Practical, scalable, high-throughput approaches to eta3-pyranyl and eta3-pyridinyl organometallic enantiomeric scaffolds using the Achmatowicz reaction

A unified strategy for the high-throughput synthesis of multigram quantities of the eta(3)-oxopyranyl- and eta(3)-oxopyridinylmolybdenum complexes TpMo(CO)(2)(eta(3)-oxopyranyl) and TpMo(CO)(2)(eta(3)-oxopyridinyl) is described (Tp = hydridotrispyrazolylborato). The strategy uses the oxa- and aza-Achmatowicz reaction for the preparation of these organometallic enantiomeric scaffolds, in both racemic and high enantiopurity versions.     

Methanofullerene Molecular Scaffolding: Towards C60-substituted poly(triacetylenes) and expanded radialenes,preparation of a C60–C70 hybrid derivative,and a novel macrocyclization reaction

The synthesis of (E)-hex-3-ene-l, 5-diynes and 3-methylidenepenta-1, 4-diynes with pendant methano[60]-fullerene moieties as precursors to C₆₀-substituted poly(triacetylenes) (PTAs, Fig. 1) and expanded radialenes (Fig. 2) is described. The Bingel reaction of diethyl (E)-2, 3-dialkynylbut-2-ene-1, 4-diyl bis(2-bromopropane-dioates) 5 and 6 with two C₆₀ molecules (Scheme 2) afforded the monomeric, silyl-protected PTA precursors 9 and 10 which, however, could not be effectively desilylated (Scheme 4). Also formed during the synthesis of 9 and 10 , as well as during the reaction of C₆₀ with thedesilylated analogue 16 (Scheme 5 ), were the macrocyclic products 11, 12 , and 17 , respectively, resulting from double Bingel addition to one C-sphere. Rigorous analysis revealed that this novel macrocyclization reaction proceeds with complete regio- and diastereoselectivity. The second approach to a suitable PTA monomer attempted N, N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide(DCC)-mediated esterification of (E)-2, 3-diethynylbut-2-ene-l, 4-diol ( 18 , Scheme 6) with mono-esterified methanofullerene-dicarboxylic acid 23 ; however, this synthesis yielded only the corresponding decarboxylated methanofullerene-carboxylic ester 27 (Scheme 7). To prevent decarboxylation, a spacer was inserted between the reacting carboxylic-acid moiety and the methane C-atom in carboxymethyl ethyl 1, 2-methano[60]fullerene-61, 61-dicarboxylate ( 28 , Scheme 8), and DCC-mediated esterification with diol 18 afforded PTA monomer 32 in good yield. The formation of a suitable monomeric precursor 38 to C₆₀-substituted expanded radialenes was achieved in 5 steps starting from dihydroxyacetone (Schemes 9 and 10), with the final step consisting of the DCC-mediated esterification of 28 with 2-[1-ethynyl(prop-2-ynylidene)]propane-1, 3-diol ( 33 ). The first mixed C₆₀-C₇₀ fullerene derivative 49 , consisting of two methano[60]fullerenes attached to a methano[70]fullerene, was also prepared and fully characterized (Scheme 13). The C_s-symmetrical hybrid compound was obtained by DCC-mediated esterification of bis[2-(2-hydroxy-ethoxy)ethyl] 1, 2-methano[70]fullerene-71, 71-dicarboxylate ( 46 ) with an excess of the C₆₀-carboxylic acid 28 . The presence of two different fullerenes in the same molecule was reflected by its UV/VIS spectrum, which displayed the characteristic absorption bands of both the C₇₀ and C₆₀ mono-adducts, but at the same time indicated no electronic interaction between the different fullerene moieties. Cyclic voltammetry showed two reversible reduction steps for 49 , and comparison with the corresponding C₇₀ and C₆₀ mono-adducts 46 and 30 indicated that the three fullerenes in the composite fullerene compound behave as independent redox centers.     

EPR and ENDOR study of the frozen ammoniated electron at low alkali-metal concentrations

Ammoniated electrons in dilute frozen solutions are examined using EPR spectroscopy under conditions where the formation of metallic nanoparticles is avoided. Two signals from two different species have been observed. One signal is metastable and decays irreversibly upon annealing. The metastable species saturates at a spin concentration of 10 nM. The annealing temperature for this species amounts to 60 K for frozen solutions of sodium in neat ammonia and is raised upon addition of metal iodide. The observed g value is smaller than the free electron g value and is compatible with a cluster-anion radical rather than with a cavity electron. The wave function of the unpaired electron contains about 6%-10% of 2p character at nitrogen. The observed g shift is fully compatible with previously reported theoretical calculations (Shkrob, I. A. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 3967-3976). The second signal cannot be annealed in the frozen state. The line shape is homogeneous, and its width depends on the identity of the metal and at large metal concentrations on the metal concentration itself. Upon increasing alkali metal concentration above 0.15 MPM, the line shape changes from Lorentzian to Dysonian, indicating the presence of metal nanoparticles. A new ENDOR pulse sequence is introduced to investigate the presence of weakly coupled nuclear spins for homogeneous EPR lines. The observations are critically compared with available literature data.     

