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The application of a high-throughput reaction platform for performing parallel microwave synthesis in sealed HPLC/GC vials contained in a strongly microwave-absorbing silicon carbide plate is described. The use of aluminum crimp caps with PTFE coated silicone septa in combination with an appropriate plate sealing mechanism allows processing of reaction volumes from 0.5-1.5 mL at temperatures of approximately 250 degrees C and pressures of up to approximately 20 bar. A library of 39 2-styrylquinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives was prepared in a two-step/one-pot parallel fashion involving the initial three-component condensation of four anthranilic acids with acetic anhydride and ammonium acetate at 250 degrees C for 30 min. This was followed by catalyst-free condensation of the resulting 2-methylquinazolinones with a selection of 15 aromatic aldehydes. Compared to single-mode sequential microwave synthesis, the overall processing times for library synthesis could be significantly reduced.

A high-throughput reaction platform for performing parallel microwave chemistry in sealed HPLC/GC vials is described. The system consists of a strongly microwave-absorbing silicon carbide plate with 20 cylindrical wells of appropriate dimensions to be fitted with standard HPLC/GC autosampler vials serving as reaction vessels. In combination with an aluminum sealing plate the setup can be used for microwave processing reaction volumes from 0.5-1.5 mL at a maximum temperature/pressure limit of 250 degrees C/20 bar. The parallel reaction platform displays excellent temperature and reaction homogeneity and has been used for high-throughput reaction optimization studies involving the parallel screening of catalyst, solvent and substrate reactivity for esterification reactions and metal-catalyzed dehydrative C-C couplings.

An efficient synthesis of unsubstituted and substituted amides based on the 6,8-dioxa-3-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane scaffold is described. The reaction, carried out at 60 degrees C in the absence of solvent, is characterized by its mildness and ease of workup. A library of amides, was synthesized by combination of methyl esters 1-6 with various amines. In addition, the microwave-assisted automated synthesis of the library was compared with the above conventional parallel synthesis. Microwave synthesis significantly decreased the reaction time from hours to minutes.

An efficient two-step synthetic pathway toward the preparation of diversely substituted 5-aroyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-ones is realized. The protocol involves an initial trimethylsilyl chloride-mediated Biginelli multicomponent reaction involving S-ethyl acetothioacetate, aromatic aldehydes, and ureas as building blocks to generate a set of 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid thiol esters. These thiol esters serve as starting materials for a subsequent Pd-catalyzed Cu-mediated Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling reaction with boronic acids to provide the desired 5-aroyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-one derivatives. Both steps were performed using microwave heating in sealed vessels, either in an automated sequential or parallel format using dedicated microwave reactor instrumentation. A diverse library of 30 5-aroyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-ones was prepared with commercially available aldehyde, urea, and boronic acid building blocks as starting materials.

An efficient and rapid microwave-assisted solution-phase method for the synthesis of 2-amino-4-arylpyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid derivatives has been developed. The five-step linear protocol involves an initial Biginelli multicomponent reaction leading to dihydropyrimidine-2-thiones which are subsequently S-alkylated with methyl iodide. The resulting 2-methylthiodihydropyrimidines are sequentially oxidized first with manganese dioxide and then with Oxone to provide 2-methylsulfonyl-pyrimidines which serve as excellent precursors for the generation of a variety of 2-substituted pyrimidines via displacement of the reactive sulfonyl group with nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and carbon nucleophiles. A modified protocol using a solid-phase method has also been developed.

A 48 deep-well microtiter plate system for sealed vessel parallel microwave synthesis is described. The plate consists of a standard 6 x 8 matrix of 48 wells with a maximum working volume of 300 microL and is made out of strongly microwave-absorbing sintered silicon carbide. In combination with an alumina sealing plate equipped with adequate conical bore holes for sample withdrawal, the setup can be used for microwave processing at temperatures up to approximately 200 degrees C and 20 bar of pressure. The microtiter plate setup displays excellent temperature and reaction homogeneity and was used for the generation of a 30-member library of 2-aminopyrimidines.

Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) and microwave-assisted organic synthesis (MAOS) have been used as key methods for the synthesis of fused dihydropyrimidine derivatives. The three-component condensation of 3-amino-5-alkylthio-1,2,4-triazoles with aromatic aldehydes and acetoacetamides under microwave irradiation was developed as a rapid and efficient solution-phase method for the high-yielding preparation of 7-aryl-2-alkylthio-4,7-dihydro-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxamide libraries. In addition, the selective reduction of the formed dihydrotriazolopyrimidines to trans-trans-2-alkylthio-7-aryl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxamides was established. The described synthetic protocols provide rapid access to novel and diversely substituted dihydroazolopyrimidine libraries.

Progress in organometallic catalysis and recent advancements in the development of carbonylative reaction protocols without direct use of carbon monoxide have been utilized for efficient functionalizations of 4-aryl-dihydropyrimidone structures. The use of modern microwave technology enabled both high reaction rates and convenient handling. Examples of palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings, Heck reactions, amino- and alkoxycarbonylations, and direct N-amidations of 4-(bromophenyl)-dihydropyrimidones were performed. Further, the first N3-arylations of the dihydropyrimidone ring system were successfully completed using the copper-catalyzed Goldberg reaction. Altogether, these protocols provide new tools for rapid generation of novel and diverse dihydropyrimidone derivatives.

