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In this paper a straightforward synthesis of a novel pyrazole derivative is reported. Prominent feature of this synthetic process is a 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of a suitable nitrile imine with an activated α,β-unsaturated lactam to afford directly and regioselectively the corresponding ring-fused pyrazole. Having obtained the central core of the synthetic target, a double stepwise functionalization with a “side chain” characterized by a terminal cyclic aliphatic amine was carried out. This molecular structure was designed to interact strongly with typical biological residues, and indeed it showed potent anticancer capability: in vitro cytotoxicity test on five different cancer cell lines showed interesting IC50 values in the range of 15–60 μM for exposure time of 24–72 h, thus resulting comparable with commercially available and nowadays therapeutically exploited anticancer compounds, such as 5-FU and NVP-BEZ235.

The cyanobis(dibenzylamino)borane-mediated transformation of chiral aldehydes into the corresponding α-amino nitriles is described. Starting from these compounds short synthetic routes can be envisaged for obtaining diastereomerically pure functionalized 1,2-diamines and hydroxylated α-amino acids that are of interest as core key units of biologically active substances or as potential ligands for asymmetric catalysis. The stereochemical outcome of the aminative cyanation reaction is discussed. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile imines with α,β-unsaturated five- and six-membered lactones, thiolactones and lactams gave ring-fused pyrazoles. Regioisomeric mixtures have been obtained with the 5-substituted pyrazole as the major cycloadduct. Only with the five-membered lactone the major product was the 4-acyl derivative. Computational studies, the use of the topological analysis of the Fukui functions and the potential energy surfaces (PES) theory allowed a theoretical description of the local reactivity in agreement with the observed high regiochemistry and with the role of the heteroatom adjacent to the carbonyl group.

1,3-Dipolar cycloadditions of C-carboxymethyl-N-arylnitrile imines with substituted acetylenes bearing thiol or sulfone groups were studied. The sulfur controls the regiochemistry of the reaction, and this protocol was applied to the synthesis of ring-fused thieno[2,3-c]pyrazoles.

The reaction of acylsilanes 1 with Grignard reagents gives the diastereomeric α-hydroxysilanes 3 . The level of asymmetric induction depends on the nature of R 1 and R 2 . Good results were obtained for R 1 =t-Bu, R 2 =Me and R 1 =α-Napht, R 2 =Ph. Subsequent desilylation occurs with predominant inversion of configuration at carbon.

A variety of aryl, alkyl and cycloalkyl silyl thioketones have been synthesized, including silyl thioketones chiral at silicon or at carbon. The multifold of reactions of silyl thioketones allows the synthesis of compounds containing the Si-C-S unit, as well as thioaldehyde S-oxides and derivatives.

Photo-induced cycloadditions of phenyl triphenylsilyl thioketone 1 with electron-poor olefins (acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate and cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethene) gave silyl thietanes in a regio- and highly stereo-selective manner. In contrast, reaction with vinyl ethers gave thietanes without any regio- or stereo-control. Reaction with α-methylstyrene and 2,3-dimethylbut-2-ene gave open chain products. Desilylation of silyl thietanes occurs with prevalent inversion of configuration at the carbon bearing the silicon group.

ω-Haloacylsilanes 1 were selectively transformed via thioacylsilanes into Z-silyl-enethiols 4 with solid sodium hydrogen carbonate or into 2-silylthiacycloalk-2-enes 5 of common to large ring size with solid sodium hydroxide. Compounds 5 underwent protiodesilylation.

The palladium-catalyzed desilylation−arylation of substituted vinylsilanes by p-iodoanisole in the presence of bidentate phosphine ligands is described. Apart from enhancing the rate of the reaction considerably, heteroatom-based functional groups in the vinylsilane moiety have a profound influence on the regiochemistry. A catalytic cycle for the chelation-controlled desilylation−arylation reaction involving five- and six-membered chelate rings is proposed.

Treatment of methyl 1-methylsulfanylvinyl sulfoxides with sodium thiophenolate in MeOH gives 1-methylsulfanylalk-1-en-3-ols.

A series of 4-acylamino-3-aryl substituted pyrazoles is synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxicity against U87MG glioma cells.

Structural variations in acylsilane molecules allow a number of new selective synthetic processes to be performed which lead to sulfur-containing heterocycles, highly functionalized and unsaturated polycarbonyl derivatives, polyenes, and β - and γ -aminoalcohols. The synthesis of these compounds, most of them not easily accessible through conventional routes, takes advantage of the site-selective reactions occurring at the C–Si bonds, of the increased stability of acylsilanes with respect to that of the corresponding aldehydes and of the high diastereofacial selectivity introduced by the SiR 3 group. Herein we report the different synthetic strategies leading to the synthesis of several functionalized acylsilanes and their synthetic applications. The use of new selective polymetallic reagents for the nucleophilic silylation will be presented as well.

