Novel Synthesis of 3,5-Disubstituted Pyridines by 1,4-Cycloaddition of 1-Aza-1,3-butadienes with Enamines

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00189a007

A new method for the synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted pyridines is described.Reactions of the N-substituted methanimines 1 with the β-substituted enamines 2 give 1-aza-1,3-butadienes 3a-3i and/or symmetrically 3,5-disubstituted pyridines 4a-c,e-h in moderate to good yields.At reaction temperatures of 150 deg C the azadienes 3 are the predominant products, and the reaction provides a good route to 1-azadienes with no substituent at the 4-position.At reaction temperatures of 200 deg C, and particularly using N-tert-butylmethanimine 1a and p-toluenesulfonic acid catalyst, the principal products are symmetrically 3,5-disubstituted pyridines.The cycloaddition was shown to proceed via the azabutadiene intermediate 3.Reactions of 3 with the enamines 2 lead to unsymmetrically 3,5-disubstituted pyridines.The mechanisms of these cycloadditions are discussed.