Photoreactions of 1,4-Naphthoquinones: effects of substituents and water on the intermediates and reactivity

The photochemistry of lapachol and other 1,4-naphthoquinone (NQ) derivatives, e.g. 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (MeONQ), 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (2-HONQ) or 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (5-HONQ) and 2-methyl-5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (P-NQ) in solution at room temperature was studied by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy after nanosecond laser pulses at 248 nm. The triplet state and semiquinone radicals were observed for MeONQ, HONQ and P-NQ, whereas for lapachol, intramolecular H-atom and charge transfer processes take place, as in the case of vitamin K1. The photoinduced reaction of NQ into HONQ is initiated by nucleophilic water addition to the triplet state, and for the secondary reactions, a modified mechanism is proposed.     

Oxygen uptake upon photolysis of 1,4-benzoquinones and 1,4-naphthoquinones in air-saturated aqueous solution in the presence of formate, amines, ascorbic acid, and alcohols

The effects of oxygen in the photoreduction of 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ), 1,4-naphthoquinone (NQ), and a series of derivatives were studied in aqueous solution in the presence of acetonitrile and formate, aliphatic amines, e.g., EDTA or triethylamine, ascorbic acid, and alcohols, e.g., methanol or 2-propanol. The quinone triplet state is quenched, whereby the semiquinone and donor radicals are formed which react subsequently with oxygen. The overall reaction is oxidation of the donors and conversion of oxygen via the hydroperoxyl/superoxide radical into hydrogen peroxide. The quantum yield (Phi-O2) of this oxygen uptake changes in 2-propanol-water (1:10) from <0.01 for BQ to Phi-O2 = 0.5-0.8 for NQ. Generally Phi-O2 increases with increasing donor concentration. The specific properties of quinone structure, the radical equilibria and reactivity, and the concentration dependences are discussed.     

Catalytic Oxidative Conversion from Naphthol to 2-Hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone over Iron Porphyrin Catalysts by Molecular Oxygen in an Alkaline 2-Propanol Solution

In an alkaline 2-propanol solution with 5, 10,15,20-tetra (4-methoxyl phenyl) porphyrin iron chloride (TOMPPFeCl) as a catalyst and oxygen as a cheap green oxidant, 2-naphthol was conversed to 2-hydroxy-1 ,4-naphthoquinone(HNQ) with a yield of 62. 17% and a selectivity of 100%, and the conversion number of TMOPPFeCl catalyst was 8.32/min. The catalytic oxidation products were characterized by means of UVVis, IR, GC-MS, ^1H NMR and melting point determination. In this catalytic oxidation, the catalytic activity of TMOPPFeCl was researched in detail and the reacting conditions were optimized. A possible reaction mechanism is summarized based on in situ EPR determination.     

Über die reaktion von α- und β -tetralon mit kaliumsuperoxid

The reaction of α- and β-tetralone with potassium superoxide is described. In addition to 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone α-naphthol is formed from α-tetralone and β-naphthol and 2-carboxy-benzenepropionic acid from β-tetralone.     

Electron transfer from aromatic amino acids to triplet quinones

The photoreduction of 1,4-benzoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and several methylated or halogenated derivatives in argon-saturated acetonitrile-water mixtures by indole, N-acetyltryptophan and N-acetyltyrosine was studied by time-resolved UV-vis spectroscopy using 20 ns UV laser pulses. The quinone triplet state is quenched by the aromatic amino acids and the rate constants are (1-5)x10(9)M(-1)s(-1). The semiquinone radical anion Q.(-) is the major observable transient after electron transfer from amino acids to the quinone triplet state. Termination of Q.(-) and amino acid derived radicals takes place in the mus-ms range. The effects of structure and other specific properties of quinones and amino acids are discussed. The radicals are subjects of intercept with oxygen, whereby hydrogen peroxide is eventually formed. The quantum yield of oxygen uptake Phi(-O2) as a measure of formation of hydrogen peroxide increases with increasing amino acid concentration, approaching Phi(-O2) for AQ in air-saturated solution.     

Electrochemical study of oxygen interaction with lapachol and its radical anions

Cyclovoltammetric studies were performed with lapachol [2-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone], in the absence and presence of oxygen, which aimed to investigate possible oxygen interaction with lapachol and its radical anion. The obtained results clearly indicate the consumption of the semiquinone anion-radicals by oxygen in an EC type reaction, generating the deprotonated form of lapachol and HOO*. The observed generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after electron transfer can be related to the mechanism of biological action of lapachol.     

Concise formal total synthesis of hybocarpone and related naturally occurring naphthazarins

A concise formal total synthesis of the cytotoxic bisnaphthazarin derivative hybocarpone has been completed through the development of routes to the synthetic precursor, 3-ethyl-2-hydroxy-5,7,8-trimethoxy-6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone. The oxidation of 3-ethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexamethoxy-6-methylnaphthalene under Rapoport conditions gave 3-ethyl-2-hydroxy-5,7,8-trimethoxy-6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone in modest yields after basic hydrolysis. In addition, treatment of 3-ethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexamethoxy-6-methylnaphthalene with boron tribromide provided access to the naturally occurring naphthazarin, boryquinone. The analogous oxidative demethylation of 3,6-dimethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexamethoxynaphthalene and 3-ethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexamethoxynaphthalene resulted in the synthesis of 2,5,7,8-tetrahydroxy-3,6-dimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (aureoquinone) and 3-ethyl-2,5,7,8-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, respectively. An alternative selective synthetic route to 3-ethyl-2-hydroxy-5,7,8-trimethoxy-6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone was also developed utilizing an intramolecular Claisen condensation of methyl 2-butyryl-3,5,6-trimethoxy-4-methylphenylacetate with concomitant in situ aerial oxidation.     

Oxidation of 7-ethyl-2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (echinochrome A) by atmospheric oxygen 1. Structure of dehydroechinochrome

The nondestructive oxidation of 7-ethyl-2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone by atmospheric oxygen in the ground (triplet ³Σ_g^–) and excited (singlet ¹Δ_g) states in different solvents (acetone, dioxane, ethanol, aqueous ethanol, water) at room temperature involves the initial formation of 7-ethyl-5,6,8-trihydroxy-2,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1,4-naphthoquinone (dehydroechinochrome) accompanied by the release of an H₂O₂ molecule into the reaction medium. Dehydroechinochrome, being highly susceptible to hydration, successively reacts with two H₂O molecules to form 7-ethyl-2,2,3,3,5,6,8-heptahydroxy-2,3-dihydro- 1,4-naphthoquinone as the relatively stable final product. In this form, it can be isolated from the mixture of reaction products.     

Characterization, reactivity and photosensitizing properties of the triplet excited state of alpha-lapachone

alpha-Lapachone is a natural 1,4-naphthoquinone with promising biological activity. The fused dihydropyran ring present in its structure, acting as formal 2-alkoxy and 3-alkyl substituents to the quinone moiety, endows this compound with milder redox properties and lower toxicity, when compared with other bioactive 1,4-quinones. Its photochemistry, here reported, seems to originate from the triplet state, which shows pipi* character. Triplet quenching in acetonitrile solution with added hydrogen-atom donors such as 1,4-cyclohexadiene or 2-propanol is inefficient, independent of solvent polarity, and leads to formation of the semiquinone radical. With phenol and indole, quenching rate constants are two orders of magnitude higher, but smaller than the value for triethylamine. In the first two cases the semiquinone radical can be detected by laser flash photolysis and in the last case, the anion radical derived from alpha-lapachone is readily detected. The semiquinone radical can also be observed in the quenching of triplet alpha-lapachone by 2'-deoxyguanosine and by the methyl esters of L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine, whereas for L-cysteine methyl ester the quenching rate constant is very slow. Triplet alpha-lapachone is not quenched by thymine, thymidine, 2'-deoxycytosine or 2'-deoxyadenosine; this is probably due to its pipi* character and low energy, which prevents oxetane formation and triplet-triplet energy transfer, respectively. Steady-state photolysis of aerated solutions of these compounds in the presence of alpha-lapachone does not show evidence of decomposition, whereas similar experiments with 2'-deoxyguanosine result in efficient consumption of the nucleoside. Singlet oxygen is formed from triplet alpha-lapachone, and a quantum yield of 0.68 is measured.     

Radical decomposition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N</Emphasis>-bis-(3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinon-2-yl) amine in basic conditions followed by EPR

EPR spectroscopy was used to assess the radicals produced upon basic decomposition of N,N-bis-(3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinon-2-yl) amine (BClNQA). Three radicals have been trapped and identified: N-bis(3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone) hydrazine radical (6), 2-hydroxy-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone anion radical (9) and 2-amino-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone radical (8). The probable reaction mechanism, the structure of intermediates as well as the reaction profile are discussed.     

