X=Y–ZH compounds as potential 1,3-dipoles. Part 64: Synthesis of highly substituted conformationally restricted and spiro nitropyrrolidines via Ag(I) catalysed azomethine ylide cycloadditions

1,3-Dipolar reactions of imines of both acyclic and cyclic α-amino esters with a range of nitroolefins using a combination of AgOAc or Ag2O with NEt3 are described. In most cases the reactions were highly regio- and stereospecific and endo-cycloadducts were obtained in good yield. However, in a few cases the initially formed cycloadducts underwent base catalysed epimerisation. The stereochemistry of the cycloadducts was assigned from NOE data and established unequivocally in several cases by X-ray crystallography

Syntheses and analytical characterizations of N-alkyl-arylcyclohexylamines.

The rise in new psychoactive substances that are available as 'research chemicals' (RCs) remains a significant forensic and legislative challenge. A number of arylcyclohexylamines have attracted attention as RCs and continue to be encountered, including 3-MeO-PCP, 3-MeO-PCE and 3-MeO-PCPr. These compounds are commonly perceived as ketamine-like dissociative substances and are believed to act predominantly via antagonism of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. To aid in the identification of newly emerging substances of abuse, the current studies were performed. The syntheses of fifteen N-alkyl-arylcyclohexylamines are described. Analytical characterizations were performed via gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to multiple forms of mass spectrometry as well as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet diode array detection and infrared spectroscopy. The series consisted of the N-alkyl derivatives (N-methyl, N-ethyl, N-propyl) of phenyl-substituted and isomeric 2-, 3- and 4-methoxy phenylcyclohexylamines, as well as the N-alkyl derivatives obtained from 3-methylphenyl and 2-thienyl moieties. In addition to the presentation of a range of previously unreported data, it was also found that positional isomers of aryl methoxyl-substituted arylcyclohexylamines were readily distinguishable under a variety of analytical conditions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd