Reformatsky-type addition of esters of α-halogeno carboxylic acids to aldehydes and ketones in the presence of Fe(CO)5

Reformatsky-type addition of esters of α-halogeno carboxylic acids to aldehydes and ketones in the presence of Fe(CO)₅ and an activating agent (CBrCl₃ or I₂) afforded the corresponding esters of β-hydroxy acids in good yields. Possible reaction mechanisms are discussed. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1132–1138, June, 1999.     

Stereoselective electrocatalytic cyclization of 3-substituted 2,2-dicyanocyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid esters to form 6-substituted (1R,5R,6R)*-4,4-dialkoxy-5-cyano-2-oxo-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-1-carboxylic acid esters

Electrolysis of 3-substituted 2,2-dicyanocyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid esters in alcohols in an undivided cell in the presence of NaBr or NaOAc afforded 6-substituted (1R,5R, 6R)*-4,4-dialkoxy-5-cyano-2-oxo-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-1-carboxylic acid esters in 80–95% yields. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 102–107, January, 2006.     

Reactions of α-monochloro- and α,α-dichloro-β-oxoaldehyde acetals with bases

α,α-Dichloro-β-oxoaldehyde diethyl acetals decompose under the action of bases (NaOH, MeONa) with cleavage of the carbon-carbon bond and formation of carboxylic acids or their esters and the dichloroacetaldehyde diethyl acetal carbanion. The latter reactsin situ with benzaldehyde to form stable α-chloro-α,β-epoxyacetal. α-Chloro-α-formyl-γ-butyrolactone diethyl acetal is transformed into α-chloro-α-diethoxymethyl-γ-hydroxybutyric acid under the action of an alkali. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 685–687, April, 1998.     

A new oxidation process. Transformation of gem-bishydroperoxides into esters

A new oxidation process has been found where α,ω-dicarboxylic acid esters and ω-hydroxycarboxylic acid esters are formed on heating gem-bishydroperoxides in alcohol in the presence of BF₃·Et₂O. By addition of H₂O₂ to this reaction α,ω-dicarboxylic acid esters are formed almost selectively.     

Kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed alcoholysis of soybean oil in n-hexane

This work investigated the production of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) from soybean oil using n-hexane as solvent and two commercial lipases as catalysts, Novozym 435 and Lipozyme IM. A Taguchi experimental design was adopted considering the variables temperature (35–65°C), addition of water (0–10 wt/wt%), enzyme (5–20 wt/wt%) concentration, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio (1:3–1:10). It is shown that complete conversion in FAEE is achieved for some experimental conditions. The effects of process variables on reaction conversion and kinetics of the enzymatic reactions are presented for all experimental conditions investigated in the factorial design.     

Synthesis of Optically Active α-Methyl β-Hydroperoxy Esters by Diastereoselective Singlet Oxygen Ene Reaction and Horseradish Peroxidase Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution

Summary.  Optically active diastereomeric β-hydroperoxy esters 4 have been prepared by singlet oxygen ene reaction of β,γ-unsaturated esters 3 and subsequent horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalyzed kinetic resolution of the ene product. The highest enantiomeric excess (up to 95%) has been obtained for the isopropyl ester threo-4c, which establishes that the size of the remote ester functionality exercises appreciable control in the enantioselectivity of the enzymatic kinetic resolution. Received December 20, 1999. Accepted (revised) February 11, 2000     

One-step synthesis of α-hydroxy-α-azinylcyanoacetic esters from α-nitro derivatives of α-azinylcyanoacetic esters

When boiled in aromatic hydrocarbons, solutions of α-nitro-α-azinylcyanoacetic esters of the pyrimidine, pyrazine, ands-triazine series gave the corresponding α-hydroxy derivatives of α-azinylcyanoacetic esters in high yields. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1407–1409, July, 1997.     

Three-component catalytic method for synthesis of α-amino phosphonates with the use of α-amino acids as amine component

Interaction of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones with optically active L-α-amino acids or their esters in the three-component catalytic one-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates was studied. The corresponding α-amino phosphonates are formed in high yields as mixtures of diastereomers. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 768–774, April, 2007.     

Substituted benzaldehydes in the darzens condensation with alkyl dihaloacetates

The Darzens reaction of dihaloacetic acid esters with aromatic aldehydes produces either arylhaloglycidic or arylhalopyruvic esters depending on the nature of the substituent in the aromatic ring. Alkyl p-methoxyphenylchloropyruvates undergo spontaneous intermolecular cyclocondensation to form pyranone or furanone derivatives depending on the character of the alkyl fragment. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1402–1410, August, 2006.     

Reaction of N-Acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino Acid Esters with Organic Bases: Mechanism of the Base-Catalyzed Nucleophilic Substitution of the Triphenylphosphonium Group

Summary.  Reactions of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acid methyl esters with organic bases (triethylamine or DBU) were investigated as the crucial step of the base-catalyzed displacement of the triphenylphosphonium group by nucleophiles. It was proved that N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonioglycinates are transformed to an equilibrium mixture of the corresponding N-acyliminoacetates and N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphoranylidene glycinates by bases. In the case of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acid esters with quaternary α-carbon, the α-substituted homologues of the N-acyliminoacetates were detected to be the only primary reaction product which, however, can undergo further tautomerization to the corresponding α,β-dehydro-α-amino acid derivatives. In both these cases the reaction of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acid esters with nucleophiles proceeds via the addition of a nucleophile to the activated C=N double bond of the N-acylimino intermediate. Corresponding author. E-mail: romanm@zeus.polsl.gliwice.pl Received October 31, 2001. Accepted (revised) December 17, 2001     

Optimization of enzymatic production of biodiesel from castor oil in organic solvent medium

We studied the production of fatty acid ethyl esters from castor oil using n-hexane as solvent and two commercial lipases, Novozym 435 and Lipozyme IM, as catalysts. For this purpose, a Taguchi experimental design was adopted considering the following variables: temperature (35–65°C), water (0–10 wt/wt%), and enzyme (5–20 wt/wt%) concentrations and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio (1∶3 to 1∶10). An empirical model was then built so as to assess the main and cross-variable effects on the reaction conversion and also to maximize biodiesel production for each enzyme. For the system containing Novozym 435 as tatalyst the maximum conversion obtained was 81.4% at 65°C, enzyme concentration of 20 wt/wt%, water concentration of 0 wt/wt%, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1∶10. When the catalyst was Lipozyme IM, a conversion as high as 98% was obtained at 65°C, enzyme concentration of 20 wt/wt%, water concentration of 0 wt/wt%, and oil-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1∶3.     

Synthesis of α-nitro derivatives of δ-oxocarboxylic and glutaric acids in heterogeneous catalytic system ionic liquid—KHCO3

An expedient method for the synthesis of α-nitro-δ-oxocarboxylic and α-nitroglutaric acid esters, including ones with isoprenoid substituents, by the solvent-free reaction of the corresponding alkyl α-nitrocarboxylates with activated olefins, assisted by heterogeneous catalytic system KHCO₃—1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF₄]), was elaborated. The product yields remain stable even after eight recycles of the catalytic system. The synthesized dimethyl 2-(poly)prenyl-2-nitropentanedioates upon treatment with Fe in AcOH were reduced to 2-(poly)prenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylates. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1431–1438, August, 2007.     

Synthesis of 4-amino-substituted but-2-en-4-olides

Previously unknown 4-amino derivatives of spiro-annelated Δ²-butenolide were synthesized by the addition of various amines at the activated triple bond of 4-hydroxy-2-alkynoic esters. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2761–2770, December, 2005.     

The Mitsunobu 1-O-esterification of 1-hydroxy-3-phenyl-1H-quinoxalin-2-one 4-oxide

1-Hydroxy-2-oxo-3-phenyl-1,2-dihydroquinoxaline 4-oxide under conditions of the Mitsunobu reaction reacts with alcohols giving the corresponding esters at the hydroxy group in position 1. Other representatives of hydroxamic acids such as 1,4-dihydroxyperhydroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and 1,4-dihydroxy-3,3,6,6-tetramethylpiperazine-2,5-dione undergo destruction under these conditions. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1240–1243, June, 2008.     

Synthesis of glycyrrhizic acid conjugates containing L-lysine

Activated esters and N-hydroxybenzotriazole-N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) or N-hydroxysuccinimide-DCC were used to synthesize conjugates of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) with N^ɛ-carbobenzyloxy-L-lysine [Lys(Z)-OH] and its esters containing two or three amino components. It was shown that the conjugate of GA 30-methyl ester with Lys(Z)-OH possessed anti-HIV-1 activity. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 437–441, September–October, 2006.     

