A Re(V)-catalyzed C-N bond-forming route to human lipoxygenase inhibitors.

[reaction: see text] A regioselective synthesis of propargylamines by the coupling of propargyl alcohols with tosylamines and carbamates catalyzed by an air- and moisture-tolerant rhenium-oxo complex is described. The ability to couple functionalized components allows for convergent approaches to nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds such as the marine antibiotic pentabromopseudilin. These compounds were assayed against human lipoxygenase and found to be both potent and selective.