The authors greatly appreciate the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21708051 to X.C.).

CAUTION: Please consult all relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS) before use. Chemicals and solvents used were of reagent grade and were used without further purification. All reactions involving air or moisture-sensitive reagents or intermediates were performed under an argon atmosphere.
1. Preparation of &#945;-Arylidiene Pyrazolinone Species
<ol>
	<li>Preparation of pyrazolones
	<ol>
		<li>Add 40 mL of glacial acetic acid to a 250 mL round-bottom fl...

<ol>
	<li>Rios, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enantioselective+methodologies+for+the+synthesis+of+spiro+compounds.">Enantioselective methodologies for the synthesis of spiro compounds.</a> Chemical Society Reviews. 41 (3), 1060-1074 (2012).</li><li>Khan, R. K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis,+isolation,+characterization,+and+reactivity+of+high-energy+stereogenic-at-Ru+carbenes:+stereochemical+inversion+through+olefin+metathesis+and+other+pathways.">Synthesis, isolation, characterization, and reactivity of high-energy stereogenic-at-Ru carbenes: stereochemical inversion through olefin metathesis and other pathways.</a> Journal of the American Chemical Society. 134 (30), 12438-12441 (2012).</li><li>Wang, X., Han, Z., Wang, Z., Ding, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Catalytic+asymmetric+synthesis+of+aromatic+spiroketals+by+spinphox/iridium(I)-catalyzed+hydrogenation+and+spiroketalization+of+alpha,alpha'-bis(2-hydroxyarylidene)+ketones.">Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of aromatic spiroketals by spinphox/iridium(I)-catalyzed hydrogenation and spiroketalization of alpha,alpha'-bis(2-hydroxyarylidene) ketones.</a> Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 51 (4), 936-940 (2012).</li><li>Kim, N., Sohn, M. 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F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Highly+efficient+hydrogen-bonding+catalysis+of+the+Diels-Alder+reaction+of+3-vinylindoles+and+methyleneindolinones+provides+carbazolespirooxindole+skeletons.">Highly efficient hydrogen-bonding catalysis of the Diels-Alder reaction of 3-vinylindoles and methyleneindolinones provides carbazolespirooxindole skeletons.</a> Journal of the American Chemical Society. 133 (32), 12354-12357 (2011).</li><li>Cayuelas, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enantioselective+Synthesis+of+Polysubstituted+Spiro-nitroprolinates+Mediated+by+a+(R,R)-Me-DuPhos.AgF-Catalyzed+1,3-Dipolar+Cycloaddition.">Enantioselective Synthesis of Polysubstituted Spiro-nitroprolinates Mediated by a (R,R)-Me-DuPhos.AgF-Catalyzed 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition.</a> Organic Letters. 18 (12), 2926-2929 (2016).</li><li>Lacharity, J. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Total+Synthesis+of+Unsymmetrically+Oxidized+Nuphar+Thioalkaloids+via+Copper-Catalyzed+Thiolane+Assembly.">Total Synthesis of Unsymmetrically Oxidized Nuphar Thioalkaloids via Copper-Catalyzed Thiolane Assembly.</a> Journal of the American Chemical Society. 139 (38), 13272-13275 (2017).</li><li>Liu, K., Teng, H. L., Yao, L., Tao, H. Y., Wang, C. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Silver-catalyzed+enantioselective+desymmetrization:+facile+access+to+spirolactone-pyrrolidines+containing+a+spiro+quaternary+stereogenic+center.">Silver-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrization: facile access to spirolactone-pyrrolidines containing a spiro quaternary stereogenic center.</a> Organic Letters. 15 (9), 2250-2253 (2013).</li><li>Zhu, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Asymmetric+[3+++2]+Cycloaddition+of+3-Amino+Oxindole-Based+Azomethine+Ylides+and+alpha,beta-Enones+with+Divergent+Diastereocontrol+on+the+Spiro[pyrrolidine-oxindoles].">Asymmetric [3 + 2] Cycloaddition of 3-Amino Oxindole-Based Azomethine Ylides and alpha,beta-Enones with Divergent Diastereocontrol on the Spiro[pyrrolidine-oxindoles].</a> Organic Letters. 19 (7), 1862-1865 (2017).</li><li>Sun, W., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organocatalytic+diastereo-+and+enantioselective+1,3-dipolar+cycloaddition+of+azlactones+and+methyleneindolinones.">Organocatalytic diastereo- and enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azlactones and methyleneindolinones.</a> Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 52 (33), 8633-8637 (2013).