A new combination of cyclohexylhydrazine and IBX for oxidative generation of cyclohexyl free radical and related synthesis of parvaquone

The present paper demonstrates a single-step and straightforward synthesis of parvaquone through intermediacy of cyclohexyl radical generated from novel combination of cyclohexylhydrazine and o-iodoxybenzoic acid and subsequently trapped by 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone. Formation of cyclohexyl free radical using this new combination was reaffirmed by cyclohexylation of readily available 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone.     

CIDEP and kinetics of 1,4-naphthosemiquinone radicals during photoreduction

Light modulated CIDEP experiments and T₁ measurements were performed on solutions of 1,4-naphthoquinone. Solvents were 2-propanol and 2-butanol and temperatures ?4 and ?21°C. Experiments with different concentrations of 1,4-naphthoquinone provided strong evidence for secondary polarization in 2-propanol. For 2-butanol the evidence was less convincing. The temperature dependence of the chemical decay rate constant confirmed the termination reaction as a diffusion controlled process. The experimental data for the initial polarization displayed no hyperfine dependency. They were readily accounted for the microscopic theory for the triplet mechanism considering the uncertaintly in the parameters characterizing the triplet state of 1,4-naphthoquinone. The experimental values for the radical pair polarization showed some scatter. However, their average values were found in satisfactory agreement with those calculated from the microscopic theory for bimolecular termination between 1,4-naphthosemiquinone radicals.     

维生素K3电化学反应机理的紫外光谱电化学研究

用薄层池循环伏安法和现场薄层池紫外光谱电化学法研究了维生素Ｋ３（ＶＫ３）在铂电极上的电化学反应机理。薄层池循环伏安实验结果表明：ＶＫ３的电化学反应为二步１ｅ准可逆过程，现场薄层池紫外光谱电化学的实验结果和Ｎｅｒｎｓｔ图解分析表明：电解还原反应的最后产物为２－甲基－１，４－萘酚。该反应偶合有前行化学反应；还原产物经电解氧化的产物为２－甲基－１，４－萘酚。该反应偶合有前行化学反应；还原产物经电解氧化的     

Unexpected transformation of 1,1"-methylenebis(2-naphthol) into 1,2,1",2"-tetrahydrospiro(naphthalene-1,3"-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran)-2-one, a spirodimer of 1,2-naphthoquinone 1-methide, in the presence of boric acid and paraformaldehyde

When heated in benzene with paraformaldehyde and boric acid, 1,1"-methylenebis(2-naphthol) easily decomposes to 1,2-naphthoquinone 1-methide, which dimerizes into a spirodimer. The by-product of the reaction is 14Í-dibenzo[a,j]xanthene.     

Synthesis of 3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl pyranonaphthoquinone analogues of medermycin

The synthesis of an isomeric mixture of 4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl analogues 6 of the C-glycosylpyranonaphthoquinone antibiotic medermycin is described. The key 3-acetyl-6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 8 was prepared via Stille coupling of 6-(3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-3-bromo-1,4- naphthoquinone 17 with (alpha-ethoxyvinyl)tributyl-stannane followed by hydrolysis and oxidation of the resultant hydroquinone 18. Bromonaphthoquinone 17 in turn was afforded by oxidative demethylation of 6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-3- bromo-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 16 formed by regioselective bromination of 6-(4-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy- beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 10. This latter naphthalene 10 was prepared via direct C-glycosylation of naphthol 12 with glycosyl donor 11 using BF3.Et2O in acetonitrile. The regioselectivity of the bromination of naphthalene 10 was independently determined by reductive monomethylation of the 6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 22 to naphthol 23 followed by selective ortho bromination to bromide 24 and methylation to 16. Attempts to effect acetylation of 6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-3-bromo-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 16 and 3-bromo-6-(3-dimethylamino-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino- hexopyranosyl)-1,4,5-trimethoxynaphthalene 26 via Stille coupling with (alpha-ethoxyvinyl)tributylstannane were low yielding thereby establishing the necessity to use an azido group as a latent dimethylamino group and a more electrophilic bromonaphthoquinone as the coupling partner for the Stille reaction. Addition of 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran 9 to 3-acetyl-6-(4-O-acetyl-3-azido-2,3,6-trideoxy-beta-D-arabino-hexopyranosyl)- 5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 8 afforded the furofuran adducts 7 and 19 as an inseparable mixture of diastereomers. Oxidative rearrangement of this diastereomeric mixture using ceric ammonium nitrate afforded the inseparable diastereomeric furonaphthopyrans 6 and 20.     

