10.1021/op0580062
The research aimed to evaluate and compare the safety and catalytic effectiveness of five catalysts in promoting imidazolide couplings, a reaction type crucial for amide bond formation in pharmaceutical synthesis. The catalysts tested were 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt), 6-chloro-1-hydroxybenzotriazole (Cl-HOBt), 1-hydroxy-7-azabenzotriazole (HOAt), 2-hydroxypyridine (HOPy), and the newly identified 2-hydroxy-5-nitropyridine (NO2-HOPy). The study assessed reaction rate enhancement, shock sensitivity, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data. The findings indicated that NO2-HOPy emerged as a safe, effective, and readily available alternative to the commonly used HOBt, offering a favorable balance between catalytic performance and safety. The research concluded that NO2-HOPy is a promising catalyst for imidazolide couplings, particularly given its lack of shock sensitivity and relatively high decomposition onset temperature, making it a safer option compared to the more hazardous HOAt.