</li><li>Grigg, R., Kilner, C., Sarker, M. A. B., Orgaz de la Cierva, C., Dondas, H. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=X=Y&#8211;ZH+compounds+as+potential+1,3-dipoles.+Part+64:+Synthesis+of+highly+substituted+conformationally+restricted+and+spiro+nitropyrrolidines+via+Ag(I)+catalysed+azomethine+ylide+cycloadditions.">X=Y&#8211;ZH compounds as potential 1,3-dipoles. Part 64: Synthesis of highly substituted conformationally restricted and spiro nitropyrrolidines via Ag(I) catalysed azomethine ylide cycloadditions.</a> Tetrahedron. 64 (37), 8974-8991 (2008).</li><li>Liu, T. L., He, Z. L., Tao, H. Y., Wang, C. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stereoselective+construction+of+spiro(butyrolactonepyrrolidines)+by+highly+efficient+copper(I)/TF-BiphamPhos-catalyzed+asymmetric+1,3-dipolar+cycloaddition.">Stereoselective construction of spiro(butyrolactonepyrrolidines) by highly efficient copper(I)/TF-BiphamPhos-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition.</a> Chemistry. 18 (26), 8042-8046 (2012).</li><li>Wang, L., Shi, X. M., Dong, W. P., Zhu, L. P., Wang, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+construction+of+highly+functionalized+spiro[gamma-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-3,3'-oxindole]+tricyclic+skeletons+via+an+organocatalytic+1,3-dipolar+cycloaddition.">Efficient construction of highly functionalized spiro[gamma-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-3,3'-oxindole] tricyclic skeletons via an organocatalytic 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition.</a> Chemical Communications. 49 (33), 3458-3460 (2013).</li><li>Yetra, S. R., Mondal, S., Mukherjee, S., Gonnade, R. G., Biju, A. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enantioselective+Synthesis+of+Spirocyclohexadienones+by+NHC-Catalyzed+Formal+[3+3]+Annulation+Reaction+of+Enals.">Enantioselective Synthesis of Spirocyclohexadienones by NHC-Catalyzed Formal [3+3] Annulation Reaction of Enals.</a> Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 55 (1), 268-272 (2016).</li><li>Liu, J. Y., Zhao, J., Zhang, J. L., Xu, P. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quaternary+Carbon+Center+Forming+Formal+[3+++3]+Cycloaddition+Reaction+via+Bifunctional+Catalysis:+Asymmetric+Synthesis+of+Spirocyclohexene+Pyrazolones.">Quaternary Carbon Center Forming Formal [3 + 3] Cycloaddition Reaction via Bifunctional Catalysis: Asymmetric Synthesis of Spirocyclohexene Pyrazolones.</a> Organic Letters. 19 (7), 1846-1849 (2017).</li><li>Mondal, S., Mukherjee, S., Yetra, S. R., Gonnade, R. G., Biju, A. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organocatalytic+Enantioselective+Vinylogous+Michael-Aldol+Cascade+for+the+Synthesis+of+Spirocyclic+Compounds.">Organocatalytic Enantioselective Vinylogous Michael-Aldol Cascade for the Synthesis of Spirocyclic Compounds.</a> Organic Letters. 19 (16), 4367-4370 (2017).</li><li>Chen, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Asymmetric+Synthesis+of+Bispiro[&#947;-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-4,4'-pyrazolone]+Scaffolds+Containing+Two+Quaternary+Spirocenters+via+an+Organocatalytic+1,3-Dipolar+Cycloaddition.">Asymmetric Synthesis of Bispiro[&#947;-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-4,4'-pyrazolone] Scaffolds Containing Two Quaternary Spirocenters via an Organocatalytic 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition.</a> European Journal of Organic Chemistry. 2018 (23), 2939-2943 (2018).</li><li>Yang, W., Du, D. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Highly+enantioselective+Michael+addition+of+nitroalkanes+to+chalcones+using+chiral+squaramides+as+hydrogen+bonding+organocatalysts.">Highly enantioselective Michael addition of nitroalkanes to chalcones using chiral squaramides as hydrogen bonding organocatalysts.</a> Organic Letters. 12 (23), 5450-5453 (2010).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

The successful preparation of bispiro[&#947;-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-4,4&#39;-pyrazolone] skeletons is dependent on a number of factors.
The key step of this one-step asymmetric cycloaddition process is the synergistical activation of the &#945;-arylidiene pyrazolinone 1a and cyclic imino ester 2a by the bifunctional squaramide catalyst. It is achieved by the formation of multiple intermolecular hydrogen bonds between catalyst as a hydrogen-bond donor and two...

