The quest for a stable silyne, RSi ≡ CR′. The effect of bulky substituents [1]

The two major fundamental obstacles which so far have prevented theisolation of stable silynes, RSiCR (1), are: (a)the existence of more stable isomers, e.g., RRC=Si: (2) and(b) their extremely facile (exothermic) dimerication. The steric andelectronic effects of various substituents R and R (R = alkoxy,alkyl, aryl and silyl; R = alkyl and aryl groups) on the stability ofRSiCR relative to the isomeric RRC=Si:(E(1-2)), and on the energy of dimerization tothe corresponding 1,3-disilacyclobutadienes (E(D)), werestudied computationally using density functional theory (DFT) and theONIOM method. The goal was to find a combination of substituents thatwill make RSiCR more stable than RRC=Si: and whichwill also prevent its dimerization. For R = R = H,E(1-2)) = 40.7 kcal/mol (i.e., 2 islower in energy than 1), and E(D) = –104.0kcal/mol. 1, R = OH, R = m-Tbt 2,6-bis[bis(silyl)methyl]phenyl, is by 11.1 kcal/mol morestable than the isomeric silylidene 2. However, thedimerization of 1, R = OH, R = m-Tbt remains highlyexothermic (by 101 kcal/mol). 1, R = R = m-Tbt and1, R = (t-Bu)₃Si, R = m-Tbt, are by 5.8 and 2.0kcal/mol, respectively, less stable than the corresponding 2.However, the dimerization of 1, R = (t-Bu)₃Si, = m-Tbt is exothermic by only 12 kcal/mol. For1, R = (t-Bu)₃Si, and R = Tbt 2,6-bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl, the corresponding1,3-disilacyclobutadiene dimer 3, dissociates spontaneously.Thus, (t-Bu₃Si)SiCTbt is predicted to be kineticallystable towards both, isomerization to (t-Bu₃Si)TbtC=Si: anddimerization to 3, making it a viable synthetic target. Thereported energies were calculated atB3LYP/6-31G^**//B3LYP/3-21G^*; good agreement is found betweenthe DFT and the ONIOM results.     

Ru(II) and Os(II) nucleosides and oligonucleotides: synthesis and properties

A general and versatile method for the site-specific incorporation of polypyridine Ru(II) and Os(II) complexes into DNA oligonucleotides using solid-phase phosphoramidite chemistry is reported. Novel nucleosides containing a [(bpy)(2)M(3-ethynyl-1,10-phenanthroline)](2+) (M = Ru, Os) metal center covalently attached to the 5-position in 2'-deoxyuridine are synthesized, and their electrochemical as well as photophysical properties are studied. The Ru(II) nucleoside exhibits a rather long-lived excited state in phosphate buffer pH 7.0 (tau = 1.08 micros) associated with a relatively high emission quantum efficiency (phi = 0.051). The solvent dependence of the absorption and emission spectra is consistent with an emissive MLCT state where charge localization takes place on the extended heterocycle-linked phenanthroline. In contrast, the Os(II)-containing nucleoside is quite nonemissive in aqueous environment (tau = 0.027 micros, phi = 1 x 10(-4)). The metal-containing nucleosides are converted into their phosphoramidites and are utilized for the high-yield preparation of modified oligonucleotides. The novel oligonucleotides, characterized by absorption and emission spectroscopy, enzymatic digestion, and electrophoresis, form stable duplexes. Circular dichroism spectra confirm that the global conformation of the double helix is not altered by the presence of these polypyridyl complexes in the major groove. Metal-containing phosphoramidites with predetermined absolute configuration at the octahedral coordination center are synthesized and utilized for the synthesis of diasteromerically pure metal-containing DNA oligonucleotides. Emission spectroscopy suggests a higher protection of the Delta metal center from the bulk solvent and better accommodation within the major groove.     

Remote inductive effects on secondary and tertiary 2-norbornyl solvolysis rates

A 5-cyano substituent decelerates the solvolysis rate of exo-2-norbornyl brosylate $\text{(1-H)}$ by a factor of 1790. A much smaller deceleration (24–90 fold) is observed for the secondary $\text{endo}$ and for both $\text{exo}$ and $\text{endo}$ tertiary 2-norbornyl derivatives. These results support the occurrence of σ-participation in the solvolysis of $\text{1-H}$.     

Organometallic synthons: The wittig reaction of tricarbonyl [(3,4,5,6-η)-1,3,5-cycloheptatriene-1-carboxaldehyde] iron

The utility of the Wittig reaction in synthesis of organometallic compounds is exemplified by its application to the preparation of a series of tetraene—Fe(CO)₃ complexes from aldehyde 9 and a variety of triphenylphosphoranes. Reaction of 9 with triphenylmethylene phosphorane afforded unexpectedly a $\text{1}\text{1}$ isomeric mixture of 8-methylheptafulveneiron tricarbonyl (12), probably via a (1,9) hydrogen shift of intermediate 11. Triphenylbenzylidene phosphorane condensed with 9 to give the cis and trans isomers of cycloheptatrienyl—styrene complex 14. The triphenylphosphoranes of carbomethoxymethylene, carboethoxymethylene and cyanomethylene react with 9 yielding the appropriate trans condensation products exclusively. Tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and N-phenyltriazolinedione (NPTD) readily react periselectively with the unrearranged Wittig reaction products at the free diene moiety, affording the corresponding 4+2 cycloadducts. Heptafulvene complex 12, upon reaction with TCNE, gave the 8+2 cycloadduct 26.     

