Synthesis and Reactivity of the First Isolated Hydrogen‐Bridged Silanol–Silanolate Anions

We report on the first examples of isolated silanol–silanolate anions, obtained by utilizing weakly coordinating phosphazenium counterions. The silanolate anions were synthesized from the recently published phosphazenium hydroxide hydrate salt with siloxanes. The silanol–silanolate anions are postulated intermediates in the hydroxide‐mediated polymerization of aryl and alkyl siloxanes. The silanolate anions are strong nucleophiles because of the weakly coordinating character of the phosphazenium cation, which is perceptible in their activity in polysiloxane depolymerization.     

Crystalline Divinyldiarsenes and Cleavage of the As=As Bond

The first divinyldiarsenes [{(NHC)C(Ph)}As]₂ (NHC=IPr 3 a , SIPr 3 b ; IPr=C{(NAr)CH}₂; SIPr=C{(NAr)CH₂}₂; Ar=2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃) are reported. Compounds 3 a and 3 b were prepared by the reduction of corresponding chlorides {(NHC)C(Ph)}AsCl₂ (NHC=IPr 2 a , SIPr 2 b ) with Mg. Calculations revealed a small HOMO–LUMO energy gap of 3.86 ( 3 a ) and 4.24 eV ( 3 b ). Treatment of 3 a with (Me₂S)AuCl led to the cleavage of the As=As bond to restore 2 a , which is expected to proceed via the diarsane [{(IPr)C(Ph)}AsCl]₂ ( 4 ). Remarkably, 4 as well as 2 a can be selectively accessed on treatment of 3 a with an appropriate amount of C₂Cl₆. Moreover, 3 a readily reacts with PhEEPh (E=Se or Te) at room temperature to give {(IPr)C(Ph)}As(EPh)₂ (E=Se 5 a ; Te 5 b ), revealing the cleavage of As=As and E−E bonds and the formation of As−E bonds. Such highly selective stepwise oxidation ( 3 a → 4 → 2 a ) and bond metathesis ( 3 a → 5 a , b ) reactions are unprecedented in main-group chemistry.     

Fluorotrimethyl[(Z)-pentafluoropropen-1-yl]phosphorane: Structure,Bonding, and Reactivity

In this contribution we report on fluorotrimethyl[(Z)-pentafluoropropen-1-yl]phosphorane as a phosphorus based fluorinating reagent. Its solid state structure can be described as a trigonal bipyramid featuring elongated axial bonds due to the formation of a 3-center 4-electron bond. Abstraction of the fluoride ion leads to a shortening of the axial P–C bond. Thus the title compound can be utilized for substitution of bromine with fluorine and for the transfer of fluoride ions onto electrophilic compounds. Reaction with Sn(C₂F₅)₂Br₂ afforded salt [P(CH₃)₃(C₃F₅)]₂[Sn(C₂F₅)₂F₄]. When fluorotrimethyl[(Z)-pentafluoropropen-1-yl]phosphorane was treated with P(C₂F₅)₂F the primarily produced anion is sufficiently nucleophilic to attack the propenyl group of the cation in β-position to the phosphorus atom to yield zwitterionic [Me₃PCF=C(CF₃)–PF₃(C₂F₅)₂].     

Selective 3,3-Rearrangement of Azobenzenes upon Complexation by a Frustrated Lewis Pair

The reaction of the oxygen-bridged frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) tBu₂P−O−Si(C₂F₅)₃ ( 1 ) and tBu₂P−O−AlBis₂ ( 2 ) with azobenzene, promoted by UV irradiation, led to a selective complexation of the cis-isomer. The addition product of 2 is stable, while the adduct of 1 isomerizes in solution in an ortho-benzidine-like [3,3]-rearrangement by cleavage of the N−N bond, saturation of the nitrogen atoms with hydrogen atoms and formation of a new bond between two phenyl ortho-carbon atoms. Similar rearrangements take place with different para-substituted azobenzenes (R=Me, OMe, Cl) and di(2-naphthyl)diazene, while ortho-methylated azo compounds do not form adducts with 1 . All adducts were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses and the mechanism of the rearrangement was explored by quantum-chemical calculations.     

Synthetic Matching of Complex Monoterpene Indole Alkaloid Chemical Space

Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) are endowed with high structural and spatial complexity and characterized by diverse biological activities. Given this complexity-activity combination in MIAs, rapid and efficient access to chemical matter related to and with complexity similar to these alkaloids would be highly desirable, since such compound classes might display novel bioactivity. We describe the design and synthesis of a pseudo-natural product (pseudo-NP) collection obtained by the unprecedented combination of MIA fragments through complexity-generating transformations, resulting in arrangements not currently accessible by biosynthetic pathways. Cheminformatic analyses revealed that both the pseudo-NPs and the MIAs reside in a unique and common area of chemical space with high spatial complexity-density that is only sparsely populated by other natural products and drugs. Investigation of bioactivity guided by morphological profiling identified pseudo-NPs that inhibit DNA synthesis and modulate tubulin. These results demonstrate that the pseudo-NP collection occupies similar biologically relevant chemical space that Nature has endowed MIAs with.     

Two 2,6‐Dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan‐3‐ones from Phragmanthera capitata (Spreng.) Balle (Loranthaceae)

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Phragmanthera capitata collected on Cassia spectabilis tree led to the isolation of two natural lactones, rel‐(1R,5S,7S)‐7‐[2‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]‐2,6‐dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan‐3‐one ( 1 ) and 4‐{2‐[rel‐(1R,3R,5S)‐7‐oxo‐2,6‐dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]non‐3‐yl]ethyl}phenyl 3,4,5‐trihydroxybenzoate ( 2 ) together with the known compounds betulinic acid ( 3 ), dodoneine ( 4 ), quercetin 3‐O‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranoside ( 5 ), quercetin 3‐O‐α‐L ‐arabinofuranoside ( 6 ), quercetin ( 7 ), betulin ( 8 ), lupeol ( 9 ), and sitosterol ( 10 ). Their structures were established by means of modern spectroscopic techniques, and the relative configuration of compound 1 was confirmed by X‐ray analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 were tested in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity against the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine sensitive‐strains NF54 and 3D7. Compound 2 exhibited good antiplasmodial activity against both strains with IC₅₀ of 2.4 and 4.9 μM , respectively, while compound 1 was inactive.     

Isolation of a 16π-Electrons 1,4-Diphosphinine-1,4-diide with a Planar C4P2 Ring

Herein, we report the first 1,4-diphosphinine-1,4-diide compound [(ADC^Ph)P]₂ ( 5-Ph ) (ADC^Ph=PhC{(NDipp)C}₂; Dipp=2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃) derived from an anionic dicarbene (ADC^Ph) as a red crystalline solid. Compound 5-Ph containing a 16π-electron planar fused-tricyclic ring system was obtained by the 4e reduction of [(ADC^Ph)PCl₂]₂ ( 4-Ph ) with Mg (or KC₈) in a quantitative yield. Experimental and computational results imply that the central 8π-electrons C₄P₂ ring of 5-Ph , which is fused between two 6π-electrons C₃N₂ aromatic rings, is antiaromatic. Thus, each of the phosphorus atoms of 5-Ph has two electron-lone-pairs, one in a p-type orbital is in conjugation with the C=C bonds of the C₄P₂ ring, while the second resides in a σ-symmetric orbital. This can be shown with the gold complex [(ADC^Ph)P(AuCl)₂]₂ ( 6-Ph ) obtained by reacting 5-Ph with (Me₂S)AuCl. A mixture of 5-Ph and 4-Ph undergoes comproportionation in the presence of MgCl₂ to form the intermediate oxidation state compound [(ADC^Ar)P]₂(MgCl₄) ( 7-Ph ), which is an aromatic species.     

Tris(pentafluoroethyl)silanol Derivatives and the Lewis Amphoteric Tris(pentafluoroethyl)silanolate Anion, [Si(C2F5)3O]−

While alkyl-substituted siloxanes are widely known, virtually nothing is known about perfluoroalkyl siloxanes and their congener species, the silanols and silanolates. We recently reported on the tris(pentafluoroethyl)silanide ion, [Si(C₂F₅)₃]⁻, which features Lewis amphoteric character deriving from the pentafluoroethyl substituents and their strong electron-withdrawing properties. Transferring this knowledge, we investigated the Lewis amphoteric behavior of the tris(pentafluoroethyl)silanolate, [Si(C₂F₅)₃O]⁻. In order to examine such Lewis amphoteric behavior, we first developed a strategy for the synthesis of the corresponding silanol Si(C₂F₅)₃OH, which readily condenses at room temperature to the hexakis(pentafluoroethyl)disiloxane, (C₂F₅)₃SiOSi(C₂F₅)₃. Deprotonation of Si(C₂F₅)₃OH employing a sterically demanding phosphazene base allows the characterization of the first example of a dimeric triorganosilanolate: the dianionic hexakis(pentafluoroethyl)disilanolate, [{Si(C₂F₅)₃O}₂]²⁻, implies Lewis amphoteric character of the monomeric [Si(C₂F₅)₃O]⁻ anion.