A novel approach to bicyclic fused cyclopentenone derivatives

A new four-step reaction sequence leading to bicyclic fused cyclopentenone derivatives starting from cyclic ketones has been developed.     

Fused ring aziridines as a facile entry into triazole fused tricyclic and bicyclic heterocycles

The intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition of an azide with an alkyne has provided a useful entry into triazole fused tricyclic heterocycles containing both the triazole ring and the oxazolidin-2-one ring system. The requisite azido-alkynes have been prepared via a two-step sequence from fused ring aziridines. A series of 6-12 membered rings containing both the oxazolidinone and triazole rings have been prepared. These ring systems have been designed as conformationally restrained analogs of RNA-binding oxazolidinones.     

A quantum mechanical study of the abstraction reactions of fused bicyclic dimetallenes

The potential energy surfaces for the abstraction reactions of fused bicyclic dimetallene species with carbon tetrachloride have been characterized in detail by using density functional theory including zero-point corrections. All the stationary points were determined at the B3LYP/LANL2DZdp level of theory. Five fused bicyclic dimetallene species including fused bicyclic diethylene, fused bicyclic disilene, fused bicyclic digermene, fused bicyclic distannene, and fused bicyclic diplumbene have been chosen in this work as model reactants. Comparisons of the activation barriers and reaction enthalpies were used to determine the relative reactivity of the fused bicyclic dimetallenes on the reaction potential energy surface. As a result, our theoretical investigations suggest that, irrespectively of the fused bicyclic dimetallene, the Cl-abstraction pathway is more favorable than the CCl3-abstraction pathway from both kinetic and thermodynamic considerations. Moreover, our model calculations indicate that the heavier the group 14 element in the fused bicyclic dimetallenic species, the lower the activation barrier and the more exothermic the haloalkane abstraction. Furthermore, a configuration mixing model based on the work of Pross and Shaik is used to rationalize the computational results. The results obtained allow a number of predictions to be made.     

all-anti-octasilane: conformation control of silicon chains using the bicyclic trisilane as a building block

The perfect all-anti-octasilane composed of two bicyclic trisilane units with trimethylsilyl groups at the termini has been synthesized. Its X-ray crystal structure and spectroscopic data demonstrate the effective sigma-delocalization over the silicon framework, which is a definitive difference from the unconstrained n-Si8Me18.     

Synthesis and some transformations of bicyclic γ-lactones with a fused cyclopropane ring

Reductive cyclization of 4-hydroxymethyl-5,5-dimethyl(or pentamethylene)-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-ones by the action of sodium tetrahydridoborate gave bicyclic compounds in which the lactone ring is fused to a cyclopropane ring. Hydrolysis of the products with aqueous sodium hydroxide resulted in the formation of the corresponding disodium cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates, which reacted with alkyl halides to produce the diesters. Acid hydrolysis of the fused systems was accompanied by opening of the cyclopropane ring with formation of 4-chloromethyl-5,5-dimethyl-2-oxotetrahydrofuran-3-carboxylic acid.     

A simple model for a reaction surface

An analytical expression, which has some claim to be the simplest possible, is proposed for the potential governing a collinear reaction. It shows the desired qualitative features but, with only one available parameter, cannot fit a given surface accurately everywhere. The quality of fitting attainable is shown using the surface for the O + H₂ reaction.Because of the simple form of this expression, it is possible to make broad generalizations about such reactions. From a plausible assumption about the parameter value the energy barrier and the transition state geometry can be predicted. These barriers agree well with those suggested by Johnston and Parr for hydrogen transfer reactions.     

A stable silicon(II) monohydride

A stable silicon(II) monohydride is accomplished through a covalent shared interaction of the silylene lone-pair and a sp(3)-hybridized boron atom of the Lewis acidic BH(3). Experimental charge density investigations reveal a central positively charged silicon atom bound to a negatively charged hydrogen atom. The positively charged H-Si-BH(3) moiety is coordinated by the lone-pairs of electrons of the benzamidinate ligand. This coordination is reinforced by a transannular Si1···C1 privileged exchange channel.     

