Tom Livinghouse

Here we report the synthesis of a novel reagent designed to prepare 2-amino-5-nitrothiazole (ANT) amides and analogues in high yields. N-(Trimethylsilyl)-2-amino-5-nitrothiazole (N-(TMS)-ANT) was prepared in 99% yield via silylation of ANT using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), trimethylsilyl chloride (TMSCl), and catalytic saccharin. N-(TMS)-ANT is a superb reagent for the preparation of ANT amides in excellent yields. Notably, cyclic anhydrides and base-sensitive acyl chlorides can be utilized with N-(TMS)-ANT to furnish ANT amides that are difficult to prepare by previously reported procedures.

A convenient method for the reduction of N,N-dimethylhydrazones using amine borane complexes generated in situ is described. It was found that primary amine borane complexes performed exceedingly well at reducing N,N-dimethylhydrazones in as little as 1.1 equivalents, furnishing the corresponding air-sensitive hydrazine products in excellent yields. Graphical Abstract

The synthesis and biological activity of several novel nitrothiazole, nitrobenzothiazole, and nitrofuran containing antimicrobial agents for the eradication of biofilm-forming Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens is described. Nitazoxanide (NTZ), nitrofurantoin, and furazolidone are commercial antimicrobials which were used as models to show how structural modification improved activity toward planktonic bacteria via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays and biofilms via minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assays. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies illustrate the ways in which improvements have been made to the aforementioned antimicrobial agents. It is of particular interest in this regard that the introduction of a chloro substituent at the 5-position of NTZ (analog 1b) resulted in marked activity enhancement, as did the replacement of the 2-acetoxy substituent in the latter compound with a basic amine group (analog 7b). It is also of importance that analog 4a, which is a simple methacrylamide, displayed noteworthy activity against S. epidermidis biofilms. These lead compounds identified to have high activity towards biofilms provide promise as starting points in future pro-drug studies.

This manuscript is dedicated to Professor Albert Padwa on the occasion of his 80^th birthday Metalloamination–alkylation of representative N,N-dimethylhydrazinoalkenes has been shown to be effectively catalyzed by ­CuBr·SMe₂, CuCN, and CuI. The current method obviates the use of ­stoichiometric CuCN(LiCl)₂ as a promoter for the electrophilic functionalization event.

Diethylzinc-mediated metalloamination/cyclization of unsaturated N,N-dimethylhydrazines has been extended to the use of 1,2-disubstituted alkenes as N–Zn migratory insertion acceptors. Representative 2-arylethenes and vinylcyclopropanes readily serve as reaction participants in metalloamination/cyclization–allylation cascades.

A concise and highly diastereoselective synthesis of the polyfused tetracyclic cores of the Stemona alkaloids asparagamine A and stemofoline that relies on a 2-propylidine-1,3-(bis)silane bicyclization onto a enantiodefined pyrrolidine 2,5-di(cation) equivalent derived from l-malic acid is reported. A crucial feature of this divergent synthetic approach involves the solvolysis of a transient and highly labile tertiary-propargylic hydroxylactam trifluoroacetate in the strongly ionizing medium 5 M LiClO4/Et2O. The acyliminium ion generated in this manner undergoes stereospecific interception by the aforementioned (bis)silane nucleophile.

Highly diastereoselective metalloamination/cyclization reactions of zinc(II) hydrazides obtained through reaction of diethylzinc with N,N‐dimethylhydrazinoalkenes are described. The resulting organozinc intermediates undergo facile allylation and acylation, in situ, to provide the corresponding functionalized piperidines and pyrrolidines.

Highly diastereoselective metalloamination/cyclization reactions of zinc(II) hydrazides obtained through reaction of diethylzinc with N,N‐dimethylhydrazinoalkenes are described. The resulting organozinc intermediates undergo facile allylation and acylation, in situ, to provide the corresponding functionalized piperidines and pyrrolidines.