Polyfunctional heteroaromatic fused ring systems

Many current therapeutic agents are based on a core structure consisting of a fused ring heteroaromatic polycyclic system. Methodology for the synthesis of a range of these structurally diverse heteroaromatic derivatives is therefore highly desirable and short, high yielding, regioselective and flexible routes to such systems is very important. Our methodology utilises nucleophilic substitution reactions between pentafluoropyridine (PFP) and its derivatives, and various binucleophiles, e.g. The methodology has also been extended to 4-substituted tetrafluoropyridine derivativesand different binucleophiles, resulting in the successful synthesis of, among others, the system shown below. These fused systems are also reactive to further nucleophilic substitutions.