This thesis describes the development of new synthetic methodologies for preparation of bioactive interesting compounds, e.g. substituted pyridines, piperidines or piparazines. Thesecompounds are synthesized from commercially available, cheap and easily prepared reagents, videlicet the reaction between Grignard reagents and heterocyclic N-oxides.  The first part of this thesis deals with an improvement for synthesis of dienal-oximes and substituted pyridines. This was accomplished by a rapid addition of Grignard reagents to pyridine N-oxides at rt. yielding a diverse set of substituted dienal-oximes. During these studies, it was observed that the obtained dienal-oxmies are prone to ring-close upon heating. By taking advantage of this, a practical synthesis of substituted pyridines was developed. In the second part, an ortho-metalation of pyridine N-oxides using Grignard reagents is discussed. The method can be used for incorporation of a range of different electrophiles, including aldehydes, ketones and halogens. Furthermore, the importance for incorporation of halogens are exemplified through a Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction of 2-iodo pyridine N-oxides and different boronic acids. Later it was discovered that if the reaction temperature is kept below -20 °C, the undesired ringopening can be avoided. Thus, the synthesis of 2,3-dihydropyridine N-oxide, by reacting Grignard reagents with pyridine N-oxides at -40 °C followed by sequential addition of aldehyde or ketone, was accomplished. The reaction provides complete regio- and stereoselectivity yielding trans-2,3-dihydropyridine N-oxides in good yields. These intermediate products could then be used for synthesis of either substituted piperidines, by reduction, or reacted in a Diels–Alder cycloaddtion to give the aza-bicyclo compound. In the last part of this thesis, the discovered reactivity for pyridine N-oxides, is applied on pyrazine N-oxides in effort to synthesize substituted piperazines. These substances are obtained by the reaction of Grignard reagents and pyrazine N-oxides at -78 °C followed by reduction and protection, using a one-pot procedure. The product, a protected piperazine, that easily can be orthogonally deprotected, allowing synthetic modifications at either nitrogens in a fast and step efficient manner. Finally, an enantioselective procedure using a combination of PhMgCl and (-)-sparteine is discussed, giving opportunity for a stereoselective synthesis of substituted piperazines.

Les réactions de couplage croisé ont révolutionné la chimie organique. Par exemple, dans le domaine de la chimie médicinale, les réactions de couplage sont de puissants outils pour générer rapidement et facilement une librairie de composés. Depuis la découverte des premières réactions de couplage croisé catalysé par des complexes de palladium, ce métal reste le plus utilisé. Cependant, d’autres métaux tels que le cuivre, le nickel, le cobalt ou le fer sont apparus comme de bonnes alternatives aux complexes de palladium, chers et toxiques.D’autre part, en chimie médicinale, les hétérocycles sont des motifs essentiels puisqu’ils sont présents dans un grand nombre de médicaments. Le développement de nouvelles méthodes permettant de former des molécules incorporant des motifs hétérocycliques tels que des azétidines, des pyrrolidines ou des oxétanes, est un réel défi pour un chimiste organicien. Les halogénures d’alkyle sont généralement des substrats difficiles à utiliser en couplage croisé car l’addition oxydante du métal y est difficile. Des réactions parasites peuvent également avoir lieu telles que des réactions de -H élimination ou de déshalogénation. Cependant, les sels de cobalt et de fer se sont révélés être des catalyseurs efficaces pour réaliser des réactions de couplage sur des halogénures d’alkyle. Au cours de cette thèse, deux systèmes catalytiques à base de sels de cobalt ou de fer ont été développés pour réaliser des réactions de couplage croisé entre des halogénures d’alkyle hétérocycliques et des réactifs de Grignard. Une étude mécanistique des réactions de couplage croisé catalysé par des sels de cobalt a également été réalisée. / Cross-coupling reactions, as Prof. K. C. Nicolaou said “have changed the way we think about synthesis”. Indeed, cross-coupling reactions are powerful tools to access easily and rapidly to a library of compounds in the context of medicinal chemistry. Palladium-catalysed cross-coupling rules the field and was recognized by the Nobel Prize in 2010 but, since its discovery, others metals have appeared as good alternatives to the expensive and toxic palladium salts such as copper, nickel, cobalt and iron salts. In medicinal chemistry, heterocycles are essential moieties since they are found in a great number of drugs on the market. It is always a challenge for organic chemists to develop new methods to produce motifs with interesting pharmacological properties such as substituted azetidines, pyrrolidines and oxetanes. sp3 Halides are challenging substrates for cross-coupling because the oxidative addition of the metal in the C-X bond is difficult and because side reactions can take place like -hydride elimination or dehydrohalogenation. Nevertheless, cobalt and iron are suitable catalysts to perform cross-coupling reactions on sp3 halides. Herein, we would like to report two catalytic systems allowing the cross-coupling between heterocyclic alkyl halides and Grignard reagents using cobalt and iron salts. A mechanistic study on cobalt-catalysed cross-coupling reaction between halides and Grignard reagents will be also presented.

