Photochemical heterolysis of 3,5-bis(dimethylamino)benzyl alcohols and esters: generation of a benzyl cation with a low-energy triplet state

An earlier computational study (CASPT2/pVDZ) by Winter et al. predicts the 3,5-bis(dimethylamino)benzyl cation to have nearly degenerate singlet and triplet states. Through product studies it is demonstrated that photolysis of 3,5-bis(dimethylamino)benzyl alcohol and its corresponding acetate and phenylacetate esters in alcoholic solvents produces a solvent incorporated adduct, 3,5-bis(dimethylamino)benzyl ethers, and 3,5-bis(dimethylamino)toluene.     

Synthesis of (±)-dimethyl curvularin based on the palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of 3,5-dimethoxybenzyl chloride using a butadiene telomer as a building block

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of 3,5-dimethoxybenzyl chloride (13) with benzyl 7-hydroxyoctanoate (12) afforded benzyl 7-(3,5-dimethoxyphenylacetoxy)octanoate (6) in 70% yield, which is the precursor of Curvularin (4). The ester (12) was easily prepared from the butadiene telomer obtained by the palladium-catalyzed reaction of butadiene with acetic acid.     

1,3-dimethoxy-5-methylene-1,3-cyclohexadiene compounds with leaving groups at C6: generation, solvolytic reactivity, and their importance in the photochemistry of 3,5-dimethoxybenzyl derivatives

The photochemistry of 3,5-dimethoxybenzyl compounds with the leaving groups acetate (1a), chloride (1b), bromide (1c), iodide (1d), diethyl phosphate (1e), and trimethylamine (1f), as the chloride, was examined by both product studies and flash photolysis. The isomeric triene, 5-methylene-1,3-cyclohexadiene derivative was observed for the acetate (2a), diethyl phosphate (2e) and trimethylammonium chloride (2f). The solvolysis of these derivatives, 2, was examined in alcohol solvents and the rate correlation with YOTS values gave m = 0.47 (2a) and 0.63 (2e), suggesting SN1 reactivity but with an early transition state. Quantum yields for formation of 2a and 2e indicated that these trienes play only a minor role (approximately 16%) in the overall photochemistry of the corresponding arylmethyl substrates.     

Ion structural studies by ion kinetic energy spectrometry: [C7H7]+, [C7H8]+˙, [C7H7OCH3]+˙

The use of kinetic energy release measurements in the structural characterization of ions formed in the mass spectrometer and in the determination of fragmentation mechanisms is demonstrated. In combination with information on the mode of energy partitioning in some of these reactions this allows the following conclusions: (i) The metastable [C₇H₈]⁸˙ ions formed from toluene, cyclohepatatriene, n-butylbenzene, the three methyl anisoles, methyl tropyl ether and benzyl methyl ether all undergo loss of H˙ from a common structure. (ii) The metastable [C₇H₇]⁺ ions generated from the same sources and from benzyl bromide, benzyl alcohol, p-xylene and ethylbenzene appear to undergo loss of acetylene from both the benzylic and the tropylium structures. (iii) The metastable [C₇H₇OCH₃]⁺˙ ether molecular ions undergo loss of CH₃˙ by two types of mechanism, simple cleavage to give the aryloxy cation (not observed for benzyl methyl ether) and a rearrangement process which appears to lead to protonated tropone as the product. (iv) Loss of formaldehyde from the metastable [C₇H₇OCH₃]⁺˙ molecular ions involves hydrogen transfer via competitive 4- and 5-membered cyclic transition states in the case of the anisoles and in the case of methyl tropyl ether, while for benzyl methyl ether, hydrogen transfer in the nonisomerized molecular ion occurs via a 4-membered cyclic transition state to yield the cycloheptatriene molecular ion.     

