REVIEWS

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

Alexander Dmling* and Ivar Ugi
Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) are fundamentally different from twocomponent reactions in several aspects. Among the MCRs, those with isocyanides have developed into popular organic-chemical reactions in the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of compound libraries of lowmolecular druglike compounds. With a small set of starting materials, very large libraries can be built up within a short time, which can then be used for research on medicinal substances. Due to the intensive research of the last few years, many new backbone types have become accessible. MCRs are also increasingly being employed in the total synthesis of natural products. MCRs and especially MCRs with isocyanides offer many opportunities to attain new reactions and basic structures. However, this requires that the chemist learns the language of MCRs, something that this review wishes to stimulate. Keywords: combinatorial chemistry isocyanides multicomponent reactions synthetic methods

1. Introduction
Organic-chemical syntheses have reached a high degree of skilfulness. There is hardly a complicated natural product that escapes a multistep total synthesis, in which the target molecules are often synthesized divergently rather than convergently, or sequentially, in many steps according to their complexity. The progress made in the last decades in the total synthesis of natural products becomes visible when Woodwards strychnine synthesis is compared with newer syntheses.[1] It is founded in part on the optimization of synthetic operations and reactions. For example, organometallic variations of classic reactions often are more diastereo-, enantio-, regio-, and/or chemoselective and often afford the products in higher yields. Improved analytical and separation methods contribute to more efficient synthetic steps. Whereas Woodward obtained strychnine from his 28-step synthesis in 6 105 % overall yield, the groups of Magnus, Overman, Kuehn, and Rawal were able to produce this complex compound in less synthetic steps and with 103 to 104 times higher total yield. The ideal synthesis (Figure 1) should lead to the desired product in as few steps as possible, in good overall yield and
[*] Dr. A. Dmling Morphochem AG Gmunderstrasse 37 37 a, 81379 Mnchen (Germany) Fax: ( 49) 89-78005-555 E-mail: [email protected] Prof. Dr. I. Ugi Institut fr Organische Chemie und Biochemie Technische Universitt Mnchen 85747 Garching (Germany)
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Figure 1. The ideal chemical synthesis (adapted from Wender et al.).[2] Although virtually no natural product, however complex it may be, escapes a chemical total synthesis, the organic synthesis is far from the elegant, effective and economical biosynthesis.

by using environmentally compatible reagents.[2] The synthetic variables that have to be optimized are time, costs, overall yield, simplicity of performance, safety, and environmental acceptability. In multistep syntheses the temporal and preparative complexity increases in proportion to the number of steps in a first approximation. It is reflected in many isolation and purification operations, such as crystallization, extraction, distillation, or chromatography. Besides the multistep, sequential synthesis of a target molecule, the desired product can also be obtained in one-pot reactions of three or more starting compounds, the multicomponent reactions (MCRs), in many cases. Here the starting materials do not react simultaneously in one step, but rather in a sequence of elementary steps according to a program. Reactions with an irreversible step, which drives the
1433-7851/00/3918-3169 $ 17.50+.50/0

 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, D-69451 Weinheim, 2000

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REVIEWS
preceding equilibrium to the product side, are especially favorable. In contrast to two-component reactions, MCRs are especially variable. Very many products can be synthesized from only a few starting substances. Many common MCRs fall back on easily accessible, archetypical functional groups, which are available in a great variety, that is an MCR is economical with resources. As MCRs, being one-pot reactions, are practically single-step conversions, they are easier to carry out than multistep syntheses. Thus, the MCRs already come quite close to the idea of an ideal synthesis. If a product can be synthesized by means of an MCR, this procedure offers many advantages. A large and important class of MCRs are the isocyanide multicomponent reactions (IMCR). The chemistry of isocyanides began in 1838. Apart from short active periods, isocyanide chemistry has slumbered for more than a century (Figure 2). In the last 150 years, the classical MCR chemistry was developed, which is summarized in 1960 in the book aAminoalkylierung by Hellmann and Opitz.[3] Many of these classical MCRs are name reactions, among them well-known classics, such as the Mannich reaction (a three-component reaction, M-3CR) or its intramolecular variant, the Pictet Spengler reaction (a two-component reaction, PS-2CR). A short time after the Ugi four-component reaction (U4CR; January 1959) was discovered, it was found that xylocain

A. Dmling and I. Ugi 4an important local anaesthetic then as well as nowcould be synthesized in only one step from 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide (1), formaldehyde (2), and diethylamine (3) with good yield (Scheme 1). Ownership of the patent which was immediately applied for[4] changed over to the company A.B. Astra. At that time, Ivar Ugi was scientific consultant for the Swedish company. He recommended to the synthetic chemists and research heads to produce whole collections[5] of different a-amino amides, based on the four-component reaction which is highly variable and easy to carry out in one pot, and to test them for their anaesthetic effect. Later, more than a dozen local anaesthetics based on the xylocain structure were developed and marketed by various pharmaceutical companies. In the last decade a change of thought has taken place in the pharmaceutical industry which has led to a renaissance of the MCRs. Characteristic for this paradigm change in pharmaceutical research are the fields of combinatorial chemistry, high-throughput screening, and genome and proteome analysis.[6] Whereas only a few years ago the substance productivity of a medicinal chemist was relatively low, today thousands of substances can be produced and characterized every day by means of automated methods. Although the suitability of the MCRs for building up large compound libraries was published as early as 1961,[7] these reactions were of little interest in the following decades.

Alexander Dmling, born in 1964, studied biology and chemistry at the Technische Universitt Mnchen and completed his doctorate in chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Ivar Ugi in 1994. As holder of a Humboldt fellowship he spent one year at the Scripps Research Institute in the group of Barry Sharpless. Then he began his habilitation at the TU Mnchen. In 1996 he founded the company Morphochem AG with Wolfgang Richter. In the same year he was awarded the Friedrich-Weygand prize by the Max Bergmann circle. His research interests are the discovery of new multicomponent reactions and their application in total syntheses of natural compounds, ideally in one step (one-pot syntheses). Further interests are in other forms of life and complex artificial enzymes

A. Dmling

I. Ugi

Ivar Ugi, born in 1930 in Estonia, studied chemistry at the Universitt Tbingen from 1949 to 1952. In 1954 he obtained his doctorate at the Universitt Mnchen. His habilitation on aryl pentazoles and isocyanides followed in 1959. From 1962 to 1968, he worked in the Central Research Laboratories of the Bayer AG in Leverkusen, where he was the chairman of the commission for basic research and head of research for the last three years. In 1964 he was awarded the research prize of the scientific academy in Gttingen. From 1968 to 1971 he was a professor at the chemical institute of the University of South California, Los Angeles (USA), and then became a professor for organic chemistry at the Technische Universitt Mnchen in Garching (Germany), holding the Hans Fischer chair, where he remained until 1999. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science in Uppsala (since 1987), the Estonian Academy of Science (since 1991), and the US Academy of Science in New York (since 1994). In 1988 he received the Challenge Future Prize from the Philip Morris Foundation, in 1992 the Emil Fischer Medal from the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker for his discovery of the four-component condensation and the development of mathematical models for the logical structures of chemistry, in 1995 the UgiDugundji-Medal, awarded for the first time, to honor his achievement in applying mathematics and information technology to chemistry, and in 1999 he was awarded the Max Bergmann Medal.

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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

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Figure 2. The history of the isocyanides and that of their MCRs took place in three large, parallel waves. The first wave was the constituting one, in which the isocyanides were discovered and their structure and identity recognized, some properties were examined and limited preparative access was found. In the following, research on this area was sporadic with only a few publications until the Italian Passerini discovered the self-named, first IMCR and investigated it for many years (the second wave). It grew silent again for many decades until a general and good appproach to the class of the isocyanides was found. In this third wave, the largest so far, which may not even have reached its climax yet, the Ugi reaction and many new IMCRs, many biologically active natural compounds, new heterocycle syntheses with isocyanides and other important synthetic applications of isocyanides were described. Finally, the immense advantages of the IMCRs in drug research were recognized (the figures at the edge of the diagram were taken from Microsoft ClipArt).

Xylocain

NC

H N + CH2O + HN O N

1
Lidofenin

3
Bupivacain

4
Aptocain

H N N O COOH
Prilocain

H N COOH O N

H N N O

Pyrrocain

Quatacain

H N N H O

H N N O

H N N H O

Butanilicain

Tylocain

Trimecain

Cl H N N H O

COOMe H N N O

H N N O

Especially due to their efficiency, the ease of their automation, and the enormous number of possible products, they have moved into the focus of contemporary endeavors to find new active substances in shorter periods of time. Great efforts have been and still are being made to find and develop new MCRs.[8h] With the concept of unions of MCRS described in Section 7, new reactions of even more components have been and will in future be described. In the following the history and the historical development of the MCRs in the last one and a half centuries are presented. The overview pays special attention to new aspects and applications of the MCRs of isocyanides;[8] other MCRs are only mentioned in passing. The new IMCR literature is summarized and discussed with special emphasis on combinatorial applications, and new concepts of the MCRs are introduced.

Articain

Mepivacain

Tocainidin

H N N H S O COOMe

H N N O

H N NH2 O

1.1. History of the MCRs

The general ordering principle of MCRs is followed by the a-amino alkylation, in which an oxo compound and a primary or secondary 3171

Scheme 1. One-pot synthesis of xylocain (4) and a selection of commercial analogues based on the aaminoamide structure.
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REVIEWS
amine undergo electrophilic addition to an electron-rich position of a molecule.[3, 9, 10] The Strecker synthesis of aamino acids via a-amino cyanides was first published in 1850 and is generally considered to be the first MCR.[11] However, in the reaction of bitter almond oil and ammonia 12 years earlier, Laurent and Gerhardt isolated a poorly soluble product that had evolved in an MCR.[12] In this reaction, the crude product, hydrocyanic acid-containing benzaldehyde(5/ 7), reacts in a Strecker reaction with ammonia (6), giving aminobenzyl cyanide (8), whose Schiff base with benzaldehyde was called benzoyl azotide 9.
CHO + NH3 6 + HCN 7 5 CN NH2 CN N O NO2 + 2 COOMe

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

NO2 MeOOC COOMe

15 CHO + NH3 6 Nifedipin N H 16

14

A further important MCR is the Bucherer Bergs reaction (BB-4CR).[20] It can be understood as an extension of the S-3CR by one component (CO2). Whereas the Strecker threecomponent reaction (S-3CR) is an equilibrium reaction and often delivers the products in unsatisfactory yields, the BB4CR is practically irreversible upon addition of CO2 . It still is an important method for the synthesis of unnatural a-amino acids. Some more important MCRs leading to heterocycles are listed in Table 1.

Robinsons synthesis of the alkaloid tropinone (13) from succinic dialdehyde (10), methylamine (11), and dimethyl acetonedicarboxylate (12), carried out in 1917, is the first important application of MCRs in natural product synthesis.[13] Two decades later, Schpf was able to carry out analogous syntheses under physiological conditions.[14] Mannich-type reactions (M-3CR) proved in the following to be extremely valuable for the total synthesis of natural products.[10]
O CHO CHO + MeNH2 + MeOOC COOMe

1.2. Isocyanides
Isocyanides, formerly known as isonitriles, are compounds with an extraordinary functional group. Its unusual valence structure and reactivity were discussed for over one and a half centuries. Isocyanides are the only class of stable organic compounds with a formally divalent carbon.[27] In exothermic reactions CII is oxidized to CIV. This was already noted in 1892 by Nef.[28] Owing to its reactivity the isocyanide group differs fundamentally from other functional groups. Hundreds of isocyano group containing natural products were isolated, above all from marine species. The name Scheurer is synonymous for the investigation of natural isocyanides from marine sources.[29] Many natural isocyanide show a strong antibiotic, fungicidal, or antineoplastic effect. The potential of isocyanides as possible agents for crop protection, discovered as early as the 1960s, also found its way into the patent literature,[30] in which the antibiotic, acaricidal, fungicidal, or insecticidal activity with simultaneous low toxicity for warm-blooded animals is described. Di- and triisocyanides stand out because of their extraordinary antibiotic activity and often show no signs of resistance even after hundreds of generations.[31] Antifouling properties similar to those of copper sulfate were recently described for marine, terpenoid isocyanides.[32] Many natural products are isolated as N-formamides. As these can be regarded either as precursors or as products of the hydrolysis of isocyanides, presumably many more isocyanides occur naturally than is generally assumed. A small selection of bioactive natural products with isocyanide functionality, 17 28, is shown in Scheme 2. Isocyanides were first synthesized in 1859 by Lieke, who did not recognize them as such and first believed them to be nitriles.[33] He tried to transform the putative nitriles into the corresponding carboxylic acids by means of hydrolysis, but obtained formamides instead. At the time, isocyanides were
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10

11

12 COOMe O COOMe 13

Many important heterocycle syntheses are MCRs. 1,4Dihydropyridines such as 16 were first synthesized over one hundred years ago in a four-component reaction by Hantzsch (H-4CR) from ammonia (6), aldehyde 14 and acetoacetic ester 15.[15] As this preparation is particularly simple to carry out, it was listed in the popular laboratory manual by Gatterman for half a century.[16] Finally, at the Bayer AG company, a very successful dihydropyridine preparation for the therapy of cardiovascular disease named Nifedipin was developed, based on the Hantzsch synthesis.[17] The first MCR with isocyanides was described in 1921 by the Italian Passerini (P-3CR).[18] In many publications, he was able to show the preparative possibilities of this reaction.[19a] 3172

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

Table 1. Many of the historically significant MCRs are based on the reactivity of carbonyl or imine groups. Name of the reaction Year of discovery Example[a]

REVIEWS

Strecker synthesis[10]

(1838) 1850

Hantzsch dihydropyridine synthesis[15]

1882

Radziszewski imidazole synthesis[21]

1882

Hantzsch pyrrole synthesis[22]

1890

Biginelli reaction[23, 24]

1891

Mannich reaction[25]

1912

Bucherer Bergs hydantoin synthesis[20, 26]

1941

[a] T thymine.

produced in substitution reactions of reactive alkyl halides with silver cyanide. Owing to the poor scope of substrates for this reaction, only few isocyanides were available. The isocyanides stood out because of their strange odour which forced the chemists to work outdoors. Almost all commercially available isocyanides are volatile and carry this repulsive odor which is reminiscent of artichokes and phosphorus at the same time. [34] People who have inhaled volatile isocyanides such as allyl, benzyl, methyl, or tert-butyl isocyanide over a longer period of time report the sensory perception of the smell of hay.[35] The more long-term inhalation of isocyanides is also said to increase the intensity of dreams at night. Other liquid isocyanides, such as the position isomeric picolyl isocyanides, on the other hand, do not smell. The isocyanide derived from l -phenylglycine methyl ester smells of rhubarb. In fact most isocyanides are solid and odorless. Gautier already investigated the toxic properties of isocyanides by dribbling them into the eyes of dogs.[34] However, according to toxicological examinations of hundreds of isocyanides carried out in the 1960s by the Bayer AG company, this class of compounds is only slightly toxic, apart from few exceptions.[36]
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Once again, it was Gautier who first discovered the isomeric nature of relationship between the isocyanides and the nitriles.[37] At the same time, Hoffmann found a new approach to isocyanides with the reaction of primary amines with potash and chloroform. All methods for the preparation of isocyanides known at the time were, however, complicated, poorly generalizable, and delivered the products in low yields. Often the isocyanides could not be separated from the accompanying nitriles. The preparative availability and their bad odor may have been the reasons why the chemistry of isocyanides was investigated only sporadically and not very intensely for 100 years. Whereas only twelve isocyanides were known in the first 100 years, 325 isocyanides were described by 1971. 1.2.1. Methods for the Preparation of Isocyanides Even though dozens of methods for the preparation of isocyanides have been described,[38] the reaction of the Nformamides with phosgene or phosgene surrogates such as diand triphosgene or other inorganic dehydratants and matching bases is the method of choice regarding cost, yield, and 3173

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OMe NC CN H O

A. Dmling and I. Ugi available. However, for the combinatorial application of MCRs, all classes of starting materials should ideally be present with a great scope of compounds. An interesting solution to the problem is the combinatorial formation of isocyanides. One possibility for the diversification of the with isocyanide group was described by Bienayme the P-3CR. In the course of this the expression reagent explosion came up. He describes the synthesis of various b-dialkylamino a-isocyanoacrylates.[58] N-imidazomethyl diethyl acetal (29) was treated with methyl isocyanoacetate (30) and primary as well as secondary amines to give the bsubstituted isocyanoacrylates 31 36. Bossios group, which is very productive in the field of IMCR, described the two-step synthesis of isocyanides by means of a U-4CR with ammonium formate and subsequent dehydration (Scheme 3).[59] This method allows the combinatorial production of isocyanides from other isocyanides and aldehydes. Based on the work by Schllkopf, Armstrong et al. have developed an in situ method in which isocyanides are obtained from a-alkylations and employed in MCRs without former isolation.[60] Different benzylisocyanides are first treated with BuLi and alkylating reagents, then with aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and amines. This way the limited number of commercially available isocyanides can be increased significantly with little preparative effort. Finally, the problem of isocyanide diversity and availability can also be circumvented by linking the isocyanide group to a solid phase. Many such examples are discussed in the following.

