The catalytic hydration of nitriles to amides using a homogeneous platinum phosphinito catalyst

New homogeneous catalysts for the hydration of nitriles to amides are described. The catalyst precursors are coordination compounds of Pt(II) with secondary phosphine oxides. They contain a hydrogen bridged mono-anionic didentate phosphinito group, together with a third phosphine oxide ligand and a monodentate anionic ligand, either hydride or chloride. Reacting the chloride with silver ion, or the hydride with water gives a cationic species which is the active catalyst. On coordination to the cation the nitrile becomes susceptible to nucleophilic attack. The hydrolysis gives the amide as the sole product, and there is no tendency towards further hydrolysis to the acid. The effects of substituents on phosphorus are investigated, and a reaction mechanism is suggested. The most active catalyst, [PtH(PMe₂OH)(PMe₂O)₂H], 2a, is derived from dimethylphosphine oxide, and this precursor catalyses the hydration of acrylonitrile to acrylamide with a turnover number of 77,000, without addition to the C=C double bond.     

Unexpected stereorecognition in nitrilase-catalyzed hydrolysis of beta-hydroxy nitriles

Biocatalytic enantioselective hydrolysis of beta-hydroxy nitriles to corresponding (S)-enriched beta-hydroxy carboxylic acids has been achieved for the first time by an isolated nitrilase bll6402 from Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110. This offers a new "green" approach to optically pure beta-hydroxy nitriles and beta-hydroxy carboxylic acids. The observed remote stereorecognition is surprising because this nitrilase shows no enantioselectivity for the hydrolysis of alpha-hydroxy nitriles such as mandelonitrile.     

氰基水解酶在有机合成中的应用

腈化物是有机合成中的重要中间体,因为其中的氰基可以通过多种方法引入,又能进一步转化成其它官能团。用氰基水解酶实现氰基降解不仅反应条件温和,少污染、易处理,更重要的是能实现一般化学转化所不能实现的优良的化学、区域及立体选择性。不管是从学术角度还是工程角度来看,氰基水解酶都是一种有巨大潜力的有机合成工具。     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of heterocyclic nitriles

Chemoselective hydrolysis of heterocyclic nitriles can be achieved by an easy to use immobilized biocatalyst prepared from Rhodococcus sp. Pyrimidine-2-carbonitrile ( 2a ) and 3-chloropyridazine-4-carbonitrile ( 4a ) were converted into the corresponding amides while from 2-ethoxycarbonyl-4-pyridinecarbonitrile ( 1a ), 6-methylpyridazine-3-carbonitrile ( 3a ), 3-chloropyridazine-4-carbonitrile ( 4a ), 3-ethoxycarbonyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-5-carbonitrile ( 8a ), indole-3-carbonitrile ( 9a ) and indole-3-ylacetonitrile ( 10a ) the acids were formed.     

α,β-Diketo nitriles as dielectrophiles. Formation of heterocyclic derivatives of amino acids

The reactions of mono Boc-protected amino monocarboxylic acids with phosphoranylideneacetonitrile yield ylido nitriles which on ozonolysis at low temperature form labile α,β-diketo nitriles. These derivatives may be used in situ for reaction with diamines or related dinucleophiles to yield hetero derivatives of interest as unnatural amino acid building blocks.     

Rh(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrogenation of α-Substituted Ethenylphosphonic Acids

A class of chiral Rh(I) catalysts containing monodentate phosphorous acid diesters tautomerized from the corresponding secondary phosphine oxides was discovered by serendipitous hydrolysis of phosphoramidite ligands. The evolved catalysts demonstrated unprecedented enantioselectivities (98-99% ee) and high catalytic activities (as low as 0.01 mol% catalyst loading) in asymmetric hydrogenations of a wide variety of α-aryl-/alkyl-substituted ethenylphosphonic acids, providing a facile approach to the corresponding enantiopure phosphonic acids with significant biological importance.     

