An expedient one-pot entry to catecholestrogens and other catechol compounds via IBX-mediated phenolic oxygenation

A one-pot procedure for the preparation of catecholestrogens in over 90% yield is reported, involving oxygenation of 17β-estradiol or estrone with o-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) followed by reduction with methanolic NaBH₄. The procedure, which was extended to the o-hydroxylation of a number of representative phenols in good-to-high yields, expands significantly the scope of phenolic oxidation mediated by IBX.     

Naphtho[1′,2′:5,6]pyrano[2,3–6][1,5]benzodiazepine Derivatives

The reaction of 3-(dimethylamino)-1-oxo-1H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran-2-carbaldehyde (Ia) with o-phenylenediamines or N-monosubstituted o-phenylenediamines in refluxing glacial acetic acid afforded the corresponding naphtho[1′,2′:5,6]pyrano[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepin-15-(8H)ones V in very good yields. A similar result was achieved when the reaction was carried out in refluxing pyridine, using N-monosubstituted o-phenylenediamine hydrochlorides. The isolation of a significant intermediate as well as the synthesis through a different univocal pathway confirmed the structure of the compounds V. Moreover the reaction of Ia with N-monosubstituted o-phenylenediamines in refluxing pyridine generally afforded only low yields of compounds V, sometimes together with naphtho[1′,2′:5,6]pyrano[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepin-15-(13H)ones VII, isomers of V.     

The static dielectric constant of solutions of water inn-alcohols at 15, 25, 35, and 45°C

Dielectric constants (measured at 1 MHz) are reported for solutions of water (concentration range 0 to 0.2 mole fraction) in 1-propanol at 25°C, and in 1-butanol, 1-pentanol, and 1-hexanol at 15, 25, 35, and 45°C. These results, together with literature values for solutions of water in methanol, ethanol, 1-heptanol, and 1-octanol, show that water interacts with alcohols in at least two ways: (1) it can participate in the formation of dynamic hydrogen-bonded chains, thereby raising the polarizability; (2) it can form relatively stable structures such as H₂O(ROH)₄ which have zero net dipole moment and consequently diminish volume polarizability. For C _n H _2n+1 OH alcohols,n≥4, most of the initially added water forms complexes: consequently, addition of water to these alcohols lowers the dielectric constant.     

Co-ordination chemistry of amino pendant arm derivatives of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane

The binding properties of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane ([9]aneN3) to metal cations can be adapted through sequential functionalisation of the secondary amines with aminoethyl or aminopropyl pendant arms to generate ligands with increasing numbers of donor atoms. The new amino functionalised pendant arm derivative of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane ([9]aneN3), L1, has been synthesised and its salt [H2L1]Cl2 characterised by X-ray diffraction. The protonation constants of the ligands L1-L4 having one, two or three aminoethyl or three aminopropyl pendant arms, respectively, on the [9]aneN3 framework, and the thermodynamic stabilities of their mononuclear complexes with CuII and ZnII have been investigated by potentiometric measurements in aqueous solutions. In order to discern the protonation sites of ligands L1-L4, 1H NMR spectroscopic studies were performed in D2O as a function of pH. While the stability constants of the CuII complexes increase on going from L1 to L2 and then decrease on going from L2 to L3 and L4, those for ZnII complexes increase from L1 to L3 and then decrease for L4. The X-ray crystal structures of the complexes [Cu(L1)(Br)]Br, [Zn(L1)(NO3)]NO3, [Cu(L2)](ClO4)2, [Ni(L2)(MeCN)](BF4)2, [Zn(L4)](BF4)2.MeCN and [Mn(L4)](NO3)2.1/2H2O have been determined. In both [Cu(L1)(Br)]Br and [Zn(L1)(NO3)]NO3 the metal ion is five co-ordinate and bound by four N-donors of the macrocyclic ligand and by one of the two counter-anions. The crystal structures of [Cu(L2)](ClO4)2 and [Ni(L2)(MeCN)](BF4)2 show the metal centre in slightly distorted square-based pyramidal and octahedral geometry, respectively, with a MeCN molecule completing the co-ordination sphere around NiII in the latter. In both [Zn(L4)](BF4)2.MeCN and [Mn(L4)](NO3)2.1/2H2O the metal ion is bound by all six N-donors of the macrocyclic ligand in a distorted octahedral geometry. Interestingly, and in agreement with the solution studies and with the marked preference of CuII to assume a square-based pyramidal geometry with these types of ligands, the reaction of L4 with one equivalent of Cu(BF4)2.4H2O in MeOH at room temperature yields a square-based pyramidal five co-ordinate CuII complex [Cu(L6)](BF4)2 where one of the three propylamino pendant arms of the starting ligand has been cleaved to give L6.     

