Facile synthesis of polypyridine esters: A route to functionalized aldehydes

A wide range of ester-substituted oligopyridines, based on pyridine, 1,8-naphthyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2'-bipyridine, and 2,2':6', 6' '-terpyridine units, has been synthesized and fully characterized. The principal reaction involves the palladium(0)-catalyzed carboalkoxylation of the bromo-, chloro- or triflate-substituted pyridine unit with carbon monoxide in the presence of a primary alcohol as nucleophile and a tertiary amine as base. Monofunctionalization of disubstituted compounds is realized by reaction in ethanol under mild conditions (70 degrees C, 1 atm CO). Stepwise reduction of selected esters with sodium borohydride, followed by Swern oxidation, affords the corresponding carbaldehydes in good yield. Several products are reported for the first time. The synthetic methods reported herein represent a valuable approach to the large-scale preparation of ester-functionalized oligopyridines that can be subsequently transformed to the corresponding alcohols or acids. These procedures also provide a practical methodology to the rational design of ligands bearing different kinds of functionalities.