Molecules 2014, 19, 16737-16756; doi:10.3390/molecules191016737 OPEN ACCESS molecules ISSN 1420-3049 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules Article Intramolecular Azide to Alkene Cycloadditions for the Construction of Pyrrolobenzodiazepines and Azetidino-Benzodiazepines Karl Hemming 1,*, Christopher S. Chambers 1,2,†, Faisal Jamshaid 1 and Paul A. O’Gorman 1,† 1 Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 3DH, UK 2 Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, Praha 4, 142 20, Czech Republic † These authors contributed equally to this work. * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +44-(0)-1484-472188; Fax: +44-(0)-1484-472182. External Editor: Derek J. McPhee Received: 31 July 2014; in revised form: 26 September 2014 / Accepted: 13 October 2014 / Published: 17 October 2014 Abstract: The coupling of proline- and azetidinone-substituted alkenes to 2-azidobenzoic and 2-azidobenzenesulfonic acid gives precursors that undergo intramolecular azide to alkene 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to give imine-, triazoline- or aziridine-containing pyrrolo[1,4]benzodiazepines (PBDs), pyrrolo[1,2,5]benzothiadiazepines (PBTDs), and azetidino[1,4]benzodiazepines. The imines and aziridines are formed after loss of nitrogen from a triazoline cycloadduct. The PBDs are a potent class of antitumour antibiotics. Keywords: cycloaddition; 1,3-dipole; azide; pyrrolobenzodiazepine; azetidinone; antitumour; antibiotic; β-lactam 1. Introduction The pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs), of which the natural products abbeymycin (1), DC-81 (2) and fuligocandin B (3) (Figure 1) are typical examples, are a class of molecule that has attracted significant Molecules 2014, 19 16738 interest due the antitumour and antibiotic activity of several members [1–5].