L'acide hydroxylamine-O-sulfonique,réactif de choix pour la conversion d'aldéhydes en nitriles

Hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid: a convenient reagent for the conversion of aldehydes into nitriles . Hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid (HAS) proved to be an excellent reagent for the conversion of aliphatic, aromatic and heteroatomic aldehydes into nitriles. There, aldehydes in the form of suspension in HAS water solution, react rapidely to give the corresponding nitriles in high yield. Only with formylpyridines could the intermediate oxime-O-sulfonic acids be isolated.     

Calixarenes functionalized with phosphine oxide and diamide functions as extractants and ionofores for rare-earth metals

Calixarene-based ligands with phosphine oxide and diamide functions at wide and narrow rims are synthesized and studied as extracting agents for liquid extraction and ionophores for polymeric electrochemical ion sensors. Calixarene ligands are compared with corresponding phosphine oxide and diamide ligands which are not attached to the calixarene platform. Extraction and sensor properties of the ligands were studied in different metal ion solution with special attention paid to rare-earth metals. Attachment of phosphine oxide groups to the calixarene platform leads to the sharp increase of both extraction and sensing ability of the corresponding systems comparing to non-bonded phosphine oxide. In case of the diamide derivatives attached to the calixarene performance of corresponding ligands was similar to those of non-bonded diamides.     

Synthesis of novel N-protected β-amino nitriles: study of their hydrolysis involving a nitrilase-catalyzed step

Several commercially available nitrilases were investigated with regard to their potential to hydrolyze N-protected β³-amino nitriles into their corresponding N-protected β³-amino acids.The biotransformations were obtained in different proportions depending on the nitrilase involved. The best hydrolysis results were achieved for the N-Cbz-β³-amino nitrile from l-alanine using the NIT-107, in a phosphate buffer at 0.05 M. However, no biotransformation into the corresponding acids was observed for the N-sulfonylamide β³-amino nitriles. Two simple and efficient procedures to prepare the β³-amino nitriles from their analogous α-amino acids are described. Thirty four new substances were synthesized and characterized over the course of this work.     

Reaction of nitriles under acidic conditions. Part I. A general method of synthesis of condensed pyrimidines

Nitriles are known to give rise to salts of different compositions with halogen acids. Many of the reactions undergone by nitriles under the influence of halogen acids are, in many cases, assumed to proceed via the intermediate formation of highly reactive imidoyl derivatives. The intermediates produced, in situ, by the reaction of nitriles with hydrogen chloride should, in principle, be capable of reacting with compounds containing appropriately placed nucleophilic and electrophilic centers leading to the formation of a heterocycle incorporating the C=N of the nitrile. Thus, the reaction of aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic nitriles with a variety of ortho aminocarbonyl derivatives such as nitriles, amides, esters and ketones of benzene, thiophen, furan, pyrrole, benzothiophene and pyridothiophene have been found to yield the corresponding condensed pyrimidines in fair to good yields. This constitutes a facile and versatile one-pot synthesis of condensed pyrimidines.     

Reactions of Elemental Phosphorus and Phosphine with Electrophiles in Superbasic Systems: XIV.1 Phosphorylation of 2-Vinylnaphthalene with Elemental Phosphorus and Phosphines in the KOH-DMSO System

Elemental phosphorus (red or white) reacts with 2-vinylnaphthalene while heating at 90-96°C in the superbasic KOH-DMSO system to form 2-(2-naphthyl)ethylphosphine, 2-(2-naphthyl)ethylphosphinic acid, bis[2-(2-naphthyl)ethyl]phosphine, bis[2-(2-naphthyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide, and tris[2-(2-naphthyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide in a total yield of up to 40%. Selective conditions for preparing the tertiary phosphine oxide from white phosphorus and 2-vinylnaphthalene in 58% yield were found. Phosphine and (2-phenylpropyl)phosphine add to 2-vinylnaphthalene in the KOH-DMSO system to form, under certain conditions, corresponding secondary phosphines in high yields.     

