Evidence for a C-H...pi type weak interaction: 1 : 1 complex of styrene with acetylene studied by mass selective high-resolution UV spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

The 1 : 1 complex of styrene with acetylene has been studied by mass selective low- and high-resolution UV resonance-enhanced two-photon ionisation (R2PI) spectroscopy combined with genetic-algorithm-based computer-aided fit of the spectra with partial rotational resolution, and high level ab initio quantum chemistry calculations. Two stable conformeric geometries of the 1 : 1 complex of styrene and acetylene have been theoretically found: one with acetylene binding to styrene as a proton donor, and one with acetylene acting as a proton acceptor. From the analysis of the vibronic structure of the S1<-- S0 spectrum and the fit of the highly resolved spectrum of the 0 origin band of the complex it is shown that the favoured conformation is the one in which acetylene binds to the benzene ring of styrene through formation of a non-conventional hydrogen bond of C-H...pi type with no marked change of the transition moment orientation of styrene. The styrene moiety remains planar and the acetylene molecule is tilted by a small angle of 4 degrees relative to the C6 symmetry axis of the benzene ring, most likely due to the reduced symmetry of the benzene ring pi electrons rather than to a direct interaction with the vinyl group.     

Addition von Acetylendicarbonsäuredimethylester an Imidazole; Aminierung der Addukte: neue Synthesen von 3-(2-Imidazolyl)-2-pyridon-4,5-dicarbonsäureamiden und Pyrido[1,2-a]pyrazinen

The reaction between dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate and 2-amino-1-methylimidazole affords dimethyl 2-amino-1-methyl-1,3-diazepine-5,6-dicarboxylate in low yield. This 1:1 – adduct was formed by addition of the acetylenic compound to the enamine double bond of the imidazole ring followed by ring enlargement. On the other hand, 2:1 – adducts to the imine bond are isolated in moderate yield when dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate is treated with either 1-methyl-2-methylmercapto-imidazole or 1-methyl-2-methylmercapto-imidazoline. These adducts behave differently on heating with ethylamine: the adduct of the imidazole series cyclizes to the pyridone 15 with concomittant loss of one carboxamide group whereas that of the imidazoline series forms a pyrido[1,2-a]pyrazine derivative 20 , both in high yield. The possible reaction mechanisms are discussed. ¹³C–NMR.-spectroscopy and X-ray analysis were used in the determination of several structures.     

Diels-Alder cycloaddition of acetylene gas to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bay region

The direct conversion of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bay region to a new, unsubstituted benzene ring by Diels-Alder cycloaddition of acetylene gas is reported for the first time. At 140 °C in dimethylformamide, under 1.8 atm pressure of acetylene gas, 7,14-dimesitylbisanthene is slowly converted to 7,14-dimesitylbenzo[ghi]bisanthene (21% conversion in 48 h).     

Degradable star polymers with high “click” functionality

Degradable polyester‐based star polymers with a high level of functionality in the arms were synthesized via the “arms first” approach using an acetylene‐functional block copolymer macroinitiator. This was achieved by using 2‐hydroxyethyl 2′‐methyl‐2′‐bromopropionate to initiate the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of caprolactone monomer followed by an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of a protected acetylene monomer, (trimethylsilyl)propargyl methacrylate. The hydroxyl end‐group of the resulting block copolymer macroinitiator was subsequently crosslinked under ROP conditions using a bislactone monomer, 4,4′‐bioxepanyl‐7,7′‐dione, to generate a degradable core crosslinked star (CCS) polymer with protected acetylene groups in the corona. The trimethylsilyl‐protecting groups were removed to generate a CCS polymer with an average of 1850 pendent acetylene groups located in the outer block segment of the arms. The increased functionality of this CCS polymer was demonstrated by attaching azide‐functionalized linear polystyrene via a copper (I)‐catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between the azide and acetylene groups. This resulted in a CCS polymer with “brush‐like” arm structures, the grafted segment of which could be liberated via hydrolysis of the polyester star structure to generate molecular brushes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1485–1498, 2009     

Vitamin D and click chemistry. Part 1: A stereoselective route to vitamin D analogues with triazole rings in their side chains

Efficient preparation of vitamin D CD ring system synthons with triazole rings in their side chains is based on the formation of the triazole ring from a [3+2]-cycloaddition of a vitamin D side chain terminal azide with a terminal acetylene.     