NC MeO NC O OH

NC 17 OH O MeO O 18

HO Cl

20

OH

OH

NC NC

NC 19

O HOOC H NC

NC 22 21

N H

NC HO NC O 24 Cl H NC H 25 N H 23

O COOH CN 27 NC OMe OMe OMe OMe NC OH 26

28

Scheme 2. Examples of naturally occurring isocyanides: the antibiotic xanthocillin (17) from Penicillium chrysogenum, leptocillin (18), hapalindole A (19), the antibiotic, antimycotic, and antihypertensive compound A-32390 (20) from the fungus Pyrenochaeta spaeropsidales, isocyanopupukean (21) from Phylliadia variosa, 4-((E)-2carboxyvinyl)-3,4-epoxy-1-cyclopentenyl isocyanide (22), B 371 (23) from Pseudomonas sp., the antimalarial kalihinol A (24) from Chromobacterium spec., acenthellin-1 (25), aerocyanidine (26), axisonitrile-3 (27), and mirabilene isonitrile A (28).

1.2.2. Chemistry of Isocyanides The chemistry of isocyanides is characterized by three properties: the a-acidity, the a-addition, and the easy formation of radicals.

execution in most cases.[39] Another convenient and advantageous method of preparation is the dehydration with POCl3 .[40] Racemization-sensitive a-amino acid isocyanides can be synthesized with oxomethylenebis(3H-imidazolium)bismethanesulfonate.[41] In the last century Gautier already attempted to obtain isocyanides from N-formamides.[42] As he omitted to add appropriate equivalents of base to the reaction mixture, the isocyanide formed in situ soon was converted back to the Nformamide.[43] The use of various organic bases such as triethylamine, pyridine, quinoline, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), or diisopropylamine has been described. Depending on which further functionalities are present, many alternative production methods can be drawn upon (Table 2). Very sensitive isocyanides, such as the isocyano analogue 3'azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT), can only be synthesized under special precautions.[44] Finally, isocyanides were linked to the solid phase very early on.[45] Despite the obviously easy availability of isocyanides from accordingly variable precursors, only a few are commercially 3174

O N N N OEt + MeOOC + R1 NH R2 S N NC 30 CN NC N OEt 29 CN

31 N H COOMe N

32

CN

COOMe 34

33

COOMe

CN

COOMe

35

N N

36

CN

COOMe

CN

COOMe

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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

Table 2. Important preparative isocyanide syntheses with examples. Method Lieke, 1859 Example[a]

REVIEWS
Ref. [33]

Meyer, 1866

[46]

Gautier, 1867 Hoffmann, 1867 Hoffmann, 1870

the silver cyanide method, often referred to as the Gautier method, was first described by Lieke and Meyer.

[47] [48] [49]

Ugi, 1958 Ugi, Weber, Gockel, 1972 Appel, 1972 improved Hoffmann carbylamine method, in CH2Cl2/CHCl3/H2O with phase transfer catalyst

[50] [51] [52]

Schllkopf, 1971

[53]

Barton, 1988

[54]

Gassman, 1982

[55]

Baldwin, 1990

[56]

Kitano, 1998 [a] DABCO 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, TMS Me3Si, Tol tolyl.

[57]

Bn O COOEt N Bn NC
Bu3SnH AIBN MeCN,

N O

COOEt

Scheme 3. Two-step isocyanide synthesis by means of a U-4CR and subsequent dehydration. This method allows the combinatorial preparation of isocyanides from other isocyanides and aldehydes.

37

N H H N

38

Isocyanides and especially phenyl isocyanides are substrates for radical-induced cyclizations. Complex indole-containing natural products like the kinase inhibitor ()-K252a (39) can be synthesized starting from o-isocyanocinnamic acid amides such as 37 (via 38) by means of radical cyclizations (AIBN a,a'-azoisobutyronitrile).[61] A further famous example is the synthesis of the ABCD ring moiety of the
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N 39

MeOOC OH

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topoisomerase II inhibitor camptothecin and numerous derivatives by Curran et al.[62] The a-acidity as a striking feature of the isocyanides is increased by further electron-withdrawing substituents in the a-position such as carboxylic esters, nitriles, phosphonic esters, or sulfonyl groups. a-Metalated isocyanides are versatile starting materials for the synthesis of a,b-unsaturated isocyanides, heterocycles or amino acids.[63] Schllkopf found that a-metalated isocyanides are easy-to-handle aamino anion equivalents. Isocyanides polymerize under Lewis acid catalysis to polyiminomethylenes. The corresponding polymers have the structure of cylindrical helices.[64] The synthetically most important property of isocyanides is the reaction with nucleophiles and electrophiles at the isocyanide carbon atom. The a-addition of nucleophiles and electrophiles leads to the a-adduct (Figure 3). Most other

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

1.3. Definitions of MCRs

Reactions in which more than two starting compounds react to form a product in such a way that the majority of the atoms of the starting material can be found in the product are called multicomponent reactions. This rough definition is suitable to distinguish traditional two-component reactions and domino reactions, in which usually only one or two starting compounds are converted, from MCRs. A more sophisticated view is introduced in the following (Table 3).
Table 3. The basic types of MCRs. MCR type I II III General reaction scheme A B > C > ... O > P A B > C > D ... O 3 P A 3 B C 3 D 3 ... O 3 P

Figure 3. Qualitative comparison of the frontier orbitals of isocyanides and nitriles, showing the different reactivities of the two isomeric functional groups. Compared to the nitriles, the orbital coefficient of the isocyanides at the carbon atom in the p* orbital is higher, leading to nucleophilic attack of the carbon atom. Electrophiles react with the s orbital of the HOMO-1 and therefore also with the carbon atom. Nitriles, on the other hand, are attacked by nucleophiles at the carbon atom (higher p* orbital coefficient) and by electrophiles at the nitrogen atom (higher p orbital coefficient).

functional groups in organic chemistry react with nucleophiles and electrophiles at different centers. Only carbenes and carbon monoxide share this property with the isocyanides. Thus, many parallels can be found in the chemistry of these classes of compounds. One of the classic themes in the chemistry of isocyanides is heterocycle synthesis. The names of Schllkopf and van Leusen stand for many pioneering developments in this field.[65] Among others, useful imidazoline, oxazoline,[66] thiazoline, pyrrole,[67] imidazole,[68] oxazole,[69] and thiazole syntheses[70] have been described. Enantioselective methods for the preparation of dihydrooxazoles and therefore of hydroxyamino acids were elaborated by Ito and Togni with planarchiral ferrocene catalysts.[71] A comprehensive review of heterocycle syntheses with isocyanides has been published.[72] 3176

MCRs whose starting compounds, intermediates, and products are in a mobile equilibrium are classified as type I MCRs. As different states of balance can prevail, yields between 0 and 100 % are possible. In most cases the products occur as mixtures with the intermediates and/or starting materials and are difficult to isolate. As the reaction often is incomplete, side reactions are possible which lead to further impurities. MCRs whose elementary reactions are equilibria and irreversible partial reactions and whose last reaction step is irreversible belong to type II. Reactions of this type are preparatively advantageous as the total equilibrium is shifted to the side of the products by the last irreversible step. Such irreversible steps are, for example, the result of strongly exothermic reactions, such as the CII 3CIV conversion of the isocyanides, a ring-closure reaction, or an aromatization. MCRs of the type III are sequences of irreversible elementary reactions. They seldom occur in preparative chemistry. On the other hand, biochemical reactions in the living world fall into this category. Many of these reactions are de facto irreversible partial reactions, either due to the thermodynamic circumstances or due to the combination of endothermal with exothermal reactions (e. g. ATP coupling). These reactions correspond to enzymatically accelerated and mostly highly selective reactions so that significant amounts of side products are seldom formed. Should this nevertheless be the case, the side products are eliminated enzymatically and returned to the circuit. It must be considered in the above classification that these are idealizations. Many reactions can not be counted to one of the classes, rather the transitions are fluid. In the following the Passerini reaction, the Ugi reaction, and other IMCRs as well as their new variants shall be introduced. It will be attempted to subdivide the presentation of the examples according to reaction as well as to structure features.

2. The Passerini Reaction

The classic reaction between carboxylic acids, oxo compounds and C-isocyanides, described by Passerini in 1921 and
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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides later given his name, opens the access to a-acyloxycarboxamides in one step.[18] The mechanism of the reaction has often been discussed.[19] Kinetic and preparative investigations have led to different mechanistic suggestions.[73] In contrast to the Ugi reaction, the Passerini reaction is accelerated in aprotic solvents, indicating a nonionic mechanism.[74] The results concerning the influence of chiral isocyanides on the stereochemical course of the P-3CR seem contradictory. Mostly it was stated that chiral isocyanides have no influence on the diastereoselectivity of the P-3CR. The a,b-unsaturated isocyanide 40 derived from camphor is an exception. Thus, the P-3CR of the chiral isocyanide 40 with acetic acid 41 and acetaldehyde 42 yielded one diastereomer 43 with 93 % de.[75]

REVIEWS
The Passerini reaction is carried out at high concentrations of the starting materials and in inert solvents at or below room temperature. There rarely are limitations concerning the oxo compound; thus, perfluorinated aldehydes and ketones also react, for example.[76] Some sterically hindered and a,bunsaturated ketones obviously are no substrates of the P-3CR.[77] Bicyclic, sterically extremely hindered ketones such as camphor or bicyclo[3.2.1]octanone-2 do not react with isocyanides in a Passerini reaction, even in the presence of BF3 OEt2 .[78] Besides normal C-isocyanides, Me3SiCN (TMSCN), which is in equilibrium with TMSNC and is a formal derivative of the most basic isocyanide, namely isocyanic acid, also reacts with mineral acids in the presence of ZnI2 to give 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid amides.[79] If the ketone 50 is treated with two equivalents of the isocyanide 51 in the presence of BF3 OEt2 in nonpolar solvents, the b,g-unsaturated a-oxocarboxylic amide 52 is formed.[80] One equivalent of the isocyanide is the source of the a-C atom in this reaction.

AcOH + MeCHO 40 CN

41

O H N O

42

*
O 43

Passerini himself postulated hemiacetals between the carboxylic acid and the oxo compound as intermediates. From kinetic studies and the observation of a third-degree reaction order, bipolar intermediates were assumed.[19c] Other authors have discussed N-protonated isocyanides as reactive intermediates.[19d] A P-MCR in the ligand sphere of organometallic catalysts has also been described.[19e] A plausible mechanism which agrees with the experimental data is the formation of a loosely hydrogen-bonded adduct 46 from a carbonyl compound 45 and a carboxylic acid 44, followed by the a-addition of the electrophilic carbonyl carbon and the nucleophilic oxygen atom of the carboxylic acid to the isocyanide carbon of 47 (Scheme 4) under formation of a cyclic transition state with all three parent compounds. The a-adduct 48, which cannot be isolated, rearranges in an intramolecular transacylation to the stable aacyloxy carboxamide 49.
H O OH 44 H O R1 46 O O R2 H + R3NC 47 H R2 R3 N O O O H 48 + R2CHO 45 R1 O H R1 O R2 46

O + 2 NC
BF3

H N O

50

51

52

O R1

R1 O N O H R2 48 O H R1 49 O O O R2 H N R3

Scheme 4. Suggested mechanism of the P-3CR.