Mild palladium-catalyzed selective monoarylation of nitriles

Two new palladium-catalyzed procedures for the arylation of nitriles under less basic conditions than previously reported have been developed. The selective monoarylation of acetonitrile and primary nitriles has been achieved using alpha-silyl nitriles in the presence of ZnF2. This procedure is compatible with a variety of functional groups, including cyano, keto, nitro, and ester groups, on the aryl bromide. The arylation of secondary nitriles occurred in high yield by conducting reactions with zinc cyanoalkyl reagents. These reaction conditions tolerated base-sensitive functional groups, such as ketones and esters. The combination of these two methods, one with alpha-silyl nitriles and one with zinc cyanoalkyl reagents, provides a catalytic route to a variety of benzylic nitriles, which have not only biological significance but utility as synthetic intermediates. The utility of these new coupling reactions has been demonstrated by a synthesis of verapamil, a clinically used drug for the treatment of heart disease, by a three-step route from commercial materials that allows convenient variation of the aryl group.     

Efficient palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl chlorides with arylboronic acids using benzoferrocenyl phosphines as supporting ligands

Four monodentate benzoferrocenyl phosphines were studied as supporting ligands in palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl chlorides with arylboronic acids. Of these ligands, the more electron-rich and steric demanding benzoferrocenyl dicyclohexyl phosphine was found highly effective for the reaction followed by the benzoferrocenyl diisopropyl phosphine. The corresponding diethyl and diphenyl phosphines are much less active. When the dicyclohexyl phosphine was used, both electron-rich and electron-poor aryl chlorides were coupled with arylboronic acids within 1 h giving good to excellent yields. Chloro-substituted pyridines were also found highly reactive under these conditions giving excellent yields of biaryl products. Sterically hindered biaryls can also be prepared using the dicyclohexyl phosphine as ligand.     

Heteroatom-substituted secondary phosphine oxides (HASPOs) as decomposition products and preligands in rhodium-catalysed hydroformylation

O,O'-3,3'-Di-tert-butyl-5,5'-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl-2,2'-diyl phosphonate (1) is the hydrolysis product of several mono- and bis-phosphites used as ligands in industrial hydroformylation and other catalytic reactions. As a result of a tautomeric equilibrium, this pentavalent heteroatom-substituted phosphine oxide (HASPO) can rearrange to the corresponding trivalent phosphorus compound. The latter is able to react with typical rhodium-containing precursors frequently used for the generation of catalysts. The resulting species were characterised by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray structure analysis. Proof is given that a rhodium complex of 1 forms an active hydroformylation catalyst. Moreover, 1 can add to aldehydes, which are generated as products in the hydroformylation. Thus a broad range of subsequent reactions can be associated with the degradation of the original phosphite ligands, which has a strong influence on the overall outcome of the hydroformylation reaction.     

Direct, facile synthesis of acyl azides and nitriles from carboxylic acids using bis(2-methoxyethyl)aminosulfur trifluoride

A mild, efficient, and practical method for the one-step synthesis of acyl azides from carboxylic acids using bis(2-methoxyethyl)aminosulfur trifluoride is described. The reaction was easily extended to the synthesis of the corresponding nitriles by the inclusion of phosphorous reagents. The method can be applied to the synthesis of optically active nitriles in high yields, and is compatible with fluorous phosphines.     

Reduction of nitriles into aldehydes using a TMDS/V(O)(OiPr)3 reducing system

A simple and convenient method for the chemoselective reduction of nitriles into aldehydes using a 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (TMDS)/triisopropoxyvanadium(V) oxide reducing system is described. Aromatic as well as aliphatic nitriles are reduced into the corresponding aldehydes in moderate to good yields.     

Catalysis with phosphine-containing amino acids in various "turn" motifs

We have been actively involved in the development of parallel approaches for the discovery of phosphine ligands. Our approach has been based on the incorporation of phosphine-containing amino acids into peptide sequences that are designed to have stable secondary structures. We have examined helical and turn secondary structures and have reported that alkylation of cyclopentenyl acetate with dimethylmalonate can be catalyzed in high enantiomeric excess (ee) with a beta-turn-based ligand. The importance of the peptide secondary structure was demonstrated through the synthesis of a series of peptide ligands where the nature of the turn-forming residues was probed. Additionally, other turn-forming units and a variety of different phosphine-containing amino acids have been examined for their ability to control the selectivity of the allylation reaction. This paper reports the results obtained through the examination of different turn motifs as well as different phosphine substitutions on the "best" turn sequence, Pps-Pro-d-Xxx-Pps.     