Diheteroarylmethanes. 6.(1) Probing the Electron-Withdrawing Rank of Heteroaryl Groups by Conformational Studies of Push-Pull Ethylenes. Isolation of NH-Enamine Tautomers of alpha,alpha-Diheteroarylacetaldehydes (Heteroaryl = 2-Benzoxazolyl, 2-Benzothiazolyl)

Enamines and enol ethers substituted in the beta position by the 2-benzoxazolyl and 2-benzothiazolyl group have been obtained by condensing dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal and ethyl orthoformate, respectively, with bis(2-benzoxazolyl)methane and bis(2-benzothiazolyl)methane. A dynamic NMR and semiempirical (PM3) investigation on rotational energy barriers has been carried out in order to rank the electron-withdrawing capacity of the heterocyclic rings. The NMR-based evaluation of the energy barriers corresponding to the rotation along the enaminic double bond has shown that the pi-electron-withdrawing power of benzothiazole is larger than that of benzoxazole, in full accord with previously obtained charge demand values based on (13)C and (15)N pi-charge/shift relationships. The NMR and the computational approaches have led to consistent results. The X-ray crystal structure of alpha,alpha-bis(2-benzothiazolyl)-beta-(dimethylamino)ethene shows that only one heteroaryl ring is coplanar with the enaminic double bond, while the second one is twisted by 73 degrees relative to such a plane. Moreover, in this case calculations closely reproduce the experimental results. In the calculated transition states corresponding to the rotational process along the enamine double bond, the two heteroaryl groups become coplanar and conjugation develops between the enaminic nitrogen electron pool and both heterocycles. The lower rotational barrier observed in the case of the 2-benzothiazolyl derivatives, with respect to the 2-benzoxazolyl derivatives, is therefore a direct consequence of the higher electron-withdrawing power of the former group. Furthermore, a stabilizing intramolecular nonbonded S.S interaction in the rotational transition state of the benzothiazolyl derivatives is evidenced by the calculations. An unprecedented isolation of the NH-enamine tautomer involving the benzoxazolyl and benzothiazolyl ring in alpha,alpha-diheteroacetaldehydes has been performed, confirming these heterocycles as strong electron-withdrawing substituents.     

Self-assembly of electron donor-acceptor dyads into ordered architectures in two and three dimensions: surface patterning and columnar "double cables"

We report the synthesis and characterization of covalent dyads and multiads of electron acceptors (A) and donors (D), with the purpose of exploiting their nanophase separation behavior toward (a) two-dimensional (2D) surface patterning with well-defined integrated arrays of dissimilar molecular electronic features and (b) bulk self-assembly to noncovalent columnar versions of the so-called "double cable" systems, the likes of which could eventually provide side-by-side percolation pathways for electrons and holes in solar cells. Soluble, alkylated hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronenes (HBCs) bearing tethered anthraquinones (AQs) are shown by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to self-assemble at the solution-graphite interface into either defect-rich polycrystalline monolayers or extended 2D crystalline domains, depending on the number of tethered AQs. In the bulk, the thermal stability of the room-temperature HBC columnar phase is increased, which is attributed to the desired nanotriphase separation of HBC columns, insulating alkyl sheaths, and AQ units. Homeotropic alignment (columns normal to surfaces), predicted to be ideal for potential exploitation of such "double cables" in photovoltaic devices, is demonstrated.     

Affinity capillary electrophoresis study of the linkage existing between proton and zinc ion binding to bacitracin A1