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The a-acyloxy carboxamide group is a frequently recurring motif in many natural products, for example in the pharmacologically interesting depsipeptides. Thus, the P-3CR is particularly suitable for the synthesis of many compounds of this class and their derivatives. As an example, the synthesis of the complex phosphonic acid derivative 53 was achieved in one step from commercially available starting materials in 60 % yield (Scheme 5).[81] Lewis and Brnstedt acids catalyze the formation of ahydroxytetrazoles such as 54 from isocyanides, HN3 , and oxo compounds.[82, 83] Highly chlorinated oxo compounds are converted to a-hydroxycarboxamides such as 55, even without catalysts.[84] A little-known variant of the P-3CR is the reaction of aryl isocyanates with carboxylic acids and isocyanides under formation of N-alkyl or N-aryl N',N'diacyloxamides such as 56.[85] The reaction of ketenes with isocyanides and carboxylic acids to a,g-dioxocarboxylic amides such as 57 is also counted among the P-3CRs.[86, 94] Acetyl cyanide (58) as the oxo component was transformed into a-cyano-a-alkyloxyamides in several examples in 75 89 % yield.[87] Compound 61 can be isolated in 58 % yield after the reaction of formic acid 59 and isocyanide 60. The easily performed reduction of Passerini products opens the way to a multitude of N-substituted b-hydroxyamines. In this way, 63 can be isolated in a one-pot reaction without isolation of the Passerini product in quantitative yield over both steps! Many analogous examples have been described.[88] The parallel synthesis of dehydroamino acid derivatives such as 66 has been described.[89] The alkene geometry 3177

REVIEWS
N

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

N
+ C2H5CHO 65 + CH3COOH 41

O O MeOOC 66 N H O

MeOOC 64

NC

With anomeric glycosyl isocyanides 68 as isocyanide component in the P-3CR, the one-pot synthesis of very complex glycopeptide building blocks 69 (Boc tert-butoxycarbonyl) is achieved. Even when one takes into consideration the two-step synthesis of the C-isocyanoglycals from the azides 67, this entry to glycopeptide building blocks is without rival in its brevity and versatility.[90] The diastereoselectivities of the five cases described lie between 50:50 and 58:42 with yields of 23 to 80 %.
OR RO O RO 67 OR OR RO
P-3CR R = Ac, Bn

OR RO O N3 RO 68 OR NC

O RO 69 OR N H

O NHBoc OAc

Partly or perfluorinated fragments can easily be introduced into a desired target molecule. For example, 73 was synthesized from chloroacetic acid (70), phenyl acetaldehyde (71), and the 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl isocyanide 72 in 47 % yield.[76b]
Scheme 5. Classic variations of the Passerini reaction. The components are color-coded: The acidic component is blue, the oxo component red, and the isocyanide component green or yellow. Trt Ph3C.
O Cl OH + O O + CN 58 59 60 HCOOH + CN NC HOCO N H 61 CN COOMe CF3 72 + O CHO 71 Cl O 73 O CF3 H N COOMe 70

HO Cl CHO
1. BF3

Cl

H N

+ Cl 62 51

NC

2. BH3

Cl 63

brought in by the isocyanides is retained in the target molecule. The dehydroamino acid moiety is introduced by a,b-unsaturated isocyanides like 64. The dehydroamino acid motif occurs in many pharmacologically interesting natural products. Therefore, this reaction was also used for the synthesis of corresponding libraries.[8b] 3178

Finally, otherwise elusive N-tert-alkyl glyoxylic acid derivates such as 75 can be obtained elegantly in one step in a P-3CR of tetramethylbutyl isocyanide 74 with formaldehyde 2 under acidic conditions.[91]
O
H2SO4

NC 74

CH2O 2 75

OH N H

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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

REVIEWS
oxopropionic amides formed intermediately react smoothly and with good yields with ammonium formate in acetic acid under reflux, leading to the 2,4,5-trisubstituted oxazoles.[98] All three substitutable positions of the oxazole can be varied independently in this two-step sequence.
O CHO 87 Cl COOH
1. P-3CR 2. NH4COO,

2.1. Cyclic Variations of the P-3CR

a-Hydroxytetrazoles such as 54 were described as early as 1931 as products of the reaction between hydrazoic acid, oxo compounds, and isocyanides.[92] With less reactive oxo compounds, the well-known tetrazole formation due to the reaction of the isocyanide 76 with HN3 77 to 78 according to Oliveri-Mandala and Alagna comes to the fore.[93] If Al(N3)3 is used as the azide source, unreactive oxo compounds can also be brought to react.[73]
N N N 76 77 78

O N H O N HO Cl 89

+ OH NC + 60 88

NC + HN3

If bifunctional starting materials such as 79 with a ketone or aldehyde function and a carboxyl group are used in the P-3CR, lactones of various ring sizes, such as 81, are obtained depending on the carbonyl carboxylic acid distance.[95]

Cyanoacetic acid 90 as acid component, a-oxoaldehydes (91), and isocyanides (92) lead to the expected Passerini products (93), which cyclize to 2-hydroxyfurans such as 94 upon the addition of base in a Knoevenagel condensation.[99]
NC COOH 90 HO O S + 91 CHO 92
1. P-3CR 2. NEt3/CH3CN

O NC + COOH 79 80 81

O N H O O

O O N H NC S 94

a-Epoxyamides such as 83 and 3-acyloxy-2-azetidinones like 86 can be synthesized from a-chloroketones (82 and 85, respectively), isocyanides (51) and carboxylic acids (84) depending on the conduction of the reaction.[96, 97]

NC +

93 O O CN S O O NH

Cl

O N H

HO Cl
1. P-3CR 2. KOH/THF

+ 82 O

CN 51 83 COOH 84
KOH/MeOH 20oC, 2h

H N O

CN 51

O O

N O

A Japanese group has described an interesting intramolecular variation of the P-3CR which leads to heterocyclic CNSactive substances: The 1-(2-isocyanophenyl)pyrrole 95 obtained from 1,2-phenylenediamine reacts with oxo compounds (96) in the presence of BF3 OEt2 , leading to 4-(1hydroxyalkyl)pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines like 97.[100] Optimum catalytic properties were shown by BF3 OEt2 towards TiCl4 , SnCl4 , AlCl3 , and ZnCl2 . The pyrrole-CH group in 2-position reacts as a nucleophile or as the acid component.

O + Cl 85 86

N 95 NC N COOEt N 97 HO

Oxazoles such as 89 can be generated very elegantly and with high diversity from a-oxoaldehydes (87), carboxylic acids (88), and isocyanides (60). The N-alkyl-2-acyloxy-3-aryl-3Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

O +

96 COOEt

3179

REVIEWS
In another cyclic variation of the P-3CR, a b-oxothioamide (98) reacts intramolecularly as the acid and the oxo component to give benzo[c]thiophenes like 100.[101] The tautomeric pair thioamide > a-sulfanylimide functions as the acid component.
Cl Cl O S 98 N H NC 99 + O 100 O N S N

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

R1 N H R
1

R1CHO

R2NH2

R2

R2

HX

R1

N+ X

R2

H R1 N+ X R2 + R3NC X

R3 N H N R1 R2

R3 N H N X R1 R2

rearrangement

Ugi-product

The Passerini reaction has had a renaissance in the last few years. Compared with the Ugi reaction, however, the number of different suitable types of acid components is modest. The carbonyl group of the ketones and aldehydes in the P-3CR and the imine group of the imines in the U-4CR are isoelectronic. Thus, the chances of finding further new acid components that can be utilized in the P-3CR are high. Generally, many variations of the U-4CRs should also be possible as P-3CRs under accordingly modified reaction conditions. Finally, there are many as yet undiscovered ways to reach new basic structures starting from bifunctional compounds and using secondary reactions.

Scheme 6. Simplified mechanism of the U-MCR and its main variants: The variability of the basic structures of the U-MCR depends above all on the acid component, but also on the properties of the other components.

3. The Ugi Reaction

In 1959, Ugi et al. described the most important variants of the four-component condensation, the U-4CRs.[102] Within a few weeks most of the condensation types known today were discovered. Carboxylic acids, hydrazoic acid, cyanates, thiocyanates,[103] carbonic acid monoesters, salts of secondary amines, water, hydrogen sulfide as Na2S2O3 and hydrogen selenide as the acid components in the U-4CR react with ketones or aldehydes, primary and secondary amines, hydrazines, and hydroxylamines as the amine components, and C-isocyanides.[104] The Bayer AG company carried out investigations on the reaction mechanism and the theory of the stereoselectivity of the U-4CRs. In these investigations, extensive, analytically insoluble systems of equations were solved numerically with one of the first Zuse computers that were commercially available at the time.[105] A strongly simplified reaction mechanism for U-4CRs with carboxylic acids as the acid component is shown in Scheme 6. In the first step the oxo component and the amine condense to the imine, the Schiff base, via a hydroxy aminal. It is also possible that the hydroxy aminal can be transformed directly in the course of the reaction without formation of a Schiff base under certain circumstances. Imines can be understood as carbonyl analogues. Like most imine reactions, the U-4CR runs better upon activation of the Schiff base. For this, the acid component protonates the nitrogen atom of the Schiff base, 3180

thus increasing the electrophilicity of the CN bond. Another way to increase the electrophilicity of the imines is the addition of Lewis acids such as TiCl4 or BF3 OEt2 . Depending on the solvent, the ions can be present as a salt pair or separately. The electrophilic iminium ion and the nucleophilic acid anion add to the isocyanide carbon atom. The a-adduct thus formed can be seen as a hetero analogue of an acid anhydride in which an exo-oxygen atom has been substituted by an NR group. Acid anhydrides are strong acylating agents, as are their heteroanalogues formed here. The closest acylable atom is the nitrogen of the former amine. After an intramolecular acylation and subsequent hydroxylimine 3amide rearrangement the stable Ugi product is obtained. This type of intramolecular acylation was first described in 1910 by Mumm and was subsequently called the Mumm rearrangement.[106] All elementary steps of this reaction sequence are equilibria; however, that of the last step, the rearrangement to the stable a-acylaminoamide, lies exclusively on the product side. In this respect this type II MCR is very different from other MCRs. The driving force of the total reaction sequence is the oxidation of the isocyanide CII atom to the amide CIV atom. It is instructive to follow the changes in nucleophilia and electrophilia of the components during the U-4CR. In the course of the individual steps the reactive centres of the acid component and the imines change the sign of their reactivity several times. At first the CN bond of the imine behaves like a base towards the acid component. Then the protonated Schiff base functions as the electrophilic and the acid anion as the nucleophilic component of the a-addition. Due to the aaddition to the isocyanide, the amine nitrogen atom becomes the nucleophilic reaction partner of the electrophilic Oacylcarboxylic acid amid system in the a-adduct. In the course of the cycloaddition and the elimination, the reactive centres change their philia signs once again. In the course of the U-4CR, one CC bond and several heteroatom-C bonds are newly formed.
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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides Reactivity series for isocyanides have been set up. In competitive experiments, the product distribution of different isocyanides was examined in the U- and the P-MCR as a function of the solvent and the concentration.[107] The reactivity is mainly influenced by inductive and mesomeric and to a lesser extent by steric effects. The reactant concentration is much more important for the reactivity than the properties of the solvent! McFarland was the first to examine the product distribution of the U-4CR depending on different reaction conditions systematically.[83] Iminoaziridines such as 101 also react with carboxylic acids like 102 to give the Ugi products (105). They are known to decompose to isocyanides and imines under thermal conditions or acid catalysis. In this work, detailed spectroscopic examinations of the elusive a-adducts (104) were carried out for the first time.[108]
O N + N H 102 COOH

REVIEWS

N 101

O H N O N N H O 103 O N N H O N H O N H N O 104 O N H

105

The diversity of the basic structures of the U-4CR depicted in Scheme 7 is primarily due to the variety of the acid components and their rearrangement opportunities, but also to the structures of the amines as well as the many intramolecular variations. The classic U-4CR can be carried out in solution as well as on a solid phase. The following experiences made in over 40 years are valid for the reaction in solution: Low-molecular-weight alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, or trifluoroethanol[109] are used as solvents. Aprotic polar solvents like DMF, chloroform, dichloromethane, THF, or dioxane have also been described as advantageous. In addition, the U-4CR can be performed in biphasic, aqueous solvent mixtures. The exothermic U-4CR usually proceeds fast, within seconds or a few minutes at room temperature or below. Therefore, external cooling is recommended for large batches. Generally the reaction proceeds better if the reactants are present in high concentrations, that is 0.5 to 2 molar. The precondensation of amine and oxo compound usually has a positive effect on the yields. The addition of Lewis acids can be advantageous, which is understandable according to the mechanism of the U-4CR discussed above. This is especially the case for electron-rich, weakly electrophilic Schiff bases. Recently, the rate-accelerating effect of microwaves on the U-4CR was described.[110]
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

Scheme 7. Diversity of the basic structures obtained in U-MCRs by varying the acid component. The components are color-coded: The acid component is blue, the oxo component red, the amine component yellow, and the isocyanide component green. NNN and R1 2 N in the second and fifth formulas, respectively, stem from the acids HN and H2NR1 2 Cl, respectively; in the sixth example the acid R1OCOOH comprises CO2 (blue) and R 1OH (light blue).

3.1. Peptides, Peptoids, and Stereoselective U-4CRs

The classic version of the U-4CR described in many textboooks is the reaction of a primary amine, an oxo component (aldehyde or ketone), an isocyanide, and a carboxylic acid to give an a-amino acylamide. Two amide bonds are formed in the course of this reaction. The possibility of a peptide synthesis with the U-4CR was therefore recognized and discussed early on. Two strategies were followed, namely peptide segment coupling with U-4CR (4CC-SC) and the synthesis of peptide fragments by means of 3181

REVIEWS
stereoselective U-4CR (4CC-SSS), which were both discussed in detail in a review.[111] In the 4CC-SC, suitable peptide fragments with protected carboxy and amino termini are brought to react with an aldehyde and an isocyanide, in the course of which a cleavage point is inserted, for example by using o-nitrobenzaldehyde. After the U-4CR the coupling ballast is removed. In the 4CC-SSS an aminoterminally protected peptide fragment is brought to react with a chirality-inducing amine, serving as a chiral ammonia equivalent, an isocyanopeptide, and an aldehyde. The directive amine residue is cleaved after the U-4CR. By repeating this sequence several times a peptide can be built up. Until today the problem of control of the newly formed stereocenter has not been solved conclusively. Many paths were followed: So far, sugar amines and a-ferrocenyl alkylamines, which can be cleaved and in principle recycled after the U-4CR, have shown themselves to be the most promising reagents.[112] The potential of the Ugi reaction for the production of nonnatural a-amino acids was recognized very early. For et al. reported the synthesis of enantiopure example, Joullie heterocyclic a-amino acids by using chiral phenylethylamine.[113] The U-4CR has also proved itself in the synthesis of a,adialkyl or -diaryl dipeptide fragments. In this way, a,adiisopropyl and a,a-diphenyl dipeptides were synthesized, among others.[114] To our knowledge, this is the only method to obtain such sterically hindered peptide building blocks. The great steric strain becomes especially obvious when one attempts to build space-filling models of these compounds. A Japanese group has synthesized a,a-diphenyl dipeptides in a U-4CR under very high pressure.[115] The same group also synthesized compounds of this type under normal pressure and at room temperature: Precondensed diphenylimine (107) was treated with N-protected a,a-diphenylglycine 106 and methyl a,a-diphenyl isocyanopropionate (108), and the resulting tripeptides such as 109 were obtained at room temperature after 14 h in 55 % yield following chromatography.[116]

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

HN H-Ala-Phe-Val-Gly-Leu-Met-OH 110 CHO + NC + 60 O NH S 111 N NH HN O O O O O O NH NH

112

BocHN +

COOH

106

O H N BocHN NH + 107 109 O N H COOMe

108 CN COOMe

Linear hexapeptides such as 110 can be cyclized to give 18membered cyclohexapeptides such as 112 by means of the reaction of isocyanides (60) and aldehydes (111) in good yields.[117] This reaction proceeds via a 21-membered a-adduct. 3182

