Synthesis of exo enol ether-cyclic ketal isomers of substituted furanmethanol structures related to marine furanocembranoids

Oxidations of the 2-alkenylfurans 8a and 8b, using peroxy reagents, lead to the dienedione 9 and the furan epoxide 10, respectively. Treatment of the epoxide 10 with p-TSA in MeOH produces the enol ether cyclic ketal 12, which is rapidly isomerised to the furanmethanol ether 15, isolated in 80% yield. By contrast, when the propanol-substituted furan epoxide 23 was kept in CDCl₃ containing traces of HCl for 2 h, a 3:2 mixture of Z- and E-isomers of the enol ether spiro ketals 25a and 25b was produced in >92% yield; after 24 h this mixture of isomers underwent dehydration leading to the corresponding enol ether triene 26 (70%). When a solution of the dienedione 9 in H₂O-THF containing p-TSA was stirred at 25 °C for 20 h, the tertiary alcohol 27 was produced which, after a further 20 h was converted into the furan vicinal diol 29. Likewise, when the ‘cembranoid’ dienedione 31 was treated with p-TSA-H₂O, the hydroxymethyl-substituted furanobutenolide 33 was produced in 40% yield. It is probable that the enol ether cyclic hemiketals 28 and 32/34, which are related to 12 and 25, and also to the naturally occurring cembranoids 1 and 2 found in corals, are transient intermediates in the conversions leading to 29 and 33 from 9 and 31, respectively.     

Oxymethylcrowned chromene: photoswitchable stoichiometry of metal ion complex and ion-responsive photochromism

Chromene derivatives bearing oxymethyl-12-crown-4 (1), -15-crown-5 (2), -18-crown-6 (3) ether moieties, and non-cyclic analogue (4) were synthesized, and their metal ion binding properties and photochromism were examined. NMR titration with alkali metal ions revealed that 1 formed a 1:2 complex (metal ion: ligand) with Na⁺, while Li⁺ afforded a 1:1 complex of 1. In cases of K⁺ and Rb⁺, the complexes were a mixture of 1:1 and 1:2 complexes, but the formation of 1:1 complex was observed again with Cs⁺. Under UV irradiation, however, the complex stoichiometry of 1 with all alkali metal ions was 1:1. As a comparison of NMR spectra between the Li⁺ and Na⁺ complexes of 1 indicated considerable upfield shift for the chromene moiety of the Na⁺ complex, π-π stacking of the chromene moiety seems to induce formation of the 1:2 complex. These results indicate that the chromene moiety is not only to show photochromism but also to induce aggregation to form the 1:2 complex resulted in switching of the complex stoichiometry by UV irradiation. The formation of 1:2 complex appeared only with 1 because flexibility of the crown moieties for 2 and 3 interfered the formation of 1:2 complex. Studies on photochromism in the presence of a metal ion demonstrated that the chromene derivatives bearing crown ether moieties show ion-responsive photochromism depending on the metal ion binding ability of their crown ether moieties.     

One-pot synthesis of macrocyclic compounds possessing two cyclobutane rings by sequential inter- and intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition reactions

Sensitized photocycloaddition reactions of 6,6′-dimethyl-4,4′-[1,3-bis(methylenoxy)phenylene]-di-2-pyrone (1) with electron-poor α,ω-diolefins such as ethylene diacrylate (2a) and polyoxyethylene dimethacrylates (2b-d) afforded site- and stereoselective macrocyclic dioxatetralactones (3a-d) and (4b) having 18- to 25-membered rings across the C5-C6 and C5′-C6′ double bonds, or C5-C6 and C3′-C4′ double bonds in 1, respectively. Similar photoreactions of 1 with electron-rich α,ω-diolefins such as poly(ethylene glycol)divinyl ether (2e and 2f) afforded crown ether-type macrocyclic compounds (5e and 5f) having 18- and 21-membered rings across the C3-C4 and C3′-C4′ double bonds in 1, respectively. The stereochemical features of 3b, 5e-xx, and 5e-nn were determined by the X-ray crystal analysis. The reaction mechanism was inferred by MO methods.     

