Yes / Vandetanib is an orally available tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of cancer. The current synthesis proceeds via an unstable 4-chloroquinazoline, using harsh reagents, in addition to requiring sequential protection and deprotection steps. In the present work, use of the Dimroth rearrangement in the key quinazoline forming step enabled the synthesis of Vandetanib in nine steps (compared to the previously reported 12–14). / This work was supported by the Cancer Research UK-Cancer Imaging Centre (grant: C1060/ A16464), the Institute of Cancer Research and the University of Hull.

Synthetic approaches towards linear fused carbon rings have been developed over the last decades due to their high interest as compounds with potential antibiotic activity and as organic electronics. The application of a novel iterative route towards linear fused carbon ring systems could provide a versatile new mode of access to complex substituted ring systems. Studies have previously demonstrated the use of an allylation-double Claisen-RCM sequence to build fused carbon rings (C). In this thesis we described our work to expand the use of this methodology by developing milder reaction conditions that could be applied to a wider range of compounds. This novel methodology was applied towards the synthesis of benzodifuran compounds (D). Our work was extended by developing, for the first time, a mixed Fries-Claisen rearrangement strategy which furnishes template (F), a key intermediate in the synthesis of pyranonaphthoquinones (G). Our work culminated in a new approach to the pyranonaphthoquinone natural products eleutherin (H) and isoeleutherin (I). [Figures missing from abstract].

This thesis describes investigations directed towards developing a novel synthetic route to the natural products perophoramidine and the communesins, with particular emphasis placed on the formation of the two vicinal all-carbon quaternary centres contained in these molecules. Chapter 1 introduces perophoramidine and the communesin group of natural products and explains how they are related to the calycanthaceous alkaloids. The isolation of perophoramidine and the communesins is outlined and their biosynthesis is discussed. Specific structural features of these natural products are highlighted before established synthetic strategies are reviewed. Chapter 1 concludes by proposing a novel synthetic route for the synthesis of perophoramidine and the communesins that involves a Claisen rearrangement in the indolo[2,3-b]quinoline system as a key step. Chapter 2 describes model studies on the proposed Claisen rearrangement in an attempt to form a quaternary centre in the indolo[2,3-b]quinoline system. These initial studies did not result in the generation of the desired quaternary centre. However, a detailed understanding of the reactions that occur leads to the design of a new model substrate. Chapter 3 describes studies on the revised model system that result in the formation of the desired quaternary centre using a Claisen rearrangement. The differences between the two systems are discussed before an investigation into the scope of the rearrangement is described. Chapter 3 concludes by describing an investigation into a protecting group strategy that would by required with this synthetic route. Chapter 4 describes investigations into the formation of the second vicinal quaternary centre using a model system. The synthetic routes investigated lead to two separate methods for the formation of the desired quaternary centre. Chapter 5 describes investigations into the effect a C-10 substituent has on the Claisen rearrangement. Additionally, an asymmetric version of the Claisen rearrangement is examined. Chapter 5 culminates in the preparation of an intermediate relevant to an asymmetric synthesis of the communesins.

The addition of allyl magnesium and allyl indium reagents to a key TBS protected norbornenyl building block, synthesised in 6-steps from commercially available 1,1-dimethoxy-2,3,4,5-tetrachlorocyclo-pentadiene, has been achieved providing the syn addition products with high diastereoselectivity. The subsequent exposure of the addition products to metathesis conditions, in the presence of ethylene, then provided cis fused [3.0.3]-carbocycles with very high regioselectivity, via a Ring Rearrangement Metathesis (RRM) transformation. The high level of regioselectivity is due to the rearrangement of the metathesis intermediates to give the more thermodynamically stable product This work has been expanded to include [2.2.2]-bicycles, addition of allyl magnesium and indium reagents to a key bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-en-2-one has been achieved, giving both diastereoisomers, separable by chromatography. The subsequent exposure of the addition products to optimised metathesis conditions, then provided cis fused [3.3.1] carbocycles with very high regioselectivity, via a RRM transformation. It was found that two possible cyclisation pathways occur under our reaction conditions; pathway (a) will yield a cis-fused [4.0.3]-carbocycle while pathway (b) will deliver the observed [3.3.1]-carbocycle.

