The reaction of cinnamaldehyde and cinnam(o)yl derivatives with thiols

Spurred by the alleged relevance of the thia-Michael reaction in the bioactivity of various classes of cinnam(o)yl natural products and by the development of a quick NMR assay to study this reaction, we have carried out a systematic study of the “native” reactivity of these compounds with dodecanethiol and cysteamine as models, respectively, of simple thiols and of reactive protein thiols that can benefit from iminium ion catalysis in Michael reactions. In contrast with what commonly assumed in the literature, cinnamoyl esters and amides as well as cinnamyl ketones and oximes, did not show any reactivity with the two probe thiols, while cinnamaldehyde (1a) reacted with cysteamine to afford a mixture of a thiazoline derivative and compounds of multiple addition, and with aliphatic thiols to give a single bis-dithioacetal (6). Chalchones and their vinylogous C5-curcuminoid derivatives were the only cinnamoyl derivatives that gave a thia-Michael reaction. From a mechanistic standpoint, loss of conjugation in the adduct might underlie the lack of native Michael reactivity with thiol, that is restored by the presence of another conjugating group on the carbonyl, as in chalcones and C5-curcuminoids. A critical revision of the chemical and biomedical literature on cinnamaldehyde and related compounds seems therefore required.