Chiral spirocyclic compounds found prevalent in natural products, chiral ligands and organometallic complexes have emerged as attractive synthetic targets due to their structural complexity and biological activity1,2,3. Specifically, bispirocyclic scaffolds, featured by three rings with two rigid spirocenters, are structural subunits in many natural products with important biological activities4,5. Consequently, the construction of compounds with stereocontrolled, optically pure bispirocyclic skeletons has drawn great attention over the last few decades. A large number of spirocyclic compounds and their derivatives have been synthesized successfully through organometallic approaches and organocatalytic approaches, for example, asymmetric cycloadditions such as 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions and Diels-Alder reactions6,7,8. However, these molecules are mostly monospirocyclic structures, while bispirocyclic structures are less reported on and limited to the construction of indole-based bispirocycles.
In order to obtain more structurally diverse bispirocyclic compounds, the versatility of cycloaddition synthons for the asymmetric construction of spirocyclic centers has been explored9,10,11. Especially with bifunctional squaramide organocatalysts, azomethine ylide12,13,14, such as &#945;-imino &#947;-lactones, and dipolarophiles, such as alkylidene pyrazolones15,16,17, are able to undergo a simple 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to construct bispirocyclic skeletons with multiple stereocenters, making them the perfect spirocyclization synthons (Figure 1). After the optimization of the structure of organocatalyst and reaction solvent, this cycloaddition process efficiently affords the desired product with high yields and excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivity. Moreover, this reaction exhibits a relatively high structural tolerance on a broad scope of cycloaddition synthons with diverse functional groups18. This new method provides an efficient access to a variety of highly functionalized drug-like compounds with two quaternary spirocenters via a simple organocatalytic cycloaddition, shining lights on its application in the structural diversity-oriented synthesis of this intriguing class of compounds.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:993px;" width="992">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Acetonitrile, anhydrous, 99.9%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Innochem (China)</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">A0080</td>
			<td style="width:205px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">&#945;-amino-&#947;-butyrolactone hydrobromide, 98%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">B23148</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)aniline, 98+%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Adamas</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">48611B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Dichloromethane, 99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G81014H</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">3,4-dimethoxycyclobut-3-ene-1,2-dione, 98+%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Leyan (China)</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">1062550</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Ethanol, 99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G73537B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Ethyl acetate, 99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G23272L</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Ethyl ether,anhydrous,99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G69159B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Ethyl 3-oxobutanoate, 98%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">TCI</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">A0649</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">4-fluorobenzaldehyde, 98%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Innochem (China)</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">A24295</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">&#160;Glacial acetic acid, 99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G73562B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Magnesium oxide, 99+%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">44733</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Magnesium sulfate, 98%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G80872C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Methanol, 99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G75851A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Petroleum ether</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G84208D</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Phenylhydrazine, 98%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Innochem (China)</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">A57671</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:361px;">(S)-(6-methoxyquinolin-4-yl)((1S,2R,4S,5R)-5-vinylquinuclidin-2-yl)methanamine</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">DAICEL Group</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">111240</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Sodium sulfate,anhydrous,99%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">Greagent</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">G82667A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Thiophene-2-carbaldehyde, 98%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">J &#38; K scientific (China)</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">124605</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Triethylamine, 99%</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">J &#38; k scientific (China)</td>
			<td style="width:213px;">432915</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

efficient construction of drug-like bispirocyclic scaffolds via organocatalytic cycloadditions of &#945;-imino &#947;-lactones and alkylidene pyrazolones