Measurements by capillary electrophoresis (CE) of bacitracin A(1) effective mobility at different pH values permitted to estimate the five acidic dissociation constants and the Stokes radii at different protonation stages of the macrocyclic dodecapeptide. The pK(a) values were 3.6 and 4.4 for the two carboxylic groups of the lateral chains of D-Asp-11 and D-Glu-4, respectively, 6.4 for the aza-atom of the imidazole ring of His-10, 7.6 for the amino group of N-terminal Ile-1 and 9.7 for the delta-amino group of D-Orn-7, very close to the values obtained by other researchers by titration experiments. In agreement with a rigid macrocyclic structure the Stokes radii of different protonated forms ranged only between 14.3 and 14.8 A. Best fitting procedures performed on experimental mobility measured at two different pH values (5.50 and 6.72) in the presence of increasing Zn(+2) concentration allowed confirming the model that assumes the binding of Zn(+2) to P(0) peptide form with a 1.5 x 10(3) M(-1) intrinsic association constant. Following to Zn(+2) binding, the pK(a) of the amino group of N-terminal Ile-1 is shifted from 7.6 to 5.9 and the Stokes radius is reduced of about 3 A. The mean charge of the bacitracin A(1)-Zn(+2) complex resulted +1.67 and +1.12 at pH 5.50 and 6.72, respectively. These results suggest that the amino group of N-terminal Ile-1 is not essential for Zn(+2) binding.     

Enantioseparations of polyhalogenated 4,4’-bipyridines on polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases and molecular dynamics simulations of selector–selectand interactions

2’-(4-Pyridyl)- and 2’-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-TCIBPs (TCIBP = 3,3’,5,5’-tetrachloro-2-iodo-4,4’-bipyridyl) are chiral compounds that showed interesting inhibition activity against transthyretin fibrillation in vitro. We became interested in their enantioseparation since we noticed that the M-stereoisomer is more effective than the P-enantiomer. Based thereon, we recently reported the enantioseparation of 2’-substituted TCIBP derivatives with amylose-based chiral columns. Following this study, herein we describe the comparative enantioseparation of both 2’-(4-pyridyl)- and 2’-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-TCIBPs on four cellulose phenylcarbamate-based chiral columns aiming to explore the effect of the polymer backbone, as well as the nature and position of substituents on the side groups on the enantioseparability of these compounds. In the frame of this project, the impact of subtle variations of analyte and polysaccharide structures, and mobile phase (MP) polarity on retention and selectivity was evaluated. The effect of temperature on retention and selectivity was also considered, and overall thermodynamic parameters associated with the analyte adsorption onto the CSP surface were derived from van ’t Hoff plots. Interesting cases of enantiomer elution order (EEO) reversal were observed. In particular, the EEO was shown to be dependent on polysaccharide backbone, the elution sequence of the two analytes being P-M and M-P on cellulose and amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate), respectively. In this regard, a theoretical investigation based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was performed by using amylose and cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) nonamers as virtual models of the polysaccharide-based selectors. This exploration at the molecular level shed light on the origin of the enantiodiscrimination processes.     

Erratum: Separability between valence and conduction bands in transition metal clusters

Density Functional Theory (DFT) and direct ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) calculations were applied to the hydrogen molecule trapped in a water cluster composed of 12 water molecules (H₂O)₁₂. The static DFT calculation showed that the H₂ molecule is trapped in the center of mass of (H₂O)₁₂. The vibrational frequency of the H–H stretching mode of the H₂ molecule trapped in the water cluster was blueshifted from that in vacuo. On the other hand, the vibrational frequency of H₂ in water‐hydrogen 1:1 complex (H₂O–H₂) was redshifted. A direct ab initio MD calculation of H₂(H₂O)₁₂ at 50 K indicated that the H₂ molecule is rotated freely around the center of mass of the water cluster. The origin of the spectral shift of H₂ in water ice is discussed on the basis of the theoretical results. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

New Cisplatin Analogues—On the Way to Better Antitumor Agents

The clinical success of cisplatin (cis -diamminedichloroplatinum(II )) in antitumor chemotherapy has encouraged an all-out search for analogues with lower toxicity, improved therapeutic index and increased activity. Literally thousands of analogues, obtained by replacement of the ammine- and chloro-ligands by other amines and anionic ligands, respectively, have been systematically screened for activity in experimental tumor models. Some of these analogues have been selected for clinical evaluation, but only very few of them appear to be promising antitumor agents. More recently, cisplatin analogues have been designed and synthesized on the basis of, inter alia, the following considerations: 1) platinum complexes with carrier molecules as ligands should prove useful for achieving increasing drug concentration in tumor tissues; 2) platinum complexes with chemotherapeutic agents as ligands could afford polyfunctional drugs with synergistic action; 3) complexes containing more than one platinum atom might be more effective than complexes containing only one platinum atom; 4) platinum complexes could be used as sensitizers in radiation therapy. In this paper, we shall give a brief account of the “traditional” analogues, and then critically discuss what we believe could be the new trends in the design of cisplatin analogues.