Asymmetric Michael Addition of Aldimino Esters with Chalcones Catalyzed by Silver/Xing‐Phos: Mechanism‐Oriented Divergent Synthesis of Chiral Pyrrolines

The mechanism‐oriented reaction design for the divergent synthesis of chiral molecules from simple starting materials is highly desirable. In this work, aromatic amide‐derived nonbiarylatropisomer/silver (silver/Xing‐Phos) complex was used to catalyze the Michael addition of glycine aldimino esters to chalcones and successfully applied to the subsequent cyclocondensation to afford substituted cis‐Δ(1)‐pyrroline derivatives with up to 98 % ee. Besides the inherent performance of the chiral Ag/Xing‐Phos catalyst system, it was found that the workup of such reactions played an important role for the stereoselective construction of stereodivergent Δ(1)‐pyrrolines, in which an epimerization of the cis‐Δ(1)‐pyrrolines to the trans‐isomers during was revealed.     

One-pot,solvent-free and efficient synthesis of 2,4,6-triarylpyridines catalyzed by nano-titania-supported sulfonic acid as a novel heterogeneous nanocatalyst

Nano titania-supported sulfonic acid (n-TSA) has found to be a highly efficient, eco-friendly and recyclable heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the solvent-free synthesis of 2, 4, 6-triarylpyridines through one-pot three-component reaction of acetophenones, aryl aldehydes and ammonium acetate. This reported method illustrates several advantages such as environmental friendliness reaction conditions, simplicity, short reaction time, easy work up, reusability of catalyst and high yields of the products. One new compound is reported too. Furthermore, the catalyst could be recycled after a simple work-up, and reused at least six times without substantial reduction in its catalytic activity.     

Molecular‐Level Insights into Intrinsic Peroxidase‐Like Activity of Nanocarbon Oxides

Nanocarbon oxides have been proved to possess great peroxidase‐like activity, catalyzing the oxidation of many peroxidase substrates, such as 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and o‐phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (OPD), accompanied by a significant color change. This chromogenic reaction is widely used to detect glucose and occult blood. The chromogenic reaction was intensively investigated with density functional theory and molecular‐level insights into the nature of peroxidase‐like activity were gained. A radical mechanism was unraveled and the carboxyl groups of nanocarbon oxides were identified as the reactive sites. Aromatic domains connected with the carboxyl groups were critical to the peroxidase‐like activity.     

Is PdII‐Promoted σ‐Bond Metathesis Mechanism Operative for the PdPEPPSI Complex‐Catalyzed Amination of Chlorobenzene with Aniline? Experiment and Theory

Reduction of the Pd?PEPPSI precatalyst to a Pd⁰ species is generally thought to be essential to drive Buchwald–Hartwig amination reactions through the well‐ documented Pd⁰/Pd^II catalytic cycle and little attention has been paid to other possible mechanisms. Considered here is the Pd?PEPPSI‐catalyzed aryl amination of chlorobenzene with aniline. A neat reaction system was used in new experiments, from which the potentially reductive roles of the solvent and labile ligand of the PEPPSI complex in leading to Pd⁰ species are ruled out. Computational results demonstrate that anilido‐containing Pd^II intermediates involving σ‐bond metathesis in pathways leading to the diphenylamine product have relatively low barriers. Such pathways are more favorable energetically than the corresponding reductive elimination reactions resulting in Pd⁰ species and other putative routes, such as the Pd^II/Pd^IV mechanism, single electron transfer mechanism, and halide atom transfer mechanism. In some special cases, if reactants/additives are inadequate to reduce a Pd^II precatalyst, a Pd^II‐involved σ‐bond metathesis mechanism might be feasible to drive the Buchwald–Hartwig amination reactions.     

Catalytic Activity of Cationic and Neutral Silver(I)–XPhos Complexes with Nitrogen Ligands or Tolylsulfonate for Mannich and Aza‐Diels–Alder Coupling Reactions

Cationic and neutral silver(I)–L complexes (L=Buchwald‐type biaryl phosphanes) with nitrogen co‐ligands or organosulfonate counter ions have been synthesised and characterised through their structural and spectroscopic properties. At room temperature, both cationic and neutral silver(I)–L complexes are extremely active catalysts in the promotion of the single and double A³ coupling of terminal (di)alkynes, pyrrolidine and formaldehyde. In addition, the aza‐Diels–Alder two‐ and three‐component coupling reactions of Danishefsky’s diene with an imine or amine and aldehyde are efficiently catalysed by these cationic or neutral silver(I)–L complexes. The solvent influences the catalytic performance due to limited complex solubility or solvent decomposition and reactivity. The isolation of new silver(I)–L complexes with reagents as ligands lends support to mechanistic proposals for such catalytic processes. The activity, stability and metal–distal arene interaction of these silver(I)–L catalysts have been compared with those of analogous cationic gold(I) and copper(I) complexes.     

Asymmetric cross-aldol reaction of isatin and ketones catalyzed by crude earthworm extract as efficient biocatalyst

ABSTRACT

The asymmetric cross-aldol reaction of simple ketones (acetone, cyclohexanone) with isatin derivatives in the presence of crude extract from earthworms as green and effective biocatalyst proceeds easily in MeCN/H₂O (1:1) as solvent to afford 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles derivatives. Ten compounds were synthesized in high yields (62–88%) and moderate ee (29–42%). Structure of the synthesized compounds has been characterized on the basis of NMR spectra and CHN analysis. The ee of the obtained compounds was determined by chiral phase HPLC analysis.     

The application of metal-organic frameworks in electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction

In recent years, the research of nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under ambient conditions has attracted wide attention for their relatively low energy consumption, in which rational design of electrocatalysts is the key to achieve high-performance NRR. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a new kind of porous material, have been intensively studied in the past few decades owing to not only their structural versatility and tunability but also intrinsic porosity. Due to their structural features, MOFs also have potential applications in mild condition electrocatalysis of NRR. In this review, the recently experimental and theoretical studies of MOFs in NRR electrocatalysts are briefly summarized.     

Properties of the Reactants and Their Interactions within and with the Enzyme Binding Cavity Determine Reaction Selectivities. The Case of Fe(II)/2-Oxoglutarate Dependent Enzymes

Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenases (ODDs) share a double stranded beta helix (DSBH) fold and utilise a common reactive intermediate, ferryl species, to catalyse oxidative transformations of substrates. Despite the structural similarities, ODDs accept a variety of substrates and facilitate a wide range of reactions, that is hydroxylations, desaturations, (oxa)cyclisations and ring rearrangements. In this review we present and discuss the factors contributing to the observed (regio)selectivities of ODDs. They span from inherent properties of the reactants, that is, substrate molecule and iron cofactor, to the interactions between the substrate and the enzyme's binding cavity; the latter can counterbalance the effect of the former. Based on results of both experimental and computational studies dedicated to ODDs, we also line out the properties of the reactants which promote reaction outcomes other than the “default” hydroxylation. It turns out that the reaction selectivity depends on a delicate balance of interactions between the components of the investigated system.