Kinetics of proton transfer between metasubstituted benzoic acids and the carbinol base of crystal violet in toluene: Specific solvent effect–free metasubstituent effect on the reactivity of benzoic acids

Apolar aprotic solvents are particularly advantageous for investigating the intrinsic metasubstituent effect free from complications of specific solvent effects. A kinetic study for toluene‐phase proton transfers between meta‐Me, F, Cl, Br, I, OMe, OPh, COPh, CF₃, CN, NO₂, H benzoic acids and Crystal Violet carbinol base has shown the forward rate constant (log k₁) the most appropriate reactivity parameter in toluene. log k₁ (toluene) as compared to other reported reactivity parameters in benzene or toluene have been found more sensitive to the metasubstituent effect. The regression results of the correlation of log k₁ (toluene) of the acids according to the four dual substituent parameter models are statistically significant, and the best result has been obtained using Taft's model. The overall analysis reveals that metasubstituent's effect is exerted by a 65:35 pattern of its field and second‐order resonance effects. The results further demonstrate that a metasubstituent's resonance effect is virtually a relayed universal field/inductive effect. © 2011 Wiley Peiodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 43: 303–311, 2011     

Chemometric analysis of disubstituent effects on the 13C chemical shifts of the carboxyl carbons (deltaCO) of benzoic acids. A comparative study of the substituent effects on the strength of benzoic acids in apolar aprotic media

The results of measurements of substituent induced chemical shifts of carboxyl carbons (deltaCO) of dichloro- and difluorobenzoic acids, including the monosubstituted ones with substituents at meta- and/or ortho- positions, in chloroform-d and strengths of these acids (log K) in chlorobenzene show an anomalous reverse trend between deltaCO and log K, while the electron density at carboxyl carbons should influence similarly both deltaCO and log K. A detailed chemometric analysis of comparison of disubstituent effects between deltaCO and log K on the basis of Fujita-Nishioka's multiparameter approach and assumption of additivity of substituent effects shows a dominance of the localized pi-polarization mechanism relative to simple electrostatic effects upon deltaCO. Further, steric factors play a significant role in determining deltaCO whereas with respect to log K they were insignificant. The overall anomaly has been rationalized keeping in mind that, while log K is a gross measure of energy differences between the ionized and unionized forms of the acids, deltaCO is a very sensitive probe for determining changes in electron density at the carboxyl carbon of the unionized acid.     

Large steric effect in the substitution reaction of amines with phosphoimidazolide-activated nucleosides

Aliphatic amines react with phosphoimidazolide-activated derivatives of guanosine and cytidine (ImpN) by replacing the imidazole group. The kinetics of reaction of guanosine 5'-phospho-2-methylimidazolide (2-MeImpG) with glycine ethyl ester, glycinamide, 2-methoxyethylamine, n-butylamine, morpholine, dimethylamine (Me2NH), ethylmethylamine (EtNHMe), diethylamine (Et2NH), pyrrolidine, and piperidine were determined in water at 37 degrees C. With primary amines, a plot of the logarithm of the rate constant for attack by the amine on the protonated substrate, log kSH(A), versus the pKa of the amine exhibits a good linear correlation with a Bronsted slope, beta nuc = 0.48. Most of the secondary amines tested react with slightly higher reactivity than primary amines of similar pKa. Interestingly, some secondary amines show substantially lower reactivity than might be expected: EtNHMe reacts about eight times, and Et2NH at least 100 times, more slowly than Me2NH although all three amines are of similar basicity. For comparison, the kinetics of reaction of guanosine 5'-phosphoimidazolide (ImpG) and cytidine 5'-phosphoimidazolide (ImpC) were determined with Me2NH, EtNHMe, and Et2NH, and similar results were obtained. These results establish that the increased steric hindrance observed with the successive addition of ethyl groups are not due to any special steric requirements imposed by the guanosine or the methyl on the 2-methylimidazole leaving group of 2-MeImpG. It is concluded that addition of ethyl and, perhaps, groups larger than ethyl dramatically increases the kinetic barrier for addition of aliphatic secondary amines to the P-N bond of ImpN. This study supports the observation that the primary amino groups on the natural polyamines are at least 2 orders of magnitude more reactive than the secondary amino groups in the reaction with ImpN.     