Bispirocyclic scaffolds are one of the important structural subunits in many natural products that exhibit diverse and attractive biological activities. Recently, we have developed an efficient organocatalytic strategy, which provides facile access to a variety of enantiomerically enriched bispiro[&#947;-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-4,4&#39;-pyrazolone] skeletons. In this paper, we demonstrate a detailed protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of drug-like bispirocyclic compounds with two spirocyclic carbon centers via an organocatyltic 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. Spirocyclization synthons &#945;-imino &#947;-lactones and alkylidene pyrazolones are prepared first, which are then subjected to a cycloaddition reaction in the presence of a bifunctional squaramide organocatalyst to afford the desired bispirocycles in high yields and excellent stereoselectivities. Chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is carried out to determine the enantiomeric purity of the products, and the d.r. value is examined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The absolute configuration of the product is assigned according to an X-ray crystallographic analysis. This synthetic strategy allows scientists to prepare a diversity of bispirocyclic scaffolds in high yields and excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Various hydrogen-bond donor bifunctional organocatalysts were examined in the presence of organocatalysts in dichloromethane (DCM) at 25 &#176;C (Table 1). The representative synthetic process of organocatalysts is shown in Figure 1. The screening of different organocatalysts (Table 1, entries 1-6) resulted in C5 with excellent stereoselectivity (94% ee, &#62;20:1 d.r., entry 5) and the best yield (85% yield). A further optim...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of Î±-Imino Î³-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones at JoVE.

Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of &amp;#945;-Imino &amp;#947;-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones

Enantiomerically enriched bispiro[&#947;-butyrolactone-pyrrolidin-4,4&#39;-pyrazolone] skeletons are asymmetrically synthesized through a simple organocatalytic 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction.

Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of &#945;-Imino &#947;-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones

Bispirocyclic scaffolds are one of the important structural subunits in many natural products that exhibit diverse and attractive biological activities. ...