The allylation of acylsilanes with tetraallyltin in the presence of catalytic amounts of Sc(OTf) 3 proceeded smoothly to afford the silylated homoallylic alcohols in good yields. Subsequent protiodesilylation gave the formal adducts of the corresponding aldehydes. The homochiral acylsilane 11 gave a reversal of asymmetric induction in the Sc(OTf) 3 catalyzed allylation and in the Sakurai reaction.

A practical route is described for the synthesis of enantiopure β- and γ-amino alcohols with two stereocenters, starting from homochiral α- (1 and 5) and β- (13 and 16) -aminoacylsilanes, and involving stereoselective addition of allylmetal compounds and subsequent stereospecific protiodesilylation of the adducts. The degree of diastereoselectivity achieved in the nucleophilic addition step depends on both the nitrogen-protecting group and the reagents used. Diastereomeric excess (de) values equal to or higher than 98% were obtained in the TiCl4-promoted allylation of the N-Pht-aminoacylsilanes 1 and 13 and of the N-Ts-aminoacylsilane 5 with allyltrimethylsilane. Lower de values were obtained in the Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed allylation of 5 with tetraallyltin and in the additions of both allyltrimethylsilane and tetraallyltin to the N-Ts-β-aminoacylsilane 16. Protiodesilylation of the adducts, leading to the β- and γ-amino alcohols, was accomplished with TBAF, except in the case of the adducts obtained from 5. For these, a preliminary removal of the tosyl group was necessary, which was accomplished with simultaneous desilylation by treatment with Na in liquid ammonia.

Thioacylsilanes containing the ferrocene moiety, easily prepared from the corresponding acylsilanes with Lawesson's reagent at room temperature, can be transformed into vinyl silanes, sulfur heterocycles and sulfines.

Uncatalyzed and LiClO4 catalyzed cycloadditions of (RS)-1-{1-[(1S)-isoborneol-10-sulfinyl]vinyl}cyclohexene 1 and (RS,E)-3-[(1S)-isoborneol-10-sulfinyl]-1-methoxybuta-1,3-diene 2 with di(p-tolyl)- and di(p-anisyl)thioketones 3 and 4 occur with complete regioselectivity. The lack of facial diastereoselectivity, observed in the cycloadditions of 1 with 3 or 4, appears to be a consequence of the sterical features of both diene and dienophile which, in the transition states, make the topological differentiation induced by the presence of the alkylsulfinyl group as chiral auxiliary uninfluential. No significant improvement in diastereoselectivity is observed in the LiClO4 catalyzed reactions, but the obtained enantiopure cycloadducts are easily separated by column chromatography and isolated in high yields. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enantiomerically pure β-hydroxyalkyl and β-aminoalkyl ferrocenyl sulfides have been synthesized in good yields from mercaptoferrocene and amino alcohol derivatives. Primary β-aminoalkyl sulfides allowed the synthesis of tetrahydro-1,4-thiazepines containing the ferrocene moiety with good diastereoselectivity and β-iminoalkyl sulfides. Some of these derivatives have successfully been employed as ligands for palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution, with asymmetric induction of up to 99% ee. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2002)

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of C-aryl-N-aryl- and C-carboxymethyl-N-aryl-nitrile imines with functionalized acetylenes have been studied. Regioisomeric mixtures have been obtained with the 5-substituted pyrazole as the major cycloadduct. Under scandium triflate catalysis a reversal in the regiochemistry was observed, especially in the case of C-carboxymethyl-N-aryl-nitrile imines.

A series of novel 3,4-disubstituted pyrazoles were synthesized. The cytotoxicity against U87MG glioma cell line have been investigated in vitro and three of these compounds showed promising inhibitory activity on cell growth with an IC50 lower than 90 microM. AutoDock molecular docking into type I TGF-beta receptor (TGF-beta-RI; PDB: 1py5) has been done for lead optimization of the mentioned compounds as potential TGF-beta-RI1 inhibitors. In particular, 3-aryl-4-amido pyrazole containing long omega-amino-aliphatic chain emerged as a good candidate for further optimization. Entrapment into targetable PEG-based micelles improved growth inhibition IC50 values up to 100 nM and this could lead to a novel drug delivery strategy for treating glioblastoma.

