DOI: 10.1002/chem.201503791
Communication
&
Heterocycle Synthesis
Relayed Regioselective Alkynylation/Olefination of Unsymmetrical
Cyclic Diaryliodonium Species Catalyzed by Cu and Pd: Affording
Fluorescent Cytotoxic Benzoxazoles
Daqian Zhu,[a, b] Panpan Liu,[a] Wenhua Lu,[a] Haiwen Wang,[b] Bingling Luo,[a, b] Yumin Hu,[a]
Peng Huang,*[a] and Shijun Wen*[a, b]
Linear diaryliodonium species have been extensively exploit-
ed as arylating agents in the formations of CÀX bonds.[6] Re-
Abstract: Although cyclic diaryliodonium species have the
cently, significant achievements have been made in regioselec-
tive arylation with unsymmetrical linear diaryiodonium spe-
cies.[7] Compared to their linear analogues, cyclic diaryliodoni-
um species have not found broad applications in synthetic or-
ganic chemistry.[8] Our group is interested in the development
of novel transformations with cyclic diaryliodonium species to
construct important structural scaffolds. However, regioselec-
tivity associated with unsymmetrical cyclic diaryliodonium spe-
cies remained an unsolved problem to us in our previous
study.[9] Inspired by the directing group coordination effect
(Scheme 1a), we were eager to explore whether unsymmetrical
cyclic diaryliodonium species containing common DGs, for ex-
ample, an amido group, will exhibit the expected regioselectiv-
ity (Scheme 1b). Herein, we report a relayed regioselective al-
kynylation and olefination of unsymmetrical cyclic diaryliodoni-
um species by installing a directing amido group, leading to si-
multaneous benzoxazole formation. In these reactions, diverse
alkynes and olefins could be selectively introduced into un-
symmetrical cyclic diaryliodonium species and the directing
amide groups were converted into oxazole motifs through in-
tramolecular rearrangement. CÀC and CÀO bonds were formed
under dual relaying catalysis by CuI and Pd(OAc)2. Furthermore,
the fluorescent properties and anticancer activities of the ob-
tained products were also investigated.
potential to act as valuable synthons for cascade transfor-
mations, they still remain largely unexplored. The regiose-
lectivity associated with unsymmetrical cyclic diaryliodoni-
um species has previously been known to pose a chal-
lenge. A regioselective relayed alkynylation and olefination
of unsymmetrical cyclic diaryliodonium species has been
achieved by installation of a directing amido group. These
relayed transformations were delayed until an oxazole
ring had formed, delivering a series of unique fluorescent
benzoxazoles. Moreover, some of these synthetic benzoxa-
zoles showed apparent inhibitory activity against malig-
nant cancer cells. Further confocal visualization revealed
that benzoxazoles targeted cell nuclei. These findings
might provide a novel structural scaffold to develop desir-
able anticancer agents.
Transition metal-catalyzed regio- and site-selective cross-cou-
pling reactions are very powerful tools to form CÀC and CÀX
bonds and remain a long-standing challenge in organic
chemistry. In recent years, remarkable progress has been ach-
ieved in site-selective transformations by directed CÀH activa-
tion (Scheme 1a).[1] Generally, it is believed that functionaliza-
tion of aryl ortho CÀH bonds is possible through s-chelation-
assisted metalation with directing groups (DGs) such as pyri-
dines,[2] amides,[3] ketones,[4] and others.[5] With the assistance
of DGs, thermodynamically favorable six- or seven-membered
metal complex intermediates are formed and then subjected
to subsequent functionalization.
To assess our aforementioned hypothesis, a benzamido
group was installed ortho to the iodine center in cyclic diarylio-
donium 1a. Our initial efforts for the ortho-selective alkynyla-
tion of unsymmetrical cyclic diaryliodonium species were
guided by the reaction of 1a with p-tolylacetylene 2a cata-
lyzed by copper and palladium, a similar reaction system to
that developed in our previous study.[9] To our surprise, the ex-
pected product 3a’ was not obtained, although 2a was hy-
pothesized to be selectively introduced ortho to the directing
amido group. Instead, a new benzoxazole ring was formed and
a subsequent relayed alkynylation occurred to provide the
novel product 3a. The absolute configuration of 3a was then
determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (Figure 1).[10]
Benzoxazole frameworks are often applied in pharmaceuti-
cals, dyes, and functional materials.[11] Many endeavors have
been made to construct this type of aromatic heterocycle.[12]
However, to our knowledge, the synthesis of benzoxazoles
from diaryliodonium species has not been reported to date.
Thus, it was of interest to us to further investigate these find-
[a] D. Zhu,+ P. Liu,+ W. Lu, B. Luo, Dr. Y. Hu, Prof. P. Huang, Dr. S. Wen
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in
South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine
Sun Yat-sen University 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou 510060
(China)
E-mail: huangpeng@sysucc.org.cn
[b] D. Zhu,+ H. Wang, B. Luo, Dr. S. Wen
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University
132 Waihuan East Road, Guangzhou 510006 (China)
[+] Both authors contributed equally to this work.
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under
Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 18915 – 18920
18915
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