the resulting diarylamines. 143 144 V. Sridharan, M. A. Martín, J. C. Menéndez, Synlett 2006, 15, 2375. For two recent examples, giving 32% and 43% yields, respectively, see: a) G. Lin, A. Zhang, Tetrahedron Lett. 1999, 40, 341; b) H.-J. Knölker, J. Knöll, Chem. Commun. 2003, 1170. 145 a) T. Watanabe, S. Ueda, S. Inuki, S. Oishi, N. Fujii, H. Ohno, Chem. Commun. 2007, 4516; b) T. Watanabe, S. Oishi, N. Fujii, H. Ohno, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 4720. 179 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.6 In 2008, Fagnou and co-workers developed a protocol for the palladium(II)catalyzed oxidative cyclization of diarylamines to carbazoles in the presence of a catalytic amount of a base (K2CO3, 10 mol%) using air atmosphere as the terminal oxidant, in pivalic acid as solvent at 110 ºC.146 Initially, their study was focused in the known challenging electron-rich diarylamines, which have been described to decompose through oxidative pathways.143 Besides, these conditions also permitted the efficient coupling of substrates bearing electron-withdrawing groups, although in the latter case was limited to 3-substitued carbazoles (Scheme 4.7). 146 B. Liégault, D. Lee, M. P. Huestis, D. R. Stuart, K. Fagnou, J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 5022. 180 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.7 Catalytic cycle for the oxidative cyclization All together, the literature precedents reveal that the scope of this palladiumcatalyzed cyclization was very dependent on the substitution pattern and cannot be apply for the synthesis of carbazoles with any kind of substitution and/or with groups of different electronic properties. The catalytic cycle for this transformation remained unknown until very recently, when it was depicted by Knölker and co-workers in 2012.147 The Scheme 4.8 shows the generally accepted mechanism for the oxidative coupling leading to biaryl bond formation by palladium(II)-catalyzed double C−H bond activation. 147 T. Gensch, M. Rönnefahrt, R. Czerwonka, A. Jäger, O. Kataeva, I. Bauer, H.-J. Knölker, Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 770. 181 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Air Cu+ Pd(OAc)2 Cu2+ N I H 1. Electrophilic Substitution AcOH 4. Reoxidation Pd0L2 L Pd L OAc N H III 2. Cyclopalladation N H II 3. Reductive Elimination L L Pd AcOH N H IV Scheme 4.8 The first step was assumed to be an electrophilic palladation of the diarylamine I (SE reaction by an electrophilic Pd species), generating a palladium(II) III complex. In the same line as Åkermark proposed,139 the authors anticipated that the second C−H bond activation proceeded via a cyclopalladation leading to a palladacycle IV. Finally, reductive elimination of a palladium(0) species from the palladacycle IV with concomitant C−C coupling generates the biaryl compound II. To come to a catalytic process, the palladium(0) species had to be reoxidized to palladium(II) by an external oxidant [e.g., copper(II) and air or directly air]. However, the crucial C−C coupling reaction that generates the biaryl bond could be explained by at least three different mechanisms (Scheme 4.9). 182 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.9 The first route (a) would proceed via the palladacycle IV, which represents a palladium(II) intermediate. Moreover, for the cyclopalladation leading to IV three alternative mechanisms have been considered:148 i) second electrophilic palladation (SE), ii) concerted σ-bond metathesis, or iii) concerted metalation–deprotonation (CMD) pathway. Recent findings based on kinetic data support the CMD pathway for the second C−H bond activation.149 In any case, reductive elimination provides the biaryl compound II and palladium(0). The second route (b) involves an intramolecular oxidative addition, leading to a palladacycle V, which is a palladium(IV) complex. Reductive elimination would lead to the biaryl II. The third route (c) consists of an intramolecular carbopalladation and it has been suggested by Ohno and coworkers.145b However, the palladium complex VI initially resulting from this process would have the wrong stereochemistry for the β-hydride elimination to the carbazol II and would require a previous epimerization. 148 D. R. Stuart, K. Fagnou, Science 2007, 316, 1172. 149 a) X. Bugaut, F. Glorius, Angew. Chem. 2011, 123, 7618; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 7479; b) L. Ackermann, Chem. Rev. 2011, 111, 1315; c) A. N. Campbell, E. B. Meyer, S. S. Stahl, Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 10257. 183 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles In their work, Knölker and co-workers provided direct evidence for the cyclopalladation route (a) by the isolation of palladacycle IV whose structure was unequivocally determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. This complex IV was transformed into the corresponding biaryl II by reductive elimination of palladium(0) in acetic acid under air at 80 ºC for 30 min. Moreover, the palladacycle IV was demonstrated to be catalytically competent in this reaction, likely by generating the catalytically active palladium(II) species required for the oxidative cyclization that lead to the carbazole II. 4.2.2. C− −N bond formation: cyclization of 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives (route b)150 In 2005, Buchwald and co-workers disclosed a new method for the oxidative cyclization of 2-acetamidobiphenyl derivatives (or ortho-arylated acetanilides) under palladium(II)-catalysis in combination with Cu(OAc)2/O2 as terminal oxidant to efficiently produce a series of carbazoles (Scheme 4.10).151 Scheme 4.10 150 For a palladium-catalyzed annulation of arynes by substituted 2-haloacetanilides to obtain N- acetylcarbazoles, see: C. Lu, N. A. Markina, R. C. Larock, J. Org. Chem. 2012, 77, 11153. 151 W. C. P. Tsang, N. Zheng, S. L. Buchwald, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 14560. 184 Chapter 4 The reaction tolerated the presence of electron-donating and withdrawing groups at different positions in both aromatic rings with little influence in the reactivity. Thus, 2-, 3- and 4-substituted carbazoles were obtained in good yields, although only a single example was provided of synthesis of carbazole derivatives substituted at the C1 position (adjacent to the nitrogen) from the cyclization of ortho-substituted orthoarylated acetanilides. The scope of the process was limited to functional groups compatible with the use of Cu(OAc)2 as oxidant. For example, polar coordinating groups such as nitro-, cyano- or thioether functionalities were found to be incompatible and the coupling reaction essentially met with failure. However, the same research group managed to overcome this limitation.152 They found out that when dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was used as the solvent under an atmosphere of oxygen, Cu(OAc)2 was not necessary and carbazoles with challenging substitution were obtained in similar yields, yet an increased catalyst loading of 10 mol% was required (Scheme 4.11). The authors proposed that presumably in this case, DMSO was acting as a ligand facilitating the direct oxidation of Pd0 to PdII with oxygen. Scheme 4.11 Regarding to the nature of the amine protecting group, sulfonamide-based biaryl amides underwent the cyclization with comparable efficiency than the corresponding 152 W. C. P. Tsang, R. H. Munday, G. Brasche, N. Zheng, S. L. Buchwald, J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 7603. 185 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles acetamide. In contrast, 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives with other amides as Nprotecting groups such as benzamide or carbamates, such as the N-Boc group, provided much lower yields of the desired products with an easily removable amide group. The N-pentafluoropropionamide derivative was found to be inert under the reaction conditions (Scheme 4.12). Scheme 4.12 Shi and co-workers successfully used the protocol for the C−N coupling developed by Buchwald, combined with their own procedure for the synthesis of ortho-arylated acetanilides by cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction. Thus, the carbazoles core could be constructed from anilides and simple arenes through double C−H functionalization, with a Pd-based catalyst in a highly chemo- and regioselective manner, in a process free of halogenated and metal-containing reagents (Scheme 4.13).153 Scheme 4.13 153 B.-J. Li, S.-L. Tian, Z. Fang, Z.-J. Shi, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 1115. 186 Chapter 4 In 2008, Gaunt and co-workers developed a related PdII-catalyzed process for the intermolecular C−H amination of 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives that operated at extremely mild reaction conditions (toluene, room temperature) using Pd(OAc)2 as the catalyst (5 mol%), PhI(OAc)2 as the oxidant (1.2 equiv).154 Under these optimized conditions, substrates bearing simple N-alkyl, N-benzyl and N-allyl motifs performed well in the reaction, providing the desired carbazoles in good yields (Scheme 4.14). Scheme 4.14 As shown in Scheme 4.15, the reaction tolerated the presence of electrondonating and electron-withdrawing groups in both rings independently of their position, and they observed that electron-rich substrates reacted faster than electrondeficient substrates. Gaunt elegantly postulated a PdII/PdIV catalytic cycle, attributing the success of this protocol to the facile reductive elimination of aminoaryl palladium(IV) intermediates, leading to C−N bond formation. 154 J. A. Jordan-Hore, C. C. C. Johansson, M. Gulias, E. M. Beck, M. J. Gaunt, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 16184. 187 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.15 More recently, in 2011, Youn and co-workers also reported a Pd-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative C−H amination of N-Ts-2-arylanilines that involves a directed C−H activation followed by a subsequent C−N bond formation via a PdII/PdIV process.155 The reaction proceeded at room temperature, representing an improvement of the protocol developed by Buchwald and co-workers, which needed elevated temperatures and prolonged reaction time. Besides, to promote the formation of PdIV species, oxone was used as a nontoxic, environmentally benign oxidant, more attractive than PhI(OAc)2 (which led to a formation of a toxic stoichiometric byproduct, PhI) in Gaunt’s protocol. However, Gaunt’s and Youn’s are complementary approaches since the former is better suited for substrates containing electron-donating N-alkyl substituent whereas the latter works best for N-sulfonylated derivatives. The reaction tolerated well the presence of both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents in the 2-aryl moiety, although an increased loading of the palladium catalyst (10 mol%) was needed for electron-withdrawing substituents at the aniline aromatic ring (Scheme 4.16). 155 S. W. Youn, J. H. Bihn, B. S. Kim, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 3738. 188 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.16 In this context, while much effort has been spent in the development of Pdcatalyzed oxidative C−H/N−H couplings, alternative and/or complementary methods using more practical metal catalysts such as Cu species or metal free conditions has been less investigated. In 2011, Chang and co-workers developed an intramolecular oxidative C−N bond-forming reaction of N-substituted 2-amidobiphenyls for the synthesis of carbazoles under Cu-catalysis and mild reaction conditions.156 Surprisingly, it was observed that the cyclization took place readily also under metal-free conditions, although product yields were generally lower in the latter case. For the coppercatalyzed protocol, it was found that the best conditions were: Cu(OTf)2 as the catalyst (5 mol%), PhI(OAc)2 as the oxidant (1.5 equiv), in 1,2-dichloroethane as the solvent, at 50 ºC. For the metal-free protocol, PhI(OAc)2 was replaced by bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodobenzene, [PhI(OTFA)2], which could be used alone as an oxidant for the corresponding carbazole synthesis. In both cases, the presence of CF3COOH (3.0 equiv) as an additive increased the yields. (Scheme 4.17). 156 S. H. Cho, J. Yoon, S. Chang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 5996. 189 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.17 Based on their observations, the authors postulated a reactivity pattern of sulfonamidobiphenyl substrates: it could be generalized that the electronic influences of substituents on the “right” and “left” aryl sides were complementary to each other under for both Cu-catalyzed and metal-free conditions. Thus, high product yield was obtained with substrates bearing electron-donating groups (R2) at the “right” phenyl part and/or electron-withdrawing substituents (R1) at the amido-containing “left” aryl side. In contrast, poor reactivity was found with substrates having electronwithdrawing groups (R2) at the “right” phenyl side and/or electron-donating substituents (R1) at the “left” amidoaryl position (Scheme 4.18). Scheme 4.18 Antonchick and co-workers developed an atom-economical, environmentally friendly organocatalytic method for the preparation of carbazoles through C−H 190 Chapter 4 amination reaction.157 For this metal-free approach, initially stoichiometric amounts of PhI(OAc)2 (1.1 equiv) was used as oxidant, in a polar solvent, hexafluro-2-propanol (HFIP), at a concentration of 0.05 M (dilution of the reaction was found to be a key feature). Under these conditions, N-tosyl-9H-carbazole and N-acetyl-9H-carbazole were obtained in moderate to good yields, 68% and 81% respectively. To render the reaction catalytic in the oxidant by in situ oxidation of iodo(I)arenes to iodine(III)species, 2,2’-diiodo-4,4’,6,6’-tetramethylbiphenyl (1, 10 mol%) was used instead of PhI(OAc)2, along with AcOH as additive. In this case, a mixture of CH2Cl2 and HFIP was used as a solvent, maintaining the dilution. In general, the reaction tolerated well the presence of substituents with different electronic and steric properties in various positions, yielding the substituted carbazoles in moderate to good yields (Scheme 4.19). Scheme 4.19 4.2.3. Direct functionalization of the carbazole skeleton: functionalization at C1/C8 positions The direct functionalization of the carbazole skeleton is an efficient alternative approach to those described previously. This strategy largely relies on the electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction. Since carbazole is activated towards electrophiles at its 3,6-positions, functionalization at C3 and/or C6 is the reactivity 157 A. P. Antonchick, R. Samanta, K. Kulikov, J. Lategahn, Ang. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 8605. 191 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles pattern generally available through this reaction.158 However, this reactivity represents a strong limitation for the development of new application of carbazole chemistry. For example, with respect to carbazole-based materials, nearly all the previous literature has focused on substitution at 3,6-positions and at the N-position. This is because the N-position can be easily functionalized by N-alkylation and Ullman reaction,159 while 3,6-functionalization is readily accessed through electrophilic substitution. In contrast, functionalization at C1 and C8 remains uncharted.130c The absence of research on C1/C8 substituted-carbazoles is due to the lack of methods for their synthesis. The following examples illustrate this current limitation. a) C1/C8 functionalization through electrophilic aromatic substitution Because of the higher nucleophilic character of its C3 and C6 positions, the electrophilic substitution at C3 and/or C6 positions constitutes an efficient approach for the functionalization of the carbazole core. However, substitution at the less activated C1 and C8 positions typically requires prefunctionalization/”protection” of the 3,6-positions. For example, Jurczak and co-workers became interested in the 1,8diaminocarbazole as a direct precursor to prepare 1,8-diamidocarbazoles, which they envisioned could effectively bind anions.134 However, they found a synthetic problem while achieving their goal: the synthetic route for 1,8-diaminocarbazole available in the literature was very lengthy and impractical.160 For that reason, they established the 1,8-diamino-3,6-dichlorocarbazole as a more convenient parent compound because it had been previously prepared by Muzik and co-workers in a 3-step sequence involving: i) chlorination of the carbazole, which took place at the more nucleophilic 3- and 6-position; ii) electrophilic nitration which occurs selectively at C1 158 a) F. Dierschke, A. C. Grimsdale, K. Müllen, Synthesis 2003, 2470; b) Y. Maegawa, Y. Goto, S. Inagaki, T. Shimada, Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 6957; c) G. G. K. S. N. Kumar, K. K. Laali, Tetrahedron Lett. 2013, 54, 965. 159 W. Jiang, L. Duan, J. Qiao, G. Dong, D. Zhang, L. Wang, Y. Qiu, J. Mater. Chem. 2011, 21, 4918. 160 K. Takahashi, H. Eguchi, S. Shiwaku, T. Hatta, E. Kyoya, T. Yonemitsu, S. Mataka, M. Tashiro, J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1 1988, 1869. 192 Chapter 4 and C8; and iii) catalytic hydrogenation (Scheme 4.20). Indeed, they observed that selective chlorination of the carbazole was a difficult step that still needed to be improved, because of the difficult-to-handle conditions used (gaseous chlorine). Their found that using sulfuryl chloride as chlorinating agent, the 3,6-dibromocarbazole was obtained in 60% yield. Scheme 4.20 Very recently, Nakada and co-workers faced a similar problem when developing a new family of chiral ligands based on 1,8-(bisoxazolyl)carbazole structural unit.135 This type of chiral ligands displayed non porphyrine-like properties and catalysed the asymmetric epoxidation of (E)-alkenes with excellent enantioselectivities.161 Before being able to functionalize the C1 and C8 positions, the more nucleophilic C3 and C6 positions had to be blocked with a phenyl substituent in a two-step sequence consisting of electrophilic iodiation and subsequent standard Suzuki-coupling reaction with phenyl boronic acid. Then, a second electrophilic iodination took place at the 161 For the synthesis of 1,8-(bisoxazolyl)carbazole ligands, see: a) M. Inoue, T. Suzuki, M. Nakada, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 1140. For selected references of their application in asymmetric catalysis: b) T. Suzuki, A. Kinoshita, H. Kawada, M. Nakada, Synlett 2003, 570; c) M. Inoue, M. Nakada, Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 2977; d) M. Inoue, M. Nakada, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 252; e) M. Inoue, M. Nakada, Heterocycles 2007, 72, 133; f) M. Inoue, T. Suzuki, A. Kinoshita, M. Nakada, Chem. Rec. 2008, 8, 169. 193 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles desired C1 and C8 allowing the access to the target compounds after installing the oxazolyl moiety (Scheme 4.21). Scheme 4.21 b) C1-functionalization through ortho-directed lithiations The lithiation of the free NH-carbazole is difficult and very low yields of C1 substituion product are invariably obtained, deuteration being the sole exception.162 However, certain N-directing groups make carbazole-lithiation synthetically useful. The best of these groups appeared to be pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl (Scheme 4.22).163 This method could be applied to a wide range of electrophiles with varied efficiency to afford aminal-directed functionalized products at C1 in moderate to good yields. Hydrolysis of the pyrrolidinomethyl protecting group was readily achieved during the work-up by gently warming the reaction mixture for a few minutes in the presence of dilute aqueous hydrochloric acid. The C1-substituted NH-carbazole derivatives were obtained in good yields (68-86%). 162 A. Hallberg, A. R. Martin, J. Heterocycl. Chem. 1984, 21, 837. 163 A. R. Katritzky, G. W. Rewcastle, L. M. Vazquez de Miguel, J. Org. Chem. 1988, 53, 794. 194 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.22 195 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles 4.3. Aim of the project Despite the significant process in the synthesis of functionalized carbazole derivatives, limitations still remain with regard to the type of substitution pattern that can be accessed, especially through catalytic approaches. In particular, accessing C1 and/or C8-substituted carbazoles has proven to be challenging using C−H cyclization strategies from diarylamines (C−C bond formation) or from 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives (C−N bond formation) due to the steric congestion next to the reactive site, especially in the former case. On the other hand direct functionalization of the carbazole skeleton is an alternative approach perfectly suited for substitution at the more nucleophilic C3 and/or C6 positions. In contrast, functionalization at the less activated C1 and C8 positions typically requires “protection” at the 3,6-positions. A solution to this regioselectivity problem came from the ortho-directed lithiation of N-pyrrolidin-1ylmethyl carbazole, allowing the synthesis of various regioespecifically substituted at C1 and C8 carbazole derivatives. However, the disadvantage of this method lies in the high reactivity and basicity of the alkyl lithium reagents required, which are often incompatible with many standard functional groups. Therefore, alternative pathways are needed for the catalytic regiocontrolled functionalization of carbazoles, providing orthogonal selectivities to those currently available, as well as other type of functionalization including the introduction of sensitive and versatile groups, would be of great interest for expanding the scope of carbazole synthesis. In this context, in stark contrast to the tremendous progress made with related nitrogen aromatic systems such anilines, methods for the catalytic direct C−H functionalization of the carbazole core remained undocumented at the outset of this work. 164 On the basis of the excellent structural flexibility previously observed in the 164 Only recently have the first two successful examples appeared. For the PdII-catalyzed direct ortho- arylation of carbazoles bearing a N-(pyridin-2-yl) directing group with potassium aryltrifluoroborates, 196 Chapter 4 PdII-catalyzed direct olefination of N-alkyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines and arylalkylamines, we hypothesized that this reaction could also extended to the C-H functionalization of carbazole derivatives. In fact, the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazole could be envisaged as a particular type of N-aryl N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline derivative. If successful, this reaction would enable a direct catalytic access to C1and/or C8-functionzalized carbazole derivatives (Scheme 4.23). Scheme 4.23 Furthermore, this method could be also applied to related heterocyclic systems with a fully saturated ring such as the saturated hexahydrocarbazole derivative or indoline derivatives (Scheme 4.24). Scheme 4.24 see:a) J.-H. Chu, C.-C. Wu, D.-H. Chang, Y.-M. Lee, M.-J. Wu, Organometallics 2013, 32, 272. For the direct dehydrogenative C1−N carbazolation of NH-carbazoles by the cooperative action of Ru and Cu catalysts, see: b) M.-L. Louillat, F. W. Patureau, Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 164. 197 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles 4.4. Results and discussion 4.4.1. N-sulfonanylation of the NH-carbazole The N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazole 2 was chosen as the model compound for optimization studies of the different parameters of the C−H alkenylation reaction. As shown in Scheme 4.25, N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazole 2 was prepared following the typical N-sulfonylation protocol, consisting of the N-H deprotonation of carbazole (1) with NaH as a base in THF followed by addition of 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride. Scheme 4.25 4.4.2. Screening of the reaction conditions We began our study by examining the C−H alkenylation reaction of N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazole 2 using n-butyl acrylate as the coupling partner, under the same conditions that provided us the best results in the previously described PdIIcatalyzed direct ortho-alkenylation of N-alkyl N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines. Thus, under catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%), using N-fluoro-2,4,6- + trimethylpyridinium triflate as the oxidant ([F ], 2.0 equiv), in ClCH2CH2Cl as solvent at 110 ºC, the reaction took place with an overall 93% conversion providing a mixture of the mono- (3) and di-alkenylated (4) carbazoles (relative ratio of 2:3:4 of 7:16:77). The major component of the mixture was the di-alkenylated product 4, which was isolated in 42% yield after chromatographic purification (Scheme 4.26). In spite of this initial poor mono- versus di-substitution selectivity, the complete ortho-control was remarkable and encouraging. 198 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.26 With the aim of controlling mono-olefination selectivity, we carried out a deep screening of metal-based and non-metal based oxidants, given the known strong influence of the oxidant in both reactivity and selectivity in C−H olefination and other functionalization reactions. The results obtained are summarized in Table 4.1. 199 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Table 4.1: Screening of the oxidant Entry 1 Oxidant + [c] [F ] Ratio 2:3:4 Conv. (%) [a] Yield [3/4, (%)] [b] 7:16:77 93 11/42 2 PhI(OAc)2 5:28:67 95 26/43 3 AgNO3 23:38:39 77 37/30 4 Ce(SO4)2 55:39:6 45 26/3 5 AgOAc 43:42:15 57 35/10 39:47:14 61 40/8 >98:<2:0 0 [e] -- [e] -- 6 7 Ce(SO4)2 [d] K2 S2 O 8 8 Cu(OAc)2 >98:<2:0 0 9 AgCO3 >90:<10:0 <10 -- 10 AgF >90:<10:0 <10 -- 0 [e] -- 0 [e] -- 0 [e] -- 0 [d] -- 0 [d] -- 0 [d] -- 11 12 13 14 15 16 AgOTf Ag2O [f][g] CAN BQ [h] Tempo Oxone >98:<2:0 >98:<2:0 >98:<2:0 >98:<2:0 >98:<2:0 >98:<2:0 [a] Based on starting material recovered after chromatographic purification; [b] Isolated yield after chromatography; [c] N-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate; [d] 3 equivalents of oxidant were used; [e] The starting material was recovered; [f] CAN: cerium ammonium nitrate; [g] 1.2 equiv of oxidant were used; [h] 1,4-benzoquinone. Among the many oxidants examined, only PhI(OAc)2 provided comparable efficiency in terms of reactivity to the [F+] reagent. In fact, both oxidants led to very similar levels of unpractical mono- versus di-substitution selectivity (entry 2). The use of AgNO3 resulted in lower conversion (77%), but roughly an equimolar mixture of 200 Chapter 4 mono- and diolefinated product was obtained (37% isolated yield of 3 and 30% isolated yield of 4, entry 3). Ce(SO4)2 and AgOAc were found to be less active oxidants in this reaction, both leading to conversions close to 50% (entries 4 and 5). However, still in these cases a significant amount of the diolefinated product at C1 and C8 was formed (3-10%). In fact, when the amount of Ce(SO4)2 was increased from 2.0 to 3.0 equivalents, the increased conversion (61%) was accompanied by an increase in the relative ratio of diolefination product (entry 6). Finally, it is worth mentioning that many oxidant species that have been reported to be highly effective in a wide variety of C−H functionalization reactions were unproductive, highlighting the critical role of this component of the catalytic system (entries 7-16). With the best two oxidants identified in the previous study, control of the monoolefination selectivity was attempted by using reduced equivalents of either the acrylate or the oxidant. As shown in the results summarized in Table 4.2, both effects caused a decrease in the reactivity. However, the formation of significant amounts of the disubstitution product 4 in all cases even at decreased conversions suggested a similar reactivity of both the starting carbazole 2 and the mono-olefination product 3. Therefore, we turned our focus to the development of a protocol for the di-olefination reaction of carbazole regiospecifically at its C1 and C8 positions. 201 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Table 4.2: [F+] vs PhI(OAc)2 Entry Equiv. of Oxidant Equiv. of alkene 1 2.0 2 2.0 3 + [c] [F ] PhI(OAc)2 4 2.0 5 2.0 Conv. oxidant 2:3:4 [a] 2.0 7:16:77 93 11/43 (%) Yield [3/4 (%)] [b] 2.0 5:28:67 95 26/43 + [c] 2.0 30:28:42 70 20/22 + [c] 1.0 34:25:41 66 19/23 1.0 40:43:17 60 36/11 [F ] 1.1 Ratio [F ] PhI(OAc)2 [a] Based on starting material recovered after chromatographic purification; [b] Isolated yield after chromatography; [c] N-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate. 4.4.3. Evaluation of the role of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl directing/protecting group To evaluate the role of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl protecting/directing group, a set of carbazole derivatives having different potentially coordinating groups at the nitrogen were also prepared. Thus, the N-tosyl carbazole derivative 5 was readily accessed by N-sulfonylation reaction with tosyl chloride under identical conditions compared to that used in the case of 2 (Scheme 4.27). Scheme 4.27 202 Chapter 4 For testing also non-sulfonyl protecting groups, we considered the N-acetyl carbazole 6, commercially available, and the N-Boc carbazole 7. The latter was prepared in excellent yield, following a previously described protocol (quantitative yield, Scheme 4.28).165 Scheme 4.28 The N-protected synthetized carbazoles (2, 5 and 7), bearing a potentially coordinating protecting group (PG), along with commercially available NH- (1) and Nacetyl (6) carbazole derivativess were examined in the reaction with butyl acrylate (2.0 equiv), under catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)2 (10 mol%), using N-fluoro-2,4,6trimethylpyridinium triflate ([F+], 2.0 equiv) as the oxidant, in ClCH2CH2Cl as solvent at 110 ºC. The results are collected in Table 4.3. 165 V. Diep, J. J. Dannenberg, R. W. Franck, J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 7907. 203 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Table 4.3: Evaluation of the N-directing/protecting group [a] Entry PG Conv. (%) Yield [3/4 (%)] 1 H (1) - [c] -- [c] -- 2 Boc (7) - 3 Ac (6) <5 -- 4 Ts (5) <5 -- 5 −SO2(2-pyridyl) (2) 93 11/42 [b] [a] Based on starting material recovered after chromatographic purification; [b] Isolated yield after chromatography; [c] Complex reaction mixture. Both the unprotected NH-carbazole (1) and the N-Boc derivative 7 led to a complex mixture of products (entries 1 and 2), with the latter result suggesting that the Boc protecting group is too labile under the reaction conditions. Switching to an N-Ac group (substrate 6) or an N-Ts group (5) resulted in the full recovery of the unreacted starting material, even after 24 h (entries 3 and 4). These results, showing the complete lack of reactivity displayed by the parent NH-carbazole (1) and the Nprotected derivatives (5-7) highlighted the unique efficiency of the N-(2- pyridyl)sulfonyl group in the C−H alkenylation reaction of carbazoles comparing to the rest of protecting groups evaluated. 4.4.4. Di-ortho olefination In contrast to the poor control for mono-olefination, high diolefination selectivity in the model reaction of 2 with butyl acrylate under otherwise identical conditions was achieved by simply adjusting the excess of alkene (4.0 equiv) and oxidant (3.0 equiv). These results are summarized in Table 4.4. 204 Chapter 4 Table 4.4: Di-ortho olefination Entry 1 2 Oxidant + [c] [F ] PhI(OAc)2 Ratio 2:3:4 Conv. (%) [a] Yield [3/4 (%)] 0:0:>98 >98 0/64 5:15:80 95 16/58 [b] [a] Based on starting material recovered after chromatographic purification; [b] Isolated yield after chromatography; [c] N-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate. The use of [F+] resulted in a clean di-olefination reaction, providing the C1/C8disubstituted carbazole derivative 4 in 64% isolated yield (entry 1), whereas PhI(OAc)2 was found to be slightly less reactive. In the latter case although the dialkenylated product 4 was the major component of the reaction mixture, small amounts of the mono-alkenylated product 3 and of the unaltered starting carbazole 2 were also present (entry 2). At this point, it is important to note that although the 1H NMR of the crude reaction mixture using [F+] as oxidant was rather clean, showing mainly the diolefinated product, the difficulty in its complete chromatographic separation from the trace amounts of unidentified by-products resulted in a diminished moderate 64% yield. 4.4.5. Olefin scope for the PdII-catalyzed di-olefination By using the optimized conditions for the di-olefination, we next explored the scope of the reaction with regard to the alkene. The results are summarized in Scheme 4.29. 205 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.29 In addition to n-butyl acrylate, other monosubstituted electrophilic alkenes, such as phenyl vinyl sulfone or ethyl vinyl ketone, were also capable reactants in the model diolefination reaction with carbazole 2, leading to the corresponding dialkenylated products 8 and 9 in good isolated yields (64% and 80%, respectively). Interestingly, styrene derivatives bearing electron-withdrawing substituents (NO2 or CF3) at the para-position of the phenyl ring were also found to be excellent coupling partners (products 10 and 11, 80% and 91% yield respectively). Unfortunately, styrene itself provided poor reactivity (mixtures of mono- and diolefinated products in 60% conversion); and the same mixture was obtained when acrylonitrile was used as coupling partner (Scheme 4.30). Acrylamide and methyl crotonate did not react, the starting material was recovered unaltered. 206 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.30 4.4.6. Substrate scope The evaluation of the scope of the reaction with regard to the substitution at the carbazole nucleus required the N-sulfonylation of carbazole derivatives. Thus, carbazoles derivatives were N-protected following the typical N-sulfonylation protocol (N-H deprotonation of carbazole (1) with NaH and subsequent addition of the in situ prepared 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride, Scheme 4.31). This was the case of the commercially available 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole (14) and the 3-bromo-9Hcarbazole (16). Although the latter carbazole wasn’t commercially available, it was readily prepared by electrophilic bromination of the NH-carbazole 1 with Nbromosuccinimide (1.0 equiv) in DMF, which occured cleanly at the more reactive C3 position.166 The obtained 3-bromo-9H-carbazole (16, 75% isolated yield) was submitted to the N-sulfonylation protocol, yielding the 3-bromo-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl9H-carbazole 17 in 89%. 166 A. Midya, Z. Xie, J.-X. Yang, Z.-K. Chen, D. J. Blackwood, J. Wang, S. Adams, K. P. Loh, Chem. Commun. 2010, 46, 2091. 207 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.31 a) Oxidative cyclization of 2-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl biphenyl derivatives Unfortunately, the very limited number of substituted carbazole derivatives that are commercially available prompted us to find a reliable method for the preparation of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazoles by adapting any of the existing protocols. Among the catalytic methods described in the introduction of this chapter, we focused on the intramolecular C−H amination of 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives. These method has been proven especially well suited for substrates bearing an strong electronwithdrawing N-protecting group (Scheme 4.32). Scheme 4.32 Furthermore, this approach would allow us to explore the influence of the metalcoordinating N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group in the key C−H activation/cyclization step. Another attractive issue that we considered was that both metal-promoted and metalfree conditions were available for the cyclization through intramolecular C−H amination. The required N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives should be readily available by applying the already described Suzuki cross-coupling between 2- 208 Chapter 4 bromoanilines and arylboronic156 followed by standard N-sulfonylation reaction of the resulting aminobiphenyl products (Scheme 4.33).167 Scheme 4.33 To explore the feasibility of this route, we first attempted the synthesis of two substituted carbazoles derivatives with different electronic properties, the 3methoxycarbazole derivative 18 and the 2-chlorocarbazole derivative 19. Thus, the Suzuki coupling between the commercially available 2-bromoaniline and the corresponding substituted boronic acid (3-methoxy boronic acid and 4-chloro boronic acid), under previously reported reaction conditions led clearly to the already described 3’-methoxy-2-amino biphenyl A and 4’-chloro-2-amino biphenyl B. After subjecting them to N-sulfonylation with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride in pyridine, the corresponding N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2-aminobiphenyl derivatives I and II were isolated in good yields after precipitation from diethyl ether (Scheme 4.34). Scheme 4.34 167 For the synthesis of analogous N-(2-p-toluene)sulfonyl-2-aminobiaryls, see reference 155. 209 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles For the next C−H amination/cyclization step we tested the palladium-catalyzed protocol developed by Youn and co-workers, which proved to be highly efficient for analogous N-tosyl-2-aminobiphenyl derivatives.155 Indeed, this procedure has shown the best performance when the electron-donating groups were present at the orthoaryl substituent of the aniline moiety. Accordingly, substrate I should be well suited for applying this catalytic system, however it was found to be inert under Youn’s optimized conditions. The starting material was recovered without observing even traces of the desired carbazole 18 (Scheme 4.35). Scheme 4.35 Understanding that this failure must be due to the incompatibility of the PdIIcatalyst with the NH-SO2Py group, we decided to move on to another type of catalyst system. In this regard, it must be noted that similar incompatibility was observed in the ortho-olefination of anilines derivatives, where an N-alkyl group was required for the reaction to proceed while the NH-SO2Py-aniline derivative resulted unreactive. Therefore, we decided to examine the Cu-catalyzed procedure developed by Chang and co-workers, also compatible with N-sulfonyl protecting groups.156 Gratifyingly, the reaction of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2-(3’-methoxyphenyl)aniline I under the reporter conditions resulted in the clean formation of the desired carbazole product 18, albeit in low conversion (37% isolated yield, Scheme 4.36). However, when N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl 2-(4’-chlorophenyl)aniline II was submitted to the reaction conditions, the biaryl derivative was recovered unaltered (Scheme 4.36). Heating or adding an acid (CF3COOH; as reported by the authors to increase the yield in some cases with electron-withdrawing substituents) did not change the outcome of the reaction. 