If further reactions are to be carried out with the primary U-4CR product, preformed cleavage points play an important part. At these predetermined breaking points, new functional groups for follow-up reactions evolve. The development of such cleavable reagents has been worked on since the beginnings of the U-4CR. Table 4 gives an overview over the cleavable reagents described so far. In 1996, Armstrong et al. described further applications for cyclohexenyl isocyanide (113) introduced by Ugi in 1961 as an isocyanide for subsequent cleavage to primary amides 114. With this reagent, derivatizations to carboxylic acids, esters 115, thioesters 116, pyrroles 117, and benzodiazepines 118 can be carried out after the U-4CR (Scheme 8).[118, 134] A mnchnone[135] is discussed as an intermediate in this reaction. Because of the versatile transformation possibilities, Armstrong introduced the term universal isocyanide for 113.[136] Generally, one dimension is lost with invariable (e. g. resinbound) components, that is with a universal isocyanide a U-4CR in fact becomes a reaction in which only three components and therefore only three substituents are variable. The cyclohexenyl isocyanide only provides one C atom in the product molecule. Peptidomimetic libraries of a-methylated amino acid derivatives were described from the corresponding methyl ketones in solution as well as on Rink resin in 31 71 % yield.[137] The corresponding a-methyl-a-alkyl(di)peptides are expected to show better pharmacokinetic properties than the natural peptides. N-protected a-amino acids react with cyclic thiazolidines, 2H-1,3-oxazines[138] and 2H-1,3-benzoxazines of the Asinger type to give unusual peptide fragments containing nonproteinogenic a-amino acids.[139] The reaction of precondensed Schiff bases, for example of Asinger heterocycles, with unprotected amino acids, di- or tripeptides, and isocyanides is suitable for the one-step synthesis of unprotected oligopeptides. This constitutes a protecting-group-free peptide synthesis.[140] A repetitive U-4CR with multifunctional N-protected aisocyanamines such as 122, opening a short route to Nielsens polyamidonucleic acid (PNA), has been described.[141] This route is also suitable for the synthesis of highly diverse PNA
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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

Table 4. Cleavable reagents for IMCRs described so far. One example each is listed with reaction conditions and yields. Entry Cleavable reagent Example[a] Comment

REVIEWS
Ref.

cleavable to various functional groups via mnchnones (see Scheme 8); alternatively, benzyl isocyanides can be used 2-pyridinamides which can be hydrolyzed on solid phase and lead to pyrroles via mnchnones or to carboxylic acids oxidative cleavage with N2O4 to the Ph2CH esters is possible; in the same way p-nitrophenyl(PNP) isocyanide can oxidatively be converted to PNP esters U-4CR, cleavage of the protecting group with H2/Pd and condensing cleavage with CDI cleavage of the aldehyde isocyanide moiety with NH3 in MeOH at room temperature

[118]

[119, 120]

[121, 122]

[123]

[124]

mild cleavage of the amine residue, good ammonia equivalent

[125]

acidic removal of the aldehyde isocyanide moiety

[126, 127]

photochemically cleavable

[128]

basic cleavage of the secondary amide bond to form esters and carboxylic acids with KOtBu cleavable isocyanide which leads to a high diastereoselectivity with sugar amines

[129]

10

[130]

11

isocyanide cleavable to the carboxylic acid

[131]

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

3183

REVIEWS
Table 4. (Continued). Entry Cleavable reagent Example[a] Comment

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

Ref.

12

O2/NiII phthalocyanine(Pc)

[132]

13

2-picolylamine-1-oxide (X NH2) and 2-picolylisocyanide-1-oxide (X CN) as components of the U-4CR with subsequent acidic cleavage to the primary amine or the acid, respectively

[133]

[a] TEA triethylamine, MOM CH2OCH3 , CDI carbonyl imidazole, Bn benzyl, Bzl benzoyl, Pg protecting group, TBS tBuMe2Si, T thymine.

BnNH2 O NH + N O COOH

119 O NH 120 N O O O N Bn N Bn 121 N H N Bn 123 NHBoc

+ O

+ CN

NHBoc 122 O O N EtO EtO P O N H O N H O 124 O S N EtOOC O O 125 O P OEt OEt

Scheme 8. 1-Cyclohexenyl isocyanide reacts in the U-MCR to form a,bunsaturated amides which can then be converted to a multitude of secondary products. In most cases, only one carbon atom (red) in the product originates from the isocyanide.
N H

NH O N H

monomers such as 123. Another group has described an alternative route to PNA monomers.[131] In this reaction, nucleobase acetic acids are treated with amines, oxo compounds and cleavable isocyanides. After the cleavage of the amide group, PNA monomers result (Table 4, entry 11). This monomer synthesis is highly convergent, short and very variable, compared to the classic monomer synthesis.[143] In the same paper, the synthesis of phosphonopeptides like 124 as well as glutathione derivatives such as 125 by means of U-4CR was also published.
[142]

Fluorinated a-amino acid derivatives, which are otherwise hard to synthesize but pharmacologically very interesting, can be obtained with partly or perfluorinated oxo compounds. aTrifluoromethyl-substituted a-amino acids such as 129 (PhthN phthalimidyl) were inserted at the C and N termini of peptides by means of U-4CR.[76b] When the bifunctional starting material 1-isocyanocyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid (130) is treated with the Schiff base
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

3184

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides 131 in the U-4CR,[144, 145] the intermediary a-adduct 132 can be isolated and treated with a further nucleophile, for example a second amine 133, in the same reaction vessel to yield 134. In sum, this synthesis of 134 corresponds to a U-5CR. The intermediate 132 is the first stable aadduct to be isolated and described. The fast and diverse construction of glycopeptide libraries is achieved with glycosyl isocyanides as U-4CR components. As was to be expected, the diastereoselectivity is very low.[90, 146] On the other hand, highly complex glycopeptide fragments were built up in one step and with satisfactory yields considering the complexity, whereas the time-consuming conventional synthesis would go over many steps. Thus, 135 was obtained in a U-3CR of serine methyl ester, the glycosyl isocyanide 68 and isobutyroaldehyde in 15 % yield after chromatography. Another paper and a patent describe the utilization of the U-4CR for the synthesis of glycoconjugates.[147, 148] In this way, glycosyl derivatives of all four components were synthesized and successfully converted to the expected tetrapseudoglycoside 136 a. All glycosyl derivatives used were protected. In our experience this is often unnecessary as
CHO

REVIEWS
OR RO O RO OR N3 67 RO OR
R = Ac, Bn RO

OR

OR 135 O O H N COOMe N H OR OH NH2

O NC 68

L-Ser

RO

MeOH

RO

OH HO O HO N

OH HO O OH OH O O OH OH OH MeOOC H2N O O NH2 H N N 137 O O NH2 BocHN OH HO HO OH NH O O HN O N O N Bn 136b O O O OH OH O COOH NH2

HO

OH

OH O O HN

HO OH 136a

OH

OH

OH

HOOC +

NPhth

126 O PhthN H N N O CF3 COOMe

127 N

+ 129 CF3 MeOOC NC 128

COOH NC 130 N O + N 131 O O 133 N H

132

NH2

O H N O N H O 134 N H

the reaction also takes place in the presence of free hydroxy groups with very good yields. For example, the nucleobase glycoconjugate 136 b can be synthesized from the corresponding unprotected furfural sugar, benzyl amine, thyminoacetic acid and 2-Boc-1-isocyanoethylamine in nearly quantitative yield.[148] Park et al. synthesized Ras-Raf protein-binding Ugi libraries that were active against HIV such as 137 on polyethylene glycol (PEG) and in solution. The yields of the compounds synthesized in solution were no better than on PEG; however, the purification of the libraries was less complicated, being a simple precipitation with diethyl ether.[149] Curran et al. emphasize the advantages of components with long-chained perfluorinated residues, for example 138, in the U-4CR (TFE tetrafluoroethylene; TBAF tetrabutylammonium fluoride).[150] These fluorous labels make the purification of the substance libraries easier. The products of Ugi reactions (Ugis) with fluorinated substrates (these reactions are also called Flugis) can be liberated from excess reagent by means of liquid liquid extraction with fluorous phases. Subsequently the fluorous tags are eliminated from the product. Analogous methods have also been described for the Biginelli reaction (Fluginelli reactions). So far the conventional method has not been compared to the Flugi method concerning purity and yield as well as synthetic complexity and reagent costs. It remains to be seen whether this technique achieves greater importance. 3185

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

REVIEWS
COOH F F3C F F F F F3C F F F F F F F F F F
1. TFE, 48h, 90oC 2. extraction

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

F F

F F

F F

F F

F 138 Si

O O
F F F CF3

F F

F F

F F F

F F

F F

O O CHO

142 OH
1. U-4CR

F F

F F

F F

OH CHO

F F

F F

F F

F F

HO 144 OH

NH4OAc NC

143

2. AcOH 3. Na/Hg

NH2

CHO + C3H7NH2 139 + 140 + NC 51

3. TBAF, THF, 20oC 4. extraction

60

O H N N O 141

group reported the synthesis of SH2 domain inhibitors with a,a-difluoromethyl phosphonate 149 as their central element. Again, the library was synthesized on Rink amine resin. The reported yields of the described products lie between 11 and

Russian authors have utilized the U-4CR in the synthesis of glucosamine 144. Ammonium acetate reacted with the isocyanide 60 and the chiral aldehyde 142 derived from glucose to give the Ugi product. Acidic cleavage of its acetal functions and reductive cleavage of its amide functions then yielded 144.[151] Sialyl-Lewis-X 145 plays a prominent role in cell cell recognition. Therefore, libraries of sialyl-Lewis-X mimetics are the goal of diverse synthetic efforts. C-Glycoside-peptide ligands were prepared by means of U-4CR on Rink resin (Scheme 9).[152] With the resin-bound amine component, remarkably, it is possible to use the unprotected dicarboxylic acids, which react only once on the solid phase due to the high degree of dilution. A corresponding direct synthesis with unprotected dicarboxylic acids is impossible in solution. The application of resin-bound starting materials in MCRs has been described by various authors. Besides Merrifield resin, the preferred resins are Wang, Tentagel, and Argogel. The Ugi reaction for the synthesis of pyrimidines such as 146 on highly loaded Merrifield resin was described by a group at Hoffmann LaRoche (Scheme 10).[153] The production of potent inhibitors of the hematopoetic (blood-forming) protein-tyrosine phosphatase by means of U-4CR was described by a group at the company Ontogen. The overexpression of the enzyme occurs in acutely leukaemic cells. A common element of the library is tert-butyl-4-carboxycinnamate (147), which appears in all compounds, for example 148. The library was again built up on Rink resin (TFA trifluoroacetic acid).[154] The application of radio frequency tags was described for an analogous U-4CR library.[155] Another research 3186

Scheme 9. Synthesis of sialyl-Lewis-X analogues by solid-phase U-4CR.

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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

REVIEWS
isocyanide 151 into a U-4CR library and subsequent derivatization with Grignard reagents on Rink amine resin. Compounds of this type are interesting as anticonvulsants.[157]

3.2. Variation of the Amine Component

The structural diversity of the U-MCRs is brought about by the different types of acid compounds used, but also by the multitude of amine-like components. Ammonia as the simplest amine reacts in the U-4CR. Libraries of analogues of the naturally occurring metalloproteinase inhibitor marimastat were described by a group at the company British Biotech. In a two-step reaction, ammonia (6), the carboxylic acid 153, the aldehyde 154, and the isocyanide 155 were converted in a U-4CR and transformed to the hydroxamic acid 156 with hydroxylamine without isolating the intermediate. The product was isolated in moderate to good yields. The side reaction is the ammonia-catalyzed formation of the methyl ester 157, which can be suppressed by means of precondensation of the Schiff base.[158] In some cases, however, the turnovers and yields are low with ammonia as the amine component. Alternatively, 2,4-dimethoxybenzylamine, for example, can be used as the amine component and the corresponding amide cleaved in the familiar way with acid catalysis.[159]

Scheme 10. Synthesis of 146 ; MCPBA meta-chloroperbenzoic acid.

O H N N H O HOOC 148 COOH

1. U-4CR

tBuOOC 147 OMe

2. 10% TFA/CH2Cl2

NH2

OMe COOH

1. U-4CR 2. 10% TFA/CH2Cl2 3. TMSBr, MeOH

O P EtO EtO 149 F F

O 153 O
150

O COOH O
1. MeOH, 20oC, 48h

O H N N H OH O 156

O O

HO N H

O H N O P HO HO F F N H O

O P OH OH
2. NH4OH, 20oC, 24h

+ +

NH3 6 154 CHO MeO

O H N

O N H OH O 157

95 % with an HPLC purity of usually far beyond 80 %.[156] For example, 150 was isolated in 77 % yield. The build-up of a-oxodipeptides 152 as serine proteinase inhibitors is achieved by introduction of Weinrebs amido
151 CN N OMe NH2
1. U-4CR 2. MeMgCl/THF 3. 20% TFA/CH2Cl2

NC 155

O HN OMe O NH O 30% 152

Primary amines react as described above to afford the corresponding a-amino acylamides. When secondary amines such as 158 are used in the place of primary amines, the amine nitrogen of the a-adduct (160) cannot be acylated anymore. Instead, the former isocyanide nitrogen atom is acylated, and a,a'-diacylimides such as 161 result. This reaction variation proceeds much faster if the enamines are precondensed.[83, 160] Ammonia derivatives, such as hydrazine, hydrazides, or hydroxylamine, react in an analogous way to yield the expected products, for example 163 and 166. Hydrazine leads to the mono, bis, tris, and tetrakis products as well as mixed Ugi Mannich products in reactions that are hard to control (UM-5CR). On the other hand, monoacylate hydrazines can be converted selectively only once to the highly substituted 3187

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

REVIEWS
160 NH N 158 CHO + 111 NC + 60 161 COOH + 159 O N N O N O O

A. Dmling and I. Ugi Like conventional immonium ions, N-alkylquinolinium compounds such as 173 react in the U-4CR according to their electrophilic character. Theoretically, two isomeric products can arise through the reaction in the 2- or 4-position. In fact, the addition in 4-position leading to the formation of 175 takes place exclusively.[166]

Br N+ 173 N

NC 174

CH3COOH 41

O N H 175 O

hydrazines in an Ugi reaction.[161] Not only unnatural amino acids are easy to build into peptides, N-aminopeptides like 169 are also accessible in one step with the hydrazine variant of the U-4CR.[162] Depending on the reaction conditions, hydroxylamine leads to substituted hydroxylamines, a-hydroxylamino-N-hydroxyamidines, 2-hydroxylaminoamides, or 2,2iminodicarboxdiamides.[38d] Sterically extremely hindered Nhydroxypeptides are accessible by means of an oxime U-4CR. The resulting N-hydroxy group can easily be reduced to the amide with TiCl3 .[163] Hydroxylamine and oximes such as 170 open routes to the pharmacologically extremely interesting class of hydroxamic acids (172). Hydroxamic acids are potent metalloproteinase inhibitors with possible applications in the therapy of proliferative and inflammatory diseases.[164] The hydroxamic acids available through U-4CR are otherwise hard to obtain with this substitution pattern and in this multitude.[104, 165]

Recently it was shown for the first time that urea (176) is also basic enough to function as the amine component in the U-4CR. However, under the experimental conditions the desired cyclization of 178 to 179 did not take place.[167]
O 176 H2N + NH2 COOMe CHO 177 H2N MeOOC 178 O O N H N + NC 51 AcOH 41 O