Photolysis of α-diazocyclododecanone

The direct photolysis of α-diazocyclododecanone in methanol yields the methyl ester of cycloundecane carboxylic acid, cis-2-cyclododecenone, trans-2-cyclododecenone and cis-3-cyclododecenone, the last being formed by subsequent photoisomerisation of cis-2-cyclododecenone. During sensitized photolysis in methanol the yield of the ester was reduced to about 1%, and the three unsaturated ketones were the main reaction products.In cyclohexene, acetone enol acetate, ether or petroleum ether as solvents, either in the presence or in the absence of the sensitizer, the three unsaturated ketones were the only products isolated. These data show that Wolff rearrangement is suppressed under photosensitization conditions, and that the intermediate cyclic 12-membered α-ketocarbene undergoes intramolecular rather than intermolecular photoreactions, probably related to its flexible conformation.     

Synthese des (±)-Lasiodiplodins

Synthesis of (±)-Lasiodiplodin The synthesis of the plant growth inhibitor (±)-lasiodiplodin (VII), a 12 membered lactone of a substituted resorcylic acid is described. Condensation of methyl acetoacetate and methyl 11-hydroxy-2-undecenoate followed by treatment of the product with benzyl alcohol lead to the benzyl ether II which was aromatized via the benzeneselenenyl derivative. Methylation of the phenolic hydroxyl in III and conversion of the primary alcohol in the side chain into the secondary alcohol provided the hydroxy ester IV. The corresponding hydroxy acid V was transformed into the S-(2-pyridyl) carbothioate which cyclized under the influence of silver ions to yield 68% of 4-benzyl-lasiodiplodin (VI). Removal of the benzyl group by catalytic hydrogenation gave (±)-lasiodiplodin (VII).     

An Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Method for Directly Converting Trityl and Benzyl Ethers to the Corresponding Acetates

Acid sensitive benzyl and trityl ethers are frequently used as protecting groups to mask alcohols. They are also needed to be transformed into more stable ester groups toward acids in multistep synthesis. A mild and efficient one‐pot protocol for the selective transformation of benzyl and trityl ethers into their corresponding acetates was successfully developed. Several distinct advantages to this procedure include direct transformation, minimal generation of waste, a non‐aqueous workup and the recovery and recycling of the benzyl acetate and trityl alcohol by‐products, which were readily recovered in greater than 90% yields.     

Photochemical reaction of benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol with methyl acrylate

Conclusions The major low-molecular-weight product of the photochemical reaction of benzyl alcohol with methyl acrylate, in both the presence and absence of benzaldehyde, is the methyl ester of 4-methoxycarbonyl-6-oxo-6-phenylhexanoic acid (obtained in 2–16% preparative yield). The photolysis of systems containing a primary alcohol, the corresponding aldehyde, and methyl acrylate was found unsuitable for the preparation of 4-substituted-butanolides.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2384–2387, October, 1985.     

An intramolecular benzyl rearrangement of 1-(N-benzyloxycarbonylamino)alkylphosphonate diesters under electrospray ionization conditions

The mass spectrometric behavior of eleven 1-(N-benzyloxycarbonyl(Cbz)amino)alkylphosphonate diesters was studied under positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions. Their fragmentation pathways are depicted and supported by tandem mass spectrometry. Besides the common eliminations of ether, benzyl alcohol, phosphite and an ether plus benzyl alcohol from molecular ions, the title compounds show a tendency to undergo an interesting intramolecular benzyl rearrangement to yield benzylphosphonate ions. The fragmentation patterns do not depend on the substituent attached to the alpha-carbon atom.     

