Photochemistry of A1E, a retinoid with a conjugated pyridinium moiety: competition between pericyclic photooxygenation and pericyclization

The photochemistry of the retinoid analogue A1E shows an oxygen and solvent dependence. Irradiation of A1E with visible light (lambda(irr) = 425 nm) in methanol solutions resulted in pericyclization to form pyridinium terpenoids. Although the quantum yield for this cyclization is low (approximately 10(-4)), nevertheless the photochemical transformation occurs with quantitative chemical yield with remarkable chemoselectivity and diastereoselectivity. Conversely, irradiation of A1E under the same irradiation conditions in air-saturated carbon tetrachloride or deuterated chloroform produced a cyclic 5,8-peroxide as the major product. Deuterium solvent effects, experiments utilizing endoperoxide, phosphorescence, and chemiluminescence quenching studies strongly support the involvement of singlet oxygen in the endoperoxide formation. It is proposed that, upon irradiation, in the presence of oxygen, A1E acts as a sensitizer for generation of singlet oxygen from triplet oxygen present in the solution; the singlet oxygen produced reacts with A1E to produce cyclic peroxide. Thus, the photochemistry of A1E is characterized by two competing reactions, cyclization and peroxide formation. The dominant reaction is determined by the concentration of oxygen, the concentration of A1E, and the lifetime of singlet oxygen in the solvent employed. If the lifetime of singlet oxygen in a given solvent is long enough, then oxidation (peroxide formation) is the major reaction. If the singlet oxygen produced is quenched by the protonated solvent molecules faster than singlet oxygen reacts with A1E, then cyclization dominates.     

(2+4)-Cycloaddition with Singlet Oxygen. 17O-lnvestigation of the Reactivity of Furfuryl Alcohol Endoperoxide¶

In earlier work, the use of furfuryl alcohol as a specific singlet oxygen acceptor was proposed because of the high ratio between the rate constants of chemical reaction and physical quenching. In contrast to furfuryl aldehyde, a number of products are formed by this type II photo-oxidation of furfuryl alcohol. These products may be derived from the endoperoxide of furfuryl alcohol as a common intermediate. The present work focuses on the reactivity of this endoperoxide that was marked specifically by the use of ¹⁷O₂ as a source for singlet oxygen. The analyses of the stable products, their yields and their labeling distribution reveal a strong solvent effect on the primary reaction pathways, and nucleophilic substitution reactions leading to hydroperoxide intermediates are dominant.     

Investigation of photobleaching of hypocrellin B in non-polar organic solvent and in liposome suspension

Hypocrellin B (HB) is a natural pigment with a promising application in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) for anticancer treatment. The photobleaching of HB in non-polar organic solvents and in liposomes in aqueous solution were investigated by the measurements of absorption spectra, quenching experiments and determination of photoproducts. Control experiments indicated that the sensitizer, oxygen and light were all essential for the photobleaching of HB, which suggested that it was mainly self-sensitized photooxidation. The illumination of HB with visible light in aerobic non-polar solvent generated singlet oxygen efficiently [Phi(1O(2))=0.76] which then attacked the sensitizer HB with formation of an endoperoxide product. The endoperoxide of HB was unstable at room temperature and underwent predominantly loss of singlet oxygen with regeneration of parent HB. The singlet oxygen released from the endoperoxide of HB was detected with chemical trapping experiments. When HB was embedded in EPC liposomes, no endoperoxide product and no singlet oxygen release from the photobleaching process of HB were detected. The quenching experiments indicated that the singlet oxygen mechanism (type II) played an important role in the non-polar solvent and the free radical mechanism (type I) was predominant in liposomal aqueous solution for the photobleaching of HB.     

Photosensitized oxidation of 13C,15N-labeled imidazole derivatives

An efficient synthesis of imidazoles with isotope labeling at different positions of the five-membered ring was developed. We carried out a detailed mechanistic study of the photosensitized oxidation of isotope-labeled imidazole derivatives. A new product, CO(2), was observed in the photooxidation of 2-H,N1-H imidazoles, but not in 2-substitituted imidazoles. The carbon of CO(2) derives from the 2C of imidazole. As shown by 18O experiments, both oxygen atoms of CO(2) originate mainly from one molecule of oxygen. Transient intermediates were detected by low-temperature NMR in the photosensitized oxidation of the isotope-labeled imidazoles. Quantitative analysis of the 13C NMR at different temperatures and times correlates the formation of one intermediate with the loss of another, thus allowing the complete decomposition pathway of the transient intermediates to be established. Singlet oxygen reacts with 4,5-diphenylimidazole via a [4 + 2] cycloaddition to form a 2,5-endoperoxide, which, upon warming, decomposes to a hydroperoxide. The hydroperoxide in one pathway loses water to form an imidazolone 7, which is hydrolyzed to a hydroxyimidazol-2-one 11. In another pathway, the hydroperoxide rearranges to diol 8. The diol rearranges to a carbamate 9 by opening and reclosing the five-membered ring. 9 decomposes to CO(2) and benzil diimine. A labile NH in the imidazole is crucial for the decomposition of the initially formed endoperoxide, otherwise the endoperoxide decomposes to regenerate starting material. Many similarities exist between the photooxidations of imidazole and guanosine in organic solvent, suggesting that the two reactions share a similar reaction mechanism with singlet oxygen.     

