Importance of Pd and Pt excited states in N2O capture and activation: A comparative study with Rh and Au atoms

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is an intermediate compound formed during catalysis occurring in automobile exhaust pipes. In this work, the N₂O capture and activation by Pt and Pd atoms in the ground and excited states of many multiplicities are studied. Pt and Pd + N₂O reactions are studied at multireference second‐order perturbation level of theory using C_s symmetry. The PtN₂O (¹A′, ⁵A′, and ⁵A″) species are spontaneously created from excited states. Only the ⁵A′ and ⁵A″ states exhibit N₂O activation reaction paths when N₂O approaches Pt end‐on by the N or O atoms side or side‐on yielding NO or N₂ as products, respectively. Pt⁺ cations ground and excited states, capture N₂O, although only Pt⁺ (⁶A′ and ⁶A″) states show N₂O activation yielding O and N₂ as products. In the Pd atom case, PdN₂O (¹A′ and ⁵A″) species are also spontaneously created from excited states. The ⁵A″ state exhibits N₂O activation yielding N₂ + O as products. Pd⁺ cations in both ground and excited states capture N₂O; however, only the [PdN₂O]⁺ (⁴A′, ⁴A″, ⁶A′, and ⁶A″) states in side‐on approaches and (⁶A′) in end‐on approach activate the N₂O and yield the N₂ bounded to the metal and O as product. The results obtained in this work are discussed and compared with previous calculations of Rh and Au atoms. The reaction paths show a metal–gas dative covalent bonding character. Löwdin charge population analyses for Pt and Pd active states show a binding done through charge donation and retrodonation between the metals and N₂O. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Nucleotides. Part LV. Synthesis and application of a novel linker for solid-phase synthesis of modified oligonucleotides

Various bifunctional amino-protecting groups such as the phthaloyl, succinyl, and glutaryl group were investigated as potential linker molecules for attachment to solid-support materials. Pentane-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid 1,3-anhydride ( 16 ) offered the best properties and reacted with the amino groups of differently sugar-protected adenosine (see 20 and 22 ), cytidine (see 29 ), and guanosine derivatives (see 32 ) to the corresponding 2-(2-carboxyethyl)glutaryl derivatives 23 , 24 , 30 , and 33 . The usefulness of the new linker-type molecules was demonstrated by the solid-support synthesis of the potentially antivirally active 3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′–5′)-2′-adenylic acid 2′-{2-[(adenin-9-yl)methoxy]ethyl} ester ( 38 ) starting from the 2′-end with N⁶,N⁶-[2-(2-carboxyethyl)glutaryl]-9-{{2-[(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)ethoxy]methyl}adenine ( 12 ).     

Anatoliosides: Five Novel Acyclic Monoterpene Glylcosides from Viburnum orientale

Five new acyclic monoterpene glycosides 1 – 5 were isolated from the leaves of Viburnum orientale (Caprifoliaceae). Anatolioside ( 1 ) is a monoterpene diglycoside and its structure was elucidated as linalo-6-yl 2′-O-(α-L -rhamnopyranosyl)β-D -glucopyranoside (arbitrary numbering of linalool moiety). Compounds 2 – 5 are all derivatives of 1 , containing additional monoterpene and sugar units, connected by ester and glycoside bonds. Their structures were established as linalo-6-yl O-[(2E,6R)-6-hydroxy-2, 6-dimethylocta-2,7-dienoyl]-(1? → 4″)-O-α-L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1″? → 2″″)-β-D -glucopyranoside ( = anatolioside A; 2 ), linalo-6-yl O-β-D -glucopyranosyl-(1? → 6?)-O-[(2E,6R)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,7-dienoyl]-(1? → 4″)-O-α-L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1″ → 2′)–β-D -glucopyranoside ( = anatolioside B; 3 ), linalo-6-yl O-β-D ribo-hexopyranos-3-ulosyl-(1′? → 6?)-O-[(2E,6R)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,7-dienoyl]-(1? → 4″)-O-α-L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1″ → 2′)-β-D -glucopyranoside ( = anatolioside C; 4 ) and linalo-6-yl O-[(2E, 6R)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,7-dienoyl]-(1″? → 2″″)-O-β-D -glucopyranosly-(1″″ → 6?)-O-[(2E,6R)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,7-dienoyl]-(1? → 4″)-O-α-L -rhamnopyranosyl(1″ → 2′)-β-D -glucopyranoside ( = anatolioside D ; 5 ). The structure determinations were based on spectroscopic and chemical methods (acid and alkaline hydrolysis, acetylation and methylation).     