H N N

H N N O 162 + CH2O 2 +

O NC N O 60 N 163 N N H
O NH

179

NH + N 165

O + HN3 77 +

NC N

NMe N

3.3. Variation of the Acid Component

N N

164

60

166

+ EtOOC 167 NC 111

CHO +

O HCOOH + EtOOC 59 168 169 N H

N N CHO

OH N + Ph

Ph COOH 171 + NC Ph 51

Ph

OH N

O N H

170

172

Ph

The great structural variety of the U-MCRs is primarily due to the variety of the acid components (see Scheme 7). Aqueous mineral acids react with amines, oxo components, and isocyanides to give a-amino alkylamines. In this reaction, water formally reacts as the acid component.[83, 160, 168, 169] An alternative and complementary method for the preparation of a-amino amides like 181 is the reaction of isocyanides with an amine, an oxo compound, and CO2 under pressure. The carbamido
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

3188

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

CO2 + + BnNH2 119 O CHO 111 NC + 60
60 bar H2O

REVIEWS
amides, thioureas and a-thioacylamide thioureas evolve. The authors discuss several mechanisms for their formation.[172] In the case of carbon oxide sulfide 185, the expected product 186 can be isolated besides the a-thioacylamide urea 187 and the corresponding a-aminothioamide. In the case of the urea, a second equivalent of the amine reacts with the a-adduct. The reaction seems to be useful for the synthesis of a-aminothioamides and a-amino thioacylcarbamates.
Bn S NHBn O + BnNH2 + BnNC
COS 185

H N HO N Bn O 180

60 bar MeOH

1 bar

O H N MeO 182 N Bn O 181

+

OH

O 184

Bn N H O

H N

186 CHO Bn 140 BnHN O N NHBn S

acid (180) formed intermediately is hydrolyzed after expansion of the pressure reactor.[170] Whereas hydrogen sulfide can only be converted to aamino thioamides as the acid component in the shape of thiosulfate, hydrogen selenide reacts smoothly to the a-amino selenoamides.[102] In a CO2 atmosphere, alcohols are in equilibrium with their monoalkyl carbonates. These can function as the acid component in the U-MCR (for example, see the formation reaction of 182). As the carbonic acid is formed in situ, this reaction corresponds to a U-5CR.[102, 171] Whereas the yields are good with low-molecular-weight, liquid alcohols, they decrease sharply with higher molecular weight, solid alcohols. Nevertheless, 9-fluorenyl methanol can serve as the alcoholic component for the introduction of the 9-fluorenyl methoxycarbonyl(Fmoc) protecting group into amines.[172] Weber et al. have described the synthesis of very potent thrombin inhibitors with water as the S acid component. For this, they used a novel technique to discover new active substances, the N Genetic Algorithm.[173] This way the most potent 188 substance in a large collective of compounds can be found within a short space of time. The described virtual library comprised 160 000 compounds. Within a few synthesis and screening cycles, the inhibitor 183, which is effective in nanomolar concentrations, was found.[174]
+ NH2Cl O S O NH2 N H O 183

187

Cyanic acid and hydrogen thiocyanate react as acid components with primary amines, oxo components and isocyanides, yielding iminohydantoins and thioiminohydantoins, respectively.[103] The reaction is generally carried out with amine hydrochlorides and cyanate or thiocyanate salts, respectively; alternatively the amines, the cyanate- (189) or thiocyanate salts, respectively, and pyridinium chloride can also be used. Often the pure products precipitate from the reaction solution. With cyclic imines such as 188, bicyclic hydantoins such as 190 are formed.
O
pyridineHCl

KOCN

NC

N S NH N

189

51

190

O O 191
2. 20% TFA/CH2Cl2 1. KOCN, pyridineHCl, CHCl3 NC MeOH, 20oC, 24h

O N HN RCHO HOOC N

RNH2

192

H N

It was also researched whether dithio- and thiocarbonic acids can be used as acid components in the U-4CR instead of carbonic acids. In analogy to the formation of the carbonic acids from carbon dioxide and alcohol, CS2 and COS were treated with alcohols. With CS2 , mixtures of a-aminothioAngew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

The synthesis of hydantoins such as 192 from the four components isocyanide, amine, aldehyde, and cyanate has also been described on solid phase. Wang resin-bound isocyanide 191 is treated with pyridinium chloride and potassium cyanate at room temperature. After removal of the products with 20 % TFA in dichloromethane, the hydantoins can be isolated in 41 81 % yield. The analogous thiohydantoin synthesis on Wang resin led to unsatisfactory results, compared to the synthesis in solution.[175] Hydrazoic acid reacts as the acid component with primary or secondary amines and oxo compounds as well as isocyanides, affording 1,5-disubstituted tetrazoles.[103, 161a, 168, 176] 3189

REVIEWS

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

Formaldehyde and primary amines can react with 193 each other twice and yield bistetrazolyl amines. HN O With ammonia and small aldehydes like formCOOH O aldehyde, tristetrazolyl amines are obtained. The O o N MeOH, 20 C solution of HN3 in benzene which is often N N N + H CHO described can be replaced advantageously by COOMe 111 TMSN3 in methanol, which is easy to handle and 194 195 NC less toxic.[177] + The solid-phase (Wang resin) synthesis of 51 NH2 tetrazoles and a-alkylamino amides is achieved with moderate yields. The corresponding syntheHN NH2 ses in solution proceed with much better yields.[178] O O An important group of U-MCRs runs via PhCHO tBuNC O HN bifunctional carboxylic acids. HN In analogy to the synthesis of b-lactams from bN O amino acids by means of U-4CR, it was attemptH2N COOH NH ed to prepare a-lactams from a-amino acids in 196 197 198 the initial phase of the 4CR. However, iminodicarboxylic acid derivatives were isolated instead of the expected a-lactams.[179] The nonisolable, six-membered intermediate HO H O 194 from the a-amino acid 193, the aldehyde 111, N N H2N COOH 199 200 and the isocyanide 51 is transformed to the stable H O O product 195 by the solvent alcohol in a nucleoO philic reaction. The new-formed stereocenter is O NH often generated with surprisingly high diastereoOEt 203 OEt NH selectivity. The selectivity can be reversed by CN P + L-Pro + N O addition of metal salts.[180] Apart from cysteine, O N O 193 N all known natural and many unnatural a-amino OEt CHOH2O MeOOC 201 202 acids can undergo this reaction with aldehydes, OEt N P O [181] mostly with good to excellent yields. H O a-Amino acids with nucleophilic side groups, such as lysine (196) and ornithine, react intraylic acids are important natural compounds: The opines are molecularly via the elusive cyclic intermediate (197 in the case constituents of many poisonous fungi. They are also isolated of 196), affording the corresponding seven- (198) or sixfrom virus-induced plant galls. Owing to the pharmacological membered a-aminolactam.[182] Whereas serine and threonine importance, many efforts towards the synthesis of opines were are transformed intermolecularly to the corresponding imimade. An alternative, multistep synthesis of the opine 207 by nodicarboxylic acid derivatives without participation of the means of a classical U-4CR with benzyloxycarbonyl(Z)hydroxy function, homoserine (199) as the a-amino acid protected l-alanine and tosylmethyl isocyanate (TOSMIC) component leads to the a-amino-g-lactam 200 in the solvent 204 and subsequent secondary transformations was described trifluoroethanol.[183] Hundreds of potential virostatics, for by a Japanese group.[187] example 203, were synthesized with nucleobase-derived aldehydes (201), a-amino acids (193), and isocyanides (202), and screened for their activity.[184] ZHN The methods impress with their simplicity: After the O COOMe insoluble a-amino acid is dissolved through the reaction with COOH ZHN N aldehyde and isocyanide in alcohol, the conversion is finished and surplus solvent is removed. The reactions are fast and + TOSMIC 204 O 1. 6N HCl, 110oC, 20h take place at room temperature. In this way many thousands HN + 111 of iminodicarboxylic acid derivatives were synthesized and 2. Amberlite CG-120 CHO O screened. S With this reaction type, mixing libraries were synthesized in 205 + O [185] solution. Three each a-amino acids, aldehydes, and isoH 2N COOMe 206 cyanides,respectively, were converted in one reaction vessel. Of the expected 54 compounds (3 3 3 2), 39 were identified by means of GC-MS analysis of the mixing library and corresponding daughter libraries.[186] HOOC N COOH H Besides the similarity of these Ugi products to commercial 207 acetylcholine esterase(ACE ) inhibitors, the iminodicarbox3190
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides Another unnatural amino acid, 4-aminobenzoic acid (208), reacts with oxo compounds and isocyanides in methanol,affording N-carbamoylmethyl p-aminobenzoates, as shown for 210 (37 % yield).[188]
COOH 208 H2N CHO + MeO 209 MeOOC H N N H O + MeOOC 30 NC 210
O O 212 O + MeNC 213 +
L-Ala

REVIEWS
Phosphonic acids react as the acid component in the U-4CR. O H N P In a cyclic variant, w-oxophosN HO H phonic acids as bifunctional paO rent compounds were treated 211 with isocyanides and amines, leading, for example, to the aminophosphonate 211.[189] When a-amino acids (214) are treated with ketones (212) and isocyanide (213) in the presence of triethylamine in

OMe

COOMe

MeOH, 20oC

214 O HN O O 215 O N

3.4. Cyclic Variants of the U-MCRs with Bifunctional Parent Compounds

Cyclic products can be obtained in U-MCRs with bifunctional starting compounds or in secondary reactions. Cyclic variants of the MCRs are interesting for several reasons. On the one hand, they lead to new types of structures, on the other hand they increase the stiffness of an open-chained basic structure so that the product often shows improved pharmacological properties. Formally, mono-, bi-, or oligocyclic compounds can evolve depending on the number of intramolecular binding sites (Scheme 11).
+ Cl + H2N 216 COOH 30 MeOOC CHO 217

1. U-4CR 2. KOtBu

MeOOC

NC

H N N O 218 COOMe

Scheme 11. All topologically feasible combinations of bifunctional parent compounds which can lead to cyclic structures in the carboxylic acid variant of the U-4CR. The variants 1 (cyclic imines), 2 (woxocarboxylic acids), 3 (w-aminocarboxylic acids), and 5 (w-isocyanocarboxylic acids) have already been realized.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

methanol, the main products are bispirocyclic 2,6-piperazine diones like 215.[190] The iminodicarboxylic acid derivatives formed with aldehydes can also cyclize to 2,6-piperazine diones in THF/tBuOK in good yields. In an interesting variant, aamino acids like 216 react with a-haloaldehydes such as 217 and isocyanides to form aziridine derivatives (218).[191] The one-step formation of the b-lactam ring starting from b-amino acids, oxo compounds, and isocyanides is a very early and interesting application of the U-4CR.[192, 193] Penicillin derivatives such as 223 were already produced by means of U-4CR in the early 1960s.[194] A central parent compound, the thiazolidine derivative 222, was generated by means of another MCR, the A-4CR, from NaSH (220), the a-bromoaldehyde 221, the aldehyde 219 and ammonia (6). According to NMR studies, the product has the same relative configuration as natural penicillin G. This synthesis is therefore the shortest known synthesis of a penicillin derivative. In a similar fashion, carbapenems,[195] carbacephems,[109, 196] carbacephams,[197] and cephalosporin derivatives were syn3191

REVIEWS
OHC COOMe 219 NPhth
1. A-4CR

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

OH N H N OH N O 224 COOH

COOH + NH3 6 S NPhth N 222

U-4CR 2. OH

H2N O HOOC O Nocardicin

NaSH 220

+ Br 221 CHO

OH

225 NH2 HO CHO

PhthN N O 223

HOOC

NHC6H11

1. U-4CR 2. N2O4/NaAc/CHCl3

N O O OCHPh2

thesized by means of U-4CR. Remarkably, Hatanaka et al. were able to hydrolyze the exocyclic amide bond of b-lactams with PCl5/MeOH without cleavage of the b-lactam ring of the oxacepham.[121] The synthesis of the 2-isocephem and the 2-isooxacephem skeleton was achieved with p-nitrophenyl isocyanide and subsequent nitrating cleavage with N2O4 , affording the p-nitrophenyl ester.[198] The first library of low-molecular-weight organic compounds known to us was produced in 1981 by Hofheinz and Isenring at Hoffmann LaRoche: The library of nocardicin-A (224) derivatives contained several hundred compounds, for example 227. Different b-amino acids (225 in the case of 227) were treated with oxo compounds (5) and diphenylmethyl isocyanide (226). Subsequently, the DPM amide was transformed into the carboxylic acid by means of oxidation and hydrolysis.[122] Enantiomerically pure a-amino acids allow a facile synthesis of stereochemically uniform monocyclic b lactams substituted in the 4-position.[199] Chimeric monocyclic b-lactams with nucleobases or steroid skeletons in the side chains, like 228 a and 228 b, respectively, were also prepared.[200, 201] No other method allows such a fast and elegant synthesis of a multitude of unusual b-lactams. Libraries of monocyclic b-lactams, which are of interest as potential serine protease inhibitors, were synthesized in solution with a U-4CR. In this way, 126 b-lactams were described that were characterized by means of EI-MS.[202] Such b-lactams could be useful as inhibitors of the CMV protease, as HLE inhibitors, and as chymotrypsin inhibitors.[203] Hardly any other type of skeleton has been subject to more intense pharmacological investigations than that of the benzodiazepines. Armstrong et al. were first to describe the synthesis of 1,4benzodiazepine-2,5-diones such as 231 by means of U-4CR. Anthranilic acids 229 react with oxo compounds, amines, and cyclohexenyl isocyanide to give the corresponding open-chained a-benzoyl aminoamides. In acid solution the cyclization to 231 takes place. The authors suggest mnchnones as intermediates of the cyclization.[204] Chemists from the company Affymax improved the method by linking silyl groups to the anthranilic acids, thereby rendering them soluble in organic solvents.[205] 3192

227 NC +

226 O NH N N O H O N H 228a O H O 228b O H O O H N

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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

