Preparation of 4 '-spirocyclobutyl nucleoside analogues as novel and versatile adenosine scaffolds

Despite the large variety of modified nucleosides that have been reported, the preparation of constrained 4 '-spirocyclic adenosine analogues has received very little attention. We discovered that the [2+2]-cycloaddition of dichloroketene on readily available 4 '-exo-methylene furanose sugars efficiently results in the diastereoselective formation of novel 4 '-spirocyclobutanones. The reaction mechanism was investigated via density functional theory (DFT) and found to proceed either via a non-synchronous or stepwise reaction sequence, controlled by the stereochemistry at the 3 '-position of the sugar substrate. The obtained dichlorocyclobutanones were converted into nucleoside analogues, providing access to a novel class of chiral 4 '-spirocyclobutyl adenosine mimetics in eight steps from commercially available sugars. Assessment of the biological activity of designed 4 '-spirocyclic adenosine analogues identified potent inhibitors for protein methyltransferase target PRMT5

Synthesis of cyclopropyl pinacol boronic esters from dibromo-cyclopropanes

The synthesis of cyclopropyl pinacol boronic esters from di-bromocyclopropanes via Matteson-Pasto rearrangement is reported. The method is readily scalable and shows limited levels of stereoinduction, with a selectivity that is in part complementary to that observed in existing stereoselective borylcyclopropanation strategies. The method can be used to rapidly access borylcyclopropanes as interesting building blocks for diversely functionalized cyclopropanes

Morpholinosulfur trifluoride (Morph-DAST)-mediated rearrangement in the fluorination of cyclic α,α-dialkoxy detones toward 1,2-dialkoxy-1,2-difluorinated compounds

The deoxofluorination of cyclic a,a-dialkoxy ketones with morpholinosulfur trifluoride (Morph-DAST) resulted in 1,2-dialkoxy-1,2-difluorinated carbo- and heterocyclic compounds. The reaction proceeds via a 1,2-alkoxy migration leading to mixtures of cis- and trans-isomers

Synthesis of 4-substituted 3,3-difluoropiperidines

Synthetic strategies toward 4-substituted 3,3-difluoropiperidines were evaluated. 4-Alkoxymethyl- and 4-aryloxymethyl-3,3-difluoropiperidines were synthesized via 1,4-addition of ethyl bromodifluoroacetate to 3-substituted acrylonitriles in the presence of copper powder, followed by borane reduction of the cyano substituent, lactamization, and reduction of the lactam. This method was applied to establish the synthesis of N-protected 3,3-difluoroisonipecotic acid, a fluorinated gamma-amino, acid. 4-Benzyloxy-3,3-difluoropiperidine was prepared using an analogous methodology and was converted to N-protected 3,3-difluoro-4,4-dihydroxypiperidine, a compound with high potential as a building block in medicinal chemistry

Synthesis of 1-Boc-3-fluoroazetidine-3-carboxylic acid

Synthetic strategies toward 3-fluoroazetidine-3-carboxylic acid, a new cyclic fluorinated beta-amino acid with high potential as building block in medicinal chemistry, were evaluated. The successful pathway includes the bromofluorination of N-(diphenylmethylidcne)-2-(4-methoxyphenoxymethyl)-2-propenylamine, yielding 1-diphenylmethyl-3-hydroxymethyl-3-fluoroazetidine after reduction of the imino bond, ring closure, and removal of the 4-methoxybenzyl group. Changing the N-protecting group to a Boc-group allows further oxidation to 1-Boc-3-fluoroazetidine3-carboxylic acid, a new fluorinated heterocyclic amino acid

Synthesis of 5-amino- and 5-hydroxy-3,3-difluoropiperidines

Synthetic routes toward new 5-amino- and 5-hydroxy-3,3-difluoropiperidines, which are of high interest as building blocks in medicinal chemistry, are described. The key step involves the N-halosuccinimide-induced cyclization of 2,2-difluoro-4-pentenylamines toward 5-halo-3,3-difluoropiperidines, which were used to synthesize 5-amino-3,3-difluoropiperidine. In a second strategy, iodolactonization of 2,2-difluoro-4-pentenoic acid gave the corresponding γ-lactone, which was transformed into 5-hydroxy-3,3-difluoropiperidine