Synthesis of Optically Active α-Methyl β-Hydroperoxy Esters by Diastereoselective Singlet Oxygen Ene Reaction and Horseradish Peroxidase Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution

 Optically active diastereomeric β-hydroperoxy esters 4 have been prepared by singlet oxygen ene reaction of β,γ-unsaturated esters 3 and subsequent horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalyzed kinetic resolution of the ene product. The highest enantiomeric excess (up to 95%) has been obtained for the isopropyl ester threo-4c, which establishes that the size of the remote ester functionality exercises appreciable control in the enantioselectivity of the enzymatic kinetic resolution.     

The Determination of Protonation Constants of Some Amino Acids and Their Esters by Potentiometry in Different Media

In this study, stoichiometric protonation constants of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, L-tryptophane, L-lysine, and L-histidine, and their methyl and ethyl esters in water and ethanol–water mixtures of 30, 50, and 70% ethanol (v/v), were determined potentiometrically using a combined pH electrode system calibrated as the concentration of hydrogen ion. Titrations were performed at 25^∘C and the ionic strength of the medium was maintained at 0.10 mol⋅L⁻¹ using sodium chloride. Protonation constants were calculated by using the BEST computer program. The effect of solvent composition on the protonation constants is discussed. The log₁₀ K₂ values of esters generally decreased with increasing ethanol content. However, the log₁₀ K₁ values of the esters of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, and L-tryptophane were found to increase with increasing ethanol content in contrast those of L-lysine and L-histidine esters.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of esterified diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins and pectenotoxins

Okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxins-1 and -2 (DTX1, DTX2), the toxins responsible for incidents of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), can occur as complex mixtures of ester derivatives in both plankton and shellfish. Alkaline hydrolysis is usually employed to release parent OA/DTX toxins, and analyses are conducted before and after hydrolysis to determine the concentrations of nonesterified and esterified toxins. Recent research has shown that other toxins, including pectenotoxins and spirolides, can also exist as esters in shellfish, but these toxins cannot survive alkaline hydrolysis. A promising alternative approach is enzymatic hydrolysis. In this study, two enzymatic methods were developed for the hydrolysis of 7-O-acyl esters, “DTX3,” and the carboxylate esters of OA, “diol-esters.” Porcine pancreatic lipase induced complete conversion of DTX3 to OA and DTXs within one hour for reference solutions. The presence of mussel tissue matrix reduced the rate of hydrolysis, but an optimized lipase concentration resulted in greater than 95% conversion within four hours. OA-diol-ester was hydrolyzed by porcine liver esterase and was completely converted to OA in less than 30 min, even in the presence of mussel tissue matrix. Esters and OA/DTX toxins were all monitored by LC–MS. Further experiments with pectenotoxin esters indicated that enzymatic hydrolysis could also be applied to esters of other toxins. Enzymatic hydrolysis has excellent potential as an alternative to the conventional alkaline hydrolysis procedure used in the preparation of shellfish samples for the analysis of toxins.     

The use of sulfated tin oxide as solid superacid catalyst for heterogeneous transesterification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jatropha curcas</Emphasis> oil

This work presents the use of sulfated tin oxide enhanced with SiO₂ (SO₄²⁻/SnO₂-SiO₂) as a superacid solid catalyst to produce methyl esters from Jatropha curcas oil. The study was conducted using the design of experiment (DoE), specifically a response surface methodology based on a threevariable central composite design (CCD) with α = 2. The reaction parameters in the parametric study were: reaction temperature (60°C to 180°C), reaction period (1 h to 3 h), and methanol to oil mole ratio (1: 6 to 1: 24). Production of the esters was conducted using an autoclave nitrogen pressurized reactor equipped with a thermocouple and a magnetic stirrer. The maximum methyl esters yield of 97 mass % was obtained at the reaction conditions: temperature of 180°C, reaction period of 2 h, and methanol to oil mole ratio of 1: 15. The catalyst amount and agitation speed were fixed to 3 mass % and 350–360 min⁻¹, respectively. Properties of the methyl esters obtained fell within the recommended biodiesel standards such as ASTM D6751 (ASTM, 2003).     

Synthesis of chiral 5-aryltetrahydrofuran-2-ones via yeast bioreduction of γ-keto acids and their esters

Enantioselective reduction of γ-keto acids and related γ-keto esters with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast) leads to the formation of the corresponding chiral 5-aryltetrahydrofuran-2-ones in satisfactory chemical and optical yields. Published in Zhurnal Organicheskoi Khimii, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 379–382. The text was submitted by the authors in English.