Thiadiazole ring opening in the derivatives of 2-substituted 5-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl)-3-furoic acid under the action of bases

Transformations of the derivatives of 2-substituted 5-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl)-3-furoic acid under the action of bases has been studied. In the presence of potassium tert-butylate in THF, the studied compounds decompose with the cleavage of the thiadiazole ring, liberation of nitrogen, and formation of labile acetylene thiolates. In the presence of methyl iodide, these salts form stable 2-methylthioethynylfurans. Under the action of sodium ethylate in ethanol, thiadiazole ring of ethyl [2-methyl-5-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl)]-3-furoate is split to form the corresponding sodium acetylene thiolate. Under the action of ethanol, two molecules of this salt give bis(furyl)dithiafulvene. In the DMF–potassium carbonate system, acetylene thiolates react with primary and secondary amines giving thioamides of (4-ethoxycarbonyl-5-methylfur-2-yl)acetic acid. Treating of ethyl 2-methyland 2-N-morpholinomethyl-5-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl)-3-furoates with hydrazine hydrate leads to hydrazinolysis of the ester group and cleavage of thiadiazole ring resulting in the formation of hydrazides of 4-hydrazinocarbonylfur-2-ylacetic acid. In the case of ethyl 2-acetoxymethyl- and 2-(4-nitrophenoxy)methyl-5-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl)-3-furoates, thiadiazole ring is retained and exclusively hydrazinolysis of the ester groups is observed.     

Triazole: a unique building block for the construction of functional materials

Over the past 50 years, numerous roads towards carbon-based materials have been explored, all of them being paved using mainly one functional group as the brick: acetylene. The acetylene group, or the carbon-carbon triple bond, is one of the oldest and simplest functional groups in chemistry, and although not present in any of the naturally occurring carbon allotropes, it is an essential tool to access their synthetic carbon-rich family. In general, two strategies towards the synthesis of π-conjugated carbon-rich structures can be employed: (a) either the acetylene group serves as a building block to access acetylene-derived structures or (b) it serves as a synthetic tool to provide other, usually benzenoid, structures. The recently discovered copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction, however, represents a new powerful alternative: it transforms the acetylene group into a five-membered heteroaromatic 1H-1,2,3-triazole (triazole) ring and this gives rise to new opportunities. Compared with all-carbon aromatic non-functional rings, the triazole ring possesses three nitrogen atoms and, thus, can serve as a ligand to coordinate metals, or as a hydrogen bond acceptor and donor. This Feature Article summarises examples of using the triazole ring to construct conjugation- and/or function-related heteroaromatic materials, such as tuneable multichromophoric covalent ensembles, macrocyclic receptors or responsive foldamers. These recent examples, which open a new sub-field within organic materials, started to appear only few years ago and represent "a few more bricks" on the road to carbon-rich functional materials.     

Transition metal-free cross-coupling of furan ring with haloacetylenes

On the example of menthofuran, a naturally abundant compound, it has been shown for the first time that the furan ring can be readily cross-coupled with acylhaloacetylenes in the solid Al₂O₃ powder at room temperature to afford the corresponding 2-ethynyl derivatives in up to 88% yield. The reaction represents a ring closing/ring opening process that includes reversible formation of the intermediate cycloadducts further producing acetylene derivatives with elimination of HHal.     

Synthesis and Antifeeding Activity of Acetylene-Containing Tonghaosu Analogs

During our continuous efforts towards the search for environmental benign insect antifeedant, we established a concise method for the synthesis of Tonghaosu, a naturally occurring antifeedant.[1] Herein, we report the synthesis and antifeeding activity of 22 new tonghaosu analogs, which contain varied B ring as well as one or two acetylene functionalities. Preliminary bioassay indicates that two acetylene groups containing tonghaosu analogs have better antifeedant activity against large white butterfly (Pieris brassicae L.) than those with one acetylene group. More interestingly,Z-isomers are much more active than their corresponding E-isomers.     

