Bert U. W. Maes

We report the palladium(II)‐catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of isocyanides with various (2‐aminophenyl)azoles using air as the stoichiometric oxidant. A diverse range of medicinally valuable azolo[c]quinazolines was obtained by this new approach. magnified image

Isocyanides have emerged as valuable C₁ building blocks in palladium catalysis. Their potential has, however, mainly been exploited for the synthesis of amidines and amidine-containing heterocycles. To illustrate the broader applicability of isocyanides, we have recently developed a novel oxidative coupling of diamines and isocyanides furnishing valuable guanidine-containing heterocycles. We here report the extension of this protocol to the coupling of anthranilic acids and isocyanides leading to medicinally relevant 2-aminobenzoxazinones. This is a particularly challenging substrate class for this reaction due to the possibility of undesired decarboxylative pathways and the susceptibility of the products to nucleophilic attack. Therefore, this work underlines the generality and broad potential of the oxidative coupling of bisnucleophiles and isocyanides, facilitating the further implementation of this chemistry in library design.

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed sp³ CH activation has emerged as a powerful approach to functionalize saturated cyclic amines. Our group recently disclosed a direct catalytic arylation reaction of piperidines at the α position to the nitrogen atom. 1‐(Pyridin‐2‐yl)piperidine could be smoothly α‐arylated if treated with an arylboronic ester in the presence of a catalytic amount of [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] and one equivalent of 3‐ethyl‐3‐pentanol. A systematic study on the substrate and reagent scope of this transformation is disclosed in this paper. The effect of substitution on both the piperidine ring and the arylboronic ester has been investigated. Smaller (pyrrolidine) and larger (azepane) saturated ring systems, as well as benzoannulated derivatives, were found to be compatible substrates with the α‐arylation protocol. The successful use of a variety of heteroarylboronic esters as coupling partners further proved the power of this direct functionalization method. Mechanistic studies have allowed for a better understanding of the catalytic cycle of this remarkable transformation featuring an unprecedented direct transmetalation on a Ru^IIH species.

Isocyanides have been important building blocks in organic synthesis since the discovery of the Ugi reaction and related isocyanide‐based multicomponent reactions. In the past decade isocyanides have found a new application as versatile C₁ building blocks in palladium catalysis. Palladium‐catalyzed reactions involving isocyanide insertion offer a vast potential for the synthesis of nitrogen‐containing fine chemicals. This Minireview discusses all the achievements in this emerging field.

Seit der Entdeckung der Ugi‐Reaktion und ähnlicher Isocyanid‐ basierter Mehrkomponentenreaktionen sind Isocyanide wichtige Bausteine für die organische Synthese. In den letzten zehn Jahren fanden Isocyanide als vielseitige C₁‐Bausteine in der Palladiumkatalyse eine neue Anwendung. Palladiumkatalysierte Reaktionen, die unter Isocyanidinsertion ablaufen, bieten ein enormes Potenzial für die Synthese stickstoffhaltiger Feinchemikalien. In diesem Kurzaufsatz werden alle erzielten Erfolge auf diesem neu entstehenden Gebiet diskutiert.

Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins produced by fungi of the genus Claviceps, which infect cereal crops and grasses. The uptake of ergot alkaloid contaminated cereal products can be lethal to humans and animals. For food safety assessment, analytical techniques are currently used to determine the presence of ergot alkaloids in food and feed samples. However, the number of samples which can be analyzed is limited, due to the cost of the equipment and the need for skilled personnel. In order to compensate for the lack of rapid tests for the detection of ergot alkaloids, the aim of this study was to develop a specific recognition element for ergot alkaloids, which could be further applied to produce a colorimetric reaction in the presence of these toxins. As recognition elements, single-stranded DNA ligands were selected by using an iterative selection procedure named SELEX, i.e., Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment. After several selection cycles, the resulting aptamers were cloned and sequenced. A surface plasmon resonance analysis enabled determination of the dissociation constants of the complexes of aptamers and lysergamine. Dissociation constants in the nanomolar range were obtained with three selected aptamers. One of the selected aptamers, having a dissociation constant of 44 nM, was linked to gold nanoparticles and it was possible to produce a colorimetric reaction in the presence of lysergamine. This system could also be applied to small ergot alkaloids in an ergot contaminated flour sample.

O₂ in, H₂O out: Various diamines and related bisnucleophiles readily undergo oxidative isocyanide insertion with Pd(OAc)₂ (1 mol %) as the catalyst and O₂ as the terminal oxidant to give a diverse array of medicinally relevant N heterocycles. The utility of this highly sustainable method is demonstrated by a formal synthesis of the antihistamines astemizole and norastemizole.