Highly stable organic monolayers for reacting silicon with further functionalities: the effect of the C-C bond nearest the silicon surface

Crystalline Si(111) surfaces have been alkylated in a two-step chlorination/alkylation process using various organic molecules having similar backbones but differing in their C-C bond closest to the silicon surface (i.e., C-C vs C=C vs C[triple bond]C bonds). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) data show that functionalization of silicon surfaces with propenyl magnesium bromide (CH3-CH=CH-MgBr) organic molecules gives nearly full coverage of the silicon atop sites, as on methyl- and propynyl-terminated silicon surfaces. Propenyl-terminated silicon surface shows less surface oxidation and is more robust against solvent attacks when compared to methyl- and propynyl-terminated silicon surfaces. We also show a secondary functionalization process of propenyl-terminated silicon surface with 4'-[3-Trifluoromethyl-3H-diazirin-3-yl]-benzoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester [TDBA-OSu] cross-linker. The Si-CH=CH-CH3 surfaces thus offer a means of attaching a variety of chemical moieties to a silicon surface through a short linking group, enabling applications in molecular electronics, energy conversion, catalysis, and sensing.     

Cavitand-functionalized porous silicon as an active surface for organophosphorus vapor detection

This paper reports on the preparation of a porous silicon-based material covalently functionalized with cavitand receptors suited for the detection of organophosphorus vapors. Two different isomeric cavitands, both containing one acid group at the upper rim, specifically designed for covalent anchoring on silicon, were grafted on H-terminated porous silicon (PSi) by thermal hydrosilylation. The covalently functionalized surfaces and their complexation properties were characterized by combining different analytical techniques, namely X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and mass spectroscopy analysis coupled with thermal desorption experiments. Complexation experiments were performed by exposing both active surfaces and a control surface consisting of PSi functionalized with a structurally similar but inactive methylene-bridged cavitand (MeCav) to dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) vapors. Comparison between active and inactive surfaces demonstrated the recognition properties of the new surfaces. Finally, the nature of the involved interactions, the energetic differences between active and inactive surfaces toward DMMP complexation, and the comparison with a true nerve gas agent (sarin) were studied by DFT modeling. The results revealed the successful grafting reaction, the specific host-guest interactions of the PSi-bonded receptors, and the reversibility of the guest complexation.     

Nanostructured silicon surface modifications for as a selective matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry is an established soft ionization method that is widely applied to analyze biomolecules. The UV-absorbing organic matrix is essential for biomolecule ionization; however, it also creates matrix background interference, which results in problematic analyses of biomolecules of less than 700 Da. Therefore, this study investigates hydrophilic, hydrophobic cationic, anionic and immobilized metal ion surface chemical modifications to advance nanostructured silicon mass spectrometry performance (nSi-MS). This investigation provides information required for a possible novel mass spectroscopy that combines surface-enhanced and nanostructured silicon surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry for the selective detection of specific compounds of a mixture.     

A bicyclic cispentacin derivative as a novel reverse turn inducer in a GnRH mimetic

A cispentacin-derived bicyclic beta-amino acid (Bic) has been synthesized and incorporated into the 6-position of GnRH. The new GnRH analogue has been characterized with respect to its structure in solution and its activity and affinity toward the human GnRH receptor.     

Enantioselective multicomponent synthesis of fused 6-5 bicyclic 2-butenolides by a cascade heterobicyclisation process

The successive coupling of an alkoxy(aryl/heteroaryl)carbene complex of chromium with either a ketone or an imide lithium enolate and then a 3-substituted (H, TMS, PhCH(2), PhCH(2)CH(2), Me) propargylic organomagnesium reagent has afforded novel hydroxy-substituted bicyclic [4.3.0]-γ-alkylidene-2-butenolides with three modular points that has allowed the efficient introduction of molecular complexity, including a homopropargylic alcohol core. The selective formation of these five- or six-component heterobicyclisation products is the result of the regioselective integration of the Grignard reagent as a propargyl fragment followed by a cascade CO/alkyne/CO insertion, ketene trapping and elimination sequence. By using lithium enolates of chiral N-acetyl-2-oxazolidinones and the corresponding propargylic organocerium reagents, both enantiomers of these bicyclic heterocycles were efficiently prepared with very high enantiomeric purity. Architecturally, these fused bicyclic butenolides are characterised by a highly unsaturated and oxygenated core and they exhibit strong blue fluorescence in solution.     

An organic sensitizer with a fused dithienothiophene unit for efficient and stable dye-sensitized solar cells

We report a high molar extinction coefficient organic sensitizer for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells. In combination with a solvent-free ionic liquid electrolyte, we have demonstrated a approximately 7% cell showing an excellent stability measured under the thermal and light soaking dual stress. This is expected to have an important practical consequence on the production of flexible, low-cost, and lightweight DSC based on plastic matrix.     

A quest for stable bicyclic carbenes with one,two, and three carbenic centers at theoretical level

Structural Chemistry - We have scrutinized eighteen new derivatives of carbenes with one, two, and three carbenic centers and compared their structural and thermodynamic parameters, at...