Heteroaromatic swapping in aromatic ketones

Hikaru Nakahara, Ryotaro Shirai, Yoshio Nishimoto, Daisuke Yokogawa and Junichiro Yamaguchi ()
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Hikaru Nakahara: Waseda University
Ryotaro Shirai: Waseda University
Yoshio Nishimoto: Kyoto University
Daisuke Yokogawa: The University of Tokyo
Junichiro Yamaguchi: Waseda University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The modification of aromatic rings to heteroaromatic rings is a widely employed strategy in medicinal chemistry, often used to modulate lipophilicity and improve metabolic stability. However, achieving a one-step, generalizable transformation of aromatic rings into diverse heteroaromatic rings—termed “heteroaromatic swapping”—remains a persistent challenge. Existing methods, such as skeletal editing and transition-metal-catalyzed aromatic ring exchange, are limited in substrate scope and efficiency. Here, we present an efficient strategy for heteroaromatic swapping via a Claisen/retro-Claisen mechanism, utilizing heteroaryl esters and aromatic ketones. This approach enables the selective exchange of aromatic rings with heteroaromatic rings across a broad substrate range, overcoming the limitations of existing techniques. Notably, it achieves high-yield conversions of bioactive aromatic ketones into their heteroaromatic counterparts. This method expands the molecular editing toolkit, offering a practical and versatile platform for synthesizing bioactive compounds with enhanced physicochemical properties.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64041-6

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