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Published on: January 19, 2016
Synthesis of α-Deuterated Primary Amines via Reductive Deuteration of Oximes Using D2O as a Deuterium Source
Lei Ning1, Hengzhao Li1, Zemin Lai1
1Department of Chemistry and Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Abstract:
Selective introduction of the deuterium atom into the α-position of amines is important for the development of all types of novel deuterated drugs and agrochemicals due to the pervasive presence of amines. In this study, we report the first general single-electron-transfer reductive deuteration of both ketoximes and aldoximes using SmI2 as an electron donor and D2O as a deuterium source for the synthesis of α-deuterated primary amines with excellent levels of deuterium incorporations (>95% [D]). This protocol exhibits excellent chemoselectivity and tolerates a variety of functional groups. The potential application of this new method was showcased in the synthesis of deuterated drugs, such as rimantadine-d4, the tebufenpyrad analogue, derivatives of nabumetone and pregnenolone, and a series of building blocks for the rapid and general assembly of deuterated drugs and pesticides.
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