Interactions of singlet oxygen with 2,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene in polar ano non-polar solvents evidence for a vinylog ene-reaction

2,5-Dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene ($\text{1}$)was studied as a singlet oxygen acceptor in various solvents. $\text{1}$undergoes concomitantly the three well-known modes of singlet oxygen reactions: (1) the ene-reaction to give the allylic hydroperoxide $\text{3}$, (2) the (4+2)-cycloaddition to give the endoperoxide $\text{4}$, and (3) the (2+2)-cycloaddition to give the dioxetane $\text{2}$. Beyond that (and in contrast to simple olefins), there are (4) “physical” quenching and (5) a “vinylog ene-reaction” to give the twofold-unsaturated hydroperoxide $\text{5}$. The latter reaction represents a novel mode of singlet oxygen interaction with a substituted 1,3-diene. - Kinetic analysis shows that “physical” quenching, endoperoxide and vinylog ene-product formations proceed with solvent-inde pendent rates; the rates of dioxetane and ene-product formations, however, are solvent-dependent. - A mechanism (Scheme 3) is proposed, according to which endoperoxide formation is due to a concerted singlet oxygen reaction with the s-cis-conformational isomer $\text{1b}$; with the s-trans-isomer $\text{1a}$, “physical” quenching and the vinylog ene-reaction proceed via a non-polar singlet diradical intermediate, whereas the ene-product formation occurs via a per epoxide-like transition state. In aprotic solvents, the dioxetane is mainly formed via a “tight-geometry intermediate”, in methanolic solution via a solvent-stabilized zwitterion; the latter is also responsible for the formation of the methanol-addition product $\text{6}$.     

Solvent effect on the sensitized photooxygenation of cyclic and acyclic α-diimines

The reaction of singlet molecular oxygen with a series of cyclic and acyclic α-diimines was studied. Time-resolved methods were used to measure total reaction rate constants and steady-state methods were used to determine chemical reaction rate constants. GC-MS was used to tentatively assign the reaction products. 5,6-Disubstituted cyclic α-diimines are singlet oxygen quenchers, but become more effective in polar solvents. A reaction mechanism involving a perepoxide intermediate or transition state leading to a hydroperoxide seems to be a key reaction path for product formation. A replacement of the phenyl substituent for a methyl substituent opens up an additional reaction involving a perepoxide-like exciplex, which increases singlet oxygen quenching of the cyclic α-diimines. The reactivity of 5,6-disubstituted cyclic α-diimines towards singlet oxygen is highly dependent on steric interactions arising from vicinal phenyl rings and from electronic effects. 1,4-Disubstituted acyclic α-diimines are, by comparison, moderate or poor singlet oxygen quenchers. Total rate constants are scarcely dependent on solvent properties, but instead correlate with the Hildebrand parameter. These results are explained in terms of a mechanism involving a dioxetane-like exciplex that gives rise to a charged intermediate leading to products.     

Dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of 1,2-cyclohexanediones

The dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of the enols of 1,2-cyclohexanedione (1) has been carried out in various solvents at -70°-40°. Singlet oxygen is involved in the reaction as evidenced by quenching and rate enhancement observed in deuterated methanol. The reaction proceeds by an ene reaction with singlet oxygen to afford the hydroperoxide, 4, which closes to a five-membered endoperoxide, 5, as a major path or to dioxetane (6) as a minor one. The endoperoxide, 5, decomposed to 5-oxoalkanoic acid (2) with evolution of carbon monoxide or was trapped by the solvent (MeOH or EtOH) to give methyl or ethyl 5-carboxy-2-hydroxypentanoate (3). Competition between the enol of 3-methyl-1,2-cyclohexanedione (1a) and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene (TME) has shown that the enol is as reactive as TME toward singlet oxygen.     

