This paper describes a new catalytic method for the regio- and stereocontrolled fluorination of allylic carbonates. This transformation uses TBAF·4tBuOH as the fluoride source and [Ir(COD)Cl]2 as the catalyst; the most commonly used [Ir(COD)Cl]2/phosphoramidite system is ineffective. Synthetically, this reaction is characterized by a high degree of structural conservation in going from substrates to the products. The fluorination of (E)-allylic carbonates leading to linear (E)-allylic fluorides (l : b > 20 : 1, E : Z > 20 : 1) is unprecedented and a unique feature of fluoride as the nucleophile. The first examples of transition metal catalyzed fluorination affording (Z)-allyl fluorides (Z : E ratio >20 : 1) are disclosed along with the successful fluorination of branched, linear (E)- and (Z)-allyl carbonates with [18F] fluoride in the presence of [Ir(COD)Cl]2. 18O-Labeling of the reactant reveals internal return during the allylic ionization step, and pathways for effective intra- and intermolecular isotope exchange.
Alkenes substituted with a thiourea undergo C–CF3 followed by intramolecular C–S bond formation with the Togni reagent and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) at room temperature; thiols and thioamides are not suitable S-sources for this reaction. This anti-addition process involves a CF3 radical, and affords CF3-substituted thiazolines and thiazines for medicinal applications. A metal or photoredox catalyst is not required as the thiourea acts as a reductant, as well as serving as an S-source capable of adding to a C-centered radical. Mechanistic work comparing the reactivity of thiourea, urea, thioamide and thiol in the context of alkene trifluoromethylation demonstrates that in this series, the thiourea is unique for its ability to release CF3 radical from the Togni reagent, and to orchestrate trifluoromethylation followed by S-cyclization with both activated and unactivated alkenes.
Alkyl quinolone has been proven to be a privileged scaffold in the antimicrobial drug discovery pipeline. In this study, a series of new 4-hydroxy-2-quinolinone analogs containing a long alkyl side chain at C-3 and a broad range of substituents on the C-6 and C-7 positions were synthesized. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of these analogs against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Aspergillus flavus were investigated. The structure-activity relationship study revealed that the length of the alkyl chain, as well as the type of substituent, has a dramatic impact on the antimicrobial activities. Particularly, the brominated analogs 3j with a nonyl side chain exhibited exceptional antifungal activities against A. flavus (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 1.05 µg/mL), which surpassed that of the amphotericin B used as a positive control. The antibacterial activity against S. aureus, although not as potent, showed a similar trend to the antifungal activity. The data suggest that the 4-hydroxy-2-quinolone is a promising framework for the further development of new antimicrobial agents, especially for antifungal treatment.