Regulation of metal ion recognition by allosteric effects in thiacalix[4]crown based receptors

Three new ditopic receptors 3a-c based on thiacalix[4]arene of 1,3 alternate conformation possessing two different complexation sites have been designed and synthesized for both soft and hard metal ions. The imino nitrogens bind soft metal ion (Ag⁺/Pb²⁺/Cu²⁺) and the crown moiety binds K⁺ ion. The preliminary investigations show that 3a-c behave as ditopic receptors for Ag⁺/K⁺, Pb²⁺/K⁺, and Cu²⁺/K⁺ ions, respectively. In all the three receptors it was observed that the formation of 3a·Ag⁺/3b·Pb²⁺/3c·Cu²⁺ complex triggers the decomplexation of K⁺ ion from crown moiety and acts as a gateway, which regulates the binding of alkali metal to crown moiety. Thus, allosteric binding between metal ions ‘switch off’ the recognition ability of crown ether ring.     

A facile stereoselective synthesis of (E)-1,2-disubstituted vinylstannanes via hydromagnesiation of alkylarylacetylenes

Hydromagnesiation of alkylarylacetylenes 1 in diethyl ether gave (E)-α-arylvinyl Grignard reagents 2, which reacted with trialkylstannyl chlorides 3 in diethyl ether to afford stereoselectively (E)-1,2-disubstituted vinylstannanes 4 in high yields.     

Synthesis of novel C2-symmetric chiral crown ethers and their application to enantioselective trifluoromethylation of aldehydes and ketones

Synthesis of novel C2-symmetric chiral crown ethers and their application to enantioselective trifluoromethylation of aldehydes and ketones are discussed. The use of a series of C2-symmetric chiral crown ethers 2 or 3 derived from commercially available (R)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthol for the enantioselective trifluoromethylation of 2-naphthyl aldehyde 1a with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane in the presence of a base was attempted. Iodo-substituted crown ether 2b was found to be the most effective in the model reaction. Moderate enantioselectivities were observed for the trifluoromethylation of both aryl or alkyl aldehydes and alkyl aryl ketones in 21-44% ees. Although the ees are still improvable, this is the first example of a chiral crown ether-catalyzed enantioselective trifluoromethylation reaction.     

Synthesis and electrochemical studies of ferrocene-dithiafulvalenes (Fc-DTF) and 1,1′-bis(dithiafulvalenyl)ferrocene (DTF-Fc-DTF). An approach towards new conducting organic materials

Novel π-conjugated donor compounds based on the strong electron-donating ferrocene moiety and dithiafulvalene donors exhibited increased electron donor ability. The ferrocenylketones 4a,b, 5, 8 and 9 were synthesized via described methods, and allowed to react with 2-dimethoxyphosphinyl-1,3-benzodithiole (13) in the presence of n-BuLi at −78°C in dry THF to afford the corresponding ferrocene-dithiafulvalenes 14a,b, 18, 19 and 1,1′-bis(benzo-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene)ethyl]ferrocene (15). Electrochemical properties of these new donor compounds were studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-Vis spectra. CV and absorption spectra of the new compounds were studied in comparison with ferrocene (6) and dibenzo-tetrathiafulvalene DB-TTF 3. Two-electron and three-electron redox behaviors were observed as two waves. The absorption spectra showed a red-shift with a slight increase in the absorption intensities.     

Calix[4]quinones. Part 4: The ClO2 oxidation of calix[4]arene dialkyl ethers

Except for the special case of calix[4]arene diethyl ether 1, the chlorine dioxide oxidation of dialkyl ethers 2-5 yielded only the corresponding calix[4]diquinone dialkyl ethers 8-11. Chlorine dioxide oxidation of calix[4]arene diethyl ether 1 produced two isomeric products 6 and 7, which were stable enough to be isolated by column chromatography. However, a slow conformational interconversion between isomeric pair 6 and 7 was observed at room temperature, and the equilibrium was reached after 400 h at 18 °C with an amount of 5:3 in favor of syn-isomer.     

Synthesis and preliminary studies on novel enantiopure crown ethers containing an alkyl diarylphosphinate or a proton-ionizable diarylphosphinic acid unit

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopic studies of a new type of crown ethers and their achiral analogues containing a tetrahedral phosphorous centre. The synthetic routes to the two chiral phosphinate derivatives [(R,R)-10 and (R,R)-11] were similar, starting from the earlier reported ethyl bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)phosphinate and the unreported methyl bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)phosphinate, respectively. The enantiopure crown ether containing phosphinic acid unit (R,R)-14 was obtained by hydrolysis of the phosphinates (R,R)-10 and (R,R)-11, respectively. ECD spectroscopy was used for investigation of the chiroptical properties as well as complex formation ability of the novel enantiopure ligands. Owing to the presence of the aryl substituents the ECD spectra are rich in bands in the ¹B_b, ¹L_a and ¹L_b regions (190-250 nm and 260-330 nm, respectively). In the case of (R,R)-14, a solvent dependent conformational behaviour was observed due to the strong dimer or aggregate forming ability of the POOH groups. This finding was supported by theoretical calculation of the monomer and the dimer forms. Phosphinates (R,R)-10 and (R,R)-11 form complexes with α-phenylethylammonium perchlorate (PEA) and α-(1-naphthyl)ethyl ammonium perchlorate (NEA) but do not discriminate between their enantiomers. All three chiral crown ethers bind strongly cations of ionic radii <∼1 Å.     

A color version of the Hinsberg test: permethylated cyclodextrin and crown-appended azophenol for highly selective sensing of amines

Azophenol dyes 1-5 having the permethylated cyclodextrin and/or crown moieties have been synthesized. Compounds 1 and 2 provide critical information for discrimination among 1°-3° amines by unique color changes. Addition of 1° and 2° amines to solutions of 1 or 2 in chloroform shifts the absorbance maximum of the initial solutions from 380 nm to ∼580 nm and ∼530 nm, respectively, but no change is observed with 3° amines. The high selectivity of 1 is mainly due to H-bonding between the ammonium H atoms of the amine and oxygen atoms of the crown-6. The selectivity of 1 possessing the β-cyclodextrin moiety toward amines was higher than that of 2 possessing the α-cyclodextrin moiety. On the other hand, chloroform solutions of 3 or 4, which lack the crown ether moiety, changed from yellow (380 nm) to pink (500 nm) with the addition of 1° and 2° amines, but with no selectivity. These results indicate that the crown unit in 1 or 2 plays an important role in discriminating among the types of amines.     

Synthesis and characterization of titanium and zirconium complexes with silicone-bridged phenoxycyclopentadienyl ligands

Dimethylsilyl(2,3,4,5-tetramethylcyclopentadienyl)(3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-2-phenoxy)titanium dichloride (1a), a useful catalyst precursor for olefin copolymerization, was synthesized at high yield starting from allyl-protected phenolic ligand 3a,which was first treated with 2 equiv. of n-BuLi to selectively give the dilithium salt of 3a along with 1-heptene, a coupling product of a protected allyl ether moiety and butyl anion. Addition of TiCl₄ to the resulting dilithium salt of 3a in toluene afforded 1a in 50% isolated yield. This methodology could be applied to the preparation of related titanium and zirconoium complexes 1b-1d, 8 with silicone-bridged Cp-phenoxy ligands, whereas the reaction starting from methyl-protected precursor 2a did not produce the zirconium complex 8. Copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene with the newly prepared complexes was also investigated.     

Synthesis and chemistry of tricyclic cyclopropene-tricyclo[3.2.2.0]nona-2(4),6-diene

The 1,2-bridged tricyclic cyclopropene, tricyclo[3.2.2.0^2,4]nona-2(4),6-diene (1), has been synthesized by the elimination of 2-bromo-4-chlorotricyclo[3.2.2.0^2,4]-non-6-ene (5). Cyclopropene 1 will undergo different isomerizations in ether solution and in neat conditions. Compound 1 rearranged to an anti-Bredt compound 4 via diradical mechanism in ether and tricyclic compound 6 via vinyl carbene mechanism in neat conditions. Compound 1 can be trapped with DPIBF at different temperatures yielding different results: the exo-endo adduct 2 (exo-addition from the view of the cyclopropene and endo-addition from the view of bicyclo[2.2.2]octene) is a sole product at 0°C by slowly addition of methyllithium, and the exo-endo adduct 2, endo-endo adduct 9, anti-Bredt adduct 3, and styrene 8 are isolated at ether refluxing temperature. Styrene 8 is proposed to be formed from endo-endo adduct 9 by diradical mechanism. The chemistry of exo-endo adduct 2 and endo-endo adduct 9 is as well studied. The exo-endo adduct 2 undergoes hydration in trifluoroacetic acid to generate 1,3-cis-diol 11 followed by eliminations of water and formaldehyde to give naphthalene 12. The endo-endo adduct 9 reacts with water in tetrahydrofuran-containing silica gel to yield 1,4-cis-diol 10. Both 9 and 10 react with trifluoroacetic acid to form trans-3-hydroxy trifluoroacetate 13. Compound 13 will undergo hydrolysis and isomerization to generate 1,3-cis-diol 11 in trifluoroacetic acid.     

Protonation and rearrangement of the tricyclo[4.2.2.2]dodeca-3,7,9,11-tetraene scaffold

The biplanemers 2a,b contain enol ether substructures, which permit facile protonations of the π electron system. The subsequent ether cleavage is characterized by rearrangements of the polycyclic scaffold of the carbenium ions or the electroneutral primary products. Apart from the expected products 3a and 5a, a series of unexpected ketones and diketones (4a′, 9b, 10b, 11b, and 12b) were obtained.     

A new total synthesis of (±)-oestrone

A conceptually new total synthesis of oestrone, based on a novel cascade of radical cyclisations from the iodo aryl vinylcyclopropane 2, via 10, 15, 16 and 17, leading to the intermediate trans,anti,trans-oestradiol derivative 11 in one step, is described. Oxidation of 11, followed by demethylation of the resulting aryl methyl ether 18 then gives (±)-oestrone 1.     

Syntheses and crystal structures of diorganotin (IV) moieties with 3-hydroxy-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid

A series of new organotin (IV) complexes with 3-hydroxy-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid (3-OH-2-picH) of two types: R₂SnCl(3-OH-2-pic) (I) (R = Me 1, n-Bu 2, Ph 3, PhCH₂4) and R₂ Sn(3-OH-2-pic)₂ (II) (R = Me 5, n-Bu 6, Ph 7, PhCH₂8)have been synthesized by reactions of diorganotin (IV) dichloride with 3-hydroxy-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid in the presence of sodium ethoxide. All complexes are characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra and NMR spectra analyses. Among them, complexes 1, 5, 6 and 7 are also characterized by X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses. Complex 1 is a 1D polymeric chain with six-coordinate tin atoms and the packing of complex 1 is stabilized by the C-H?Cl intermolecular weak interactions, thus a 2D network of 1 is formed. Complex 5 is also a 1D polymeric chain with seven-coordinate tin atoms. Complex 6 is a zigzag polymeric chain linked by Sn?O intermolecular weak interactions. Complex 7 is a monomeric complex with distorted octahedral geometry.     

Syntheses,characterizations and crystal structures of monomeric or macrocyclic compounds of di- or triorganotin (IV) moieties with 4,4′-thiodibenzenethiol

Six organotin compounds with 4,4′-thiodibenzenethiol (LH₂) of the type R_nSnL_4−nSnR_n (n = 3: R = Me 1, Ph 2, PhCH₂3, n = 2: R = Me 4, Ph 5, PhCH₂6) have been synthesized. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹¹⁹Sn) spectra. The structures of compounds 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were also determined by X-ray diffraction analysis, which revealed that compounds 1 and 2 were monomeric structures, compounds 4, 5 and 6 were centrosymmetric dinuclear macrocyclic structures, and all the tin(IV) atoms are four-coordinated. Furthermore, supramolecular structures were also found in compounds 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, which exhibit one-dimensional chains, two-dimensional networks or three-dimensional structures through intermolecular C–H?S weak hydrogen bonds (WHBs), non-bonded Sn?S interactions or C–H?π interactions.     

Convergent synthesis of the IJKLM-ring part of ciguatoxin CTX3C

Convergent synthesis of the IJKLM-ring part (2) of ciguatoxin CTX3C has been achieved from the I-ring and the L-ring parts (4 and 5) in total eight steps in 27% overall yield. The carbanion derived from 4, stabilized by a dimethyldithioacetal S-oxide group, was readily reacted with aldehyde 5 to give an adduct, which was facilely transformed into the corresponding α,ε-dihydroxy ketone 3. The JK-ring formation from 3 under reductive conditions followed by oxidative M-ring cyclization efficiently led to the pentacyclic ether 2. Improved synthesis of 6, a synthetic intermediate for 4, was also established.     

Synthesis of a tetraoxy-bis-nortaxadiene, en route to taxol, using a cascade radical cyclisation sequence

Concise syntheses of the substituted enynediones 28a, 33b and 36 starting from the cyclohexenealdehyde 18, corresponding to ring A in the taxanes, and the vinylstannane 24, are described. Treatment of 36 with Bu₃SnH-AIBN did not lead to the oxy-substituted taxadiene 37 expected from a tandem radical macrocyclisation-radical transannulation sequence; instead, a mixture of unidentified products resulted. When the PMB ether 33b corresponding to the alcohol 36 was treated with Bu₃SnH-AIBN under similar conditions, p-anisaldehyde was isolated, as a major by-product, but no evidence for the formation of a taxadiene could be observed. In contrast, the iododienynedione 41, i.e., deoxy 36, underwent a tandem radical macrocyclisation-transannulation sequence, when treated with Bu₃SnH-AIBN, leading to the tetraoxy-bis-nortaxadiene 42 in 44% yield. Attempts to synthesise the alcohol 28b from the silyl ether 28a en route to the iodide 28c instead gave the substituted tetrahydrofuran 29 via an intramolecular oxy-Michael reaction.     

Syntheses, characterization and crystal structures of di- and triorganotin (IV) derivatives with 6-amino-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dithiol

A series of organotin (IV) complexes with 6-amino-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dithiol of the type [(R_nSnCl_4−n)₂ (C₃H₂N₄S₂)] (n = 3: R = Me 1, n-Bu 2, PhCH₂3, Ph 4; n = 2: R = Me 5, n-Bu 6, PhCH₂7, Ph 8) have been synthesized. All the complexes 1-8 have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. Among them complexes 1, 4, 5 and 8 have also been characterized by X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses, which revealed that the tin atoms of complexes 1, 4, 5 and 8 are all five-coordinated with distorted trigonal bipyramid geometries.     

Alkali metal complexation properties of resorcinarene bis-crown ethers: effect of the crown ether functionality and preorganization on complexation

The synthesis and characterization of tetramethoxy resorcinarene tribenzo-bis-crown ethers, m- and p-TBBC6, are described. The effect of the added aromatic functionality in the crown ether bridge on the alkali metal complexation properties was investigated and compared to the properties of tetramethoxy resorcinarene bis-crown-5 (BC5) by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. It was found that BC5 and m-TBBC6 were capable of binding alkali metal cations (K⁺, Rb⁺, and Cs⁺), with the highest affinity toward Cs⁺ cation, while no binding was observed in the case of p-TBBC6, which confirms the significance of the complementarity and preorganization for complexation affinity.