Iridium Azocarboxamide Complexes: Variable Coordination Modes, C–H Activation, Transfer Hydrogenation Catalysis, and Mechanistic Insights

Azocarboxamides, a special class of azo ligands, display intriguing electronic properties due to their versatile binding modes and coordination flexibility. These properties may have significant implications for their use in homogeneous catalysis. In the present report, half-sandwich Ir–Cp* complexes of two different azocarboxamide ligands are presented. Different coordination motifs of the ligand were realized using base and chloride abstracting ligand to give N∧N-, N∧O-, and N∧C-chelated monomeric iridium complexes. For the azocarboxamide ligand having methoxy substituted at the phenyl ring, a mixture of N∧C-chelated mononuclear (Ir-5) and N∧N,N∧C-chelated dinuclear complexes (Ir-4) were obtained by activating the C–H bond of the aryl ring. No such C–H activation was observed for the ligand without the methoxy substituent. The molecular identity of the complexes was confirmed by spectroscopic analyses, while X-ray diffraction analyses further confirmed three-legged piano-stool structure of the complexes along with the above binding modes. All complexes were found to exhibit remarkable activity as precatalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl groups in the presence of a base, even at low catalyst loading. Optimization of reaction conditions divulged superior catalytic activity of Ir-3 and Ir-4 complexes in transfer hydrogenation over the other catalysts. Investigation of the influence of binding modes on the catalytic activity along with wide range substrates, tolerance to functional groups, and mechanistic insights into the reaction pathway are also presented. These are the first examples of C–H activation in azocarboxamide ligands

Synthesis of bis(1,2,3-triazole) functionalized quinoline-2,4-diones

Derivatives of 3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione unsubstituted on quinolone nitrogen atom, which are available by the previously described four step synthesis starting from aniline, were exploited as intermediates in obtaining the title compounds. The procedure involves the introduction of propargyl group onto the quinolone nitrogen atom of mentioned intermediates by the reaction of them with propargyl bromide in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in presence of a potassium carbonate and the subsequent formation of a second triazole ring by copper catalyzed cyclisation reaction with azido compounds. The products were characterized by 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding resonances were assigned on the basis of the standard 1D and gradient selected 2D NMR experiments (1H–1H gs-COSY, 1H–13C gs-HSQC, 1H–13C gs-HMBC) with 1H–15N gs-HMBC as a practical tool to determine 15N NMR chemical shifts at the natural abundance level of 15N isotope. © 2018 b the authors.Slovenian Research Agency [P1-0230, J1-8147, J1-9166]; [IGA/FT/2018/007

Copper(I)-Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloaddition of 3-Azidoquinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones with Terminal Alkynes

Peer reviewe

Fischer indolisation of N-(α-ketoacyl)anthranilic acids into 2-(indol-2-carboxamido)benzoic acids and 2-indolyl-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones and their NMR study

N-(α-ketoacyl)anthranilic acids reacted with phenylhydrazinium chloride in boiling acetic acid to afford 2-(indol-2-carboxamido)benzoic acids in good to excellent yields and 2-indolyl-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones as by-products. The formation of the latter products could easily be suppressed by a hydrolytic workup. Alternatively, by increasing the reaction temperature and/or time, 2-indolyl-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones can be obtained exclusively. Optimisations of the reaction conditions as well as the scope and the course of the transformations were investigated. The products were characterized by 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding resonances were assigned on the basis of the standard 1D and gradient selected 2D NMR experiments (1H-1H gs-COSY, 1H-13C gs-HSQC, 1H-13C gs-HMBC) with 1H-15N gs-HMBC as a practical tool to determine 15N NMR chemical shifts at the natural abundance level of 15N isotope.TBU in Zlin [IGA/FT/2014/010]; Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Republic of Slovenia; Slovenian Research Agency [P1-0230, 430-168/2013/114]; EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljan

Half-Sandwich Ir(III) and Os(II) Complexes of Pyridyl-Mesoionic Carbenes as Potential Anticancer Agents

A series of cationic chlorido arene-iridium(III) and arene-osmium(II) complexes with bidentate pyridyl functionalized mesoionic carbenes (MIC) of the 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene type have been prepared. The variations in the ligand structures include the position of the pyridyl substituent relative to the triazolylidene ring (N-wingtip vs C-wingtip), phenyl versus ethyl substituents, and incorporation of several functional groups at the phenyl substituents. Five complexes have been characterized by X-ray structural analysis. All complexes, including osmium(II) and ruthenium(II) analogues having a pyrimidyl in place of the pyridyl group, have been studied for their cytotoxic activity on a human cervical carcinoma HeLa cell line. Two of the compounds, Ir5 and Ir9, were the most cytotoxic with IC50 values of 7.33 μM and 2.01 μM, respectively. Examination of their cytotoxic effect on different cell lines revealed that they preferentially kill cancer over normal cells. The Ir5 and Ir9 compounds arrested cells in G2 and induced a dose-dependent increase in SubG0/G1 cell population. Apoptosis, as the primary mode of cell death, was confirmed by Annexin V/PI staining, detection of cleaved PARP, and caspases 3 and 7 activity upon treatment of HeLa cells with both compounds. The higher toxicity of Ir9 is probably due to its increased accumulation in the cells compared to Ir5. The role of glutathione (GSH) in the protection of cells against Ir5 and Ir9 cytotoxicity was confirmed by pretreatment of cells either with buthionine sulfoximine (inhibitor of GSH synthesis) or N-acetyl-cysteine (precursor in GSH synthesis)

