No abstract

An experimentally simple and inexpensive catalyst system was developed for the amidation of aryl halides by using 0.2-10 mol % of CuI, 5-20 mol % of a 1,2-diamine ligand, and K(3)PO(4), K(2)CO(3), or Cs(2)CO(3) as base. Catalyst systems based on N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine or trans-N,N'-dimethyl-1,2-cyclohexanediamine were found to be the most active even though several other 1,2-diamine ligands could be used in the easiest cases. Aryl iodides, bromides, and in some cases even aryl chlorides can be efficiently amidated. A variety of functional groups are tolerated in the reaction, including many that are not compatible with Pd-catalyzed amidation or amination methodology.

A mild and general method for the conversion of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl bromides into the corresponding iodides was developed utilizing a catalyst system comprising 5 mol % of CuI and 10 mol % of a 1,2- or 1,3-diamine ligand. A variety of polar functional groups are tolerated, and even N-H containing substrates such as sulfonamides, amides, and indoles are compatible with the reaction conditions. Both the reaction rate and the equilibrium conversion of the aryl bromide depend on the choice of the halide salt and the solvent. The best results were obtained using NaI as the halide salt and dioxane, n-butanol, or n-pentanol as the solvents.

This communication discloses the first instance of the enantioselective Pd-catalyzed alpha-arylation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine. The methodology relies on Beak's sparteine-mediated, enantioselective deprotonation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine to form the 2-pyrrolidinolithium specices in high enantiomeric ratio (er). Transmetalation of this intermediate with zinc chloride generates the stereochemically rigid, 2-pyrrolidinozinc reagent, which was readily coupled to a variety of functionalized aryl halides at room temperature using a catalyst generated from Pd(OAc)2 and PtBu3-HBF4. A diverse array of 2-aryl-N-Boc-pyrrolidines was synthesized using this methodology, providing adducts consistently in a 96:4 er. A survey of the stoichiometry revealed that as little as 0.3 equiv of zinc could be used in the coupling reaction, and the 2-pyrrolidinozinc reagent was found to exhibit stereochemical stability up to 60 degrees C. The method allows for the most convergent and reliable preparation of a broad range of functionalized 2-aryl-N-Boc-pyrrolidines in high enantioselectivity, which is highlighted in this report by the enantioselective synthesis of (R)-nicotine.

Molnupiravir (MK-4482) is an investigational antiviral agent that is under development for the treatment of COVID-19. Given the potential high demand and urgency for this compound, it was critical to develop a short and sustainable synthesis from simple raw materials that would minimize the time needed to manufacture and supply molnupiravir. The route reported here is enabled through the invention of a novel biocatalytic cascade featuring an engineered ribosyl-1-kinase and uridine phosphorylase. These engineered enzymes were deployed with a pyruvate-oxidase-enabled phosphate recycling strategy. Compared to the initial route, this synthesis of molnupiravir is 70% shorter and approximately 7-fold higher yielding. Looking forward, the biocatalytic approach to molnupiravir outlined here is anticipated to have broad applications for streamlining the synthesis of nucleosides in general.

The catalytic stereoselective synthesis of compounds with chiral phosphorus centers remains an unsolved problem. State-of-the-art methods rely on resolution or stoichiometric chiral auxiliaries. Phosphoramidate prodrugs are a critical component of pronucleotide (ProTide) therapies used in the treatment of viral disease and cancer. Here we describe the development of a catalytic stereoselective method for the installation of phosphorus-stereogenic phosphoramidates to nucleosides through a dynamic stereoselective process. Detailed mechanistic studies and computational modeling led to the rational design of a multifunctional catalyst that enables stereoselectivity as high as 99:1.

The widespread use of amidine and guanidine bases in synthetic chemistry merits a thorough understanding of their chemical properties. The propensity of these reagents to hydrolyze under mild conditions and generate aminolactams and aminoureas, respectively, has not been adequately described previously. During the synthesis of uprifosbuvir (MK-3682), we became aware of this liability for 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) by observing the formation of an unexpected reaction impurity and traced the root cause to low levels of N-(3-aminopropyl)-ε-caprolactam present in the commercial bottle. A controlled stability study over a period of two months at 25 °C demonstrated that, above a threshold water content, DBU steadily hydrolyzed over time. Rates of hydrolysis for DBU, 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene (DBN), 7-methyl-1,5,7triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (MTBD), 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD), and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylguanidine (TMG) in organic, aqueous, and mixed solvent systems were then measured to gain a more general appreciation of what conditions to avoid in order to maintain their integrity. Our findings indicate that these bases are hydrolytically unstable in unbuffered and very basic solutions but become significantly more stable in buffered solutions at pH values below 11.6.

[reaction: see text] A Pd-catalyzed coupling of enol tosylates and amides has been developed. Ligand screening revealed dipf as the most general ligand for this transformation. A variety of enol tosylates were coupled to an array of enamides in 58-97% yield.