Dioxygenase-catalysed dihydroxylation of arene cis-dihydrodiols and acetonide derivatives: a new approach to the synthesis of enantiopure tetraoxygenated bioproducts from arenes

cis-Dihydrodiols of anthracene and benz[a]anthracene, and acetonide derivatives of the cis-dihydrodiols of benzene, fluorobenzene, biphenyl and phenanthrene have been identified as substrates for dioxygenase enzymes, yielding the corresponding enantiopure arene bioproducts, bis(cis-dihydrodiol)s and cis-diol acetonides respectively.     

Structure, stereochemistry and synthesis of enantiopure cyclohexenone cis-diol bacterial metabolites derived from phenols

Biotransformation of 3-substituted and 2,5-disubstituted phenols, using whole cells of P. putida UV4, yielded cyclohexenone cis-diols as single enantiomers; their structures and absolute configurations have been determined by NMR and ECD spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and stereochemical correlation involving a four step chemoenzymatic synthesis from the corresponding cis-dihydrodiol metabolites. An active site model has been proposed, to account for the formation of enantiopure cyclohexenone cis-diols with opposite absolute configurations.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of carbasugars from iodobenzene

The versatile enantiopure cis-dihydrodiol metabolite 1, formed by bacterial metabolism of iodobenzene, has been used for the synthesis of the pyranose carbasugars (pseudosugars) carba-beta-D-altropyranose 2, carba-alpha-L-galactopyranose 3, carba-beta-D-idopyranose 4 and carba-beta-L-glucopyranose 5. Substitution of the iodine atom by a carbomethoxy group, stereoselective catalytic hydrogenation of an alpha,beta-unsaturated ester, and regioselective inversion of one or two allylic chiral centres are the key steps used in the synthesis of carbasugars 2-5. The relative and absolute configurations of compounds 2-5 were established by a combination of stereochemical correlation, X-ray crystallography and 1H-NMR spectroscopy.     

Dipole moments of some alkyl vinyl and alkyl propenyl ethers

Dipole moments of several alkyl vinyl and alkyl propenyl ethers have been determined by the Halverstadt-Kumler method in benzene solution at 293 K. The μ values depend on the bulkiness of the alkyl group present. In the alkyl vinyl ether series, a part of the varying μ values may be ascribed to changes in molecular geometry with varying bulkiness of the alkyl group. Other factors are clearly involved, since even in the alkyl (Z)-propenyl ether series μ values depend significantly on the alkyl group, although the geometry of the molecules remains essentially constant throughout the series. In the latter series, the total dipole moment is linearly related to the Taft's σ^*-values of the alkyl groups:μ/D=?(1.17±0.15)σ^*+(1.29±0.03). This suggests that the variation of μ with the alkyl radical follows from the changing polar character of the alkyl groups, which leads to changes in the value of the group moment μro.     

Synthesis of alkyl-H-phosphinic acid alkyl esters from red phosphorus and alkyl bromides

Alkyl-H-phosphinic acid alkyl esters are synthesized in 65–71% yield via chemoselective reaction of alkyl bromides with available alkyl-H-phosphinic acids (60–65 °C, Et3N). The latter are prepared, in turn, by direct phosphorylation of alkyl bromides with red phosphorus under phase-transfer conditions.     

Silver-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of alkyl bromides with alkyl or aryl Grignard reagents

Treatment of secondary or tertiary alkyl bromides with alkyl Grignard reagents in the presence of catalytic amounts of silver bromide and potassium fluoride in CH₂Cl₂ afforded the corresponding cross-coupling products in reasonable yields. Moreover, silver showed catalytic activity for the cross-coupling reactions of alkyl bromides with aryl Grignard reagents.     

Reaction gas chromatography of alkyl halogenides. Optimization of the conversion into alkyl azides

Summary The central orthogonal composite design methodology is employed to find optimum conditions for the conversion of alkyl halogenides into alkyl azides in a chromatographic system. In spite of the difference in the chemical structure of the starting alkyl halogenides, we have found that there is a similarity in the effect of various factors on the conversion process of alkyl halogenides into the corresponding azides. Conditions have been established which provide 100% conversion of n-butyland isopropyl iodide. Computation of the response functions by the corresponding regression equations permitted us to define a region of optimum conditions common for the primary and secondary propyl- and n-butyl iodides and bromides, as well as for n-pentyl iodide providing for a conversion at least 90–95%. Differences in the relative retention times of the alkyl halogenides and the corresponding azides are sufficient to carry out identification by the peak shift method.     

Palladium-catalyzed borylation of primary alkyl bromides

A mild Pd-catalyzed process for the borylation of alkyl bromides has been developed using bis(pinacolato)diboron as a boron source. This process accommodates the use of a wide range of functional groups on the alkyl bromide substrate. Primary bromides react with complete selectivity in the presence of a secondary bromide. The generality of this approach is demonstrated by its extension to the use of alkyl iodides and alkyl tosylates, as well as borylation reactions employing bis(neopentyl glycolato)diboron as the boron source.     

Synthesis of enantiopure alpha,alpha-disubstituted amino acids from the asymmetric Strecker reaction products of aldehydes

Treatment of the enolates of 4 generated from the asymmetric Strecker reaction products with alkyl halides or aldehydes provided the corresponding functionalized products with high diastereoselectivity. Deprotection of these products afforded the corresponding enantiopure alpha,alpha-dialkyl amino acids.     

Dioxygenase-catalysed oxidation of disubstituted benzene substrates: benzylic monohydroxylation versus aryl cis-dihydroxylation and the meta effect

Biotransformations of a series of ortho-, meta- and para-substituted ethylbenzene and propylbenzene substrates have been carried out, using Pseudomonas putida UV4, a source of toluene dioxygenase (TDO). The ortho- and para-substituted alkylbenzene substrates yielded, exclusively, the corresponding enantiopure cis-dihydrodiols of the same absolute configuration. However, the meta isomers, generally, gave benzylic alcohol bioproducts, in addition to the cis-dihydrodiols (the meta effect). The benzylic alcohols were of identical (R) absolute configuration but enantiomeric excess values were variable. The similar (2R) absolute configurations of the cis-dihydrodiols are consistent with both the ethyl and propyl groups having dominant stereodirecting effects over the other substituents. The model used earlier, to predict the regio- and stereo-chemistry of cis-dihydrodiol bioproducts derived from substituted benzene substrates has been refined, to take account of non-symmetric substituents like ethyl or propyl groups. The formation of benzylic hydroxylation products, from meta-substituted benzene substrates, without further cis-dihydroxylation to yield triols provides a further example of the meta effect during toluene dioxygenase-catalysed oxidations.     

Design and synthesis of enantiopure 1-[1(S)-(2-pyridyl)alkyl]-2(R)-isopropylaziridines, new ligands for asymmetric catalysis

Enantiopure 1-(2-pyridyl)alkyl aziridines were designed as bidentate ligands for asymmetric catalysis. Their synthesis involved the addition of organometallic reagents to the imine prepared from 2-pyridinealdehyde and an enantiopure β-aminoalcohol, followed by cyclisation of the β-aminoalcohol moiety to the aziridine ring. Two such ligands (N–N)* were prepared from (S)-valinol and converted to the complexes (η³-allyl)(N–N)*Pd⁺SbF₆⁻, one of which was characterised by X-ray crystallography. Modest enantioselectivities were achieved in a representative Pd-catalysed allylic substitution reaction.     

Enzymatic synthesis of alkyl α-2-deoxyglucosides by alkyl alcohol resistant α-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger α-glucosidase (ANGase) was used for an efficient syntheses of alkyl α-d-2-deoxyglucosides (A2DGs) and for regioselectivity studies of alkoxy-hydro additions of d-glucal in the presence of alkyl alcohols. ANGase showed a high stability with respect to the high concentration of alkyl alcohols. The reaction conditions were optimized for pH, temperature, alkyl alcohol concentration, and d-glucal concentration. On the basis of MS and NMR analyses, A2DGs were confirmed to have only an α-2-deoxyglucosidic bond and the two-dimensional NMR (HMBC) spectra showed to be made up of 2-deoxyglucosyl and alkyl moieties.     

Model studies in the lepadin series: synthesis of enantiopure decahydroquinolines by aminocyclization of 2-(3-aminoalkyl)cyclohexenones

Syntheses of enantiopure 3-acetoxy-2-methyldecahydroquinolines are accomplished by coupling cyclohexenyllithium 3 with α-amino epoxides and an aminocyclization of 2-(3-aminoalkyl)cyclohexenones (i.e., 5 and 9) as the key steps. The procedure allows the incorporation of alkyl substituents at C(5) to give enantiopure 2,3,5-trisubstitued decahydroquinolines.     

A straightforward route to alkyl 5-arylthiophene-2-thiocarboxylates from alkyl 2-aroyl-1-chlorocyclopropanecarboxylates

In this article, a direct synthetic method for alkyl 5-arylthiophene-2-thiocarboxylates was reported. Treatment of alkyl 2-aroyl-1-chlorocyclopropanecarboxylates with excess amount of Lawesson's reagent readily afforded alkyl 5-arylthiophene-2-thiocarboxylates in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. This cycloisomerization reaction process would be initiated by a ring-opening of the strained cyclopropane.     

