Synfacts 2007(5): 0468-0468  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-968477
Synthesis of Heterocycles
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Four-Component Synthesis of Highly Substituted Pyrroles

Contributor(s):Victor Snieckus, Yigang Zhao
D. J. St. Cyr, N. Martin, B. A. Arndtsen*
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Directed Synthesis of Pyrroles from Imines, Alkynes, and Acid Chorides: An Isocyanide-Mediated Reaction
Org. Lett.  2007,  9:  449-452  
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
24 April 2007 (online)


Significance

A synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted pyrroles from simple commercially available materials is reported. The 4-CR involves the combination of imines, acid chlorides and acetylenes in the presence of cyclohexyl isocyanide which removes molecular oxygen by being oxidized to cyclohexyl isocyanate. Significantly, the reaction proceeds under mild conditions and without metal catalysis. The scope and limitations were not well investigated.

Comment

Highly substituted pyrroles are often structural entities in biologically active compounds (see review below). Many previous methods for their synthesis involve multistep or metal-catalyzed routes (e.g., G. Balme Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 6238-6241). The present metal-free methodology represents a competitive alternative for the introduction of diverse substitution patterns on the pyrrole nucleus in an efficient, economic, and environmentally friendly way.

Review

R. Rossi, F. Bellina Tetrahedron 2006, 62, 7213-7256.