Rapid and diverse route to natural product-like biaryl ether containing macrocycles

A two-step sequence involving an Ugi four-component reaction and an intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) has been developed for the rapid access to biaryl-ether containing macrocycles. In the course of this study, we documented that ammonium chloride can promote the Ugi-4CR in non-polar aprotic solvent (toluene) without the interference of an alternative Passerini reaction. Solid phase synthesis of macrocycles by this two-step sequence was also developed using polymer (Wang resin) supported α-(4′-fluoro-3′-nitro)phenethyl isocyanoacetate as one of the inputs.