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Functionalized pyrazole-urea scaffolds are a common type II chemotype for the inhibition of protein kinases (PKs), binding simultaneously into the ATP-binding pocket with an ATP bioisostere and into a vicinal allosteric pocket with a pyrazole group. Standard approaches to the scaffold require multi-step synthesis of the ATP bioisostere followed by phosgene or triphosgene-mediated coupling with the substituted pyrazole group. Here we report an expedient approach to the chemotype, characterized by an optimized MW-assisted Suzuki coupling on easily accessed bromo-phenyl pyrazole ureas. The new protocol allowed quick access a large library of target analogues covering a broad chemical space of putative protein kinases inhibitors (PKIs).

The generation of hydrogen from water represents an important task towards a carbon neutral economy. Within this context, the preparation of hybrid electrodes merging the versatility of solid-state porous substrates and the catalytic ability and tunability of molecular complexes represents a great challenge. In the present work, we report on the preparation of hybrid cathodes for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) through an unprecedented combination of single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) and two novel cobalt(II) polypyridine complexes based on the tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) ligand scaffold. Suitable pyrene groups are introduced in the ligand framework in different positions to provide a way for direct anchoring onto the carbonaceous substrate by exploiting non-covalent π–π interactions. The present systems behave as competent cathodes for the HER in neutral aqueous solution with overpotentials of η ∼ 0.5 V and stable current densities (within 1 h electrolysis) up to −0.50 mA cm−2, whose exact values depend on the catalyst used and are mainly related to the respective loading on the electrode surface. In both cases, hydrogen evolution is detected under continuous electrolysis for up to ca. 12 h leading to maximum turnover numbers (TONs) of 4700 and 9180 molH2 molCo−1 for the two different complexes. The progressive deactivation under electrolytic conditions is mainly ascribed to leaching of the metal centre from the polydentate ligand, likely occurring from the competent catalytic intermediates involved in the HER.