Palladium-catalyzed Heck-type reactions of alkyl iodides

A palladium-catalyzed Heck-type reaction of unactivated alkyl iodides is described. This process displays broad substrate scope with respect to both alkene and alkyl iodide components and provides efficient access to a variety of cyclic products. The reaction is proposed to proceed via a hybrid organometallic-radical mechanism, facilitating the Heck-type process with alkyl halide coupling partners. Initial intermolecular studies are also reported, demonstrating the potentially wide applicability of this approach in synthesis.     

Copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of functionalized alkyl halides and tosylates with secondary and tertiary alkyl grignard reagents

Added value: A copper-based method is highly efficient for the cross-coupling of alkyl electrophiles with secondary and tertiary alkyl Grignard reagents. The method is distinguished by its broad substrate scope and high functional group tolerance.     

Fluorine transfer to alkyl radicals

The development of new synthetic technologies for the selective fluorination of organic compounds has increased with the escalating importance of fluorine-containing pharmaceuticals. Traditional methods potentially applicable to drug synthesis rely on the use of ionic forms of fluorine (F(-) or F(+)). Radical methods, while potentially attractive as a complementary approach, are hindered by a paucity of safe sources of atomic fluorine (F(?)). A new approach to alkyl fluorination has been developed that utilizes the reagent N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide as a fluorine transfer agent to alkyl radicals. This approach is successful for a broad range of alkyl radicals, including primary, secondary, tertiary, benzylic, and heteroatom-stabilized radicals. Furthermore, calculations reveal that fluorine-containing ionic reagents are likely candidates for further expansion of this approach to polar reaction media. The use of these reagents in alkyl radical fluorination has the potential to enable powerful new transformations that otherwise would take multiple synthetic steps.     

Enantioselective access to 2,7-cis-disubstituted oxepanes: formal synthesis of (+)-isolaurepan

[reaction: see text] The asymmetric synthesis of 2,7-cis-disubstituted oxepanes bearing a sulfoxide is achieved from commercially available precursors in only five steps. The key step is the highly diastereoselective Et3SiH/TMSOTf-promoted reductive cyclization of enantiopure hydroxysulfinyl aryl or alkyl ketones.     

Radical copolymerization of alkyl cyclobutenecarboxylates fused with cycloaliphatic framework with alkyl (meth)acrylates

Radical copolymerization behavior of alkyl cyclobutenecarboxylate‐derivatives 4‐6 and related norbornene‐derived compounds 7–9 is described. A variety of alkyl cyclobutenecarboxylates fused with cycloaliphatic framework ( 4–6 ) were prepared by [2 + 2] cycloaddition of five, six, and eight‐membered cycloolefins with alkyl propiolates [alkyl = Me, 2‐hydroxyethyl, and 3‐γ‐butyrolactonyl (γ‐BL)]. The fused cyclobutenecarboxylates 4–6 were radically copolymerized with n‐butyl acrylate (nBA) to afford random copolymers, and terpolymerized with alkyl methacrylates with bulky ester groups [alkyl = γ‐BL and 3‐(3‐methyladamantyl)]. The cyclobutane‐containing bicyclic framework incorporated in the resulting polymer backbone contributes to raising T_g of resulting copolymers. Similar results were obtained when a mixture of related norbornene‐derived compounds were used as monomers with an apparently enhanced T_g‐raising effect in the copolymerization with nBA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2716–2724     

Striking differences between alkyl sulfate and alkyl sulfonate when mixed with cationic surfactants

The properties of alkyl sulfate and alkyl sulfonate are similar except for their Krafft points. However, alkyl sulfate and alkyl sulfonate behave quite differently when they are mixed with cationic surfactants and show some totally unexpected results. In this work sodium alkyl sulfate (C_nH_2n+1SO₄Na,C_nSO₄)–alkyl quaternary ammonium bromide [C_nH_2n+1N(C_mH_2m+1)₃Br, C_nN, m=1–4] mixtures and sodium alkyl sulfonate (C_nH_2n+1SO₃Na, C_nSO₃)–C_nN mixtures were studied. It was found that, in contrast to the single surfactants, C_nSO₃–C_nN mixtures were much more soluble than C_nSO₄–C_nN mixtures. Besides, the two kinds of catanionic surfactant mixtures were quite different in their phase behavior and aggregate properties. The results were interpreted in terms of the interactions between surfactant molecules, which were very different in the two kinds of mixed systems owing to the distinction between alkyl sulfate and alkyl sulfonate in the molecular charge distribution.