210 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.36 As a consequence, we tested the organocatalytic version of this reaction developed by Antonchick’s group.157 The first optimized conditions by this group were used: PhI(OAc)2 as the oxidant (1.1 equiv), at room temperature, in hexafluoro-2propanol (HFIP, 0.05 M) as solvent. Under these conditions, N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2amino derivatives I and II were tested, and gratifyingly, both gave the desired carbazoles 18 and 19, although the yields were moderate (Scheme 4.37). Scheme 4.37 Despite these low conversions, the reaction proved to be scalable to provide enough material to continue with the study of the scope of the C−H olefination reaction. Therefore, this method was selected for the preparation of a variety of functionalized carbazole derivatives. 211 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Once identified a suitable method for the assembly of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazole derivatives, it was applied to the preparation of substrates substituted with various groups of different electronic and steric properties. The two-step sequence (Suzuki coupling, N-sulfonylation) leading to N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2-aminobiphenyl derivatives for substrates I-VI is depicted in Scheme 4.38. Both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents were well tolerated, regardless of the position of the substituent in the boronic acid coupling partner or in the aniline. Scheme 4.38 Next, the biphenylamines I-VI were subjected to the organocatalytic oxidative intramolecular C−H amination, which took place with acceptable conversion in two on the four new cases examined, leading to several carbazole derivatives bearing electronically modified varied substituents with different substitution pattern in 3768% yield (products 18-21, Scheme 4.39). Unexpectedly, the 3’-trifluoromethyl-2aminobiphenyl and the 3,5-dimethyl-2-aminobiphenyl derivatives were completely unreactive under these conditions. 212 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.39 b) Sustrate scope of the C−H di-olefination reaction This structurally diverse set of functionalized carbazole derivatives (17-20) was surveyed for the C−H olefination reaction with butyl acrylate as the model olefin (Scheme 4.40). In general, both electron-rich and electron-deficient substrates performed well in this reaction, thereby enabling the construction of polysubstituted carbazoles in acceptable yields (24-27, 48-66% yield). Of special importance, carbazoles containing halogen atoms, including bromine and chlorine, were also compatible with this catalytic system (25 and 26). This observed orthogonal reactivity relative to the Pd0-catalyzed cross-coupling chemistry could be useful for subsequent product derivatization. As expected, a blocking fluorine substituent at C1 in substrate 20 caused exclusive mono-olefination at C8 (product 27, 66% yield), and only 2.0 equiv of alkene and oxidant were needed. 213 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.40 4.4.7. C− −H olefination of other nitrogen-containing compounds Regarding the alkenylation of related heterocyclic systems, the more sterically congested N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl benzo[b]carbazole reacted at the less hindered ortho site with complete regiocontrol to give the monoolefinated derivative 28 (64% yield). In this case, also two equivalents of alkene and oxidant were needed to obtain full conversions. Likewise, the successful use of the partially saturated hexahydrocarbazole derivative turned out to be viable, producing exclusive orthomonoolefination at the aromatic ring in high yield (product 29, 84%). In this latter case the oxidant was switched to PhI(OAc)2, because the stronger [F+] led to a complex reaction mixture (Scheme 4.41). 214 Chapter 4 Scheme 4.41 The encouraging result obtained in the mono-alkenylation of the partially saturated hexahydrocarbazole derivative 15 drew our attention to other nitrogencontaining coumpounds, which are also relevant in synthetic and medicinal chemistry. For example, indoline derivatives are a common motif prevalent in many natural products and pharmaceutical targets.168 Besides, the direct catalytic C7−H olefination of the indoline skeleton has been only scarcely documented.169 In an attempt to expand the substrate scope of this transformation, we became interested in the homologous derivative tetrahydroquinoline and also in phenoxazine, important structural motif that possess antitumoral properties (Figure 4.4).170 168 For recent examples of indoline synthesis: G. He, C. Lu, Y. Zhao, W. A. Nack, G. Chen, Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 2944, and references cited therein. 169 a) C. S. Yi, S. Y. Yun, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 17000. For the intramolecular C7−H arylation of indolines via a metal-free, single electron transfer mechanism, see: b) S. De, S. Ghosh, S. Bhunia, J. A. Sheikh, A. Bisai, Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 4466. For the observation of 2,7-disubstitution in the Pdcatalyzed C−H olefination of indoles: c) G. Fanton, N. M. Coles, A. R. Cowley, J. P. Flemming, J. M. Brown, Heterocycles 2010, 80, 895. For a directed ortho-lithiation approach to C7-substituted indoles: d) C. G. Hartung, A. Fecher, B. Chapell, V. Snieckus, Org. Lett. 2003, 5, 1899. 170 H. Prinz, B. Chamasmani, K. Vogel, K. J. Böhm, B. Aicher, M. Gerlach, E. G. Günther, P. Amon, I. Ivanov, K. Müller, J. Med. Chem. 2011, 54, 4247. 215 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Figure 4.4 a) N-sulfonylation of different nitrogen containing compounds The corresponding N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-protected parent derivative of each of the three heteroaromatic compound mentioned above were readily prepared under our standard N-sulfonylation reaction with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride. The three products (31, 33 and 35) were isolated in good yields as bench-stable solids (Scheme 4.42). Scheme 4.42 216 Chapter 4 b) Reactivity towards C−H olefination Unfortunately, when N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline 31 was submitted to the optimized conditions, the starting material was recovered unaltered. A similar result was obtained when PhI(OAc)2 was used as the oxidant. Scheme 4.43 The reaction of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-10H-phenoxazine 33 with butyl acrylate under the optimized reaction conditions was also unsuccessful, in this case resulting in a very complex mixture, presumably due to decomposition of the starting material (Scheme 4.44). A similar result was obtained when PhI(OAc)2 was used as the oxidant. Scheme 4.44 Pleasingly and in sharp contrast, the reaction of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indoline (35) with butyl acrylate (2.0 equiv) under the standard reaction conditions (but reducing the amount of oxidant to 2.0 equiv) produced the alkenylated product at C7 38 in 80% isolated yield (Scheme 4.45). Besides, a comparable yield was obtained when PhI(OAc)2 was used as the oxidant. 217 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles Scheme 4.45 4.4.8. Deprotection of olefinated N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazoles and indolines The easy reductive removal of the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group under mild conditions to generate the free NH-carbazoles led us to confirm the full synthetic utility of this method. Interestingly, the sulfonyl cleavage could be directed to the selective formation of either alkenyl- or alkyl-substituted free carbazoles, depending on the reducing agent used (Scheme 4.46). Simple treatment of derivative 4 with an excess of Zn powder in a 1:1 mixture of THF and saturated aqueous NH4Cl at room temperature led to the corresponding free carbazole 39 in 93% yield without affecting the sensitive acrylate moiety. Instead, treatment of 4 with magnesium turnings (MeOH, rt, sonication) afforded the dialkylated free carbazole 40 (75% yield). Scheme 4.46 218 Chapter 4 These complementary deprotection protocols could also be applied with comparable efficiency to the indoline derivative 38, as exemplified in its transformation into the desulfonylated products 41 and 42 (Scheme 4.47). In the latter case, the deprotection simultaneously triggered the cyclization of the free NHindoline under the reaction conditions to give the tricyclic compound 42.171 The easy aromatization of this product with DDQ furnished the pyrroloquinolinone framework of 43, which is found in some biologically relevant indole based alkaloids,169b,172 and whose derivatives are known to show unusual photosensitizing properties.173 Scheme 4.47 171 For the synthesis of 40 and its use as an intermediate in the synthesis of a potent and selective CYP11B1 inhibitor for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome, see: L. Yin, S. Lucas, F. Maurer, U. Kazmaier, Q. Hu, R. W. Hartmann, J. Med. Chem. 2012, 55, 6629. 172 D. W. Robbins, T. A. Boebel, J. F. Hartwig, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 4068. 173 Pyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinolin-4-one (42) has been previously prepared using a ketene cyclization under flash vacuum pyrolysis conditions (at 950 ºC): H. McNab, D. J. Nelson, E. J. Rozgowska, Synthesis 2009, 2171. See references cited therein for photophysical properties of this type of system. 219 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles 4.5. Conclusions 1) We have developed the first palladium-catalyzed C−H olefination reaction of carbazoles leading to regiocontrolled C1/C8 di-olefinated products. The N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl group has proved to be an efficient directing and readily removable protecting group for this transformation. This protocol was not only applicable to conventional mono-substituted alkenes such as acrylates, sulphones and ketones, but also to styrene derivatives bearing electron-withdrawing substituents, affording the corresponding di-olefinated carbazoles in good yields. 2) This palladium-catalyzed di-olefination protocol could be applied to various substituted carbazoles affording the desired products in good yields, tolerating the presence of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups in different positions of the carbazole core. Remarkably, the partially saturated hexahydrocarbazole 220 Chapter 4 derivative also performed well in this reaction conditions, affording the monoolefinated corresponding product in good yield (84%). 3) Other nitrogen-containing compounds such as and the indoline surveyed the reaction conditions, affording the mono-alkenylated product in good yield (80%). It is noteworthy that the direct catalytic C7-olefination of the indoline has been only scarcely documented. 221 C−H di-ortho-olefination of carbazoles 4) The easy reductive removal of the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group under mild conditions to generate the free NH-carbazole derivatives led us to demonstrate the full synthetic utility of our method. In fact, depending on the conditions used, the diortho-alkenylated (Zn-promoted deprotection) and the di-ortho-alkylated (Mgpromoted deprotection) NH-carbazole derivatives could be obtained in good yields. 5) These N-desulfonylation protocols could be also successfully applied to the C7-alkenylated indoline derivative. Under Zn-promoted deprotection the alkenylated NH-indoline was cleanly obtained, while under Mg-promoted deprotection a cyclization reaction took place in situ after deprotection. The tryciclyc compound thus obtained underwent smoothly aromatization in the presence of DDQ to afford pyrroloquinolinone, a relevant heterocyclic system. 222 Chapter 5: Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 223 224 Chapter 5 5. Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilinesIntroduction: sustainable catalytic C− −H functionalization Despite impressive levels of efficiency and selectivity accomplished, after decades of intense research, the selective transformation of ubiquitous but inert C−H bonds to other functional groups is still far-reaching practical implications in complex total synthesis. Therefore, there are still important limitations that need to be solved. For example, most of the reported methods for C−H functionalization rely on complexes of expensive and toxic transition metals such as Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir or Ru in combination with stoichiometric amounts of highly oxidizing metal- and non metalbased species [e.g., CuII, AgI, PhI(OAc)2] that are often incompatible with some functional groups. In some cases, the cost and environmental incompatibilities represent a strong limitation in the use of these catalyst systems. Therefore, the development of new reagents and catalysts that are efficient, environmentally benign and easily accessible toward specific C−H bond functionalization is currently an important area of research in chemical science. In this regard, catalyst systems based on non-toxic metals such as Cu or Fe that are effective under aerobic conditions can clearly contribute to solve this problem. 5.2. Coupling reactions under aerobic conditions The selective oxidation of C−H bonds and the use of molecular oxygen as a stoichiometric oxidant represent two prominent challenges in organic chemistry. However, their combination results into attractive academic and industrial prospects and an enormous effort is behind to establish aerobic metal-catalyzed C−H functionalizations as versatile synthetic tools. In addition to the inherent advantages to C−H functionalizations processes, molecular oxygen is the ideal oxidant because of its abundance, low cost and lack of toxic by-products (Scheme 5.1).174,175 In fact, 174 a) A. N. Campbell, S. S. Stahl, Acc. Chem. Res. 2012, 45, 851. For reviews on metal-catalyzed aerobic cross-coupling reactions, see: b) S. S. Stahl, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 3400; c) K. M. Gligorich, M. S. Sigman, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 6612. For a review on C−H bond oxidations: d) T. Newhouse, P. S. Baran, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 3362. 225 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines O2 is considered as “the quintessential oxidant for chemical synthesis” and it exhibits a highly atom-efficient oxidant per weight.176 Scheme 5.1 In this line and within the field of homogeneous catalysis, palladium-catalyzed C−H functionalization processes are perhaps the most versatile methods for selective aerobic oxidation of organic molecules, and they include methods ranging from alcohol oxidation to oxidative C−C, C−N and C−O bond formation. However, many of the latter methods are not compatible with the use of O2 as the sole stoichiometric oxidant and, instead, other oxidants such as PhI(OAc)2, benzoquinone, CuII or AgI, are required to achieve catalytic turnover. Mechanistic studies suggest that these oxidants are often required to promote reductive elimination of the product from the Pd center through the formation of high-valent intermediates.177 New palladium catalyst systems may be capable of overcoming this limitation,178 but another complementary solution may involve the use of other transition-metal catalysts. In 175 For the use of O2 as oxidant in C−H bond functionalization, see: a) X.-I. Murahashi, D. Zhang, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2008, 37, 1490; b) C.-J. Li, Acc. Chem. Res. 2009, 42, 335; c) Z. Shi, C. Zhang, C. Tanga, N. Jiao, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2012, 41, 3381; d) A. N. Campbell, S. S. Stahl, Acc. Chem. Res. 2012, 45, 851. 176 177 S. S. Stahl, Science 2005, 309, 1824. For reviews on high-valent Pd chemistry, see: a) K. Muñiz, Angew. Chem. 2009, 121, 9576; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 9412; b) L.-M. Xu, B.-J. Li, Z. Yang, Z.-J. Shi, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2010, 39, 712; c) P. Sehnal, R. J. K. Taylor, I. J. S. Fairlamb, Chem. Rev. 2010, 110, 824. 178 For recent progress in addressing this problem, see: a) Y.-H. Zhang, J.-Q. Yu, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 14654; b) J. Zhang, E. Khaskin, N. P. Anderson, P. Y. Zavalij, A. N. Vedernikov, Chem. Commun. 2008, 3625; c) A. N. Campbell, P. B. White, I. A. Guzei, S. S. Stahl, J. Am. Chem.Soc. 2010, 132, 15116; d) G. Brasche, J. García-Fortanet, S. L. Buchwald, Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 2207. 226 Chapter 5 particular, recent advances in homogeneous copper catalysis highlight opportunities to achieve selective aerobic oxidative functionalization of C−H bonds. 5.3. Aerobic Cu-catalyzed C− −H functionalization Copper is a vital element in living systems. Most copper-enzymes oxidize organic substrates under mild conditions.174b The diversity and function of copper/oxygen enzymes has inspired the design of synthetic copper systems for oxidation catalysis to the point that it has demonstrated to be a versatile oxidant in oxidative coupling reactions, many of which can be rendered catalytic in Cu by employing O2 as the terminal oxidant. In spite of this, Cu-catalyzed aerobic C−H bond functionalization has only recently emerged as a powerful synthetic tool for developing new pathways that complement those based on noble metals. These transformations resemble the organometallic C−H oxidation reactions mediated by 2nd and 3rd row transition metals. However, from a mechanistic standpoint, the Cu-catalyzed aerobic C−H oxidation might represent a departure from the cyclometalated intermediate typically proposed in most ligand-directed aryl C−H functionalization and could allow introducing new modes of activation that could enable the access to unique reactivity and selectivity. In fact, CuII has often proposed to serve as one-electron oxidant,179 initiating a single electron transfer (SET) process wherein cation-radical intermediates are involved.180 179 For a review on the reactivity of radical cations, see: a) M. Schmittel, A. Burghart, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1997, 36, 2550. For examples of SET mechanism in Cu-promoted reactions, see: b) X. Ribas, C. Calle, A. Poater, A. Casitas, L. Gómez, R. Xifra, T. Parella, J. Benet-Buchholz, A. Schweiger, G. Mitrikas, M. Solà, A. Llobet, T. D. Stack, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 12299; c) S. E. Creutz, K. J. Lotito, G. C. Fu, J. C. Peters, Science 2012, 338, 647. 180 For intermediacy of CuIII complexes in C−H activation: a) B. Yao, D. X. Wang, Z. T. Huang, M. X. Wang, Chem. Commun. 2009, 2899; b) L. M. Huffman, A. Casitas, M. Font, M. Canta, M. Costas, X. Ribas, S. S. Stahl, Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 10643. For a review on high-valent Cu-catalysis: c) A. J. Hickman, M. S. Sanford, Nature 2012, 484, 177 227 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines In this area, much work has been directed to the Cu-catalyzed functionalization of acidic C−H bonds (pka <35) or α-functionalization of tertiary amines via oxidation to iminium ions.181 In contrast, base-free activation of relatively inert C−H bonds by Cucatalysts has been seldom explored. In this section we will not attempt to present an extensive review of Cu-catalyzed C−H activation but instead provide an overview of aerobic reactions focusing more precisely on the advances made for the functionalization of inert arenes. 5.3.1. Base-promoted Cu-catalyzed C− −H functionalization A common strategy for obtaining site selectivity in copper-catalysed C−H functionalization reactions relies on the use of substrates that have a significant electronic or steric predisposition for metalation at a specific site. On this basis, alkynes, 1,2-azoles and polyfluorinated arenes are typical substrates for basepromoted Cu-catalyzed C−H functionalization processes as they all share similar relatively high C−H bond acidities (the pKa values of pentafluorobenzene, benzoxazole, benzothiazole, and phenylacetylene are 21, 24, 27, and 28.8, respectively, Figure 5.1). Figure 5.1 For example, in 2008 Stahl and co-workers reported the areobic Cu-catalyzed direct amidation of terminal alkynes with a wide range of nitrogen nucleophiles. 182,183 181 For α-functionalization of tertiary amines via oxidation to iminium ion: O. Baslé, C.-J. Li, Chem. Commun. 2009, 4124. 182 T. Hamada, X. Ye, S. S. Stahl, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 833. 228 Chapter 5 The corresponding ynamides were obtained in good yields when using an excess of the amine nucleophile (5.0 equiv) under a catalyst system composed of CuCl2 (20 mol%), Na2CO3 (2.0 equiv) and pyridine (2.0 equiv), in toluene under an O2 atmosphere (Scheme 5.2). This excess of the amine helps to minimize the quantity of Glaser alkyne homocoupling byproduct. Scheme 5.2 The authors invoked a simplified mechanism involving the sequential activation of alkyne C−H and nucleophile N−H groups at a CuII center, followed by C−N bond formation to give via reductive elimination the ynamide product (Scheme 5.3). Details of the C−N coupling process and aerobic reoxidation of the catalyst were not addressed. 183 For other selected alkyne hetero-functionalization reactions, see: a) C. Zhang, N. Jiao, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 28; b) Y. Gao, G. Wang, L. Chen, P. Xu, Y. Zhao, Y. Zhou, L.-B. Han, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 7956; c) L. Chu, F.-L. Qing, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 7262; d) L. Chu, F.-L. Qing, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 7262. 229 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.3 Mori and co-workers further extended this methodology to the oxidative intermolecular coupling of benzothiazole with N-methylaniline under the following optimized conditions: Cu(OAc)2 (20 mol%), PPh3 (40 mol%), NaOAc (4.0 equiv), at 140 ºC in xylenes under an O2 atmosphere. The substrate scope tolerated benzoxazoles and benzimidazoles, which were effectively coupled with aromatic and even aliphatic amines (Scheme 5.4).184,185 Scheme 5.4 184 185 D. Monguchi, T. Fujiwara, H. Furukawa, A. Mori, Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 1607. For selected references of related functionalization of 1,2-azoles, see: a) Q. Wang, S. L. Schreiber, Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 5178; b) S.-I. Fukuzawa, E. Shimizu, Y. Atsuumi, M. Haga, K. Ogata, Tetrahedron Lett. 2009, 50, 2374; c) D. Zhao, W. Wang, F. Yang, J. Lan, L. Yang, G. Gao, J. You, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 3296; d) S. Guo, B. Qian, Y. Xie, C. Xia, H. Huang, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 522; e) Y. Li, Y. Xie, R. Zhang, K. Jin, X. Wang, C. Duan, J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 5444. 230 Chapter 5 Accordingly, Su and co-workers demonstrated that an identical strategy could be applied for the C−H amination of perfluorinated arenes and heteroarenes using Cu(OAc)2 (20 mol%), tBuOK (2.5-4 equiv) and TEMPO (50 mol%) under an oxygen atmosphere in DMF, at 40 ºC.186,187 The substrate scope encompassed tetra- and pentafluoroarenes that underwent coupling with various electron-deficient anilines in moderate to good yields (Scheme 5.5). Scheme 5.5 In addition to C−H aminations, alkynes, 1,2-azoles and polyfluoroanes have being also derivatized through processes involving copper-catalyzed aerobic C−H activation and its subsequent coupling with a wide range of other Nu-H nucleophiles, as well as through copper-catalyzed homo- and cross-coupling reactions.188 As an example, Daugulis and co-workers reported an aerobic copper-catalyzed Glaser-Hay-type deprotonative method for the homocoupling of electron-deficient (hetero)aromatics, using only 1-3 mol% CuCl2 and a Zn/Mg amide base (e.g., 186 H. Zhao, M. Wang, W. Su, M. Hong, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2010, 352, 1301. 187 For a copper-catalyzed sulfoximation of polyfluoroarenes, see: M. Miyasaka, K. Hirano, T. Satoh, R. Kowalczyk, C. Bolm, M. Miura, Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 359. 188 For selected references, see: a) Y. Li, J. Jin, W. Qian, W. Bao, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2010, 8, 326; b) Y. Wei, H. Zhao, J. Kan, W. Su, M. Hong, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 2522; c) M. Kitahara, K. Hirano, H. Tsurugi, T. Satoh, M. Miura, Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 1772; d) N. Matsuyama, M. Kitahara, K. Hirano, T. Satoh, M. Miura, Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 2358. 231 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines iPrMgCl.LiCl, tetramethylpiperidine and ZnCl2) in THF at room temperature under an oxygen atmosphere. In most cases, the corresponding arene homodimers could be obtained with good yields (Scheme 5.6).189 Scheme 5.6 All these selected examples were chosen to highlight a wealth of new C−H oxidation reactions involving substrates with relatively acidic C−H bonds that are nowadays emerging as powerful synthetic tools. These reactions closely resemble Glaser–Hay couplings (oxidative deprotonative alkyne dimerization under aerobic conditions); however, they employ substrates and achieve transformations for which the Glaser–Hay analogy was not previously recognized. 5.3.2. C− −H activation of relatively inert aryl C− −H bonds In contrast, the use of aerobic Cu-catalysis for the base-free activation of relatively “inert” aryl C−H bonds (e.g., those Ar−H with pka>35) has been seldom explored and only a few examples can be found in literature. These examples can be 189 H.-Q. Do, O. Daugulis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 17052 232 Chapter 5 clasified into (a) the intermolecular coupling (based on a directing group) and (b) the intramolecular coupling, also called oxidative annulation. a) Chelate-directed C−H oxidative couplings In an elegant pioneering example, Yu and co-workers demonstrated in 2006 the II Cu -catalyzed 190 derivatives. intermolecular aerobic ortho-functionalization of 2-arylpyridine They found that the 2-pyridyl group could act as directing group in CuII- catalyzed C−H functionalization as it does with other transition metals. Indeed, the reaction of 2-phenylpyridine with Cu(OAc)2 (1.0 equiv) and H2O (1.0 equiv) in MeCN under O2 (1 atm) at 130 °C for 36 h gave the ortho-hydroxylated product in 67% yield (Scheme 5.7). This reaction tolerated the presence of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups at the para-position of the aryl ring, but required a stoichiometric amount of CuII. Labeling experiments using H218O in the absence of O2 showed that the oxygen atom from Cu(OAc)2 was incorporated into the orthohydroxylated product. The authors proposed that the first step involved the formation of the acetoxylated product, which underwent rapid hydrolysis under the reaction conditions catalyzed by the intramolecular pyridyl group. Scheme 5.7 The reaction could be carried out with a catalytic amount of Cu(OAc)2 (10 mol%) by performing the reaction in a mixture of acetic acid and acetic anhydride, but in this 190 X. Chen, X.-S. Hao, C. E. Goodhue, J.-Q. Yu, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 6790. 233 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines case resulted in formation of a mixture of the mono- and di-ortho-acetoxylated products was unavoidably obtained (Scheme 5.8). Scheme 5.8 During the screening of reaction conditions for this acetoxylation reaction, the authors found that the reaction of 2-phenylpyridine with 20 mol% of Cu(OAc)2 in Cl2CHCHCl2 under an oxygen atmosphere gave the di-ortho-chlorinated product in 92% isolated yield. Owing to the importance of aryl halides, the report largely focused on ortho-chlorination reactions, showing that a variety of 2-arylpyridines could be chlorinated: when the aryl ring or the pyridine had an ortho-substituent, the reaction stopped in the mono-chlorinated products. For the rest of substitution patterns, dichlorinated products were obtained. Electron-withdrawing groups attached to the aryl ring resulted in low conversions (Scheme 5.9). In this reaction the solvent served as an in situ source of the chloride nucleophile.191,192 191 In 2010, Cheng and co-workers described another C−H functionalization of 2-arylpyridines by Cu(OAc)2-catalysis (10 mol%) using alkyl and aryl anhydrides as the coupling partner providing either di-ortho-acyloxy- or di-ortho-chlorinated products: a) W. Wang, F. Luo, S. Zhang, J. Cheng, J. Org. Chem. 2010, 75, 2415; b) W. Wang, C. Pan, F. Chen, J. Cheng, Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 3978. 192 For a protocol of chlorination using an excess of LiCl as chlorinating agent, see: S. Mo, Y. Zhu, Z. Shen, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2013, 11, 2756. 234 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.9 By using Cu(OAc)2, yet in stoichiometric amount (1.0 equiv), in combination with other nucleophilic sources, different types of functionalities could be introduced in the ortho-position of the aryl ring (Scheme 5.10). For bromination, the nuclephilic source of bromine was Br2CHCHBr2, used as solvent. Scheme 5.10 235 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines The authors proposed a radical-cation pathway to explain the data obtained from their mechanistic studies (Scheme 5.11). A single electron transfer (SET) from the aryl ring to the coordinated CuII leading to the cation-radical intermediate I was proposed to be the rate-limiting step. The lack of reactivity of biphenyl suggested that the coordination of CuII to the pyridine was necessary for the SET process. The observed ortho-selectivity was explained by an intramolecular anion transfer from a nitrogen-bound Cu(I) “ate” complex I.193 Scheme 5.11 Almost simultaneously with the publication of Yu’s protocol, Chatani and coworkers reported the chelate-directed amination of 2-phenylpyridine derivatives with aniline using a stoichiometric amount of Cu(OAc)2.194 The electronic nature and the positions of the substituents on the phenyl ring had a significant effect on the efficacy on the reaction; ortho-substitution resulted in a significant decrease in the reactivity. Regarding the substitution in the aniline, a methoxy substituent, regardless of its position, inhibited the reactivity. Nevertheless, the overall yields ranged from poor to moderate, recovering part of the starting material (Scheme 5.12). 193 The authors also postulated an alternative mechanism: an electrophilic attack of the pyridyl- coordinated CuII on the aryl ring could take place in a manner similar to that of the Pb(TFA)4-mediated oxidation of aryl C−H bonds. The subsequent loss of a proton would give an unusual cyclometalated aryl Cu(II) complex that could undergo reductive elimination to give the functionalized products and Cu0. 194 T. Uemura, S. Imoto, N. Chatani, Chem. Lett. 2006, 35, 842. 236 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.12 Ohno and co-workers described the use of tetrahydropyrimidine rather than pyridine as a directing group to achieve ortho-hydroxylation using stoichiometric amounts of Cu(OAc)2.195 Because the ortho-hydroxylated product was difficult to isolate, triphosgene was added in the reaction mixture to obtain the tricyclic product I as its protected form (Scheme 5.13). Substitution in the aryl ring was only studied at the para-position, and electron-donating groups gave better reactivities than electronwithdrawing groups. 195 T. Mizuhara, S. Inuki, S. Oishi, N. Fujii, H. Ohno, Chem. Commun. 2009, 3413. 237 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.13 This protocol was also applicable to copper-promoted ortho-amination using BocNH2 and TsNH2 as the coupling partners, affording the nitrogen-analogue products in moderate yields (Scheme 5.14). Scheme 5.14 Nicholas and co-workers recently reported an efficient Cu(OAc)2-catalyzed amidation of 2-phenylpyridine using molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant.196 A variety of primary sulfonamides, carboxamides, and anilines participated in the reaction, providing the desired amination products in moderate yields (Scheme 5.15). 196 A. John, K. Nicholas, J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 4158. 238 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.15 b) Oxidative annulation reactions Buchwald, Nagasawa and Li independently reported the oxidative aerobic Cucatalyzed cyclization (hence intramolecular) of anilide derivatives with formation of ortho C−N, C−O or C−C bonds to afford benzimidazoles, benzoxazoles and indolinediones, respectively. Buchwald and co-workers reported the aerobic oxidative cyclization of amidines to give 2-phenyl-benzimidazoles under oxygen atmosphere, generating water as the only direct waste product. The optimized conditions were: Cu(OAc)2 (15 mol%) and AcOH (5.0 equiv), at 100 ºC in DMSO under an oxygen atmosphere (Scheme 5.16).197 This cyclization process tolerated the presence of both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents at 5-position of the benzimidazol, or in orthoand para-position in the 2-substituted phenyl ring. 197 G. Brasche, S. L. Buchwald, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 1932. 239 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.16 Almost simultaneously, Nagasawa and co-workers reported a similar protocol for the preparation of benzoxazoles by aerobic cyclization of various benzanilides.198 Under the optimized conditions [Cu(OTf)2 (20 mol%) at 140 ºC in o-xylene under O2] the desired benzoxazole products were obtained in high yields (Scheme 5.17). The best results were reported for meta- or para-substituted benzanilides, while orthosubstituted substrates gave lower yields. Electron-withdrawing substituents resulted in lower conversion, with recovered starting material reported in some cases. Scheme 5.17 Finally, Li and co-workers reported an aerobic, copper-catalyzed oxidative C−H acylation procedure for the preparation of indoline-2,3-diones (isatins) in an intramolecular reaction that utilized two C−H bonds as the reaction partners (Scheme 198 S. Ueda, H. Nagasawa, Angew. Chem. 2008, 120, 6511; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 6411. 240 Chapter 5 5.18).199 N-methyl-2-oxo-N-phenylacetamide could be cyclized in 90% yield using 20 mol% CuCl2 and 1 atm O2 in THF at 100 ºC. A range of formyl-N-aryl-formamides could be cyclized, with electron-rich substrates affording higher yields than electrondeficient substrates. Scheme 5.18 5.4. Ortho-halogenated reactions of anilines derivatives Organic halides represent a very important class of organic compounds, both on their own and due to the well-developed processes toward functionalization of carbon–halogen bonds in the synthesis of valuable chemicals. Such an importance has resulted in the development of numerous synthetic approaches for the preparation of organic halides, some of these approaches becoming basic synthetic organic tools. In particular, halogenated anilines are important synthetic intermediates endowed with many industrial applications,200 such as the manufacture of polyurethanes, rubber chemicals, agricultural products and drugs, as well as versatile precursors for the construction of a diverse range of heterocyclic frameworks. 199 B.-X. Tang, R.-J. Song, C.-Y. Wu, Y. Liu, M.-B. Zhou, W.-T. Wei, G.-B. Deng, D.-L. Yin, J.-H. Li, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 8900. 200 E. Baumgarten, A. Fiebes, A. Stumpe, React. Funct. Polym. 1997, 33, 71. 241 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Such a prominence has resulted in the development of numerous synthetic approaches for their preparation. Historically, due to the high reactivity of primary amines, these compounds have been accessed through electrophilic halogenation of their corresponding derivatized anilides.201 Even so, this widely used transformation suffer from several notable disadvantages, such as the following: (i) the scope is often limited to activated substrates, (ii) it is often plagued by over-halogenation of the arene, (iii) only a limited set of arene substitution patterns can be accessed, and (iv) multiple regioisomeric products are frequently obtained, resulting in decreased yields and the requirement of tedious separations.202 As far as chloroanilines are concerned, they are typically synthetized by hydrogenation of the corresponding chloronitrobenzenes.203 This process is far from being simple since it is a challenge to avoid the concomitant hydrodechlorination reaction while selectively reducing a nitro group in the same molecule. Another important route to selectively halogenated anilines involves directed ortho-lithiation (DoL) followed by quenching with an electrophilic halogen source. DoL reactions have found application in the construction of a variety of complex molecules. However, their broad utility remains limited by the requirement for strong 201 M. B. Smith, J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry. Reactions, Mechanisms and Structure, 5th edn. Willey, New York, 2001. 202 For electrophilic bromination of anilines, see: a) B. Das, K. Vetkateswarlu, M. Kroshnaiah, H. Holla, Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 8693; b) B. Das, K. Vetkateswarlu, A. Majhi, V. Siddaiah, K. R. Reddy, J. Mol. Catal. 2007, 267, 30; c) M. M. Heravi, N. Abdolhosseini, H. A. Oskooie, Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 46, 8959; d) M. J. Guo, L. Varady, D. Fokas, C. Baldino, L. Yu, Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 3889; e) B. M. Choudary, Y. Sudha, P. N. Reddy, Synlett 1994, 450; f) G. Rothenberg, J. H. Clark, Green Chem. 2000, 2, 248; g) D. Roche, K. Prasad, O. Repic, T. J. Blacklock, Tetrahedron Lett. 2000, 41, 2083; h) U. Bora, G. Bose, M. K. Chaudhuri, S. S. Dhar, R. Gopinath, A. T. Khan, B. K. Patel, Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 247; i) N. Narender, P. Srinivasu, S. J. Kulkarni, K. V. Raghavan, Stud. Surf. Sci. Catal. 2001, 135, 3745; j) K. V. V. Krishna Mohan, N. Narender, P. Srinivasu, S. J. Kulkarni, K. V. Raghavan, Synth. Commun. 2004, 34, 2143; k) S. Singhal, S. L. Jain, B. Sain, J. Mol. Catal. A 2006, 258, 198; l) B. Ganchegui, W. Leitner, Green Chem. 2007, 9, 26. 203 D. He, H. Shi, Y. Wu, B.-Q. Xu, Green Chem. 2007, 9, 849. 242 Chapter 5 bases (resulting in reduced functional group tolerance) and by the relatively narrow scope of suitable directing groups. The above-mentioned clear limitations of these traditional methods for halogenation of anilines clearly support the development of new, simple, and complementary transition metal-catalyzed reactions for the selective halogenation of anilines. Within the field of C−H activation, a pioneering report by Sanford and co-workers disclosed a highly regioselective palladium-catalyzed chlorination or bromination of electron-deficient arenes, such as benzo[η]quinoline, using NBS/NCS as the electrophilic halogen sources in CH3CN.204 On the basis of these preliminary studies, Shi and co-workers later described a palladium-catalyzed protocol for the regioselective ortho-chlorination of acetanilides, in the presence of Cu(OAc)2 (2.0 equiv) and CuCl2 (2.0 equiv) as oxidant and halogen source, respectively (DCE at 90 ºC).205 Other N-protecting groups (e.g., formyl, benzoyl, tosyl, trifluoroacetyl) were tested, but only the pivalyl group was also found to be an appropriate protecting group for this transformation, albeit with a slight decrease of the chlorination efficiency. This protocol was applied to a range of para- and meta-substituted anilines affording the ortho-chlorinated products in good yields for electron-donating groups and moderate yields for electron-withdrawing groups. The regioselectivity of the chlorination of meta-substituted acetanilides was dominated by steric effects, and only the less hindered ortho-chlorinated acetanilides were systematically obtained (Scheme 5.19). 