A DFT Study on the Binuclear Copper(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis Mechanism of 1,2,3-Triazolo[1,5-c]Pyrimidine via Interrupted Click and Ketenimine Rearrangement

In this paper, the mechanism of the full catalytic cycle for binuclear Cu(I)-catalyzed sulfonyl azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction for the synthesis of triazolopyrimidines was rationalized by density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations. The computed reaction route consists of: (a) formation of dicopper intermediates, including C−H activation of terminal alkyne, 3+2 ring cycloaddition and ring-reducing reaction and transmetalation, (b) interrupted CuAAC reaction, including di-copper catalyzed ring-opening of 2H-azirines and C−C bond formation to generate the copper-triazoles and -ketenimines, (c) two-step C−N cross-coupling and following (d) multi-step hydrogen transfer by the hydrogen bonding chain of water to promote the C−N formation and another C−N cleavage through the removal of p-tolyl sulfonamides. Our DFT results indicate that the multi-step hydrogen transfer process is the rate-determining step along the potential energy surface profile. The explicit water model was used for systematic determination of barrier for C−C cross-coupling, C−N bond formation and cleavage, and p-tolylsulfonamide removal. A critical insight in the interrupted CuAAC reaction was proposed. Further prediction interprets H₂O hydrogen bond chain plays an important role in C−N bond formation and cleavage, and the removal of p-tolylsulfonamide. This may have fundamental guidance on the design of 1, 5-herterocyclic functionalized triazolopyrimidines via interrupted CuAAC rearrangement reaction, as well as hydrogen bond chain of water.     

Incorporation of β-Alanine in Cu(II) ATCUN Peptide Complexes Increases ROS Levels,DNA Cleavage and Antiproliferative Activity**

Redox-active Cu(II) complexes are able to form reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of oxygen and reducing agents. Recently, Faller et al. reported that ROS generation by Cu(II) ATCUN complexes is not as high as assumed for decades. High complex stability results in silencing of the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle and therefore leads to low ROS generation. In this work, we demonstrate that an exchange of the α-amino acid Gly with the β-amino acid β-Ala at position 2 (Gly2→β-Ala2) of the ATCUN motif reinstates ROS production (^•OH and H₂O₂). Potentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, EPR spectroscopy and DFT simulations were utilized to explain the increased ROS generation of these β-Ala2-containing ATCUN complexes. We also observed enhanced oxidative cleavage activity towards plasmid DNA for β-Ala2 compared to the Gly2 complexes. Modifications with positively charged Lys residues increased the DNA affinity through electrostatic interactions as determined by UV/VIS, fluorescence, and CD spectroscopy, and consequently led to a further increase in nuclease activity. A similar trend was observed regarding the cytotoxic activity of the complexes against several human cancer cell lines where β-Ala2 peptide complexes had lower IC₅₀ values compared to Gly2. The higher cytotoxicity could be attributed to an increased cellular uptake as determined by ICP-MS measurements.     

4-氯-2-(1H-咪唑并[4,5-f][1,10]菲咯啉)苯酚铜(Ⅱ)配合物的晶体结构及其与DNA的相互作用

利用菲咯啉酮衍生物4-氯-2-(1H-咪唑并[4,5-f][1,10]菲咯啉)苯酚(HL)设计合成了一种新的单核铜配合物[Cu(L)(5-Cl-sal)(DMF)]ClO_4·DMF(5-Cl-Hsal=5-氯-水杨醛),用元素分析和X射线单晶衍射等手段对配合物进行了表征。该配合物晶体属三斜晶系,P1空间群。用紫外吸收光谱、荧光光谱和凝胶电泳等方法研究了配合物与DNA的相互作用。结果表明,配合物以插入方式与CT-DNA结合,结合常数为1.02×10~3 L·mol~(-1)。同时配合物也能较大程度淬灭EB-DNA复合物的荧光,表观键合常数为4.37×10~5L·mol_(-1),略小于经典键合常数107 L·mol~(-1)。淬灭机理为动态淬灭。凝胶电泳实验研究表明配合物在H_2O_2存在下可将pBR322质粒DNA切割为开环缺口型DNA和线型DNA,配合物浓度越大,切割效果越好。机理研究显示,配合物切割DNA的反应是由羟基自由基(·OH)和单线态氧(~1O_2)作为活性物种的氧化切割过程。     

A UV‐Cleavable Bottlebrush Polymer with o‐Nitrobenzyl‐Linked Side Chains

An ultraviolet (UV)‐cleavable bottlebrush polymer is synthesized using the “grafting‐onto” strategy by combining living radical polymerization and copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). In this approach, reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization is used to prepare a poly(methylacrylate) backbone with azide side groups, while atom transfer radical polymerization is employed to prepare polystyrene (PS) side chains end‐functionalized with o‐nitrobenzyl (UV‐cleavable) propargyl groups. CuAAC is then used to graft PS side chains onto the polymer backbone, producing the corresponding bottlebrush polymers with UV‐cleavable PS side chains. The formation of the bottlebrush polymer is characterized by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The cleavage behavior of the bottlebrush polymer is monitored in tetrahydrofuran solution under UV irradiation by GPC and viscosity measurements.