Superacidifiers: assessing the activation and the mode of charge transmission of the extraordinary electron-withdrawing SO2CF3 and S(O)(=NSO2CF3)CF3 substituents in carbanion stabilization

We report on a structural (multinuclear NMR), thermodynamic (pK(a)), and kinetic (Marcus intrinsic reactivity) study of the ionization of benzylic carbon acids activated by an exocyclic (alpha) SO(2)CF(3) group and SO(2)CF(3) or S(O)(=NSO(2)CF(3))CF(3) in the para position of the phenyl ring. The latter exerts an enormous acidifying effect of ca. 8 pK units as compared with 4-H benzyltriflone in Me(2)SO solution, (corresponding to remarkably high Hammett sigma values sigma(p) approximately 1.35, sigma(p)(-) approximately 2.30). In considering the origin of this effect, important information was derived in comparing medium effects on pK(a)'s for NO(2), SO(2)CF(3), and S(O)(=NSO(2)CF(3))CF(3) activated carbon acids. Highly contrasting behavior was thus induced by H(2)O --> Me(2)SO transfer, with a large decrease in acidity of alpha-nitro activated carbon acids but a large increase in acidity of alpha-SO(2)CF(3) analogues, leading to remarkable inversions in C-H acidity. These results support the view that in the case of the triflones the carbanion negative charge resides for the most part at the exocyclic Calpha carbon, implying a major role of a polarizability effect. (1)H, (13)C, and (19)F NMR data fully support this proposal. Most importantly, the intrinsic reactivity (log k(0)) positioning 9 and 10 on the Marcus scale for carbon acids could be kinetically measured in 50%H(2)O-50%Me(2)SO; for 9, log k(0) = 3.80 and for 10, log k(0) = 4.20. Such high log k(0) values correspond to low intrinsic barriers which can only be reconciled on the basis of minimum electronic and structural reorganization in formation of the conjugate carbanions. This further emphasizes polarization as the predominant mechanistic mode of charge stabilization in these species.     

Hydrolysis of alpha-alkyl-alpha-(methylthio)methylene Meldrum's acids. A kinetic and computational investigation of steric effects

The rates of hydrolysis of alpha-R-alpha-(methylthio)methylene Meldrum's acids (8-R with R = H, Me, Et, s-Bu, and t-Bu) were determined in basic and acidic solution in 50% DMSO-50% water (v/v) at 20 degrees C. In basic solution (KOH), nucleophilic attack to form a tetrahedral intermediate (T(OH)-) is rate limiting for all substrates (k1(OH)). In acidic solution (HCl) and at intermediate pH values (acetate buffers), water attack (k1(H2O) is rate limiting for 8-Me, 8-Et, and 8-s-Bu; the same is presumably the case for 8-t-Bu, but rates were too slow for accurate measurements at low pH. For 8-H, water attack is rate limiting at intermediate pH but at pH < 4.5 MeS- departure from the tetrahedral intermediate becomes rate limiting. Our interpretation of these results is based on a reaction scheme that involves three pathways for the conversion of T(OH)- to products, two of which being unique to hydrolysis reactions and taking advantage of the acidic nature of the OH group in T(OH)-. This scheme provides an explanation why even at high [KOH] T(OH)- does not accumulate to detectable levels even though the equilibrium for OH- addition to 8-R is expected to favor T(OH)-, and why at low pH water attack is rate limiting for R = Me, Et, s-Bu, and t-Bu but leaving group departure becomes rate limiting with the sterically small R = H. The trend in the k1(OH) and k1(H2O) indicates increasing steric crowding at the transition state with increasing size of R, but this effect is partially offset by a sterically induced twisting of the C=C double bond in 8-R which leads to its elongation and makes the substrate less stable and hence more reactive. Our computational results suggest that this effect becomes particularly pronounced for R = t-Bu and explains why k1(OH) for 8-t-Bu is somewhat higher than for the less crowded 8-s-Bu.     