室温离子液体中乙酸钠和氯苄催化合成乙酸苄酯

在多种1,3-二烷基咪唑和烷基吡啶室温离子液体中考察了较温和条件下乙酸 钠和氯化苄作用合成乙酸苄酯反应。在反应温度下（60 ℃）,熔融的三水合乙酸 钠与离子液体相混溶,氯苄同乙酸钠作用得到乙苄酯,它与四氟硼酸1-乙基-3-甲 基咪唑离子液体不溶而分层。反应结束后产物乙酸苄酯可直接倾析得到,乙酸苄酯 产率达到90%,纯度超过99%。此离子液体催化体系简化了产物分离,离子液体可以 重复使用。     

功能化离子液体室温催化合成乙酸苄酯

制备了N-甲基-N′-磺酸烷基-咪唑阴离子型功能化室温离子液体,研究了功能化室温离子液体(TSILs)于室温下催化乙酸和苯甲醇反应合成乙酸苄酯的新方法,考察了多种TSILs的催化性能。结果表明,所合成的TSILs具有很高的催化活性,乙酸和苯甲醇的摩尔比为1:1．3,在室温下反应2．5 h,乙酸苄酯的产率可达92％,选择性超过99％。由于生成的乙酸苄酯不溶于催化体系,反应产物与催化体系分层,通过简单的倾析便可实现产物分离,简化了分离过程。离子液体可以循环使用,而其催化活性没有明显降低。     

Analysis of the Products from the Oxidation of Geting Bituminous Coal by Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization–Mass Spectrometry

Geting bituminous coal was directly oxidized in aqueous sodium hypochlorite. The reaction mixture was sequentially extracted with ethyl ether and ethyl acetate. Both extracts were esterified with diazomethane to obtain methyl esterified products, which were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization or atmospheric pressure photoionization. A large number of low- and nonpolar products with relatively high molecular masses were determined using atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry. Toluene and a toluene/anisole mixture (vol/vol = 95:5) were added to the atmospheric pressure photoionization system as dopants. Toluene induced better ionization than the toluene/anisole mixture in both ion signal intensity and number of detected species. Most of the molecular associated compounds contained heteroatoms.     

The reaction of ethyl 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate with fullerene C60

Heating (100 °C, toluene) or photolysis (Nd³⁺ : YAG laser, = 532 mil, benzonitrile) of a mixture of ethyl 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (Hantsch ester) (1) and fullerene C₆₀ under anaerobic conditions results in the formation of fullerene hydrogenation products and ethyl 2,6-dimethylpyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate, which is the product of dehydrogenation of1, identified by IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The triplet state of C₆₀ is quenched by the Hantsch ester.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2531–2534, October, 1996.     

Spectra and kinetic studies of the compound I derivative of cytochrome P450 119

The Compound I derivative of cytochrome P450 119 (CYP119) was produced by laser flash photolysis of the corresponding Compound II derivative, which was first prepared by reaction of the resting enzyme with peroxynitrite. The UV-vis spectrum of the Compound I species contained an asymmetric Soret band that could be resolved into overlapping transitions centered at approximately 367 and approximately 416 nm and a Q band with lambda(max) approximately 650 nm. Reactions of the Compound I derivative with organic substrates gave epoxidized (alkene oxidation) and hydroxylated (C-H oxidation) products, as demonstrated by product studies and oxygen-18 labeling studies. The kinetics of oxidations by CYP119 Compound I were measured directly; the reactions included hydroxylations of benzyl alcohol, ethylbenzene, Tris buffer, lauric acid, and methyl laurate and epoxidations of styrene and 10-undecenoic acid. Apparent second-order rate constants, equal to the product of the equilibrium binding constant (K(bind)) and the first-order oxidation rate constant (k(ox)), were obtained for all of the substrates. The oxidations of lauric acid and methyl laurate displayed saturation kinetic behavior, which permitted the determination of both K(bind) and k(ox) for these substrates. The unactivated C-H positions of lauric acid reacted with a rate constant of k(ox) = 0.8 s(-1) at room temperature. The CYP119 Compound I derivative is more reactive than model Compound I species [iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cations] and similar in reactivity to the Compound I derivative of the heme-thiolate enzyme chloroperoxidase. Kinetic isotope effects (kH/kD) for oxidations of benzyl alcohol and ethylbenzene were small, reflecting the increased reactivity of the Compound I derivative in comparison to models. Nonetheless, CYP119 Compound I apparently is much less reactive than the oxidizing species formed in the P450 cam reaction cycle. Studies of competition kinetics employing CYP119 activated by hydrogen peroxide indicated that the same oxidizing transient is formed in the photochemical reaction and in the hydrogen peroxide shunt reaction.     