Application of chelate phosphine oxide ligand in EuIII complex with mezzo triplet energy level, highly efficient photoluminescent, and electroluminescent performances

The chelate phosphine oxide ligand bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl) ether oxide (DPEPO) was used as a unit neutral ligand to prepare the complex Eu(TTA)(3)(DPEPO) 1 (TTA = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate). Compound 1 has a photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 55.3%, which is more than the twice of the PL quantum yield of Eu(TTA)(3)(TPPO)(2) (TPPO = triphenylphosphine oxide). Investigation indicated that DPEPO in 1 has the mezzo first triplet excited energy level (T(1)) between the first singlet excited energy level (S(1)) and T(1) of TTA, which may support one more additional energy transfer routines from the T(1) energy level of DPEPO to that of TTA, and consequently results in the improvement of energy transfer in the Eu(III) complex. DPEPO forms a complex with a more rigid and compact structure that can improve energy transfer between ligands and the center Eu(III) ion, support the higher saturation level by the coordinating ability of the oxygen atom in the ether moiety, and consequently enhance the PL intensity and efficiency of the corresponding Eu(III) complex. The multilayered electroluminescent (EL) device of 1 used as the red dopant exhibited an impressive brightness of 632 cd m(-2) at 25 V. The device had the excellent voltage-independent spectral stability with an emission peak at 615 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this luminescence is the brightest emission among Eu complexes with phosphine oxide ligands. The maximum external quantum yield (eta(ext)) of 2.89% and the maximum current and power efficiency of 4.58 cd A(-1) and 2.05 lm W(-1) were achieved at a low turn-on voltage of 7 V and current density of 0.021 mA cm(-2). These properties demonstrate that the chelate phosphine oxides ligand DPEPO can not only be favorable to form the rigid and compact complex structure and increase the efficiency of devices, but also reduce the ability of the formation of exciplex. DPEPO shows much better performance compared with the ordinary phosphine oxide ligand triphenylphosphine oxide.     

Cyclic nitriles: diastereoselective alkylations

[reaction: see text] Diastereoselective alkylations of metalated conformationally locked 4-tert-butylcyclohexanecarbonitrile are highly diastereoselective with magnesium and copper counterions but only modestly diastereoselective with lithium as the counterion. Selective generation of diverse metalated nitriles is readily achieved through bromine-magnesium, -copper, and -lithium exchange reactions of the corresponding bromonitrile or, for lithium, by deprotonating the parent nitrile with lithium diethylamide. Collectively, high alkylation stereoselectivities correlate with the retentive alkylations of C-metalated nitriles, whereas N-lithiated nitriles alkylate with modest selectivity, reflecting minimal steric differences in the corresponding axial and equatorial electrophile trajectories.     

Aerobic oxidative transformation of primary azides to nitriles by ruthenium hydroxide catalyst

In the presence of an easily prepared supported ruthenium hydroxide catalyst, Ru(OH)(x)/Al(2)O(3), various kinds of structurally diverse primary azides including benzylic, allylic, and aliphatic ones could be converted into the corresponding nitriles in moderate to high yields (13 examples, 65-94% yields). The gram-scale (1 g) transformation of benzyl azide efficiently proceeded to give benzonitrile (0.7 g, 90% yield) without any decrease in the performance in comparison with the small-scale (0.5 mmol) transformation. The catalysis was truly heterogeneous, and the retrieved catalyst could be reused for the transformation of benzyl azide without an appreciable loss of its high performance. The present transformation of primary azides to nitriles likely proceeds via sequential reactions of imide formation, followed by dehydrogenation (β-elimination) to produce the corresponding nitriles. The Ru(OH)(x)/Al(2)O(3) catalyst could be further employed for synthesis of amides in water through the transformation of primary azides (benzylic and aliphatic ones) to nitriles, followed by sequent hydration of the nitriles formed. Additionally, direct one-pot synthesis from alkyl halides and TBAN(3) (TBA = tetra-n-butylammonium) could be realized with Ru(OH)(x)/Al(2)O(3), giving the corresponding nitriles in moderate to high yields (10 examples, 64-84% yields).