Quantitative treatment of the ortho-effect in reactions of ortho-substituted phenylmercaptoacetic acids

The kinetics of oxidation of ortho-substituted phenylmercaptoacetic acids by bromamine T and metaperiodate ion and also thepk _a values of these acids have been studied. Regression analyses of the rate and equilibrium data indicate that the ortho-substituent effect can be explained by the electrical effects alone, and that in these acids when the reaction site is in close proximity to the ortho-substituent or not, the steric effect is insignificant. The rates of oxidation and the ionization constants of these acids are largely controlled by the inductive effect.     

Effect of alkyl group size on the mechanism of acid hydrolyses of benzaldehyde acetals

Hydrolyses of benzaldehyde acetals, PhCH(OR)(2), are specific hydrogen-ion catalyzed when R = methyl, n-butyl, but with secondary and tertiary alkyl derivatives, R = i-propyl, s-butyl, t-butyl, t-amyl, hydrolyses are general-acid catalyzed. The Br?nsted alpha values for both secondary and tertiary alkyl groups are in the range: alpha = 0.57-0.61. A simple iterative procedure was developed to estimate the individual rate constants for general-acid catalysis by the diacid and monoacid forms of succinic acid buffer. Plots of log k(obs) (at [buffer] = 0 M) against pH are linear for the secondary and tertiary acetals, and plots of log k(H) for the H(3)O(+)-catalyzed reaction, (13)C and (1)H chemical shifts, and (1)J(CH) coupling constants against the Charton steric parameter, nu, for alkoxy groups are linear. The second-order rate constant, k(H), increases about 100-fold on going from R = Me to R = t-amyl, indicating the significant role of steric effects on reactivity. Steric effects upon (13)C NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants indicate that increasing the bulk of the alkoxy moiety increases the electron density at the carbon reaction center, which accelerates hydrolysis. Analysis of the Jencks-More-O'Ferrall free energy diagram for the reaction provides support for concerted proton transfer and C-O bond breaking in the transition state for hydrolyses of benzaldehyde acetals with secondary and tertiary alkyl groups in contrast to specific hydrogen catalysis with R = Me and n-Bu. All our results are consistent with rate-determining acid hydrolysis of benzaldehyde dialkyl acetals to hemiacetal intermediates that breakdown rapidly to benzaldehyde.     

Cautions regarding the physical interpretation of statistically based separation of the ortho substituent effect into inductive,mesomeric, and steric components—II : Acid catalysed esterification of benzoic acids by methanol and cyclohexanol

In order to attain a better insight into the composition of Taft E_s^o, constants the rate data of hydrion catalysed esterification of both m,p-substituted and o-substiluted benzoic acids by cyclohexanol and methanol were submitted to a statistical analysis using inductive mesomeric and steric substituent constants and various dummy variables differently structured. Furthermore a principal component analysis with subsequent identification of the first principal component via multiple regression analysis was applied. It has been demonstrated that in the reactions of m,p substituted compounds some substituents capable of exerting strong mesomeric effects show peculiar characteristics deviating from the general trend. Since the same result was obtained in the correlations of ortho substituted benzoic acids this effect was taken into account using an appropriate dummy variable which in all cases improved the multiple coefficient of determination. It is concluded that the esterification rates of the ortho substituted compounds depend essentially upon inductive and steric effects (taken away OMe OEt and NO₂) as proposed by Taft. While generally the E_s^o values may be regarded as some measure of a steric effect, this is not true for the methoxy and ethoxy groups.     