204 A. R. Dick, K. L. Hull, M. S. Sanford, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 2300. 205 X. Wan, Z. Ma, B. Li, K. Zhang, S. Cao, S. Zhang, Z. Shi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 7416. 243 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.19 Within the same work, this strategy was also extended to the construction of C−Br bonds in relatively electron-rich acetanilides (Scheme 5.20). However, this method would be later questioned by Bedford and co-workers who were not able to reproduce the results here claimed.206 Ac HN H R Pd(OAc) 2 (10 mol%) Cu(OAc)2 (2.0 equiv) CuCl2 (2.0 equiv) Ac HN Br R DCE, 90 ºC, 48 h Ac Ac HN Br Me Ac HN HN Br Me 66% Br MeO OMe OMe OMe 90% 91% Scheme 5.20 206 R. B. Bedford, M. F. Haddow, C. J. Mitchell, R. L. Webster, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 5524. 244 Chapter 5 Subsequently, Bedford and co-workers described a new palladium-catalyzed protocol for the direct ortho-clorination and –bromination of anilides using the corresponding halosuccinimide as source of halogen.206 This protocol was applied to anilides bearing an acetyl or a pivaloyl protecting group, and tolerated ortho-, metaand para-substitution with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups, although the latter class of substituents only gave good ortho-selectivities when attached at para-position (Scheme 5.21). Scheme 5.21 Moreover, Glorious and co-workers have also demonstrated that the orthohalogenation of anilines is possible using a RhIII-catalyzed C−H bond activation methodology. The particular advantage of this strategy is its compatibility with many different, highly useful directing groups, which opens up new possibilities for the synthesis of a panel of aromatic halides (Scheme 5.22). 245 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.22 Although impressive levels of efficiency, selectivity and functional group tolerance have been accomplished in the palladium-catalyzed C−H halogenation protocols, there are still important limitations that need to be solved, such us the use of chlorinated solvents and/or strong acids, as well as the need for stoichiometric amounts of a metal-co-oxidants [e.g., CuII]. Taking into consideration that mechanistic studies suggest that these oxidants are required to promote reductive elimination of the product from the Pd center through the formation of high-valent intermediates,177 new more active Pd catalyst systems may be capable of overcoming these limitations. Nonetheless, a complementary and more sustainable, solution may involve the use of other transition-metal catalysts. In particular, recent advances in homogeneous copper catalysis highlight opportunities to achieve selective aerobic oxidative functionalization of C−H bonds.207 Along this line, we have stated above that Cu-catalyzed aerobic oxidations are emerging now as powerful alternatives. However, examples of Cu-promoted orthohalogenation are rare and have been exclusively applied to arenes with a non- 207 For non-aerobic Cu-catalyzed C−H functionalizations, see: a) R. J. Phipps, N. P. Grimster, M. J. Gaunt, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 8172; b) R. J. Phipps, M. J. Gaunt, Science 2009, 323, 1593; c) C.-L. Ciana, R. J. Phipps, J. R. Brandt, F.-M. Meyer, M. J. Gaunt, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 458; d) H. A. Duong, R. E. Gilligan, M. L. Cooke, R. J. Phipps, M. J. Gaunt, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 463. 246 Chapter 5 removable 2-pyridyl (or a related heteroaryl) directing group. In their seminal work mentioned above, Yu et al. reported the CuII-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of 2arylpyridines using X2CHCHX2 (X = Cl, Br) as halogen source.190 More recently, a couple of reports have appeared using benzoyl chloride/Li2CO3191b or excess of LiCl192 as chlorinating agents. In all cases, controlling mono- vs disubstitution was found to be problematic. This journey by the literature precedents clearly highlights that Cu-catalyzed arene C−H functionalization strategies remain underdeveloped. The challenges are likely due to significant changes in the mechanism of activation (different from cyclometallation typically proposed under noble metal catalysis) and the lack of suitable removable directing groups. 247 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 5.5. Aim of the project In response to the increasing demand for sustainable methods in organic synthesis, it is imperative to design catalytic methods for the functionalization of inert aryl C−H bonds that allow replacing precious metal-based catalysts and stoichiometric strong oxidants by cheap, non-toxic first row transition metals in combination with O2 as terminal oxidant. In light of the environmental and economical benefits of the Cu/O2 combination as catalyst system, we envisaged to explore whether or not our “2-pyridylsulfonyl” activation could be extended to coppercatalyzed aerobic C−H functionalization of arenes. Given the importance of halogenated anilines and the lack of reliable methods for the general ortho-halogenation of anilines, we focused on the Cu-catalyzed aerobic halogenation of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines as testing ground reaction to test our hypothesis. In contrast to the previously reported Cu-catalyzed aerobic halogenations, that are limited to arenes with a non-removable 2-pyridyl (or a related heteroaryl) directing group, our methodology would notably contribute to increase the chemical versatility and the current scope of this reaction (Scheme 5.23). Scheme 5.23 248 Chapter 5 5.6. Results and discussion 5.6.1. First attempts in Cu-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 1 was chosen as the model compound for the optimization studies of the different parameters in the Cu-catalyzed C−H halogenation reaction. Initially, we attempted the prospective ortho-chlorination of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline (1) adopting the conditions reported by Yu and coworkers for the selective ortho-chlorination of 2-phenylpyridine derivatives (20 mol % CuCl2 in Cl2CHCHCl2, O2 atmosphere at 130 °C). The outcome of this first ex periment was very satisfactory as the desired ortho-chloroaniline derivative 1-Cl was isolated as the only product (78% yield), along with a tiny amount of starting material (Scheme 5.24). It is worth to remark that no di-ortho-chlorination occurred and no para-chloroaniline derivative arising from a SEAr mechanism was detected. Therefore, the reaction was thus highly regio- and chemoselective. Scheme 5.24 Nonetheless, although this result was very encouraging, some control experiments were run in order to gain some insights about the reaction conditions. They are summarized in Table 5.1. 249 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Table 5.1: Optimization of the reaction conditions o-Cl Entry Solvent Oxidant 1 Cl2CHCHCl2 O2 Cl2CHCHCl2 O2 3 DCE O2 20 4 DCE - (N2) <5 DCE - (N2) 61 6 DCE Ce(SO4)2 60 7 DCE AgOAc 58 8 DCE K2 S 2 O 8 56 9 DCE PhI(OAc)2 63 2 5 [b] [d] (%) p-Cl [a] (%) 38 62 (78) [c] [a] di-Cl (%) - - - - - - [a] [a] GC yields (n-hexadecane as internal standard); [b] 24 h reaction time; [c] Isolated yield; [d] 1.0 equiv of CuCl2. First of all, we evaluated the reaction time (entry 1-2) and we found that only 38% conversion to the ortho-chlorinated product 1-Cl was achieved at shorter reaction times (16 h, entry 1), being 62% of the starting material 1 still remaining in the reaction mixture. Although the reactivity was slow, it is remarkable the selectivity of the process, observing exclusively the ortho-regioisomer without even detecting traces of the para-chlorinated isomer or any di-halogenated products. Prolonging the reaction time to 24 h allowed us to achieve higher conversions, isolating the desired product in good yield (78%, entry 2) and without observing traces of chlorinated sideproducts. The starting material was the only compound that was also detected in the reaction mixture by GC and it was recovered unaltered by column chromatography. 250 Chapter 5 Next, to study whether the solvent of the reaction was the source of chlorine, we changed from 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroetane (Cl2CHCHCl2) to 1,2-dichloroethane (ClCH2CH2Cl, DCE, entry 3) as solvent. When the reaction was thus performed, only 20% of the chlorinated aniline derivative was detected by GC analysis. This percentage of chlorinated product could be attributed to the 20 mol% of CuCl2 that we were using as Cu-catalyst. Therefore, it was confirmed that tetrachloroethane was serving as the in situ source of the chloride in our model reaction. When the reaction was performed in the absence of molecular oxygen, but under inert conditions (nitrogen atmosphere), most of the starting sulfonamide 1 was recovered unaltered even after prolonged reaction times (entry 4). This result demonstrated the crucial role of O2 in rendering the reaction catalytic in copper by recycling it through reoxidation. In fact, when the reaction was performed with stoichiometric amount of CuCl2 under nitrogen atmosphere, the reaction proceeded with the same selectivity, obtaining the ortho-chlorinated product in a very similar GCyield (61%, entry 5). Moreover, other oxidants such as Ce(SO4)2 (entry 6), AgOAc (entry 7), K2S2O8 (entry 8) or PhI(OAc)2 (entry 9) also performed well in the reaction, affording the desired ortho-halogenated product 1-Cl in good yields (56%-63% GC conversions). However, oxygen remained as the best choice since, as we stated in the introduction, it is considered as “the quintessential oxidant for chemical synthesis” because of its abundance, low cost and lack of toxic by-products. In order to evaluate the influence of the electronic nature of the substitution at the aromatic ring on the reactivity and selectivity of the process, two para-substituted sulfonamides were prepared: one bearing an electron-donating group (OMe, sulfonamide 2) and the other bearing an electron-withdrawing group (CF3, sulfonamide 3). Both sulfonamides were prepared by N-protection with 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride in the same conditions as for the sulfonamide derivative 1 from the corresponding commercially avaible anilines (Scheme 5.25). 251 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.25 Remarkably, this chlorination protocol could be applied in the ortho-chlorination of both aniline derivatives, showing that, regardless of the electronic character of the substituents, the reaction proceeded smoothly affording only the ortho-halogenated products 2-Cl and 3-Cl with good yields (89%-94%, Scheme 5.26). Scheme 5.26 Although no significant difference in isolated yield was observed, the electronic nature of the substituents was a determining factor for the reaction rate. By analysing the reaction after 16 h (Scheme 5.27), we found that the ortho-halogenation of 2, with a para-methoxy substituent, proceeded much faster than the ortho-chlorination of 1, without any substitution. An even more pronounced effect was noted when comparing the reactivity of the aniline 3, with an electron-withdrawing parasubstituent (e.g. CF3), with the parent substrate (product 1-Cl). In this case, a much lower conversion was observed in the former case, indicating a marked sensitivity of the reaction rate to the electronic effects: the electron-poor substrates suffered from 252 Chapter 5 reduced reactivity in comparison to the electron-rich arenes, thereby requiring longer reaction times to reach completion. Scheme 5.27 5.6.2. Development of a more benign copper-catalyzed protocol for the ortho-halogenation of anilines With these encouraging results in hand, we next decided to embark on the development of a more environmentally benign version of this oxidative coupling. So far, the protocol described above required the use of the industrially disfavoured 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane as a solvent and one day heating at 130 °C for completion. While any attempt of lowering the reaction temperature resulted in a decrease in the yield, we decided to explore more sustainable solvents and more attractive sources of chlorine. The most relevant results obtained in the refinement of the reaction conditions are depicted in Table 5.2. 253 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Table 5.2: Study of the source of chlorine Entr y 1 Reactio Cl- n time sourc Solvent Cl2CHCHCl (h) e 24 - 2 p-Cl o-Cl (%) (%) [a] [a di-Cl (%) ] ] ] - - 62(78) [a [b 2 DCE 1 NH4Cl <5 - - 3 DCE 1 LiCl <5 - - 4 DCE 1 NaCl <5 - - 5 DCE 1 CsCl <5 - - 6 DCE 24 LiCl 20 - - 7 DCE 1 NCS 75 <7 <7 [a] GC yields (n-hexadecane as internal standard); [b] Isolated yield after column chromatography. In this study, DCE was chosen as solvent to evaluate the use of alternative chlorine sources such as NH4Cl, LiCl, NaCl and CsCl (entries 2-5). Indeed, a couple of recent reports have demonstrated that benzoyl chloride/Li2CO3191b or excess of LiCl192 could be employed as chlorinating agents in the copper-catalyzed orthohalogenation of 2-aryl pyridines. Unfortunately, none of the inorganic salts tested proved to be efficient at all in our case. Only upon prolonging the reaction time to 24 h, the ortho-halogenated product 1-Cl could be detected in 20% of conversion (entry 6). As stated before, the chlorine-source in this case was attributed to the catalyst (CuCl2), used in 20 mol%. Besides, 78% of the starting material was recovered after chromatographic purification. In sharp contrast, after only one hour of reaction, high conversion was observed when N-chlorosuccinamide was used as chlorine source (entry 7), observing only 254 Chapter 5 11% of the starting material. Interestingly, the reaction maintained the high regioselectivity to afford the ortho-chlorinated product as the major component of the reaction mixture, along with tiny amounts of the para-regioisomer and the dichlorinated product. NCS was therefore chosen as the chlorine source because it’s a cheap source of chloride and it is easy to handle. We next performed a short screening of the reaction conditions to further optimize the reaction parameters (Table 5.3). Table 5.3: NCS as the chlorine-source II o-Cl p-Cl di-Cl Temp. Cu (ºC) (mol%) 1 130 20 75 <7 <7 2 100 20 70 12 15 3 100 10 <5 - Entry (%) [a] 79 (95) (%) [b] [a] (%) [a] [a] GC yields (n-hexadecane as internal standard); [b] Isolated yield after column chromatography. N-chlorosuccinamide proved to be a more active chlorinating agent than Cl2CHCHCl2, leading to complete conversion of 1 into 1-Cl after only 1 h at 130 ºC (entry 1). Furthermore, the temperature could be reduced to 100 ºC without appreciable loss of reactivity (entry 2). Moreover, the high reactivity displayed by this method allowed the catalyst loading (CuCl2) to be reduced to 10 mol% (entry 3). In all cases, very high selectivity was observed towards the ortho-mono-chlorinated product 1-Cl and under these optimized conditions the desired product 1-Cl was isolated in 95% yield after column cromatography. 255 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Being aware that DCE wasn’t the best choice as green solvent, a short study of the solvent was done in the model ortho-chlorination of 1 to give 1-Cl. The results are shown in Table 5.4. Table 5.4: Study of the solvent using NCS as the chloride-source o-Cl Entry Solvent Temp. 1 MeCN 100 79 (95) 2 THF 100 - 3 MeCN 80 (%) p-Cl [a] (%) [b] [a] di-Cl (%) [a] <5 - [c] - - 39 28 33 [a] Conversion yield (from the 1H NMR spectra); [b] Isolated yield after column chromatography; [c] The starting material was recovered unaltered. Satisfyingly, changing the solvent to the more industrially favoured MeCN208 while maintaining unaltered the rest of reaction parameters [NCS (1.2 equiv), CuCl2 (10 mol%), under an oxygen atmosphere at 100 °C] re sulted in full conversion to the desired product. In fact, the 2-chlorinated sulfonamide 1-Cl was isolated in 95% yield along with only trace amounts of the para-Cl derivative, no dichlorinated product was detected (entry 1). Indeed, this solvent was a great choice because it was polar enough so the reactants could be dissolved, allowing us to decrease the reaction temperature to 100 ºC. With a less polar solvent such as THF, the starting material was recovered unaltered (entry 2). At this point of the optimization, it was found out that the temperature was critical, since a further decrease of the temperature induced a loss in the 208 For a recent study on the importance of MeCN in the pharmaceutical industry, see: I. F. McConvey, D. Woods, M. Lewis, Q. Gan, P. Nancarrow, Org. Process Res. Dev. 2012, 16, 612. 256 Chapter 5 regioselectivity. Thus, the reaction performed at 80 °C was associated to a complete loss of the regioselectivity, affording a mixture of the three possible products in similar ratios (entry 3). This result could be rationalized assuming that the Cu-catalyzed directed ortho-chlorination reaction becomes too slow at temperatures below 100 ºC, then being competitive the alternative uncatalyzed electrophilic aromatic substitution pathway, resulting in a non-selective transformation. Along the same line, any attempt to decrease the amount of CuCl2 to 5 mol % resulted in the competitive formation of the para-Cl aniline derivative 1-(p)-Cl (o/p = 60:20, by GC), likely via the competitive electrophilic aromatic substitution pathway (Scheme 5.28). Scheme 5.28 To prove our hypothesis, the chlorination reaction of 1 was run in the absence of the Cu-catalyst under otherwise identical conditions. This experiment led to the exclusive formation of the para-chlorination product 1-(p)-Cl which was isolated in 90% yield after chromatography (Scheme 5.29, left). This result is also a dramatic example of complementarity between the Cu-catalyzed and uncatalyzed reactions (Scheme 5.29). Scheme 5.29 257 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 5.6.3. Evaluation of the effect of the N-directing/protecting group To evaluate the role of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl protecting/directing group, a set of aniline derivatives having different potentially coordinating groups at the nitrogen were also considered (products 4-6, Figure 5.2). Figure 5.2 Likewise, it was also very interesting to investigate the role of the sulfonyl group in the efficiency of the reaction. For that purpose, the 2-pyridylcarbonyl aniline 7, also containing the heteroaryl coordinating unit but connected to the substrate by a carbonyl group instead of a sulfonyl group, was also prepared following a previously described protocol (Scheme 5.30).209 Activation of 2-picolinic acid with oxalyl chloride and treatment of the resulting acid chloride with aniline led to the formation of the desired product 7 in moderate yield (53%) Scheme 5.30 The N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 8 was also prepared in order to study the effect of the free hydrogen in the sulfonamido moiety and therefore, test the tolerance of the reaction to N-alkyl substituents. The N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl 209 M. D. Markey, Y. Fu, T. R. Kelly, Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 3255 258 Chapter 5 aniline 8 was prepared from the commercially available N-methylaniline III following the standard protocol for N-sulfonylation (Scheme 5.31). Scheme 5.31 The set of N-protected anilines (4-8) was examined in the reaction using NCS (1.2 equiv) as source of chloride, under catalytic amount of CuCl2 (10 mol%), and using molecular oxygen as the final oxidant in acetonitrile as solvent at 100 ºC. The results are summarized in Table 5.5. Table 5.5: Influence of the N-directing/protecting group Entry PG o-Cl (%) 1 SO2Py 79 (95) 2 Ts 3 [a] [b] p-Cl (%) [a] di-Cl (%) <5 -- 6 90 -- Ac 10 -- 60 4 H 34 29 15 5 C(O)(2-Py) 12 69 18 6 Boc 7 N(Me)SO2Py - [a] [c] 10 87 [a] GC yields (n-hexadecane as internal standard); [b] Isolated yield; [c] Decomposition. 259 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines This screening of protecting groups revealed that the 2-PySO2- group on the nitrogen was uniquely effective for the formation of the ortho-chlorinated regioisomer in a selective way. For instance, the NH-Ts aniline led to the para-chlorination product with very high selectivity (entry 2), suggesting that the lack of the “directing” 2-pyridyl unit causes the background electrophilic chlorination to predominate. Along the same line, the more activated acetanilide led mainly to the 2,4-dichlorination product (entry 3), while the unprotected aniline produced a mixture of ortho- and para-chloroaniline with very low selectivity, along with a significant amount of 2,4dichloroaniline (entry 4). Notably, the potentially coordinating 2-pyridylcarbonyl group provided the para-chlorination regioisomer as the major product (entry 5), emphasizing the cooperative directing role of both the sulfonyl and the 2-pyridyl moieties. The N-Boc protecting group was too labile in the reaction conditions and a very complex reaction mixture was obtained from substrate 6, presumably due to decomposition products (entry 6). Finally, N-alkylation did not fit for this transformation, as the N-(Me)(SO2Py)-aniline 8 provided only traces of the orthochlorinated product, leading almost exclusively to the para-substituted regioisomer (entry 7). 5.6.4. Structural versatility of the aniline in the ortho-chlorination reaction The versatility of the reaction with regard to electronic and steric modifications in the aryl ring was also studied. For that purpose, a variety of differently substituted anilines were efficiently N-protected following the standard protocol for the Nsulfonylation with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (Scheme 5.32). 260 Chapter 5 PyO2S NH2 NH PySO2Cl (1.2 equiv) R R pyridine (1.2 equiv) THF, 0 ºC--rt II-XV 2-4, 9-20 para-substituted anilines PyO2S PyO2S NH OMe 2, 89% PyO2S PyO2S NH Me 9, 94% PyO2S NH Cl 12, 76% PyO2S NH I 10, 89% PyO2S NH F 13, 79% NH Br 11, 87% PyO2S NH CF3 3, 76% NH CO2Me 14, 64% meta-substituted anilines PyO2S NH F PyO2S NH iPr 15, 83% PyO2S NH F3C 16, 80% 17, 73% polyhalogenated anilines PyO2S NH PyO2S NH Cl Cl I 18, 70% PyO2S NH Cl Br 19, 83% Cl 20, 85% Scheme 5.32 All these N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline derivatives were next submitted to the ortho-chlorination reaction under the optimized reaction conditions. 261 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines a) Ortho-chlorination of para-substituted aniline derivatives Good to excellent yields of the desired ortho-chlorinated para-substituted products were obtained with little or no competitive electrophilic halogenation apparent in most cases (Scheme 5.33). Electron-rich substituents, such as MeO and Me, were well tolerated, leading to the formation of the desired products with excellent yields (product 2-Cl and 9-Cl, 89% and 78% yield, respectively). The complete ortho-selectivity with regard to the amino group achieved in the case of the para-methoxyaniline derivative 2 (product 2-Cl) is particularly noteworthy since it contains two ortho-directing (electron releasing) groups (NHSO2Py and OMe). Achieving this selectivity in para-methoxy anilides typically requires ortho-lithiation strategies.210 Likewise, strongly electron-withdrawing groups such as CF3 and CO2Me had no significant influence on this catalytic system (product 3-Cl and 14-Cl, 80% and 86% yield, respectively). Regardless the electronic nature of the substitution the corresponding ortho-chlorinated products were isolated in good to high yields. These results are in contrast to the already known Pd-catalyzed examples that are especially suited for electron-rich substrates. 210 See, for instance: a) D. E. Lizos, J. A. Murphy, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2003, 1, 117; b) P. Thansandote, D. G. Hulcoop, M. Langer, M. Lautens, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 1673; c) Y. Kobayashi, J. Igarashi, C. Feng, T. Tojo, Tetrahedron Lett. 2012, 53, 3742. 262 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.33 b) Ortho-chlorination of meta-substituted aniline derivatives In the case of meta-substituted substrates, the regioselectivity proved to be sensitive to both steric and electronic issues (Scheme 5.34). For example, the metafluoro aniline 15 underwent chlorination at the more acidic ortho-C−H bond (that flanked by the C−F bond) with complete regiocontrol (product 15-Cl). In contrast, a bulky i-Pr group at the meta-position directs the chlorination to the less hindered ortho-position (product 16-Cl). A meta-CF3 group, wich contributes to make more acidic the ortho-C−H bond and is sterically more hindered than a fluorine substituent, was not effective in controlling the regioselectivity, and two regioisomers of 17-Cl were obtained in equal amounts. 263 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.34 c) Ortho-chlorination of polyhalogenated aniline derivatives It is also important to stress the wide tolerance to halogen substitution (F, Cl, Br or I), thereby allowing the selective access to Br/Cl- or I/Cl-substituted anilines, endowed with orthogonal reactivity to Pd-based coupling reactions. Even polyhalogenated substrates were suitable [Scheme 5.35, products (18-20)-Cl, 5864% yield]. Scheme 5.35 264 Chapter 5 5.6.5. Expanding the reaction to bromination and iodination Expanding the scope to bromination was attempted by simply replacement of NCS by NBS under identical reaction conditions (except for using CuBr2 instead of CuCl2). Unfortunately, under these conditions, the reaction of the parent N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 1 with NBS proved to be non-selective, affording a 1:1 mixture of the para- and the ortho-brominated regioisomers (as detected by GC-analysis, Scheme 5.36). Scheme 5.36 In contrast, a clean ortho-bromination reaction was observed when the paraposition of the aromatic ring was blocked with either electron-donating (Me, OMe), electron-withdrawing (CF3, CO2Me) or halogenated (F, Cl, Br, I) substituents (Scheme 5.37). This can be explained on the basis that NBS is a better reagent for the electrophilic aromatic substitution, which is the side-reaction of our methodology. Besides, because Br is larger than Cl, the ortho-substitution is expected to be more difficult compared to the ortho-chlorination. As a result, the copper-catalyzed orthobromination protocol required longer reaction times and afforded slightly decreased yields in comparison to to the copper-catalyzed ortho-chlorination procedure. 265 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.37 The meta-fluoro substituted aniline derivative 15, lacking a blocking group at the para-position, was a special case, leading to the ortho-substituted product 15-Br in good yield (64%) and with very high ortho-selectivity mainly at the position flanked by both the amino- and fluoro-functionalities. In this case, no traces of the parasubstituted product were observed and only 10% of the other ortho-brominated regioisomer was detected by GC (Scheme 5.38). In contrast, the meta-CF3 substituted aniline derivative led to a complex mixture of brominated regioisomers. 266 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.38 The 3,4-dichloroaniline derivative 20, having the para-position blocked, led to a clean bromination at the less hindered ortho-position (product 20-Br, 60% yield, Scheme 5.39) Scheme 5.39 In contrast to the similar reactivity observed between the chlorination and bromination reactions, the reaction with NIS was found to be slower. For instance, the reaction of the parent substrate 1 led to a mixture of regioisomers, where the major compound was the para-iodo aniline derivative (GC-analysis, Scheme 5.40). 267 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.40 Only good selectivity was attained in the iodination of electron-poor substrates having the para-position blocked (products 3-I and 14-I). In these cases, a higher catalyst loading of Cu(OAc)2 (20 mol%) and longer reaction time (16 h) were required for achieving reasonable conversions (Scheme 5.41). Scheme 5.41 In addition, similar results were observed when preforming the iodination using I2 as source of iodine (Scheme 5.42). 268 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.42 5.6.6. Ortho-substituted substrates: Development of the N-(2- pyrimidyl)sulfonyl directing group While para- and meta-substitution were well tolerated, this protocol was not applicable to the more sterically demanding ortho-substituted anilines, as demonstrated in the chlorination of substrates 12-Cl and 9-Br (Scheme 5.43). Scheme 5.43 269 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines To circumvent this problem, we found inspiration in the recent work by Gevorgian and co-workers who demonstrated that the use of a Si-tethered 2-pyrimidyl (2-Pyr) directing group enabled the Pd-catalyzed ortho-C−H oxygenation in ortho-substituted aromatic substrates where the 2-Py-based group failed to induce functionalization.211 We therefore envisaged that the same concept could be applied to our case and, thus, replacing the 2-pyridylsulfonyl group by a 2-pyrimidylsulfonyl group (2-PyrSO2) could solve the problem of the low reactivity of ortho-substituted substrates, thereby further increasing the synthetic applicability of the method. With this idea in mind, the N-(2-Pyr)SO2-aniline derivatives 21-Cl and 22 were prepared by N-sulfonylation with the corresponding 2-pyrimydylsulfonyl chloride, generated in situ from 2-mercaptopyrimidine by oxidation with bleach (NaOCl), according to a literature protocol212 and they were obtained in good yields (80% and 74%, respectively) as bench stable solids (Scheme 5.44). 211 A. V. Gulevich, F. S. Melkonyan, D. Sarkar, V. Gevorgyan, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 5528 (see Scheme below). 212 S. W. Wright, K. N. Hallstrom, J. Org. Chem. 2006, 71, 1080. 270 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.44 Next, products 21-Cl and 22 were submitted to the standard optimized Cucatalyzed ortho-chlorination reaction, but increasing the catalyst loading to a 30 mol% and the reaction time to 16 h (Scheme 5.45). The clean formation of the desired products 21-Cl2 and 22-Cl under these sligthly modified conditions (isolated in 78% and 80% yield, respectively) confirmed our starting hypothesis. Thus, the critical improvement in reactivity provided by the N-2-pyrimidylsulfonyl group enabled the access to ortho-disubstituted products. 271 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.45 Di-ortho chlorination reaction Because of these remarkable results, two para-substituted N-(2- pyrimydil)sulfonyl aniline derivatives were also prepared following the same protocol as the one used for the aniline derivatives 21-Cl and 22. The idea behind these substrates was to investigate the capability of this new coordinating group to induce di-ortho-chlorination reaction (Scheme 5.46). The N-sulfonylation with 2- pyrimidylsulfonyl chloride worked well in both cases, regardless of the electronic properties of the substitution (products 21 and 23, 54% and 82% yield, respectively). Even the para-fluoroaniline, with its nucleophilicity attenuated by the fluoride substituent, provided an acceptable yield (product 21, 54% yield). 272 Chapter 5 Scheme 5.46 As expected, when these aniline derivatives (21 and 23) were submitted to the reaction with an increased amount of NCS (2.4 equiv) under otherwise same reaction conditions, the di-ortho-chlorinated derivatives were obtained with good yields, considering the difficulty of the reaction (products 21-Cl2 and 23-Cl2, 58% and 85% yield, respectively, Scheme 5.47). Scheme 5.47 273 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 5.6.7. Deprotection Finally, the easy reductive removal of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl directing group under mild conditions led us to realize the full synthetic utility of this method enabling the access to the free NH2-ortho-chlorinated anilines (Scheme 5.48). The free NH2anilines were obtained by a simple treatment of the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonamide product with magnesium turnings in MeOH at room temperature. Applying similar conditions, the pyrimidyl-based directing group could be also removed yielding the corresponding aniline with high yields. It is remarkable that the mild conditions required for the cleavage of the directing group makes this method compatible with sensitive Ar−Cl bonds. Scheme 5.48 5.6.8. Application to indole synthesis Both the halide and the NH functionalities provide products that offer high versatility as building blocks, as illustrated in the efficient conversion of the bromoaniline derivative 3-Br into the functionalized indol 27. The known palladiumcatalyzed anulation of 2-haloanilines with an alkyne213 (phenylacetylene in our case) 213 The preparation of indoles from ortho-haloanilines by condensation with an alkyne goes back at least to 1963, when C. E. Castro of the University of California observed that coupling of 2-iodoaniline with phenylacetylene-copper (Ph−C≡C−Cu) led, not to the diaryl alkyne, but to the 2-phenylindole: a) C. E. Castro, R. D. Stevens, J. Org. Chem. 1963, 28 2163; b) C. E. Castro, E. J. Gaughan, D. C. Owsley, J. Org. Chem. 1966, 31, 4071. More recent examples can be found in an excellent review on 274 Chapter 5 via tandem Sonogashira reaction/metal-catalyzed anulation generated the N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl indole 26 in a very high yield (96%), which underwent smooth deprotection under the standard protocol for N-desulfonylation, thus providing the free NH-indole 27 in a very good overall yield. NHSO2Py Br Ph Et3N, p-xylene CF3 R Pd(PPh 3)4 (10 mol%) (1.2 equiv) 3-Br N CuI (20 mol%) 100 ºC, 16 h 96% Ph F3C 26, R = SO2Py 27, R = H, 81% Mg Scheme 5.49 5.6.1. Mechanistic studies Up to date, the mechanism for the CuII-catalyzed halogenation reaction is still not well understood. In fact, from a mechanistic standpoint, Cu-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions can be divided in two general ways of activation: i) singleelectron-transfer (SET) from the aromatic ring to the coordinated CuII to generate a cation-radical intermediate (mechanism A, Scheme 5.50), and ii) a process similar to that proposed for Pd-catalyzed C−H functionalization involving cyclometalation (mechanism B, Scheme 5.50, either via a stepwise metalation and deprotonation through a Wheland intermediate, or via a concerted metalation-deprotonation to form directly the Aryl−Cu complex). the synthesis of heterocycles via palladium-catalyzed oxidative addition: c) G. Zeni, R. C. Larock, Chem. Rev. 2006, 106, 4644. For a general recent review on the synthesis of indoles, see: D. F. Taber, P. K. Tirunahari, Tetrahedron 2011, 67, 7195. 275 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines Scheme 5.50 In order to gain mechanism insights, a series of experiments were carried out. In first place, the reaction was run in the presence of commonly used radical scavengers such as TEMPO or Galvinoxyl (1.0 equiv). In both cases it was observed complete inhibition of the reaction, the starting sulphonamide 1 being recovered unaltered (Scheme 5.51). These results strongly support a SET mechanism for this reaction. Scheme 5.51 Additionally, kinetic studies were carried out to determine the intramolecular isotopic effect. In this pursuit, the monodeuterated aniline derivative 29 was prepared following literature procedure214 (Scheme 5.52). 2-bromoaniline was subjected to 214 S.-H. Huang, J. M. Keith, M. B. Hall, M. G. Richmond, Organometallics 2010, 29, 4041. 276 Chapter 5 several exchange cycles with MeOD, for deuterium exchange of the NH2 group to ND2, followed by treatment with a mixture of zinc dust and 10% NaOD in D2O to afford the 2-bromoaniline-d3 28. In a final step, N-sulfonylation was carried with 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride following the standard protocol to give the mono-deuterated aniline 29 with good overall yield (85% for the three-steps) and with a high deuterium content of 95%-D (measured by 1H NMR). Scheme 5.52 The aniline derivative 29 was submitted to the reaction with NCS under the optimized conditions affording a mixture of products 29(H)-Cl and 29(D)-Cl in a 1:1 ratio (measured by 1H NMR-analysis, Scheme 5.53). This absence of intramolecular kinetic isotopic effect suggests that the reaction mechanism is different from the Pdcatalyzed halogenation reactions, in which substantial isotope effects are typically observed, and is also in line with the value described by Yu and co-workers supporting a SET. Scheme 5.53 Further mechanistic investigations to get a complete picture of the reaction pathway are currently underway in our laboratory. 277 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 5.7. Conclusions In summary, we have developed a practical and highly regioselective N(heteroaryl)sulfonyl-directed Cu-catalyzed aerobic ortho-C−H halogenation of aniline derivatives. This new strategy provides complementary ortho-regioselectivities to that of the classical electrophilic aromatic halogenation pathway. General remarkable features of this new method include: - The reaction proved to be very general for chlorination and bromination - Very high mono-substitution selectivity - Wide functional group tolerance at the aromatic ring, especially to other halogenated substituents - The use of these (heteroaryl)sulfonyl protecting/directing group allows their facile removal under mild reaction conditions, enabling the development of useful synthetic applications. The advances accomplished, in a more detailed fashion, are listed below: 1) The N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group proved to be an excellent protecting/directing group for the ortho-mono-chlorination of aniline derivatives, providing good to excellent yields with little or not competitive electrophilic halogenation apparent in most cases. The reaction tolerates substrates bearing electron-donating or electronwithdrawing groups, being especially remarkable its compatibility with other halogens such as Cl, Br or I, thereby leading to polyhalogenated products with orthogonal reactivity relative to Pd0-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. 278 Chapter 5 2) By just changing the source of halogen to the corresponding NBS and NIS, under the same optimized conditions, this catalyst system could also be extended to the regioselective ortho-bromination and ortho-iodination reactions. In the case of the iodination, only para-substituted, electron-withdrawing substituted sulfonamides gave good yields and selectivities for the desired ortho-iodinated products. 279 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 3) We have also introduced the (2-pyrimidyl)sulfonyl group (SO2Pyr) as a new efficient directing group that solves the problem of the lack of reactivity displayed by ortho-substituted anilines in the N-(2-PySO2)-directed Cu-catalyzed aerobic chlorination reaction, thus enabling the access to di-ortho-substituted halogenated anilines. 280 Chapter 5 This new directing group is also efficient for the double ortho-C−H chlorination of anilines. 