Pyridyl-Functionalized 1-Phosphabarrelene: Synthesis,Coordination Chemistry and Photochemical di-π-Methane Rearrangement

The [4+2] cycloaddition of 2-(2′-pyridyl)-4,6-diphenyl-λ³-phosphinine with the highly reactive dienophile hexafluoro-2-butyne has been studied and the first pyridyl-functionalized 1-phosphabarrelene was obtained and structurally characterized. Although monodentate CF₃-1-phosphabarrelenes show only a poor coordination ability, the chelating nature of the novel P,N-hybrid ligand gives access to various transition-metal complexes. Upon irradiation with UV light, the pyridyl-functionalized 1-phosphabarrelene undergoes a rather selective di-π-methane rearrangement in the coordination sphere of the metal center, leading to the formation of a complex based on a hitherto unknown pyridyl-functionalized 5-phosphasemibullvalene derivative. DFT calculations provide first insights into the mechanism of this reaction.     

Dehydrogenation of Amine–Boranes Using p-Block Compounds

Amine–boranes have gained a lot of attention due to their potential as hydrogen storage materials and their capacity to act as precursors for transfer hydrogenation. Therefore, a lot of effort has gone into the development of suitable transition- and main-group metal catalysts for the dehydrogenation of amine–boranes. During the past decade, new systems started to emerge solely based on p-block elements that promote the dehydrogenation of amine–boranes through hydrogen-transfer reactions, polymerization initiation, and main-group catalysis. In this review, we highlight the development of these p-block based systems for stoichiometric and catalytic amine–borane dehydrogenation and discuss the underlying mechanisms.     

Photoinduced and Thermal Single-Electron Transfer to Generate Radicals from Frustrated Lewis Pairs

Archetypal phosphine/borane frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are famed for their ability to activate small molecules. The mechanism is generally believed to involve two-electron processes. However, the detection of radical intermediates indicates that single-electron transfer (SET) generating frustrated radical pairs could also play an important role. These highly reactive radical species typically have significantly higher energy than the FLP, which prompted this investigation into their formation. Herein, we provide evidence that the classical phosphine/borane combinations PMes₃/B(C₆F₅)₃ and PtBu₃/B(C₆F₅)₃ both form an electron donor–acceptor (charge-transfer) complex that undergoes visible-light-induced SET to form the corresponding highly reactive radical-ion pairs. Subsequently, we show that by tuning the properties of the Lewis acid/base pair, the energy required for SET can be reduced to become thermally accessible.     

Brønsted Acid Promoted Reduction of Tertiary Phosphine Oxides

Recently, Brønsted acids, such as phosphoric acids, carboxylic acids, and triflic acid, were found to catalyze the reduction of phosphine oxides to the corresponding phosphines. In this study, we fully characterize the HCl, HOTf, and Me₂SiHOTf adducts of triphenylphosphine oxide and find that the thermally stable adduct Ph₃POH⁺OTf^– is efficiently converted into triphenylphosphine at 100 °C in the presence of readily available hydrosiloxanes. Under the same reaction conditions, also Ph₃POSiMe₂H⁺OTf^– selectively affords triphenylphosphine indicating that silylated phosphine oxides are likely intermediates in this process.     

Investigating the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinases in the proliferation of Werner syndrome fibroblasts using diaminopyridine inhibitors

To develop more potent small molecules with enhanced free radical scavenger properties, a series of N-substituted isatin derivatives was synthesized, and the cytoprotective effect on the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by H₂O₂ was screened. All these compounds were found to be active, and N-ethyl isatin was found with the most potent activity of 69.7% protective effect on PC12 cells. Structure-activity relationship analyses showed the bioactivity of N-alkyl isatins decline as the increasing of the chain of the alkyl group, furthermore odd-even effect was found in the activity, which is interesting for further investigation.     

Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Amine-Boranes using Geminal Phosphino-Boranes

The reaction of the intramolecular frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) tBu₂PCH₂BPh₂ with the amine-boranes NH₃ · BH₃ and Me₂NH · BH₃ leads to the formation of the corresponding FLP-H₂ adducts as well as novel five-membered heterocycles that result from capturing the in situ formed amino-borane by a second equivalent of FLP. The sterically more demanding tBu₂PCH₂BMes₂ does not form such a five-membered heterocycle when reacted with Me₂NH · BH₃ and its H₂ adduct liberates dihydrogen at elevated temperatures, promoting the metal-free catalytic dehydrogenation of amine-boranes.     

ISOMERIZATION OF 2-PHOSPHA-4-SILA-BICYCLO[1.1.0]BUTANE

In analogy with the valence isomerism of the hydrocarbons bicyclobutane, 1,3-butadiene and cyclobutene, the rearrangements for 2-phospha-4-sila-bicyclo[1.1.0]butane were studied at the B3LYP/6-311+G** G**basis set was employed throughout for the geometry optimizations. First and second order energy derivatives were computed to confirm the nature of the minima and transition structures. Intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations (IRC) were performed to establish connections between transition structures and minima. level of theory. The monocyclic 1,2-dihydro-1,2-phosphasilete is shown to be the thermodynamically preferred product, in contrast to the isomerism of the hydrocarbons that favors the 1,3-butadiene structure.