Changing the ortho/para ratio in aromatic acylation reactions by changing reaction conditions: a mechanistic explanation from kinetic measurements

Kinetic measurements of the acylation of toluene (2a) and p-xylene (2b), side-chain deuterated toluene (2a-d(3)), as well as perdeuterated toluene (2a-d(8)) and p-xylene (2b-d(10)) with the aroyl triflate 1 in 1,2-dichloroethane reveal a strong dependence of the isotope effect on reaction conditions. In the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (HOTf), the second-order rate constants k(H)/k(D) observed are in the order of 1.75-1.94, whereas in the presence of 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylpyridine (4) rate constants k(H)/k(D) of 1.14-1.25 are found. The primary kinetic isotope effects observed correlate with the ortho/para ratio of the acylation of toluene. In the presence of 4 a relatively high percentage ( approximately 30%) of ortho product is obtained, whereas under acidic conditions the ratio is only 10%. The correlation between isotope effects and isomer distributions is obviously due to the rate of deprotonation of the corresponding sigma-complex intermediates. Assuming a bent structure for sigma-complexes, the conformation giving deprotonation is preferred in the para sigma-complex in comparison with ortho complex.     

Solvent sensitivity of ortho substituent effect on 13C NMR chemical shift of the carboxyl carbon (δco) in benzoic acid

A reverse ortho effect is observed for the (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the carboxyl carbon (δ(co)) in benzoic acids measured in aprotic solvents of varying polarity. The ortho effect on δ(co) is best described by a combination of the reverse field and steric accelerating effects of the substituent in an 80: 20 pattern in apolar aprotic solvents and a 60: 40 pattern in dipolar aprotic ones. Interestingly, no good enough correlation was found between δ(co) and log k(1) of the acids measured in similar solvents. A critical analysis of the results clearly indicates the use of an apolar aprotic solvent and not a dipolar aprotic one as the solvent of choice for investigating intrinsic substituent effects on δ(c) in an aromatic system.     

Homogeneous catalysis of O-silylation reactions using octacarbonyldicobalt(O)

Octacarbonyldicobalt(O) has been used to catalyze the reaction of R₃SiH (R = Et and EtO) with R′OH (R′ = Me, Et, n-Pr, i-Pr, and t-Bu). The reaction of MeOH with (EtO)₃SiH, in toluene at 27 °C, was first-order with respect to the catalyst, to the silane, and to the alcohol. The order of reactivity of the alcohols was MeOH > EtOH > n-PrOH > i-PrOH > t-BuOH, reflecting the steric effect associated with the size of the organic group. Addition of triphenyl phosphine (Ph₃P) to the reaction mixture slowed down the reaction. The reaction proceeds faster if nonpolar solvents are used, and the rate of the reaction is very sensitive to temperature.     

Kinetic substituent and solvent effects in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of diphenyldiazomethanes with fullerenes C60 and C70: a comparison with the addition to TCNE, DDQ, and chloranil

Kinetics of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a series of meta- and para-substituted diphenyldiazomethanes (DDMs) with fullerenes C60 and C70 as dipolarophiles have been investigated in toluene at 30 degrees C. Fullerene C60 was ca. 1.5 times more reactive than C70. The rate constants (k) for the primary [3 + 2] additions increased with the increase of the electron-releasing ability of the meta and para substituent. The log k/k0 values were well correlated by the Yukawa-Tsuno (Y-T) equations with the smaller negative rho values (-1.6 and -1.7 for C60 and C70) and the reduced resonance reaction constants r (0.22 and 0.17) compared to similar reactions of common acceptors, TCNE, DDQ, and chloranil (CA). The plots of log k (acceptor) versus log k (C60) as reference gave good regression equations and the slopes became larger in the order of TCNE > DDQ > CA > C70 > or = C60. The rates were also found to decrease with the increase of solvent polarity due to the ground-state solvation of fullerenes. However, the relative reactivity of these acceptors toward the unsubstituted DDM increased in the order of DDQ > C60 > or = C70 > TCNE > CA. The unexpected higher reactivity of fullerenes was interpreted in terms of the inherent steric strain by the pyramidalization of the sp2 C-atoms as well as the shorter [6,6] bonds with larger pi-electron densities.     

Acidity of ortho-substituted benzoic acids: an infrared and theoretical study of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds

The structures of ortho-substituted benzoic acids with substituents bearing hydrogen atoms (OH, NH2, COOH and SO2NH2) were investigated by means of IR spectroscopy and of density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) level. All possible conformations, hydrogen bonds, tautomeric forms and zwitterions were taken into consideration and particular attention was given to intramolecular H-bonds and their effect on acidity. Strong H-bonds in the anions of all four acids, were revealed by calculations. In three cases they were confirmed by the IR spectra of the tetrabutylammonium salts in tetrachloromethane solution, while the salt of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid was not sufficiently soluble. The H-bonds are of different strengths but in all cases they are the main cause of the strengthened acidity of these acids in the gas phase and also in solution, although their effect is opposed by weaker H-bonds present in the undissociated acid molecules. The substituent effect on the acidity was evaluated in terms of isodesmic reactions, separately in the acid molecules and in the anions. While the acidity of the 2-OH and 2-NH2 acids is determined essentially by the H-bonds, that of the 2-COOH and 2-SO2NH2 acids is strengthened by the polar effect operating in the undissociated molecule in addition to the H-bond in the anion. The steric inhibition of resonance (SIR), estimated from model conformations with fixed torsional angles, is of little importance. This analysis goes significantly beyond the classical explanation obtained from the acidities in solution but essentially conforms with it.     

Hyperaromatic stabilization of arenium ions: acid-catalyzed dehydration of 2-substituted 1,2-dihydro-1-naphthols

Rate constants for acid-catalyzed dehydration of cis-2-substituted 1,2-dihydro-naphthols are well correlated by the Taft relationship log k = -0.49 - 8.8σ(I), with minor negative deviations for OH and OMe. By contrast the trans substituents show a poor correlation with σ(I) and in most cases react more slowly than their cis isomers. The behavior is consistent with rate-determining formation of a 2-substituted carbocation (naphthalenium ion) intermediate that for cis reactants possesses a 2-C-H bond suitably oriented for hyperconjugation with the charge center. For the trans isomers the 2-substituent itself is oriented for hyperconjugation in the initially formed conformation of the cation. It is argued that k(cis)/k(trans) rate ratios for substituents (Me, 8.4; Bu(t), 12.7; Ph, 3.8; NH(3)(+), 160; OH, 440) reflect their hyperconjugating ability relative to hydrogen. Faster reactions of trans isomers are observed for substitutents known (RS, N(3)) or suspected (EtSO, EtSO(2)) of stabilizing the cation by a π or σ neighboring group effect. The good Taft correlation is taken to indicate that cis substuents are reacting normally, differentiated only by their inductive effects. The slower reactions of the trans isomers are the judged to be "abnormal". This is confirmed by comparing effects of cis and trans β-OH substituents on the reactivities of dihydro phenols, naphthols, and phenanthrols. Whereas k(H)/k(OH) for cis substituents varies by less than 8-fold and is consistent with the influence of an inductive effect of the OH group (k(H)/k(OH) ≈ 2000), k(H)/k(OH) for the trans substituents varies by 3 orders of magnitude, reflecting the additional influence of the lesser hyperconjugating ability of a C-OH bond compared to a C-H bond. The magnitude and variation of this difference is consistent with C-H hyperconjugation conferring aromatic character on the arenium ions.     

pH-Dependent chemoselective synthesis of alpha-amino acids. Reductive amination of alpha-keto acids with ammonia catalyzed by acid-stable iridium hydride complexes in water

An acid-stable hydride complex [Cp*IrIII(bpy)H]+ {1, Cp* = eta5-C5Me5, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine} serves as the active catalyst for the highly chemoselective synthesis of alpha-amino acids by reductive amination of alpha-keto acids with aqueous NH3 and HCOO- in water at pH 5-8. pH-dependent catalytic 15N- and 2H-double-labeling has also been accomplished by using 15NH3 and DCOONa, which are ideal amine and hydride ion sources, respectively.     