En esta memoria se describe la síntesis de N-(terc-butilsulfinil)iminas promovida por microondas, así como su aplicación a la preparación de diferentes heterociclos nitrogenados ópticamente enriquecidos por adición diastereoselectiva de reactivos organozíncicos. Esta memoria ha sido dividida en los siguientes capítulos: Capítulo I: Síntesis de N-(terc-Butilsulfinil)iminas promovida por microondas. En este capítulo se describe la síntesis de diferentes aldiminas y cetiminas por condensación del correspondiente aldehído o cetona con 2-metilpropano-2-sulfinamida en ausencia de disolvente y promovida por microondas. Capítulo II: Síntesis de N-heterociclos. En este capítulo se ha llevado a cabo la preparación de heterociclos nitrogenados de diferentes tamaños a partir de los productos generados por adición diastereoselectiva de triorganozincatos con sustituyentes insaturados a las iminas obtenidas en el capítulo I.

No description available.

Stereochemistry is important aspect of chemistry that customarily includes the study of the relative spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules (static stereochemistry), and the study of the stereochemical requirements and outcomes of chemical reactions (dynamic stereochemistry). These two branches complement each other in modern stereochemistry. Chiral organometallics feature prominently in organic synthesis as reactive intermediates. The possibility of exploring their stereochemistry in synthesis is associated with the configurational stability of the metal-bearing stereogenic center. We were interested in the configurational stability of lithiated and magnesiated nitriles. We developed a new series of lithio-cyclopropylnitriles bearing chelating groups for intramolecular coordination, as a possible strategy to impart configurational stability. Although this strategy has not yet been successful, using density functional theory (DFT) method, we addressed the effect of chelating groups on racemization via the "conducted tour" mechanism. We then explored metal-bromine exchange on enantiopure bromonitrile as alternative route to metalated nitriles. In this way, we demonstrated that magnesiated 2,2-diphenyl cyclopropylnitrile is configurationally stable on the macroscopic timescale. No other metallated nitrile has ever demonstrated configurational stability on this timescale. In contrast, bromine-lithium exchange of 1-bromo-2,2-diphenyl-cyclopropylnitrile demonstrated fast racemization under the same conditions. Another major project focused on conformational control of acyclic molecules. Using X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy, we found that the 2,6-disubstituted aryl group eclipses its geminal hydrogen, and induces an antiperiplanar relationship of the geminal and vicinal hydrogens. Interestingly, anti-nitrile aldols or syn-ketone aldols bearing 2,6-disubstituted aryl groups demonstrate unanticipated remote effects on acyclic conformation: the 2,6-disubstituted aryl group prefers to be in a gauche position to the largest vicinal group. The minimization of allylic 1,3-strain and syn-pentane-like interaction works together in establishing this conformational preference. / Ph. D.

