Water-soluble organocatalysts for hydrazone and oxime formation

The formation of oximes and hydrazones is widely used in chemistry and biology as a molecular conjugation strategy for achieving ligation, attachment, and bioconjugation. However, the relatively slow rate of reaction has hindered its utility. Here, we report that simple, commercially available anthranilic acids and aminobenzoic acids act as superior catalysts for hydrazone and oxime formation, speeding the reaction considerably over the traditional aniline-catalyzed reaction at neutral pH. This efficient nucleophilic catalysis, involving catalyst-imine intermediates, allows rapid hydrazone/oxime formation even with relatively low concentrations of the two reactants. The most efficient catalysts are found to be 5-methoxyanthranilic acid and 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid; we find that they can enhance rates by factors of as much as 1-2 orders of magnitude over the aniline-catalyzed reaction. Evidence based on a range of differently substituted arylamines suggests that the ortho-carboxylate group in the anthranilate catalysts serves to aid in intramolecular proton transfer during imine and hydrazone formation.