Kinetics and mechanism for reduction of the anticancer prodrug trans,trans,trans-[PtCl2(OH)2(c-C6H11NH2)(NH3)] (JM335) by thiols

The reduction of the platinum(IV) prodrug trans,trans,trans-[PtCl2(OH)2(c-C6H11NH2)(NH3)] (JM335) by L-cysteine, DL-penicillamine, DL-homocysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, 2-mercaptopropanoic acid, 2-mercaptosuccinic acid, and glutathione has been investigated at 25 degrees C in a 1.0 M aqueous perchlorate medium with 6.8 < or = pH < or = 11.2 using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The stoichiometry of Pt(IV):thiol is 1:2, and the redox reactions follow the second-order rate law -d[Pt(IV)]/dt = k[Pt(IV)][RSH]tot, where k denotes the pH-dependent second-order rate constant and [RSH]tot the total concentration of thiol. The pH dependence of k is ascribed to parallel reductions of JM335 by the various protolytic species of the thiols, the relative contributions of which change with pH. Electron transfer from thiol (RSH) or thiolate (RS-) to JM335 is suggested to take place as a reductive elimination process through an attack by sulfur at one of the mutually trans chloride ligands, yielding trans-[Pt(OH)2(c-C6H11NH2)(NH3)] and RSSR as the reaction products, as confirmed by 1H NMR. Second-order rate constants for the reduction of JM335 by the various protolytic species of the thiols span more than 3 orders of magnitude. Reduction with RS- is approximately 30-2000 times faster than with RSH. The linear correlation log(kRS) = (0.52 +/- 0.06)-pKRSH--(2.8 +/- 0.5) is observed, where kRS denotes the second-order rate constant for reduction of JM335 by a particular thiolate RS- and KRSH is the acid dissociation constant for the corresponding thiol RSH. The slope of the linear correlation indicates that the reactivity of the various thiolate species is governed by their proton basicity, and no significant steric effects are observed. The half-life for reduction of JM335 by 6 mM glutathione (40-fold excess) at physiologically relevant conditions of 37 degrees C and pH 7.30 is 23 s. This implies that JM335, in clinical use, is likely to undergo in vivo reduction by intracellular reducing agents such as glutathione prior to binding to DNA. Reduction results in the immediate formation of a highly reactive platinum(II) species, i.e., the bishydroxo complex in rapid protolytic equilibrium with its aqua form.     

Comprehensive theoretical studies on the gas phase SN2 reactions of anionic nucleophiles toward chloroamine and N-chlorodimethylamine with inversion and retention mechanisms

The anionic S(N)2 reactions at neutral nitrogen, Nu(-) + NR(2)Cl → NR(2)Nu + Cl(-) (R = H, Me; Nu = F, Cl, Br, OH, SH, SeH, NH(2), PH(2), AsH(2)) have been systematically studied computationally at the modified G2(+) level. Two reaction mechanisms, inversion and retention of configuration, have been investigated. The main purposes of this work are to explore the reactivity trend of anions toward NR(2)Cl (R = H, Me), the steric effect on the potential energy surfaces, and the leaving ability of the anion in S(N)2@N reactions. Our calculations indicate that the complexation energies are determined by the gas basicity (GB) of the nucleophile and the electronegativity (EN) of the attacking atom, and the overall reaction barrier in the inversion pathway is basically controlled by the GB value of the nucleophile. The retention pathway in the reactions of NR(2)Cl with Nu(-) (Nu = F, Cl, Br, OH, SH, SeH) is energetically unfavorable due to the barriers being larger than those in the inversion pathway by more than 120 kJ mol(-1). Activation strain model analyses show that a higher deformation energy and a weaker interaction between deformed reactants lead to higher overall barriers in the reactions of NMe(2)Cl than those in the reactions of NH(2)Cl. Our studies on the reverse process of the title reactions suggest that the leaving ability of the anion in the gas phase anionic S(N)2@N reactions is mainly determined by the strength of the N-LG bond, which is related to the negative hyperconjugation inherent in NR(2)Nu (R = H, Me; Nu = HO, HS, HSe, NH(2), PH(2), AsH(2)).     

