Reductive radical-initiated 1,2-C migration assisted by an azidyl group

We report here a novel reductive radical-polar crossover reaction that is a reductive radical-initiated 1,2-C migration of 2-azido allyl alcohols enabled by an azidyl group. The reaction tolerates diverse migrating groups, such as alkyl, alkenyl, and aryl groups, allowing access to n+1 ring expansion of small to large rings. The possibility of directly using propargyl alcohols in one-pot is also described. Mechanistic studies indicated that an azidyl group is a good leaving group and provides a driving force for the 1,2-C migration.

We report here a novel reductive radical-polar crossover reaction that is a reductive radical-initiated 1,2-C migration of 2-azido allyl alcohols enabled by an azidyl group.

Since the groups of Ryu and Sonoda described the reductive radical-polar crossover (RRPCO) concept in the 1990s,¹ it has attracted considerable attention in modern organic synthesis.² By using this concept, a variety of complex molecules could be assembled in a fast step-economic fashion which is not possible using either radical or polar chemistry alone. However, only two RRPCO reaction modes are known to date: nucleophilic addition and nucleophilic substitution (Fig. 1A). The first RRPCO reaction is the nucleophilic addition of organometallic species, which is generated in situ from the reduction of a strong reducing metal with a carbon-centered radical intermediate and cations (E⁺ = H⁺, I⁺, Br⁺, path 1).³ However, the necessity for a large amount of harmful and strong reducing metals has greatly limited the scope and functional group tolerance of the reaction. Recently, photoredox catalysis has not only successfully overcome the shortcomings of using toxic strong reducing metals in the RRPCO reaction,⁴ but also enabled the development of several new RRPCO reaction types, including the nucleophilic addition with carbonyl compounds or carbon dioxide (path 2),⁵ the cyclization of alkyl halides/tosylates (path 3),⁶ and β-fluorine elimination (path 4).⁷ Although the RRPCO reaction has been greatly advanced by photoredox catalysis, it is still in its infancy, and the development of a novel RRPCO reaction is of great importance.Open in a separate windowFig. 1(A) Reductive radical-polar crossover reactions; (B) this work: reductive radical-initiated 1,2-C migration assisted by an azidyl group.Herein, we wish to report a new type of reductive radical-polar crossover cascade reaction that is the reductive radical-initiated 1,2-C migration under metal-free conditions (Fig. 1B). The development of this approach is not only to further expand the application of the RRPCO reaction, but also to solve the problems associated with the oxidative radical-initiated 1,2-C migration, such as the necessity for an oxidant and/or transition metal for the oxidative termination of the radicals, and also required sufficient ring strain to avoid the generation of epoxy byproducts.⁸ To realize this reaction, a driving force is needed to drive the 1,2-C migration after reductive termination, to avoid the otherwise inevitable protonation of the generated anion.⁹ Inspired by the leaving group-induced semipinacol rearrangement,¹⁰ we envisaged that 2-azidoallyl alcohols¹¹ might be the ideal substrates for the reductive radical-initiated 1,2-C migration because these compounds contain both an allylic alcohol motif, which is vital for the radical-initiated 1,2-C migration, and an azidyl group, a good leaving group,¹² which may facilitate the 1,2-C migration after the reductive termination of the radicals.With the optimal conditions established (ESI, Table S1^†), we then explored the scope of this radical-initiated 1,2-migration. As shown in Table 1, a series of naphthenic allylic alcohols could undergo n+1 ring expansion with minimal impact on the product yield (Table 1, 3aa–aq). Notably, only the alkyl groups were migrated when using benzonaphthenic allylic alcohols in the reaction. These results might be attributed to the aryl group possessing greater steric resistance. The structure of 3an was further verified by single-crystal diffraction. Interestingly, the vinyl azide derived from a pharmaceutical ethisterone was also a viable substrate, affording the migration product 3aq in 57% yield, which highlighted the applicability of this strategy in the late-stage modification of pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the acyclic allylic alcohol with an alkyl chain also successfully delivered the migration product 3ar in 64% yield.Substrate scope of 2-azidoallyl alcohols^ab

Preparation of the four stereoisomers of 3-bromo-2-butanol or their acetates via lipase-catalysed resolutions of the racemates derived from dl- or meso-2,3-butanediol

The four stereoisomeric 3-bromo-2-butanols and/or their acetates were prepared via lipase-catalysed kinetic resolution by hydrolyses of the acetates of the (±)-syn- and (±)-anti-3-bromo-2-butanols, or via esterifications of the alcohols. The diastereomeric bromoacetates were obtained by syntheses from the dl- and meso-2,3-butanediols, respectively. On a preparative scale, the four stereoisomers, either as the free alcohols or as their acetates, were obtained in >95% ee, and in 35–40% yield (based on the starting racemates).     

New efficient and totally stereoselective copper allylic benzoyloxylation of sterol derivatives

A new efficient and totally stereoselective copper allylic benzoyloxylation of sterol derivatives has been developed. This methodology has been successfully applied to the synthesis of 7α-hydroxy DHEA and 7α-hydroxy cholesterol in a two-step synthesis with high chemical yields (77% and 61% overall yield, respectively). A mechanistic rationale justifying the total stereoselectivity encountered has been proposed.     