The development of chiral organometallics for asymmetric synthesis is a topic of significant research in the recent past. The most studied in this class are the chiral organolithium reagents with many reported examples. The primary focus of our research is the development of C_α-chiral Grignard reagents, where the metal bearing α-carbon is the sole source of chirality. Examples of such Grignard reagents are rare owing to the problems associated with their synthesis, and their low configurational stability. We have studied these problems in three different modules of this project. Reactions of 1-magnesio-2,2-diphenyl-cyclopropylcarbonitrile with carbon electrophiles are first attempted in order to expand the utility of this configurationally stable C_α-chiral Grignard reagent in asymmetric synthesis. This reagent has been shown to be non-reactive towards carbon electrophiles at low temperatures. Consequently, we attempt to enhance the reactivity of this compound through two different approaches, Lewis-base activation and the "ate-complex" generation. The Magnesium/Halogen (Mg/X) exchange reactions have been shown to be extremely useful in the synthesis of complex Aryl, alkenyl (sp²) and alkynyl (sp) Grignard reagents. Examples of Mg/X exchange reactions of Alkyl (sp³) halides are, however, rare. Even more rare are such examples with secondary and tertiary alkyl halides, justifying the relative paucity of chiral Grignard reagents. In this module of our project, we study the Mg/X exchange reactions on secondary alkyl halides possessing a γ-hydroxyl group, as an internal activator for such Mg/X exchange reactions. Enantiomerization pathways of chiral organolithium compounds have been widely studied. However, few such studies have been performed on chiral Grignard reagents. In this module of the project, we studied the solvent assisted enantiomerization mechanism of the C_α-chiral 1-magnesio-2,2-diphenyl-cyclopropylcarbonitrile. Rate constant for the enantiomerization of this compound was measured in three different ethereal solvents to study the effect of solvent on the configurational stability. Finally, the order of the enantiomerization process with respect to [Et₂O] was studied in order to predict the mechanism of this process in Et₂O solvent. Our kinetic studies on the enantiomerization process provided us with a definitive picture for the enantiomerization of the C_α-chiral 1-magnesio-2,2-diphenyl-cyclopropylcarbonitrile, where solvation of the Grignard reagent preceded an ion-pair separation step which eventually lead to enantiomerization of the Grignard species. However, the precise structure of all the involved solvated intermediates could not be determined as kinetics was not able to distinguish between these intermediates. We next performed computational calculations to study the effect of solvation on the analogous 1-magnesio-cyclopropylcarbonitrile in order to address the unanswered questions from our kinetic studies. / Ph. D.

A brief introduction explaining phosphine ligand properties, Pd catalysed cross-coupling reactions; the importance of the steps involved in the catalytic cycle (oxidative addition, transmetalation & reductive elimination), mechanistic studies and a comparison of various reactions will give an overview of important cross-coupling reactions and their limitations. The development of a “super-concentrated” (5M) Pd catalysed Kumada type coupling reaction has been developed for coupling a range of aryl bromide and chloride substrates with the Grignard reagents ((p-CF₃-C₆H₄)MgBr)) and PhMgBr in methyl-tetrahydrofuran (Me-THF). Using a range of bidentate ligands such as bis-phosphinoferrocenyl ligands, good conversions were achieved using small amounts of solvent; up to 10 times less than typical procedures in THF. The unsymmetrical Pt complexes of the form [Pt(P-P)Br₂], [Pt(P-P)(Ph)Br] and [Pt(P-P)Ph₂] have been synthesised and characterised. The variations of substituents on the ligand system and the steric bulk have been shown to have a dramatic effect on the rate of transmetalation. The results provide one explanation why 1,1’-bis(di tert-butylphosphino)ferrocene (dtbpf), an excellent ligand for certain Suzuki reactions, is quite poor in reactions where transmetalation is more difficult. Palladium dichloride complexes of the ferrocenylphosphine based ligands 1,1’-bis- (diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf), 1,1’-bis-(diisopropylphosphino)ferrocene (dippf) and 1,1’-bis-(di-tert-butylphosphino)ferrocene (dtbpf) have been shown to be active in the Hiyama cross-coupling of p-bromoacetophenone and vinyltrimethoxysilane (CHCH₂Si(OMe₃)) in the presence of TBAF under thermal heating and microwave conditions. Ligands with the optimum balance for promoting the transmetalation, oxidative addition and reductive elimination steps along the reaction pathway have been identified. Competition experiments are consistent with slow transmetalation being an issue with the Hiyama reaction relative to the Suzuki coupling. A novel protocol has been developed for the synthesis of aryl-alkyl ethers via C-O bond activation under Pd catalysed conditions. Utilising the unsymmetrical 1-bis-(ditertbutyl-1’- bis-diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dtbdppf) under optimised conditions with silicon based nucleophiles and NaOH or TBAF as an activator, the formation of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and n-butyl ethers with a range of aryl halides was achieved in good yield.