BORAZANs: tunable fluorophores based on 2-(pyrazolyl)aniline chelates of diphenylboron

The reaction between 2-pyrazolyl-4-X-anilines, H(pzAnX), (X = para-OMe (L1), Me (L2), H (L3), Cl (L4), CO2Et (L5), CF3 (L6), CN (L7)) and triphenylboron in boiling toluene affords the respective, highly emissive N,N'-boron chelate complexes, BPh2(pzAnX) (X = para-OMe (1), Me (2), H (3), Cl (4), CO2Et (5), CF3 (6), CN (7)) in high yield. The structural, electrochemical, and photophysical properties of the new boron complexes can be fine-tuned by varying the electron-withdrawing or -donating power of the para-aniline substituent (delineated by the substituent's Hammett parameter). Those complexes with electron-withdrawing para-aniline substituents such as CO2Et (5), CF3 (6), and CN (7) have more planar chelate rings, more 'quinoidal' distortion in the aniline rings, greater chemical stability, higher oxidation potentials, and more intense (phiF = 0.81 for 7 in toluene), higher-energy (blue) fluorescent emission compared to those with electron-donating substituents. Thus, for 1 the oxidation potential is 0.53 V versus Ag/AgCl (compared to 1.12 V for 7), and the emission is tuned to the yellow-green but at an expense in terms of lower quantum yields (phiF = 0.07 for 1 in toluene) and increased chemical reactivity. Density functional calculations (B3LYP/6-31G*) on PM3 energy-minimized structures of the ligands and boron complexes reproduced experimentally observed data and trends and provided further insight into the nature of the electronic transitions.     

Theoretical studies of stereoselectivities of intramolecular aldol cyclizations catalyzed by amino acids

The effects of different amino acid catalysts and substrate substituents on the stereoselectivity of the title reactions have been studied with the aid of density functional theory methods. Experimental data available in the literature have been compiled. B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations match the general experimental trends and provide useful insights into the origins of the variations in stereoselectivities. Acyclic primary amino acids allow a greater conformational flexibility in the aldol transition states compared with proline. This makes them poorer enantioselective catalysts with triketone substrates with a methyl ketone side chain. The steric repulsion upon substitution at the terminal methyl group increases the energy difference between anti- and syn-chairs with primary amino acid catalysts and, consequently, the stereoselectivities. Proline, in contrast, is a poor catalyst for the latter reactions because the substituent's steric bulkiness raises the activation energy of the favored C-C bond-forming pathway.     

Site selectivity in the synthesis of O-methylated hydroxamic acids with diazomethane

In this paper we report the results obtained by treating some selected hydroxamic acids with diazomethane in ethereal media. The multitask reagent diazomethane was used either as a base to induce deprotonation of the chosen hydroxamic acids or as conjugated acid which undergoes one-pot methylation processes of the generated anions. Product distributions clearly showed that a high site selectivity is expressed by the different deprotonated species in the alkylation processes. Under the adopted conditions, the prevalent site of methylation is in all the cases the oxygen of the hydroxamic acid. While in aliphatic hydroxamic acids only O-alkylation is observed, in the aromatic substrates, the NH group competes with the OH function as the nucleophilic site, although the OH reactivity still dominates.