Low-temperature photosensitized oxidation of a guanosine derivative and formation of an imidazole ring-opened product

An organic-soluble guanosine derivative, 2',3',5'-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)guanosine (1), was prepared and its photosensitized oxidation was carried out in several solvents at various temperatures. Singlet oxygen is the reactive oxidizing agent responsible for this reaction. Neither an endoperoxide nor a dioxetane intermediate was detected by low-temperature NMR even at -78 degrees C. A product (A) with an oxidized imidazole ring was the only major product detected at room temperature; this compound could be isolated by low-temperature column chromatography and was characterized by (1)H and (13)C and mass spectroscopy. CO(2) was the other major product. A small amount of the corresponding 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine derivative B was detected during the initial stage of the photooxidation and was shown to be intermediate in the formation of two products of extensive degradation, C and D. Reaction of 1 with the singlet oxygen analogues 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (MTAD) and 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) gave products consistent with a proposed mechanism involving the rearrangement of an initially formed endoperoxide to give A and B from reaction of 1 with singlet oxygen.     

Formation of transient intermediates in low-temperature photosensitized oxidation of an 8-(13)C-guanosine derivative

An 8-(13)C-labeled guanosine derivative, 2',3',5'-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-8-(13)C-guanosine, was synthesized and its photosensitized oxidation with singlet oxygen carried out below -100 degrees C. Two transient intermediates that decompose directly to the final major product 5 and CO(2) were detected by (13)C NMR between -100 and -43 degrees C. The two intermediates are carbamic acids based on (13)C NMR and 2D NMR (HMQC, HMBC) spectra and the formation of final product 5 and of 8-CO(2). No endoperoxide intermediate could be detected by low-temperature NMR spectroscopy even at -100 degrees C. A reaction mechanism is proposed involving initial [4 + 2] cycloaddition of singlet oxygen to the imidazole ring to form an unstable endoperoxide, subsequent rearrangement of the endoperoxide to a dioxirane, and decomposition of the dioxirane to the two observed intermediates. Both oxygen atoms of CO(2) are derived from a single oxygen molecule, which strongly supports a dioxirane structure for the precursor of the two observed intermediates. The distribution of products estimated by (13)C NMR accounts for all the (13)C-containing products in the reaction mixture.     

DOUBLY ALLYLIC HYDROPEROXIDE FORMED IN THE REACTION BETWEEN STEROL 5,7-DIENES AND SINGLET OXYGEN

Abstract Ergosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol, common 5,7-conjugated diene sterols, react with photochemically produced singlet oxygen very efficiently to yield, in parallel pathways, the corresponding 5,8-endoperoxides and the 7β-hydroperoxy-5,8(9),22-trienol or -5, 8(9)-dienol, respectively. The hydroperoxides decompose in an acid-catalyzed reaction to generate hydrogen peroxide and the 5, 7, 9(1 1), 22-tetraenol or 5, 7, 9(11) trienol, respectively, with 1:l stochiometry. The molar ratio of endoperoxide to hydroperoxide was constant (16:5) with two different reaction solvents, two different photosensitizers, and at all time points between 5 min and 3 h from the start of irradiation. Ergosterol did not react with either hydrogen peroxide or superoxide ion under our reaction conditions. Inhibition studies with nitrogen, 2,5-dimethylfuran, βcarotene, and tert -butanol confirmed the involvement of singlet oxygen in these reactions. The unstable hydroperoxide would be expected to have undesirable biological consequences if formed in vivo .     

Sensitized Photooxidation of Ortho-Prenyl Phenol: Biomimetic Dihydrobenzofuran Synthesis and Total 1O2 Quenching†

The sensitized photooxidation of ortho-prenyl phenol is described with evidence that solvent aproticity favors the formation of a dihydrobenzofuran [2-(prop-1-en-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran], a moiety commonly found in natural products. Benzene solvent increased the total quenching rate constant (k_T) of singlet oxygen with prenyl phenol by ~10-fold compared to methanol. A mechanism is proposed with preferential addition of singlet oxygen to prenyl site due to hydrogen bonding with the phenol OH group, which causes a divergence away from the singlet oxygen ‘ene’ reaction toward the dihydrobenzofuran as the major product. The reaction is a mixed photooxidized system since an epoxide arises by a type I sensitized photooxidation.     

