Regioselective Addition of 5-Amino-l,2,4-Triazoles and Its Analogues with Arylsulfonyl Isocyanates

5-Amino-3-benzyl (aryl)thio-1,2,4-triazoles and its analogues (pyrazole) 1 are important intermediates for the syntheses of a lot of biological active compounds^[1,2]. In our previous paper^[3], we reported the regioselective addition of 1 with aryl isocyanates and the experimental results showed that the orientation of the addition of 5-amino-3-benzyl (aryl)thio-1,2,4-triazoles and its analogues with the aryl isocyanates can be directed by controlling the reaction temperature.The 1-position adduct 2 was obtained regiospecifically below 120℃, whereas the 5-position adduct 3 was obtained selectively when the reaction temperature was raised to 170℃ (Scheme 1).     

Total Synthesis of (-)-α-Pinguisene

In previous work from our laboratory, we demonstrated that α-carbonyl radical cyclization reactions can serve efficiently as key steps in total synthesis of natural products.1 In this presentation,we report the total synthesis of (-)-α-pinguisene from enone 1 via α-carbonyl radical cyclization.     

Novel Enone-benzene Rearrangement of 4,4-Dialkylcholest-5-en-3-ones to Ring-B Aromatic Steroidal Hydrocarbons Catalysed by p-Toluenesulfonic acid

Under acidic conditions, α,α-dimethyl-β,γ-unsaturated cyclohexanones undergoes an enone-benzene rearrangement leading to aromatic derivatives^1-4. We recently run an enone-benzene rearrangement of 4,4-dimethyl-cholest-5-en-3-one (1a) catalysed by montmorillonite K-10 to give 1,3,4-trimethyl-19-norcholesta-1,3,5(10)-triene (2a) in moderate yield accompanying intractable mixture of hydrocarbons as by products⁵. Repetition of this reaction by employing TsOH as a catalyst, 2a was obtained in 65% yield and a new product, 6-methyl-3-isopropyl-A,19-dinorcholesta-6,8,10(5)-triene (3a), was also isolated in 25% yield. The formation of 3a has not been reported in earlier studies^1-5. Herein we report the novel enone-benzene rearrangement of 4,4-dialkylcholest-5-en-3-ones (1a~d) leading to ring-B aromatic steroidal hydrocarbons (3a~d) catalysed by TsOH (Scheme 1).     

Regioselective Synthesis of Two Novel 2-geranyloxyacetophenones

The phenols containing geranyl units¹ are a large group of interesting natural products exhibited many physiological actions as antiflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidative activities². Two novel acetophenones 1 and 2 were recently isolated from the fruits of Evodia merrillii, a small folk medicinal tree widely distributed in Taiwan³. Their structures were elucidated as 2-(1'-geranyl)-4,6-dihydroxyacetophenone 1 and 2-(1'-geranyloxy)-2,6,α-trihydroxyacetophenone 2 by means of spectroscopic data. So far as we know, the total synthesis of them have not been reported yet. Herein, we wish to report the first total synthesis of 1 and 2,starting from 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone.     

Supramolecular Assemblies of Three New Metronidazole Derivatives Constructed with Various Dihydroxy-benzoic Acids via Hydrogen Bonds

Metronidazole(MTZ) is an important antibiotic, which has been widely applied to cure protozoal and bacterial diseases for human beings or animals. Herein, three novel drug supramolecular crystals constructed by MTZ with 2,5-dihydroxy-benzoic acid(2,5-DHBA)(1), 2,6-dihydroxy-benzoic acid(2,6-DHBA)(2) and 3,5-dihydroxy-benzoic acid(3,5-DHBA)(3), respectively, have been discovered. The hydrogen bonds of N-H···O(O-H···N), C-H···O and O-H···O play important roles in the 3D supramolecular framework formation for crystals 1-3. Interestingly, due to the vary locations of the substituent groups, the two-dimensional layers in crystals 1 or 2 are constructed via intermolecular hydrogen bonds between MTZ and 2,5-DHBA or 2,6-DHBA, while in crystal 3 water molecules play a significant role except the intermolecular hydrogen bonds between MTZ and 3,5-DHBA. In addition, five synthons of I R₂²(8), II R₃³(9) in crystal 1, III R₁²(4), IV R₂²(8) in crystal 2 and V R₂²(7) in crystal 3 formed through various hydrogen bonds are founded in this work. Systematic studies of syntheses, crystal structures and thermal analysis are reported.     

