Suzuki–Miyaura coupling for general synthesis of dehydrocoelenterazine applicable for 6-position analogs directing toward bioluminescence studies

Synthesis of coelenterazine analogs is in recent demand to supply more luminescent compounds with reasonable stability as substrate for the photoprotein manipulated in a living cells or particular organelle. There are limited methods for the synthesis of 6-substituted coelenterazine due to the route and instability of the compounds under the existing conditions. This paper describes six examples including Suzuki–Miyaura cross coupling reaction with reactive triflate (unstable) and stable tosylate intermediates of the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one. Five examples of 2-amino-3-benzyl-5-O-Tf-pyrazine are also discussed. The product coelenterazine analogs are obtained in the form of dehydrocoelenterazine, which is the substrate of a squid photoprotein, symplectin.