4) The easy reductive removal of both N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl and N-(2pyrimidyl)sulfonyl directing groups under mild conditions led us to realize the full synthetic utility of this method allowing the access to the corresponding free NH2ortho-halogenated anilines in good yields. 281 Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 5) Both the halide and the NH functionalities provide products that offer high versatility as building blocks. As an application of the synthetic potential of this method, the efficient conversion of the bromoaniline derivative 3-Br into the functionalized indol 26 was realized. A tandem Sonogashira reaction/metal-catalyzed cyclization, followed by the standard N-desulfonylation, afforded the free NH-indole 27, which was isolated in a very good overall yield. NHSO2Py Br Ph Et3N, p-xylene CF3 3-Br (1.2 equiv) R Pd(PPh 3)4 (10 mol%) CuI (20 mol%) 100 ºC, 16 h 96% N Ph F3C 26, R = SO2Py 27, R = H, 81% Mg 6) Although a detailed mechanism of this copper(II)-catalyzed ortho-halogenation protocol remains to be elucidated, preliminary insights suggest a SET pathway. For example, the reaction was completely inhibited in the presence of commonly used radical scavengers such as TEMPO or Galvinoxyl (1.0 equiv). On the other hand, the absence of intramolecular kinetic isotopic effect suggests that the reaction mechanism is different from the Pd-catalyzed halogenation reactions, in which substantial isotope effects are typically observed, and is consistent with a radical pathway. 282 Chapter 6: Experimental section 283 284 Chapter 6 6. Experimental section Catalytic oxidative homocoupling of N-(2- pyridyl)sulfonylindoles: synthesis of 2,2’-biindoles 6.1.1. General methods All the reactions were carried out in anhydrous solvents and under inert atmosphere. Melting points were taken in open-end capillary tubes. NMR spectra were recorded at 300 MHz (1H), 75 MHz (13C), at room temperature in CDCl3 [calibrated at 7.26 ppm (1H) and 77.0 ppm (13C)] unless otherwise indicated. Mass spectra (MS) were determined at an ionizing voltage of 70 eV. Flash column chromatography was performed using silica gel Merk-60 (230-400 mesh). 6.1.2. Typical procedure for the synthesis N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole derivatives: 6.1.2.1. Synthesis of 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride To a solution of 2-mercaptopyridine (4.0 g, 36.0 mmol) in conc. H2SO4 (100 mL) was added dropwise a commercially available bleach solution (roughly 5% NaOCl, 400 mL). The resulting mixture was stirred at 0 ºC for 15 min before it was extracted with CH2Cl2 (2 x 25 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (Na2SO4) and concentrated (caution: in a fume hood because of the presence of Cl2) to afford the 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride as a colorless oil. This compound is relatively unstable at room temperature and it was immediately used without further purification. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.85 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.14 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 8.07 (tt, J = 7.5, 1.3 Hz), 7.72 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.6, 1.2 Hz, 1H). 285 Experimental section Synthesis of N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole (1). A mixture of indole (0.84 g, 7.15 mmol) and sodium hydride (240 mg, 10.01 mmol) was stirred in THF at 0 ºC for 30 min. To the resulting solution was slowly added at 0 ºC 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (1.9 g, 10.73 mmol) and the resulting mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. The mixture was quenched with sat aq. NH4Cl solution (5 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (3 x 10 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1) to afford 7 as a pale yellow solid; yield: 1.48 g (76%); mp = 60-62 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.63 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 8.15 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 8.04 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (t, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.71 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 7.57 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.47 (dd, J = 4.8, 7.1 Hz, 1H), 7.20-7.35 (m, 1H), 6.72 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.4, 150.5, 138.1, 135.0, 130.8, 13 127.6, 127.3, 124.5, 123.5, 122.3, 121.4, 113.7, 108.9. ESI+ calcd. for C13H11N2O2S (M+H)+: 259.0541; Found: 259.0538. N-(4-Toluensulfonyl)indole (5): Following the typical procedure but using the commercially available p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (1.5 equiv), compound 5 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 9:1) as a white solid; yield: 71%; mp = 8586 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.99 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.76 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.56 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 7.52 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.20 (m, 4H), 6.65 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 2.33 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz,) δ: 144.9, 13 135.4, 134.9, 130.8, 129.9(2C), 126.8(2C), 126.4, 124.6, 123.3, 121.4, 113.6, 109.1, 21.5. EI+ calcd. for C15H14NO2S (M+H)+: 272.0739; Found: 272.0747. N-(2-Thienylsulfonyl)indole (6): Following the typical procedure but using the commercially available 2-thiophenesulfonyl chloride (1.5 equiv), N SO2 S compound 6 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 9:1) as a grey solid; yield: 70%; mp = 76-78 ºC. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.02 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 7.50-7.58 (m, 3H), 7.35 (m, 1H), 7.26 (m, 1H), 6.98 (t, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 286 Chapter 6 6.98 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 138.3, 134.8, 133.5, 133.1, 13 130.9, 127.5, 126.2, 124.8, 123.7, 121.6, 113.7, 109.0. ESI+ calcd. for C12H9NO2S2 (M+H)+: 264.0147; Found: 264.0144. N-(8-Quinolylsulfonyl)indole (7): Following the typical procedure but using the commercially available 8-quinolinesulfonyl chloride (1.5 equiv), compound 7 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 9:1) as a pale yellow solid; yield: 62%; mp = 178-180 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.85 (dd, J = 1.7, 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.40 (dd, J = 1.4, 7.5 Hz, 1H), 8.01 ( d, J = 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.98 ( dd, J = 1.7, 8.3 Hz, 1H). 7.87 (dd, J = 1.3, 8.2 Hz, 1H), 7.77 (dd, J = 0.8, 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.39 (dd, J = 1.4, 6.9 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (dd, J = 4.3, 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.08 (m, 2H), 6.49 (dd, J = 0.6, 3.7 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 151.4, 143.9, 136.2, 135.6, 134.8, 134.7, 132.0, 130.6, 129.5, 129.0, 125.2, 123.8, 122.8, 122.4, 121.1, 113.5, 106.2. ESI+ calcd. for C17H12N2O2S (M+H)+: 309.0692; Found: 309.0688. N-(4-Nitrophenylsulfonyl)indole (8): Following the typical procedure but using the commercially available 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride (1.5 equiv), compound 8 was obtained after column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1) as a pale pink solid, yield: 60%; mp = 106-109 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.26 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H), 8.01 (dd, J = 8.5, 14.2 Hz, 3H), 7.55-7.53 (m, 2H), 7.31 (td, J = 6.4, 14.7 Hz, 2H), 6.73 (d, J = 3.5 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ:150.6, 143.4, 134.8, 131.9, 128.0 (2C), 126.0, 125.2, 124.5 (2C), 124.1, 121.8, 113.4, 110.7. FAB+ calcd. for C14H10N2O4S (M)+: 302.0361; Found: 302.0370. N-(N’N’-Dimethylsulfonyl)indole (9): Following the typical procedure but using the commercially available dimethylsulfamoyl chloride (1.5 equiv), compound 9 was obtained after column chromatography (n-hexaneEtOAc 95:5) as a pale red solid; yield: 55%; mp =74-76 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.97 (dd, J = 0.4, 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 7.35-7.23 (m, 2H), 6.64 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 2.84 (s, 287 Experimental section 6H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 135.4, 129.9, 127.2, 124.2, 122.7, 121.2, 113.7, 13 106.7, 38.4 (2C). FAB+ calcd. for C10H12N2O2S (M)+: 224.0619; Found: 224.0627. N-(2-Pyridylsulfonyl)-6-fluoroindole (27): Following the typical procedure compound 27 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 8:2) as a white solid; yield: 82%; mp = 105107 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.64 (d, J = 4.1 Hz, 1H), 8.16 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (dt, J = 1.5, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.78 (dd, J = 2.1, 9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (d, J = 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.45-7.55 (m, 2H), 7.03 (dt, J = 2.3, 9.0 Hz, 1H), 6.98 (d, J = 3.7 Hz, 1H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 162.4, 159.2, 13 155.3, 150.6, 138.2, 127.7, 122.3, 122.1, 112.1, 111.8, 108.5, 101.4, 101.1. ESI+ calcd. for C13H10FN2OS (M+H)+: 277.0447; Found: 277.0430. N-(2-Pyridylsulfonyl)-5-methoxyindole (28): Following the typical procedure compound 28 was obtained after column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 8:2) as a white solid; yield: 85%; mp = 96-98 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.61 (d, J = 0.9, 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.11 (td, J = 0.9, 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.90 (d, J = 9.1 Hz, 1H), 7.80 (dt, J = 1.7, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (d, J = 3.8, 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (ddd, J = 1.1, 4.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.01 (d, J = 2.4 Hz, 1H), 6.92 (dd, J = 2.4, 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.62 (dd, J = 0.8, 3.8 Hz, 1H), 3.85 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.6, 155.3, 150.4, 13 138.1, 131.8, 129.6, 128.1, 127.6, 122.2, 114.5, 113.6, 109.0, 103.7, 55.6. ESI+ calcd. for C14H13N2O2S (M+H)+: 273.0698; Found: 273.0687. N-(2-Pyridylsulfonil)-5-bromoindole (29): Following the typical procedure compound 29 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 8:2) as a white solid; yield: 79%; mp = 8788 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.59 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.10 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.92-7.87 (m, 2H), 7.67-7.65 (m, 2H), 7.45 (ddd, J = 1.1, 4.7, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.38 (dd, J = 1.9, 8.8 Hz, 1H), 6.61 (d, J = 3.8 Hz, 1H). 288 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.3, 150.5, 138.2, 133.8, 132.5, 128.6, 13 Chapter 6 127.7, 124.0, 122.2, 117.0, 115.2, 108.1. FAB+ calcd. for C13H9N2O2SBr (M)+: 335.9568; Found: 335.9576. N-(2-Pyridylsulfonyl)-6-methoxycarbonylindole (30): Following the typical procedure compound 30 was obtained after column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 7:3) as a white solid; yield: 79%; mp = 147-149 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.70 (s, 1H), 8.62 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.23 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.90-8.0 (m, 2H), 7.87 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 7.62 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (dd, J = 4.7, 7.2 Hz, 1H), 6.77 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 3.98 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.2, 155.3, 150.6, 138.3, 134.6, 134.5, 130.4, 127.8, 126.5, 124.6, 122.4, 121.1, 115.4, 108.6, 52.2. FAB+ calcd. for C15H13N2O43S (M+H)+: 317.0596; Found: 317.0585. 7-Aza-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole (31): Following the typical procedure compound 31 was obtained after column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 6:4) as a white solid; yield: 73%; mp =154-156 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.56 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 8.47 (dt, J = 7.9, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.31 (dd, J = 4.8, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.89 – 7.79 (m, 2H), 7.45 (ddd, J = 7.7, 4.7, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.14 (dd, J = 7.9, 4.8 Hz, 1H), 6.64 (d, J = 4.0 Hz, 1H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ:155.6, 150.3, 147.6, 13 144.9, 138.1, 129.8, 127.8 (2C), 124.2, 123.1, 119.2, 105.6. FAB+ calcd. for C12H10N3O2S (M+H)+: 260.0494; Found: 260.0491. N-(2-Pyridylsulfonyl)-7-methylindole (32): Following the typical procedure compound 32 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 9:1) as a red solid; yield: 71%; mp = 50-52 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.59 (dd, J = 0.9, 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.10 (dd, J = 0.9, 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.89 (dt, J = 1.7, 6.1 Hz, 1H), 7.79 (d, J = 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (ddd, J = 1.1, 4.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.40 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 1H), 7.12 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.01 (d, J = 7.3 Hz, 1H), 6.70 (d, J = 3.8 Hz, 1H), 2.56 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.0, 150.3, 138.2, 134.9, 132.9, 130.0, 128.2, 127.4, 289 Experimental section 124.6, 123.8, 122.0, 119.4, 108.8, 21.9. ESI+ calcd. for C14H13N2O2S (M+H+): 273.0698; Found: 273.0682. 4-Cyano-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole (33): Following the typical procedure compound 33 was obtained after column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 8:1) as a yellow solid; yield: 76%; mp =163165 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.59 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.8, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.29 (dt, J = 8.4, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.14 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.93 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.81 (d, J = 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.57 (dd, J = 7.5, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.49 (ddd, J = 7.7, 4.7, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.37 (dd, J = 8.4, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 6.90 (dd, J = 3.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H). C NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 155.3, 150.8, 138.5, 135.2, 132.5, 13 130.0, 128.2, 128.1, 124.5, 122.4, 118.6, 117.4, 107.1, 104.5. FAB+ calcd. for C14H9N3O2S (M)+: 283.0415; Found: 283.0412. Synthesis of tert-butyl-1-indole carboxylate (10). Following the literature procedure,215 compound 10 was obtained as a yellow oil; yield: 96%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.15 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (d, J = 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.56 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.20 (m, 3H), 6.57 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 1.68 (s, 9H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 149.8, 135.2, 130.6, 125.9, 124.2, 122.6, 120.9, 115.2, 107.3, 83.6, 28.2 (3C). EI+ calcd. for C13H16NO2 (M+H)+: 218.1175; Found: 218.1181. 6.1.3. General procedure for the PdII-catalyzed dehydrogenative homocoupling to 2,2’-biindoles: A screw-capped test tube was charged with N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole derivative (0.2 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (4.5 mg, 0.02 mmol) and Cu(OTf)2 (108.5 mg, 0.3 mmol) before AcOH (2 mL) was added and O2 was bubbled into the mixture for 5 min. The mixture was heated to 90-100 ºC for 8-46 h (indicated in each case) before it was allowed to 215 L. F. Silva Jr., M. V. Craveiro, M. T. P. Gambardella, Synthesis 2007, 3851. 290 Chapter 6 reach room temperature, then diluted with CH2Cl2 (20 mL) and washed successively with NH4OH (2 x 10 mL), sat. aq solution of NH4Cl (10 mL) and sat. aq NaCl (10 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was diluted with CH2Cl2 and passed through a pad of Celite with a thin layer of silica gel on the top. The filtrate was concentrated to dryness to afford the corresponding pure biindole derivative. N,N’-Bis(2-pyridylsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindole (2): reaction time 8 h; brown-redish solid; yield: 68%. mp = 257-259 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.55 (d, J = 4.5 Hz, 2H), 8.26 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.90-7.75 (m, 4H), 7.53 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 2H), 7.45-7.35 (m, 4H), 7.28-7.23 (m, 2H), 6.77 (s, 2H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.9 13 (2C), 150.1 (2C), 137.8 (2C), 137.6 (2C), 130.8 (2C), 128.3 (2C), 127.4 (2C), 125.4 (2C), 123.7 (2C), 122.6 (2C), 121.2 (2C), 115.6 (2C), 115.4 (2C). ESI+ calcd. for C26H19N2O4S2 (M+H)+: 515.0848; Found: 515.0844. 6,6’-Difluoro-N,N’-bis(2-pyridylsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindole (34): reaction time 12 h; redish solid; yield: 66%; mp = 230-232 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.56 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2H), 8.01 (dd, J = 2.1, 10.3 Hz, 2H), 7.86-7.83 (m, 4H), 7.48-7.41 (m, 4H), 7.03 (dt, J = 2.3, 9.0 Hz, 2H), 6.73 (s, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 161.3 (d, JC-F = 242.2 Hz, 2C), 155.7 (2C), 150.2 (2C), 137.9 (2C), 130.8 (d, JC-F = 4.1 Hz, 2C), 127.6 (2C), 125.0 (d, JC-F = 1.6 Hz, 2C), 122.5 (2C), 121.9 (d, JC-F = 9.9 Hz, 2C), 114.9 (2C), 112.3 (d, JC-F = 24.4 Hz, 2C), 103.0 (d, JC-F = 29.0 Hz). EI+ calcd. for C26H17N4O4F2S2 (M+H)+: 551.0653; Found: 551.0654. 5,5’-Dimethoxy-N,N’-bis(2-pyridylsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindole (35): reaction time 7 h; brown solid; yield: 64%; mp = 130-132 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.54 (d, J= 4.6 Hz, 2H), 8.15 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 2H), 7.85-7.77 (m, 4H), 7.40 (ddd, J= 1.7, 4.7, 6.6 Hz, 2H), 6.99 (dd, J= 2.7, 7.0, Hz, 4H), 291 Experimental section 6.72 (s, 2H), 3.82 (s, 6H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.6 (2C), 155.8 (2C), 150.0 13 (2C), 137.7 (2C), 132.3 (2C), 131.4 (2C), 129.7 (2C), 127.3 (2C), 122.5 (2C), 116.5 (2C), 115.4 (2C), 114.5 (2C), 103.4 (2C), 55.7 (2C). FAB+ calcd. for C28H23N4O6S2 (M+H)+: 575.1059; Found: 575.1051. 5,5’-Dibromo-N,N’-bis(2-pyridylsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindole (38): Pd(OAc)2 (20 mol%, 8.9 mg); reaction time 46 h; brown-redish solid; yield: 61%; mp= 268-269 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ:8.54 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 2H), 8.14 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 2H), 7.84 (dd, J = 4.0, 1.1 Hz, 4H), 7.67 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 2H), 7.53 – 7.38 (m, 4H), 6.71 (s, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.6 (2C), 150.2 (2C), 137.9 (2C), 136.3(2C), 131.5 (2C), 130.4(2C), 128.4(2C), 127.6(2C), 123.8 (2C), 122.5 (2C), 117.2 (2C), 117.1(2C), 114.4 (2C). FAB+ calcd. for C26H17N4O4S2Br2 (M+H)+: 670.9058; Found: 670.9059. 6.1.4. Synthesis of 2,3’-biindoles via PdII-catalyzed dehydrogenative homocoupling N,N’-Bis(2-pyridylsulfonyl)-2,3’-biindole (3):A screw-capped test tube was charged with N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole 1.0 equiv), Pd(OAc)2 (4.5 mg, (51.7 mg, 0.02 mmol) 0.2 mmol, and AgOAc (101.9 mg, 0.6 mmol, 3.0 equiv) before AcOH (2 mL) was added and O2 was bubbled into the mixture for 5 min. The mixture was heated to 90-100 ºC for 23 h before it was allowed to reach room temperature, then diluted with AcOEt (20 mL) and washed successively with and sat. aq NaCl (10 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by column chromatography (CH2Cl2) affording the 2,3’-biindole 3 as a redish solid (12.4 mg, 24% yield), recovering part of the starting material unalterted (23.2 mg). Yield in converted product: 44%; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.62 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.43 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.31 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 8.15 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 8.01 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 292 Chapter 6 7.90 (dt, J = 1.5, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.79 (s, 1H), 7.62-7.60 (m, 2H), 7.52 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.49-7.44 (m, 1H), 7.40-7.35 (m, 2H), 7.32-7.26 (m, 3H), 7.21-7.16 (m, 1H), 6.72 (s, 1H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.5, 155.4, 150.4. 150.0, 138.4, 138.3, 137.5, 134.5, 131.9, 131.3, 129.8, 128.0, 127.7, 127.6, 127.3, 125.0, 124.9, 124.0, 123.7, 122.5, 122.3, 120.7, 120.6, 116.0, 114.0, 113.7. EI+ calcd. for C26H19N4O4S2 (M+H)+: 515.0842; Found: 515.0828. 6.1.5. Deprotection of N,N’-bis(2-pyridilsulfonyl)-2,2’-biindolyl (2) to afford free NH-biindole 41. Synthesis of NH-2,2’-biindole (41). A suspension of 2,2’-bisindolyl 2 (0.3 mmol, 153.3 mg) and Mg (290 mg, 12 mmol) in a 1:1 mixture of THF:MeOH (15 mL) was stirred at 0 ºC for 5 min and then under sonication at room temperature for 2 h. The mixture was quenched with sat. aq. NaHCO3 and extracted with CH2Cl2. The combined organic phase weas washed with sat. aq NaCl, dried (MgSO4), and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash cromatography (hexane/EtOAc 5:1) to give 41 as a pale yellow solid (33.8 mg); yield: 54%; mp= 200202 ºC (decomposition). 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 7.60 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 2H), 7.45 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.16 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 2H), 7.07 (d, J = 7.1 Hz, 2H), 6.98 (s, 2H), 2.95 (bs, 2H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 138.2 (2C), 132.4 (2C), 130.0 13 (2C), 122.8 (2C), 121.0 (2C), 120.6 (2C), 111.8 (2C), 99.5 (2C). EI+ calcd. for C16H12N2 (M)+: 232.1000; Found: 232.1009. 293 Experimental section 6.1.6. Intramolecular homocoupling reaction 6.1.6.1. Synthesis of the starting material 3,3'-(cyclohexane-1,1-diyl)bis(1H-indole) (42). A screw-capped test tube was charged with indole (1.17 g, 10.0 mmol, 1.0 equiv), ciclohexanone (1.03 mL, 10.0 mmol, 1.0 equiv), la resina ácida Amberlist-15 resin (500 mg) and CH2Cl2 (25 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at 50 ºC for 12 h under inert atmosphere. Once the reaction was completed (TLC monitoring), it was allowed to reach room temperature, then diluted with AcOEt (20 mL) and filtered off through celite, rinsing the filtrate cake with AcOEt (3 x 10 mL). The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1) to afford 42 as a yellow solid; yield: 1.22 g (78%); mp = 94-96 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.87 (s, 2H), 7.59 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.29 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 2H), 7.10-7.05 (m, 4H), 6.94-6.89 (m, 2H), 2.57 (t, J = 5.7 Hz, 4H), 1.68-1.60 (m, 6H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 137.1, 126.4, 123.7, 122.0, 121.5, 121.2, 118.5, 111.1, 39.6, 36.9, 26.8, 23.0. FAB+ calcd. for C22H22N2 (M)+: 314.1783; Found: 314.1779. Bis[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-1H-indole-3-yl]cyclohexane (43) y 1-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-1(N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-1H-indole-3-yl)cyclohexane (44): Under nitrogen atmosphere, bisindole-NH 42 (1 g, 3.2 mmol, 1.0 equiv) and NaOH (0.5 g, 12.7 mmol, 4.0 equiv) were stirred in 1,2-dicloroethane (15 mL) at 0 ºC for 5 min., 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride (1.5 g, 8.2 mmol, 2.6 equiv) was dissolved in 1,2-dicloroetano (2 mL) and it was slowly added to the reaction mixture at 0 ºC. Upon completion of the addition, the mixture was allowed to reach room temperature and it was stirred for 12 h. Water (25 mL) was added and the reaction mixture was extracted with CH2Cl2 (2 x 20 mL). The combained organic layers were washed with a saturated aqueous solution of NaCl (15 mL), dried (MgSO4) and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1) to afford the monoprotected product 44 (465.8 mg, 32%), followed by the di-protect product 43 (491.3 mg, 26%). 294 Chapter 6 44: pale yellow solid; mp = 178-180 ºC; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.62 (d, J = 4.0 Hz, 1H), 8.07-7.95 (m, 3H), 7.84 (s, 1H), 7.72 (dt, J = 1.6, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.37-7.31 (m, 2H), 7.28- N H N SO2Py 7.21(m, 2H), 7.08 (dt, J = 7.06, 19.8 Hz, 2H), 6.93 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 6.80 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 2.53-2.41 (m, 4H), 1.67-1.58 (m, 6H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.5, 150.4, 138.1, 13 137.1, 136.1, 130.5, 129.6, 127.5, 126.1, 124.7, 124.0, 122.8, 122.5, 122.3, 122.0, 121.6, 121.5, 121.1, 118.8, 113.8, 111.2, 39.2, 36.7, 26.8, 22.9. FAB+ calcd. for C27H25N3O2S (M)+: 455.1667; Found: 455.1670. 43: pale yellow solid; mp = 222-224 ºC; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.61 (d, J = 4.0 Hz, 2H), 8.06 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 2H), 7.87 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.84-7.79 (m, 4H), 7.41 (dd, J = 4.7, 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.30 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.11-7.06 (m, 2H), 6.89-6.84 (m, 2H), 2.42-2.40 (m, 4H), 1.65-1.58 (m, 6H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.3, 150.3, 138.0, 135.8, 129.8, 128.0, 127.4, 124.7, 124.1, 122.7, 122.2, 121.6, 113.6, 38.9, 36.1, 26.5, 22.5. FAB+ calcd. for C32H28N4O4S2 (M)+: 596.1552. Found: 596.1560. 6.1.6.2. Attempts for intramolecular oxidative homocoupling Retro-FriedelCrafts reaction. Synthesis of 3-(Cyclohex-1-enyl)-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole (46) and 3phenyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)indole (47). A screw-capped test tube was charged the mono-protected bis-indole 44 (45.5 mg, 0.1 mmol, 1.0 equiv), Pd(AcO)2 (2.2 mg, 0.01 mmol, 10 mol%), Cu(OTf)2 (54.2 mg, 0.15 mmol, 1.5 equiv) before toluene (1 mL) was added and O2 was bubbled into the mixture for 5 min. The mixture was heated to 100 ºC for 3 h before it was allowed to reach room temperature, then diluted with AcOEt (20 mL) and washed with sat. aq solution of NaCl (2 x 5 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo. The residue 295 Experimental section was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 8:2) to afford the retro Friedel-Crafts product 46 (3.9 mg, 12%), followed by the oxidated 47 (6.2 mg, 19%). 46: colorless oil; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.60 (d, J = 4.3 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 8.02 (dd, J = 1.3, 7.2 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (dt, J = 1.8, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.80-7.77 (m, 1H), 7.56 (s, 1H), 7.43 (ddd, J = 1.0, 4.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.19 (m, 2H), 6.30-6.28 (m, 1H), 2.44-2.40 (m, 2H), 2.282.22 (m, 2H), 1.84-1.77 (m, 2H), 1.74-1.66 (m, 2H). FAB+ calcd. for C19H18N2O2S (M)+: 338.4; Found: 338.1. 47: colorless oil; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.61 (d, J = 4.3 Hz, 1H), 8.15 (d, J= 7.9 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.89 (dt, J = 1.6, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.80-7.79 (m, 2H), 7.65-7.62 (m, 2H), 7.49-7.43 (m, 3H), 7.40-7.29 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.4, 150.6, 138.1, 135.7, 133.1, 129.4, 128.9, 127.9, 127.6, 127.5, 124.8, 123.9, 123.8, 123.7, 122.3, 120.4, 114.1. FAB+ calcd. for C19H15N2O2S (M+H)+: 335.4; Found: 335.0. 296 Chapter 6 6.2. C− −H olefination of anilines and arylalkylaminesGeneral methods All the reactions were carried out in anhydrous solvents and under a nitrogen atmosphere with exclusion of moisture from reagents, solvents and glassware using standard techniques. Melting points were taken in open-end capillary tubes. NMR spectra were recorded at 25 ºC using a 300 MHz spectrometer [300 MHz (1H), 75 MHz (13C)]. Chemical shifts (δ) are represented in parts per million, referenced to residual protons in the NMR solvent [CDCl3 (unless otherwise specified): 1H NMR δ = 7.26 ppm (singlet); C NMR δ = 77.0 ppm (triplet)]. Data are reported as follows: 13 chemical shift, multiplicity, coupling constant (J, in Hz) and integration. All 13 C NMR spectra were obtained with complete proton decoupling. Mass spectra were determined at an ionizing voltage of 70 eV. Flash column chromatography was performed using 230-400 mesh ultra-pure silica gel. 297 Experimental section 6.2.2. Typical procedure for N-sulfonylation of anilines Synthesis of N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (2). To a solution of aniline (436.2 mg, 4.69 mmol) in THF (47 mL), cooled to 0 ºC and under N2 O O S HN N atmosphere, were successively added pyridine (683 µL, 8.44 mmol, 1.8 equiv,) and a solution of 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (1.0 g, 5.63 mmol, 1.2 equiv) in THF (2 mL). The resulting solution was allowed to reach room temperature and it was stirred overnight, whereby a precipitate was formed. The solid was filtered and discarded. To the filtrate was added water (20 mL) and the THF was removed by evaporation at reduced pressure, yielding a suspension of a white solid in the aqueous medium. The solid was filtered, washed with toluene (2 x 5 mL) and dried under vacuum to give 7 as a white powder; yield: 1.0 g (92%); mp = 170-172 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.21 (bs, 1H), 8.68 (d, J = 4.7 Hz, 1H), 8.03-7.94 (m, 2H), 7.58 (m, 1H), 7.30-7.19 (m, 4H), 7.04 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz): δ 158.0, 150.9, 139.1, 138.6, 129.8 13 (2C), 127.9, 125.3, 123.5, 121.9 (2C). ESI+ calcd. for C11H11N2O2S (M+H)+: 235.0535; Found: 235.0537. N-(2-Methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (24). White solid; yield: 50%; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 7.98 – 7.88 (m, 1H), 7.81 (td, J = 7.7, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.56 (dd, J = 8.0, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.49 – 7.35 (m, 2H), 7.01 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 6.86 (td, J = 7.7, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 6.75 (dd, J = 8.1, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 3.71 (s, 3H). N-(2-Fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (25). White solid; yield: 96%; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 (d, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 8.15 – 7.94 (m, 1H), 7.94 – 7.83 (m, 1H), 7.64 (dt, J = 7.2, 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.51 (ddd, J = 7.2, 4.2, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.35 – 7.18 (m, 1H), 7.14 – 6.95 (m, 3H). ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SF (M+H)+: 253.0441; Found: 253.0444. 298 Chapter 6 N-(3-Methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (26). White solid; yield: 83%; mp = 165-167 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.16 (s, 1H), 7.92 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.82 (td, J = 7.7, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.09 (t, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 6.826.77 (m, 2H), 6.62 (dd, J = 8.3, 1.9 Hz, 1H), 3.71 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 160.2, 156.2, 150.1, 138.1, 137.3, 129.9, 127.0, 123.2, 114.6, 111.5, 108.1, 55.3. ESI+ calcd. for C12H13N2O3S (M+H)+: 265.0641; Found: 265.0652. N-(3-Bromophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (27). White solid; yield: 85%; 1H NMR PyO 2S (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.73 (d, J = 4.3 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, NH 1H), 7.87 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.49 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.8, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.39 (t, J = 1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.22 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.14 (dd, J = Br 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.11 – 7.03 (m, 1H). ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SBr (M+H)+: 312.9640; Found: 312.9634. N-(2-Naphthyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (28). Pale pink solid; yield: 89%; mp = 204206ºC. 1H NMR (DMSO-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 – 8.61 (m, 1H), SO 2Py NH 8.02 (dd, J = 3.8, 1.0 Hz, 2H), 7.76 (t, J = 9.9 Hz, 3H), 7.63 – 7.54 (m, 2H), 7.48 – 7.28 (m, 3H). C NMR (DMSO-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 13 156.3, 150.1, 138.7, 135.3, 133.1, 129.9, 128.8, 127.4, 127.4, 127.1, 126.6, 124.9, 122.5, 120.4, 115.9. ESI+ calcd. for C15H13N2O2S (M+H)+: 285.0692; Found: 285.0692. N-(4-Chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (29). White solid; yield: 76%; mp = 182PyO2S NH 184 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.73 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (s, 1H), 7.92 – 7.81 (m, 2H), 7.49 (ddd, J = 7.1, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.17 (s, 4H). Cl C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.9, 150.1, 138.3, 134.7, 131.3, 13 129.3 (2C), 127.2, 124.1 (2C), 123.3. ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SCl (M+H)+: 269.0146; Found: 269.0161. 299 Experimental section Methyl 4-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate (30). White solid; yield: 40%; mp = 222-224 ºC. 1H NMR (DMSO-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.70 (d, J = 3.8 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (dt, J = 12.0, 4.0 Hz, 2H), 7.87 – 7.76 (m, 2H), 7.71 – 7.58 (m, 1H), 7.27 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 3.77 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (DMSO-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 165.6, 156.1, 150.2, 142.4, 138.9, 130.4, 127.6, 124.2, 122.5, 118.1, 51.8. ESI+ calcd. for C13H13N2O4S (M+H)+: 293.0590; Found: 293.0594. 4-Methyl-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamide (10). Compound 10 was prepared following the typical procedure from aniline (364 µL, 4.00 mmol) and 4methylbenzenesulfonyl chloride (915 mg, 4.80 mmol, 1.2 equiv) to give 4 as a white solid; yield: 752 mg (76%); mp = 96-97 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.90 (s, 1H), 7.67 (d, J = 8.3, 2H), 7.31 (d, J = 7.9, 2H), 7.26 – 7.16 (m, 4H), 7.13 – 7.00 (m, 1H), 2.35 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 144.0, 136.7, 136.2, 129.8, 129.4, 127.4, 125.4, 121.6, 21.6. 6.2.3. Synthesis of the starting functionalized N-alkyl anilines: All these substrates were prepared from the N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (2) following literature procedures. Methyl (E)-3-(N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamido)acrylate (3). Following the literature procedure,216 compound 3 was obtained after flash column chromatography (eluents n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1), as a colourless oil; yield: 67%. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.81 1 (d, J = 4.3 Hz, 1H), 8.44 (d, J = 13.8 Hz, 1H), 7.92 – 7.84 (m, 1H), 7.84 – 7.79 (m, 1H), 7.56 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.7 Hz, 1.5, 1H), 7.45 – 7.32 (m, 3H), 7.01 (dt, J = 6.4, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 4.69 (d, J = 13.8 Hz, 1H), 3.69 (s, 3H). 216 M. Barbazanges, C. Meyer, J. Cossy, Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 3245. 300 Chapter 6 (E)-N-Phenyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylbut-2-enamide procedure, 217 (4). Following the literature compound 4 was obtained as a white solid after column chromatography (eluents n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1); yield: 85%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 8.24 (dt, J = 7.8, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (td, J = 7.8, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.71 – 7.54 (m, 2H), 7.48 (dq, J = 7.4, 1.5 Hz, 4H), 6.90 (dq, J = 15.2, 6.9 Hz, 1H), 5.56 (dd, J = 15.1, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 1.66 (dd, J = 6.9, 1.7 Hz, 3H). N-(But-3-en-1-yl)-N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (5). Following the literature procedure,218 compound 5 was obtained as a colourless oil after column chromatography (eluents n-hexane-EtOAc 4:1); yield: 70%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.76 (dd, J = 5.6, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.83 – 7.75 (m, 1H), 7.74 – 7.68 (m, 1H), 7.47 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.8, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.32 – 7.24 (m, 3H), 7.17 – 7.08 (m, 2H), 5.92 – 5.64 (m, 1H), 5.03 (ddd, J = 14.2, 3.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 3.97 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 2H), 2.92 (d, J = 21.6 Hz, 1H), 2.26 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2H). 6.2.3.1. Preparation of N-[(methoxycarbonyl)methyl]aniline derivatives. Synthesis PyO2 S of methyl N-phenyl-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate suspension N CO2 Me of N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (6). (2) To a (0.44 g, 1.89 mmol) and K2CO3 (390 mg, 2.83 mmol, 1.5 equiv) in CH3CN (10 mL), at room temperature under nitrogen atmosphere, was slowly added methyl bromoacetate (360 mL, 3.78 mmol, 2 equiv). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 12-14 h before it was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was dissolved in EtOAc (15 mL) and washed successively with water (3 x 10 mL) and brine (10 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to dryness. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 4:1) to afford 9 as a pale yellow 217 M. R. Jeddeloh, J. B. Holden, D. H. Nouri, M. J. Kurth, J. Comb. Chem. 2007, 9, 1041. 218 V. A. Rassadin, A. A. Tomashevskiy, V. V. Sokolov, A. Ringe, J. Magull, A. de Meijere, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2009, 2635. 301 Experimental section solid; yield: 560 mg (98%); mp = 91-92 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.73 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.87 – 7.65 (m, 2H), 7.48 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.24 (s, 5H), 4.70 (s, 2H), 3.68 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 169.3, 157.4, 150.0, 139.5, 137.8, 129.2 (2C), 128.9 (2C), 128.3, 126.9, 122.9, 54.1, 52.3. ESI+ calcd. for C14H15N2O4S (M+H)+: 307.0747; Found: 307.0744. Methyl N-(2-methoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate (31). Chroma- tography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 1:1; pale yellow oil; yield: 89%; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.75 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.82 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7, 1H), 7.74 – 7.66 (m, 1H), 7.63 (dd, J = 7.8, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.54 – 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.33 – 7.23 (m, 1H), 6.96 (td, J = 7.6, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 6.75 (dd, J = 8.3, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 4.62 (s, 2H), 3.69 (s, 3H), 3.34 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 169.8, 158.1, 155.7, 149.8, 137.4, 13 133.9, 130.3, 126.7, 126.4, 122.3, 120.9, 111.4, 55.1, 52.1, 51.9. ESI+ calcd. for C15H17N2O5S (M+H)+: 337.0852; Found: 337.0864. Methyl N-(2-fluorophenyl)-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate (32). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1; white solid; yield: 86%; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz) δ: 8.69 (ddd, J = 4.8, 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.89 – 7.76 (m, 1H), 7.71 (dq, J = 8.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.61 – 7.45 (m, 2H), 7.31 – 7.20 (m, 1H), 7.13 – 7.04 (m, 1H), 7.01 – 6.90 (m, 1H), 4.59 (s, 2H), 3.62 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 125 MHz) δ: 168.8, 158.9 (d, JC-F = 252.0 Hz), 157.0, 150.0, 137.8, 133.0, 130.4 (d, JC-F = 8.1 Hz), 126.9, 126.2 (d, (d, JC-F = 11.7 Hz), 124.4 (d, JC-F = 3.7 Hz), 122.2, 116.3 (d, JC-F = 20.0 Hz), 52.5 (d, JC-F = 2.8 Hz), 52.1. 19 F NMR (CDCl3, 282 MHz) δ: -119.6. ESI+ calcd. for C14H14N2O4SF (M+H)+: 325.0658; Found: 325.0654. Methyl N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate (33). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; colourless oil; yield: 98%; 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.79 – 8.61 (m, 1H), 7.86 – 7.69 (m, 2H), 7.47 (ddd, J = 7.2, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.12 (t, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 6.85 – 6.80 (m, 1H), 6.79 – 6.72 (m, 2H), 4.67 (s, 2H), 3.68 302 Chapter 6 (s, 3H), 3.66 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 169.1, 159.8, 157.2, 149.8, 140.4, 13 137.7, 129.6, 126.8, 122.8, 120.4, 114.5, 114.0, 55.1, 54.0, 52.1. ESI+ calcd. for C15H17N2O5S (M+H)+: 337.0852; Found: 337.0859. Methyl N-(3-bromophenyl)- N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate (34). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; colourless oil; yield: 94%; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.88 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.04 – 7.96 (m, 1H), 7.95 – 7.89 (m, 1H), 7.65 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.57 (t, J = 2.0 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (ddd, J = 7.8, 1.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.43 – 7.36 (m, 1H), 7.33 – 7.24 (m, 1H), 4.81 (s, 2H), 3.84 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 169.1, 157.3, 150.2, 140.9, 138.1, 132.0, 131.6, 130.5, 127.8, 127.1, 123.0, 122.4, 54.0, 52.5. ESI+ calcd. for C14H14N2O4SBr (M+H)+: 386.9837; Found: 386.9828. Methyl N-2-naphthyl-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate (35). Chromatography eluent SO 2Py N CO2 Me n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; pale pink solid; yield: 91%; mp = 9091 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.78 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 7.84 – 7.65 (m, 6H), 7.52 – 7.42 (m, 3H), 7.35 (dd, J = 8.8, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 4.82 (s, 2H), 3.69 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 169.2, 157.4, 13 150.0, 137.7, 136.7, 133.2, 132.6, 129.1, 128.1, 127.9, 127.5, 126.8, 126.7, 126.4, 126.3, 122.9, 54.2, 52.2. ESI+ calcd. for C18H17N2O4S (M+H)+: 357.0903; Found: 357.0916. Methyl N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate (36). Chromatography PyO2 S N CO2 Me eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; pale yellow solid; yield: 93%; mp = 86-88 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 (d, J = 4.7 Hz, 1H), 7.92 – 7.69 (m, 2H), 7.50 (ddd, J = 7.3, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.23 (s, Cl J = 8.1 Hz, 4H), 4.67 (s, 2H), 3.69 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 169.0, 157.3, 150.0, 138.0, 137.9, 134.3, 130.3 (2C), 129.4 (2C), 126.9, 123.0, 53.9, 52.4. ESI+ calcd. for C14H14N2O4SCl (M+H)+: 341.0357; Found: 341.0351. 303 Experimental section Methyl 4-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]aminobenzoate (37). PyO2 S N CO2 Me Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; yellow solid; yield: 89%; mp = 76-78 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.72 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 7.93 (d, J = 8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.82 (ddd, J = 20.8, 10.5, 4.4 Hz, 2H), 7.53 – 7.46 (m, 1H), 7.35 (d, J = 8.5 Hz, 2H), 4.73 CO2 Me (s, 2H), 3.87 (s, 4H), 3.69 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.9, 166.1, 157.1, 150.0, 143.7, 137.9, 130.5 (2C), 129.4, 127.8 (2C), 127.0, 122.8, 53.5, 52.4, 52.2. ESI+ calcd. for C16H17N2O6S (M+H)+: 365.0801; Found: 365.0816. N-(Cyanomethyl)-N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (7). Following the general procedure but using bromoacetonitrile, compound 7 was obtained as a pale brown solid. Chromatography eluents: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; yield: 87%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.81 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.01 – 7.83 (m, 1H), 7.79 (dd, J = 7.8, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.56 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.34 (dd, J = 4.9, 2.0 Hz, 3H), 7.24 – 7.14 (m, 2H), 4.89 (s, 3H). Ethyl N-phenyl-N-tosylglycinate (11). Following the general procedure but using the commercially available tosyl chloride and ethyl bromoacetate, compound 11 was obtained as a pale yellow solid. Chromatography eluents: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1; yield: 82%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.59 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.40 – 7.13 (m, 7H), 4.43 (s, 2H), 4.19 (q, J = 7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.45 (s, 3H), 1.25 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 3H). ESI+ calcd. for C17H20NO4S (M+H)+: 334.1107; Found: 334.1121. 6.2.4. General procedure for N-sulfonylation of N-methyl-N-(2- pyridyl)sulfonyl arylalkylamines The N-methyl-substituted substrates were prepared by reaction of the corresponding commercially available N-alkylamine derivative with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (see Scheme below). Identical procedure was followed for the preparation of the the N-benzyl aniline derivative 52. The N-tosyl derivatives 59 and 69, used in 304 Chapter 6 control experiments, were prepared following the same procedure as above using commercially available p-toluenesulfonyl chloride. To a solution of the corresponding commercially available N-methyl arylalkylamine (5.0 mmol) and pyridine (720 µL, 7.5 mmol, 1.5 equiv) in THF (50 mL), cooled to 0 ºC and under nitrogen atmosphere, was slowly added 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (1.3 g, 7.5 mmol, 1.5 equiv). The resulting solution was allowed to reach room temperature and stirred at room temperature overnight. The mixture was quenched with sat aq. NH4Cl solution (10 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (3 x 20 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (SiO2, chromatography eluent n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1), affording the corresponding N-2-pyridylsulfonyl arylalkylamine. N-Benzyl-N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (52). White solid; yield: 73%; mp = 7981 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.85 (d, J = 4.3 Hz, 1H), 7.82 (dt, J = 1.1, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.78 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (m, 1H), 7.35-7.15 (m, 9H), 7.07 (m, 1H), 5.14 (s, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.6, 150.1, 138.8, 137.8, 136.4, 129.2 (2C), 129.0 (2C), 128.6 (2C), 128.4 (2C), 128.0, 127.7, 126.8, 123.2, 57.0. ESI+ calcd. for C18H17N2O2S (M+H)+: 325.1011; Found: 325.1017. N-Benzyl-N-methylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (58). White solid; yield: 89%; mp = 8890 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 (d, J= 4.5 Hz, 1H), 7.99 (d, J= 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (dt, J= 1.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.51 (m, 1H), 7.49-7.26 (m, 5H), 4.45 (s, 2H), 2.80 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 157.4, 150.1, 137.9, 136.0, 128.6 (2C), 128.3 (2C), 127.8, 126.5, 305 Experimental section 122.8, 55.0, 35.1. ESI+ calcd. for C13H15N2O2S (M+H)+: 263.0854; Found: 263.0850. N-Benzyl-N-methyl-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide (59).219 Following the typical procedure but using tosyl chloride (1.5 equiv) compound 59 was obtained as a white solid; yield: 81%; mp = 86-88 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.67 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.31-7.25 (m, 7H), 4.07 (s, 2H), 2.53 (s, 3H), 2.40 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 143.5, 135.8, 134.7, 129.8 (2C), 128.7 (2C), 128.4 (2C), 127.9, 127.6 (2C), 54.2, 34.4, 21.6. N-Methyl-N-(2-phenethyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (68). White solid; yield: 85%; mp = 99-101 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.71 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.96 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (dt, J = 1.5, 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.49 (m, 1H), 7.34-7.22 (m, 5H), 3.53 (m, 2H), 2.98 (s, 3H), 2.93 (m, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.0, 138.4, 137.9, 128.9 (2C), 128.6 (2C), 126.5 (2C), 122.6, 52.7, 36.1, 35.2. ESI+ calcd. for C14H17N2O2S (M+H)+: 277.1011; Found: 277.1016. N-Methyl-N-(2-phenethyl)-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide (69).220 Following the typical procedure but using tosyl chloride (1.5 equiv) compound 69 was obtained as a pink solid; yield: 88%; mp = 77-79 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.67 (d, J= 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.33-7.20 (m, 7H), 3.28 (m, 2H), 2.87 (m, 2H), 2.77 (s, 3H), 2.44 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 144.3, 138.4, 134.9, 129.7 (2C), 128.8 (2C), 128.6 (2C), 127.4 (2C), 126.6, 51.8, 35.2 34.9, 21.5. ESI+ calcd. for C16H20NO2S (M+H)+: 290.1215; Found: 290.1217. 219 a) D. A. Powell, G. Pelletier, Tetrahedron Lett. 2008, 49, 2495; b) D. A. Powell, H. Fan, J. Org. Chem. 2010, 75, 2726. 220 H. Aikawa, S. Tago, K. Umetsu, N. Haginiwa, N. Asao, Tetrahedron 2009, 65, 1774. 306 Chapter 6 N-Methyl-N-[2-(4-methylphenyl)ethyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide (97). White solid; O O Me S N N yield: 86%; mp = 84-86 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (d, J = 6.7 Hz, 1H), 7.87 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (m, 1H), 7.22 (m, 4H), 3.42 (m, 2H), 2.95 (s, 3H), 2.91 (m, 2H), 2.34 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.4, 150.0, 137.8, 136.5, 13 135.2, 129.2 (2C), 128.7 (2C), 126.4, 122.6, 52.7, 36.0, 34.7, 21.0. ESI+ calcd. for C15H19N2O2S (M+H)+: 291.1167; Found: 291.1162. Me N-Methyl-N-[2-(4-clorophenyl)ethyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide O O S Me N N (98). White solid; yield: 81%; mp = 97-99 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J = 4.5 Hz, 1H), 7.92-7.85 (m, 2H), 7.45 (m, 1H), 7.23 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 3.49 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.92 (s, 3H), 2.88 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.0, 137.9, 136.8, 132.3, 130.2 (2C), 128.7 (2C), 126.5, 122.6, 52.5, 36.0, 34.5. ESI+ calcd. for C14H16ClN2O2S (M+H)+: 311.0621; Found: Cl 311.0626. N-Methyl-N-[2-(3-methylphenyl)ethyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide (99). White solid; yield: 79%; mp = 73-75 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.69 (m, 1H), 7.96-7.87 (m, 2H), 7.48 (m, 1H), 7.15 (m, 1H), 7.05- 7.00 (m, 3H), 3.50 (m, 2H), 2.97 (s, 3H), 2.88 (m, 2H), 2.34 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.4, 149.9, 137.8, 136.0, 135.2, 129.2 (2C), 128.7 (2C), 126.4, 122.6, 52.7, 36.0, 35.1, 21.4. ESI+ calcd. for C15H19N2O2S (M+H)+: 291.1167; Found: 291.1162. N-Methyl-N-[2-(3-clorophenyl)ethyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide (100). White solid; O O Me S N N yield: 84%; mp = 90-92 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 7.93-7.80 (m, 2H), 7.46 (m, 1H), 7.20-7.15 (m, 3H), 7.09 (d, J= 5.5 Hz, 1H), 3.50 (s, 3H), 2.93 (s, 3H), 2.88 (m, 2H). 13 Cl C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.2, 150.0, 140.4, 137.9, 134.2, 129.8, 127.1, 126.7, 126.5, 122.6, 52.4, 36.1, 34.9. ESI+ calcd. for C14H16ClN2O2S (M+H)+: 311,0621; Found: 311.0626. 307 Experimental section N-Methyl-N-[2-(2-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (101). White solid; yield: 83%; mp = 75-77 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J = 3.8 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.23-7.12 (m, 2H), 6.88-6.80 (m, 2H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.45 (m, 2H), 2.97 (s, 3H), 2.88 (m, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.5 (2C), 150.0, 137.8, 130.6, 127.9, 126.7, 126.3, 122.6, 120.6, 110.3, 55.3, 50.9, 25.9, 29.9. ESI+ calcd. for C15H19N2O3S (M+H)+: 307.1116; Found: 307.1119. N-Methyl-N-[2-(2-methylphenyl)ethyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (102). White solid; yield: 76%; mp = 80-82 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 7.93 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 1H), 7.87 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (m, 1H), 7.22 (s, 4H), 3.42 (2H, m), 2.99 (s, 3H), 2.91 (m, 2H), 2.34 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.4, 150.0, 137.8, 13 136.5, 136.3, 130.4, 129.5, 126.7, 126.4, 126.2, 122.6, 51.6, 36.1, + 32.7, 19.3. ESI calcd. for C15H19N2O2S (M+H)+: 291.1167; Found: 291.1164. N-Methyl-N-[2-(2-clorophenyl)ethyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide (103). White solid; yield: 85%; mp = 102-104 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (m, 1H), 7.92 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.87 (t, J = 6.5 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (t, J = 5.3 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.16 (m, 4H), 3.50 (m, 2H), 3.04 (m, 2H), 2.97(s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.0, 137.9, 136.0, 134.0, 131.3, 129.5, 128.2, 127.1, 126.4, 122.6, 50.7, 36.1, 33.0. ESI+ calcd. for C14H16ClN2O2S (M+H)+: 311.0621; Found: 311.0622. N-Methyl-N-(2-(naphthalen-2-yl)ethyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (104). Pale brown solid; yield: 76%; mp = 90-92 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.63 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.89 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.83-7.74 (m, 4H), 7.62 (s, 1H), 7.47-7.38 (m, 3H), 7.32 (d, J = 8.4 Hz , 1H), 3.60 (m, 2H), 3.06 (m, 2H), 2.97 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.4, 149.9, 137.8, 135.9, 133.6, 132.3, 128.2, 127.6, 127.5, 127.3 (2C), 126.4, 126.1, 125.5, 122.6, 53.0, 36.1, 35.4. ESI+ calcd. for 308 Chapter 6 C18H19N2O2S (M+H)+: 327.1167; Found: 327.1169. N-Methyl-N-(3-phenylpropyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (71). Colourless oil; yield: 79%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.69 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.88 (dt, J = 1.5, 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.47 (m, 1H), 7.307.25 (m, 2H), 7.20-7.15 (m, 3H), 3.31 (m, 2H), 2.93(s, 3H), 2.67 (m, 2H), 1.89 (m, 2H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.2, 150.0, 141.4, 13 137.9, 128.4 (2C), 128.3 (2C), 126.4, 126.0, 122.7, 50.6, 35.5, 32.8, + 29.6. ESI calcd. for C15H19N2O2S (M+H)+: 291.1167; Found: 291.1169. N-Methyl-N-(4-phenylbutyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (73). Colourless oil; yield: 77%. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.71 (d, J = 4.5 Hz, 1H), 7.97 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (m, 1H), 7.33-7.29 ( m, 2H), 7.23-7.19 (m, 3H), 3.31 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H), 2.67 (m, 2H), 1.72-1.60 (m, 4H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.0, 13 142.1, 137.8, 128.4 (2C), 128.3 (2C), 126.4, 125.8, 122.7, 50.7, 35.6, 35.1, 28.1, 27.3. ESI+ calcd. for C16H21N2O2S (M+H)+: 305.1324; Found: 305.1328. 6.2.5. General procedure for the C− −H alkenylation reaction A screw-capped test tube was charged with the corresponding aniline derivative (0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.32 mg, 0.015 mmol, 10 mol%) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6- trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv). The mixture was placed under nitrogen atmosphere before DCE (1.5 mL) and butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were successively added. The mixture was heated to 110 ºC for 18 h, and then it was allowed to reach room temperature, diluted with CH2Cl2 (10 mL) and filtered through a pad of Celite. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by flash chromatography. Eluents would be specified in each case. 309 Experimental section Methyl M eO2 C (E)-3-{2-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-amino]N phenyl}acrylate (8). Methyl acrylate (64 µL, 0.75 mmol, SO2 Py 5.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate CO2 Me (87 mg, 0.3vmmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 91%; mp = 152-153 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.79 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (d, J = 16.1 Hz, 1H), 7.84 (td, J = 7.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.73 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.67 – 7.58 (m, 1H), 7.52 (dd, J = 7.0, 5.2 Hz, 1H), 7.38 – 7.24 (m, 3H), 6.34 (d, J = 16.1 Hz, 1H), 4.68 (d, J = 14.1 Hz, 2H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.70 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.8, 166.6, 156.9, 150.2, 140.0, 138.3, 137.8, 134.6, 130.8, 130.6, 129.1, 127.1, 126.9, 122.8, 119.9, 54.3, 52.2, 51.6. ESI+ calcd. for C18H19N2O6S (M+H)+: 391.0958; Found: 391.0947. Methyl N-{[2-(E)-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl]phenyl}-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]glycinate MeO2 C N (13). Phenyl vinyl sulfone (50 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) SO2 Py SO2Ph and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2-EtOAc 30:1; pale yellow solid; yield: 83%; mp = 204-206 ºC. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.82 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.28 (d, J = 15.6 1 Hz, 1H), 8.04–7.96 (m, 2H), 7.84 (td, J = 7.8, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.73 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.62 – 7.50 (m, 5H), 7.32 – 7.26 (m, 2H), 7.17 – 7.10 (m, 1H), 6.83 (d, J = 15.5 Hz, 1H), 4.68 (d, J = 34.6 Hz, 2H), 3.74 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.7, 13 156.9, 150.5, 140.6, 139.3, 139.1, 138.0, 133.6, 133.3, 131.5, 130.2, 129.4, 129.3, 129.2, 127.9, 127.7, 127.2, 123.0, 54.8, 52.5. ESI+ calcd. for C22H21N2O6S2 (M+H)+: 473.0835, Found: 473.0854. (E)- and (Z)-Methyl N-{2-[(Z)-cyanovinyl]phenyl}-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]-glycinate (E-14 and Z-14). Acrylonitrile (20 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatographic purification (n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1) of the crude reaction 310 Chapter 6 mixture affords a 50:50 mixture of E-14 and Z-14 as a colourless oil; yield: 89%. Small samples of pure E-14 and Z-14 could be isolated by partial but incomplete chromatographic separation. Data for E-14: 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 (d, J = 4.0 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (d, J = 16.8 Hz, 1H), 7.80 (td, J = 7.7, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.56 – 7.43 (m, 2H), 7.24 (ddd, J = 10.6, 9.8, 4.8 Hz, 2H), 7.03 (d, J = 7.3 Hz, 1H), 5.76 (d, J = 16.8 Hz, 1H), 4.63 (d, J = 64.2 Hz, 2H), 3.63 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.7, 156.7, 150.2, 146.9, 138.2, 138.0, 134.5, 131.6, 129.8, 129.3, 127.3, 126.3, 123.0, 117.9, 97.7, 54.5, 52.3. ESI+ calcd. for C17H16N3O4S (M+H)+: 358.0856; Found: 358.0866. Data for Z-14: 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.78 (d, J = 4.7 Hz, 1H), 8.22 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 8.04 (d, J = 12.2 Hz, 1H), 7.85 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.72 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.54 (dd, J = 7.0, 4.7 Hz, 1H), 7.39 (t, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.32 – 7.20 (m, 1H), 6.93 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 5.58 (d, J = 12.2 Hz, 1H), 4.70 (d, J = 112.0 Hz, 2H), 3.68 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.9, 156.8, 150.1, 145.9, 138.6, 138.0, 134.9, 131.2, 129.3, 128.8, 128.7, 127.2, 123.4, 117.1, 96.9, 54.7, 52.3. ESI+ calcd. for C17H16N3O4S (M+H)+: 358.0856; Found: 358.0868. Methyl MeO2 C N-{[2-(E)-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)vinyl]phenyl}-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]N SO2 Py glycinate OO P O (15). Dimethyl vinylphosphonate (36 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2-EtOAc 1:1. Pale yellow oil; yield: 93%. H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.87 (dd, J = 4.7, 0.7 Hz, 1H), 8.27 1 (dd, J = 23.2, 17.9 Hz, 1H), 8.04 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.87 (dd, J = 7.8, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.78 – 7.73 (m, 1H), 7.71 (dd, J = 5.7, 4.8 Hz, 1H), 7.38 (dd, J = 11.2, 4.0 Hz, 1H), 7.29 (td, J = 7.7, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.03 (dd, J = 8.0, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 6.45 (dd, J = 18.6, 18.0 Hz, 1H), 4.78 (d, J = 117.9 Hz, 2H), 3.82 (s, 3H), 3.79 (s, 2H), 3.68 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ 170.15, 157.44, 151.44, 146.28, 146.18, 139.65, 139.34, 136.81, 136.49, 131.63, 130.10, 130.08, 129.91, 128.55, 127.66, 123.74, 311 Experimental section 119.68, 115.94, 113.42, 55.40, 53.17, 53.10, 52.62. ESI+ calcd. for C18H22N2O7SP (M+H)+: 441.0879; Found: 441.0877. Methyl (E)-3-{5-chloro-2-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]phenyl}acrylate (38). Methyl acrylate (67 µL, 0.75 mmol, 5.0 equiv) and 1MeO2C fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, SO 2Py N CO2Me 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 2:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 79%; mp = 111112 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.77 (d, J = 4.0 Cl Hz, 1H), 7.86 (dd, J = 15.4, 6.3 Hz, 2H), 7.75 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.57 (s, 1H), 7.55 – 7.48 (m, 1H), 7.30 – 7.23 (m, 2H), 6.31 (d, J = 16.1 Hz, 1H), 4.62 (d, J = 31.5 Hz, 2H), 3.79 (d, J = 0.8 Hz, 3H), 3.69 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.7, 166.2, 156.9, 150.3, 138.7, 137.9, 136.7, 136.4, 135.2, 132.4, 130.5, 127.0, 127.0, 122.8, 121.1, 54.16, 52.26, 51.74. ESI+ calcd. for C18H18N2O6SCl (M+H)+: 425.0568; Found: 425.0557. Methyl 3-[(E)-2-(methoxycarbonyl)vinyl]-4-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2- pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate (39). Methyl acrylate (67 µL, 0.75 mmol, 5.0 equiv) MeO 2C N and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, SO 2Py CO 2Me 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 73%; mp = CO2Me 136-139 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.76 (d, J = 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.27 (d, J = 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.99 – 7.87 (m, 2H), 7.82 (td, J = 7.7, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.71 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.51 (dd, J = 6.8, 4.8 Hz, 1H), 7.36 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 1H), 6.42 (d, J = 16.1 Hz, 1H), 4.65 (s, 2H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 3.78 (s, 3H), 3.66 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.6, 166.4, 165.5, 156.8, 150.3, 142.0, 139.1, 138.0, 135.0, 131.2, 131.0, 130.7, 128.5, 127.1, 122.8, 121.0, 54.0, 52.4, 52.3, 51.7. ESI+ calcd. for C20H21N2O8S (M+H)+: 449,1013; Found: 449.1024. 312 Chapter 6 Methyl (E)-3-{4-methoxy-2-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl- amino]phenyl}acrylate (40). Methyl acrylate (67 µL, 0.75 mmol, 5.0 equiv) and 1MeO2C N fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, SO2 Py CO 2Me 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 2:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 67%; mp = 142- MeO 143 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.75 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 7.91 – 7.66 (m, 3H), 7.59 – 7.41 (m, 2H), 6.85 (dd, J = 6.6, 2.3 Hz, 2H), 6.17 (d, J = 16.0 Hz, 1H), 4.62 (d, J = 52.2 Hz, 2H), 3.73 (s, 3H), 3.68 (s, 3H), 3.67 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.8, 166.8, 161.2, 157.0, 150.2, 139.6, 139.4, 137.8, 128.0, 126.9, 126.7, 122.8, 117.4, 116.0, 115.7, 55.4, 54.3, 52.2, 51.4. ESI+ calcd. for C19H21N2O7S (M+H)+: 421.1063; Found: 421.1052. Methyl (E)-3-{3-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]-2- naphthyl}acrylate (41). Methyl acrylate (67 µL, 0.75 mmol, 5.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) MeO2 C N were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1; SO2 Py yellow solid; yield: 84%; mp = 158-159 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.79 (d, J = 3.9 Hz, 1H), 8.08 – 8.02 (m, 2H), CO2 Me 7.80- 7.64 (m, 3H), 7.71 – 7.59 (m, 2H), 7.51 – 7.29 (m, 3H), 6.46 (d, J = 16.0 Hz, 1H), 4.74 (d, J = 53.1 Hz, 2H), 3.79 (s, 3H), 3.66 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 168.9, 166.8, 157.0, 150.4, 140.6, 137.9, 135.6, 133.8, 132.8, 132.1, 130.5, 128.2, 127.9, 127.7, 127.6, 127.5, 127.1, 123.0, 119.9, 54.6, 52.3, 51.7. ESI+ calcd. for C22H21N2O6S (M+H)+: 441.1114; Found: 441.1104. Methyl (E)-3-(4-bromo-2-[N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl- amino]phenyl}acrylate (42). Methyl acrylate (67 µL, 0.75 mmol, 5.0 equiv) and 1fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 2:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 67%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.99 – 8.64 (m, 1H), 7.98 – 7.81 (m, 2H), 7.81 – 7.72 (m, 1H), 7.62 – 7.48 (m, 1H), 7.48 – 7.43 (m, 2H), 6.41 – 313 Experimental section 6.21 (m, 1H), 4.63 (s, 2H), 3.79 (s, 3H), 3.71 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 168.8, 166.6, 157.0, 150.5, 139.5, 139.2, 138.1, 134.3, 134.1, 132.7, 128.4, 127.3, 124.0, 123.1, 120.6, 54.4, 52.5, 51.9. Butyl (2E)-3-{2-[{2-[(1E)-3-butoxy-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl]benzyl}(pyridin-2- ylsulfonyl)amino]phenyl}acrylate (53). Butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Yellow oil; yield: 65%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.87 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (dt, J = 1.7, 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.80 (d, J = 7.2 Hz, 1H), 7.56-7.13 (m, 8H), 6.85 (dd, J = .6, 7.4 Hz, 1H), 5.98 (d, J = 16.1 Hz, 1H), 5.92 (d, J = 15.6 Hz, 1H), 5.42 (m, 1H), 4.80 (m, 1H), 4.16-4.09 (m, 4H), 3.52 (s, 3H), 1.70-1.60 (m, 4H), 1.48-1.37 (m, 4H), 1.01-0.93 (m, 6H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.4, 166.1, 157.8, 150.4 (2C), 140.5, 139.5, 137.9 (2C), 137.1, 136.5, 134.5, 132.2, 130.5, 130.2, 130.1, 129.0, 128.7, 127.1, 126.8, 126.4, 123.2, 120.2 (2C), 64.2 (2C), 54.1, 30.8 (2C), 19.2 (2C), 13.8 (2C). ESI+ calcd. for C33H38NO6S (M+H+): 576.2420; Found: 576.2427. Butyl (E)-3-(2-{[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]methyl}phenyl)acrylate (60). Butyl acrylate (24 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 81%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.75(d, J = 4.0 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 1H), 8.00 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.93 (dt, J = 1.3, 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.57 (d, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.577.50 (m, 2H), 7.40 (dt, J = 1.3, 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.33 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 6.36 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 1H), 4.61(s, 2H), 4.21 (m, 2H), 2.79 (s, 3H), 1.69 (m, 2H), 1.43 (m, 2H), 0.96 (m, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.9, 157.0, 150.1, 140.9, 138.0, 134.8, 133.8, 13 130.3, 129.6, 128.3, 126.9, 126.7, 122.9, 120.9, 64.6, 52.0, 35.3, 30.7, 19.2, 13.8. ESI+ calcd. for C20H25N2O4S (M+H+): 389.1535; Found: 389.1538. 314 Chapter 6 N-Methyl-2-[2-(E)-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl]-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]benzylamine (63). Phenyl vinyl sulfone (50 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2EtOAc 20:1. Yellow oil; yield: 73%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.76 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.14 (d, J = 15.2 Hz, 1H), 7.97 (ddd, J = 10.5, 9.2, 4.3 Hz, 4H), 7.71–7.22 (m, 6H), 6.80 (d, J = 15.2 Hz, 1H), 4.61 (s, 2H), 2.73 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.7, 150.1, 140.4, 139.1, 138.0, 135.3, 133.4, 131.8, 131.0, 130.1, 129.9, 129.3, 128.5, 127.8, 127.5, 126.7, 122.9, 52.3, 35.2. ESI+ calcd. for C21H20N2O4S (M+H+): 428.0864; Found: 428.0868. Phenyl (E)-2-(2-{[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]methyl}phenyl)ethenesulfonate (64). Phenyl vinyl sulfonate (52 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, Chromatography eluent: 2.0 equiv) were used. n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1. Pale yellow oil; yield: 71%. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.5, 1.0 Hz, 1 1H), 7.94–7.80 (m, 3H), 7.56–7.39 (m, 4H), 7.39–7.24 (m, 3H), 7.24 – 7.10 (m, 3H), 6.72 (d, J = 15.3 Hz, 1H), 4.44 (s, 2H), 2.66 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 157.0, 150.1, 149.5, 142.8, 138.0, 135.8, 131.7, 130.9, 129.8, 129.7, 128.5, 127.3, 127.2, 126.7, 123.2, 122.8, 122.3, 51.8, 35.4. ESI+ calcd. for C21H20N2O5S2 (M+H+): 444.0814; Found: 444.0817. Dimethyl (E)-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)aminomethyl]phenyl}vinylphosphonate (65). Dimethyl vinylphosphonate (36 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethyl- pyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 1:6. Pale yellow oil; yield: 80%. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.86–8.78 (m, 1H), 8.23– 8.11 (m, 2H), 8.11–8.03 (m, 1H), 7.81 (dt, J = 5.8, 2.8 Hz, 1H), 7.74 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 6.43 (dd, J = 18.7, 17.4 Hz, 1H), 4.63 (s, 2H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.76 (s, 3H), 2.72 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ 157.2, 151.1, 146.8, 146.7, 315 Experimental section 139.5, 135.7, 135.4, 135.3, 131.8, 131.8, 130.9, 129.6, 128.2, 127.8, 127.8, 123.9, 117.2, 114.7, 53.5, 53.0, 53.0, 35.2. ESI+ calcd. for C17H21N2O5PS (M+H+): 396.0909; Found: 396.0912. Butyl (E)-3-(2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]ethyl}phenyl)acrylate (74). Butyl acrylate (24 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. White solid; yield: 87%; mp = 65-67 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.64 (cd, J = 0.9, 4.2 Hz, 1H), 7.98-7.89 (m, 2H), 7.86 (dt, J = 1.6, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.54 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.30-7.23 (m, 3H), 6.36 (d, J = 15.9 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (m, 2H), 3.44 (m, 2H), 3.03 (m, 2H), 2.94 (s, 3H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.42 (m, 2H), 0.94 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.9, 157.4, 150.0, 141.2, 137.9, 137.8, 133.3, 130.8, 130.3, 127.3, 126.7, 126.4, 122.7, 120.7, 64.5, 52.3, 36.2, 32.6, 30.8, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C21H27N2O4S (M+H+): 403.1692; Found: 403.1698. Butyl (2E)-3-(2-{3-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]propyl}phenyl)acrylate (76). Butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (130 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 78%. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.68 1 (dd, J=0.9, 4.7 Hz, 1H), 7.97-7.85 (m, 3H), 7.55 (m, 1H), 7.46 (m, 1H), 7.35-7.19 (m, 3H), 6.36 (d, J=15.9 Hz, 1H), 4.21 (m, 2H), 3.33 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H), 2.81 (m, 2H), 1.82 (m, 2H), 1.67 (m, 2H), 1.43 (m, 2H), 0.94 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.0, 157.2, 149.9, 141.7, 141.0, 137.8, 133.0, 130.2, 130.1, 126.7 (2C), 126.4, 122.8, 119.8, 64.5, 50.6, 35.4, 30.8, 30.3, 29.5, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C22H29N2O4S (M+H+): 417.1848; Found: 417.1845. 316 Chapter 6 Methyl (E)-3-(2-(2-(N-methylpyridine-2-sulfonamido)ethyl)phenyl)acrylate (78). Methyl acrylate (14 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: hexane-EtOAc 9:1. White solid; yield: 86%; mp = 77-79 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.65 (d, J = 4.4 Hz, 1H), 7.99-7.91 (m, 2H), 7.86 (dt, J = 1.5, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.30-7.21 (m, 3H), 6.34 (d, J = 15.8 Hz, 1H), 3.79 (s, 3H), 3.43 (m, 2H), 3.04 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.2, 157.4, 150.0, 141.6, 137.9, 137.8, 132.2, 130.8, 130.3, 127.3, 126.7, 126.4, 122.7, 119.8, 52.3, 51.7, 36.3, 32.6. ESI+ calcd. for C18H21N2O4S (M+H+): 361.1222; Found: 361.1226. (E)-3-{2-[2-N-Methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonylamino)ethyl]phenyl}acrylonitrile (79). Acrylonitrile (11 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 8:1. White solid; yield: 72 %; mp = 93-95 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.68 (d, J=4.3 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.90 (dt, J=1.7, 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.73 (d, J=16.3 Hz, 1H), 7.49-7.46 (m, 2H), 7.37 (t, J=7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.29-7.26 (m, 2H), 5.82 (d, J= 16.3 Hz, 1H), 3.44 (m, 2H), 3.02 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.0, 13 147.7, 138.0, 137.6, 132.6, 131.2, 130.9, 127.6, 126.6, 126.0, 122.7, 118.1, 98.4, 52.2, 36.3, 32.6. ESI+ calcd. for C17H18N3O2S (M+H+): 328.1120; Found: 328.1127. N-Methyl-2-{[(E)-2-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl]phenyl}-N-[(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]ethanamine (80). Phenyl vinyl sulfone (28 mg, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 1:1. White solid; yield: 83%; mp = 137-139 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.73 (d, J=4.4 Hz, 1H), 8.04-8.00 (m, 4H), 7.94 (t, J=6.6 Hz, 1H), 7.65-7.47 (m, 5H), 7.41-7.24 (m, 3H), 6.84 (d, J=15.2 Hz, 1H), 3.48 (m, 2H), 3.11 (m, 2H), 3.02 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.1, 13 140.5, 139.3, 138.4, 138.0, 133.4, 131.2 (2C), 131.1, 129.4 (2C), 129.3, 127.8 (2C), 317 Experimental section 127.5, 127.2, 126.5, 122.8, 52.4, 36.2, 32.5. ESI+ calcd. for C22H23N2O4S2 (M+H+): 443.1099; Found: 443.1095. Phenyl (E)-2-{2-[2-(N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino)ethyl]phenyl}vinylsulfonate (81). Phenyl vinyl sulfonate (30 mg, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 1:1. White solid; yield: 81%; mp = 197-199 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.59 (m, 1H), 7.88-7.78 (m, 2 H), 7.68 (dd, J = 2.0, 15.3 Hz, 1H), 7.42-7.13 (m, 10 H), 6.70 (dd, J=2.3, 15.3 Hz, 1H), 3.25 (m, 2H), 2.86 (m, 2H), 2.76 (d, J=2.2 Hz, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.1, 13 149.6, 143.3, 138.6, 137.9, 131.7, 131.2, 130.6, 129.9 (2C), 127.6, 127.3, 127.1, 126.5, 122.7, 122.5 (2C), 122.4, 52.1, 36.1, 32.4. ESI+ calcd. for C22H23N2O5S2 (M+H+): 459.1048. Found: 459.1042. Dimethyl (E)-2-{2-[2-(N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino)ethyl]phenyl}vinylphosphonate (82). Vinyl phosphonate (18 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 1:3. Orange oil; yield: 69%. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.70 (d, J=4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.99 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.95-7.83 (m, 2H), 7.57 (d, J=7.0 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (m, 1H), 7.40-7.25 (m, 3H), 6.23 (t, J= 17.4 Hz, 1H), 3.84 (s, 3H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.49 (m, 2H), 3.09 (m, 2H), 2.99 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.2, 149.0, 145.4, 145.3, 136.9, 136.4, 13 132.8 (d, JC−P=22.5 Hz), 129.7, 129.4, 126.3, 125.5 (d, JC−P=3.8 Hz), 121.7, 113.5 (d, JC−P=171.5 Hz), 51.6, 51.5, 51.3, 35.2, 31.5. ESI+: calcd for C18H24N2O5PS (M+H+): 411,1144. Found: 411,1148. 318 Chapter 6 Dibutyl (E,E)-3,3'-(2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}-1,3- phenylene)bisacrylate (83). Butyl acrylate (61 µL, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) and 1fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Yellow solid; yield: 84%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.59 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.97 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 2H), 7.92 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.82 (dt, J = 1.5, 7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.48 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.37 (m, 1H), 7.23 (m, 1H), 6.27 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 2H), 4.14 (m, 4H), 3.31 (m, 2H), 3.07 (m, 2H), 2.97 (s, 3H), 1.62 (m, 4H), 1.35 (m, 4H), 0.88 (m, 6H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.6 (2C), 13 157.6, 150.0 (2C), 141.4 (2C), 137.9, 136.4, 135.0 (2C), 128.5 (2C), 127.5, 126.4, 122.7, 121.9 (2C), 64.6, 51.4, 36.2, 30.7 (2C), 28.1, 19.2 (2C), 13.7 (2C). ESI+: calcd. for C28H37N2O6S (M+H+): 529.2372; Found: 529.2375. Dimethyl (E,E)-3,3'-(2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}-1,3phenylene)bisacrylate (84). Methyl acrylate (41 Me SO2Py N µL, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 MeO2C CO2Me equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 9:1. Yellow solid; yield: 89%; mp = 92-94 ºC. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (d, J=4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.06 (d, J=15.8 Hz, 1 2H), 7.99 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.88 (dt, J=1.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.55 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.28 (m, 1H), 6.36 (d, J= 15.8 Hz, 2H), 3.82 (s, 6H), 3.38 (m, 2H), 3.15 (m, 2H), 3.02 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.9 (2C), 157.6, 150.0, 141.8 (2C), 13 137.9, 136.5, 135.0 (2C), 128.6 (2C), 127.5, 126.4, 122.7, 121.5 (2C), 51.8 (2C), 51.4, 36.3, 28.2. ESI+ calcd. for C22H25N2O6S (M+H+): 445.1433. Found: 445.1438. 319 Experimental section 2-{2,6-Bis[(E)-2-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl]phenyl}-N-[methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl]ethanamine (85). Phenyl vinylsulfone (75 mg, 0.45 Me SO2Py N mmol, 3.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6- trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 PhO2S SO2Ph equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 1:1. White solid; yield: 79%; mp = 197-199 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.72 (d, J=4.5 Hz, 1H), 8.06-7.97 (m, 6H), 7.92 (dt, J=1.7, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 8.11 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (dt, J=1.0, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.637.45 (m, 8H), 7.24 (t, J= 7.8 Hz, 1H), 6.82 (d, J= 15.2 Hz, 2H), 3.36 (m, 2H), 3.18 (m, 2H), 3.05 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.3, 150.2, 140.2 (2C), 139.0 (2C), 13 138.1, 137.5, 133.6 (2C), 133.3 (2C), 131.4 (2C), 129.7 (2C), 129.5 (4C), 127.9 (4C), 127.8, 126.6, 122.9, 51.5, 36.2, 34.2. Diphenyl (E,E)-2,2'-(2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}-1,3Me N PhO3S SO2Py phenylene)divinylsulfonate (86). Phenyl vinyl sulfonate (83 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) and 1-fluoroSO3Ph 2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 1:1. White solid; yield: 85%; mp = 147-149 ºC. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (cd, J=0.9, 4.7 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (td, 1 J=1.0, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.91-7.83 (m, 3H), 7.57 (dt, J=7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.46 (m, 1H), 7.427.36 (m, 5H), 7.31-7.26 (m, 6H), 6.85 (d, J= 15.2 Hz, 2H), 3.22 (m, 2H), 2.90 (m, 2H), 2.83 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.2, 150.0, 149.9 (2C), 143.0 (2C), 13 138.1, 137.7, 132.9 (2C), 130.1 (2C), 130.4 (4C), 128.1, 127.4 (2C), 126.6, 124.7 (2C), 122.7, 122.4 (4C), 51.3, 36.0, 28.0. Methyl (E,E)-3-(3-[(E)-2-(Phenylsulfonyl)vinyl]phenyl]-2-{2-[methyl(2-pyridylMe N SO2Py sulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl)acrylate (87). Phenyl vinylsulfone (75 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) and 1- PhO2S CO2Me fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography 320 Chapter 6 eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 1:1. White solid; yield: 80%; mp = 197-199 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.11 (d, J = 6.9 Hz, 1H), 8.08-8.03 (m, 4H), 7.95 (dt, J = 1.4, 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.64-7.48 (m, 5H), 7.30 (m, 1H), 6.86 (d, J = 15.1 Hz, 1H), 6.37 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 1H), 3.84 (s, 3H), 3.43 (m, 2H), 3.20 (m, 2H), 3.08 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.8, 157.4, 150.1, 141.4, 139.5, 138.0, 137.0, 13 135.3, 133.5, 132.9, 131.0, 129.4 (2C), 129.3, 128.9, 127.9 (2C), 127.8, 127.6, 126.5, 122.8, 121.8, 51.9, 51.4, 36.2, 28.1. ESI+ calcd. for C26H27N2O6S2 (M+H+): 527.1311; Found: 527.1318. Methyl (E,E)-3-(3-[(E)-2-Cyanovinyl]-2-{2-[methyl(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl)acrilatate (88). Acrylonitrile (30 µL, 0.45 mmol, 3 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 4:1. White solid; yield: 36% (60% based in recovered starting material); mp = 117-119 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.61 (d, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 7.96 (d, J = 15.8 Hz, 1H), 7.90 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.85 (dd, J = 1.5, 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.43-7.38 (m, 2H), 7.24 (t, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 6.30 (d, J = 15.8 Hz, 1H), 5.76 (d, J = 16.3 Hz, 1H),3.75 (s, 3H), 3.33 (m, 2H), 3.10 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.8, 157.4, 150.0, 148.0, 141.3, 138.0, 136.2, 134.4, 129.3, 127.9, 127.8, 126.6, 122.7, 121.9, 117.7, 100.0, 51.9, 51.4, 36.3, 28.5. ESI+ calcd. for C21H22N3O4S (M+H+): 412.1331. Found: 412.1338. Butyl (E)-3-(5-methyl-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) acrylate (105). Butyl acrylate (24 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 75%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J=4.0 Hz, 1H), 7.95-7.84 (m, 3H), 7.45 (m, 1H), 7.37 (s, 1H), 7.16-7.12 (m, 2H), 6.36 (d, J=15.6 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (m, 2H), 3.41 (m, 2H), 3.01 (m, 2H), 2.95 (s, 3H), 2.32 (s, 3H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.42 (m, 2H), 0.96 (m, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.0, 157.4, 150.0, 141.4, 137.8, 136.8, 13 321 Experimental section 134.8, 133.0, 131.2, 130.7, 127.2, 126.4, 122.7, 119.9, 64.5, 52.4, 36.2, 32.2, 30.8, 21.0, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C22H29N2O4S (M+H+): 417.1848; Found: 417,1842. Butyl (E)-3-(5-chloro-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) acrylate (106). Butyl acrylate (24 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 80%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J=3.8 Hz, 1H), 7.94-7.84 (m, 3H), 7.52 (d, J=1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (dt, J=1.4, 4.5 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (m, 1H), 7.20 (d, J=8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.36 (d, J= 15.8 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (m, 2H), 3.43 (m, 2H), 3.02 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.42 (m, 2H), 0.95 (m, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.5, 13 157.4, 150.0, 139.9, 137.9, 136.1, 135.0, 133.2, 132.2, 130.0, 1326.6, 126.5, 122.7, 121.6, 64.7, 52.1, 36.3, 32.1, 30.7, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C21H26ClN2O4S (M+H+): 437.1302; Found: 437.1304. Butyl (E)-3-(4-methyl-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) Me N SO2Py acrylate (107). Butyl acrylate (24 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, CO2Bu 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 81%. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J=4.7 Hz, 1H), 7.99-7.85 (m, Me 3H), 7.48-7.44 (m, 2H), 7.07-7.04 (m, 2H), 6.33 (d, J=15.9 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (m, 2H), 3.42 (m, 2H), 3.02 (m, 2H), 2.98 (s, 3H), 2.33 (s, 3H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.43 (m, 2H), 0.95 (m, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.1, 157.4, 150.0, 141.1, 140.6, 137.9, 13 137.7, 131.5, 130.3, 128.2, 126.6, 126.4, 122.7, 119.2, 64.4, 52.4, 36.2, 32.6, 30.8, 21.3, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C22H29N2O4S (M+H+): 417.1848; Found: 417.1846. 322 Chapter 6 Butyl (E)-3-(4-chloro-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) acrylate (108). Butyl acrylate (24 µL, 0.165 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 84%. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J=4.6 Hz, 1H), 7.95-7.85 (m, 3H), 7.49-7.43 (m, 2H), 7.25-7.20 (m, 2H), 6.36 (d, J=15.8 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (m, 2H), 3.43 (m, 2H), 3.02 (m, 2H), 2.93 (s, 3H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.42 (m, 2H), 0.94 (m, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.6, 157.3, 150.0, 140.0, 139.5, 137.9, 135.9, 131.8, 130.6, 128.0, 127.7, 126.3, 122.7, 120.8, 64.6, 52.0, 36.2, 32.5, 30.7, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C21H26ClN2O4S (M+H+): 437.1302; Found: 437.1308. Butyl (E,E)-3-(3-{2-[methyl(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}-2-naphthyl)acrylate (109). Butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2 equiv) and 1-fluoro2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 75%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.65 (d, J = 3.9 Hz, 1H), 8.09-8.04 (m, 2H), 7.92 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.86-7.74 (m, 3H), 7.70 (s, 1H), 7.50-7.39 (m, 2H), 6.50 (d, J = 15.5 Hz, 1H), 4.23 (m, 2H), 3.53 (m, 2H), 3.20 (m, 2H), 2.99 (s, 3H), 1.71 (m, 2H), 1.45 (m, 2H), 0.97 (m, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.8 157.4, 150.0, 13 147.8, 137.8, 134.5, 134.1, 132.3, 131.9, 129.2, 128.1, 127.4, 127.2, 126.7, 126.4, 126.3, 122.6, 120.9, 64.6, 52.2, 36.3, 32.9, 30.8, 19.2, 13.8. ESI+ calcd. for C25H28N2O4 (M+H+): 453.1848; Found: 453.1844. Butyl (E)-3-(3-methoxy-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) acrylate (110). Butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 86%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ:8.65 (d, J = 4.1 Hz, 1H), 8.00-7.92 (m, 2H), 7.86 (dt, J = 1.6, 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.42 (m, 1H), 7.22-7.12 (m, 2H), 6.85 (d, J = 6.9 323 Experimental section Hz, 1H), 6.33 (d, J = 15.8 Hz, 1H), 4.20 (m, 2H), 3.82 (s, 3H), 3.36 (m, 2H), 3.02 (m, 5H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.42 (m, 2H), 0.94 (m, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.8, 13 157.9, 157.7, 149.9, 141.6, 137.8, 135.0, 127.7, 126.6, 126.3, 122.6, 121.0, 118.9, 111.5, 64.5, 55.7, 50.5, 35.9, 30.8, 24.8, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C22H29N2O5S (M+H+): 433.1797; Found: 433.1799. Butyl (E)-3-(3-methyl-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) acrylate (111). Butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 79%. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.64 (d, J=4.5 Hz, 1H), 7.99 (d, J=15.8 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.87 (dt, J=1.5, 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.39 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.20-7.10 (m, 2H), 6.33 (d, J= 15.8 Hz, 1H), 4.19 (m, 2H), 3.34 (m, 2H), 3.08 (m, 2H), 3.03 (s, 3H), 2.40 (s, 3H), 1.68 (m, 2H), 1.40 (m, 2H), 0.95 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.9, 157.5, 150.0, 142.1, 137.9, 137.7, 135.9, 133.8, 132.3, 127.0, 126.4, 124.7, 122.6, 120.0, 64.5, 50.8, 36.2, 30.8, 28.7, 19.9, 19.2, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. for C22H29N2O4S (M+H+): 417.1848; Found: 417.1844. Butyl (E)-3-(3-chloro-2-{2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylsulfonyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl) acrylate (112). Butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6trimethylpyridinium triflate (87 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Colourless oil; yield: 77%. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 1 (d, J=4.5 Hz, 1H), 8.02-7.96 (m, 2H), 7.88 (dt, J=1.8, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.46-7.42 (m, 2H), 7.38 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.18 (t, J=7.9 Hz, 1H), 6.34 (d, J= 15.7 Hz, 1H), 4.21 (m, 2H), 3.42 (m, 2H), 3.18 (m, 2H), 3.06 (s, 3H), 1.66 (m, 2H), 1.42 (m, 2H), 0.95 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.4, 157.6, 150.0, 141.1, 137.9, 136.2, 135.5, 135.1, 130.8, 128.1, 126.4, 125.5, 122.7, 122.3, 64.7, 50.1, 36.1, 30.7, 29.1, 19.2, 13.8. 324 Chapter 6 6.2.6. General procedure for the Zn-promoted reductive N-desulfonylation: A suspension of the corresponding olefinated adduct ( 0.1 mmol) and Zn powder (346 mg, 50 mmol) in a 1:1 mixture of THF and sat aq. NH4Cl solution (2 mL) was stirred at room temperature until consumption of the starting material (TLC monitoring, typically 24-72 h). The mixture was diluted with EtOAc (15 mL) and filtered over a pad of Celite to remove the Zn. The filtrate was washed with brine (10 mL) and the combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to dryness. The residue was purified by flash chromatography. Chromatography eluents will be specified in each case. Butyl (2-methylisoindol-1-yl)acetate (113). Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 9:1. White solid; yield: 73%; mp = 97-99 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.27-7.14 (m, 4H), 4.26 (d, J=12.9 Hz, 1H), 4.24-4.12 (m, 3H), 3.70 (d, J=12.9 Hz, 1H), 2.75-2.71 (m, 2H), 2.56 (s, 3H), 1.62 (m, 2H), 1.38 (m, 2H), 0.92 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 172.1, 142.6, 139.3, 127.2, 126.9, 122.7 (2C), 67.1, 64.5, 60.5, 40.7, 39.7, 30.6, 19.1, 13.6. ESI+ calcd. for C15H22NO2 (M+H+): 248.1651; Found: 248.1656. Butyl (2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinol-1-yl)acetate (114). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 9:1. Yellow oil; yield: 78 %. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.15-7.06 (m, 4H), 4.12 (m, 2H), 3.11 (m, 1H), 2.93 (m, 1H), 2.84-2.74 (m, 3H), 2.62-2.49 (m, 2H), 2.47 (s, 3H), 1.60 (m, 2H), 1.35 (m, 2H), 0.92 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 172.3, 137.8, 134.1, 129.0, 127.3, 126.3, 129.0, 64.4, 60.0, 46.3, 42.3, 41.0, 30.7, 25.1, 19.1, 13.7. ESI+ calcd. For C16H24NO2 (M+H+): 262.1807; Found: 262.1809. 325 Experimental section 6.2.7. Synthesis of indoles from N-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-substituted olefinated adducts: cyclization-deprotection-aromatization. Typical procedure: methyl 3-[(methoxycarbonyl)methyl]-1H-indole-2- carboxylate (45). (i) Cyclization: To a solution of compound 11 (153 mg, 0.39 mmol) CO 2Me CO 2Me N H in THF (4 mL), cooled to 0 ºC under nitrogen atmosphere, was slowly added a 1 M solution of LHMDS in THF (470 µL, 0.48 mmol, 1.2 equiv). The resulting solution was stirred at 0 ºC for 5 min before it was quenched with sat aq. solution of NH4Cl (5 mL). The mixture was extracted with EtOAc (5 mL) and the organic phase was washed with brine (5 ml), then dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to afford the corresponding N(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indoline in high purity as a 1:1 mixture of diastereomers. (ii) Ndesulfonylation: The crude residue obtained in the previous step was dissolved in MeOH (10 mL) and treated with magnesium turnings (189 mg, 7.8 mmol, 20 equiv). The mixture was sonicated for 10 min (TLC monitoring) before it was quenched with sat aq. NH4Cl solution (5 mL). The mixture was extracted with EtOAc (5 mL) and the organic phase was washed with brine (5 mL), then dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to afford the free NH-indoline in high purity as a 1:1 mixture of diastereomers. (iii) Aromatization: To a solution of the crude mixture of NH-indoline in CH2Cl2 (2.5 mL) was added at room temperature DDQ (109.3 mg, 0.48 mmol, 1.2 equiv). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 5 min before the reaction was quenched with sat aq. NaHCO3 solution (5 mL). The mixture was extracted with EtOAc (5 mL) and the organic phase washed with brine (5 mL), then dried (MgSO4) and concentrated. The residue was purified by a short column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 6:1) to afford the indole derivative 80 as a pale yellow solid. Overall yield (3 steps): 60 mg (62%); mp = 127-128 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 9.15 (s, 1H), 7.65 (d, J = 8.1 326 Chapter 6 Hz, 1H), 7.32 (q, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.20 – 7.12 (m, 1H), 4.20 (s, 2H), 3.89 (s, 3H), 3.72 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 171.9, 162.4, 135.9, 127.8, 125.7, 124.2, 120.6, 120.5, 115.8, 112.1, 52.1, 51.8, 30.5. EI+ calcd. for C13H13NO4 (M)+: 247.0845; Found: 247.0844. Methyl 3-(cyanomethyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxylate (46). Chromatography eluent: nhexane-EtOAc 4:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 28%. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.90 (s, 1H), 7.73 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.33 (d, J = 7.1 Hz, 1H), 7.19 (s, 1H), 4.18 (s, 2H), 3.93 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 161.8, 135.8, 126.8, 126.6, 124.0, 121.6, 120.3, 117.6, 112.3, 111.2, 52.4, 13.7. EI+ calcd. for C12H10N2O2 (M)+: 214.0742; Found: 214.0732. Methyl 3-methyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylate (47). Chromatography eluent: n-hexaneEtOAc 9:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 63%; mp = 133-135 ºC. 1H CO2 Me N H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.68 (s, 1H), 7.67 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.47 – 7.28 (m, 2H), 7.15 (td, J = 7.2, 0.6 Hz, 1H), 3.96 (d, J = 0.7 Hz, 3H), 2.62 (d, J = 0.6 Hz, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 163.0, 135.9, 128.5, 125.6, 123.2, 120.8, 120.4, 119.9, 111.6, 51.65, 9.89. EI+: calcd for C11H11NO2 (M)+: 189.079. Found: 189.0796. Methyl 5-chloro-3-[(methoxycarbonyl)methyl]-1H-indole-2-carboxylate CO2 Me Cl CO 2Me N H (48). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 4:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 62%; mp = 148-149 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 9.11 (s, 1H), 7.58 (s, 1H), 7.21 (s, 2H), 4.12 (s, 2H), 3.89 (s, 3H), 3.74 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 171.7, 161.9, 134.1, 128.7, 126.4, 126.2, 125.4, 119.7, 115.1, 113.2, 52.2, 52.0, 30.2. EI+: calcd for C13H12NO4Cl (M)+: 281,0455. Found: 281,0441. Dimethyl 3-[(methoxycarbonyl)methyl]-1H-indole-2,5-dicarboxylate CO 2Me MeO2C CO2 Me N H (49). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 58%; mp = 162-164 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 9.35 (s, 1H), 8.39 (s, 1H), 7.94 327 Experimental section (dd, J = 8.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H), 4.19 (s, 2H), 3.93 (s, 3H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 3.73 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 171.7, 167.6, 161.9, 138.1, 127.4, 13 126.5, 125.7, 123.7, 122.8, 117.1, 111.8, 52.2, 52.0 (2C), 30.2. EI+: calcd for C15H15NO6 (M)+: 305,0899. Found: 305,0903. Methyl 6-methoxy-3-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxylate (50). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 4:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 26%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.78 (s, 1H), 7.50 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 1H), 6.82 (dd, J = 8.7 Hz, 1.9, 1H), 6.76 (s, 1H), 4.14 (s, 2H), 3.90 (s, 3H), 3.84 (s, 3H), 3.70 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 171.9, 162.4, 159.4, 137.0, 123.2, 122.4, 121.6, 116.5, 112.3, 93.8, 55.6, 52.2, 51.8, 30.7. EI+: calcd for C14H15NO5 (M)+: 277.0950; Found: 277.0962. 328 Chapter 6 6.3. C− −H di ortho-olefination of carbazoles 6.3.1. General methods All the reactions were carried out in anhydrous solvents and under a nitrogen atmosphere with exclusion of moisture from reagents, solvents and glassware using standard techniques. Melting points were taken in open-end capillary tubes. NMR spectra were recorded at 25 ºC using a 300 MHz spectrometer [300 MHz (1H), 75 MHz (13C)], unless otherwise specified. Chemical shifts (δ) are represented in parts per million, referenced to residual protons in the NMR solvent [CDCl3 (unless otherwise specified): 1H NMR δ = 7.26 ppm (singlet); 13 C NMR δ = 77.16 ppm (triplet)]. Data are reported as follows: chemical shift, multiplicity, coupling constant (J, in Hz) and integration. All 13 C NMR spectra were obtained with complete proton decoupling. MS spectra were recorded on a VG AutoSpec mass spectrometer. Reactions were monitored by thin-layer chromatography carried out on 0.25 mm silica gel plates (230-400 mesh). Flash column chromatography was performed using 230-400 mesh ultra-pure silica gel. All commercially available compounds were used as provided without further purification. 6.3.2. Synthesis of the starting carbazoles and derivatives 6.3.2.1. N-Protection of commercially available carbazoles and derivatives Typical procedure: synthesis of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (2). To a suspension of NaH (1.2 equiv, 103 mg, 7.17 mmol) in THF (60 mL) at 0 ºC, the 9Hcarbazole (1.0 g, 5.98 mmol) was added portion wise. The mixture was stirred at 0 ºC for 5 min before 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride221(1.3 equiv, 2.68 g, 7.77 mmol) was added drop wise. The solution was allowed to reach N S N O O room temperature and it was stirred overnight. The mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and washed with a saturated aqueous solution of ammonium chloride. The aqueous phase was then 221 García Rubia, A.; Urones, B.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 10927. 329 Experimental section extracted three times with ethyl acetate. The combined organic phase was washed with brine, dried over MgSO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 6:1) affording 5 as a pale yellow solid; yield: 1.7 g (92%); mp = 126-127 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.43 (d, J=4.7, 1H), 8.32 (d, J=8.3, 2H), 8.05 (d, J=7.9, 1H), 7.92 (d, J=7.6, 2H), 7.79 (td, J=7.7, 1.6, 1H), 7.52 – 7.42 (m, 2H), 7.41 – 7.31 (m, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.6, 150.4, 138.8, 138.0, 127.6, 127.5, 126.3, 124.0, 122.2, 120.0, 115.3. EI+: calcd for C17H12N2O2S (M)+: 308,0619. Found: 308,0615. N-(2-p-Toluene)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (5). Following the typical procedure but using the commercially available p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (1.5 equiv), compound 4 was obtained after column chromatography (nN S O hexane-EtOAc 20:1) as a pale grey solid; yield: 87%; mp = 134 ºC. O 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.34 (d, J=8.3, 2H), 7.98 – 7.83 (m, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=8.0, 2H), 7.60 – 7.43 (m, 2H), 7.41 – 7.31 (m, 2H), 7.09 (d, J=8.0, 2H), 2.25 (s, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 145.0, 138.5, 135.2, 129.8, 127.5, 126.6, 126.5, 124.0, 120.1, 115.3, 21.6. FB+: calcd for C19H15NO2S (M)+: 321,0824. Found: 321,0836. N-(tert-Butyl)-9H-carbazole-9-carboxylate (7) was prepared according to literature procedure.222 Colourless oil. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.31 (d, J=8.3, 1H), 7.99 (d, J=7.4, 1H), 7.47 (ddd, J=8.5, 7.3, 1.5, 1H), 7.35 N O 222 O (td, J=7.4, 1.1, 1H), 1.77 (s, 5H). V. Diep, J. J. Dannenberg, R. W. Franck, J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 7907. 330 Chapter 6 2,3,4,9-Tetrahydro-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-1H-carbazole (15). Following the typical procedure, 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole was protected with 2pyridylsulfonyl chloride. After column chromatography (n-hexaneN SO2 Py EtOAc 8:1), the titled compound was obtained as a yellow solid; yield: 92%; mp = 137-138 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.51 (d, J=5.9, 1H), 8.12 (d, J=8.7, 1H), 7.99 (d, J=7.9, 1H), 7.76 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.39 – 7.28 (m, 2H), 7.22 (ddd, J=6.4, 4.1, 1.8, 2H), 3.19 (s, 2H), 2.59 (s, 2H), 1.91 (d, J=5.8, 4H), 1.83 (d, J=4.5, 2H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.0, 150.3, 1378.0, 13 136.6, 136.0, 130.4, 127.3, 123.7, 123.3, 121.8, 118.2, 117.9, 114.2, 24.4, 23.2, 22.1, 21.1. FB+: calcd for C17H16N2O2S (M)+: 312,0932. Found: 312,0928. 3-Bromo-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl carbazole (17). Following the typical procedure, 3bromo-9H-carbazole223 was protected with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride. After column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 10:1), the titled compound was obtained as a white solid; yield: 89%; mp = 212–213 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.44 (d, J=4.7, 1H), 8.28 (d, J=8.3, 1H), 8.22 (d, J=8.8, 1H), 8.10 – 7.99 (m, 2H), 7.91 – 7.77 (m, 2H), 7.57 (dd, J=8.9, 2.1, 1H), 7.53 – 7.44 (m, 1H), 7.43 – 7.31 (m, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 155.5, 150.5, 139.1, 138.1, 137.7, 130.2, 128.2, 128.1, 127.8, 125.1, 124.3, 122.9, 122.3, 120.2, 117.4, 117.0, 115.4. ESI+: calcd for C17H12N2O2SBr (M+H)+: 386,9797. Found: 386,9801. N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline procedure, (31). 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline Following was the protected typical with 2- pyridylsulfonyl chloride. After column chromatography (n-hexaneEtOAc 8:1), the titled compound was obtained as a white solid; yield: 91%. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.66 (d, J = 3.0 Hz, 1H), 8.05 – 7.96 (m, 1H), 7.90 1 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (ddd, J = 7.3, 4.9, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.21 – 6.96 (m, 4H), 4.56 (s, 2H), 3.66 (t, J = 5.8 Hz, 2H), 2.93 (t, J = 5.9 Hz, 3H). 223 Midya, A.; Xie, Z.; Yang, J.-X.; Chen, Z.-K.; Blackwood, D. J.; Wang, J.; Adams, S.; Ping Loh, K. Chem. Commun., 2010,46, 2091. 331 Experimental section N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl-10H-phenoxazine (33). Following the typical procedure, phenoxazine was protected with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride. After column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 5:1), the titled compound was obtained as a pale yellow solid; yield: 83%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.50 (d, J = 3.9 Hz, 1H), 7.80 – 7.55 (m, 3H), 7.48 – 7.32 (m, 2H), 7.23 – 7.05 (m, 4H), 6.82 (dd, J = 7.2, 2.1 Hz, 2H). N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl indoline (35). Following the typical procedure, indoline was protected with 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride. After column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 8:1), the titled compound was obtained as a white N SO 2Py solid; yield: 93%; mp = 126-127 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.61 (ddd, J=4.7, 1.6, 0.8, 1H), 7.97 (dt, J=7.9, 1.0, 1H), 7.83 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.53 – 7.41 (m, 1H), 7.42 (ddd, J=7.6, 4.7, 1.2, 1H), 7.14 – 7.05 (m, 2H), 6.98 – 6.89 (m, 1H), 4.33 (t, J=8.5, 2H), 3.05 (t, J=8.5, 2H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.5, 150.3, 141.7, 137.8, 132.1, 127.6, 127.0, 125.2, 123.8, 123.2, 114.6, 51.5, 28.2. FB+: calcd for C13H12N2O2S (M)+: 260,0619. Found: 260,0621. 332 Chapter 6 6.3.2.2. Oxidative cyclization of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives Typical procedure: synthesis of 3-methoxy-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole OMe (18). To a solution of 2-amino-3'-methoxybiphenyl224 (370 mg, 1.86 mmol, 1.0 equiv), in pyridine (9 mL, 0.2 M), cooled at 0 ºC under N SO2 Py nitrogen atmosphere, was added chloride (495 mg, 2.78 mmol, 1.5 equiv). 2-pyridylsulfonyl 225 The resulting mixture was stirred at room temperature for 12 h before it was poured into water. The mixture was extracted with CH2Cl2 (3 times) and the combined organic phase was dried over MgSO4 and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was crystallized in a mixture of n-hexane-CH2Cl2 to give the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2-amino-3’- methoxybiphenyl. To a solution of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl 2-amino-3'-methoxybiphenyl (400 mg, 1.17 mmol, 1.0 equiv) in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (6 mL, 0.05 M) was added PhI(OAc)2 (454 mg, 1.41 mmol, 1.2 equiv) at room temperature.226 The reaction mixture was stirred for 12 h at room temperature before it was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexaneCH2Cl2 1:1) to afford the titled product as a white solid; yield: 146 mg (37%); mp = 224 The corresponding 2-aminobiphenyl derivatives were prepared via Suzuki coupling between 2- bromoanilines and arylboronic acids following a reported procedure: Cho, S. H.; Yoon, J.; Chang, S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 5996. 225 For the synthesis of analogous N-(2-p-toluene)sulfonyl-2-aminobiaryls, see: Youn, S. W.; Bihn, J. H.; Kim, B. S. Org. Lett., 2011, 13, 3738. 226 For the oxidative cyclization of analogous N-(2-p-toluene)sulfonyl-2-aminobiaryls, see: Antonchick, A. P.; Samanta, R.; Kulikov, K.; Lategahn, J. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 8605. 333 Experimental section 171-172 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.41 (d, J=4.0, 1H), 8.29 (d, J=8.4, 1H), 8.21 (d, J=9.1, 1H), 7.99 (d, J=7.9, 1H), 7.85 (d, J=7.7, 1H), 7.75 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.45 (t, J=7.2, 1H), 7.39 – 7.28 (m, 3H), 7.05 (dd, J=9.1, 2.6, 1H), 3.88 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 157.0, 155.5, 150.3, 139.4, 137.9, 133.0, 127.6, 127.5, 127.3, 126.4, 123.9, 122.2, 120.0, 116.3, 115.5, 115.3, 103.3, 55.9. FB+: calcd for C18H14N2O3S (M)+: 338,0725. Found: 338,0723.. 2-Chloro-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (19). Chromatography: n-hexaneCH2Cl2 3:1. White solid; yield: 50%; mp =165-166 ºC. 1H NMR Cl N (CDCl3, 500 MHz) δ: 8.47 (ddd, J=4.6, 1.6, 0.8, 1H), 8.35 (d, J=1.9, 1H), 8.27 (d, J=8.3, 1H), 8.10 (d, J=7.9, 1H), 7.89 (d, SO2Py J=7.7, 1H), 7.88 – 7.85 (m, 1H), 7.83 (d, J=8.4, 1H), 7.47 (ddd, J=8.5, 7.4, 1.3, 1H), 7.43 – 7.38 (m, 1H), 7.36 (ddd, J=8.3, 6.5, 1.4, 2H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 125 MHz) δ: 155.5, 150.6, 139.4, 139.0, 138.2, 133.2, 127.9, 127.7, 125.4, 124.8, 124.6, 124.3, 122.3, 120.7, 120.0, 115.7, 115.3. FB+: calcd for C17H11N2O2SCl (M)+: 342,0230. Found: 342,0231. 1-Fluoro-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (20). Chromatography: n-hexane- CH2Cl2 1:1. White solid; yield: 49%; mp =134-135 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.44 – 8.38 (m, 1H), 8.35 (d, J=8.5, 1H), 8.10 F N SO2 Py (ddt, J=7.9, 1.8, 1.0, 1H), 7.87 – 7.74 (m, 2H), 7.59 (dd, J=7.7, 1.0, 1H), 7.42 (ddd, J=8.6, 7.3, 1.3, 1H), 7.35 – 7.30 (m, 1H), 7.30 – 7.23 (m, 1H), 7.19 – 7.08 (m, 1H), 6.96 (ddd, J=12.2, 8.1, 1.0, 1H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 156.5, 156.4, 151.8, 150.2, 148.5, 140.6, 137.9, 130.4, 130.3, 128.2, 127.4, 125.6, 125.6, 125.4, 124.8, 124.7, 124.0, 122.7, 122.6, 120.0, 116.4, 115.7, 115.7, 114.6, 114.3. FB+: calcd for C17H11N2O2SF (M)+: 326,0525. Found: 326,0523. N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl-5H-benzo[b]carbazole (21). Chromatography: n-hexane- CH2Cl2 1:1. White solid; yield: 68%; mp = 170-171 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.98 (dd, J=8.7, 1.1, 1H), 8.28 (d, J=8.2, N SO2Py 334 1H), 8.14 (ddd, J=4.8, 1.6, 1.0, 1H), 7.92 (d, J=8.7, 1H), 7.86 – 7.78 (m, 2H), 7.76 – 7.71 (m, 1H), 7.63 (ddd, J=8.5, 6.9, 1.4, Chapter 6 1H), 7.57 – 7.51 (m, 1H), 7.51 – 7.37 (m, 3H), 7.35 – 7.29 (m, 1H), 7.14 (ddd, J=7.1, 4.7, 1.5, 1H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 153.7, 149.4, 141.2, 137.1, 137.1, 134.2, 129.4, 128.5, 127.5, 127.1, 127.0, 126.7, 126.2, 125.9, 125.8, 125.4, 122.5, 119.4, 119.1, 117.4. FB+: calcd for C21H14N2O2S (M)+: 358,0776. Found: 358,0787. 6.3.3. C− −H alkenylation reaction Synthesis of butyl (E)-3-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazol-1-yl]acrylate (3). A screw-capped test tube was charged with the carbazole derivative 2 (46.2 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol, 10 mol%) and Ce(SO4)2 (96.6 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv). The mixture was placed under nitrogen atmosphere before DCE (1.5 mL) and n-butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were successively added. The mixture was heated to 110 ºC for 18 h, and then it was allowed to reach room temperature, diluted with EtOAc (10 mL) and filtered through a pad of Celite. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 6:1) to afford 6 as a pale yellow solid; yield: 16.8 mg (26%); mp = 151-152 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.39 (d, J = 15.9 Hz, 1H), 8.34 (d, J = 3.9 Hz, 1H), 8.24 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.89 – 7.81 (m, 2H), 7.80 – 7.70 (m, 2H), 7.67 (d, J = 6.5 Hz, 1H), 7.47 – 7.37 (m, 2H), 7.36 – 7.27 (m, 2H), 6.46 (d, J = 15.8 Hz, 1H), 4.25 (t, J = 6.6 Hz, 2H), 1.72 (tt, J = 8.4, 6.4 Hz, 2H), 1.55 – 1.40 (m, 2H), 0.98 (t, J = 7.3 Hz, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 167.3, 154.8, 149.9, 143.8, 140.9, 139.4, 137.7, 130.1, 128.0, 127.7, 127.4, 127.1, 126.3, 125.4, 125.2, 123.0, 121.1, 119.8, 118.7, 117.9, 64.5, 31.0, 19.4, 13.9. Typical procedure for di-ortho-olefination: synthesis of (E,E)-dibutyl 3,3'-[N-(2pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole-1,8-diyl]diacrylate (4). A screw-capped test tube was charged with the carbazole derivative 2 (46.2 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol, 10 mol%) and 1fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv). The mixture was placed under nitrogen atmosphere before 335 Experimental section DCE (1.5 mL) and n-butyl acrylate (86 µL, 0.6 mmol, 4.0 equiv) were successively added. The mixture was heated to 110 ºC for 18 h, and then it was allowed to reach room temperature, diluted with EtOAc (10 mL) and filtered through a pad of Celite. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by flash chromatography (CH2Cl2-EtOAc 40:1) to afford 7 as a pale yellow solid; yield: 53.8 mg (64%); mp = 175-177 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.48 (d, J=16.0, 2H), 8.22 (dd, J=4.7, 1.6, 1H), 7.69 (d, J=7.8, 2H), 7.61 (d, J=7.5, 2H), 7.57 – 7.50 (m, 1H), 7.43 – 7.29 (m, 3H), 7.24 – 7.20 (m, 1H), 6.55 (d, J=16.0, 2H), 4.27 (t, J=6.7, 4H), 1.82 – 1.69 (m, 4H), 1.49 (q, J=7.5, 4H), 1.00 (t, J=7.4, 6H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.0, 152.8, 149.2, 141.8, 141.5, 137.1, 131.8, 128.2, 127.2, 126.8, 126.3, 123.3, 121.0, 118.7, 64.6, 31.0, 19.3, 13.9. ESI+: calcd for C31H33N2O6S (M+H)+: 561,2053. Found: 561,2071. 336 Chapter 6 1,8-Bis[(E)-2-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl]- N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (8). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 2 (46.2 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), phenyl vinyl sulfone (101.0 mg, 0.6 mmol, 4.0 equiv) N PhO 2S SO 2Py SO2Ph and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2-EtOAc 20:1. Pale yellow solid; yield: 64%; mp = 253254 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.43 (d, J = 15.4 Hz, 2H), 8.23 (d, J = 3.3 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (d, J = 6.9 Hz, 4H), 7.69 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.67 – 7.50 (m, 10H), 7.42 – 7.30 (m, 2H), 6.95 (d, J = 15.3 Hz, 2H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 153.2, 150.3, 142.6, 142.4, 140.6, 138.8, 134.2, 132.7, 130.2, 128.9, 128.7, 128.6, 128.4, 128.3, 128.0, 127.8, 126.8, 124.2, 123.2. ESI+: calcd for C33H25N2O6S3 (M+H)+: 641,0869. Found: 641,0847. (E,E)-1,1'-[N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole-1,8-diyl]bis(pent-1-en-3-one) (9). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 2 (46.2 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), ethyl vinyl EtOC N SO2Py ketone (60 µL, 0.6 mmol, 4.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6COEt trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2-EtOAc 20:1; yellow solid; yield: 80%; mp = 142-143 ºC; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.29 (d, J=16.3, 2H), 8.08 (d, J=3.4, 1H), 7.64 (d, J=7.7, 2H), 7.53 (dd, J=7.5, 1.1, 2H), 7.44 (t, J=7.7, 1H), 7.30 (t, J=7.4, 2H), 7.21 – 7.11 (m, 2H), 6.73 (dd, J=16.4, 1.2, 2H), 2.85 (qd, J=7.3, 1.2, 4H), 1.17 (td, J=7.3, 1.3, 6H).13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 201.88, 152.41, 149.28, 141.67, 139.92, 137.16, 131.93, 128.41, 127.36, 127.09, 126.93, 126.18, 123.35, 121.15, 32.96, 8.36. ESI+: calcd for C27H25N2O4S (M+H)+: 473,1529. Found: 473,1538. 337 Experimental section 1,8-Bis[(E)-4-nitrostyryl]-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (10). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 2 (46.2 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), 4N nitrostyrene (78 µL, 0.6 mmol, 4.0 equiv) and 1- SO 2Py fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography O 2N NO2 eluent: n-hexane-CH2Cl2 1:2; yellow solid; yield: 80%; mp = 235-236 ºC. H NMR (DMSO-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.46 (d, J = 3.8 Hz, 1H), 1 8.28 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 4H), 8.03 (d, J = 16.3 Hz, 2H), 7.93 (dd, J = 7.7, 1.6 Hz, 4H), 7.84 – 7.73 (m, 5H), 7.62 – 7.45 (m, 6H). C NMR (DMSO-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 153.0, 149.7, 13 146.4, 144.1, 140.3, 138.5, 131.2, 130.4, 128.9, 128.4, 127.4, 126.9, 126.5, 125.3, 124.1, 123.3, 120.5. ESI+: calcd for C33H23N2O4S (M+H)+: 603,1332. Found: 603,1351. 1,8-Bis[(E)-4-(trifluoromethyl)styryl]-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole (11). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 2 (46.2 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), 4-(trifluoromethyl)styrene (89 µL, 0.6 mmol, 4.0 N SO 2Py equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. F 3C CF3 Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-CH2Cl2 1:3. 1 Yellow solid; yield: 91%; mp = 217-218 ºC. H NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz) δ: 8.23 (dt, J=4.7, 0.9, 1H), 8.07 (d, J=16.3, 2H), 7.78 – 7.73 (m, 6H), 7.66 (d, J=8.0, 4H), 7.53 (dd, J=7.5, 1.1, 2H), 7.44 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.40 – 7.31 (m, 3H), 7.28 – 7.20 (m, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 125 MHz) δ: 153.0, 149.1, 141.1, 141.0, 136.8, 132.1, 130.2, 129.5, 129.3, 128.9, 127.2, 127.1, 127.0, 126.8, 125.7, 125.7, 125.6, 125.6, 125.4, 124.8, 123.5, 123.2, 119.2. ESI+: calcd for C35H23N2O2F6S (M+H)+: 649,1378. Found: 649, 1399. 338 Chapter 6 (E,E)-Dibutyl 3,3'-[3-methoxy-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole-1,8-diyl]diacrylate (24). Following the typical procedure, OMe nBuO2C carbazole 18 (50.7 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), n-butyl acrylate (86 µL, 0.6 N SO 2Py mmol, CO2nBu 4.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6- trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2-EtOAc 100:1. Yellow solid; yield: 48%; mp = 145-146ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.45 (dd, J=16.0, 5.3, 2H), 8.19 (d, J=5.1, 1H), 7.67 (d, J=7.8, 1H), 7.59 – 7.45 (m, 2H), 7.33 (t, J=7.7, 1H), 7.28 – 7.17 (m, 3H), 7.07 (d, J=2.5, 1H), 6.54 (dd, J=16.0, 5.4, 2H), 4.28 (t, J=6.7, 4H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 1.76 (p, J=6.9, 4H), 1.49 (q, J=7.4, 4H), 1.00 (t, J=7.3, 6H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.1, 167.0, 158.7, 152.6, 149.2, 142.3, 141.7, 141.6, 137.0, 135.5, 133.2, 132.1, 129.1, 128.4, 127.1, 126.8, 126.4, 123.5, 120.9, 118.9, 118.7, 111.8, 106.2, 64.7, 64.7, 56.0, 31.0, 19.4, 13.9O ESI+: calcd for C32H35N2O7S (M+H)+: 591,2140. Found: 591,2143. (E,E)-Dibutyl 3,3'-[3-bromo-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole-1,8-diyl]diBr acrylate (25). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 17 (58.1 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 nBuO2C mg, 0.015 mmol), n-butyl acrylate (86 µL, 0.6 N SO 2Py mmol, CO2nBu 4.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6- trimethylpyridinium triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2; pale yellow solid; yield: 59%; mp = 163-165 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.40 (dd, J=16.0, 5.7, 2H), 8.26 (d, J=4.4, 1H), 7.76 (dd, J=15.9, 1.9, 2H), 7.71 – 7.64 (m, 1H), 7.63 – 7.53 (m, 2H), 7.45 – 7.27 (m, 3H), 6.52 (d, J=16.0, 2H), 4.26 (t, J=6.7, 4H), 1.90 – 1.62 (m, 4H), 1.56 – 1.38 (m, 4H), 0.99 (t, J=7.3, 6H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 166.9, 166.6, 153.0, 149.4, 141.7, 141.5, 140.6, 140.5, 137.4, 133.4, 130.6, 129.8, 128.9, 128.2, 127.5, 127.0, 127.0, 123.7, 123.0, 121.1, 120.4, 119.8, 119.1, 64.7, 64.7, 30.9, 30.9, 19.3, 13.9. ESI+: calcd for C31H32N2O6SBr (M+H)+: 639,1158. Found: 639,1148. 339 Experimental section (E,E)-Dibutyl 3,3'-[2-chloro-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazole-1,8-diyl]diacrylate (26). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 19 (51.4 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 Cl nBuO2 C N SO 2Py (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), n-butyl acrylate (86 µL, 0.6 CO2nBu mmol, 4.0 trimethylpyridinium equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6- triflate (130.2 mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2. Yellow oil; yield: 58%. This compound could not be completely purified from minor alkenylated side products. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.67 (d, J=15.9, 1H), 8.36 (ddd, J=4.6, 1.8, 1.0, 1H), 8.05 (d, J=16.4, 1H), 7.65 (d, J=7.8, 3H), 7.61 – 7.50 (m, 2H), 7.49 – 7.40 (m, 1H), 7.38 – 7.35 (m, 1H), 7.34 – 7.28 (m, 1H), 6.49 (d, J=15.9, 1H), 6.41 (d, J=16.4, 1H), 4.19 (dt, J=13.8, 6.7, 4H), 1.83 – 1.62 (m, 4H), 1.56 – 1.37 (m, 4H), 0.98 (td, J=7.3, 2.6, 6H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.0, 166.3, 154.3, 149.5, 142.3, 13 142.0, 141.3, 140.2, 137.5, 133.4, 130.8, 129.9, 128.2, 127.9, 127.5, 127.3, 126.6, 126.4, 124.9, 123.2, 121.0, 120.3, 119.0, 64.7, 64.6, 30.9, 30.8, 19.4, 19.3, 13.9, 13.9. ESI+: calcd for C31H32N2O6SCl (M+H)+: 595,1664. Found: 595,1627. (E)-Butyl 3-[8-fluoro-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-9H-carbazol-1-yl]acrylate (27). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 20 (48.9 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), n-butyl F acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6- N SO2Py CO2nBu trimethylpyridinium triflate (86.8 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-CH2Cl2 1:10. Pale yellow solid; yield: 66%; mp = 158-159 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 9.00 (d, J=15.8, 1H), 8.71 (dt, J=5.2, 1.2, 1H), 8.17 – 8.08 (m, 1H), 7.92 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.85 (dd, J=7.6, 1.3, 1H), 7.74 (dd, J=7.9, 1.4, 1H), 7.61 (dd, J=7.7, 1.1, 1H), 7.51 (ddd, J=7.6, 4.7, 1.2, 1H), 7.42 (t, J=7.7, 1H), 7.30 (dt, J=8.0, 4.0, 1H), 7.08 (ddd, J=11.1, 8.2, 1.0, 1H), 6.52 (d, J=15.8, 1H), 4.19 (t, J=6.7, 2H), 1.65 (dq, J=8.5, 6.7, 2H), 1.51 – 1.33 (m, 2H), 0.94 (t, J=7.4, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.2, 155.9, 155.9, 153.8, 150.5, 150.0, 143.1, 140.1, 137.8, 132.0, 132.0, 130.0, 129.9, 128.8, 128.6, 127.6, 126.9, 126.9, 126.6, 126.5, 125.8, 123.3, 123.3, 121.5, 118.0, 340 Chapter 6 115.9, 115.8, 115.0, 114.7, 64.4, 30.9, 19.3, 13.9. ESI+: calcd for C24H22N2O4FS (M+H)+:453,1278. Found: 453,1284. (E)-Butyl 3-{N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-5H-benzo[b]carbazol-4-yl}acrylate (28). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 21 (53.8 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), nbutyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) and 1N fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (86.8 mg, 0.3 SO 2Py CO2nBu mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2. Brown solid; yield: 64%; mp = 160-162 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.87 (d, J=8.6, 1H), 8.56 (d, J=16.0, 1H), 8.06 (ddd, J=4.7, 1.8, 0.9, 1H), 7.87 (dd, J=8.2, 1.5, 1H), 7.78 – 7.74 (m, 1H), 7.69 (dt, J=8.6, 1.4, 2H), 7.66 – 7.61 (m, 1H), 7.61 – 7.57 (m, 1H), 7.54 (ddd, J=8.2, 6.9, 1.2, 1H), 7.43 – 7.38 (m, 1H), 7.37 – 7.30 (m, 1H), 7.12 (ddd, J=7.7, 4.7, 1.1, 1H), 7.00 (dt, J=7.9, 1.0, 1H), 6.63 (d, J=16.0, 1H), 4.29 (t, J=6.7, 2H), 1.86 – 1.70 (m, 2H), 1.59 – 1.43 (m, 2H), 1.01 (t, J=7.4, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.2, 152.1, 148.9, 142.2, 138.8, 136.6, 133.8, 132.8, 128.4, 128.3, 128.2, 128.2, 127.0, 126.8, 126.7, 126.5, 126.4, 126.3, 125.4, 123.2, 120.7, 118.3, 117.1, 64.6, 31.0, 19.4, 14.0. ESI+: calcd for C28H25N2O4S (M+H)+:485,1529. Found: 485,1530. (E)-Butyl 3-N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-8-yl]acrylate (29). Following the typical procedure, carbazole 15 (46.8 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), n-butyl acrylate (86 µL, 0.6 mmol, 4.0 equiv) and PhI(OAc)2 N SO 2Py (144.9 CO2nBu mg, 0.45 mmol, 3.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: n-hexane-EtOAc 6:1. Yellow solid; yield: 84%; mp = 104-105 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.57 (ddd, J=4.7, 1.7, 0.8, 1H), 8.37 (d, J=15.6, 1H), 7.90 (dt, J=8.0, 1.1, 1H), 7.87 – 7.80 (m, 1H), 7.48 – 7.37 (m, 2H), 7.31 (dd, J=7.6, 1.4, 1H), 7.28 – 7.20 (m, 1H), 6.30 (d, J=15.7, 1H), 4.22 (t, J=6.7, 2H), 3.21 – 3.05 (m, 2H), 2.68 – 2.40 (m, 2H), 1.99 – 1.76 (m, 4H), 1.77 – 1.64 (m, 2H), 1.58 – 1.37 (m, 2H), 0.97 (t, J=7.3, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.3, 155.9, 150.0, 145.1, 139.6, 138.0, 136.4, 133.5, 127.4, 124.6, 124.5, 341 Experimental section 124.4, 122.6, 120.7, 119.5, 117.7, 64.4, 31.0, 25.7, 23.6, 22.1, 21.3, 19.3, 13.9. ESI+: calcd for C24H27N2O4S (M+H)+:439,1692. Found: 439,1695. (E)-Butyl 3-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl)indolin-7-yl]acrylate (38). Following the typical procedure, indoline 35 (39.0 mg, 0.15 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (3.4 mg, 0.015 mmol), n-butyl acrylate (43 µL, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 nBuO2 C 1 N SO 2Py equiv) and 1-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate (86.8 mg, 0.3 mmol, 2.0 equiv) were used. Chromatography eluent: CH2Cl2. Yellow solid; yield: 80%; mp = 107-108 ºC. H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.63 (d, J=4.6, 1H), 8.14 (d, J=16.1, 1H), 7.75 (t, J=7.7, 1H), 7.61 (d, J=7.9, 1H), 7.52 – 7.40 (m, 2H), 7.18 – 7.02 (m, 2H), 6.40 (d, J=16.1, 1H), 4.29 (t, J=7.5, 2H), 4.21 (t, J=6.7, 2H), 2.55 (t, J=7.3, 2H), 1.70 (p, J=6.9, 2H), 1.45 (h, J=7.4, 2H), 0.96 (t, J=7.3, 3H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.1, 156.2, 150.2, 142.0, 141.6, 137.9, 137.8, 128.0, 127.2, 126.8, 126.0, 125.6, 123.5, 118.1, 64.5, 53.4, 30.9, 29.4, 19.3, 13.9. ESI+: calcd for C20H23N2O4S (M+H)+:387,1373. Found: 387,1354. 6.3.4. Zn-promoted reductive N-desulfonylation Typical procedure: synthesis of (E,E)-dibutyl 3,3'-(9H-carbazole-1,8- diyl)diacrylate (39). A suspension of diolefinated adduct 4 (56,1 mg, 0.1 mmol) and activated Zn powder (327 mg, 5 mmol, 50 equiv) in a 1:1 N H nBuO 2C CO2 nBu mixture of THF and sat aq. NH4Cl solution (5 mL) was stirred at room temperature until consumption of the starting material (TLC monitoring). The mixture was diluted with EtOAc (15 mL) and filtered over a pad of celite to remove the Zn. The filtrate was washed with a saturated aqueous solution of ammonium chloride (10 mL) and brine (10 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to dryness. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1) to afford 39 as a yellow oil; yield: 39 mg (93%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 8.95 (s, 1H), 8.12 (d, J=15.9, 2H), 8.04 (d, J=7.7, 2H), 7.63 (d, J=7.5, 2H), 7.25 – 7.19 (m, 2H), 6.56 (d, 342 Chapter 6 J=15.9, 2H), 4.21 (t, J=6.8, 4H), 1.74 – 1.60 (m, 4H), 1.39 (dtd, J=16.6, 8.6, 8.0, 5.5, 4H), 0.91 (t, J=7.3, 6H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 167.3, 139.6, 138.5, 125.0, 13 124.5, 122.5, 120.5, 119.1, 118.3, 64.9, 30.8, 19.4, 13.6. ESI+: calcd for C26H30NO4 (M+H)+:420,2169. Found: 420,2187. (E)-Butyl 3-(indolin-7-yl)acrylate (41). Chromatography eluent: n-hexane- CH2Cl2 1:2. Dark yellow solid; yield: 63 %; mp = 61-62 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 N H CO2 nBu MHz) δ: 7.70 (d, J=16.0, 1H), 7.16 (d, J=7.9, 1H), 7.09 (d, J=7.1, 1H), 6.69 (t, J=7.5, 1H), 6.28 (d, J=16.0, 1H), 4.48 (s, 1H), 4.19 (t, J=6.7, 2H), 3.62 (t, J=8.5, 2H), 3.05 (t, J=8.4, 2H), 1.68 (dt, J=14.3, 6.8, 2H), 1.43 (h, J=7.4, 2H), 0.96 (t, J=7.3, 3H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 13 167.6, 150.9, 141.5, 130.8, 127.0, 126.3, 119.0, 116.7, 116.3, 64.3, 47.1, 30.9, 29.4, 19.3, 13.8. FB+: calcd for C15H19NO2 (M)+: 245,1416. Found: 245,1418. 6.3.5. Mg-promoted reductive N-desulfonylation Typical procedure: synthesis of dimethyl 3,3'-(9H-carbazole-1,8- diyl)dipropanoate (40). The diolefinated adduct 2 (0.1 mmol) was dissolved in MeOH (5 mL) and treated with magnesium turnings (51 mg, 2 mmol, 20 N H MeO 2C CO2 Me equiv). The temperature mixture until was sonicated consumption of the at room starting material (TLC monitoring, 2h), then diluted with EtOAc (10 mL) and filtered (celite) to remove excess of Mg. The filtrate was washed with sat. aq NH4Cl (10 mL) and brine (10 mL). The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 3:1) to afford 40 as a yellow solid; yield: 22 mg (75%); mp = 136-138 ºC. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 9.32 (s, 1H), 7.94 (d, J=7.6, 2H), 7.27 – 7.11 (m, 4H), 3.69 (s, 6H), 3.31 (t, J=7.1, 4H), 2.85 (t, J=7.1, 4H). C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 174.8, 138.8, 125.7, 123.9, 13 123.4, 119.6, 118.8, 52.0, 34.6, 26.6. FB+: calcd for C20H21NO4 (M)+: 339,1471. Found: 339,1472. 343 Experimental section 1,2,5,6-Tetrahydropyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinolin-4-one (42).227 The crude product was purified by trituration in a mixture of ether and hexane, obtaining a pale yellow solid; yield: 43 mg (99%); mp = 80-81 ºC N H NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz) δ: 7.07 (d, J=7.4, 1H), 6.99 (m, 1H), 6.92 (t, J=7.4, 1H), 4.08 (t, O 13 1 J=8.4, 2H), 3.19 (t, J=8.4, 2H), 2.97 (t, J=7.8, 2H), 2.68 (t, J=7.8, 2H). C NMR (CDCl3, 125 MHz) δ: 167.8, 141.4, 129.1, 125.5, 123.4, 123.4, 120.4, 45.3, 31.8, 27.9, 24.6. ESI+: calcd for C11H11NO (M)+:173,0841. Found: 173,0842. 6.3.6. Oxidative aromatization Pyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinolin-4-one (43).228 To a solution of 1,2,5,6- tetrahydropyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinolin-4-one (38,4 mg, 0.22 mmol) in DCE (1.5 mL) at room temperature was added DDQ (149.8 mg, 0.66 mmol, N 3.0 equiv). The mixture was heated at 80 ºC overnight before it was O allowed to reach room temperature and quenched with sat aq. NaHCO3 solution (5 mL). The mixture was extracted with EtOAc (5 mL) and the organic phase washed with brine (5 mL), then dried (MgSO4) and concentrated. The residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-CH2Cl2 1:1) to afford the indole derivative as a light brown solid; yield: 26,4 mg (71%); mp = 110-112 ºC [mplit(8) = 113 ºC]. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ: 7.96 (d, J=3.6, 1H), 7.91 – 7.81 (m, 2H), 7.61 (d, J=7.6, 1H), 7.43 (t, J=7.6, 1H), 6.90 (d, J=3.6, 1H), 6.72 (d, J=9.5, 1H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 159.4, 139.0, 132.6, 127.9, 125.5, 124.4, 124.2, 123.8, 117.2, 110.9. ESI+: calcd for C11H7NO (M)+:169,0528. Found: 169,0526. 227 Yin, L.; Lucas, S.; Maurer, F.; Kazmaier, U.; Hu, Q.; Hartmann, R. W. J. Med. Chem. 2012, 55, 6629. 228 McNab, H.; Nelson, D. J.; Rozgowska, E. J. Synthesis, 2009, 13, 2171. 344 Chapter 6 6.4. Aerobic copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation of anilines 6.4.1. General methods The corresponding starting materials were synthetized using oven-dried glassware under a nitrogen atmosphere containing a teflon-coated stirrer bar and dry septum. All halogenation reactions were performed at ambient O¬2 pressure in ovendried 20 mL vessel containing a teflon-coated stirrer bar and dry septum. All reactions were monitored by GC using n-hexadecane as an internal standard. Response factors of the products with regard to n-hexadecane were obtained experimentally by analyzing known quantities of the substances. GC analyses were carried out using an HP-5 capillary column (Phenyl Methyl Siloxane 30 m x 320 x 0.25, 100/2.3-30-300/3) and a time program beginning with 2 min at 60 ºC followed by 30 ºC/min ramp. to 300 ºC, then 3 min at this temperature. Flash column chromatography was performed using 230-400 mesh ultra-pure silica gel. NMR spectra were obtained on Bruker AC300 or on Bruker AMX-500 systems using acetone-d6 as solvent, with proton and carbon resonances at 300/500 MHz and 75/125 MHz, respectively. Mass spectral data were acquired on a VG AutoSpec mass spectrometer. Solvents were purified by standard procedures prior to use. Copper salts were dried in vacuo at 60 ºC prior to use. O2 was supplied with a purity of 99.99%. All other compounds are commercially available and were used without further purification. All oxidation reactions involving sodium hypochlorite were carried with rapid continuous magnetic stirring in Erlenmeyer flasks open to the atmosphere. Sodium hypochlorite was commercial “ultra” laundry bleach containing a stated concentration of 6% NaOCl. Hydrochloric acid (ca. 1 M) containing 25 wt % of calcium chloride was prepared by dissolving 125 g of anhydrous calcium chloride in 350 mL of water and cooling to room temperature. Once the solution had cooled, 42 mL of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added and the solution was diluted to 500 mL with water. 345 Experimental section 6.4.2. Typical procedure for the N-sulfonylation of anilines. Synthesis of N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (1).229 To a solution of aniline (364 µL, 4.00 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in THF (40 mL), pyridine (388 µL, 4.80 mmol, 1.20 equiv) and 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (852 mg, 4.80 mmol, 1.20 equiv) were successively added dropwise at 0 ºC and under N2 atmosphere. The mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred overnight. During this time, a gradual formation of a precipitate was observed. The resulting mixture was then suction filtered through a 6cm fritted glass funnel (coarse) into a round-bottomed flask, and the filter cake was rinsed with THF (3 x 10 mL). To the resulting filtrate and the washes, water (20 mL) was added and the THF was removed by evaporation at reduced pressure, yielding a suspension of a white solid in the aqueous medium. This solid was collected by filtration, washed sequentially with toluene (2 x 5 mL) and diethyl ether (2 x 5 mL). Then it was transferred to a round-bottomed flask, and dried at 1.0 mmHg to provide 1 as a white powder; yield: 862 mg (92%); mp = 170-172 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those reported in the literature for N-phenylpyridine2-sulfonamide [CAS: 103863-00-9]. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.19 (s, 1H), 8.69 (dd, J = 3.6, 1.2, 1H), 8.06 – 7.98 (m, 1H), 7.98 – 7.91 (m, 1H), 7.59 (ddd, J = 7.2, 4.8, 1.5, 1H), 7.33 – 7.14 (m, 4H), 7.03 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 1H). ESI+ calcd. for C11H11N2O2S (M+H)+: 235.0535; Found: 235.0537. N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (2). Compound 2 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-methoxyaniline (493 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 2 as a white solid; yield: 951 mg (90%); mp = 167-168 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.93 (s, 1H), 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.58 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.15 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2H), 6.78 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2H), 3.70 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 229 García-Rubia, A.; Urones, B.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 10927. 346 Chapter 6 158.3, 158.1, 150.8, 139.0, 130.8, 127.7, 125.5, 123.5, 114.9, 55.6. ESI+ calcd. for C12H13N2O3S (M+H)+: 265.0641; Found: 265.0649. N-(p-Tolyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (9) Compound 9 was prepared following the typical procedure from p-toluidine (440 µL, 4.00 mmol) to give 9 as a white solid; yield: 934 mg (94%); mp = 196197 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.04 (s, 1H), 8.69 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.00 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.58 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.14 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.08 – 6.98 (m, 2H), 2.20 (s, 3H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 158.1, 150.9, 139.0, 135.9, 13 135.0, 130.3, 127.8, 123.5, 122.6, 20.7. ESI+ calcd. for C12H13N2O2S (M+H)+: 249.0692; Found: 249.0691. N-(4-Iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (10). Compound 10 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-iodoaniline (876 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 10 as a white solid; yield: 1.28 g (89%); mp = 193-194 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.34 (s, 1H), 8.69 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.05 (td, J = 7.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (ddd, J = 7.9, 1.5, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.67 – 7.55 (m, 3H), 7.12 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 2H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 157.8, 151.0, 139.2, 138.8, 128.1, 123.7, 123.6, 123.5, 88.3. ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SI (M+H)+: 360.9502; Found: 360.9492. N-(4-Bromophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (11). Compound 11 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-bromoaniline (688 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 11 as a white solid; yield: 1.09 g (87%); mp = 192-193 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.34 (s, 1H), 8.69 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.04 (td, J = 7.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.61 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.41 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.25 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 157.8, 151.0, 139.2, 138.2, 138.1, 132.8, 128.1, 123.6, 123.6, 123.5, 117.7. ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SBr (M+H)+: 312.9640; Found: 312.9645. 347 Experimental section N-(4-Chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (12). Compound 12 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-chloroaniline (510 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 12 as a white solid; yield: 817 mg (76%); mp = 182-184 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.33 (s, 1H), 8.69 (dd, J = 4.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.10 – 8.00 (m, 1H), 8.00 – 7.94 (m, 1H), 7.61 (ddd, J = 7.3, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.37 – 7.20 (m, 4H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 157.8, 151.0, 139.2, 137.6, 130.1, 129.8, 128.1, 123.5, 123.4, 123.4. ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SCl (M+H)+: 269.0146; Found: 269.0155. N-(4-Fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (13). Compound 13 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-fluoroaniline (379 µL, 4.00 mmol) to give 13 as a white solid; yield: 797 mg (79%); mp = 156-157 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.21 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.02 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.36 – 7.22 (m, 2H), 7.01 (t, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 160.9 (d, JC-F = 242.0 Hz), 157.9, 13 150.9, 139.1, 134.7 (d, JC-F = 2.7 Hz), 127.9, 124.8 (d, JC-F = 8.3 Hz), 123.5, 116.4 (d, JC-F = 22.8 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 282 MHz) δ: 57.8. ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2FS (M+H)+: 253.0441; Found: 253.0437. N-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide prepared following the (3). typical Compound procedure 3 from was 4- (trifluoromethyl)aniline (502 µL, 4.00 mmol) to give 3 as a white solid; yield: 919 mg (76%) mp = 179-180 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.69 (s, 1H), 8.69 (d, J = 4.7 Hz, 1H), 8.07 (d, J = 3.4 Hz, 2H), 7.72 – 7.46 (m, 5H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ : 157.7, 151.1, 142.6, 139.4, 128.9 (q, JC-F = 270.7 Hz), 128.3, 127.1 (q, JC-F = 3.8 Hz), 126.0 (q, JC-F = 32.5 Hz), 123.5, 120.52. 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 282 MHz) δ: 114.9. ESI+ calcd. for C12H10N2O2F3S (M+H)+: 303.0409; Found: 303.0413. 348 Chapter 6 Methyl 4-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate (14). Compound 14 was prepared following the typical procedure from methyl 4- aminobenzoate (605 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 14 as a white solid; yield: 748 mg (64%); mp = 222-224 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, GC-MS analysis) matched those reported in the literature for methyl 4-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate [CAS: 1352965-44-6]. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.66 (s, 1H), 8.68 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.07 (d, J = 3.5 Hz, 2H), 7.88 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.70 – 7.52 (m, 1H), 7.41 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 2H), 3.82 (s, 3H). N-(3-Fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (15). Compound 15 was prepared following the typical procedure from 3-isopropylaniline (384 µL, 4.00 mmol) to give 15 as a white solid; yield: 837 mg (83%); mp = 164-165 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.53 (s, 1H), 8.70 (d, J = 4.7 Hz, 1H), 8.06 (td, J = 7.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.03 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.63 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.26 (td, J = 8.3, 6.6 Hz, 1H), 7.16 – 7.07 (m, 2H), 6.80 (td, J = 8.5, 2.2 Hz, 1H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 163.7 (d, JC-F = 243.4 Hz), 157.7, 151.0, 140.6 (d, JC-F = 10.6 Hz), 139.3, 131.4 (d, JC-F = 9.5 Hz), 128.2, 123.5, 116.9 (d, JC-F = 3.0 Hz), 111.5 (d, JC-F = 21.3 Hz), 108.1 (d, JC-F = 25.8 Hz). 19F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -113.3. EI+ calcd. for C11H9N2O2FS (M)+: 252.0369; Found: 252.0359. N-(3-Isopropylphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (16). Compound 16 was prepared following the typical procedure from 3-isopropylaniline (541 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 16 as a white solid; yield: 884 mg (80%); mp = 185-186 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.11 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.8, 1.8, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.01 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.59 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.16 – 7.09 (m, 2H), 7.07 (ddd, J = 8.0, 2.2, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 6.93 (dt, J = 7.6, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 2.78 (h, J = 6.9 Hz, 1H), 1.13 (d, J = 6.9 Hz, 6H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.1, 150.9, 150.6, 139.0, 138.5, 129.7, 127.8, 123.6, 123.4, 120.0, 119.5, 34.6, 24.1. EI+ calcd. for C14H16N2O2S (M)+: 276.0932; Found: 276.0940. 349 Experimental section N-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide (17). Compound 17 was prepared following the typical procedure from 3-(trifluoromethyl)aniline (575 µL, 4.00 mmol) to give 17 as a white solid; yield: 883 mg (73%); mp = 190-191 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.57 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.11 – 8.05 (m, 1H), 8.05 – 8.00 (m, 1H), 7.68 – 7.61 (m, 2H), 7.61 – 7.55 (m, 1H), 7.49 (t, J = 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.39 (dt, J = 7.6, 0.8 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 157.7, 151.1, 139.7, 139.4, 131.6 (q, JC-F = 32.3 Hz), 131.0, 128.2, 124.9, 124.9 (q, JC-F = 271.7 Hz), 123.4, 121.6 (q, JC-F = 3.9 Hz), 117.8 (q, JC-F = 4.0 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -63.4. EI calcd. for C12H9N2O2F3S (M+H) : 302.0337; Found: 302.0324. + + N-(3-Chloro-4-iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (18). Compound 18 was prepared following the typical procedure from 3-chloro-4-iodoaniline (1.01 g, 4.00 mmol) to give 18 as a white solid; yield: 1.10 g (70%); mp = 205-206 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.54 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (td, J = 7.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.03 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H) 7.79 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.64 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (d, J = 2.5 Hz, 1H), 7.06 (dd, J = 8.7, 2.5 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 157.6, 151.1, 141.5, 140.6, 139.4, 139.2, 128.3, 123.4, 121.6, 121.2, 91.6. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SClI (M)+: 393.9040; Found: 393.9031. N-(4-Bromo-3-chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (19). Compound 19 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-bromo-3-chloroaniline (826 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 19 as a white solid; yield: 1.15 g (83%); mp = 195-197 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.54 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (td, J = 7.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.03 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.64 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.59 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (d, J = 2.6 Hz, 1H), 7.21 (dd, J = 8.7, 2.6 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 157.6, 151.1, 139.6, 139.4, 135.0, 134.9, 128.3, 123.4, 122.7, 121.3, 117.2. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SBrCl (M)+: 345.9178; Found: 345.9162. 350 Chapter 6 N-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (20). Compound 20 was prepared following the typical procedure from 3,4-dichloroaniline (648 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 19 as a white solid; yield: 1.03 g (85%); mp = 183-184 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.54 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (td, J = 7.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.03 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (d, J = 2.6 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H), 7.28 (dd, J = 8.8, 2.5 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 157.6, 151.1, 139.4, 139.0, 132.9, 131.7, 128.3, 127.9, 123.4, 122.9, 121.3. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SCl2 (M)+: 301.9684; Found: 301.9689. 4-Methyl-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamide (4). Compound 4 was prepared following NHTs the typical procedure from aniline (364 µL, 4.00 mmol) and 4methylbenzenesulfonyl chloride (915 mg, 4.80 mmol, 1.2 equiv) to give 4 as a white solid; yield: 752 mg (76%); mp = 96-97 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, GC-MS analysis) matched those reported in the literature for 4methyl-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamide [CAS: 68-34-8]. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.90 (s, 1H), 7.67 (d, J=8.3, 2H), 7.31 (d, J=7.9, 2H), 7.26 – 7.16 (m, 4H), 7.13 – 7.00 (m, 1H), 2.35 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (CDCl3, 75 MHz) δ: 144.0, 136.7, 136.2, 129.8, 129.4, 127.4, 125.4, 121.6, 21.6. N-Methyl-N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide (8). Compound 8 was prepared from Nmethylaniline (433 µL, 4.00 mmol), according to the already described protocol by our group,229 to give 8 as a white solid; yield: 844 mg (85%); mp = 100-102 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those reported in the literature for N-methyl-Nphenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide [CAS: 1352965-24-2]. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.78 (dd, J = 4.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 8.01 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.74 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.66 (ddd, J = 7.7, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.36 – 7.15 (m, 5H), 3.48 (s, 3H). EI+ calcd. for C12H12N2O2S (M)+: 248.0619; Found: 248.0630. 351 Experimental section 3.1.1. Typical procedure for the synthesis of N-(pyrimidiyl)sulfonyl of anilines Synthesis of N-(4-chloro-2-fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (21-Cl). A solution of 2-mercaptopyrimidine (0.561 g, 5 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in a mixture of CH2Cl2 (25 mL) and a 1 M solution of HCl having 25 wt % of CaCl2 (25 mL) was stirred in a 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask for 10 min at −30 to −25 °C (internal temperature, maintained by intermittent cooling with a dry ice-acetone bath). Then calcium chloride 6-hydrate (19 g) was dissolved in sodium hypochlorite (6% solution, 0.74 M, 24 mL, 18 mmol, 3.3 equiv), and the resulting clear solution was added dropwise with very rapid stirring to the original solution of 2- mercaptopyrimidine while maintaining the internal temperature at −30 to −25 °C. The resulting mixture was stirred for 15 min at −30 to −25 °C (internal temperature) before it was diluted with of ice/water (25 mL) and transferred to a separatory funnel (precooled with ice water). The organic phase was rapidly separated and collected in a clean 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask cooled in a dry ice-acetone bath. 2-Chloro-4fluoroaniline (1.49 mL, 12.5 mmol, 2.5 equiv) was added with stirring, whereupon the mixture became a white suspension. The flask was moved to an ice-water bath and the suspension was stirred for 30 min at 0 °C. To th e resulting suspension was added 1 M phosphoric acid and the organic phase was successively washed with water and brine. The combined organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (n-hexaneEtOAc 2:1) to afford 21-Cl as a pale yellow solid; yield: 2.87 g (80%); mp = 139140 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.99 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2H), 8.89 (s, 1H), 7.77 (t, J = 4.8 Hz, 1H), 7.66 (dd, J = 9.0, 5.6 Hz, 1H), 7.29 (dd, J = 8.4, 2.9 Hz, 1H), 7.13 (ddd, J = 9.0, 8.0, 2.9 Hz, 1H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 166.5, 161.1 (d, JC-F = 246.7 Hz), 159.7, 131.7, 130.8 (d, JC-F = 10.7 Hz), 129.2 (d, JC-F = 8.9 Hz), 124.9, 117.6 (d JC-F = 26.2 Hz), 115.5 (d, JC-F = 22.4 Hz). 19F NMR (acetone-d6, 282 MHz) δ: 61.9. EI+ calcd. for C10H7N3O2FSCl (M)+: 286.9932; Found: 286.9924. 352 Chapter 6 N-(2-Bromo-4-methylphenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (22). Compound 22 was prepared following the typical procedure from 2-bromo-4methylaniline (1.55 mL, 12.5 mmol), to give 22 as a white solid; yield: 3.03 g (74%); mp = 127-129 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.98 (d, J = 4.9 Hz, 2H), 7.75 (t, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.41 (dd, J = 1.9, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.14 (ddd, J = 8.3, 2.0, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (s, 3H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 166.5, 159.7, 13 138.7, 134.0, 133.6, 129.8, 127.0, 124.8, 119.2, 20.4. EI+ calcd. for C11H10N3O2SBr (M)+: 326.9677; Found: 326.9682. N-(4-Fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (21). Compound 21 was prepared following the typical procedure from 4-fluoroaniline (1.18 mL, 12.5 mmol), to give 21 as a white solid solid; yield: 1.72 g (54%); mp = 145-147 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.32 (s, 1H), 8.97 (d, J = 4.9 Hz, 2H), 7.72 (t, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 7.38 (dd, J = 9.2 Hz, 4.8, 2H), 7.16 – 6.87 (m, 2H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 166.3, 160.7 (d, JC-F = 13 241.9 Hz), 159.7, 134.7 (d, JC-F = 2.9 Hz), 124.8, 124.7, 116.4 (d, JC-F = 22.9 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 282 MHz) δ: 57.8. EI+ calcd. for C10H8N3O2FS (M)+: 253.0321; Found: 253.0314. N-(p-Tolyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (23). Compound 23 was prepared following the typical procedure from p-toluidine (1.38 mL, 12.5 mmol), to give 23 as a white solid; yield: 2.54 g (82%); mp = 134135 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.23 (s, 1H), 8.96 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (t, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 7.22 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.05 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 2H), 2.22 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 166.4, 159.6, 135.9, 135.0, 130.3, 124.6, 122.5, 20.7. EI+ calcd. for C11H11N3O2S (M)+: 249.0572; Found: 249.0569. 353 Experimental section 3.1.2. Synthesis of N-phenyl-2-pyridinecarboxamide (7). Compound 7 was synthetized in a 10.0 mmol-scale following the literature procedure,230 to give 7 as a pale yellow solid; yield: 1.05 g (53%); mp = 76-77 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those reported in the literature for N-phenyl-2pyridinecarboxamide [CAS: 10354-53-7]. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 10.23 (s, 1H), 8.68 (ddd, J = 4.8, 1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.25 (dt, J=7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 8.05 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (dd, J = 8.6, 1.1 Hz, 2H), 7.63 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.8, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.44 – 7.34 (m, 2H), 7.21 – 7.09 (m, 1H). EI+ calcd. for C12H10N2O (M)+: 198.0793; Found: 198.0794. 6.4.3. General procedures for the copper-catalyzed ortho-halogenation 6.4.3.1. METHOD A: ortho-Chlorination using 1,1,2,2-tetracloroethane as chlorine source An oven-dried, nitrogen-flushed 20 mL vessel was charged with the corresponding N(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline (1-3) (0.20 mmol) and copper(II) chloride (5.38 mg, 0.04 mmol, 20 mol%). The reaction vessel was sealed with a Teflon lined cap, then evacuated and flushed with oxygen three times. Under the atmosphere of oxygen, Cl2CHCHCl2 (1 mL) and the internal standard n-hexadecane (50 µL) were added via syringe. After stirring the reaction mixture at 130 °C for 24 h, it was diluted with 5 mL of CH2Cl2 and filtered through a pad of Celite. The filtrate was washed twice with brine. The organic layer was dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated under vacuum. The residue was purified by column chromatography (SiO2, n-hexane-ethyl acetate 5:1), yielding the corresponding ortho-chlorinated product. N-(2-Chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (1-Cl). Compound 1-Cl was prepared following Method A from N-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide 1 (46.9 mg, 0.20 mmol), to give 1-Cl as a white solid; yield: 41.9 mg (78%); mp = 105-106 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.70 230 Markey, M. D.; Fu, Y.; Kelly, T. R. Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 3255. 354 Chapter 6 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.59 (s, 1H), 8.05 (tt, J = 7.8, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 8.00 – 7.90 (m, 1H), 7.69 – 7.59 (m, 2H), 7.38 (dd, J = 7.9, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.28 (ddd, J = 8.1, 7.4, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.20 – 7.12 (m, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 158.2, 151.0, 13 139.2, 135.0, 130.5, 128.5, 128.2, 127.9, 127.5, 125.9, 123.2. ESI+ calcd. for C11H10N2O2SCl (M+H)+: 269.0146; Found: 269.0144. N-(2-Chloro-4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (2-Cl). Compound 2-Cl was prepared following Method A from N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 2 (52.9 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 2-Cl as a white solid; yield: 56.1 mg (94%); mp = 131-132 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.72 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.9, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.53 (s, 1H), 8.03 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.42 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.93 (d, J = 2.9 Hz, 1H), 6.86 (dd, J = 8.9, 2.9 Hz, 1H), 3.79 (s, 3H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 159.5, 158.5, 151.0, 13 139.1, 131.3, 129.6, 128.0, 127.4, 123.2, 115.5, 114.2, 56.1. EI+ calcd. for C12H11N2O3SCl (M)+: 298.0179; Found: 298.0173. N-(2-Chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (3-Cl). Compound 3-Cl was prepared following Method A from N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]pyridine-2sulfonamide 3 (60.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 3-Cl as a white solid; yield: 60.0 mg (89%); mp = 109-110 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.01 (s, 1H), 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.12 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.05 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.97 (dd, J = 8.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.76 (d, J = 1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.69 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.67 – 7.64 (m, 1H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.0, 151.2, 139.6, 139.1, 128.6, 127.9 (q, JC-F = 33.4 Hz), 127.6 (q, JC-F = 32.5 Hz), 126.9, 125.6 (q, JC-F = 3.7 Hz), 124.6, 124.4 (q, JC-F = 271.4 Hz), 123.2. + 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 282 MHz) δ: + 114.5. EI calcd. for C12H8N2F3O2SCl (M) : 335.9947; Found: 335.9945. 355 Experimental section 6.4.3.2. METHOD B: ortho-Chlorination using NCS as a source of chlorine An oven-dried, nitrogen-flushed 20 mL vessel was charged with the corresponding Nprotected aniline (1-20) (0.20 mmol, 1.00 equiv), NCS (32.0 mg, 0.24 mmol, 1.2 equiv) and CuCl2 (2.69 mg, 0.02 mmol, 10 mol%). The reaction vessel was sealed with a Teflon lined cap, then evacuated and flushed with oxygen three times. Under the atmosphere of oxygen, MeCN (1 mL) and the internal standard nhexadecane (50 µL) were added via syringe. The resulting mixture was stirred at 100 °C for 4-8 h, depending on the reactivity of th e substrate (indicated for each case). After the reaction was complete, the volatiles were removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 5:1), yielding the corresponding chlorinated products. N-(2-Chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (1-Cl). Compound 1-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-phenylpyridine-2sulfonamide 1 (46.9 mg, 0.20 mmol), to give 1-Cl as a white solid; yield: 51.0 mg (95%); mp = 105-106 ºC. For the analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) see compound 1-Cl described in Method A. N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide (4-Cl). Compound 4-Cl was NHTs prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from 4-methylN-phenylbenzenesulfonamide 4 (49.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 4- Cl Cl as a white solid; yield: 55.0 mg (97%). 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.06 (s, 1H), 7.68 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.32 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.27 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2H), 7.22 (d, J = 9.1 Hz, 2H), 2.35 (s, 3H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 144.6, 137.8, 137.7, 130.5, 130.1, 129.9, 128.0, 123.0, 21.36. N-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)acetamide (5-Cl). Compound 5-Cl was detected when Nphenylacetamide 5 (27.0 mg, 0.20 mmol) was used following Method B (reaction time: 4 h). MS: m/z (%) = 203 (100), 205(64), 207 (13), 204 (9), 206 (5). 356 Chapter 6 N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-pyridinecarboxamide (7-Cl). Compound 7-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-phenyl-2pyridinecarboxamide 7 (39.6 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 7-Cl as a white solid; yield: 32.0 mg (69%). 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 10.34 (s, 1H), 8.68 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.24 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.99 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 2H), 7.64 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.8, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.41 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 2H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 163.1, 150.7, 149.2, 138.9, 138.4, 129.6, 13 129.1, 127.7, 123.1, 122.2. N-Methyl-N-(4-chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (8-Cl). Compound 8-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h; chromatography eluents: n-hexane-EtOAc 5:1) from N-methylN-phenylpyridine-2-sulfonamide 8 (49.7 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 8-Cl as a white solid; yield: 51.0 mg (90%). 