Two New Borates Built by Different Types of {B9} Cluster Units

Two new belt-like borates Na₄[B₉O₁₄(OH)₃]·0.5H₂O(1) and Na₅[B₉O₁₄(OH)₄](2) have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Both compounds contain unprecedented B₉O₁₆(OH)_n^(n+5)-[n=3(1), 4(2)] clusters, which are constructed from four B₃O₃ rings via three BO₄ tetrahedra. Compound 1 exhibits a rare 1D belt with two types of 8-membered ring(MR) windows based on B₉O₁₆(OH)₃^8- clusters. Compound 2 features two different 1D belts built by different B₉O₁₆(OH)₄^9- units, which is first discovered in borate family. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra reveal that compounds 1 and 2 have the cut-off edges below 190 nm, indicating that they may have potential application in deep UV(DUV) region.     

Anionic Cyclization Approach to Hexahydrobenzo[b] furan-3-one and Hexahydro-1H-3-indolone:Application to Total Syntheses of Natural Products

Hexahydrobenzo[b]furan-3-one(3) and hexahydro-1H-3-indolone (4) are potentially useful intermediates for total synthesis of natural products, such as the hexahydrobenzofuran unit (5) of avermectins and pancracine (6). Anionic cyclization approach toward (3) and (4) have been developed. Their application to the total synthesis of (5) and (6) will be presented.     

First Total Synthesis of (±)-Ponganone Ⅲ

In recent years, the synthesis and pharmacology of pyranoflavanoids have been extensively investigated due to their wide range of pharmacological properties^[1-3]. Ponganone Ⅲ^[4],a new natural pyranoflavanone isolated from the Pongamia pinnala, was identified as (2S)-3',4'-dimethoxy-6',6"-dimethylpyrano-[2",3":7,8]-flavanone (2) on the basis of spectra data. Its precursor,3,4-dimethoxy-2'-hydroxy-6",6"-dimethylchromeno-[2",3":4',3']-chalcone (1) is also a new natural product^[5] isolated from the roots of Lonchocarpus subglaucescent. Their total synthesis have not been reported. Herein, we wish to report the first total synthesis of compounds 1 and 2 in order to confirm the proposed structure and further more to evaluate its biological activities.     

AN EFFICIENT SYNTHESIS OF ALIPHATIC α-ORGANOTHIO ALDOXIME

The importance of the aliphatic α-organothio aldoxime compound 3 in the preparation of various pesticides is well established. Molecules comprising the α-organothio oxime moiety have been reported to exhibit insecticidal,nematocidal,miticidal activities.^[1-2] In the synthesis of the compound 3,the chlorination of the corresponding aliphatic aldoxime 1 is the key step.In conventional methods, the aliphatic aldoxime 1 is chlorinated by chlorine,then the resulting hydroxime acid chloride 2 is treated with sodium alkyl mercaptide to obtain the desired compounds 3^[3]. Although free Cl₂ is the most common chlorinating agent,it is laborious to determine the accurate amount that has been absorbed,and the high reactivity of Cl₂ always leads to side reactions. In connection with an our ongoing research project, we require an efficient and simple method for the synthesis of the compound 3.An improved synthesis process according to the following scheme is reported in this paper.     

Synthesis of 6-aryl-3-cinchophenyl-1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazoles

In recent years, fused heterocycles have been found to possess many unique properties in synthesis and pharmacology. Especially, 1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazoles derivatives have been attracting much attention of chemists and pharmacologists because of their broad-spectrum biological activities such as antibacterial¹, hypotensive and CNS depressant² activities. We have prepared some 3,6-substituted 1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazoles and found that these compounds exhibited antimacrobial, insecticidal and promote plant growth.^3-5 Cinchophen had been used widely as medicine in clinic,but has been obsolete in recent years due to its by-effect. In order to seek for other uses of cinchophen, as a continuation of our preceeding studies, we used cinchophen as the starting material to synthesize ten new 6-aryl-3-cinchophenyl-l,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]-l,3,4-thiadiazoles 5a-j. Compound 1 was prepared by the reaction of cinchophen and ethanol in the presence of sulfuric acid. 1 then reacted with hydrazine hydrate in absolute ethanol to give 2 which yielded 3 on treatment with CS₂ and KOH. On refluxing of 3 with excess hydrazine hydrate, 4 was obtained. 4 reacted with various substituted benzoic acids in the presence of POCl₃ to afifort 5a-j.     

Recent Progress in the Synthetic Applications of Substituted Furans and Pyrroles

In this lecture, I would like to present efficient synthetic routes towards the total synthesis of syringolide 1 (2)^1,2 and secosyrin 1 (3),¹ employing 2,4-disubstituted furan 1 as a common precursor. A modified total synthesis of prehispanolone (6)³ from (S)-(+)-Wieland-Miescher ketone (4) via hispanolone (5) will also be discussed. Our methodology for the synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted-lH-pyrroles⁴ and for the generation of 3,4-didehydrothiophene⁵ has also guided us to the successful identification of 1-tert-butoxycarbonyl-3,4-didehydro-1H-pyrrole (7),which is presumably the most strained heterocyclic cumulene ever recorded.     

