Regioselective Cyclic Iminium Formation of Ugi Advanced Intermediates: Rapid Access to 3,4-Dihydropyrazin-2(1 H )-ones and Other Diverse Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles.

Herein, advanced intermediates were synthesized through Ugi four-component reactions of isocyanides, aldehydes, masked amino aldehyde, and carboxylic acids, including N -protected amino acids. The presence of a masked aldehyde enabled acid-mediated deprotection and subsequent cyclization via the carbonyl carbon and the amide nitrogen. Utilizing N -protected amino acid as a carboxylic acid component, Ugi intermediates could be cyclized from two possible directions to target 3,4-dihydropyrazin-2(1 H )-ones. Cyclization to the amino terminus (westbound) and to the carboxyl terminus (eastbound) was demonstrated. Deliberate selection of building blocks drove the reaction regioselectively and yielded diverse heterocycles containing a 3,4-dihydropyrazin-2(1 H )-one core, pyrazin-2(1 H )-one, and piperazin-2-one, as well as a tricyclic framework with a 3D architecture, 2,3-dihydro-2,6-methanobenzo[ h ][1,3,6]triazonine-4,7(1 H ,5 H )-dione, from Ugi adducts under mild reaction conditions. The latter bridged heterocycle was achieved diastereoselectively. The reported chemistry represents diversity-oriented synthesis. One common Ugi advanced intermediate was, without isolation, rapidly transformed into various nitrogen-containing heterocycles.