Efficient Synthesis of Trisubstituted Pyrazoles and Isoxazoles Using a Traceless “Catch and Release” Solid-Phase Strategy

An efficient three-component, two-step "catch and release" solid-phase synthesis of 3,4,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles and isoxazoles has been developed. The first step involves a base-promoted condensation of a 2-sulfonyl- or a 2-carbonyl-acetonitrile derivative (1 or 7) with an isothiocyanate 2 and in situ immobilization of the resulting thiolate anion on Merrifield resin. Reaction of the resin-bound sulfonyl intermediate 4 with hydrazine or hydroxylamine, followed by release from the resin and intramolecular cyclization, affords 3,5-diamino-4-(arylsulfonyl)-1H-pyrazoles 5 or isoxazoles 6, respectively. Reaction of the resin-bound carbonyl intermediate 9 with hydrazine, on the other hand, leads to 3-(arylamino)-5-aryl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonitriles 10.