Elucidation of the dissociation pathways of electro‐ionized estrone

With the future aim of using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to characterize the transformation products of estrone submitted to UV‐photolysis or to waste water treatment plants, an interpretation of the electron impact mass spectrum of estrone is presented. Fragmentation mechanisms are proposed on the basis of high‐resolution measurements performed with a magnetic sector analyzer. Multiple‐stage mass spectrometry experiments were carried out using an ion trap mass spectrometer. The structures proposed for product ions were confirmed by the m/z shifts observed in the estrone‐d₄ and estrone methyl ether electron ionization mass spectra. If the formation of some of the most abundant ions may easily be explained by α‐cleavages and retro‐Diels‐Alder type rearrangements, complex mechanisms need to be considered to rationalize the formation of others. Isotope labelling allows discrimination of isobaric ions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimisation of the derivatization in cellulose-type chiral selectors for enantioseparation by centrifugal partition chromatography

Cellulose was chemically modified with hydrophobic dodecanoyl groups followed by 3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamoyl substituents forming mixed ester/carbamate derivatives in order to improve the solubility in lipophilic solvents compared to the corresponding homosubstituted cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate). Two mixed derivatives of different degree of substitution were prepared, tested as chiral selectors (CSs) in counter-current chromatography (CCC) and compared to the homo-substituted derivative. Alternatively, cellulose tris(3,5-dichlorophenylcarbamate), was synthesised and tested with the same purpose. The racemic drugs pindolol and warfarin were used as test compounds. Biphasic organic/aqueous solvent systems, composed of methyl isobutyl ketone, t-butyl methyl ether or ethyl acetate and aqueous ammonium acetate or sodium phosphate buffer, were used. Centrifugal partition chromatography, a variety of CCC, in the classical elution mode and the pH-zone-refining displacement mode was applied. The enantioseparation of pindolol and warfarin was achieved in the latter conditions. The presence of dodecanoyl chains on the CS increased solubility in the organic solvents used. The selectivity of the mixed dodecanoyl/3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamoyl cellulose derivative with low degree of dodecanoyl groups (degree of substitution 0.3/degree of substitution 2.6, respectively) was similar to that of the homo-substituted derivative. Furthermore, the loading capacity for pindolol was increased by a factor of three compared to cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate). Nevertheless, the increasing degree of substitution with dodecanoyl groups on the CS, although improved solubility in the stationary phase, contributed negatively to the enantioselectivity, where warfarin was more affected than pindolol.     

Analysis of alcohols, as dimethylglycine esters, by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Dimethylglycine (DMG) esters are new derivatives for the rapid, sensitive and selective analysis of primary and secondary alcohols, in complex mixtures, by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Their development was inspired by the use of the complementary dimethylaminoethyl esters for the trace, rapid analysis of fatty acids. DMG esters are simply prepared by heating a dichloromethane solution of the imidazolide of dimethylglycine, containing triethylamine, and an alcohol. DMG esters of long-chain fatty alcohols, isoprenoidal alcohols and hydroxy-acids are analysed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry with a precursor ion of m/z 104 scan. Diols, glyceryl esters, glyceryl ethers and some sterols are analysed by a neutral loss of 103 Da scan. Trimethylglycine (TMG) ester iodides, prepared by alkylation of DMG esters with methyl iodide, are more sensitive derivatives for molecules containing secondary alcohol groups, such as cholesterol and gibberellic acid. They are analysed by a precursor ion of m/z 118 scan. DMG or TMG derivatives were shown to be at least comparable and sometimes an order of magnitude more sensitive than N-methylpyridyl ether derivatives for ESI-MS/MS analysis of the different classes of alcohols. Applications of these derivatives for the diagnosis of inherited disorders and the analysis of natural products are presented.     

