[Efficient construction of nitrogen-containing heterocycles utilizing CN functional groups and its application to the synthesis of natural products].

Viridicatin derivatives were synthesized from cyanoacetanilides utilizing the CN groups as electron-withdrawing groups and leaving groups. Also, the key scaffolds of glycocitlones were constructed via the intramolecular Houben-Hoesch-type reactions of cyanoacetanilides where the CN groups functioned as electrophiles. It was found that Houben-Hoesch-type reactions of cyanoacetanilides were promoted by α-functionalization such as perfluoroacylation and N,N-dimethylaminomethylenation and that introduction of such substituents at α-position with respect to the CN groups greatly influenced the physical properties and chemical reactivity of the CN groups.