REVIEWS

Alternatively benzodiazepine NC + R1COOH O 233 as well as others described 1. U-4CR below can be prepared from + R2CHO N O 2. Boc2O, KOtBu H glyoxal ethyl ester 232. A group 3 + R NH2 at Hoffmann La Roche treated 237 a-azidocarboxylic acids (234) and o-azidobenzoic acids with oaminobenzophenones like 235, O R2 Boc isocyanides, and oxo compounds N R1 N and then effected ring closure to 3 the benzodiazepines (236) and R O the benzodiazocines, respective238 ly, by means of an aza-Wittig reaction.[206] In that reaction, polymer-bound triphenylphosphane was used, so that the product A B C D E could be purified by means of resin-capture. It is noteworthy that there are different, complementary entries to the basic benO O O O zodiazepine skeleton. R3 2 4 2 R R2 O R R R2 N ne Poulenc A group at Rho NH N NH R2 Rorer reported the solid-phase N O HOOC N R1 N N O synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines, R5 R3 3 N R O R1 dioxopiperazines, oxopiperaO R1 R4 zines, and dihydroquinoxalinones by means of U-MCR (Scheme 12).[207] The application of Boc-protected building blocks Ph and subsequent Boc cleavage O Ph N allow all sorts of cyclizations. O Ph N The isocyanide component is HN O O bound to Wang resin in this HN N N O reaction (237). After the U-4CR O N O NH H O with an oxo compound, an N 242 amine, and a carboxylic acid, O 243 O 240 100%/77% the secondary amide of the for239 na/100% 100%/95% mer isocyanide is provided with a N 95%/91% N HO EtOOC Boc group, affording 238, and N then intramolecularly cleaved by COOH 241 a functional group of the other 100%/94% components. Thus, Boc-protectScheme 12. By using protected starting materials and a bifunctional component, many interesting classes of ed anthranilic acids lead to benheterocyclic compounds, such as benzodiazepines, oxopiperazines, dioxopiperazines, or dihydroquinoxalinones zodiazepines (route A, e. g. 239), are accessible in a one-pot reaction. In each case the yield and HPLC purity is given. na not available. Boc-protected a-amino acids to dioxopiperazines (route B, 240), singly Boc-protected ethylene diamines to oxopiperazines Boc-protected a-amino acids and cyclohexenyl isocyanide (route C, 241), and singly Boc-protected 1,2-phenylenedi(230) were converted (Scheme 13). The U-4CR products were amines to dihydroquinoxalinones (route D, 242). If the treated with acetyl chloride in methanol or with TFA, and the primary Ugi product is removed from the resin with LiOH, cyclization affords dioxopiperazines such as 245 and 246 in N-alkylated and -acylated a-amino acids result (route E, 243). satisfactory to good yields. A possible substitute for the The striking abbreviation UDC (Ugi/Deboc/Cleavage) was sensitive cyclohexenyl isocyanide (230), which is difficult to introduced for the sequence of Ugi reaction, linking of the prepare and to store, is the stable and commercially available Boc group and cleavage. The same strategy for the removal of benzyl isocyanide. The cyclization takes place via the mnchan amide group from a U-4CR product by bonding of the Boc none 244. A side product is the noncyclized amine.[209, 210] group and basic cleavage was already applied some years Szardenings et al. from the company Affymax have describefore in the synthesis of bicyclic b-lactams.[109, 208] bed another route to dioxopiperazines by means of U-4CR A variation for the preparation of dioxopiperazines in (Scheme 14).[211] An a-amino acid anchored to the resin with solution was described by the same group. In this reaction, its carboxyl group as the amine component, a Boc-protected
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

3193

REVIEWS
R1 O

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

a-amino acid, an oxo component, and an isocyanide react in a U-4CR and can O then be cyclized to dioxopiperazines C R3 BocHN COOH BocHN such as 247 under acidic conditions. In O + N 3 244 contrast to the variants described be+ R2NH2 R 2 AcCl R R1 MeOH NH fore, which are only 3CRs, this is a + R3CHO N genuine 4CR in which all four compoR1 R2 NC nents, including the resin-bound amino 3 R O O + acid, can be varied independently. H N BocHN When a-hydroxycarboxylic acids are 230 N used instead of the Boc-protected aO R2 R1 amino acids, dioxomorpholines like 248 are also accessible. With this Ugi varH H iant, highly selective and potent collaO N O N S genase I inhibitors were found. Thus, O the dioxopiperazine 249 inhibits collaN O N O genase-I with an IC50 value of 65 nm and a selectivity towards the enzymes ge43% 246 78% 245 latinase B (1) and stromelysin of O MeO 1:45: > 103.[212] Oxopiperazines can also be syntheScheme 13. The reaction of Boc-protected parent compounds with cyclohexenyl isocyanide (230) to form dioxopiperazines in solution. A mnchnone (244) is discussed as the intermediate of the acidic sized from glyoxalic esters, diamines, cyclization. carboxylic acids, and isocyanides in 60 90 % yield. The corresponding seven-membered rings are analogously available from 1,3diaminopropane.[167] The glyoxalic ester 232 was also used by another research group as the central component for the synthesis of benzodiazepines 250, dioxopiperazines 252, oxopiperazine 253, and dihydroquinoxalines 251.[213] The behavior of glyoxylic acid derivatives and higher woxocarboxylic acids in the U-4CR was already examined in the 1960s.[171] Obviously in ignorance of the old paper, the reaction of the w-oxocarboxylic acid 254 was since described three times by several research groups. The solid-phase synthesis, however, is new. Five- to eight-membered highly substituted lactams such as 256 are thus accessible in one step, which is achieved with no other method.[214, 215] In the case of the eight-membered lactam, the U-4CR obviously proceeds via a nine-membered a-adduct. Chemists at the

Scheme 14. Solid-phase synthesis of 247 and 248 as well as the collagenase I inhibitor 249.

3194

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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

O COOH 254 + NC 155 N H N O 256 O N O

REVIEWS
company Repligen have described many heterocyclic analogues, for example 257 259, which contain exactly that lactam motif.[216] Piperazines such as 266 and their seven-membered analogues (e. g. 267) can be synthesized from monoalkylated (-arylated) ethylenediamines and propylenediamines, chloroacetaldehyde, carboxylic acids, and isocyanides in one step and with great diversity. Piperazine-2-carboxamides are the central elements of many drugs.[217]
Bn N H N N H N N 28% O 266 Ac O

+ O

NH2 255 H N

OMe

HN O Ph N O O 257 33% N MeO N O 258 84% NHBoc N H O N O O O

N O O O O

17% 267

HN BocHN 259 50% O

The enantioselective four-step synthesis of the precursor 264 of the HIV protease inhibitor crixivan (265) on a gram scale was described by a group at Merck. tert-Butyl isocyanide was treated with formic acid, dichloroacetaldehyde (261), and mono-Boc-protected ethylenediamine 260 to form 262. After the Ugi reaction of 262, base-supported cyclization of 263, racemization, and enantioselective hydrogenation, the crixivan precursor 264 was isolated with good overall yield and
CHO NH2 268 NH O OH
NH4HCOO

N O CHO 268 OH NH2 260 Cl + 261 CHO NC HCOOH BocHN

U-4CR

NC 60 269

BocHN + Cl

Cl

Cl H N
1. NEt3 2. KOtBu

N + + 51 59 Boc
1. H2, chiral catalyst

CHO

O 262 N NH O NH 270 OH

Boc N H N N CHO O 263

2. N2H4

HN

O 264 NH2 + CHO + NC

271 N N N O HN O Crixivan 265 OH H N OH

272

60

HN

N H 273

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3195

REVIEWS
excellent enantioselectivity.[218] The described synthesis is an advantageous alternative to the classic route.[219] The phenol moiety of salicylaldehydes can serve as the acidic function in the U-4CR. Salicylaldehydes like 268 react with ammonium formate and isocyanides (60) to form benzofurans. The intermediate 2,3-diaminobenzofuran (269) finally reacts with a further equivalent of salicylaldehyde to the Schiff base (270).[220] Anilines (271), isocyanides (60), and aldehydes (272) react to form 3-aminoindoles (273). Interestingly, the acidic function here is the CH-acidic ortho-CH group in the aniline.[221] A case of C-nucleophiles in the U-4CR with five examples was described for the reaction of 4-isocyano-1-silenyl ethers like 274 (TMS Me3Si) with Eschenmosers salt. The resulting pyrroline derivatives such as 276 can be isolated in 82 94 % yield.[222]

A. Dmling and I. Ugi acyclic products (286), [32]cycloadducts (285), or bicyclic products (287) were isolated in varying ratios. The bicyclic compounds were purified in parallel by acidic extraction and isolated with a purity > 80 % in most cases. TMSN3 283 in MeOH was applied as a convenient in situ source of HN3 . Thousands of conformationally limited bicyclic tetrazoles were synthesized this way and tested for their biological activity.[177]

CHO +

NH2 + MeOOC

N N
MeOH TMSN3

R NH N R HN N

COOMe

NC 282

280

281

283

NH 284

TMSO

274

N+ CH2 I 275

O N

N N N N N N COOMe N N N

R NHR NMe2 286 N N N N NHR R

276

CN

COOMe

COOMe

285 COOMe N

MeOOC 287

Since the beginnings of the U-4CR efforts have been made to elucidate how anthranilic acid 229 a reacts. Studies in our laboratory[223] have shown that anthranilic acid is an unstable system in the U-4CR, leading to the formation of different products depending on the reaction conditions and the starting materials. Under reflux conditions in the presence of ketones, 229 a reacts with isocyanides to form 2-iminoindoline-3-ons such as 277. The ketone is not incorporated into the product. Two equivalents each of anthranilic acid, isocyanide, and aldehyde lead to eight-membered 1,5-diazocine-2,6diones, e. g. 278. Finally, N-carbamoylmethyl anthranilic esters such as 279 can also be isolated with sterically hindered aldehydes.
H N N 52% 277 O 69% H N NH2 229a + R1CHO + R2NC O O O N 278

Chemists at the company Affymax treated furan aldehydes like 288 with maleic acid derivatives (289), amines, and isocyanides to obtain the tricylic compounds 290 a and 290 b. The initially formed Ugi product is converted in one pot in an intramolecular Diels Alder reaction. Variants in solution as well as on a solid phase (ArgoGel Rink resin) have been described.[224] The mild conditions required for this transformation are remarkable.
O CHO 288 H N + BnNH2 + BnNC O N 290a O 78% 289 COOEt COOEt

COOMe

COOH N

COOH

O N H

O COOEt H N NH2 H N O 95% 290b N O CONH2

COOMe H N

O N H COOMe 64% 279

1. U-4CR MeOH/CH2Cl2 2. TFA

In a variant of Ugis classic tetrazole synthesis, bicyclic, stiffened tetrazoles such as 287 were synthesized by utilizing the alkyl-b-(N,N-dimethylamino)-a-isocyanoacrylates (282) described by Schllkopf. Depending on the starting materials, 3196

Since 1996, Weber has reported on a new variant of the U-4CR at several congresses on medicinal chemistry.[225] In this intramolecular reaction, heteroarenes such as 291 with an H2NCN group are treated with oxo compounds like 292
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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

N NH2 291 N + CHO 292 + NC MeO MeO OMe O 305 O N 306 Me CHO HN NC + N 307 293 O NH MeO 38% 294 + O CHO 303 O N + H2NNH2 302 O HOOC + MeOOC NC 30 H N COOH 301 O

REVIEWS

H N N O 304

COOMe

and isocyanides such as 293 to form annelated 3-aminoimidazoles (294).[226] This reaction type was recently published simultaneously by three groups from the pharmaceutical companies Hoffmann LaRoche, Millenium Pharmaceuti ne Poulenc Rorer. The reaction can be cals, and Rho carried out in solution or on solid phase (Wang resin). No limitations were found either concerning the isocyanide component or concerning the aldehyde component. The reaction is catalyzed by Lewis (Sc(OTf)3 ; Tf SO2CF3) or Brnstedt acids (HClO4 , acetic acid). The range of applications for this reaction is very wide (see the different products 295 300). Many tens of thousands of products were obtained from this versatile reaction and were tested.[227]
N N NH 82% 295 N Ph N NH N N 76% 298 NH 50% 299 NH Ph N NH 95% 296 O Ph Ph N N H 33% 300

O Me +

O NH O

308 N + H2NNH2 302

selenocyanate 314, and 1,1-diethoxy-2-isocyanoethane (313) and subsequently cyclized under acidic conditions to the bicyclic imidazo[1,5-a]imidazoles (316).[230]

N Ph

N Ph

N N NH

S N 60% 297 COOMe + Cl + 310 N N

309

O N

Cl

NCO

N Ph

NC

51

311

Another variant is the reaction of hydrazine with cyclic carboxylic acid anhydrides (305), oxo components (306), and isocyanides (307), leading to novel cyclic dioxohydrazine derivatives such as 308. Malonic acid (301) reacts analogously to the cyclic anhydrides under formation of 304. The reaction takes place at room temperature and affords the desired products from a wide range of starting compounds. Starting from malonic acid and five- to seven-membered anhydrides, the corresponding five- to eight-membered products are obtained. Accordingly, the intermediary cyclic a-adducts are eight- to eleven-membered rings.[228] Iminopyrrolidones such as 311 and -thiopyrrolidones can be obtained starting from isocyanides, enamines (309), and isocyanates (310) or isothiocyanates, respectively. The reaction proceeds with good yields and was used for the gramscale production of the corresponding pyrrolidines.[229] For example, 311 was obtained in 90 % yield. A row of ketones like 312 and amine hydrochlorides like 315 was converted to the Ugi products with potassium cyanate, thiocyanate, and
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

O 312 S OEt 313 OEt + KSeCN 314 NH3Cl + 315 316 N S N N Se

+ CN

Cyclic ketones such as 168 react with ammonium formate and isocyanides to yield formamides such as 317. Dehydration leads to a-isocyanocarboxylic acid amides (318), which form 1,3-diazaspiro-2-thiones (319) with arylsulfenyl isocyanates.[231] When the a-isocyanocarboxylic amide is treated with butyllithium, the intermediately formed carbanion can 3197

REVIEWS
be trapped, for example, with aldehydes under formation of 2,3-disubstituted spiroimidazolones (320).[232]
CONHR NHCHO 317
1. BuLi 2. POCl3 NEt3

A. Dmling and I. Ugi cyclizes to the 1,6-dihydro-6-oxopyridine-2-carboxylic acid derivative 328 with KOH in methanol. Corresponding structures occur in natural products such as acromelic acid.[234]
H N

HCOONH4 RNC MeOH

CONHR NC 318
CHO 292 O COOH 325 Cl
KOH MeOH

O O N O

168

CHO

ArSSCN

O R N N OH 320 HN S S 319 O N Ph

327

+ Cl NC +

NH2 326 O 60 NH

N Ph Ph O

328 Cl

Cl

The reaction of cinnamic aldehyde 292, chloroacetic acid 70, amines like 321, and isocyanides like 60 allows the oneCHO 292 NC + 60 HN N O O

For the synthesis of a-acylamino esters and pyrroles on Rink and Wang resins, cyclohexenyl isocyanide was used and the carboxylic acid linked to the solid phase with succinic anhydride.[119] At the same time, chemists from the company Ontogen reported the synthesis of pyrroles such as 332 by means of U-4CR on NH2-functionalized Rink resin 329 and subsequent cycloaddition with alkynes (331) in good yields and with excellent purities after removal from the resin.[120] They applied highly reactive 2-isocyanopyridine as a convertible isocyanide (see also Table 4, entry 2).