Reactivity of the Indenyl Radical (C9H7) with Acetylene (C2H2) and Vinylacetylene (C4H4)

The reactions of the indenyl radicals with acetylene (C₂H₂) and vinylacetylene (C₄H₄) is studied in a hot chemical reactor coupled to synchrotron based vacuum ultraviolet ionization mass spectrometry. These experimental results are combined with theory to reveal that the resonantly stabilized and thermodynamically most stable 1-indenyl radical (C₉H₇^.) is always formed in the pyrolysis of 1-, 2-, 6-, and 7-bromoindenes at 1500 K. The 1-indenyl radical reacts with acetylene yielding 1-ethynylindene plus atomic hydrogen, rather than adding a second acetylene molecule and leading to ring closure and formation of fluorene as observed in other reaction mechanisms such as the hydrogen abstraction acetylene addition or hydrogen abstraction vinylacetylene addition pathways. While this reaction mechanism is analogous to the bimolecular reaction between the phenyl radical (C₆H₅^.) and acetylene forming phenylacetylene (C₆H₅CCH), the 1-indenyl+acetylene→1-ethynylindene+hydrogen reaction is highly endoergic (114 kJ mol⁻¹) and slow, contrary to the exoergic (−38 kJ mol⁻¹) and faster phenyl+acetylene→phenylacetylene+hydrogen reaction. In a similar manner, no ring closure leading to fluorene formation was observed in the reaction of 1-indenyl radical with vinylacetylene. These experimental results are explained through rate constant calculations based on theoretically derived potential energy surfaces.     

Convergent synthesis of the E'FGH' ring fragment of ciguatoxin 1B via an acetylene cobalt complex strategy

[reaction: see text] A convergent synthesis of the E'FGH' ring fragment of ciguatoxin has been accomplished through (i) coupling between the E' ring-acetylide and the H' ring-aldehyde, (ii) stereoselective F ring cyclization via an acetylene cobalt complex, (iii) conversion to a carbonyl function, and (iv) reductive hydroxy-ketone cyclization to construct the G ring.     

Annelation of the Pyrrole to the Steroid Skeleton Using the Trofimov Reaction

The product of annelation of the N-vinyl pyrrole ring with steroid skeleton of 5-cholestene was obtained in a single regioselective step by the reaction of 5-cholesten-3-one oxime with acetylene in KOH-DMSO by the Trofimov reaction.     

Unexpected Chemistry from the Homogeneous Thermal Decomposition of Acetylene: An ab initio Study

The formation of the aromatic ring during the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remains controversial and the experimental evidence is still lacking. Moreover, the formation mechanism of benzene from acetylene in the gas phase has also puzzled organic chemists for decades. Here, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and electronic structure calculations provide compelling evidence for an unexpected competitive reaction pathway in which the aromatic ring is formed through successive additions of vinylidene. Moreover, no collisions cause bond dissociation of the acetylene molecule during the formation of benzene in this work. This study reveals the key role for the vinylidene carbene and determines the lifetime of vinylidene.     

Mechanism for the cyclotrimerization of alkynes and related reactions catalyzed by CpRuCl

A complete catalytic cycle for the cyclotrimerization of acetylene with the CpRuCl fragment has been proposed and discussed based on DFT/B3LYP calculations, which revealed a couple of uncommon intermediates. The first is a metallacyclopentatriene complex RuCp(Cl)(C(4)H(4)) (B), generated through oxidative coupling of two alkyne ligands. It adds another alkyne in eta(2) fashion to give an alkyne complex (C). No less than three successive intermediates could be located for the subsequent arene formation. The first, an unusual five- and four-membered bicyclic ring system (D), rearranges to a very unsymmetrical metallaheptatetraene complex (E), which in turn provides CpRuCl(eta(2)-C(6)H(6)) (F) via a reductive elimination step. The asymmetry of E, including Cp ring slippage, removes the symmetry-forbidden character from this final step. Completion of the cycle is achieved by an exothermic displacement (21.4 kcal mol(-)(1)) of the arene by two acetylene molecules regenerating A. In addition to acetylene, the reaction of B with ethylene and carbon disulfide, the latter taken as a model for a molecule lacking hydrogen atoms, has also been investigated, and several parallels noted. In the case of the coordinated alkene, facile C-C coupling to the alpha carbon of the metallacycle is feasible due to an agostic assistance, which tends to counterbalance the reduced degree of unsaturation. Carbon disulfide, on the other hand, does not coordinate to ruthenium, but a C=S bond adds instead directly to the Ru=C bond. The final products of the reactions of B with acetylene, ethylene, and carbon disulfide are, respectively, benzene, cyclohexadiene, and thiopyrane-2-thione, the activation energies being lower for acetylene.     