Rearrangements are two measurable real-valued functions that have equal measure of pre-images of upper level sets. In this thesis, I will investigate several matters and problems relating to rearrangements: the relationship between assumptions on the measure space and desirable properties of the set of rearrangements, and the validity of rearrangement inequalities; generalising the Mountain Pass Lemma over rearrangements; and applying topological degree theory to boundary value problems involving rearrangements. From suppositions on the measure space, such as the measure space having finite measure and no atoms, it can proved that the set of rearrangements is contractible and locally contractible. The Mountain Pass Lemma over rearrangements can be generalised, so instead of considering continuous paths from the closed unit interval to the set of rearrangements; it will consider the continuous functions from the closed unit disc into the set of rearrangements. Topological degree theory is used to associate admissible triples of functions, sets and points with integers. These methods will be applied to a boundary value problem involving rearrangements, where the domain is almost equal to the union of balls, which has been studied using variational methods, providing new multiplicity results. The minimum number of solutions to this boundary value problem is found to be related exponentially to the number of balls contained in the domain.

This thesis describes the chemistry developed during a study of novel transition metalcatalysed reactions for the synthesis of carboxylic acid derivatives. Chapter 2 describes a novel protocol for the synthesis of primary amides from alcohols in one-pot where a metal complex mediates two fundamentally different catalytic processes. An iridium catalyst has been shown to be effective for the selective rearrangement of aldoximes into primary amides. In addition, an iridium-catalysed oxidation of activated alcohols via hydrogen transfer has been developed using an alkene as formal oxidant. These reactions have been combined in a sequential process affording good yields for a range of benzylic alcohols. An improved system for the rearrangement of aldoximes into amides using a new ruthenium catalyst is described in Chapter 3. Through a systematic program of optimisation excellent selectivity was achieved for a wide range of substrates at markedly reduced catalyst loading. Chapter 4 describes the development of a ruthenium-catalysed elimination reaction for the conversion of oxime ethers into nitriles. The application of this reaction to tandem and sequential reactions has been explored, albeit with limited success. Also, a method for the ruthenium-catalysed oxidation of alcohols using an electron-deficient alkene as hydrogen acceptor is described, and its application to a tandem oxidation process with a nitrogen nucleophile demonstrated. As an extension of the concept presented in Chapter 4, tandem oxidation processes with oxygen nucleophiles are the subject of Chapter 5. This strategy has been used for the oxidation of primary alcohols to their corresponding methyl esters in one-pot, with good yields obtained for a range of substrates. The use of water as a nucleophile in such a process has also been examined.

No description available.