Enantiopure fluorinated prolines with four chiral centers were obtained from 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides and ( £ )-ethyl 3-fluoroacrylate.

Enantiomerically pure 2-hydroxyalkyl, 2-aminoalkyl and 2-iminoalkyl ferrocenyl p-tolylsulfides are easily prepared in good yields and with complete diastereocontrol from (S)-(2-p-tolylthio)ferrocencarboxyaldehyde. 2-Iminoalkyl ferrocenyl derivatives can be used as ligands in asymmetric catalysis and as starting materials for asymmetric Staudinger reaction.

A nitrogen-containing superbase such as TMG was found to be an effective catalyst for the reaction between N-diphenylphosphinoyl imines and nitroalkanes. Exploiting a protocol that avoids the use of any solvent also during workup procedure, we synthesized a series of beta-nitroamines in excellent yields and high diastereomeric ratios. These results, combined with the capability of the indium in conjunction with Zn as the stoichiometric reducing agent to perform in aqueous medium reduction of the nitro group under mild reaction conditions, led us to devise a three-step, one-pot synthesis of a range of 1,2-diamines, making use of environmentally friendly procedures in the various steps.

Six ferrocenyl sulfides, exhibiting planar and central chiralities, have been screened as a catalytic source of asymmetric sulfonium ylides. A one-pot reaction has been achieved, involving the addition of an aldehyde, benzyl bromide, 20% molar equivalent of the ferrocenyl sulfide, sodium iodide in a mixture of tert -butanol and water. The best results were observed with enantiopure sulfide 3a , bearing a tert -butyl group. Good yields of stilbene oxides were obtained, with enantiomeric excesses ranging from 74% to 94%. trans/cis -Diastereomeric ratios ranged from 60:40 to 86:14. The chiral sulfide was recovered. An unexpected case of stereoconvergence was observed with diastereoisomers 3a and 3b . A model is proposed to account for the asymmetric induction, based on a conformation locked by the tert -butyl group and the interplay of planar and remote central chiralities.

Several new ligands featuring a rigid three ring skeleton have been prepared for the first time following a modular approach. Chirality has been introduced by use of an oxazoline moiety fused with a cyclopenta[b]thiophene backbone. The efficiency and stereochemical impact of these ligands on the copper-catalyzed enantioselective addition of Et2Zn to chalcone was examined and enantiomeric excesses up to 79% were achieved using the ligand (R,R)-16 substituted with a methyl group at the cyclopenta moiety. Computational and ESI-mass spectral studies show that these new compounds behave as monodentate ligands towards Cu+. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)

N,N-Disubstituted α-aminonitriles undergo Bruylants reaction under Barbier and Reformatsky conditions with activated halides, in the presence of zinc and 10 mol% HOAc. The high yields and the simple operational conditions make this reaction an appealing, approach to N,N-disubstituted homoallylamines and β-aminoesters.

t-Butyl and methyl trimethylsilyl thioketones have been synthesized, and the reactivity towards organometallic compounds, dienes, and oxidation, and the desilylation of the resulting adducts, have been investigated. Where possible, a comparison with aryl trimethylsilyl thioketones has been made.

(E)-Phenyl and (E)-(p-tolyl) trimethylsilyl thioketone S-oxides can be easily and stereospecifically protodesilylated into the corresponding (Z)-aryl thioaldehyde S-oxides; these stable liquid lachrimatory compounds show good reactivity as heterodienophiles and the reaction with 1,3-dienes is surprisingly non-stereospecific.

Diarylthioketone S-oxides react with the 2H-azirine (1) in the presence of boron trifluoride–diethyl ether to give the oxathiazines (3)via a 1,3-cyclization across the sulphine C–S–O bond; the oxathiazines (3) rearrange thermally to the sulphoxides (5).

Trimethylsilylphenyl- and triphenylsilylphenyl thioketones easily undergo [4 + 2]-cycloadditions with cyclic and open chain 1,3-dienes at room temperature to give silylated thiabicyclo[2.2.1 ]heptenes and dihydrothiopyrans in very good yields. With cyclopentadiene the reaction produces exclusively the endo-silylated adducts. Sulphur oxidation and desilylation of the adducts were also investigated.

The α-silyl thione (I) bearing a chiral silyl moiety reacts with the organolithium (II) or Grignard agents (V) to form the intermediate α-metalated sulfides (III) and (VI) which are quenched upon treatment with methanol, producing the α-silyl sulfides (IV) with moderate diastereoselectivity.

Diphenylnitrilimin (II), hergestellt aus de Sulfinen (III) zu den Addukten (IVa) oxidiert werden konnen.