Molecular weight and configurational stability of poly[(fluorophenyl)acetylene]s prepared with metathesis and insertion catalysts

Series of high‐cis and cis/trans poly[(fluorophenyl)acetylene]s (PFPhA) have been prepared by polymerization of (2‐fluorophenyl)acetylene, (3‐fluorophenyl)acetylene, and (4‐fluorophenyl)acetylene with catalysts: [Rh(1,5‐cyclooctadiene) OCH₃]₂ (high‐cis PFPhAs) and tungsten(VI) oxychloride/tetraphenyltin (cis/trans PFPhAs). The molecular weight and configurational stability under various conditions at room temperature were studied for both PFPhAs series by means of size exclusion chromatography, ¹H‐NMR, and UV‐vis techniques. All samples exhibited slow degradation when exposed to the atmosphere in the solid state; the rate of degradation was independent on the F‐position on the Ph ring. The rate of degradation increased up to three orders of magnitude in the tetrahydrofuran solution where it was higher for high‐cis polymers compared with their cis/trans counterparts. The degradation of high‐cis PFPhAs was accompanied by significant cis‐to‐trans isomerization in aerated tetrahydrofuran solution. Rate of degradation and isomerization exhibited the same dependence on the F‐position on the Ph ring. The hypothesis was postulated that the degradation of high‐cis PFPhAs in solution was accelerated by cis‐to‐trans isomerization due to which the content of unpaired electrons on the main chains is enhanced. In both high‐cis and cis/trans series of polymers the ortho‐substituted isomers exhibited an enhanced stability compared with meta‐ and para‐substituted isomers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 4296–4309, 2010     

Cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene)-based [2]catenanes prepared by kinetically controlled reactions involving alkynes

[reaction: see text] Charged donor-acceptor [2]catenanes, in which the pi-accepting cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) acts as a tetracationic template for the threading-followed-by-clipping of acyclic oligoethers, incorporating centrally a pi-donating 1,5-dioxynaphthalene ring system and terminated either by acetylene units or by acetylene and azide functions, are the products of copper-mediated Eglinton coupling and Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, respectively.     

Synthesis of oxocenones from δ -lactones and their conversion to transposed oxocenes by a reductive ferrier reaction

The ring expansion of δ-lactones into oxocenones by the insertion of an acetylene is reported. A reductive Ferrier reaction can be employed to convert these products into transposed oxocenes.     

Synthetic studies on taxanes: construction of the tricyclic skeleton on the basis of a [6+2] cycloaddition reaction

The stereoselective synthesis of a tricyclic model compound of taxane diterpenes was achieved. The eight-membered B ring was constructed on the basis of a [6+2] cycloaddition reaction of a dicobalt acetylene complex with an enol silyl ether of cyclohexanone. After conversion of the cobalt complex moiety to an epoxide and introduction of a 3-cyanopropyl group, the A ring was formed via an intramolecular cyclization reaction under basic conditions.     

Vinylation of tetralin in the presence of peroxide

Summary In the presence of di-tert-butyl peroxide, acetylene adds to the saturated ring in tetralin.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 351–353, February, 1965     

A molecular level study of the aqueous microsolvation of acetylene

We present an analysis of the structural, energetic and spectral features associated with the different hydrogen bonded networks found in the first few acetylene–water clusters AW_n (n=1–4) from first principles calculations. Contrary to the predictions of an empirical interaction potential, acetylene is incorporated into a hydrogen bonded ring when it clusters with two or three water molecules. This structural pattern changes for n=4 with the formation of a water tetramer interacting with acetylene. This structural transition from n=3 to 4 is spectroscopically manifested by a qualitative change in the appearance of the infrared spectra of the corresponding global minima.