Copper(I)-catalyzed disilylation of alkylidene malonates employing a Lewis base activation strategy

The disilylation of activated alpha,alpha-unsaturated esters has been accomplished by utilizing symmetrical disilanes and catalytic quantities of copper(I) salts in the presence of Lewis bases such as DMF. This new methodology with various alkylidene malonates is moderate to high yielding and affords alpha-silyl diesters, compounds that previously have not been readily accessible, that can be further manipulated to cleanly afford useful alpha-substituted alpha-hydroxy esters.     

Proteome analysis of camptothecin-treated cortical neurons using isotope-coded affinity tags

Isotope-coded affinity tags (ICATs) were employed to identify and quantitate changes in protein expression between control and camptothecin-treated mouse cortical neurons. Proteins extracted from control cortical neurons and those treated with camptothecin were labeled with the light and heavy isotopic versions of the ICAT reagents, respectively. ICAT-labeled samples were combined, proteolytically digested, and the derivatized peptides isolated using immobilized avidin chromatography. The peptides thus isolated were analyzed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled directly to either a conventional ion-trap mass spectrometer (IT-MS) or a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FTICR). While a majority of the peptide identifications were accomplished using IT-MS, FTICR was used to quantitate the relative abundances of the ICAT-labeled peptides taking advantage of its high resolution, sensitivity, and duty cycle. By using this combination of MS technologies we have thus far identified and quantified the expression of greater than 125 proteins from control and camptothecin-treated mouse cortical neurons. While proteins from most functional classes of proteins were identified, a particularly large percentage of the enzymes involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle were observed.     

Self-assembly of transition-metal-based macrocycles linked by photoisomerizable ligands: examples of photoinduced conversion of tetranuclear-dinuclear squares

A series of hetero- and homometallic square complexes bridged by a photoactive 4,4'-azopyridine (AZP) or 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE) ligand, cyclobis[[cis-(dppf)M](mu-L)(2)(fac-Re(CO)(3)Br)](OTf)(4) (M = Pd, L = trans-AZP (5); M = Pt, L = trans-AZP (7); M = Pd, L = trans-BPE (8); M = Pt, L = trans-BPE (10)), cyclo[[cis-(dppf)M](mu-L)(2)(fac-Re(CO)(3)Br)](OTf)(2) (M = Pd, L = cis-AZP (6); M = Pd, L = cis-BPE (9)), [cis-(dppf)Pd(mu-trans-AZP)](4)(OTf)(8) (11), and [cis-(dppf)Pd(mu-cis-AZP)](2)(OTf)(4) (12), where dppf is 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene and OTf is trifluoromethanesulfonate anion, were prepared by thermodynamically driven self-assembly processes. The photophysical and photochemical properties of these complexes have been investigated, and all of them show a lack of luminescence in room temperature solution. Upon irradiation at 313 or 366 nm, Pd(II)-Re(I)-containing tetranuclear squares 5, 8, and 11 undergo photoisomerization and convert to their corresponding dinuclear complexes 6, 9, and 12, whereas Pt(II)-Re(I)-based squares 7 and 10 show only slow square disassembling processes. The tetranuclear squares can be fully recovered by heating the photoisomerized solution for several hours.     

Synthesis and thiolation of 1,3-difluoro-2,4,6-trihaloanilines and benzenes

Three pentahaloanilines were prepared by stepwise halogenation of 3,5-difluoroaniline and were deaminated to form pentahalobenzenes. Alternatively, two pentahalobenzenes were obtained by lithiation followed by iodination of 1,3-difluoro-4,6-dihalobenzenes. Alkylthiolation reactions of pentahaloanilines and benzenes in Me₂SO were investigated.     

Preparation of 1,5-methano-2,3,4,5- tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine via Pd-catalyzed cyclization

[reaction: see text] A new approach to prepare 1,5-methano-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzanepine (1) is discussed. This strategy utilized a tandem Michael addition and Pd-catalyzed cyclization to afford cyanobenzofulvene acetal 13. This indene intermediate (13) was subjected to hydrogenolysis to provide an amino ester (12) and was cyclized with base to afford lactam 5. The lactam (5) was reduced with borane to afford the desired benzazepine (1).     

Aqueous chemistry of the vanadium(III) (V(III)) and the V(III)-dipicolinate systems and a comparison of the effect of three oxidation states of vanadium compounds on diabetic hyperglycemia in rats

The aqueous vanadium(III) (V(III)) speciation chemistry of two dipicolinate-type complexes and the insulin-enhancing effects of V-dipicolinate (V-dipic) complexes in three different oxidation states (V(III), V(IV), and V(V)) have been studied in a chronic animal model system. The characterization of the V(III) species was carried out at low ionic strength to reflect physiological conditions and required an evaluation of the hydrolysis of V(III) at 0.20 M KCl. The aqueous V(III)-dipic and V(III)-dipic-OH systems were characterized, and complexes were observed from pH 2 to 7 at 0.2 M KCl. The V(III)-dipic system forms stable 1:2 complexes, whereas the V(III)-dipic-OH system forms stable 1:1 complexes. A comparison of these complexes with the V-pic system demonstrates that a second ligand has lower affinity for the V(III), presumably reflecting bidentate coordination of the second dipic(2)(-) to the V(III). The thermodynamic stability of the [V(III)(dipic)(2)](-) complex was compared to the stability of the corresponding V(IV) and V(V) complexes, and surprisingly, the V(III) complexes were found to be more stable than anticipated. Oral administration of three V-dipicolinate compounds in different oxidation states {H[V(III)(dipic)(2)H(2)O].3H(2)O, [V(IV)Odipic(H(2)O)(2)].2H(2)O, and NH(4)[V(V)O(2)dipic]} and the positive control, VOSO(4), significantly lowered diabetic hyperglycemia in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The diabetic animals treated with the V(III)- or V(IV)-dipic complexes had blood glucose levels that were statistically different from those of the diabetic group. The animals treated with the V(V)-dipic complex had the lowest blood glucose levels of the treated diabetic animals, which were statistically different from those of the diabetic group at all time points. Among the diabetic animals, complexation to dipic increased the serum levels of V after the administration of the V(V) and V(IV) complexes but not after the administration of the V(III) complex when data are normalized to the ingested dose of V. Because V compounds differing only in oxidation state have different biological properties, it is implied that redox processes must be important factors for the biological action of V compounds. We observe that the V(V)-dipic complex is the most effective insulin-enhancing agent, in contrast to previous studies in which the V(IV)-maltol complex is the most effective. We conclude that the effectiveness of complexed V is both ligand and oxidation state dependent.     

Stereochemical control of skeletal diversity

[reaction: see text]. Substrates having appendages that pre-encode skeletal information (sigma-elements) can be converted into products having distinct skeletons using a common set of reaction conditions. The sequential use of the Ugi 4CC-IMDA reaction, followed by allylation, hydrolysis, and acylation of a chiral amino alcohol appendage (sigma-element), leads to substrates for a ROM/RCM or RCM reaction. The stereochemistry of the sigma-element and not its constitution controls the outcome of the pathway selected. This work illustrates the potential of linking stereochemical control to the challenging problem of skeletal diversity.     

An oxidative entry into the amido trioxadecalin ring system

The amido trioxadecalin ring system is a key structural component of the architecturally interesting anticancer and immunosuppressive agents of the mycalamide, theopederin, and onnamide families of natural products. We report a new entry into this structure in which a mixed acetal serves as a surrogate for a formaldehyde hemiacetal in an addition to an oxidatively generated acyliminium ion. The stereochemical outcome of this process can be explained by the conformational preferences of the product ring system. [reaction: see text]