Selective endoperoxide formation by heterogeneous TiO2 photocatalysis with dioxygen

We report the selective formation of endoperoxides by aerobic TiO₂ photocatalysis through the cyclic addition of dioxygen and a non-conjugated diene, the first heterogeneous catalytic system for endoperoxide synthesis. This green protocol does not require any additive and the photocatalyst is abundant and recyclable, providing a yield up to 64% and >20:1 diastereoselectivity. Mechanistic investigations were carried out by using product analysis, kinetic studies, O-18 labelling experiments, electron-spin resonance and a set of quenching experiments. Superoxide (but not singlet oxygen, triplet oxygen or peroxide) is directly involved in the reaction cascade to form the endoperoxide product. The new findings may be helpful for future for designing eco-friendly and energy sustainable strategies for selective oxygenation reactions using semiconductors, O₂ and sunlight.     

Spectroscopic properties and mechanistic action of a new p-hydroxybenzoate light stabiliser: A comparative study in polypropylene and high density polyethylene and anti-oxidant interactions

The photostabilising action of an n-alkyl substituted p-hydroxybenzoate light stabiliser (Cyasorb® UV 2908) is examined in both polypropylene and high density polyethylene using luminescence, normal and derivative uv-visible and infra-red spectrophotometric techniques and hydroperoxide analysis. By comparison with various anti-oxidants it proved to be a very effective light stabiliser in high density polyethylene but not in polypropylene. Whilst its uv absorption spectrum showed it to be a non-absorber in sunlight its luminescence properties were totally different from those of conventional anti-oxidant structures. The photostabilising action of the p-hydroxybenzoate light stabiliser is found to be dependent on the initial concentration of hydroperoxide groups in the polymer indicating that it is an effective alkoxy and hydroxy radical scavenger. In polypropylene, it suppressed hydroperoxide formation during processing but had no effect in high density polyethylene, indicating it to be an effective thermal anti-oxidant in the former polymer. Using methylene blue as a singlet oxygen sensitiser and dimethylanthracene as a chemical trap, the stabiliser proved ineffective in quenching singlet oxygen in the polymer matrix. Its inability to photolyse to give active quinone products, good compatibility and alkoxy and hydroxy radical terminating properties are concluded to be key factors responsible for its light stabilising function in high density polyethylene. The interaction of the light stabiliser with conventional thermal primary anti-oxidants is also examined and discussed.     

CHEMISTRY OF SINGLET OXYGEN—XXVI. PHOTOOXYGENATION OF PHENOLSy†

Abstract— The aerobic dye-sensitized photooxygenation of monohydric phenols proceeds by way of singlet oxygen under the conditions studied. Various phenols give different proportions of reaction with and quenching of singlet oxygen. Para-substituted 2,6-di-t-butylphenols show a linear correlation between the log of the total rate of singlet oxygen removal and their halfwave oxidation potentials; the same correlation is given for certain phenol methyl ethers. A Hammett plot using s?⁺ gives ρ - 1.72 ± 0.12, consistent with development of some charge in the quenching step. Reaction of photo-chemically generated singlet oxygen with 2,4,6-triphenylphenol gives 2,4,6-triphenylphenoxy radical as an intermediate in singlet oxygen quenching, although no overall reaction occurs. Kinetic analysis indicates that the radical is derived exclusively from the interaction of 2,4,6-triphenylphenol with singlet oxygen. A charge-transfer mechanism for quenching of singlet oxygen by phenols is proposed.     

Preparative uv-laser photochemistry of the azoalkane spiro(2,3-diazabicyclo [2.2.1]hept-2-ene-7′,1-cyclopropane): Trapping of the 1,4-Diradical 2-(3-Cyclopentenyl) ethyl by Molecular Oxygen

Photo-extrusion of nitrogen from the azoalkane 1 in the presence of molecular oxygen gave besides the hydrocarbons 3 and 5, the endoperoxide 10 and hydroperoxide 11, the former via trapping of the 1,4-diradical 4 by triplet oxygen, the latter by ene-reaction-6f hydrocarbon 5 with singlet oxygen.     

Oxidation of Chiral 1,4-Cyclohexadienes: A Comparison of Chemically and Photochemically Generated Singlet Oxygen1O2(1Δg)

Chiral alkyl-substituted 2,5-cyclohexadiene-l-carboxyIic acids la-c have been oxidized in water and in methanol with singlet oxygen, ¹O₂ (¹Δ_g), generated either photochemically or chemically from the catalytic system hydrogen peroxide/sodium molybdate. These methods were compared in terms of chemo-, regio- and diastereoselec-tivities and the chemical (k_T) and physical (k_q) quenching rate constants of ¹O₂ were determined. The ratio of the cis and trans isomers of the hydroperoxides 2a-c is not influenced by the source of ¹O₂ but, on the other hand, it depends slightly on the solvent and greatly on the steric hindrance of the substituents linked to the chiral carbon. The results may be interpreted on the basis of the successive formation of an exciplex and a perepoxide that evolves either by giving the final allylic hydroperoxide or by dissociating into the starting substrate and singlet or triplet oxygen.     