This one, three bipolar cycloaddition provides easy access to highly functionalized bispirocyclic compounds. Such compounds contain important scaffolds that have been found in many natural products that exhibit important biological activities. We can apply this organocatalytic cycloaddition to prepare or compress bispirocyclic scaffolds that contains two chiral spiral centers in only one step.This reaction avoids high yields and excellent stereoselectivity. It is critical to ensure that all the reagents and solvents are dry before starting the reaction. Also, the cycloaddition reaction should be carried out under an Argon or Nitrogen atmosphere.Demonstrating the procedure will be Yaping Cheng, a grad student from my laboratory. To prepare the pyrazolone add 45 milliliters of glacial acetic acid to a 250 milliliter round bottom flask containing a magnetic stir bar. Stir the solution at room temperature while adding one equivalent each of hydrazine and ethyl acetoacetate.Then, equip the flask with a reflux condenser. Heat the reaction flask to 120 degrees Celsius in an oil bath, while stirring, for three hours. After cooling the flask to ambient temperature remove the magnetic stir bar, using a stir bar retriever.Concentrate the reaction mixture using a rotary evaporator at 60 degrees Celsius. Next, add 20 milliliters of deionized water to the reaction flask and transfer the solution to a separatory funnel. Extract the aqueous layer three times with 30 milliliters of ethyl acetate.Combine the organic layers in the separatory funnel, and wash them two times with 50 milliliters of brine. Dry the combined organic layers over anhydrous sodium sulfate for one hour. Then, remove the sodium sulfate by gravity filtration.Remove the solvent on a rotary evaporator, under reduced pressure at 35 degrees Celsius to isolate the pyrazolone. To prepare the alpha-arylidiene pyrazolinone, add one equivalent of pyrazolone, one equivalent of benzaldehyde, 0.6 equivalents of magnesium oxide and a magnetic stir bar to an oven-dried 100 milliliter round bottomed flask under Nitrogen atmosphere. Using an airtight syringe, add 40 milliliters of anhydrous acetonitrile and equip the reaction flask with a reflux condenser.Heat the reaction flask to 120 degrees Celsius in an oil bath while stirring for 12 hours. Monitor the progress of the reaction by thin-layer chromatography, or TLC, using a two-to-one mixture of petroleum ether and ethyl acetate as the eluent. After the complete consumption of pyrazolone, cool the reaction flask to room temperature.Then, filter off the magnesium oxide using a celite plug. Remove the excess acetonitrile by using a rotary evaporator under reduced pressure at 35 degrees Celsius. Purify the residue by silica gel column chromatography.eluting with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate to afford the crude product. Add the crude product to a 100 milliliter Erlenmeyer flask, equipped with a magnetic stir bar and add a minimum volume of 95 percent ethanol. Place the flask on a hot plate and bring it to a gentle boil with stirring until the entire solid is just dissolved.Then, remove the flask from the hot plate and cool it slowly without any agitation to form the alpha-arylidiene product as pure crystals. To prepare the alpha-imino gamma-lactone, add one equivalent each of alpha-imino-gamma-butyrolactone hydrobromide, magnesium sulfate, triethylamine, and a magnetic stir bar to an oven-dried 100 milliliter round bottom flask under Nitrogen atmosphere. Using an airtight syringe, add 36 milliliters of anhydrous dichloromethane to the reaction flask and stir the reaction mixture at room temperature for one hour.Then, add 1.1 equivalent of the desired thiophene-two-formaldehyde to the solution and stir for another 12 hours. Monitor the progress of the reaction by TLC using a four-to-one mixture of petroleum ether and ethyl acetate as the eluent until complete consumption of the lactone species has occurred. Then, filter off the reaction using filter paper with a pour size of 30 to 50 microns.Next, add five milliliters of deionized water to the resulting mixture and separate the organic layer from the aqueous phase. Extract the aqueous phase two times with 30 milliliters of dichloromethane. Combine the organic layers in the separatory funnel and wash them two times with 50 milliliters of brine.Dry the combined organic layers over anhydrous sodium sulfate for one hour. Remove the sodium sulfate by gravity filtration. Then, remove the solvent on rotary evaporator under reduced pressure at 35 degrees Celsius.Add one equivalent of alpha-arylidiene pyrazolinone 1.2 equivalents alpha-imino-gamma-lactone and a magnetic stir bar to an oven-dried 15 milliliter round bottomed flask under a nitrogen atmosphere. Using an airtight syringe add 10 milliliters of anhydrous ethyl ether to the reaction flask. Then add 0.1 equivalent of the bifunctional squaramide catalyst to the solution and stir the reaction mixture at 40 degrees Celsius.Monitor the progress of the reaction by TLC. Using a four-to-one mixture of petroleum ether and ethyl acetate as the eluent. After the reaction is complete, concentrate the mixture using a rotary evaporator at 40 degrees Celsius.Purefy the residue by a silica gel column chromatography eluting with a four-to-one mixture of petroleum ether and ethyl acetate to afford the final product. Characterize the final product by proton and carbon NMR spectra using a 400 megahertz NMR spectrometer. Determine the enantiomeric excess of the product using a chiral HPLC column.The representative synthetic process of the bifunctional squaramide catalyst is shown here. The screening of different organo-catalysts resulted in C5 with excellent stereoselectivity, and the highest yield. Further optimization of the solvent suggested that ethyl ether was preferable in this synthetic process.A variety of substituents of two spirocyclization synthons with different functional groups were tested successfully using the optimized model reaction conditions, affording the desired bispirocycles in good to excellent yields and stereoselectivity. The structure of bispirocyclic products was confirmed by proton and carbon NMR spectroscopy. Representative HPLC chromatograms have the racemic and chiral compound 3E are shown here.X-ray crystallography of compound 3E revealed the absolute configuration as 5S, 6R, 7R, 13R. The single crystal structure of 3E is shown here. Make sure all of the reagents and solvents are dry before starting the reaction.Also, the reaction should be performed in an Argon or Nitrogen atmosphere. With this drug-like bispirocyclic production here, we can investigate their biological activities in order to explore their potential impact on protein and cellular levels and their applications in drug discovery. With new tactics, researchers are able to explore the possible biological functions of these bispirocyclic compounds, their influences on proteomic and cellular activities and the cross-bonding mechanisms.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Chemistry

6.8K Views.  Lanzhou University. This one, three bipolar cycloaddition provides easy access to highly functionalized bispirocyclic compounds. Such compounds contain important scaffolds that have been found in many natural products that exhibit important biological activities. We can apply this organocatalytic cycloaddition to prepare or compress bispirocyclic scaffolds that contains two chiral spiral centers in only one step.This reaction avoids high yields and excellent stereoselectivity. It is critical to ensure tha...

Video: Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of &#945;-Imino &#947;-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones