Microwave-assisted "libraries from libraries" approach toward the synthesis of allyl- and C-cyclopropylalkylamides

Cascade reactions of internal and terminal alkynes, zirconocene hydrochloride, dimethylzinc, and phosphinoyl imines (prepared in one step from aldehydes and diphenylphosphinoyl amide) lead to allylic phosphinoyl amides after aqueous workup. Microwave acceleration allows the completion of this one-pot reaction sequence in 10 min. These allylic amides can be converted into a variety of derivatives, including carbamates and sulfonamides, or reacted prior to workup with diiodomethane to give novel C-cyclopropylalkylamides. A solution-phase "libraries from libraries" approach was used to generate an intermediate 20-member library which was subsequently expanded to a 100-member library by a series of N-functionalizations. The biological activity was evaluated in an assay for competitive binding to the estrogen receptor (ERalpha), revealing three potent lead compounds of a new structural type.     

DABCO-directed self-assembly of bisporphyrins (DABCO=1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane)

Three isomeric zinc bisporphyrins have been prepared by covalently linking together two aminoporphyrins with an isophthalic acid derivative. The porphyrins differ in the substitution pattern on the meso phenyl groups, that is, ortho, meta, or para. Titrations carried out by UV-visible and 1H NMR spectroscopy have been used to map out the stabilities and the stoichiometries of the complexes formed with 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) in chloroform. The ortho- and meta-substituted bisporphyrins form 1:1 intramolecular sandwich complexes. The para-substituted bisporphyrin cannot adopt the cofacial conformation required for this type of complex and forms a higher order 2:2 intermolecular assembly, which is stable over a wide range of DABCO concentrations.     

Stereoselective reductase-catalysed deoxygenation of sulfoxides in aerobic and anaerobic bacteria

Direct and indirect evidence, of unexpected stereoselective reductase-catalysed deoxygenations of sulfoxides, was found. The deoxygenations proceeded simultaneously, with the expected dioxygenase-catalysed asymmetric sulfoxidation of sulfides, during some biotransformations with the aerobic bacterium Pseudomonas putida UV4. Stereoselective reductase-catalysed asymmetric deoxygenation of racemic alkylaryl, dialkyl and phenolic sulfoxides was observed, without evidence of the reverse sulfoxidation reaction, using anaerobic bacterial strains. A purified dimethyl sulfoxide reductase, obtained from the intact cells of the anaerobic bacterium Citrobacter braakii DMSO 11, yielded, from the corresponding racemates, enantiopure alkylaryl sulfoxide and thiosulfinate samples.     

Catalytic decomposition of N2O on La2CuO4 in the presence of LaNi5 alloy

Decomposition of N₂O has been studied on pure La₂CuO₄, La₂CuO₄ with 5 and 10 wt. % LaNi₅ and oxidized LaNi₅ in the temperature range of 240–490 °C at 50 and 200 Torr initial pressures of N₂O. The addition of LaNi₅ decreases the energy of activation compared to that of La₂CuO₄ which has been explained based on the dispersity of NiO over La₂CuO₄.

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N₂O La₂CuO₄ La₂CuO₄ LaNi₅ 5–10 .%, 240–490°C N₂O 50 200 . LaNi₅ , . NiO La₂CuO₄.

     

A novel photoaddition of 2-phenylbenzimidazole

Irradiation of 2-phenylbenzimidazole ( 3 ) in the presence of methyl acrylate (20 equivalents) using a medium pressure mercury lamp gives methyl 2-(2-phenylbenzimidazol-1-yl)propionate ( 4 ) (75%) whose structure has been confirmed by an X-ray analysis. A similar reaction using acrylonitrile gave only a low yield (1%) of the corresponding propionitrile derivative 5 . A mechanism involving photoexcitation of 2-phenylbenzimidazole ( 3 ) followed by sequential single electron transfer, proton transfer and radical coupling is proposed to account for the formation of the novel photoadducts 4 and 5 .     

Modification of Surface and Structural Properties of Ordered Mesoporous Silicates

Two simple modification methods for ordered mesoporous silicas were examined and compared. MCM-41 molecular sieve was physically coated with 4-cyano-4-biphenyl [4(4-pentenyloxy)]benzoate (CBPB) and chemically modified using trimethylethoxysilane. The structural and surface properties of the obtained materials were characterized using elemental analysis, thermogravimetry and nitrogen adsorption over a wide pressure range.It was shown that the pore size of the MCM-41 material was not decreased significantly after the coating procedure, even for high loadings of CBPB. Moreover, low pressure adsorption measurements indicated that significant fractions of the MCM-41 surface were not covered by CBPB, even for high CBPB loadings, which suggests that the attained coverage may be very nonuniform. The chemical bonding procedure led to a marked decrease in the pore size and change of surface properties.It was demonstrated that nitrogen adsorption measurements provide a means of a thorough characterization of modified MCM-41 materials, allowing to estimate the surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution. Moreover, low pressure adsorption data can be used to qualitatively or semiquantitatively assess the surface coverage of the coated/bonded organic groups, which may be used to estimate the uniformity of the coverage and therefore, the usefulness of the modification procedure.     

A ferrocene based palladacyclic precatalyst for the Suzuki cross-coupling of aryl chlorides

Addition of palladium acetate to 2-(dicyclohexylphosphino)-phenylferrocene gave palladacycle 16 that is a very effective precatalyst for the Suzuki cross-coupling of aryl chlorides at room temperature (1 mol% 16) or 60 degrees C (> or = 0.01 mol% 16).     

Use of pi-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes in the synthesis of taurospongin A: a potent inhibitor of DNA polymerase beta and HIV revers transcriptase

The total synthesis of taurospongin A by two new approaches has been achieved where pi-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes have been used to control highly stereoselective additions of the nucleophiles to a carbonyl unit located in the side chain of these complexes.     

Primary amido substituted diborane4 compounds and imidodiborate4 anions

Treatment of the diborane(4) compound B(2)(NMe(2))(4) with aniline or 2,6-dimethylaniline results in the primary amido compounds B(2)(NHR)(4)(R = Ph, 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3)); subsequent treatment with n-BuLi in toluene in each case affords the first examples of anionic imidodiborates namely Li(4)(thf)(6)B(2)(NPh)(4) and Li(4)(thf)(4)B(2)(N-2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3))(4); all complexes have been characterised crystallographically.