     

Metal-free and selective cleavage of unstrained carbon–carbon single bonds: Synthesis of β-ketosulfones from β-chlorohydrins and sodium sulfinates

A metal-free protocol for the selective cleavage of unstrained C–C single bonds was developed. Under the catalysis of KI and in the presence of NaHCO₃, the readily available α-chloro-β-hydroxy ketones underwent bond breaking and sulfonylation smoothly to afford β-ketosulfones with high efficiency and broad substrate scope. Mechanism investigations, both experimental and theoretical, showed that a retro-aldol cleavage/nucleophilic substitution sequence might be involved.     

Selective electrochemical CO bond cleavage of β-O-4 lignin model compounds mediated by iodide ion

The electrochemically oxidative cleavage of lignin β-O-4 model compounds mediated by iodide ion has been studied. The results indicate that electrolytic conditions play a predominant role in determining the distribution of cleavage products. The preparative-scale electrolysis proceeds in a simple undivided cell, employing a catalytic amount of NaI as the redox mediator and supporting electrolyte in methanol. Under these conditions, the C_βO bond is selectively cleaved with 2,2-dimethoxy-2-arylacetaldehyde being the main product. In some cases, the reaction gives a good yield of cleavaged products. The results further demonstrate that the indirect electrolysis mediated by halide is a versatile approach for chemical transformation.     

DNA binding,cleavage, and cytotoxicity of binuclear phenolate nickel(II) complexes

Three binuclear phenolate complexes, [Ni₂(L¹)₂(OAc)](BPh₄)·DMF (1), [Ni₂(L²)₂(OAc)](BPh₄) (2), and [Ni₂(L³)₂(OAc)](OH)·3H₂O (3), where L¹ = 2-{[bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-4-methyl-phenol, L² = 2-{[bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-4-methoxy-phenol, and L³ = 2-{[bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-4-tert-butyl-phenol), have been synthesized. Single-crystal diffraction reveals that all the metal atoms are in a distorted octahedral geometry. The interactions of the complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) have been investigated by UV–vis absorption, fluorescence emission, and circular dichroism spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. Furthermore, DNA cleavage mechanism shows that the complexes may be capable to promote DNA cleavage through oxidative DNA damage pathway, which is indicative of the involvement of hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen, or singlet oxygen-like entity in the cleavage process. Cytotoxicity studies on the Hela and MCF-7 cancer cell lines show that complexes 1–3 exhibit excellent activity toward the tested tumor cell lines with respect to the standard drug carboplatin, revealing that they have the potential to act as effective metal-based anticancer drugs.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Cross‐Dehydrogenative C(sp2)−C(sp3) Coupling of Oxazole/Thiazole with Ether or Cycloalkane

Direct C5‐alkylation of oxazole/thiazole with ether or cycloalkane has been achieved through a cobalt‐catalyzed cross‐dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) process in moderate to good yields. This transformation represents the first C(sp²)−C(sp³) cross‐coupling at the C5‐position of the oxazole/thiazole via double C−H bond cleavages. Various functional groups on oxazole/thiazole substrates, as well as water and air, are well‐tolerated with this concise and practical protocol, constituting straightforward access to heterocycles with great medicinal significance. A preliminary mechanism involving a radical process has also been proposed.     

Unprecedented Reaction Pathway of Sterically Crowded Calcium Complexes: Sequential C−N Bond Cleavage Reactions Induced by C−H Bond Activations

Five bis(quinolylmethyl)‐(1H ‐indolylmethyl)amine (BQIA) compounds, that is, {(quinol‐8‐yl‐CH₂)₂NCH₂(3‐Br‐1H ‐indol‐2‐yl)} ( L¹H ) and {[(8‐R³‐quinol‐2‐yl)CH₂]₂NCH(R²)[3‐R¹‐1H ‐indol‐2‐yl]} ( L^2–5H ) ( L²H : R¹=Br, R²=H, R³=H; L³H : R¹=Br, R²=H, R³=i Pr; L⁴H : R¹=H, R²=CH₃, R³=i Pr; L⁵H : R¹=H, R²=n Bu, R³=i Pr) were synthesized and used to prepare calcium complexes. The reactions of L^1–5H with silylamido calcium precursors (Ca[N(SiMe₂R)₂]₂(THF)₂, R=Me or H) at room temperature gave heteroleptic products ( L^{1, 2} )CaN(SiMe₃)₂ ( 1 , 2 ), ( L^{3, 4} )CaN(SiHMe₂)₂ ( 3 a , 4 a ) and homoleptic complexes ( L^{3, 5} )₂Ca ( D3 , D5 ). NMR and X‐ray analyses proved that these calcium complexes were stabilized through Ca⋅⋅⋅C−Si, Ca⋅⋅⋅H−Si or Ca⋅⋅⋅H−C agostic interactions. Unexpectedly, calcium complexes (( L^3–5 )CaN(SiMe₃)₂) bearing more sterically encumbered ligands of the same type were extremely unstable and underwent C−N bond cleavage processes as a consequence of intramolecular C−H bond activation, leading to the exclusive formation of (E )‐1,2‐bis(8‐isopropylquinol‐2‐yl)ethane.     

Production of Alkyl Aryl Sulfides from Aromatic Disulfides and Alkyl Carboxylates via a Disilathiane–Disulfide Interchange Reaction

The results of this study show that disilathiane is an effective mediator in the synthesis of alkyl aryl sulfides with disulfides and alkyl carboxylates. Mechanistic studies suggest that disilathiane promotes cleavage of the sulfur–sulfur bond of disulfides to generate thiosilane as a key intermediate. Diselenides were also applicable to this transformation to produce the corresponding selenides.