1,3-Dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (DBH), as a cheap and commercially available reagent, is efficiently able to catalyze the synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives and 12-aryl-8,9,10,12-tetrahydro[a] xanthene-11-ones via one-pot multi-component reactions. This novel synthetic method has the advantages of low cost and availability of the catalyst, short reaction times, high to excellent yiel...

Yb(NTf(2))(3)-catalyzed [3 + 3] cycloaddition between isatin ketonitrones and cyclopropanes is described. A variety of spiro[tetrahydro-1,2-oxazine]oxindoles were obtained in moderate to good yields along with good regioselectivities. This is the first example of the intermolecular [3 + 3] cycloaddition between ketone-derived nitrones and cyclopropanes.

A three-component reaction forming dihydro 2,7-naphthyridine-1-ones has been developed. These unstable dihydro intermediates can be either oxidized or reduced to form naphthyridones or tetrahydro naphthyridones, respectively. The reaction tolerates a large variety of aldehydes and amines, and the produced compounds are analogs of the natural product lophocladine A.

Based on the dramatic accelerating effect of 2-aminophenol, three ligands derived from 2-aminophenol were developed. Copper-catalyzed coupling reaction of nitrogen-containing nucleophiles with aryl bromides was efficiently carried out under mild conditions using 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-8-hydroxyquinoline as a novel, simple, and versatile ligand.

The development of one-pot imine formation and asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reactions cocatalyzed by a chiral thiourea and benzoic acid is described. Optically active tetrahydro-beta-carbolines, ubiquitous structural motifs in biologically active natural products, are obtained in high ee directly from tryptamine and aldehyde precursors.

Rapid and efficient methods for the synthesis of an important intermediate of benazepril ethyl 3-phthalimido-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-[1]benzazepin-2-one-1-acetate under the influence of microwave irradiation are described. A comparative study of conventional and microwave assisted method is briefly discussed.

A new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroxy-2-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromen-4-one (1) was isolated from the Chinese eaglewood [Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg]. Its structure was established by detailed MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis, as well as comparison with literature data.

Efficient catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydro-β-carbolines has been achieved via asymmetric alkylation of 1-cyanotetrahydro-β-carbolines using a binaphthyl-modified N-spiro-type chiral phase-transfer catalyst. This is a valuable example of hitherto difficult highly enantioselective alkylations at α-carbon of the cyano group under phase-transfer conditions.

The palladium-catalysed intramolecular α-arylation of carbonyl compounds with amino-tethered 2- and 3-iodoindoles provides a useful methodology for the synthesis of indolo-b-fused nitrogen heterocycles. A variety of substituted tetrahydro β- and γ-carbolines, and pyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles, have been prepared by means of this palladium-catalysed annulation process.