Installation of Minimal Tetrazines through Silver-Mediated Liebeskind-Srogl Coupling with Arylboronic Acids

J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Oct 30;141(43):17068-17074. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b08677. Epub 2019 Oct 22.

Abstract

Described is a general method for the installation of a minimal 6-methyltetrazin-3-yl group via the first example of a Ag-mediated Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling. The attachment of bioorthogonal tetrazines on complex molecules typically relies on linkers that can negatively impact the physiochemical properties of conjugates. Cross-coupling with arylboronic acids and a new reagent, 3-((p-biphenyl-4-ylmethyl)thio)-6-methyltetrazine (b-Tz), proceeds under mild, PdCl2(dppf)-catalyzed conditions to introduce minimal, linker-free tetrazine functionality. Safety considerations guided our design of b-Tz which can be prepared on decagram scale without handling hydrazine and without forming volatile, high-nitrogen tetrazine byproducts. Replacing conventional Cu(I) salts used in Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling with a Ag2O mediator resulted in higher yields across a broad library of aryl and heteroaryl boronic acids and provides improved access to a fluorogenic tetrazine-BODIPY conjugate. A covalent probe for MAGL incorporating 6-methyltetrazinyl functionality was synthesized in high yield and labeled endogenous MAGL in live cells. This new Ag-mediated cross-coupling method using b-Tz is anticipated to find additional applications for directly introducing the tetrazine subunit to complex substrates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Benzodioxoles / pharmacology
  • Boron Compounds / chemistry
  • Boronic Acids / chemistry*
  • Brain / enzymology
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Catalysis
  • Copper / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring / chemical synthesis
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Probes / chemical synthesis
  • Molecular Probes / chemistry*
  • Monoacylglycerol Lipases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Monoacylglycerol Lipases / metabolism
  • Piperidines / pharmacology
  • Silver / chemistry*

Substances

  • 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-yl 4-(bis(benzo(d)(1,3)dioxol-5-yl)(hydroxy)methyl)piperidine-1-carboxylate
  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Benzodioxoles
  • Boron Compounds
  • Boronic Acids
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
  • Molecular Probes
  • Piperidines
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Monoacylglycerol Lipases