Synthesis of 8-R-9c-alkyl-1-aryl-2-benzyl-1-hydroxy-1,2,9b,9c-tetrahydro-5-oxa-2-aza-cyclopenta[2,3]cyclopropa[1,2-a]naphthalene-3,4-diones and reaction thereof with acetic anhydride

The reaction of zinc enolates synthesized from 1-aryl-2,2-dibromoalkanones and zinc with 6-R-2-oxochromene-3-carboxylic acid N-benzylamide affords 8-R-9c-alkyl-1-aryl-2-benzyl-1-hydroxy-1,2,9b,9c-tetrahydro-5-oxa-2-aza-cyclopenta[2,3]cyclopropa[1,2-a]naphthalene-3,4-diones. Acylation of these compounds is accompanied by an unexpected rearrangement producing a sole geometrical isomer of 4′-alkyl-5′-aryl-1′-benzyl-3,4,2′,3′-tetrahydro-2,2′-dioxospiro[chroman-3,3′-pyrrol]-4-yl acetates.     

Synthesis of new fluorescent 2-(2′,2″-bithienyl)-1,3-benzothiazoles

Bithienyl-1,3-benzothiazole derivatives were synthesised by reacting various 5-formyl-5′-alkoxy- or 5-formyl-5′-N,N-dialkylamino-2,2′-bithiophenes with ortho-aminobenzenethiol in good to excellent yields. Evaluation of the fluorescence properties of these compounds was carried out. They show strong fluorescence in the 450-600 nm region, as well as high quantum yields and large Stokes’ shifts.     

Facile acid-catalyzed condensation of 2-hydroxy-2,2′-biindan-1,1′,3,3′-tetrone with phenols, methoxyaromatic systems and enols

Various phenols, methoxy aromatic compounds, 3- and 4-hydroxycoumarins and enols smoothly condense with 2-hydroxy-2,2′-biindan-1,1′,3,3′-tetrone 1 in an acid medium producing 2-aryl/alkyl-2,2′-biindan-1,1′,3,3′-tetrones in high yields. The adducts of resorcinol, 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene and α- and β-naphthols of 1 preferably remain in the intramolecular hemi-ketal form, confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. On the other hand para and meta substituted phenols condense with 1 in an acid medium to produce 6 or 7 substituted 2′,4-spiro(1′,3′-indanedion)-indeno[3,2-b]chromenes in good yields.     

Two-step synthesis of the bipyrrole precursor of prodigiosins

The key intermediate in the synthesis of prodigiosins, 4-methoxy-2,2′-bipyrrole-5-carboxaldehyde, has been prepared in two steps and 65% overall yield from the commercially available 4-methoxy-3-pyrrolin-2-one.     

A simple one-pot synthesis of functionalised 6-(indol-3-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine derivatives via multi-component reaction under neat condition

A series of 4-aryl-6-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,2-bipyridine-5-carbonitrile derivatives were synthesized via a one-pot multi-component reaction of aromatic aldehydes, 3-(cyanoacetyl)indole and 2-acetyl pyridine in ammonium acetate by conventional heating and microwave irradiation under solvent-free condition. Also a series of 6,6′-di(1H-indol-3-yl)-4,4′-diaryl-2,2′-bipyridine-5,5′-dicarbonitrile derivatives were synthesized using cinnamils, 3-(cyanoacetyl)indole and ammonium acetate. The methodology affords high yields of product at short reaction time.     

S-Transalkylation/ring closing metathesis as a route to azathiamacrocycles incorporating 2,2′-bipyridine subunits

A new route to cyclophanes 6a,b incorporating 2,2′-bipyridine subunits has been elaborated using as the key steps (1) S-transalkylation of 6,6′-bis(methylsulfanyl)-2,2′-bipyridines 2a,b with ethyl bromoacetate resulting in the formation of 6,6′-bis[(ethoxycarbonyl)methylsulfanyl]-2,2′-bipyridines 3a,b and (2) ring-closing metathesis of the corresponding alkenyl ethers 5a,b.     

Efficient bimetallic titanium catalyst for carbonyl-ene reaction

A new family of achiral 3,3′,5,5′-tetrasubstituted-2,2′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy biphenyl ligand 4 was developed. The axial chirality of the ligand could be induced by the chelation of 2,2′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy groups with (R)-BINOL-Ti(OⁱPr)₂ to form an axially chiral bimetallic titanium catalyst 9. Compared with (R)-BINOL-Ti(OⁱPr)₂ catalyst, this novel catalyst 9 exhibited excellent activity and enantioselectivity for the carbonyl-ene reaction of methylstyrene and ethyl glyoxylate. 3,3′,5,5′-Tetrasubstituted groups showed a remarkable effect on both enantioselectivity and yield. With 9d prepared from 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-2,2′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy biphenyl 4d as the catalyst, the best result, up to 97.6% ee and 99% yield, was obtained. Additionally, the bimetallic catalyst 9 also showed better catalytic capability than the corresponding monometallic catalyst.     

