Benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2-d]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines: Regioselective synthesis of a Novel Ring System, DFT-based NMR prediction, local reactivity indexes, and MEP analysis

Novel benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2-d]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines were prepared as a new ring system utilizing a regioselective protocol. A mixture of the appropriate 3,5-diamino-1H-pyrazoles and benzosuberone-based enones in ethanolic potassium hydroxide solution was heated at reflux for 5 h to produce the novel benzosuberone-fused pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines in 87–94 % yields. Both spectral data as well as elemental analyses were used to establish the structure of the novel products. Theoretical calculation of chemical shifts of NMR spectra is a powerful tool in analyzing experimental spectra for known substrates as well as elucidating the chemical structure for unknown ones. Using the DFT-GIAO approach under the B3LYP and mPW1PW91 functions, as well as a variety of basis sets, including 6–31G(d,p), 6–31+G(d), 6–311G(d), 6–311+G(d,p), 6–311++G-(d,p), and 6–311+G(2d,p), the chemical shifts of 1H- and 13C NMR in DMSO were calculated. The results that are most similar to the experimental observations are obtained from the computation of the chemical shift values under the 6–31G(d,p) or 6–31+G(d,p) basis sets and mPW1PW91 when using the multistranded approach. By identifying the preferred regions for electrophilic and nucleophilic attack, DFT-based FMO, global descriptors, local reactivity indexes, and MEP mapping were applied at the B3LYP function using the 6–31+G(d,p) basis set to provide additional insight into the regioselectivity in the desired reaction as well as the plausible mechanism for the formation of new products.