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.77 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.04 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.79 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.67 (ddd, J = 7.7, 4.7, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.37 – 7.26 (m, 4H), 3.46 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 157.7, 151.0, 141.6, 139.2, 132.9, 129.7, 129.2, 128.1, 123.9, 40.0. N-(2-Chloro-4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (2-Cl). Compound 2-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine2-sulfonamide 2 (52.9 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 2-Cl as a white solid; yield: 53.1 mg (89%). For the analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis), see compound 2-Cl in Method A. N-(2-Chloro-4-methylphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (9-Cl). Compound 9-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-(p-tolyl)pyridine-2sulfonamide 9 (49.7 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 9-Cl as a white solid; yield: 44.0 mg (78%); mp = 128-129 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.74 – 8.67 (m, 1H), 8.53 (s, 1H), 8.04 (td, J = 7.7, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (dt, J = 7.6, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.64 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.6, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.19 (d, J = 2.1 Hz, 1H), 7.08 (dd, J = 8.2, 2.0 357 Experimental section Hz, 1H), 2.26 (s, 3H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.3, 151.0, 139.1, 138.1, 13 132.2, 130.7, 129.1, 128.5, 128.0, 126.6, 123.2, 20.5. EI+ calcd. for C12H11N2O2SCl (M)+: 282.0230; Found: 282.0233. N-(2-Chloro-4-iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (10-Cl). Compound 10-Cl was NHSO2Py prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h); from N-(4iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 10 (72.0 mg, 0.20 mmol) to I Cl give 10-Cl as a white solid; yield: 46.0 mg (58%); mp = 102- 103 ºC. H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.79 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.8, 0.9 1 Hz, 1H), 8.07 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.97 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.74 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 1H), 7.70 – 7.63 (m, 2H), 7.46 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.0, 151.0, 139.3, 138.5, 137.6, 135.3, 129.0, 128.3, 127.6, 123.2, 89.6. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SClI (M)+: 393.9040; Found: 393.9048. N-(4-Bromo-2-chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (11-Cl). Compound 11-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N(4-bromophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 11 (62.6 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 11-Cl as a white solid; yield: 42.0 mg (61%); mp = 163-165 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.76 (s, 1H), 8.71 (d, J = 3.6 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (tt, J = 7.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (d, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.73 – 7.60 (m, 1H), 7.65 – 7.56 (m, 2H), 7.49 (dt, J = 8.7, 2.0 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.1, 151.1, 139.4, 134.7, 132.8, 131.6, 129.3, 128.3, 127.7, 123.2, 119.1. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SClBr (M)+: 345.9178; Found: 345.9169. N-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (12-Cl). Compound 12-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-(4chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 12 (53.7 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 12-Cl as a white solid; yield: 46.0 mg (76%); mp = 110-111 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.79 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.96 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.70 – 7.64 (m, 2H), 7.47 (d, J = 2.4 Hz, 1H), 7.35 (dd, J = 8.8, 2.4 Hz, 1H). 13C NMR 358 Chapter 6 (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.1, 151.1, 139.4, 134.3, 131.8, 130.0, 129.2, 128.7, 128.3, 127.5, 123.2. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SCl2 (M)+: 301.9684; Found: 301.9681. N-(2-Chloro-4-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (13-Cl). Compound 13-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-(4fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 13 (50.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 13-Cl as a white solid; yield: 46.0 mg (80%); mp = 9798 ºC. H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.75 – 8.68 (m, 2H), 8.06 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 1 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (dd, J = 7.9, 2.5 Hz, 1H), 7.70 – 7.59 (m, 2H), 7.25 (dt, J = 8.4, 2.7 Hz, 1H), 7.13 (ddt, J = 9.0, 7.9, 2.7 Hz, 1H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 161.1 (d, JC-F = 161.1 Hz), 158.31 (s), 151.0, 139.3, 131.6 (d, JC-F =3.4 Hz), 130.5 (d, JC-F = 10.9 Hz), 129.1 (d, JC-F = 9.2 Hz), 128.2, 123.1, 117.5 (d, JC-F = 26.2 Hz), 115.5 (d, J = 22.4 Hz). 19F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -115.7. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2FSCl (M)+: 285.9979; Found: 285.9991. N-(2-Chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (3-Cl). Compound 3-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]pyridine-2-sulfonamide 3 (60.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 3-Cl as a white solid; yield: 54.0 mg (80%). For the analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) see compound 3-Cl in Method A. Methyl 3-chloro-4-(pyridine-2-sulfonamido)benzoate (14-Cl). Compound 14-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 4 h) from methyl 4-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate 14 (58.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 14-Cl as a white solid; yield: 56.0 mg (86%); mp = 129-130 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.94 (s, 1H), 8.70 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H), 8.10 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.05 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (d, J = 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.89 (dd, J = 8.6, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.85 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.67 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 3.86 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 165.6, 157.8, 151.1, 139.5, 139.5, 131.3, 129.5, 359 Experimental section 128.5, 128.3, 126.0, 123.4, 123.3, 52.6. EI+ calcd. for C13H11N2O4SCl (M)+: 326.0128; Found: 326.0116. N-(2-chloro-3-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (15-Cl). Compound 15-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 8 h) from N-(3fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 15 (50.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 15-Cl as a white solid; yield: 45.0 mg (78%); mp = 114116 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.81 (s, 1H), 8.72 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.8, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.10 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.03 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.55 (dd, J = 10.4, 3.0 Hz, 1H), 7.43 (dd, J = 8.9, 5.7 Hz, 1H), 6.97 (ddd, J = 8.9, 7.9, 3.0 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 162.1 (d, JC-F = 244.3 Hz), 157.9, 151.1, 139.5, 136.6 (d, JC-F = 11.3 Hz), 131.6 (d, JC-F = 9.4 Hz), 128.4, 123.2, 122.2 (d, JC-F = 3.5 Hz), 113.9 (d, JC-F = 23.3 Hz), 112.0 (d, JC-F = 27.6 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -114.4. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2FSCl (M)+: 285.9979; Found: 285.9989. N-(2-chloro-5-isopropylphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (16-Cl). Compound 16-Cl iPr NHSO2Py was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 8 h) from N-(3-isopropylphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 16 (55.3 mg, Cl 0.20 mmol) to give 16-Cl as a white solid; yield: 32.0 mg (52%); mp = 136-137 ºC. This compound could not be completely purified from presumably minor chlorinated side products. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.72 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.57 (s, 1H), 8.11 – 8.02 (m, 1H), 7.96 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.47 (d, J = 2.2 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.04 (dd, J = 8.3, 2.1 Hz, 1H), 2.78 (s, 1H), 1.16 (d, J = 6.9 Hz, 6H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.2, 151.0, 149.5, 139.2, 134.7, 130.2, 128.1, 125.7, 125.2, 124.0, 123.4, 34.3, 24.0. EI+ calcd. for C14H15N2O2SCl (M)+: 310.0543; Found: 310.0536. 360 Chapter 6 N-(2-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide and N-(2-chloro-5(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (17-Cl). Following Method B (reaction time: 8 h) from N-[3(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]pyridine-2sulfonamide 17 0.20 mmol) a (60.4 mg, mixture of regioisomers 17-Cl was obtained in a 1:1 ratio, as a white solid; yield: 39.0 mg (58%). 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.02 (s, 1H), 8.85 – 8.52 (m, 1H), 8.31 – 7.91 (m, 3H), 7.87 – 7.58 (m, 2H), 7.58 – 7.36 (m, 1H). MS: m/z (%) N-(2,3-dichloro-4-iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (18-Cl). Compound 18-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 8 h) from N- Cl Cl NHSO2Py (3-chloro-4-iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 18 (78.9 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 18-Cl as a white solid; yield: 50.0 mg I (58%); mp = 152-154 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.73 (s, 1H), 9.49 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.88 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.79 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 8.69 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 1H), 8.47 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 8.26 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.0, 151.1, 139.5, 13 139.1, 137.5, 137.4, 128.4, 126.3, 125.0, 123.2, 94.4. EI+ calcd. for C11H7N2O2SCl2I (M)+: 427.8650; Found: 427.8645. N-(4-Bromo-2,3-dichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (19-Cl). Compound 19-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 8 h) from N- Cl Cl NHSO2Py (4-bromo-3-chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 19 (69.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 19-Cl as a white solid; yield: Br 46.0 mg (60%); mp = 144-145 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ:9.00 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.5, 1.6, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.00 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.80 – 7.66 (m, 2H), 7.63 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.0, 151.1, 139.5, 136.6, 133.8, 132.7, 128.4, 128.0, 125.0, 123.2, 119.9. EI+ calcd. for C11H7N2O2SCl2Br (M)+: 379.8789; Found: 379.8797. 361 Experimental section N-(2,3,4-Trichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (20-Cl). Compound 20-Cl was prepared following Method B (reaction time: 8 h) from N- (3,4-dichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 20 (78.9 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 20-Cl as a white solid; yield: 55.0 mg (64%); mp = 131-132 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.97 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.10 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.99 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.75 – 7.61 (m, 2H), 7.55 (td, J = 9.0 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.0, 151.1, 139.5, 135.9, 132.0, 131.5, 130.8, 129.4, 128.4, 124.8, 123.2. EI+ calcd. for C11H7N2O2SCl3 (M)+: 335.9294; Found: 335.9305. 6.4.3.3. METHOD C: ortho-Bromination using NBS as a source of bromine Method C is analogous to the previous NCS-chlorination (Method B), but using NBS as brominating agent and a range of reaction time of 8-16 h, depending on the reactivity of the substrate. The following amounts were used: N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline 2-3, 9-15, or 20 (0.20 mmol), NBS (42.7 mg, 0.24 mmol, 1.20 equiv), CuBr2 (4.47 mg, 0.02 mmol, 10 mol%), n-hexadecane (50 µL) and MeCN (1.00 mL). After the reaction was complete, the volatiles were removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 5:1), yielding the corresponding N-(2-bromophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamides. N-(2-Bromo-4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (2-Br). Compound 2-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time 16 h) from N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 2 (52.9 mg, 0.20 mmol), copper(II) bromide (8.94 mg, 0.04 mmol, 20 mol%) and DMF (1.00 mL) at 150 ºC, to give 2-Br as a white solid; yield: 60.3 mg (88%); mp = 136-137 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 8.38 (s, 1H), 8.10 – 7.94 (m, 1H), 7.86 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.64 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.40 (dd, J = 8.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.10 (d, J = 2.8 Hz, 1H), 6.90 (ddd, J = 8.9, 2.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 3.79 (s, 3H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 13 159.5, 158.6, 151.0, 139.1, 129.5, 128.9, 127.9, 123.2, 121.5, 118.7, 114.8, 56.1. EI+ calcd. for C12H11N2O3SBr (M)+: 341.9674; Found: 341.9675. 362 Chapter 6 N-(2-Bromo-4-methylphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (9-Br). Compound 9-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 8 h) from N-(ptolyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 9 (49.7 mg, 0.10 mmol) to give 9-Br as a white solid; yield: 35.0 mg (71%); mp = 120121 ºC. H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.71 (dd, J = 3.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.36 (s, 1 1H), 8.04 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (dd, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (dd, J = 8.2, 3.4 Hz, 1H), 7.37 (s, 1H), 7.13 (dd, J = 8.3, 2.0 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (s, 3H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.3, 151.0, 139.2, 138.5, 13 134.0, 133.6, 129.8, 128.1, 126.7, 123.3, 119.0, 20.40. EI+ calcd. for C12H11N2O2SBr (M)+: 325.9725; Found: 325.9738. N-(2-Bromo-4-iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (10-Br). Compound 10-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 8 h) from N-(4iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 10 (72.0 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 10-Br as a white solid; yield: 50.0 mg (57%); mp = 111112 ºC. H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.6, 0.8, 1H), 8.56 (s, 1 1H), 8.13 – 8.03 (m, 1H), 8.01 – 7.94 (m, 1H), 7.91 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 1H), 7.75 – 7.62 (m, 2H), 7.45 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.1, 151.1, 13 141.5, 139.4, 138.3, 136.7, 128.3, 127.8, 123.24, 119.4, 100.9, 90.1. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SBrI (M)+: 437.8535; Found: 437.8553. N-(2,4-Dibromophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (11-Br). Compound 11-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 8 h) from N-(4-bromophenyl)pyridine-2sulfonamide 11 (62.6 mg, 0.2 mmol) to give 11-Br as a white solid; yield: 67.0 mg (85%); mp = 101-102 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.59 (s, 1H), 8.08 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.96 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.75 (d, J = 2.2 Hz, 1H), 7.67 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (dd, J = 8.7, 2.3 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 158.1, 151.1, 139.4, 136.0, 135.8, 132.2, 128.3, 127.9, 123.2, 119.5, 119.5. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SBr2 (M)+: 389.8673; Found: 389.8684. 363 Experimental section N-(2-Bromo-4-chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (12-Br). Compound 12-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: chlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 8 h) 12 from (53.7 mg, N-(40.20 mmol) to give 12-Br as a white solid; yield: 31.0 mg (45%); mp = 103-104 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.6, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 8.60 (s, 1H), 8.08 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.96 (dt, J = 7.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (d, J = 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H), 7.62 (d, J = 2.4 Hz, 1H), 7.40 (dd, J = 8.7, 2.4 Hz, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 158.1, 13 151.1, 139.4, 135.6, 133.1, 132.1, 129.2, 128.3, 127.7, 123.2, 119.4. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SClBr (M)+: 345.9178; Found: 345.9180. N-(2-Bromo-4-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (13-Br). Compound 13-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 8 h) from N(4-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 13 (50.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 13-Br as a white solid; yield: 52.0 mg (79%); mp = 111-112 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.58 (s, 1H), 8.06 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (dd, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.67 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.62 (dd, J = 9.0, 5.5 Hz, 1H), 7.41 (dd, J = 8.2, 2.9 Hz, 1H), 7.17 (ddd, J = 9.1, 8.0, 2.9 Hz, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 13 161.1 (d, JC-F = 248.2 Hz), 158.3, 151.1, 139.3, 133.0 (d, JC-F = 3.3 Hz), 129.2 (d, JC-F = 8.9 Hz), 128.2, 123.2, 120.6 (d, JC-F = 25.8 Hz), 120.5, 116.0 (d, JC-F = 22.4 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -115.6. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2FSBr (M)+: 329.9474; Found: 329.9463. N-(2-Bromo-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (3-Br). Compound 3-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 8 h) from N-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 3 (60.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 3-Br as a white solid; yield: 71.0 mg (83%); mp = 88-89 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.78 (s, 1H), 8.74 – 8.69 (m, 1H), 8.12 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.05 (dd, J = 7.9, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (s, 1H), 7.73 – 7.67 (m, 2H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 13 157.9, 151.2, 140.4, 139.6, 130.8 (q, JC-F = 3.8 Hz), 128.6, 128.4 (q, JC-F = 33.4 Hz), 364 Chapter 6 126.3 (q, JC-F = 3.8 Hz), 124.9, 124.2 (q, JC-F = 271.5 Hz), 123.3, 117.0. + 19 F NMR + (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -62.9. EI calcd. for C12H8N2O2F3SBr (M) : 379.9442; Found: 379.9423. Methyl 3-bromo-4-(pyridine-2-sulfonamido)benzoate (14-Br). Compound 14-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 8 h) from methyl 4-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate 14 (58.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 14-Br as a white solid; yield: 64.0 mg (86%); mp = 145-146 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.67 (s, 1H), 8.14 – 8.08 (m, 2H), 8.05 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.93 (dd, J = 8.6, 1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.84 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (ddd, J = 7.5, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 3.87 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 165.4, 157.8, 151.2, 140.7, 139.5, 134.7, 130.2, 128.8, 128.5, 123.7, 123.4, 116.2, 52.6. EI+ calcd. for C13H11N2O4SBr (M)+: 369.9623; Found: 369.9638. N-(2-Bromo-3-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (15-Br). Compound 15-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 16 h) from N(3-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 15 (50.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 15-Br as a white solid; yield: 42.0 mg (64%). This compound could not be completely purified from presumably minor brominated side products. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.59 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.13 – 8.06 (m, 1H), 8.06 – 8.02 (m, 1H), 7.65 (ddd, J = 7.4, 4.7, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.52 (dd, J = 8.7, 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (dd, J = 10.6, 2.5 Hz, 1H), 7.09 (ddd, J = 8.8, 2.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 13 159.7 (d, JC-F = 244.7 Hz), 157.6, 140.2 (d, JC-F = 9.7 Hz), 139.4, 137.0, 128.5, 128.3, 123.5, 118.3 (d, JC-F = 3.3 Hz), 113.3 (d, JC-F = 27.9 Hz), 109.2 (d, JC-F = 26.6 Hz), 103.5 (d, JC-F = 20.9 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -107.3. EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2FSBr (M)+: 329.9474; Found: 329.9472. 365 Experimental section N-(2-Bromo-3,4-dichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (20-Br). Compound 20-Br was prepared following Method C (reaction time: 16 h) from Br Cl N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide 20 (60.6 mg, NHSO2Py 0.20 mmol) to give 20-Br as a white solid; yield: 46.0 mg (60%); mp = 176-178 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: Cl 8.76 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.99 (dd, J = 7.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.73 – 7.65 (m, 2H), 7.60 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.1, 151.1, 139.5, 137.7, 133.9, 130.6, 130.1, 128.4, 125.1, 123.2, 120.76. ESI+ calcd. for C11H7N2O2SCl2Br (M)+: 379.8789; Found: 379.8788. 6.4.3.4. Method D: ortho-iodination using NIS as a source of iodine. Method D is analogous to NCS-chlorination (Method B), but using NIS as iodine source and Cu(OAc)2 instead of CuCl2 (reaction time: 24 h). The following amounts were used: N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aniline (3, 14) (0.20 mmol), NIS (54.0 mg, 0.24 mmol, 1.20 equiv), Cu(OAc)2 (7.27 mg, 0.04 mmol, 20 mol%), n-hexadecane (50 µL) and MeCN (1.00 mL). After the reaction was complete, the volatiles were removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by column chromatography (nhexane-EtOAc 5:1), yielding the corresponding N-(2-iodophenyl)pyridine-2- sulfonamides. N-(2-Iodo-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (3-I). Compound 3-I was prepared following Method D from N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]pyridine-2sulfonamide 3 (60.5 mg, 0.20 mmol) to give 3-I as a white solid; yield: 52.0 mg (60%); mp = 100-102 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.72 (ddd, J = 4.5, 1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.52 (s, 1H), 8.17 – 8.08 (m, 2H), 8.07 – 8.00 (m, 1H), 7.87 – 7.80 (m, 1H), 7.75 – 7.66 (m, 2H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 158.0, 151.2, 143.3, 139.6, 137.2 (q, JC-F = 4.0 Hz), 128.8 (q, JC-F = 32.9 Hz), 128.5, 127.1 (q, JC-F = 3.7 Hz), 124.7, 124.0 (q, JC-F = 271.7 Hz), 123.3, 93.5. 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -62.9. EI+ calcd. for C12H8N2O2F3SI (M)+: 427.9303; Found: 427.9318. 366 Chapter 6 Methyl 3-iodo-4-(pyridine-2-sulfonamido)benzoate (14-I). Compound 14-I was prepared following Method D from methyl 4-[N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonylamino]benzoate 14 (58.5 mg, 0.20 mmol), yielding 14-I as a white solid; yield: 42.0 mg (50%); mp = 155-156 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.71 (ddd, J = 4.7, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.40 (s, 1H), 8.37 (d, J = 1.9 Hz, 1H), 8.10 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.05 – 8.01 (m, 1H), 7.95 (dd, J = 8.5, 2.0 Hz, 1H), 7.74 (d, J = 8.5 Hz, 1H), 7.69 (ddd, J = 7.6, 4.7, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 3.86 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 165.3, 157.8, 151.2, 143.6, 141.4, 139.5, 131.0, 129.2, 128.5, 123.6, 123.4, 92.6, 52.6. EI+ calcd. for C13H11N2O4SI (M)+: 417.9484; Found: 417.9500. 6.4.3.5. Method E: N-(2-pyrimidyl)sulfonyl-directed copper-catalyzed orthoclorination. Method E is analogous to the NCS-chlorination of N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines (Method B), but switching to N-(pyrimidyl)sulfonyl aniline as substrate and with a reaction time of 16 h. The following amounts were used: N-(pyrimidil)sulfonyl aniline (21, 21-Cl, 22-23) (0.20 mmol), CuCl2 (8.1 mg, 0.06 mmol, 30 mol%), n-hexadecane (50 µL). The solvent used [MeCN or DMF (1.00 mL)], the temperature (130 ºC or 150 ºC) and the exact amount of NCS would be specified in each case. After the reaction was complete, the volatiles were removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 2:1), yielding the corresponding N-(2-chlorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamides. N-(2,6-dichloro-4-fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (21-Cl2). Compound 21Cl2 was prepared following Method E from N-(4-chloro-2fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide 21-Cl (65.6 mg, 0.20 mmol) and NCS (32.0 mg, 0.24 mmol, 1.2 equiv), in MeCN at 130 ºC, to give 21-Cl2 as a white solid; yield: 56.6 mg (78%); mp = 187-188 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.00 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2H), 7.77 (t, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 7.38 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 167.1, 13 161.6 (d, JC-F = 252.1 Hz), 159.5, 138.0 (d, JC-F = 12.4 Hz), 129.8 (d, JC-F = 4.3 Hz), 367 Experimental section 124.7, 117.2 (d, JC-F = 25.7 Hz). 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 282 MHz) δ: 66.3. EI+ calcd. for C10H6N3O2FCSCl2 (M)+: 320.9542; Found: 320.9527. N-(2-Bromo-6-chloro-4-methylphenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (22-Cl). Com- pound 22-Cl was prepared following Method E from N-(2bromo-4-methylphenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide 22 (65.6 mg, 0.20 mmol) and NCS (32.0 mg, 0.24 mmol, 1.2 equiv), in DMF at 150 ºC, to give 22-Cl as a white solid; yield: 58.0 mg (80%); mp = 198-200 ºC. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ:9.89 (s, 1H), 8.99 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2H), 7.75 (t, J = 4.9 Hz, 1H), 7.45 (d, J = 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (dd, J = 1.8, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 2.33 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 178.9, 167.2, 159.4, 142.1, 136.3, 133.4, 131.3, 130.7, 126.9, 124.6, 20.4. EI+ calcd. for C11H9N3O2SClBr (M)+: 360.9287; Found: 360.9304. N-(2,6-dichloro-4-fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (21-Cl2). Compound 20Cl2 was prepared following Method fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide E 21 from N-(4- (50.6 mg, 0.20 mmol) and NCS (64.1 mg, 0.48 mmol, 2.4 equiv), in DMF at 150 ºC, to give 21-Cl2 as a white solid; yield: 37.4 mg (58%); mp = 187-188 ºC. The analytical data (NMR and HRMS analysis) matched those described for compound 21-Cl. N-(2,6-Dichloro-4-methylphenyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide (23-Cl2). Compound 23-Cl2 was prepared following Method E from N-(ptolyl)pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide 23 (49.9 mg, 0.20 mmol) and NCS (64.1 mg, 0.48 mmol, 2.4 equiv), in MeCN at 130 ºC, to give 23-Cl2 as a pale yellow oil; yield: 58.0 mg (85%). 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.99 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2H), 7.75 (t, J = 4.8 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (s, 2H), 2.33 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 167.2, 159.4, 141.7, 136.5, 130.1, 129.9, 124.5, 20.6. EI+ calcd. for C11H9N3O2SCl2 (M)+: 316.9793; Found: 316.9803. 368 Chapter 6 6.4.4. Typical procedure for the Mg-promoted N-desulfonylation Synthesis of 2-chloroaniline (24). To a solution of N-(2-chlorophenyl)pyridine-2sulfonamide 1-Cl (53.5 mg, 0.2 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in dry MeOH (10 mL) was added magnesium (turnings, 48.6 mg, 2.00 mmol, 10 equiv). The reaction mixture was sonicated at room temperature until complete conversion of the starting material (TLC monitoring). Equal volumes of diethyl ether and saturated aq. NH4Cl were added, and the organic phase was separated. The aqueous phase was extracted with diethyl ether (2 x 10 mL) and the combined organic phases were dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to dryness to give pure 24 as colourless oil; yield: 22.0 mg (85%). The analytical data (NMR, GC-MS analysis) are in agreement with those of the commercial available 2-chloroaniline [CAS: 95-51-2]. 2,6-Dichloro-4-fluoraniline (25). N-(2,6-Dichloro-4-fluorophenyl)pyrimidine-2- sulfonamide 21-Cl2 (64.4 mg, 0.20 mmol) was deprotected following the above described typical procedure for Mg-promoted Ndesulfonylation to give 25 as a white solid; yield: 28.1 mg (78%); mp = 50-52 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, GC-MS analysis) are in agreement with those of the commercial available 2,6-dichloro-4-fluoraniline [CAS: 344-19-4]. 369 Experimental section 6.4.5. Typical procedure for the synthesis of 2-substitued NH-indoles from ortho-bromo-substituted N-(2-pyridil)sulfonyl anilines: Sonogahira coupling/cyclization/deprotection. a) Sonogashira coupling-cyclization: Synthesis of 2-phenyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl indole (26). An oven-dried, nitrogen-flushed 20 mL vessel was charged with sulfonamide 3-Br (76.2 mg, 0.20 mmol, 1.00 equiv), Pd(PPh3)4 (23.1 mg, 0.02 mmol, 10 mol%) and CuI (7.6 mg, 0.04 mmol, 20 mol%). The reaction vessel was then evacuated and flushed with nitrogen three times. Under nitrogen atmosphere, p-xylene (2 mL), ethynylbenzene (26.3 µL, 0.24 mmol, 1.20 equiv) and triethylamine (55.8 µL, 0.4 mmol, 2.00 equiv) were added via syringe. The resulting mixture was stirred at 110 °C for 16 h before the volatiles were removed in vacuo. The residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 10:1), to give indole 26 as a white solid; yield: 77.2 mg (96%); mp = 118-122 ºC. 1 H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.57 (ddd, J = 4.5, 1.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.42 – 8.33 (m, 1H), 8.04 (td, J = 7.8, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.98 (dd, J = 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.80 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.72 – 7.62 (m, 2H), 7.50 – 7.42 (m, 3H), 7.42 – 7.35 (m, 2H), 6.85 (s, 1H). C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 156.3, 151.3, 145.1, 140.8, 139.5, 132.6, 13 131.4, 130.7, 129.7, 129.3, 128.3, 126.5 (d, JC-F = 32.1), 125.7 (q, JC-F = 271.2 Hz) 123.4, 121.8 (q, JC-F = 3.6 Hz), 119.1 (q, JC-F = 4.1 Hz), 117.3, 112.5. 19 F NMR (acetone-d6, 471 MHz) δ: -61.7. EI calcd. for C20H13N2O2SF3 (M) : 402.0650; Found: + 402.0658. 370 + Chapter 6 b) Deprotection: synthesis of 2-phenyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-indole (27). The indole 26 (80.4 mg, 0.20 mmol, 1.00 equiv) was deprotected following the above described typical procedure for Mgpromoted N-desulfonylation to give indole 27 as a white solid; yield: 43 mg (81%); mp = 132-135 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those reported in the literature for 2-phenyl-5(trifluoromethyl)-1H-indole [CAS: 491601-38-8]. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 7.95 (s, 1H), 7.90 (dd, J = 8.2, 1.0 Hz, 2H), 7.60 (dd, J = 8.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.54 – 7.45 (m, 2H), 7.43 – 7.33 (m, 3H), 7.07 (d, J = 1.1 Hz, 1H). 13C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 141.2, 139.8, 132.8, 129.9, 129.6, 129.0, 126.7 (q, JC-F = 126.3 Hz), 122.4 (q, JC-F = 31.4 Hz), 119.0 (q, JC-F = 3.6 Hz), 118.7 (q, JC-F = 4.4 Hz), 112.6, 100.7. EI+ calcd. for C15H10NF3 (M)+: 261.0765; Found: 261.0778. 6.4.6. Intramolecular isotopic kinetic effect a) Synthesis of deuterated aniline derivative 29. Following the literature procedure, 1.00 g (5.82 mmol) of 2-bromoaniline was treated with several portions of MeOD to give 2-bromoaniline-d2 (amino group exchange). The 2-bromoaniline-d2 was the added to 2.0 g (0.03 mmol) of zinc dust in 20 mL of 10% NaOD in D2O and the slurry heated under reflux for 72 h, after which time the 2-deuteroaniline-d3 was isolated as a colorless oil, after filtration, extraction and drying. Following the typical procedure for N-sulfonyation, pyridine (388 µL, 4.80 mmol, 1.20 equiv) and 2-pyridylsulfonyl chloride (852 mg, 4.80 mmol, 1.20 equiv) were successively added dropwise at 0 ºC to a solution of 2-deuteroaniline (376 mg, 371 Experimental section 4.00 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in THF (40 mL), under N2 atmosphere. The mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred overnight. During this time, a gradual formation of a precipitate was observed. The resulting mixture was then suction filtered through a 6-cm fritted glass funnel (coarse) into a round-bottomed flask, and the filter cake was rinsed with THF (3 x 10 mL). To the resulting filtrate and the washes, water (20 mL) was added and the THF was removed by evaporation at reduced pressure, yielding a suspension of a white solid in the aqueous medium. This solid was collected by filtration, washed sequentially with toluene (2 x 5 mL) and diethyl ether (2 x 5 mL). Then it was transferred to a round-bottomed flask, and dried at 1.0 mmHg to provide 29 as a white powder; yield: 800 mg (85%). 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 300 MHz) δ: 9.23 (s, 1H), 8.68 (dt, J = 4.7, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 8.10 – 7.92 (m, 2H), 7.58 (ddd, J = 7.2, 4.8, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.37 – 7.16 (m, 3H), 7.11 – 6.98 (m, 1H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 75 MHz) δ: 158.0, 150.9, 139.1, 138.6, 129.8, 129.7, 127.9, 125.2, 123.5, 121.9, 121.8. b) Determining the intramolecular isotopic kinetic effect D NHSO2Py CuCl2 (10 mol%) NCS (1.2 equiv) H O2 (1 atm), MeCN 100 ºC, 4 h H D NHSO2Py Cl NHSO2Py + Cl 1:1 An oven-dried, nitrogen-flushed 20 mL vessel was charged with the corresponding Nprotected aniline (29) (0.20 mmol, 1.00 equiv), NCS (32.0 mg, 0.24 mmol, 1.2 equiv) and CuCl2 (2.69 mg, 0.02 mmol, 10 mol%). The reaction vessel was sealed with a Teflon lined cap, then evacuated and flushed with oxygen three times. Under the atmosphere of oxygen, MeCN (1 mL) and the internal standard n-hexadecane (50 µL) were added via syringe. The resulting mixture was stirred at 100 °C for 1 h. After the reaction was complete, the volatiles were removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by column chromatography (n-hexane-EtOAc 5:1), yielding a mixture of 29(H)-Cl and 29(D)-Cl in a ratio 1:1. 372 Chapter 6 6.4.7. Regioselectivity in the ortho-chlorination process. In order to ensure the correct regio-position of the new halogen-carbon bond, a series of para-substituted anilines bearing a chlorine in the ortho- or meta-position were N-protected with (2-pyridyl)sulfonyl chloride. Thus, 2-chloro-4-iodoaniline, 2chloro-4-fluoraniline and methyl 4-amino-3-chlorobenzoate were derivatized to the corresponding protected substrates 30, 31 and 32, respectively (vide infra). The NMR spectra recorded for the corresponding N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines matched those reported for the Cu-catalyzed ortho-chlorinated products. For the non-comercially available ortho-chloro anilines, the meta-regioisomer was N-protected with (2-pyridyl)sulfonyl chloride. This is the case for 3-chloro-4methoxyaniline (substrate 33), 3-chloro-4-iodoaniline (18), 4-bromo-3-chloroaniline (19) and 3,4-dichloroaniline (20). The NMR spectra recorded for the corresponding N(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl anilines did not match those reported for the Cu-catalyzed orthochlorinated products. Anilines 18, 19 and 20 have been already described because they were used as starting materials. The corresponding 1H NMR spectra of both regioisomers, ortho- and meta-, can be compared in NMR spectra appendix. N-(2-Chloro-4-iodophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (30). Compound 30 was prepared following the typical procedure for the N-sulfonylation NHSO2Py of anilines from 2-chloro-4-iodoaniline (1.01 g, 4.00 mmol) to give 30 as a white solid; yield: 1.28 g (81%); mp = 102-103 ºC. I Cl The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those obtained for the ortho-chlorinated product 10-Cl. The NMR spectra did not match those reported for the meta-chlorinated product 18. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.75 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J = 4.6, 1.8, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.97 (dt, J=7.9, 1.1, 1H), 7.75 (d, J=2.0, 1H), 7.71 – 7.62 (m, 2H), 7.47 (d, J=8.6, 1H). EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2SClI (M)+: 393.9040; Found: 393.9022. 373 Experimental section N-(2-Chloro-4-fluorophenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (31). Compound 31 was prepared following the typical procedure for the N-sulfonylation of anilines from 2chloro-4-fluoroaniline (0.448 mL, 4.00 mmol) to give 31 as a white solid; yield: 0.91 g (79%); mp = 97-98 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those obtained for the ortho-chlorinated product 13-Cl. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.79 – 8.66 (m, 2H), 8.06 (td, J=7.8, 1.7, 1H), 7.91 (dt, J=7.9, 1.0, 1H), 7.72 – 7.60 (m, 2H), 7.25 (dd, J=8.4, 2.9, 1H), 7.13 (ddd, J=9.1, 8.0, 2.9, 1H). EI+ calcd. for C11H8N2O2FSCl (M)+: 285.9972; Found: 285.9991. Methyl 3-chloro-4-(pyridine-2-sulfonamido)benzoate (32). Compound 32 was prepared following the typical procedure for the Nsulfonylation of anilines from methyl 4-amino-3- chlorobenzoate (724 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 32 as a white solid; yield: 1.07 g (82%); mp = 127-128 ºC. The analytical data (NMR, HRMS analysis) matched those obtained for the ortho-chlorinated product 14-Cl. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 8.94 (s, 1H), 8.70 (ddd, J=4.7, 1.7, 1.0, 1H), 8.12 (td, J = 7.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 8.04 (dt, J = 7.9, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (d, J=1.9, 1H), 7.89 (dd, J = 8.6, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (d, J = 8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (ddd, J=7.5, 4.7, 1.2, 1H), 3.87 (s, 3H). EI+ calcd. for C13H11N2O4SCl (M)+: 326.0125; Found: 326.0116. N-(3-chloro-4-methoxyphenyl)pyridine-2-sulfonamide (33). Compound 33 was prepared following the typical procedure for the Nsulfonylation of anilines from 3-chloro-4-methoxyaniline (630 mg, 4.00 mmol) to give 33 as a white solid; yield: 1.06 g (89%); mp = 208-209 ºC. The NMR spectra did not match those obtained for the ortho-chlorinated product 2-Cl. 1H NMR (acetone-d6, 500 MHz) δ: 9.11 (s, 1H), 8.72 (ddd, J=4.7, 1.7, 0.9, 1H), 8.23 – 7.97 (m, 1H), 7.91 (dt, J=7.8, 1.0, 1H), 7.62 (ddd, J=7.7, 4.7, 1.1, 1H), 7.31 (d, J=2.6, 1H), 7.17 (dd, J=8.9, 2.6, 1H), 6.98 (d, J=8.9, 1H), 3.82 (s, 3H). 13 C NMR (acetone-d6, 125 MHz) δ: 157.9, 153.6, 151.0, 139.2, 131.6, 128.0, 125.3, 123.5, 123.3, 122.6, 113.5, 56.6. EI+ calcd. for C12H11N2O3SCl (M)+: 298.0179; Found: 298.0173. 374 Appendix I Publications 375 376 To date, the results reported in this Thesis have been disclosed in the following top peer-reviewed journals: 1. PdII-Catalyzed C−H Functionalization of Indoles and Pyrroles Assisted by the Removable N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl Group: C(2)−Alkenylation and Dehydrogenative Homocoupling. García-Rubia, A.; Urones, B.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 9676 - 9685. 2. Coordinating Sulfonyl Substrates Phosphorus, Sulfur and Silicon. in Metal-Catalyzed Reactions. Hernández, J.; García-Rubia, A.; Urones, B.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Phosphorus, Sulfur and Silicon 2011, 186, 1019 - 1031. 3. PdII-Catalyzed C-H Olefination of N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl Anilines and Arylalkylamines. García-Rubia, A.; Urones, B.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 10927-10931 (Featured as VIP). 4. PdII-Catalyzed C−H Olefination of N-(2-Pyridyl)sulfonyl Carbazoles. Urones, B.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 1120-1123. 5. Aerobic Copper-Catalyzed ortho-Halogenation of Anilines. Urones, B.; Rodríguez, N.; Gómez Arrayás, R.; Carretero, J. C. Manuscript accepted in JACS (with major revisions) 2013. 377
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