One-pot synthesis of 5,5′-dibromo-2,2′-dipyridylacetylene and its boronic acid derivative

5,5′-Dibromo-2,2′-dipyridylacetylene was prepared from 2,5-dibromopyridine and (trimethylsilyl)acetylene via the new one-pot synthesis approach using a regioselective palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction with a 60% yield. Several protocols of lithium-halogen exchange were then attempted to synthesize 6,6′-(1,2-ethynediyl)bis[3-pyridylboronic acid] from 5,5′-dibromo-2,2′-dipyridylacetylene. The former was successfully obtained with a 54% yield by a reverse addition method using toluene and THF and it showed potential as a useful building block for cross-coupling reactions in the formation of carbon-carbon bonds.     

On the oxidative coupling of N,N-disubstituted 2-aminothiophenes—synthesis of N,N′-persubstituted 5,5′-diamino-2,2′-bithiophenes

The oxidative coupling of N,N-disubstituted 2-aminothiophenes performed by several heavy-metal free oxidizing agents gives rise to the formation of N,N′-persubstituted 5,5′-diamino-2,2′-bithiophenes which are of interest as hole-transport materials for optoelectronic applications.     

Investigation on the thermal degradation of acrylic polymers with fluorinated side-chains

The thermal degradation of poly-2,2′,3,3′,4,4′,5,5′,6,6′,7,7′,7″-tridecafluoroheptylacrylate and poly-2,2′,3,3′,4,4′,5,5′,6,6′,7,7′-dodecafluoroheptylmethacrylate has been studied in isothermal conditions at 450-750 °C using pyrolysis-gas chromatography. The type and composition of the pyrolysis products give useful information about mechanism of thermal degradation. It was shown that the main thermal degradation process for both polymers is random main-chain scission. The major degradation products for fluorinated polyacrylate are monomer, dimer, saturated diester, trimer, and corresponding methacrylate. The fluorinated polymethacrylate gives monomer as the main product of thermal destruction. As a result of side-chain reaction, the thermal degradation of the fluorinated polyacrylate also produces remarkable amounts of alcohol. On the other hand, the respective alcohol is only a minor component among the pyrolysis products of the fluorinated polymethacrylate. For both polymers, the main nontrivial degradation product coming from the alkyl ester decomposition is the corresponding fluorinated cyclohexane. The formation of the fluorinated cyclohexanes may be accounted for a nucleophilic bimolecular substitution pathway.     

2,2′,3,4-Tetrahydroxy-3′-sulpho-5′-nitroazobenzene for spectrophotometric determination of aluminium in pharmaceutical suspensions and granite

A selective and sensitive new spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of aluminium. 2,2′,3,4-Tetrahydroxy-3′-sulpho-5′-nitroazobenzene (tetrahydroxyazon SN) formed an orange chelate with aluminium at pH 4. Molar absorptivity of the complex in 1:2 is 5.46 × 10⁴ l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 479 nm. The method obeys Beer's law in the range of 0.005-1.079 μg ml⁻¹. The determination of aluminium is not interfered with by earth alkaline, alkaline elements, rare earth elements, halides, phosphates, sulphates, urea, ascorbic acid, Sn²⁺, Sr²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, or Mn²⁺. The proposed method is rapid and simple, and it has been successfully applied to the determination of aluminium in certified pharmaceutical suspension and granite.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of a 2,2′-bianthracene-based receptor bearing two aza-15-crown-5 ethers for naked-eye detection of barium ion

As a novel chromofluorophore, 9,9′-dimethyl-2,2′-bianthracene 3 has been successfully synthesized by reductive coupling of 2-chloro-9-methylanthracene. Absorbance and fluorescence maxima of 3 can be shifted to visible-region comparing to the former 2,2′-binaphthyl-based receptors. Receptor 2 bearing aza-15-crown-5 moieties via methylene spacer provides selective UV-vis and fluorescence responses for Ba²⁺ due to the restriction of the conformational change through the formation of an intramolecular sandwich-complex by two azacrown ethers, resulting in the presence of Ba²⁺ that can be detected by naked eye in aqueous acetonitrile.     

