Electron-deficient aromatic heterocycles

An interesting method for the substitution of a hydrogen atom in rr-electron deficient heterocycles was reported some years ago, in the possibility of homolytic aromatic displacement (74AHC(16)123). The nucleophilic character of radicals and the important role of polar factors in this type of substitution are the essentials for a successful reaction with six-membered nitrogen heterocycles in general. No paper has yet been published describing homolytic substitution reactions of pteridines with nucleophilic radicals such as alkyl, carbamoyl, a-oxyalkyl and a-A-alkyl radicals or with amino radical cations. 

Ethylene disulfonyl-1,3-butadiene (43) is an example of an outer-ring diene with a non-aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring containing sulfur. It is prepared by thermolysis of sulfolenes in the presence of a basic catalyst. It is very reactive [43] and even though it is electron-deficient, it readily reacted with both electron-rich and electron-poor dienophiles (Equation 2.15). 

II. ORTHOLITHIATION OF AROMATIC HETEROCYCLES A. Electron-deficient Heterocycles... 

The term charge tranter refers to a succession of interactions between two molecules, ranging from very weak donor-acceptor dipolar interactions to interactions that result in the formation of an ion pair, depending on the extent of electron delocalization. Charge transfer (CT) complexes are formed between electron-rich donor molecules and electron-deficient acceptors. Typically, donor molecules are p-electron-rich heterocycles (e.g., furan, pyrrole, thiophene), aromatics with electron-donating substiments, or compounds... 

The participation of a single double bond of a heterocycle is found in additions of thietes (CHEC 5.14.3.1.1). Azepines and non-aromatic heteronins react in this mode, especially with electron-deficient dienes (Scheme 32 CHEC 5.16.3.8.1). 

In addition to these classical aromatic ring hydroxylations, many nitrogen heterocycles are substrates for molybdenum-containing enzymes, such as xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase, which are present in the hepatic cytosolic fractions from various animal species. The molybdenum hydroxylases (B-75MI10902) catalyze the oxidation of electron-deficient carbons in aromatic nitrogen heterocycles. The reactions catalyzed by these enzymes are generally represented by equations (2) and (3). 

The selective functionalization of heterocycles is of particular importance, because of the ubiquity of these structures in natural products and pharmaceutical agents. Direct utilization of a C-H bond [1] of heterocycles is a promising method for the preparation of heterocycles because no pre-functionalization is required. Although Friedel-Crafts acylation is the most commonly used method for introduction of keto functionality on an aromatic ring, it is not often applicable to N-heteroarenes because of deactivation of the Lewis acids by the coordination of N-heteroarenes and the electron-deficient aromatic character of N-heteroarenes. 

Electronically excited carbonyl chromophores in ketones, aldehydes, amides, imides, or electron-deficient aromatic compounds may act as electron acceptors (A) versus alkenes, amines, carboxylates, carboxamides, and thioethers (D, donors). In addition, PET processes can also occur from aromatic rings with electron-donating groups to chloroacetamides. These reactions can be versatile procedures for the synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds with six-membered (or larger) rings [2],... 

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