The Binary System BaF2/AlF3

The system BaF₂/AlF₃ is investigated by X-ray and D.T.A., and the liquid-solid phase diagram is established. Five ternary fluorides are disclosed: trimorphic BaAlF₅, Ba₃Al₂F₁₂, Ba₅AlF₁₉, polymorphic Ba₃AlF₉ and Ba₅AlF₁₃. Neutron thermodiffractometry experiments are performed to specify some parts of the diagram. The cell parameters of the fluorides are given and the results are discussed and compared with those of the previous works.     

Vitamin D: a concise synthesis of the C19 hydroxylated enyne A-ring, an interesting precursor for the preparation of C19 substituted vitamin D analogues

A new C₁₉ hydroxylated enyne 15, as potential A-ring building block of vitamin D analogues, was synthesized in enantiomerically pure form in nine steps from (−)-(S)-limonene. This short synthesis involved ozonolyzis of 1,2-limonene oxide followed by a Criegee rearrangement, epoxide trans diaxial ring opening by lithium acetylide, elimination, epoxidation and syn β-elimination of the resulting homopropargylic oxirane.     

Heck reactions of aryl bromides with alk-1-en-3-ol derivatives catalysed by a tetraphosphine/palladium complex

cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-Tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane/[PdCl(C₃H₅)]₂ efficiently catalyses the Heck reaction of alk-1-en-3-ol with a variety of aryl bromides. In the presence of hex-1-en-3-ol or oct-1-en-3-ol, the β-arylated carbonyl compounds were selectively obtained. Linalool and 2-methylbut-3-en-2-ol led to the corresponding 1-arylalk-1-en-3-ol derivatives. Turnover numbers up to 69,000 can be obtained for this reaction. A minor electronic effect of the substituents of the aryl bromide was observed. Similar reaction rates were observed in the presence of activated aryl bromides such as bromoacetophenone and deactivated aryl bromides such as bromoanisole.     

Efficient synthesis of enynes by tetraphosphine-palladium-catalysed reaction of vinyl bromides with terminal alkynes

Through the use of [PdCl(C₃H₅)]₂/cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane as catalyst, a range of vinyl bromides undergoes Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction with a variety of alkynes, leading to the corresponding 1,3-enynes in good yields. The reaction tolerates several alkynes such as phenylacetylene, dec-1-yne, 2-methylbut-1-en-3-yne a range of alk-1-ynols, 3,3-diethoxyprop-1-yne and a propargyl amine. Higher reactions rates were observed in the presence of phenylacetylene, dec-1-yne, but-3-yn-1-ol, pent-4-yn-1-ol, 3,3-diethoxyprop-1-yne or 1,1-dipropyl-2-propynylamine than with propargyl alcohol, 3-methoxy-prop-1-yne or 2-methylbut-1-en-3-yne. This catalyst can be used at low loading even for reactions of sterically hindered vinyl bromides such as bromotriphenylethylene or 2-bromo-3-methyl-but-2-ene.     

Context-dependent effects of asparagine glycosylation on Pin WW folding kinetics and thermodynamics

Asparagine glycosylation is one of the most common and important post-translational modifications of proteins in eukaryotic cells. N-glycosylation occurs when a triantennary glycan precursor is transferred en bloc to a nascent polypeptide (harboring the N-X-T/S sequon) as the peptide is cotranslationally translocated into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In addition to facilitating binding interactions with components of the ER proteostasis network, N-glycans can also have intrinsic effects on protein folding by directly altering the folding energy landscape. Previous work from our laboratories (Hanson et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2009, 109, 3131-3136; Shental-Bechor, D.; Levy, Y. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2008, 105, 8256-8261) suggested that the three sugar residues closest to the protein are sufficient for accelerating protein folding and stabilizing the resulting structure in vitro; even a monosaccharide can have a dramatic effect. The highly conserved nature of these three proximal sugars in N-glycans led us to speculate that introducing an N-glycosylation site into a protein that is not normally glycosylated would stabilize the protein and increase its folding rate in a manner that does not depend on the presence of specific stabilizing protein-saccharide interactions. Here, we test this hypothesis experimentally and computationally by incorporating an N-linked GlcNAc residue at various positions within the Pin WW domain, a small β-sheet-rich protein. The results show that an increased folding rate and enhanced thermodynamic stability are not general, context-independent consequences of N-glycosylation. Comparison between computational predictions and experimental observations suggests that generic glycan-based excluded volume effects are responsible for the destabilizing effect of glycosylation at highly structured positions. However, this reasoning does not adequately explain the observed destabilizing effect of glycosylation within flexible loops. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that specific, evolved protein-glycan contacts must also play an important role in mediating the beneficial energetic effects on protein folding that glycosylation can confer.     

Quantitative analysis of backbone dynamics in a crystalline protein from nitrogen-15 spin-lattice relaxation

A detailed analysis of nitrogen-15 longitudinal relaxation times in microcrystalline proteins is presented. A theoretical model to quantitatively interpret relaxation times is developed in terms of motional amplitude and characteristic time scale. Different averaging schemes are examined in order to propose an analysis of relaxation curves that takes into account the specificity of MAS experiments. In particular, it is shown that magic angle spinning averages the relaxation rate experienced by a single spin over one rotor period, resulting in individual relaxation curves that are dependent on the orientation of their corresponding carousel with respect to the rotor axis. Powder averaging thus leads to a nonexponential behavior in the observed decay curves. We extract dynamic information from experimental decay curves, using a diffusion in a cone model. We apply this study to the analysis of spin-lattice relaxation rates of the microcrystalline protein Crh at two different fields and determine differential dynamic parameters for several residues in the protein.