Modular, Metal-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization Approach to Angularly Fused Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Oxidized Derivatives

J Org Chem. 2015 Aug 7;80(15):7435-46. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b00931. Epub 2015 Jul 21.

Abstract

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 2-bromobenzaldehyde and 6-bromo-2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde with 4-methyl-1-naphthaleneboronic acid and acenaphthene-5-boronic acid gave corresponding o-naphthyl benzaldehydes. Corey-Fuchs olefination followed by reaction with n-BuLi led to various 1-(2-ethynylphenyl)naphthalenes. Cycloisomerization of individual 1-(2-ethynylphenyl)naphthalenes to various benzo[c]phenanthrene (BcPh) analogues was accomplished smoothly with catalytic PtCl2 in PhMe. In the case of 4,5-dihydrobenzo[l]acephenanthrylene, oxidation with DDQ gave benzo[l]acephenanthrylene. The dimethoxy-substituted benzo[c]phenanthrenes were demethylated with BBr3 and oxidized to the o-quinones with PDC. Reduction of these quinones with NaBH4 in THF/EtOH in an oxygen atmosphere gave the respective dihydrodiols. Exposure of the dihydrodiols to N-bromoacetamide in THF-H2O led to bromohydrins that were cyclized with Amberlite IRA 400 HO(-) to yield the series 1 diol epoxides. Epoxidation of the dihydrodiols with mCPBA gave the isomeric series 2 diol epoxides. All of the hydrocarbons as well as the methoxy-substituted ones were crystallized and analyzed by X-ray crystallography, and these data are compared to other previously studied BcPh derivatives. The methodology described is highly modular and can be utilized for the synthesis of a wide variety of angularly fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their putative metabolites and/or other derivatives.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Benzaldehydes / chemistry*
  • Boronic Acids / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Isomerism
  • Naphthalenes / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phenanthrenes / chemistry*
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / chemical synthesis*
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / chemistry

Substances

  • 2-bromobenzaldehyde
  • 4-methyl-1-naphthaleneboronic acid
  • 6-bromo-2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde
  • Benzaldehydes
  • Boronic Acids
  • Naphthalenes
  • Phenanthrenes
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons