Diversity-Oriented Three-Component Reactions of Diazo Compounds with Anilines and 4-Oxo-Enoates

摘要

Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) has emerged as an important area in the disciplines of medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. The central goal of DOS is to provide molecules containing maximum complexities and structural diversities in the minimum number of synthetic steps to meet the high demand of biological evaluations. Within this context, multicomponent reactions (MCRs) offer significant advantages over traditional chemical synthesis owing to their atom- and step-economy, as well as their high synthetic efficiency in generating molecular diversity through structural modulations of each component participating in the reactions. However, most MCRs can only proceed by one sequential pathway leading to only one type of product skeleton. Because of the substrate compatibility and adaptability of the substrates to reaction conditions, MCRs which involve more than one type of reaction pathway starting from the same participants have remained unexplored. Toward this end, herein, we report a [Rh2(OAc)4]-catalyzed three-component reaction of diazo compounds with anilines and 4-oxo-enoates which can lead to divergent product patterns through a switch in the reaction pathway.