Two new compounds derived from bufalin

The biotransformation of bufalin by cell suspension cultures of Platycodon grandiflorus was investigated and two new biotransformed products were obtained,which was 3-epi-telocinobufagin and 3-epi-bufalin-3-O-β-D-glucoside.     

Highly enantioselective enzymatic resolution of cis-fused octalols mediated by Candida antarctica lipase (Novozym 435)

Optically active cis-fused octalin acetates have been prepared by esterification of cis-fused octalols using Candida antarctica lipase (CALB—Novozym 435). The enzyme efficiently resolved the racemic octalols by kinetic resolution, to afford cis-fused octalols and cis-fused octalin acetates with high enantiomeric excesses (up to >99%) and good yields (>40%).     

An intramolecular benzyl rearrangement of 1-(N-benzyloxycarbonylamino)alkylphosphonate diesters under electrospray ionization conditions

The mass spectrometric behavior of eleven 1-(N-benzyloxycarbonyl(Cbz)amino)alkylphosphonate diesters was studied under positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions. Their fragmentation pathways are depicted and supported by tandem mass spectrometry. Besides the common eliminations of ether, benzyl alcohol, phosphite and an ether plus benzyl alcohol from molecular ions, the title compounds show a tendency to undergo an interesting intramolecular benzyl rearrangement to yield benzylphosphonate ions. The fragmentation patterns do not depend on the substituent attached to the alpha-carbon atom.     

Rapid detection of Escherichia coli by flow injection analysis coupled with amperometric method using an IrO2–Pd chemically modified electrode

An amperometric method for the rapid detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) by flow injection analysis (FIA) using an IrO₂–Pd chemically modified electrode (CME) was developed in this paper. The method is based on a good marker β-d-galactosidase which was found in E. coli strains. β-d-galactosidase was produced by the induction of isopropyl β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and released from E. coli cells through the permeabilization of both polymyxin B nonapeptide and lysozyme to E. coli cells wall. The released β-d-galactosidase could catalyze the hydrolysis of the substrate p-aminophenyl β-d-galactopyranoside (PAPG) in the culture medium to produce 4-aminophenol which was proportional to the concentration of E. coli. Hence, E. coli could be detected by the determination of 4-aminophenol. An IrO₂–Pd CME, which showed high sensitivity in determination of 4-aminophenol, was prepared as the electro-detector in FIA. The amplified response current of 4-aminophenol obtained at the IrO₂–Pd CME was linear with the concentration of E. coli ranging from 2.0 × 10² to 1.0 × 10⁶ cfu/mL, the detection limit of this method to E. coli was 150 cfu/mL and the complete assay could be performed in 3 h.     

State of titanium in Ti-containing silica and silicalite catalysts in relation to their oxidation activity

The nature of active titanium species for epoxidation of olefins with H₂O₂ and t-butyl hydroperoxide has been investigated for titanium silicalite (TS-1), titania silica (TiO₂/SiO₂) prepared by a sol-gel method, and titanium oxide supported on silica by a CVD method (TiO₂/SiO₂-CVD). IR and XANES analyses suggested that Ti in TiO₂/SiO₂ and TiO₂/SiO₂-CVD has a tetrahedral configuration bonded to SiO₂ and that in TS-1 has a configuration composed of >Ti=O or related to it. Their configurations are closely related to their reactivities for epoxidation of olefins in which the former works with t-butyl hydroperoxide and the latter with H₂O₂.     

Arsenic compounds in a marine food chain

A three-organism food chain within a rock pool at Rosedale, NSW, Australia, was investigated with respect to arsenic compounds by high performance liquid chromatography – hydraulic high pressure nebulization – inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-HHPN-ICP-MS). Total arsenic concentration was determined in the seaweed Hormosira banksii (27.2 μg/g dry mass), in the gastropod Austrocochlea constricta (74.4 μg/g dry mass), which consumes the seaweed, and in the gastropod Morula marginalba (233 μg/g dry mass), which eats Austrocochlea constricta. The major arsenic compounds in the seaweed were (2′R)-dimethyl[1-O-(2′,3′-dihydroxypropyl)-5-deoxy-β-d-ribofuranos-5-yl]arsine oxide and an unidentified compound. The herbivorous gastropod Austrocochlea constricta transformed most of the arsenic taken up with the seaweed to arsenobetaine. Traces of arsenite, arsenate, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenocholine, the tetramethylarsonium cation, and several unknown arsenic compounds were detected. Arsenobetaine accounted for 95% of the arsenic in the carnivorous gastropod Morula marginalba. In Morula marginalba the concentration of arsenocholine was higher, and the concentrations of the minor arsenic compounds lower than in the herbivorous gastropod Austrocochlea constricta.     

Practical synthesis of blepharismone,a mating inducing pheromone of Blepharisma japonicum

Both enantiomers of blepharismone, a mating inducing pheromone produced by type II cells of Blepharisma japonicum, were synthesized via the Stille cross-coupling reaction of [4-(tert-butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-2-trimethylstannanyl-phenyl]-carbamic acid tert-butyl ester with an acid chloride derived from (S)- and (R)-malic acid as a key reaction. The mating inducing activity of synthetic (S)-blepharismone was as effective as that of the natural one. The enantiomer (R)-blepharismone showed no mating inducing activity.