Theoretical Studies on Copper,Nickel Complexes of Corrole and Isocorrole

Corrole 2, an analogue of porphyrin 1, is also a fascinating molecule. It can be considered as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of corrin 3,the chromophore of Vitamin B₁₂, Similar to porphyrin, corrole also has 18 electrons in the π-system of the ring and is aromatic. Recently, isocorrole 4, another compound in the corrole family, was synthesized by Vogel's group^[1].One important feature of corrole and isocorrole is the possible formation of tri-anion, and thus the ability to stabilise high-oxidation-state metal cations.     

Trimethylaluminium Mediated Rearrangement-addition Reaction of Trisubstituted Gibberellin Epoxides

The gibberellins (GAs) are a group of naturally-occurring tetracyclic diterpenoid plant growth hormones which are essential to the normal growth and development of plants. Over one hundred different GAs have been identified to date and most of these compounds are present in Nature only in minute quantities. Among the biosynthetic pathways of the gibberellins, the oxidation and subsequent removal of carbon-20 in C₂₀-GAS (e.g. 1 and 2) to form C₁₉-GAs (e.g. 3 and 4) is one of the most important process in which GA 20-oxidases are involved¹ (Scheme 1). During the course of our investigation into this process, we needed to have access to C₂₀-GAS such as (2) from a more abundant C₁₉-GA such as GA₃ (5). A successful route for such transformation may then be adapted for the synthesis of isotopically-labelled C₂₀-GAS for biological studies.     

Ion-molecule reactions and thermal isomerization of tricyclo[4.3.0.0]nona-4,8-diene radical cations to tricyclo[4.2.1.0]nona-2,7-diene radical cations in a γ-irradiated frozen Freon matrix

A four-step mechanism of isomerization of tricyclo[4.3.0.0^3,7]nona-4,8-diene radical cations to tricyclo[4.2.1.0^4,9]nona-2,7-diene radical cations in γ-irradiated frozen Freon-113 (CFCl₂CF₂Cl) matrix was suggested on the basis of ESR data. The rearrangement was found to occur via distonic form of the radical cations with spin and charge separation. Furthermore, it was shown that the primary radical cations abstracts hydrogen atom from methylene group of the parent molecule, whereas distonic radical cations reacts via attachment to the C=C bond at 110–119 K.     

Facile Total Synthesis of Three Natural 1,7-Diaryl-4-hepten-3-ones

Linear 1,7-diarylheptanoids (Ar¹-C₇-Ar²) are a large group of interesting natural products isolated from plants belonging to Alinia,Curcuma, Zingiber, Alnua,Centridobium and Acer genera used as traditional medicines in some oriental countries¹. Pharmacological experiments exhibited that some of them had many physiological actions such as anti-inflammatory, antifungicial, antioxidative,antihepatotoxic activities and so on². Three natural compounds 1³, 2⁴ and 3⁵ (gingerone C) having 1,7-diaryl-4-hepten-3-one skeleton were isolated from the rhizomes of Alpinia offocinarum, the wood of Alnus japonica and the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale respectively. Their structures were elucidated as 1,7-diphenylhept-4-en-3-one(1), 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)hept-4-en-3-one(2) and 1-(3-hydroxyl-4-methoxyphenyl)-7-(4-hydroxyphenyl)hept-4-en-3-one(3) by spectral method. Herein, we wish to report facile total synthesis of these three natural compounds. Their synthetic routes were shouwn in scheme.     

Synthesis of Allobetulin, 28-Oxyallobetulin and Related Biomarkers from Betulin and Betulinic Acid Catalysed by Solid Acids

Betulin (1a) is an abundant natural product in the birch bark. Betulin itself currently has little usage. However, allobetulin (2a) has been used as an important intermediate in the further transformation of triterpenoids and as a sample for biological studies.¹ For example, allobetulin was further transformed to a highly active antifeedant for heliothis zea larvae. Some biomarkers (3a,b; 4a,b) with the same or similar structure as ring-E of 2a were identified in a brown coal.³ Consequently, the conversion of 1a to synthetically, biologically and geochemically more important 2a is of great significance. The transformation of 1a to 2a was reported as early as 1922 by Schulze et al in which betulin was isomerized by formic acid, involving formation and hydrolysis of allobetulin formate, to give 2a in moderate yield.⁴     

Two New Alkaline Metal Borates with Supramolecular Framework Constructed from 1D {B5}/{B6} Helical Chains

