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Several routes to the enantiomers of fluoronorepinephrines (1) and fluoroepinephrines (2) were explored. A catalytic enantioselective oxazaborolidine reduction and a chiral (salen)Ti(IV) catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of silyl cyanohydrins proved efficacious in the key stereo-defining steps of two respective routes. Binding studies of the catecholamines with alpha(1)-, alpha(2)-, beta(1)-, and beta(2)-adrenergic receptors were examined. The assays confirmed that fluorine substitution had marked effects on the affinity of (R)-norepinephrine and (R)-epinephrine for adrenergic receptors, depending on the position of substitution. Thus, a fluoro substituent at the 2-position of (R)-norepinephrine and (R)-epinephrine reduced activity at both alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-receptors and enhanced activity at beta(1)- and beta(2)-receptors, while fluorination at the 6-position reduced activity at the beta(1)- and beta(2)-receptors. The effects of fluorine substitution on the S-isomers were less predictable.

β-Fluoroalkylenaminoketones were prepared and their reaction with primary amines and formaldehyde were studied. Multifunctional 6-fluoroalkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidines were synthesized conveniently from the three-component reaction in good yields under mild conditions.

Fluoroalkylated multifunctional 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidines were synthesized in almost quantitative yields for the first time by the reaction of 3-fluoroalkyl-3-anilinoacrylic acid esters with primary amines and formaldehyde under mild conditions.

Reactions of 2,2-dihydropolyfluoroalkylaldehydes (1) with amines (2) were studied. Both aliphatic amines and electron-deficient aromatic amines readily reacted with 1 in acetonitrile and water under reflux to give fluoroalkyl enaminoketones (3) in high yields, while no condensed products were obtained by reactions of 1 with electron-rich aromatic amines under similar conditions. In the presence of triethylamine, however, the reaction of 1 with electron-rich aromatic amines at room temperature gave 3 in low yields.