The 1,3-diaryltriazenido(p-cymene)ruthenium(II) complexes with a high in vitro anticancer activity ☆

1,3-Diaryltriazenes (1) were let to react with [RuCl 2 (p-cymene)] 2 in the presence of trimethylamine to give neutral 1,3-diaryltriazenido(p-cymene)ruthenium(II) complexes, [RuCl(p-cymene)(ArNNNAr)] (2). The molecular composition of the products 2 was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The structures of the selected complexes were confirmed by a single crystal X-ray analysis. All triazenido-ruthenium complexes were highly cytotoxic against human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells with IC 50 below 6 μM, as determined by a spectrophotometric MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) method. The most active was [RuCl(p-cymene)(ArNNNAr)] (Ar = 4-Cl-3-(CF 3 )-C 6 H 3 ) (2g) with IC 50 of 0.103 ± 0.006 μM. In comparison with the data for the non-coordinated triazenes 1, the triazenido-ruthenium complexes 2 exhibited up to 560-times higher activity. Three selected complexes were highly cytotoxic also against several tumor cell lines: laryngeal carcinoma HEp-2 cells and their drug-resistant HEp-2 subline (7 T), colorectal carcinoma HCT-116 cells, lung adenocarcinoma H460 cells, and mammary carcinoma MDA-MB-435 cells. The compounds 2g and [RuCl(p-cymene)(ArNNNAr)] (Ar = 4-I-C 6 H 4 ) (2j) were similarly cytotoxic against parental and drug-resistant cells. Time and dose dependent accumulation of the cells in the S phase of the cell cycle was induced by the compound 2g, triggering apoptosis. Our preliminary results indicate triazenido-ruthenium complexes as promising anticancer drug candidates

Designing homogeneous copper-free Sonogashira reaction through a prism of Pd-Pd transmetalation

Simultaneous introduction of two different palladium (pre)catalysts, one tuned to promote oxidative addition to (hetero)aryl bromide and another to activate terminal alkyne substrate, leads to productive Pd−Pd transmetalation, subsequent reductive elimination, and formation of disubstituted alkyne. This conceptually novel rational design of copper-free Sonogashira reaction enabled facile identification of the reaction conditions, suitable for the synthesis of alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl substituted alkynes at room temperature with as low as 0.125 mol % total Pd loading

Synthesis of Bis(1,2,3-Triazole) Functionalized Quinoline-2,4-Diones

Derivatives of 3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione unsubstituted on quinolone nitrogen atom, which are available by the previously described four step synthesis starting from aniline, were exploited as intermediates in obtaining the title compounds. The procedure involves the introduction of propargyl group onto the quinolone nitrogen atom of mentioned intermediates by the reaction of them with propargyl bromide in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in presence of a potassium carbonate and the subsequent formation of a second triazole ring by copper catalyzed cyclisation reaction with azido compounds. The products were characterized by 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding resonances were assigned on the basis of the standard 1D and gradient selected 2D NMR experiments (1H–1H gs-COSY, 1H–13C gs-HSQC, 1H–13C gs-HMBC) with 1H–15N gs-HMBC as a practical tool to determine 15N NMR chemical shifts at the natural abundance level of 15N isotope

Preparation of quinoline-2,4-dione functionalized 1,2,3-triazol-4-ylmethanols, 1,2,3-triazole-4-carbaldehydes and 1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acids

(1-(2,4-Dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-3-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl acetates substituted on nitrogen atom of quinolinedione moiety with propargyl group or (1-substituted 1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl group, which are available from the appropriate 3-(4-hydroxymethyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones unsubstituted on quinolone nitrogen atom by the previously described procedures, were deacetylated by acidic ethanolysis. Thus obtained primary alcohols, as well as those aforenamed unsubstituted on quinolone nitrogen atom, were oxidized to aldehydes on the one hand with pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC), on the other hand with manganese dioxide, and to carboxylic acids using Jones reagent in acetone. The structures of all prepared compounds were confirmed by H-1, C-13 and N-15 NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding resonances were assigned on the basis of the standard 1D and gradient selected 2D NMR experiments (H-1-H-1 gs-COSY, H-1-C-13 gs-HSQC, H-1-C-13 gs-HMBC) with H-1-N-15 gs-HMBC as a practical tool to determine N-15 NMR chemical shifts at the natural abundance level of N-15 isotope.TBU in Zlin [IGA/FT/2019/010]; Slovenian Research AgencySlovenian Research Agency - Slovenia [P1-0230, J1-8147, J1-9166