Two new alkaline metal borates containing 1D{B5}/{B6}oxoboron helical chains,namely Na0.5[B5O8(OH)2]0.5[B5O6(OH)2]0.5·0.5H3O(1)and NaKCs[B6O9(OH)3](2)were synthesized under solvothermal conditions.Compound 1 contains the interesting alternative left-and right-handed helical{[B5O8(OH)2][B5O6(OH)2]}2-({B5}-1 and{B5}-2)1D chains and compound 2 possesses the similar[B6O11(OH)3]7-({B6})chains.Their 1D chains are further assembled into 2D layers and 3D supramolecular frameworks through O-H…O hydrogen bonds.In addition,the UV cutoff edge of compounds 1 and 2 is both below 190 nm.     

Solvothermal Syntheses and Characterization of Three One-dimension Cadmium Selenidoarsenates [Ni(1,2-dap)3][As2CdSe4],[Zn(1,2-dap)3][As2CdSe4] and [Ni(en)3][As2CdSe4]

Three new cadmium selenidoarsenates,[Ni(1,2-dap)3][As2CdSe4](1)(1,2-dap=l,2-diaminopropane),[Zn( 1,2-dap)3][As2CdSe4](2) and [Ni(en)3][As2CdSe4](3)(en=ethylenediamine), were synthesized under solvothermal conditions. And they are isostnictural and monoclinic crystalls. As seen from their structures, they exhibited one-dimensional(1D) chains composed of [As2CdSe4]^2- anions and [TM(amine)3]^2+(TM=Ni,Zn;amine=1,2-dap, en) cations. Their absorption edges are 2.32, 1.84 and 2.38 eV and they show the properties of the semiconductor. These compounds were also characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray ditlraction(XRD), powder X-ray diflraction (PXRD), solid-state optical absorption spectrometry, and so on.     

Direct Trapping of Ketene Intermediate by Internal Nucleophile:A New Approach for the Synthesis of γ-Lactams

The application of Wolff rearrangement of the diazoketones derived from α-amino acids has been well documented.¹ It has been generally observed that if the rearrangement is performed in aqueous solution, homologated acid is the expected products, while if the reaction is run in methanol or ammonia, the corresponding homologated ester or amide will be obtained. In connection with other synthetic work, we unexpectedly observed that the Wolff rearrangement of diazoketone 1 in anhydrous methanol gave exclusively γ-lactam 3 in excellent yield.(Scheme 1) The formation of this intramolecular cyclization product was apparently due to the nucleophilic attack of the intermediate ketene 2 by the tosyl protected amino group. Although the solvent methanol can serve as nucleophile, the exclusive formation of γ-lactam indicates the intermolecular nucleophilic attack of the ketene intermediate 2 by methanol is not effective enough to compete with intramolecular nucleophilic attack by the tosyl protected amino group. This observation aroused our interest in the generality of this reaction and its potential as a novel method for the direct synthesis of γ-lactams. We report here the results of the investigation of Wolff rearrangement of several diazoketones derived from N-tosyl protected α-amino acids and β-amino acids.     

A new series of nematic and smectic liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy: the effect of terminal chain substitution on thermal and electro-optical properties

Two alkyl (1b and 1c) and four fluoroalkyl derivatives (1d-1f) of 4-arylbutyric acid (1c, 1d and 1e) and 4-arylbutanol (1b, 1f and 1g) [aryl = 2',3'-difluoro-4'-(2-(E-4-pentylcyclohexyl)ethyl)-biphenyl-1-yl] were prepared and investigated in the pure form as nematic materials (1b and 1c) and as additives to a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) host (1d-1f). A comparison of 1b and 1c with the decyl analogue 1a demonstrates the effect of terminal chain modification on thermal and electro-optical properties. The substitution of the -CH₂O- (1b) or -COO- (1c) for -CH₂CH₂- in 1a destabilized the N and SmA phases or completely eliminated the smectic behaviour (1c). Dielectric analysis revealed that the chain modification increased the negative Δε, reduced elastic constant K ₁₁ and moderately decreased rotational viscosity γ₁. The temperature dependence of the key electro-optical parameters was analysed for ester 2, the methyl analogue of 1c, which exhibits a 45 K wide N phase. All four fluoroalkyl derivatives 1d-1f showed enantiotropic SmA phases and 1e also exhibited a monotropic SmC phase. Solutions of 1d-1f in a FLC host (0.2 mmol g^-1) increased the tilt angle Θ (up to 45° for 1g), reduced rotational viscosity γ₁ and the risetime τ. The most dramatic changes were observed for 1g, which contains 15 fluorine atoms.