Très récemment, le potentiel des semi-conducteur organiques (OSC) ambipolaires à attiré l'attention par de nombreuses applications technologiques. Dans le domaine de la microélectronique organique, l'un des obstacles majeurs pour le développent des OSC est le design de systèmes capables de transporter à la fois les électrons et les trous. Les matériaux semi-conducteurs ambipolaires ordonnés, peuvent répondre à cette problématique. Dans ce contexte nous avons développé la synthèse et la caractérisation d'une architecture macromoléculaire originale, fondée sur l'association d'un polymère semi-conducteur régiorégulier d'une part, avec des molécules ?-conjuguées cristal liquides ayant la propriété de s'auto-organiser spontanément d'autre part. Afin d'améliorer les propriétés mésomorphes et électroniques de ce système macromoléculaire, une gamme de composés différant par (i) la nature chimique du groupement pendant et (ii) le dégrée de polymérisation moyen du polymère à été synthétisée. La présence d'une mesophase a été confirmée pour chacun de ces composés par diffraction des rayons X et une mesophase de type lamello-lamellaire, présentant une alternance de couches électron-donneur ou électron-accepter à également pu être mis en évidence. / Very recently ambipolar organic semi-conductors (OSC) have gaining attention for their potential use in numerous technologically relevant applications. Representative technological examples are the area of organic microelectronics where patterning of p- and n-channel semiconductors is one of the major hurdles for the implantation of OSC in organic complementary logic circuit. To achieve this objective, well-ordered ambipolar semiconducting materials are needed. In this work we investigated the self-organization and the electronic properties of a series of side chain liquid crystal (SCLC) semiconducting polymers where: (i) the backbone is a π-conjugated polymer and (ii) the side-groups are π-conjugated calamitic mesogens. We present our results on the design, synthesis, and structural characterization of this new liquid crystal regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene) polymer family post-functionalized with side-on calamitic moieties. The parameters of these materials are: (i) the chemical nature of the side-group moieties and (ii) the degree of polymerization. As a result we will show that this strategy leads to the supramolecular self-assembly of this SCLC semiconducting polymer in a peculiar lamello-lamellar mesophase, where the two different lamellas present two different electronic properties, such as electron donor and electron acceptor behaviors.

Since the middle of the 20th century, significant interest has evolved from the scientific community towards the polypropionate family of marine natural products. A number of these compounds have been shown to possess significant biological activity, and this property, as well as their structural complexity, has driven numerous efforts towards their synthesis. The first chapter provides an introduction into the world of polypropionates, with a discussion on synthetic studies into a number of members of the tridachiapyrone family. Fundamental synthetic concepts utilised in this thesis towards the preparation of polyketides are also described, with a focus on their application towards the synthesis of 9,10-deoxytridachione, anti tridachiahydropyrone and syn tridachiahydropyrone. Chapter 2 describes the work undertaken towards the total synthesis of 9,10-deoxytridachione. The novel tandem conjugate addition-Dieckmann condensation of complex enones developed previously in the Perkins group was used to generate anti methylated cyclohexenones as key synthetic intermediates. The conversion of the cyclohexenones into the corresponding cyclohexadienes via allylic alcohols was attempted, utilising a Grignard-mediated reaction to achieve the selective 1,2-reduction. Studies into the Grignard-mediated reduction were also undertaken on seven additional cyclohexenones, in order to investigate the utility and scope of the reaction. The extension of the methodology previously developed for the synthesis of cyclohexenones is the subject of Chapter 3. This section describes investigations into the synthesis of stereochemically-diverse cyclohexenones from complex enones. The conjugate addition-Dieckmann condensation strategy was extended successfully towards the synthesis of a syn methylated cyclohexenone, which allowed the synthesis of the proposed true structure of tridachiahydropyrone to be pursued. The methodology developed in Chapter 3 was utilised in Chapter 4 to synthesise a model system of syn tridachiahydropyrone. A comparative analysis of the NMR data of the syn model, an anti model and anti tridachiahydropyrone with the natural product indicated that the true structure of tridachiahydropyrone may indeed have syn stereochemistry. The synthesis of syn tridachiahydropyrone was attempted, and to this end a suitable cyclohexanone was successfully synthesised. However, the subsequent methylation-elimination cascade failed to furnish the desired syn methylated cyclohexenone, producing only an anti methylated cyclohexanone. The stereochemistry of the methylation was deduced using high and low variable temperature NMR coupled with selective irradiation NOESY.

Externally initiated o-tolyl initiated poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was synthesized according to Grignard metathesis polymerization at varying chain length to compare number average molecular weights (Mn) obtained by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 1H NMR end group analysis. The extent of overestimation by GPC (1.3) was determined to be lower than previously reported for low Mn polymers. However, an apparent GPC quantification limit was observed as NMR Mn correlated well to predicted results. Static light scattering studies on high Mn polymers provided evidence that the true molecular weight was more similar to GPC-derived Mn. Despite nearly 100% external initiation efficiency, at a certain Mn limit new uninitiated chains may be synthesized. It is suggested that the synthesis of externally initiated P3HT should be limited to Mn below 40 kDa to ensure fully externally initiated chains. A proposal for the synthesis of externally initiated macrocyclic P3HT will also be discussed.