+ Cl

COOH

70 O

NH2 + 321 O

324

H N NH2 O 329

U-4CR R1NC, R2CHO, R3NH2

H N N O O O

H N

330 CF3 COOMe

O HN O O Cl N O

H N

331 MeOOC
N

H2NOC N CF3

322 O

323

332 MeOOC COOMe

step synthesis of highly substituted succinimides like 324 in modest to good yields via the Ugi product 322, and the elusive b-lactam 323.[233] In contrast, 292 reacts with the a-oxocarboxylic acid 325, the amine 326, and the isocyanide 60 to form 327, which 3198

Tetrasubstituted imidazoles like 334 were synthesized by means of U-4CR of a-oxoaldehydes, amines, and carboxylic acids on isocyanide-functionalized Wang resin, affording 333, and subsequent ring closure with ammonium acetate in 16 56 % yield. In the first step an a-(N-acyl-N-alkylamino)-bAngew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides oxoamide is formed. The corresponding two-step reaction to form 334 in solution proceeds with 47 % yield.[235] It was shown that analogous compounds such as 335 were able to sensitize MDR cells for a treatment with chemotherapeutic agents.[236]

REVIEWS
products with isocyanides and carboxylic acids such as 341, which can then be cyclized to 2,5-dioxopyrrolidines (342) under mild basic conditions with good yields.[162]
COOEt MeOOC NC N + N 340 COOEt
1. U-4CR 2. K2CO3 /CHCl3

30 O N O

O H N n R1 N R2 O O 333 334 Ph N N Ar O
1. NH4Ac/AcOH 2. 10% TFA/CH2Cl2

N O

HN Ph O + O2N

COOH 341 O2N

342

N O H N N 335

Ph

A topical example of how the choice of suitable parent compounds for a U-4CR and subsequent secondary reactions led to novel types of compounds is the synthesis of b-turn mimetics of the Freidinger lactam type (345). The cyclization by ring-closing metathesis takes place after the U-4CR. The resin-bound 3-phenylallylamine serves as traceless linker.[238]

NH2

NH2

A method was introduced for the synthesis of spiro-ahydroxyguanidines such as 339, which occur in many natural products, for example tetrodotoxin or crambin B.[237] The
O 336

CHO 111

1. U-4CR CH2Cl2/MeOH 48h, 20oC 2. 5 Mol-% [(Cy3P)2Cl2Ru=CHPh] 3. TFA/CH2Cl2, 16h, 20oC

HN O O N N H COOH Ph O

tBuOOC +

NC 343

Ph

55% H N NHBoc O 344

345

RNC N N
HOOC

+ MeO

NH3SCN S MeO 337

NH 338

1. NaCNBH3, I2, CH2Cl2, THF, 0oC 2. pTSA 3. MeI, CH2Cl2

OMe

4. Other MCRs with Isocyanides

HO N SMe N 339

2-thiohydantoin-4-imines (338) synthesized from ketones, isocyanides and benzylaminothiocyanate 337 have to be reduced to the a-hydroxyguanidines with sodium cyano hydridoborate (pTSA p-toluenesulfonic acid). 1,1-Disubstituted hydrazine react with acetoacetic ester to form imines such as 340. These lead to the usual U-4CR
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

There are some IMCRs that cannot be classified as P- or U-MCRs. Thus, the reaction of tropylium perchlorate (346) with isocyanide 51 and water to the tropylium derivative 347 has been described.[239] This is a 3CR in which the tropylium ion serves as the electrophile instead of a Schiff base or an enamine. In a 3CR, chloramine T 348 and the amine 349 react with aaddition to the isocyanide, leading to the guanidine 351.[240] Analogously, the synthesis of highly substituted imidazoles is effected by the reaction of 348 with anilines (271) and 2,23199

REVIEWS
ClO4 O + + H2O + NC HN 346 51 347

A. Dmling and I. Ugi presence of a phase-transfer catalyst.[242] As secondary amines (which cannot be converted to isocyanides) also react, the mechanism cannot proceed as for the Ugi reaction.[243] Van Leusen et al. have described the 3CR of TOSMIC 204, aldehydes, and primary amines, leading to 1,4-disubstituted imidazoles (356).[68] Alternatively, the intermediately formed a,b-unsaturated isocyanide can also be isolated and treated with amines.[68] 1,4,5-Trisubstituted imidazoles (360) were

diethoxy-1-isocyanoethane313 and subsequent ring closure in boiling acetic acid. The two-step synthesis via the isolable Ntosylguanidines leads to the N-aryl-2-tosylamino-1H-imidazoles (352) in 40 75 % yield.[241]
O S NClNa 348 HN O 349 + H2N O S Cl Cl + 350 Cl NC 351 N H N Cl O

TOSMIC

204 N N

PhCHO

5 NH2

355

356

O S

O NC 357 O N

F
O S NClNa 348 EtO + OEt + PhNH2 NC 313 352 271 N NH N O S O O

TolSO2H

N H 2N N N

H2N N

CHO 358

+ O

NH2 359 F

360

a-Amino amides are the U-3CR reaction products of amines, oxo compounds, and isocyanides in a mineral acidic medium. Interestingly, a-amino amides like 353 or 354 can be synthesized in a 4CR which obviously follows a completely different mechanism (Scheme 15): Chloroform is treated with two primary or secondary amines and an oxo compound in the
O
OH

described by the same group: 2-Substituted TOSMIC derivatives like 357 are treated with primary amines and aldehydes. The reaction can be described as a dipolar [23]cycloaddition of the Schiff base and the isocyanide followed by sulfinic acid elimination (Tol tolyl). Compound 360 and similar ones have been described as highly potent P38 MAP kinase inhibitors.[270]

CHCl3

CCl3

R1

R2

Cl3C R
1

OH R
2

O Cl Cl R2 R1

5. IMCRs in the Total Synthesis of Natural Compounds

MCRs with isocyanides were often used in the total synthesis of natural products. This can be advantageous, as several starting materials are combined to very complex products in one step, which makes analogues of the corresponding natural compounds available. In the following, several total syntheses are introduced in which MCRs were used as the key steps. Based on the lactone variant of the P-3CR to 363 with the bifunctional w-oxocarboxylic acid 362 and the isocyanide 361, a two-step total synthesis of the alkaloid hydrastin 364 was carried out.[244] The synthesis of the natural product and prolyl endopeptidase inhibitor eurystatin A 368 by Schmidt et al. uses the
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

O R4 N R4

R3 N R4 R3

H N

R4 Cl

R3 N R3 R3

H N

R3

R1 Cl Cl O

R1 R2

C+

R1 R2

R2

OEt H N N H O EtO 353 354 O N N O O

Scheme 15. Possible mechanism of a different MCR of amines, ketones, and chloroform which also leads to a-amino amides.

3200

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

O O O O O NH 363

REVIEWS
with para- or metacyclophane units and characteristic aryl et al. chose the U-4CR as the central step ether bonds. Joullie in the total synthesis of the 14-membered cyclopeptide alkaloid 373.[247]
OMe

NC 361 CHO

O MeO OMe COOH 362 O O NH O OMe

CN

O + N
O 364 OMe O OMe

CN

COOMe + 371 PhCOOH

370

CN O O COOMe N O 372 HN N N O 373 HN O O O NH

Hydrastine

P-3CR as a build-up reaction. Eurystatin A, like the prolyl endopeptidase inhibitors postatatin,[245] rapamycin, and FK 506 contains an essential a-oxoamide unit. In the P-3CR, the enantiopure a-isocyano ester 365 derived from an aamino acid and the amine-protected a-amino aldehyde 366 are treated with benzoic acid. No diasteroselectivity was observed. As the hydroxy group formed here is oxidized to a
MeOOC NH PhCOOH + MeOOC 365 NC OHC 366 O HN HN O NH O O 368 NH O NHZ O O Ph O 367 NHZ

The antibiotic bicyclomycin 378, which was isolated from Streptomyces sapporonensis and is very active against gramnegative bacteria, and many derivatives were synthesized by Fukujama et al.[248] A key position in the synthesis of numerous analogues is taken by the U-4CR of the a,bunsaturated carboxylic acid 374, the amine 139, the a-hydroxy aldehyde 375, and the isocyanide 376 to form 377.
OAc AcO 374 COOH O + 375 O NC CHO 376 O N N H OCOEt + AcO O 377 OAc

carbonyl function later in the synthesis, the missing diastereoselectivity of the Passerini reaction is of no importance. Overall, the complicated 13-membered natural product was synthesized in a short sequence.[246] Armstrong et al. have described the synthesis of the DNAbinding and alkylating antibiotic azinomycin 369 and of libraries of analogues by means of the P-3CR of appropriate a,b-unsaturated isocyanides, aldehydes, and carboxylic acids.[8b]
O O MeO O O AcO 369 HO N H N N H O O

EtO

NH2 139 HO HN O HO NH OH O

378 OH

The large group of cyclic peptide alkaloids has been the object of numerous synthetic efforts since the first description in 1963. They usually are 13- to 15-membered macrocycles
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

Dysidenin, isolated from the sponge Dysidea herbacea, is an unusual, highly chlorinated toxin which in its demethyl variant 382 could be synthesized in virtually one step by U-4CR from the appropriate starting compounds 379 381 and 11. The two possible diastereomers are formed in a ratio of 17:13 and can easily be separated chromatographically.[249] 3201

REVIEWS
S N + MeNH2 11 380 + Cl3C CCl3 + 381 CHO 382 S BocHN COOH 388 O COOH N NH Cl3C N O CCl3 NC 379

A. Dmling and I. Ugi hydrazine Schiff base 389 as the amine component was treated with N-protected glycine 388 and methionine isocyanide (390).[253]

H-Ala-Phe-Val-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2

392

N N H N O COOEt

Naturally occurring antimetabolites such as isowillardiine (383), nikkomycin (384), and sinfugin were synthesized by Japanese research groups on a 20 g scale, a U-4CR being the key step.[133, 250]
O O N N H O 383 NH2 O COOH HO HO OH 384 N N O COOH

389 + N N S 390 CN COOEt 391 BocHN N H

NH2

The total synthesis of various highly active fungicidal polyoxins like 387 was described by Boehm et al. A U-4CR with diphenylmethyl isocyanide and the aldehyde 385 was used as the central step. The resulting amide was oxidatively converted to the diphenylmethyl ester with N2O4 .[251]The product of the U-4CR with amino-protected a-amino acids and diphenylmethyl isocyanide (226) was transformed to the corresponding oxopiperazines by means of hydrogenation. In another variant, cyclohexenyl isocyanide was used, which was transformed to the carboxylic acid via the primary amide.[252]
O Ph NH NC OHC O N O + O O 385 226 Ph2HC O 386 O O O H N N O N ZHN NH O O

The antibiotics plumbemycin A (395) and B, as well as some analogues, were obtained in a synthesis which used the U-4CR as its key reaction. The unusual amino acid 3,4-didehydro-5phosphono-d -norvaline (394) was obtained in a one-pot synthesis by means of U-4CR of cyclohexyl isocyanide, ammonium formate, and the aldehyde 393 and subsequent hydrolysis in 80 % yield.[189] The resolution of the racemate was carried out enzymatically.
OEt OEt OHC P O NC + 60
1. U-4CR 2. H+ 3. racemate resolution

O P

393

OEt OEt 394

H2N

COOH

NH4Ac O P OH O H N H2N N H O COOH Plumbemycin A 395 COOH OH

MeNH2

L-Z-Phe

H N HOOC

OH

O NH

O O H2N 387 O OH NH2 HO OH OH O O N H N O

The modified analogue 391 of the antihypertensive hexapeptide eledoisin (392) was synthesized in a U-4CR and screened pharmacologically. For this reaction, the dimethyl3202

Furanomycin is a rare example of a triketide consisting of two acetate and one propionate unit. The stereoselective total synthesis of ()-furanomycin (399) and its stereoisomers by means of U-4CR of 396, 397, 51, and 159 to form 398 was et al.[254] achieved by Joullie Recently, the total synthesis of the complex protein phosphatase (PP) inhibitor motuporin (404) was described.[255] The part of this cyclic peptide, consisting of a didehydro amino acid, an a-, two b-, and one g-amino acid, which is of
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

REVIEWS
organic-chemical reactions (two-component reactions), far fewer compounds can be synthesized than with MCRs by several orders of magnitude. If conventional reactions are to lead to large, highly diverse libraries, sequential work is necessary and the chemist inevitably has to go over to solidphase syntheseswith all their advantages and disadvantages. Not so in MCRs, which often also proceed well in solution, but nevertheless open large structure and substance space. A few years ago, we asked ourselves how many starting materials can at most be converted to a product in a one-pot reaction. Our answer was: seven.[257] We were able to show that the A-4CR can be combined with the U-5CR: A-4CR U-5CR  AU-7CR (Scheme 16).[258] The concept of unions of

NH2 396 O + CHO 397 O + + NC PhCOOH 51 159 O N Ph Ph 398 O NH

NH2 O COOH (+)-Furanomycin 399

interest for the bonding to PP1, was synthesized by means of a U-4CR and is therefore easily accessible for diversification. Both of the diastereomers 403 formed in the U-4CR in a ratio of 1:1 are converted into the didehydro amino acid fragment in a later stage of the total synthesis.
NC 230
1. U-4CR

Scheme 16. Schematic representation of the combination concept. The colored areas correspond to MCRs and the overlaps to new combinations of MCRs.

COOMe N ZHN 403 O COOH OBn

COOMe + ZHN CHO + OBn + MeNH2

400

2. HCl/THF, 60oC

COOH

401

402

two or more (M)CRs proved to be productive in the following years, and further examples were described. It has turned out that many such combinations of MCRs are possible if the starting materials are well-chosen. Ideally, the elementary steps of the reactions take place acccording to a program. It is to be expected that many more examples are to come in the next few years. The reactions resulting from the union concept offer a greater structural variety than the simple MCRs. A remarkable seven-component reaction is, for example, the transformation of the a-bromoaldehyde 221 with NaSH (220), another oxo component (111), and ammonia (6) in an

O N H NH

COOH O N O H N NH

Br + +

CHO NaSH NH3

221 220 6 S S N N 407 HN O 408 406 O O

O Motuporin 404 O COOH

+ CHO 111 + + + NC 51 MeOH CO2 405

In this section, several examples for the application of the U-4CR in the synthesis of unnnatural a-amino acids were presented. A series of different auxiliaries which can be removed in mild conditions is available today so that the IMCR should always be considered as a possibility for the synthesis of a-amino acids.