Sensitized photoxygenation of piroxicam in neat solvents and solvent mixtures.

Detection of O(2)(1Delta(g)) phosphorescence emission, lambda(max)=1270 nm, following laser excitation and steady state methods were employed to determine the total rate constant, k(T), for the reaction between the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug piroxicam (PRX) and singlet oxygen in several solvents. Values of k(T) ranged from 0.048+/-0.003 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) in chloroform to 71.2+/-2.2 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) in N,N-dimethylformamide. The chemical reaction rate constant, k(R), was determined by using thermal decomposition of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene endoperoxide as the singlet oxygen source. In acetonitrile, the k(R) value is equal to 5.0+/-0.4 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1), very close to the k(T) value. This result indicates that, in this solvent, the chemical reaction corresponds to the main reaction path. Dependence of total rate constant on the solvent parameters pi* and beta can be explained in terms of a reaction mechanism that involves the formation of a perepoxide intermediate. Rearrangement of the perepoxide to dioxetane followed by ring cleavage and transacylation accounts for the formation of N-methylsaccharine and N-(2-pyridyl)oxamic acid, the main reaction products. Data obtained in dioxane-water (pH 4) mixtures with neutral enolic and zwitterionic tautomers of piroxicam in equilibrium show that the zwitterionic tautomer reacts with singlet oxygen faster than the enolic tautomer.     

Taming of Singlet Oxygen: Towards Artificial Oxygen Carriers Based on 1,4-Dialkylnaphthalenes

Naphthalene endoperoxides are known as convenient sources of singlet oxygen (O₂, ¹Δ_g), which is the major product of endoperoxide cycloreversion reaction. However, their potential as carriers of ground-state molecular oxygen (O₂, ³Σ_g) similar to artificial oxygen carriers remains largely unexplored. This is due to the extreme reactivity and cytotoxic effects of the released singlet oxygen. We now report that a compound with a bimodular design, which incorporates an endoperoxide and an efficient physical quencher of singlet oxygen, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), produces exclusively ground-state molecular oxygen. This result, coupled with the fact that oxygen release rates from endoperoxides are highly amenable to fine-tuning in a very broad range, and open to targeting by ligand attachment, raises the potential of these compounds far above any comparable chemical, or even biochemical sources. In cell culture experiments, we showed that the addition of the endoperoxide-quencher conjugate can enhance and sustain cell proliferation.     

Solvent dependence of singlet oxygen / substrate interactions in ene-reactions, (4+2)- and (2+2)-cycloaddition reactions

Product formation of singlet oxygen reactions with simple olefins occurring as ene-reactions, (4+2)- and (2+2)-cycloaddition reactions is independent on solvent polarity. Thus, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene (1) and 2-methy]-2-butene (3), 1,3-cyclohexadiene (6), and benzvalene (8) yield allylic hydroperoxides (2) and(4) (54%) + (5) (46%), endoperoxide (7), and dioxetane (9), respectively. The rates of the ene-reactions and (4+2)-cycloaddition reactions are only slightly dependent, those of the (2+2)-cycloaddition reaction, however,are clearly dependent on solvent polarity. “Physical” quenching of singlet oxygen by the olefins is negligible, but substantial by the sensitizer tetraphenylporphin (TPP) in chlorinated solvents.     

Theoretical study of the oxidation of histidine by singlet oxygen

Herein we present a theoretical study of the reaction of singlet oxygen with histidine performed both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. The potential energy surface of the reactive system was explored at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level of theory and the electronic energies were refined by means of single-point CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ(-f) calculations. Solvent effects were taken into account by using a solvent continuum model (COSMO) and by adding explicit water molecules. The results show that the first step in the reaction mechanism corresponds to a nearly symmetric Diels-Alder addition of the singlet oxygen molecule to the imidazole ring to yield an endoperoxide, in agreement with experimental evidence. The intermediate formed can evolve along two different reaction paths leading to two isomeric hydroperoxides and, eventually, to open-chain or internally cyclised oxidised products. Water plays a significant role in stabilising the reaction structures by solvation and by acting as a bifunctional catalyst in the elimination/addition reaction steps. Our results explain why substituents at the N1-imidazole ring can hamper the evolution of the initial endoperoxide and result in Gibbs energy barriers in solution similar to those experimentally measured and suggest a likely route to the formation of peptide aggregates during the oxidation of histidine by singlet molecular oxygen.