Quinone sensitized electron transfer photooxidation of nucleic acids: chemistry of thymine and thymidine radical cations in aqueous solution

The 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (MQ) sensitized photooxidation of nucleic acid derivatives has been studied by laser flash photolysis and steady state methods. Thymine and thymidine, as well as other DNA model compounds, quench triplet MQ by electron transfer to give MQ radical anions and pyrimidine or purine radical cations. Although the pyrimidine radical cations cannot be directly observed by flash photolysis, the addition of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (TMPD) results in the formation of the TMPD radical cation via scavenging of the pyrimidine radical cation. The photooxidation products for thymine and thymidine are shown to result from subsequent chemical reactions of the radical cations in oxygenated aqueous solution. The quantum yield for substrate loss at limiting substrate concentrations is 0.38 for thymine and 0.66 for thymidine. The chemistry of the radical cations involves hydration by water leading to C(6)-OH adduct radicals of the pyrimidine and deprotonation from the N(1) position in thymine and the C(5) methyl group for thymidine. Superoxide ions produced via quenching of the quinone radical anion with oxygen appear to be involved in the formation of thymine and thymidine hydroperoxides and in the reaction with N(1)-thyminyl radicals to regenerate thymine. The effects of pH were examined in the range pH 5-8 in both the presence and absence of superoxide dismutase. Initial C(6)-OH thymine adducts are suggested to dehydrate to give N(1)-thyminyl radicals.     

Indium catalyzed solvent-free multicomponent synthesis of cytotoxic dibenzo[a,h]anthracenes from aldehydes, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone,and 2-naphthol

A series of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene derivatives were synthesized through a straightforward, one-pot protocol based on a three-component reaction with 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, aromatic aldehydes, and 2-naphthol as synthetic inputs, using InCl₃ a catalyst under solvent-free conditions. Most of the obtained ortho-quinonic adducts were cytotoxic against HEL and MCF-7 tumoral cell lines.     

The role of triplet states in dye sensitization of ZnO electrodes

The quantum efficiency of photooxidation of a number of xanthene dyes at ZnO single crystal electrodes has been found to depend on the solution concentration of a triplet quenching agent, FeCN^4?₆, providing evidence for triplet state participation in the oxidation reaction.     

1,2-Acyl group migration in the oxidative free radical reaction of 2-substituted-1,4-quinones

Oxidative free radical reactions of 2-substituted-1,4-quinone derivatives are described. Electrophilic carbon-centered radical produced by the manganese(III) acetate oxidation of α-chloro-β-ketoester undergoes efficient addition to the C-C double bond of 5,6-dimethyl-2-(methylamino)-1,4-benzoquinone, and this reaction provides a novel method for the synthesis of spirolactam 3 and indole-2,4,7-trione 4. It shows high chemoselectivity depending on the migratory aptitude of the substituent on α-chloro-β-ketoester. Imine radical can be generated from the oxidation of β-enamino carbonyl compound with Mn(III) or Ce(IV) salt. With 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, spirolactam 6 was prepared from β-enamino carbonyl compound effectively. TBACN/CHCl₃ is the most effective reaction condition for the formation of 6.     

Interaction of a lithiated nitronyl nitroxide with polyfluorinated 1,4-naphthoquinones

A 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl lithium derivative was found to react with 2-methoxypentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone to form a product of addition at the carbonyl function: radical 2-(3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-oxo-1,4-dihydronaphthalen-1-yl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl. The yield of the addition product increased with temperature and reached 84% at 0?°C. The reaction of the lithium derivative with hexafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone gave rise to a product of addition at both carbonyl groups, namely, nitronyl nitroxide diradical 2,3,5,6,7,8-hexafluoro-1,4-bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-3-oxide-1-oxyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-2-yl)-1,4-dihydronaphthalene-1,4-diol in a 16% yield. The structures of both mono- and diradical were solved by X-ray diffraction analysis, which revealed formation of an intramolecular H-bond between the OH group and nitroxide oxygen. According to electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, the obtained mono- and dinitroxide are prone to spontaneous deoxygenation in a toluene solution to give corresponding iminonitroxides. In water, they are much more stable.