Emissive Synthetic Cofactors: A Highly Responsive NAD+ Analogue Reveals Biomolecular Recognition Features

Apart from its vital function as a redox cofactor, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ( NAD⁺ ) has emerged as a crucial substrate for NAD⁺ -consuming enzymes, including poly(ADP-ribosyl)transferase 1 (PARP1) and CD38/CD157. Their association with severe diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and depressions, necessitates the development of new analytical tools based on traceable NAD⁺ surrogates. Here, the synthesis, photophysics and biochemical utilization of an emissive, thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidine-based NAD⁺ surrogate, termed N^thAD⁺ , are described. Its preparation was accomplished by enzymatic conversion of synthetic ^th ATP by nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1). The new NAD⁺ analogue possesses useful photophysical features including redshifted absorption and emission maxima as well as a relatively high quantum yield. Serving as a versatile substrate, N^thAD⁺ was reduced by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to N^thADH and afforded ^thADP-ribose ( ^th ADPr ) upon hydrolysis by NAD⁺ -nucleosidase (NADase). Furthermore, N^thAD⁺ was engaged in cholera toxin A (CTA)-catalyzed mono(^thADP-ribosyl)ation, but was found incapable in promoting PARP1-mediated poly(^thADP-ribosyl)ation. Due to its high photophysical responsiveness, N^thAD⁺ is suited for spectroscopic real-time monitoring. Intriguingly, and as an N7-lacking NAD⁺ surrogate, the thieno-based cofactor showed reduced compatibility (i.e., functional similarity compared to native NAD⁺ ) relative to its isothiazolo-based analogue. The distinct tolerance, displayed by diverse NAD⁺ producing and consuming enzymes, suggests unique biological recognition features and dependency on the purine N7 moiety, which is found to be of importance, if not essential, for PARP1-mediated reactions.     

A combined experimental and theoretical study of the kinetics and mechanism of the addition of alcohols to electronically stabilized silenes: a new mechanism for the addition of alcohols to the Si=C bond

The stabilized silene 1,1-bis(trimethylsilyl)-2-adamantylidenesilane (4) has been generated by photolysis of a novel trisilacyclobutane derivative in various solvents and studied directly by kinetic UV spectrophotometry. Silene 4 decays with second-order kinetics in degassed hexane solution at 23 degrees C (k/epsilon = 8.6 x 10(-6) cm s(-1)) due to head-to-head dimerization. It reacts rapidly with oxygen [k(25 degrees C) approximately 3 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1)] but approximately 10 orders of magnitude more slowly with methanol (MeOH) than other silenes that have been studied previously. The data are consistent with a mechanism involving reaction with the hydrogen-bonded dimer of the alcohol, (MeOH)(2) (k = 40 +/- 3 M(-1) s(-1); k(H)/k(D) = 1.7 +/- 0.2). The stable analogue of silene 4, 1-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-1-trimethylsilyl-2-adamantylidenesilane (5), reacts approximately 50 times more slowly, but via the same mechanism. The mechanism for addition of water and methanol (ROH; R = H, Me) to 4, 5, and the model compound 1,1-bis(silyl)-2,2-dimethylsilene (3a) has been studied computationally at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) and MP2/6-31G(d) levels of theory. Hydrogen-bonded complexes with monomeric and dimeric methanol, in which the Si=C bond plays the role of nucleophile, have been located computationally for all three silenes. Reaction pathways have been characterized for reaction of the three silenes with monomeric and dimeric ROH and reveal significantly lower barriers for reaction with the dimeric form of the alcohol in each case. The calculations indicate that 5 should be approximately 40-fold less reactive toward dimeric MeOH than 4, in excellent agreement with the approximately 50-fold difference in the experimental rate constants for reaction in hexane solution.     

(tBu2MeSi)2Sn=Sn(SiMetBu2)2: a distannene with a >Sn=Sn< double bond that is stable both in the solid state and in solution

((t)Bu(2)MeSi)(2)Sn=Sn(SiMe(t)Bu(2))(2) 1, prepared by the reaction of (t)Bu(2)MeSiNa with SnCl(2)-diox in THF and isolated as dark-green crystals, represents the first example of acyclic distannene with a Sn=Sn double bond that is stable both in the crystalline form and in solution. This was proved by the crystal and NMR spectral data of 1. Distannene 1 has these peculiar structural features: a shortest among all acyclic distannenes Sn=Sn double bond of 2.6683(10) A, a nearly planar geometry around both Sn atoms, and a highly twisted Sn=Sn double bond. The reactions of 1 toward carbon tetrachloride and phenylacetylene also correspond to the reactivity anticipated for the Sn=Sn double bond. The one-electron reduction of 1 with potassium produced the distannene anion radical, the heavy analogue of alkene ion radicals, for which the particular crystal structure and low-temperature EPR behavior are also discussed.