Synthesis and characterization of coordination polymers of a carboxylato cyclophane with metal [Zn(II) and Cd(II)]-2,2′-bipyridines

N,N′,N′′,N′′′-Tetrakis(3-carboxy-propionyl)-1,6,20,25-tetraaza-[6.1.6.1] paracyclophane, H₄cp has been complexed with metal (Zn(II) and Cd(II)) 2,2′-bipyridyls. The resulting complexes of the composition [{Zn(2,2′-bpy)}₂(cp)]_n·4H₂O 1 and [{Cd(2,2′-bpy)}₂(cp)]_n·5H₂O 2 (2,2′-bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) have been characterized using spectroscopic (IR, solid state UV–Vis), elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. In these complexes the cyclophane coordinates in different modes, and in complex 2, Cd(II) is hepta-coordinated. However, under harsh reaction conditions (using excess nitric acid and a longer reaction time) debranching of the cyclophane is observed in the reaction of Zn(2,2′-bpy)(NO₃)₂ with H₄cp, and a complex of the composition [Zn(2,2′-bpy)(Suc)]_n3 (suc = succinate) is isolated. Using non-covalent interactions, complexes 1 and 2 provide 3D supramolecular structures, whereas an infinite 1D chain structure is observed for complex 3. The thermal and photoluminescence properties of the complexes have also been studied.     

A convenient synthesis of substituted 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines

The 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines 7a-c were prepared in good yield by reacting α-acetoxy-α-chloro-β-keto-esters 3a-c with bis-amidrazone 4 and 2,5-norbornadiene 6 in ethanol at reflux. Compounds 3a and 3b gave the 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines 9a and 9b, respectively, in moderate yield when treated with compound 4 and enamine 8.     

A new series of potentially hexadentate ligands derived from 2,2′-bipyridine

Reaction of 2,2′-bipyridine-6-carboxaldehyde with the appropriate aliphatic diamine in MeOH and subsequent reduction with NaBH₄ gives the new, potentially hexadentate, ligands N,N′-bis(2,2′-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (bmet), N,N′-bis(2,2′-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)propane-1,3-diamine (bmpp) and N,N′-bis(2,2′-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)hexane-1,6-diamine (bmhx). The syntheses and characterisation of these ligands are reported; the ligands are isolated as the hydrochloride salts, with purification effected by either recrystallisation or cation exchange chromatography. [Co(bmet)](ClO₄)₃ · H₂O is obtained on reaction of bmet · 4.25HCl · 2.5H₂O with Na₃[Co(O₂CO)₃] · 3H₂O, and X-ray structural analysis shows this to have a pair of very short Co–N bonds. The synthesis and characterisation of the first coordination complex containing 6-(aminomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine (amb) is also described.     

6,6′-Dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine-4-ester: A pivotal synthon for building tethered bipyridine ligands

We describe an efficient and scalable synthesis of 4-carbomethoxy-6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine starting from easily available substituted 2-halopyridines and based on the application of modified Negishi cross-coupling conditions. This compound is a versatile starting material for the synthesis of 4-functionalized 2,2′-bipyridines bearing halide, alcohol, amine, and other functionalities, suitable for conjugation to biological material (2a-c, 3a-g). The utility of this compound in the construction of more complex architectures was further demonstrated by the synthesis of two bifunctional lanthanide chelators; an open chain ligand based on one 2,2′-bipyridine unit and a cryptand based on three 2,2′-bipyridine units [N₂(bpy)₃COOMe]. In the field of luminophoric biolabels, the photophysical properties of the corresponding Eu(III) cryptate are reported.     

Synthesis of 2,2′-bipyridyl derivatives using aza Diels-Alder methodology

Amidrazone 1 and the tricarbonyl derivatives 2a-c gave the triazines 3a-c, respectively, which reacted with 2,5-norbornadiene 4 in boiling ethanol yielding the corresponding novel 2,2′-bipyridines 5a-c in good yield. Triazine 6 gave the 2,2′-bipyridyl derivative 7 (65%) with compound 4 in 1,2-dichlorobenzene at 140°C.     

A simple synthesis of 2,2′-bipyrroles from pyrrole

2,2′-Bipyrroles, which are obvious precursors for the synthesis of 2,2′-bipyrrole-based natural products, are synthesized in three steps from pyrrole employing known pyrrolyl ketoalcohols by a sequential alcohol oxidation and Paal-Knorr pyrrole synthesis.     

Synthesis and characterizations of 3,3′-bis(diphenylphosphinoamine)-2,2′-bipyridine and 3,3′-bis(diphenylphosphinite)-2,2′-bipyridine and their chalcogenides

New bis(phosphinoamine) and bis(phosphinite) derivatives of 2,2′-bipyridine were prepared through a single step reaction of 3,3′-diamino-2,2′-bipyridine or 3,3′-dihydroxy-2,2′-bipyridine with diphenylchlorophosphine, respectively. Their P = E chalcogenides (E = O, S, Se) were also prepared. All the new compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies. The molecular structure of 3,3′-bis(diphenylthiophosphinite)-2,2′-bipyridine was elucidated by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.