Isomerization reaction of olefin using RuClH(CO)(PPh(3))(3)

When methyl 5-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy-2-pentenoate was refluxed in toluene in the presence of RuClH(CO)(PPh(3))(3) (5 mol %), double-bond migration took place to afford methyl 5-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy-4-pentenoate in high yield. This means that the double bond conjugated with the ester moiety migrates to a deconjugated position by a ruthenium catalyst. We planned to prepare an enol ether from alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds having an ether moiety in a tether using ruthenium-catalyzed isomerization of the double bond. As a result, silyl or benzyl enol ether was obtained from the alpha,beta-unsaturated ester having alcohol protected by the silyl or benzyl group in a tether in high yield. In this reaction, double bond migration of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone and alpha,beta-unsaturated amide took place to produce deconjugated compounds. Moreover, the double bond of alpha, beta-unsaturated ester having a triple or double bond in a molecule migrated to produce conjugated enyne and diene. On the other hand, treatment of a bis-metalated compound having an alpha, beta-unsaturated ester moiety or the double bond in a tether with RuClH(CO)(PPh(3))(3) gave allyl bis-metalated compound in good yield. These compounds are useful units in synthetic organic chemistry.     

A continuous stirred tank reactor investigation of the gas-phase reaction of hydroxyl radicals and toluene

A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was used to study the gas-phase reaction between HO? and toluene. HO? was generated by the in situ photolysis of nitrous acid. Flow reactor operation at steady-state conditions with a residence time of 20 min allowed investigation of primary and very rapid secondary reactions. CSTR and batch reactor experiments were also performed with selected products. Both gas-phase and aerosol products were identified by chromatography and mass spectroscopy, with total product yields between 55 and 75% of reacted carbon. Toluene reaction products included cresols, nitrocresols, nitrotoluenes, 3,5-dinitrotouluene, benzaldehyde, benzyl nitrate, nitrophenols, methyl-p-benzoquinone, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, formaldehyde, methyl nitrate, PAN, and CO. The fraction of HO? methyl hydrogen abstraction was calculated to be 0.13 ± 0.04. The ratio of reaction rate constants for nitrotoluene versus cresol formation from the HO?-adduct was calculated to be about 3.3 × 10⁴. Also, the ratio of cresol formation versus O₂ addition to the HO?-adduct was estimated to be ≥0.5 for atmospheric conditions. Comparisons of these measurements with previous values and the implications with respect to photochemical kinetics modeling of the atmosphere are discussed.     

Photodegradation of Riboflavin under Alkaline Conditions: What Can Gas-Phase Photolysis Tell Us about What Happens in Solution?

The application of electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) as a direct method for detecting reactive intermediates is a technique of developing importance in the routine monitoring of solution-phase reaction pathways. Here, we utilise a novel on-line photolysis ESI-MS approach to detect the photoproducts of riboflavin in aqueous solution under mildly alkaline conditions. Riboflavin is a constituent of many food products, so its breakdown processes are of wide interest. Our on-line photolysis setup allows for solution-phase photolysis to occur within a syringe using UVA LEDs, immediately prior to being introduced into the mass spectrometer via ESI. Gas-phase photofragmentation studies via laser-interfaced mass spectrometry of deprotonated riboflavin, [RF − H]⁻, the dominant solution-phase species under the conditions of our study, are presented alongside the solution-phase photolysis. The results obtained illustrate the extent to which gas-phase photolysis methods can inform our understanding of the corresponding solution-phase photochemistry. We determine that the solution-phase photofragmentation observed for [RF − H]⁻ closely mirrors the gas-phase photochemistry, with the dominant m/z 241 condensed-phase photoproduct also being observed in gas-phase photodissociation. Further gas-phase photoproducts are observed at m/z 255, 212, and 145. The value of exploring both the gas- and solution-phase photochemistry to characterise photochemical reactions is discussed.