The "click chemistry" approach has been explored on the 2-(1H)-pyrazinone scaffold for the generation of pharmacologically interesting heterocyclic moieties. Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition has been evaluated as the key step for the construction of the 1,2,3-triazole ring at the C-3 position of 2-(1H)-pyrazinones. Two different pathways have been successfully evaluated: (1) via C-C or C-O linkage of the acetylenic part to the C-3 position of the 2-(1H)-pyrazinone scaffold or (2) via azide introduction in the C-3 position. The subsequent application of "click chemistry" resulted in the formation of hitherto unknown skeletons. Microwave irradiation has successfully been applied in different steps of the sequence.

Efficient solution-phase protocols for the high-throughput synthesis of 6-(1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-dihydropyrimidones are reported. The multistep sequence involves the initial bromination of dihydropyrimidones precursors (DHPMs, Biginelli compounds) at the C6-methyl position, using a recyclable polymer-supported brominating agent under rapid flow-through conditions (residence time of 1 min). The 6-bromomethyldihydropyrimidone intermediates were subsequently subjected to a microwave-assisted azidation step (25 min), providing the key 6-azidomethyldihydropyrimidone precursors. In the final step of the sequence, the azides were treated with terminal acetylenes under Cu(I) catalysis (azide-acetylene ligation, "click chemistry") to provide the target 6-(1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-dihydropyrimidones in a regiospecific fashion (1,4-triazoles) in moderate overall yield utilizing controlled microwave irradiation (20 min). In total, a library of 27 compounds was prepared with 4 points of diversity.

A microwave-enhanced variation of the Kindler thioamide synthesis is introduced. Taking advantage of the sealed vessel capabilities of a dedicated single-mode microwave reacto,r a diverse selection of 13 aldehyde and 12 amine precursors was utilized in the construction of a representative 34-member library of substituted thioamides. The three-component condensations of aldehydes, amines, and elemental sulfur were carried out using 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent employing microwave flash heating at 110-180 degrees C for 2-20 min. A simple workup protocol allows the isolation of synthetically valuable primary, secondary, and tertiary thioamide building blocks in 83% average yield and >90% purity.

Solid-phase and solution-phase protocols for the synthesis of furo[3,4-d]pyrimidines, pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines, and pyrimido[4,5-d]pyridazines are reported. The multistep solid-phase sequence involves the initial high-speed, microwave-promoted acetoacetylation of hydroxymethylpolystyrene resin with methyl 4-chloroacetoacetate. The immobilized 4-chloroacetoacetate precursor was subsequently subjected to three-component Biginelli-type condensations employing urea and a variety of aromatic aldehydes. The resulting 6-chloromethyl-functionalized resin-bound dihydropyrimidones served as common chemical platforms for the generation of the desired heterobicyclic scaffolds using three different traceless cyclative cleavage strategies. The corresponding furo[3,4-d]pyrimidines were obtained by microwave flash heating in a rapid, thermally triggered, cyclative release. Treatment of the chloromethyl dihydropyrimidone intermediates with a variety of primary amines followed by high-temperature microwave heating furnished the anticipated pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine scaffolds via nucleophilic cyclative cleavage. In a similar way, reaction with monosubstituted hydrazines resulted in the formation of pyrimido[4,5-d]pyridazines. All compounds were obtained in moderate to good overall yields and purities.

A microwave-assisted parallel solid-phase synthesis of a collection of 21 polymer-bound enones has been developed. The two-step protocol involves initial high-speed acetoacetylation of polystyrene Wang resin with a selection of seven common beta-ketoesters. When microwave flash heating at 170 degreesC was employed, complete conversions were achieved within 1-10 min, a significant improvement over the conventional thermal method, which takes several hours for completion. Significant rate enhancements were also observed for the subsequent microwave-heated Knoevenagel condensations with a second set of 13 different aldehydes. Reaction times were reduced to 30-60 min at 125 degreesC in the microwave protocol compared to 1-2 days using conventional thermal conditions. Kinetic comparison studies indicate that the observed rate enhancements can be attributed to the rapid direct heating of the solvent (1,2-dichlorobenzene) by microwaves rather than to any specific microwave effect. All reactions have been carried out in commercially available parallel reactors with on-line temperature measurement, designed specifically for use in multimode microwave cavities.

The concept of automated sequential microwave-assisted library synthesis is introduced. For this purpose a dedicated single-mode microwave reactor with a robotics interface including a liquid handler and gripper was employed. The liquid handler allows dispensing of reagents into the Teflon sealed reaction vials, while the gripper moves each sealed vial in and out of the microwave cavity after irradiation. This technology was employed for the Biginelli three-component cyclocondensation reaction. A diverse set of 17 CH-acidic-carbonyl compounds (1A-Q), 25 aldehydes (2a-y), and 8 urea/thioureas (3alpha-varphi) was used in the preparation of a dihydropyrimidine (DHPM) library. Out of the full set of 3400 possible DHPM derivatives, a representative subset of 48 analogues was prepared using automated addition of building blocks and subsequent sequential microwave irradiation of each process vial. For most building block combinations 10 min of microwave flash heating at 120 degrees C using AcOH/EtOH (3:1) and 10 mol % Yb(OTf)(3) as solvent/catalyst system proved to be successful, leading to an average isolated yield of 52% of DHPMs with >90% purity. For some building block combinations the general conditions were modified, for example, by changing the solvent, catalyst, reaction temperature, or irradiation time. This flexibility is a distinct advantage of sequential over parallel microwave-assisted processes where all reactions are exposed to the same irradiation conditions. When the unattended automation capabilities of the microwave synthesizer are used, a library of this size can be synthesized within 12 h.