A domino annulation approach to 3,4-diacylpyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines: decoration of pyrazine units

A new one-pot, sequential three-component access to 3,4-diacylpyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine was achieved from the reaction of an α-haloketone, azide, andN-substituted pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde under mild reaction conditions, through which a polysubstitution pattern on the pyrazine moiety of the scaffold was realized. The formation of multiple bonds (one C-C and two C-N) was enabled by this domino process involving thein situgeneration of α-iminoketones, intermolecular Mannich reaction, intramolecular imine formation, and aromatization. Construction of the relevant 3,4-diacylpyrazino[1,2-a]indole and further expansion of this chemical spaceviasynthetic elaboration of the resulting products were demonstrated as well. Preliminary biological screening of the synthesized derivatives against oral adenosquamous carcinoma cells (CAL-27) and triple negative human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) led us to identify a potent hit compound (7o) having ∼3 times strongerin vitroanticancer activity than that of the anticancer agent, capecitabine.