Synlett
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775058
letter

A Metal-Free Strategy for the Synthesis of Symmetrical 2,3,5,6-Tetrasubstituted Pyridines Using Triethyl Orthoformate as a Carbon Source

Luoteng Cheng
,
Suqin Shang
,
Yanwu Li
,
Xiuyu Zhang
,
Suzhen Li
,
Wanqian Ma
,
Mengyi Guo
,
Yibo Song
,
Qian Guo
,
Yifan Song
,
Jian Yong Yuan


Abstract

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of symmetric 2,3,5,6-tetrasubstituted pyridines from enaminones and triethyl orthoformate, catalyzed by pyridinium p-toluenesulfonate, has been established in which triethyl orthoformate was applied as a carbon source. The procedure was smoothly executed, culminating in the synthesis of symmetrical 2,3,5,6-tetrasubstituted pyridines with moderate to exceptional yields across a diverse array of substrates.

Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 14 June 2024

Accepted after revision: 15 August 2024

Article published online:
02 October 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
  • References and Notes

    • 2a Carey JS, Laffan D, Thomson C, Williams MT. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2006; 4: 2337
    • 2b Jayasinghe L, Jayasooriya CP, Hara N, Fujimoto Y. Tetrahedron Lett. 2003; 44: 8769
    • 2c Kubota T, Nishi T, Fukushi E, Kawabata J, Fromont J, Kobayashi J.i. Tetrahedron Lett. 2007; 48: 4983
  • 3 Wang H, Helgeson R, Ma B, Wudl F. J. Org. Chem. 2000; 65: 5862
  • 4 Pavluchenko AI, Petrov VF, Smirnova NI. Liq. Cryst. 1995; 19: 811
  • 5 Alstrum-Acevedo JH, Brennaman MK, Meyer TJ. Inorg. Chem. 2005; 44: 6802
  • 6 Henry GD. Tetrahedron 2004; 60: 6043
  • 7 Savoia D, Alvaro G, Di Fabio R, Fiorelli C, Gualandi A, Monari M, Piccinelli F. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2006; 348: 1883
  • 8 Bera MK, Hommes P, Reissig H.-U. Chem. Eur. J. 2011; 17: 11838
    • 9a Chen S, Hossain MS, Foss FW. Jr. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2013; 1: 1045
    • 9b Abdel-Mohsen HT, Conrad J, Beifuss U. Green Chem. 2012; 14: 2686
    • 9c Nasr-Esfahani M, Karami B, Behzadi M. J. Heterocycl. Chem. 2009; 46: 931
  • 10 Zhao M.-N, Hui R.-R, Ren Z.-H, Wang YY, Guan Z.-H. Org. Lett. 2014; 16: 3082
  • 11 Zhao M.-N, Yu L, Mo N.-F, Ren Z.-H, Wang Y.-Y, Guan Z.-H. Org. Chem. Front. 2017; 4: 597
  • 12 Chang L, Lai J, Yuan G. Chin. J. Chem. 2016; 34: 887
  • 13 Yan Y, Li H, Li Z, Niu B, Shi M, Liu Y. J. Org. Chem. 2017; 82: 8628
  • 14 Gu Q, He K, Zeng W, Jiang L, Qiao Z, Lin J, Jin Y. Tetrahedron Lett. 2022; 103: 153993
  • 15 Sagitullina GP, Garkushenko AK, Atavin EG, Sagitullin RS. Mendeleev Commun. 2009; 19: 155
  • 16 Tuengpanya S, Chantana C, Sirion U, Siritanyong W, Srisook K, Jaratjaroonphong J. Tetrahedron 2018; 74: 4373
  • 17 Mazloumi M, Shirini F, Goli-Jolodar O, Seddighi M. New J. Chem. 2018; 42: 5742
    • 18a Kumar P, Kapur M. Org. Lett. 2020; 22: 5855
    • 18b Zine Y, Dems MA, Boulcina R, Boudjada A, Harakat D, Roisnel T, Robert A, Debache A. J. Mol. Struct. 2024; 1300: 137256
  • 19 Aydin F, Özen R. J. Chem. Res. 2004; 486
  • 20 Symmetric 2,3,5,6-Tetrasubstituted Pyridines; General Procedure The appropriate enaminone 1 (0.6 mmol) was treated with PPTS (20 mol%) in TEM at 60 °C under air for 4 h, then cooled to r.t. The mixture was then extracted with EtOAc, and the combined organic layer was washed with brine, dried (Na2SO4), and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by chromatography (silica gel). (2,6-Dimethylpyridine-3,5-diyl)bis(phenylmethanone) (3a)12 Yellow oil; yield: 80.4 mg (82%). 1H NMR (600 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.77 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 4 H), 7.61–7.56 (m, 3 H), 7.45 (t, J = 7.0 Hz, 4 H), 2.62–2.57 (m, 6 H). 13C NMR (151 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 195.99, 157.82, 136.57, 136.29, 133.54, 130.28, 129.70, 128.51, 23.26. (2,6-Dimethylpyridine-3,5-diyl)bis[(4-methylphenyl)methanone] (3b)20 Yellow oil; yield: 76.7 mg (78%). 1H NMR (600 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.69 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 4 H), 7.57 (s, 1 H), 7.27 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 4 H), 2.59 (s, 6 H), 2.42 (s, 6 H). 13C NMR (151 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 195.68, 157.41, 144.67, 135.94, 134.10, 130.61, 129.92, 129.24, 23.18, 21.49.
  • 21 Zhang XY, Liu K, Li S, Li Y, Wu Y, Li X, Ran X, Liu A, Yuan J. Tetrahedron Lett. 2023; 126: 154623