O N O O HN O 410 N O O HN O 411

S N O O

6. The Union Concept

Of all the combinatorial techniques, only split-and-combine methods[256] and MCRs give the chemist the opportunity to examine very large structural space. With the entirety of all
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210
MeOOC N H 409

3203

REVIEWS
Asinger four-component reaction (A-4CR) to form the thiazoline 407, which undergoes a U-4CR with the isocyanide 51 in methanol (405) and under CO2 (406), affording the thiazolidine 408. After optimization of the reaction, 408 was obtained in up to 45 % yield.[257] Oxazine, oxazolidine, and thiazine derivatives (409 411) were also synthesized in this fashion. Further such combinations of MCRs were achieved with multifunctional parent compounds. Thus, anthranilic acid reacts with two equivalents of isobutyric aldehyde, two equivalents of isocyanide, and hydrazoic acid in a Passerini and Ugi reaction (U-4CR P-3CR  UP-5CR) to form 412. Compound 413 is obtained from lysine and a further six components (U-4CR U-4CR  UU-7CR) and 414 from glutamic acid and five other components (U-4CR U5CR  UU-6CR).[259]
H N 415 COOH NH2 CHO + CHO + NC 51 416

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

H N N O COOMe

H N

1. U-4CR 2. Pictet-Spengler 3. O2

417

COOMe O N N H 418

N N H 419 N

COOMe O N H N HO 420 N H COOMe O

NH2 229a COOH + 2 CHO 111 NH 412 O + 2 NC 51 O N N N N

metric protease inhibitors, pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (421) was treated with aldehydes, amines, and isocyanides. In this way, 13 starting materials lead to 8256 products (Scheme 17).[186]

HN3

77

NH

COOMe H N N H O O MeOOC O H N O O H N N H O 414 N O 413 H N

Recently the combination of the Pictet Spengler reaction with the Ugi reaction succeeded: U-4CR PS-2CR. Here, electron-rich aromatic ethylamine derivatives react with dialdehydes and isocyanides, forming structures similar to alkaloids. In the example shown, tryptophane 415 first reacts with phthalic dialdehyde 416 and the isocyanide 51 in an Ugi reaction, the a-amino acid variant, to a nonisolable intermediate which finally affords the pentacycle 417 after a Pictet Spengler reaction and subsequent oxidation. Other aromatic amino acids, such as phenylalanine, histidine, 3,4dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), or tyrosine, were also converted to the products 418 420 in this fashion.[260] An interesting example of how the combination of U-4CRs can lead to very many products is the reaction of a dicarboxylic acid with four each amines, aldehydes, and isocyanides. In view of the construction of pseudo-C2-sym3204

Scheme 17. Construction of pseudo-C2 symmetric protease inhibitors from pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (421), aldehydes, amines, and isocyanides. A total of 8256 compounds are accessible from only 13 starting materials.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

REVIEWS
this way, many classic MCRs were found, but many new MCRs were also discovered. For example, cyclohexanone reacts with benzyl isocyanide, acetic acid, and p-methoxyphenyl hydrazine hydrochloride to form 2,3-dihydrocinnoline 425. The chemistry of the MCRs is more varied than that of the 2CRs by several orders of magnitude. Whereas mainly the chemistry of 2CRs was examined ever since the beginnings of organic chemistry, MCRs were only researched sporadically and only by a few groups. Therefore, the chemistry of the MCRs presents itself rather like a map of the world before the times of the great discoverers: full of white areas. Thus, MCRs offer a large field for diverse and important new discoveries.[264282]

7. Outlook or Can New MCRs Be Found?

Basically, new MCRs can be found in different ways: by reflection (reaction design) or by applying combinatorial techniques (combinatorial reaction finding).[261] Some time ago we discovered that thiocarboxylic acids react in a U-4CR. Interestingly, only one of the two possible regioisomers a-amino thioacylamide and a-aminoacyl thioamide is formed. X-ray analyses prove that the a-amino thioacylamide is the exclusive product. This is in harmony with the different bond strengths (C-S < C-O). Thioamides are known as parent compounds for diverse thiazol syntheses. However, the thioamide obtained in this U-4CR variant is not suitable for any of the known thiazole syntheses due to its substitution pattern. Nevertheless, when methyl b-dimethylamino-a-isocyanoacrylate 282 as the isocyanide component is treated with Schiff bases and thiocarboxylic acids, 2,4disubstituted thiazols such as 424 are formed in one step.[262] It is of great importance that only one of the two possible
O 422 SH N + N MeOOC NC 282 MeOOC 424 + N 423 S N O

Scheme 18. In the products of every MCR, common basic structures can be found. These smallest common atom connectivities can help the synthetic chemist discover an MCR for his target molecule that can simplify its total synthesis.

8. Appendix: Abbreviations
MCR IMCR M-3CR A-4CR PS-2CR U-4CR P-3CR BB-4CR UM-5CR G-3CR 4CC-SSS 4CC-SC HLE MDR CMV multicomponent reaction isocyanide MCR Mannich three-component reaction Asinger four-component reaction Pictet Spengler two-component reaction Ugi four-component reaction Passerini three-component reaction Bucherer Bergs four-component reaction Ugi Mannich five-component reaction Gewald three-component reaction four-component condensation with stereoselective segment coupling segment coupling by means of four-component condensation human leukocyte elastase multiple drug resistance cyto-megalo virus

isomers is formed in the rearrangement in the U-4CR. The other theoretically possible isomer cannot cyclize with bdimethylamino-a-isocyanoacrylic acid derivatives to form a thiazole, as this would lead to a tertiary thioamide and no aromatization could take place. Thus, by choosing a suitable bifunctional parent compound in combination with a new selective acid component, a multicomponent thiazole synthesis was designed and carried out. Can the chemist be given a set of rules or even algorithms and therefore programs which enable him to use MCRs for the total synthesis of natural and medicinal products and in the search for new drugs? The intuitive method of synthesizing desired target molecules by means of MCRs is shown in Scheme 18. The smallest common structural element of a MCR is searched for in the molecule to be synthesized. A combinatorial way of finding new MCRs was presented by Weber et al.[263] A collection of ten compounds with different functional groups was provided (Scheme 19). Then, all MCR combinations of the ten parent compounds were pipetted together automatically, a 10CR variant, ten 9CR variants, etc. In the HPLC analysis, the signals for the starting substances and those from obvious 2CR products were ignored in the evaluation. Reaktions whose product signals passed a predefined threshold value (here: 30 %) were repeated on a preparative scale and analyzed in detail. In
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3168 3210

We thank Gertrud Weidner and Dr. Katrin Illgen for proofreading and Dr. Josef Achatz and Dr. Lutz Weber for fruitful discussions.
Received: May 27, 1999 [A 346IE] [1] a) R. B. Woodward, M. P. Cava, W. D. Ollis, H. Hunger, H. U. Daeniker, K. Schenker, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1954, 76, 4749; b) P. Magnus, M. Giles, Bonnert, C. S. Kim, L. McQuire, A. Merritt, N. Vicker, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 4403; c) S. D. Knight, L. E. Overman, G. Pairaudeau, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 9293; d) M. E. Kuehne, F. Xu, J. Org. Chem. 1993, 58, 7490; e) V. H. Rawahl, Iwasa, J. Org. Chem. 1994, 59, 2685.

3205

REVIEWS

A. Dmling and I. Ugi

Scheme 19. Finding MCRs by means of combinatorial methods: Ten parent compounds with different functional groups are depicted on the rim of a circle. In principle there are 1023 possibilities for these compounds to react with each other if each compound is to react only once. Interestingly, there are many more possibilities for MCRs than for 2CRs with a maximum at 5CRs. Analysis of all combinatorial reaction possibilities led to the discovery of new MCRs, but also the rediscovery of old ones: the MCR of b-amino acids, ketones, and isocyanides to b-lactams (top right), the reaction of a-amino acids, isocyanides, and ketones to give iminodicarboxylic acid derivatives (top left), the classic Passerini reaction of isocyanides, carboxylic acids, and ketones (bottom left) and an example of a new 3CR of aromatic hydrazines, ketones, and isocyanides, which cyclize to dihydrocinnolines in the presence of acetic acid (bottom right). [2] Towards the ideal synthesis: P. A. Wender, S. T. Handy, D. L. Wright, Chem. Ind. 1997, 765. [3] G. Hellmann, H. Opitz, a-Aminoalkylierung, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, 1961. [4] I. Ugi, C. Steinbrckner, DE-B 1,103,337, 1959. [5] At the time, the term collections of compounds was used instead of libraries. [6] J. Drews, Die verspielte Zukunft, Birkhuser, Basel, 1998. [7] I. Ugi, C. Steinbrckner, Chem. Ber. 1961, 94, 734. [8] Other new reviews: a) I. Ugi, A. Dmling, W. Hrl, Endeavour 1994, 18, 430; b) R. W. Armstrong, A. P. Combs, P. A. Tempest, S. D. Brown, T. A. Keating, Acc. Chem. Res. 1996, 29, 123; c) I. Ugi, J. Prakt. Chem. 1997, 339, 499; d) I. Ugi, M. Almstetter, H. Bock, A. Dmling, B. Ebert, B. Gruber, C. Hanusch, S. Heck, K. KehagiaDrikos, K. Lorenz, S. Papathoma, R. Raditschnig, T. Schmid, B. Werner, A. Von Zychlinski, Croat. Chem. Acta 1998, 71, 527; e) I. Ugi, Proc. Estonian Acad. Sci. Chem. 1998, 47, 107; f) A. Dmling, Comb. Chem. High Through. Screen. 1999, 1, 1; g) S. L. Dax, J. L. McNally, M. A. Youngman, Curr. Med. Chem. 1999, 6, 255; h) A. Dmling, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 2000, 4, 318. [9] a) M. Tramontoni, L. Angiolini, Mannich BasesChemistry and Uses, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1994 ; b) H. J. Roth, Pharm. Unserer Zeit 1997, 26, 299. [10] M. Arend, B. Westermann, N. Risch, Angew. Chem. 1998, 110, 1096; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1998, 37, 1044. [11] A. Strecker, Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1850, 75, 27. [12] A, Laurent, C. F. Gerhardt, Ann. Chimie Phys. 1838, 66, 181. [13] R. Robinson, J. Chem. Soc. (London) 1917, 111, 876. [14] a) C. Schpf, Angew. Chem. 1937, 50, 779; b) C. Schpf, Angew. Chem. 1937, 50, 797. [15] A. Hantzsch, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1882, 215, 1. [16] I. Gatterman, T. Wieland, Die Praxis der Organischen Chemie, 43th ed., Walter De Gruyter, Berlin, 1982. [17] a) F. Bossert, W. Vater, Naturwissenschaften 1971, 58, 578; b) F. Bossert, H. Meyer, R. Wehinger, Angew. Chem. 1981, 93, 755; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1981, 20, 762. [18] a) M. Passerini, Gazz. Chim. Ital. 1921, 51, 126; b) M. Passerini, Gazz. Chim. Ital. 1921, 51, 181. [19] a) M. Passerini, Gazz. Chim. Ital. 1922, 52, 432; b) M. I. S. Dewar, Electronic Theory of Organic Chemistry, Clarendon, Oxford, 1949,
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Multicomponent Reactions with Isocyanides

p. 116; c) R. H. Baker, D. Stanonis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1951, 73, 699; d) I. Hagedorn, U. Eberholz, H. D. Winkelmann, Angew. Chem. 1994, 76, 583; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1964, 3, 647; e) T. Carfiglio, P. G. Cozzi, C. Floriani, A. Chiesi-Villa, C. Rizzoli, Organometallics 1993, 12, 2726; f) D. Seebach, G. Adam, T. Gees, M. Schiess, W. Weigand, Chem. Ber. 1988, 121, 507. a) H. Bergs, DE-B 566,094, 1929 ; b) T. Bucherer, H. Barsch, J. Prakt. Chem. 1934, 140, 151. a) B. Radziszewski, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1882, 15, 1499; b) B. Radziszewski, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1882, 15, 2706. A. Hantzsch, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1890, 23, 1474. a) P. Biginelli, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1891, 24, 1317, 2962; b) P. Biginelli, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1893, 26, 447. P. Biginelli, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1893, 26, 447. C. Mannich, W. Krschl, Arch. Pharm. 1912, 250, 647. S. Kubik, R. S. Meissner, J. Rebek, Tetrahedron Lett. 1994, 36, 6635. Carbon monoxide, which is isolobal with isocyanides, also contains a formally divalent carbon. The carbon atom in carbenes is divalent, too. However, most carbenes are extremely short-lived compounds. J. U. Nef, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1892, 270, 267; J. U. Nef, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1899, 309, 126. Reviews: a) P. J. Scheuer, Acc. Chem. Res. 1992, 25, 433 439; b) M. S. Edenborough, R. B. Herbert, Nat. Prod. Rep. 1988, 5, 229 245. a) I. Ugi, U. Fetzer, W. Unterstenhfer, P. E., Behrenz, P. E. Frohberger, H. Schinpflug, G. Unterstenhfer (Bayer AG), DE-B 1,209,798, 1962/1966 ; b) U. Fetzer, I. Ugi, G. Unterstenhfer (Bayer AG), DE-B 1,235,298, 1964/1967; c) U. Eholzer, U. Fetzer, I. Ugi, I. Hammann, G. Unterstenhfer (Bayer AG), DE-B 1,215,141, 1964/1966 ; d) H. L. Yale (E.R. Squibb and Son, Inc.), US-A 1970.000098106, 1970. The diisocyanide xanthocillin was commercially available as a topic antibiotic (Arzneimittelwerk Dresden). N. Fusetani, Curr. Org. Chem. 1997, 1,127. W. Lieke, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1859, 112, 316. A. Gautier, Ann. Chim. (Paris) 1869, 17, 218. A. Demhardter, C. Fleck, personal communication. Values of LD50 1 5 g per kg of body weight(mouse) upon subcutaneous and/or oral application are no exception. 1,4-Diisocyanobutane, however, is extremely toxic according to tests carried out by the Bayer AG (LD50 < 10 mg kg1!). A. Gautier, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1869, 146, 119. Reviews of isocyanides: a) C. Grundman, Methoden Org. Chem. (Houben-Weyl) 4th ed. 1952 , Vol. E5, 1985, p. 1611; b) I. A. ONeil in Comprehensive Organic Functional Group Transformations, Vol. 3 (Eds.: A. R. Katritzky, D. Meth-Cohn, C. W. Rees), Pergamon, Oxford, 1995, p. 963; c) review of fluorinated isocyanides: D. Lentz, Angew. Chem. 1994, 106, 1377; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1994, 33, 1315; d) P. Hoffmann, G. Gokel, D. Marquarding, I. Ugi in Isonitrile Chemistry (Ed.: I. Ugi), Academic Press, New York, 1971, p. 9. a) G. Skorna, I. Ugi, Angew. Chem. 1977, 89, 267; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1977, 16, 259; b) H. Eckert, B. Forster, Angew. Chem. 1987, 99, 927; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1987, 26, 1221. R. Obrecht, R. Herrmann, I. Ugi, Synthesis 1985, 400. G. Giesemann, E. von Hinrichs, I. Ugi, J. Chem. Res (S) 1982, 79. A. Gautier, Ann. Chem. (Paris) 1869, 17, 193; A. Gautier, Ann. Chem. (Paris) 1869, 17, 203. Work with volatile and malodorous isocyanides should always be conducted under well-working exhaust hoods, and all items of equipment that come into contact with the isocyanides should be placed into a bath of dilute mineral acid (RNC H3O 3 RNHRNHCHO). R. Karl, P. Lemmen, I. Ugi, Synthesis 1989, 718. a) G. Skorna, I. Ugi, Chem. Ber. 1978, 111, 3965; b) R. Ashady, I. Ugi, Z. Naturforsch. B 1981, 36, 1202; c) R. Ashady, I. Ugi, Angew. Chem. 1982, 94, 367; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1982, 21, 374; d) Angew. Chem. Suppl. 1982, 761; e) R. Ashady, I. Ugi, Talanta 1984, 31, 842; f) review: R. Ashady, I. Ugi, Polymer 1990, 31, 1164. a) E. Meyer, J. Prakt. Chem. 1866, 147; b) P. Boullanger, G. Descotes, Tetrahedron Lett. 1976, 38, 4327. a) A. Gautier, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1867, 142, 289; b) an improvement of the silver cyanide method with dicyanoargentates

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