O presente trabalho divide-se em três capítulos: Capítulo I - Nova síntese de ?-xiloidona: rearranjo de Claisen em hidroxinaftoquinonas; Capítulo II - Síntese e estudo de reatividade de promissores núcleos heteroaromáticos subexplorados pela química medicinal; Capítulo III - Análise computacional de similaridade e propriedades físico-químicas dos núcleos heterocíclicos do capítulo II. O capítulo I descreve uma nova rota para a síntese de ?-xiloidona, um produto natural relacionado ao lapachol, subexplorado pela química medicinal. Esta rota é baseada no rearranjo propargílico de Claisen, a partir da reação de lausona com 3-cloro-3- metilbutino sob catálise de CuCl2/I2.Este capítulo também descreveu a síntese de um derivado furano naftoquinoidal, o qual pode ser utilizado como precursor de ?- duniona, via rearranjo de Claisen aril-alílico. Além da realização desta metodologia substituindo o 3-cloro-3-metilbutino por cinco diferentes alcinos. Este novo processo ofereceu como vantagens principais o menor custo dos catalisadores empregados, os rendimentos melhorados e o reduzido número de etapas reacionais em relação as rotas descritas na literatura para obtenção de?-xiloidona. O Capítulo II apresenta o desenvolvimento de métodos sintéticos novos e eficazes para 3 núcleos heterocíclicos (naftiridinona, pirazolopiridinona e dihidropirrolopirazinona) pouco explorados pela química medicinal porém com potencial para descoberta de fármacos. Buscando abranger metodologias orientadas pela diversidade, neste capítulo foi realizado um estudo preliminar de reatividade destes núcleos frente diferentes abordagens, tanto frente métodos diretos de arilação quanto metodologias clássicas de modificação de anéis aromáticos. Além disso, no capítulo III foram realizados estudos de similaridade para a obtenção de padrões estruturais que possam ser aplicados em programas de descoberta de fármacos assim como o estudo de propriedades físico-químicas dos núcleos do capítulo II. Todo este trabalho permitiu desenvolver 10 moléculas inéditas na literatura, bem como novas metodologias para a síntese de compostos previamente descritos. / The present work is divided in two chapters: Chapter I - New synthesis of ? - xiloidone: Claisen rearrangement of hydroxynaphthoquinones; Chapter II - Synthesis and reactivity study of promising heteroaromatic coresunderstudied by medicinal chemistry; Chapter III - Similarity and physic-chemical properties analysis of the heterocyclic cores from chapter II. Chapter I describes a newsynthetic route to?- xiloidona, which isa natural product related to lapachol and understudied by medicinal chemistry. This route is based on propargyl Claisen rearrangement from the reaction of lawsone and 3-chloro-3- methylbutynemediated by CuCl2/I2. This chapter also describes the synthesis of a furan derivative which can be used as?- dunnione precursor. Also this methodology had been applied replacing the 3-chloro- 3-methyllbutynefor five different alkynes. This new process is associated with lower cost, improved yields and reduced number of reaction steps when compared to the literature. The chapter II aimed at the development of synthetic methods to obtain 3 heterocyclic cores(naphthyridinone, pyrazolopyridinoneand dihydropyrrolopyrazinone)with drug discovery potential but also understudied by medicinal chemistry. Diversity-oriented methodologies had been performedresulting in a reactivity study of these cores across severalsynthetic approaches. Furthermore, the chapter III described the similarity studies that were conducted aiming to obtain structural patterns that can be applied in drug discovery programs. This work describes the development of 10 non-published molecules as well as new methodologies for the synthesis of these previously described compounds.

The unifying theme of this thesis is the exploitation of the reactivity of aryliodonium salts as electrophile transfer reagents. In the first part of the thesis, diaryliodonium salts are employed as arylation reagents for the enantioselective copper-catalysed arylative semipinacol rearrangement (SPR) of various tertiary allylic alcohols. This cascade reaction is a rare example of asymmetrically activating SPR using carbon electrophiles. Different substrate classes - including dihydropyran, indene and dihydronaphthalene moieties - are converted to enantioenriched beta-aryl spirocyclic ketones in excellent yields and enantioselectivities, and often as a single diastereomer. These are in turn useful functional handles for transformations into other moieties, including further rearrangements via Baeyer-Villiger oxidation. In the second part of this thesis, a two-step process for the macrocyclisation of native peptides via a non-natural linkage is developed. This study exploits previous work conducted in the group on the use of aryliodonium salts as methionine-selective diazoacetate transfer reagents. The functionalised methionine is in turn used for an intramolecular rhodium-catalysed insertion into tryptophan. Eventual translation onto solid-phase enables facile access into various macrocyclic peptides.

Thesis advisor: Shih-Yuan Liu / This dissertation describes progress in the field of polycyclic boron- nitrogen-containing systems, especially for potential application in organic-based optoelectronic devices and hydrogen storage materials. The replacement of a BN unit for a CC unit organic compounds (BN/CC isosterism) can have a profound effect on the electronic structure and even function of a given molecular topology without changing its physical structure very much. Direct comparison between a BN-containing molecule and its direct all-carbon analogue is crucial to establishing the origin of these differences. The synthesis and optoelectronic characterization of boron- nitrogen-containing analogues of naphthalene, anthracene, and tetracene are disclosed. Also examined herein is the aromatic Claisen rearrangement applied to an azaboryl allyl ether. Finally, the chemistry of saturated BN heterocycles, including an iridium-catalyzed transfer dehydrogenation method for synthesizing BN-fused azaborines. Also disclosed is the actual application of these cyclic amine-boranes in supplying hydrogen for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.