TCFH itself is a common reagent used in the preparation of uronium and guanidinium salts used for amide bond formation and peptide synthesis, such as HATU.[3][4][5]
Amide bond formation with TCFH can be performed in a wide range of organic solvents, most commonly acetonitrile, but also water[6] and in the solid state.[7] Reactions typically require an added Brønsted base, and a wide range can be employed including N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA). In reactions of carboxylic acids with TCFH and a weakly Lewis basic amine like DIPEA, formation of an acid chloride or anhydride as the active acylating agent occurs.[8] Use of N-methylimidazole (NMI) as a base, with both Brønsted and Lewis basic properties, provides some unique advantages. Reactions of carboxylic acids with TCFH and a strongly Lewis basic amine like NMI lead to in situ formation of an N-acyl imidazolium ion (NAI) as the active acylating agent.
These strongly electrophilic NAIs[9][10] allow for reactions with a wide range of nitrogen nucleophiles, including hindered and electron-deficient amines.[11] An added benefit of the use of NMI as the base, due to its low pKa(H2O) of 7,[12] is that the epimerization of labile stereogenic centers is minimized. The reaction by-products have high water solubility, facilitating reaction workup and isolation.
TCFH can also be used in other reactions involving activation of carboxylic acids from reactions with oxygen-, sulfur- and carbon-nucleophiles for the preparation of esters, thioesters and ketones.[13][14] Extending beyond reactions with carboxylic acids, TCFH has been shown to be an activator for other oxygen centered nucleophiles, including heterocyclic alcohols, ketooximes, and even alcohols.[15][16] Reactivity with sulfur centered nucleophiles like thioureas has also been demonstrated.
Safety
TCFH does not exhibit dermal corrosion or irritation but irritates eyes.[17] The sensitization potential of TCFH was shown to be low compared to other common amide bond forming agents (non-sensitizing at 1% in LLNA testing according to OECD 429[18]). The by-product of the reactions of TCFH is tetramethylurea, which has demonstrated embryotoxic and teratogenic activity in several animal species.[19]
References
^Scardovi, Noemi; Garner, Philip P.; Protasiewicz, John D. (2003). "S -(2-Pyridinyl)-1,1,3,3-Tetramethylthiouronium Hexafluorophosphate. A New Reagent for the Synthesis of 2-Pyridinethiol Esters". Organic Letters. 5 (10): 1633–1635. doi:10.1021/ol034253j. PMID12735739.
^Dadali, V.A.; Zubareva, T.M.; Litvinenko, L.M.; Simanenko, Y.S. (1984). "Effect of Structural Factors on the Kinetics of Formation and Reactivity of the Intermediate Product in Acyl Transfer Reaction Catalyzed by Imidazoles". J. Org. Chem. USSR. 20: 1542–1551.