Reduced 3,4′‐bipyrazoles from a simple pyrazole precursor: synthetic sequence,molecular structures and supramolecular assembly

The reaction of 5‐chloro‐3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐4‐carbaldehyde and N‐benzylmethylamine under microwave irradiation gives 5‐[benzyl(methyl)amino]‐3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐4‐carbaldehyde, C₁₉H₁₉N₃O, (I). Subsequent reactions under basic conditions, between (I) and a range of acetophenones, yield the corresponding chalcones. These undergo cyclocondensation reactions with hydrazine to produce reduced bipyrazoles which can be N‐formylated with formic acid or N‐acetylated with acetic anhydride. The structures of (I) and of representative examples from this reaction sequence are reported, namely the chalcone (E )‐3‐{5‐[benzyl(methyl)amino]‐3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl}‐1‐(4‐bromophenyl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one, C₂₇H₂₄BrN₃O, (II), the N‐formyl derivative (3RS )‐5′‐[benzyl(methyl)amino]‐3′‐methyl‐1′,5‐diphenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐1′H ,2H‐[3,4′‐bipyrazole]‐2‐carbaldehyde, C₂₈H₂₇N₅O, (III), and the N‐acetyl derivative (3RS )‐2‐acetyl‐5′‐[benzyl(methyl)amino]‐5‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐3′‐methyl‐1′‐phenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐1′H ,2H‐[3,4′‐bipyrazole], which crystallizes as the ethanol 0.945‐solvate, C₃₀H₃₁N₅O₂·0.945C₂H₆O, (IV). There is significant delocalization of charge from the benzyl(methyl)amino substituent onto the carbonyl group in (I), but not in (II). In each of (III) and (IV), the reduced pyrazole ring is modestly puckered into an envelope conformation. The molecules of (I) are linked by a combination of C—H…N and C—H…π(arene) hydrogen bonds to form a simple chain of rings; those of (III) are linked by a combination of C—H…O and C—H…N hydrogen bonds to form sheets of R ²₂(8) and R ⁶₆(42) rings, and those of (IV) are linked by a combination of O—H…N and C—H…O hydrogen bonds to form a ribbon of edge‐fused R ²₄(16) and R ⁴₄(24) rings.     

Cationic,water‐soluble,fluorene‐containing poly(arylene ethynylene)s: Effects of water solubility on aggregation,photoluminescence efficiency,and amplified fluorescence quenching in aqueous solutions

Three novel fluorene‐containing poly(arylene ethynylene)s with amino‐functionalized side groups were synthesized through the Sonogashira reaction. They were poly{9,9‐bis[6′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)hexyl]‐2,7‐fluorenylene ethynylene}‐alt‐co‐{2,5‐bis[3′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)‐1′‐oxapropyl]‐1,4‐phenylene} ( P1 ), poly{9,9‐bis[6′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)hexyl]‐2,7‐fluorenylene ethynylene} ( P2 ), and poly({9,9‐bis[6′‐(N,N‐diethylamino)hexyl]‐2,7‐fluorenylene ethynylene}‐alt‐co‐(1,4‐phenylene)) ( P3 ). Through the postquaternization treatment of P1 – P3 with methyl iodide, we obtained their cationic water‐soluble conjugated polyelectrolytes (WSCPs): P1′ – P3′ . The water solubility was gradually improved from P3′ to P1′ with increasing contents of hydrophilic side chains. After examining the ultraviolet–visible absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra, fluorescence lifetimes, and dynamic light scattering data, we propose that with the reduction of the water solubility from P1′ to P3′ , they exhibited a gradually increased degree of aggregation in H₂O. The PL quantum yields of P1′ – P3′ in H₂O displayed a decreasing tendency consistent with the increased degree of aggregation, suggesting that the pronounced degree of aggregation was an important reason for the low PL quantum yields of WSCPs in H₂O. Two structurally analogous water‐soluble trimers of P2′ and P3′ , model compounds 2,7‐bis(9″,9″‐bis{6‴‐[(N,N‐diethyl)‐N‐methylammonium] hexyl}‐2″‐fluorenylethynyl)‐9,9‐bis{6′‐[(N,N‐diethyl)‐N‐methylammonium]hexyl}fluorene hexaiodide and 1,4‐bis(9′,9′‐bis{6″‐[(N,N‐diethyl)‐N‐methylammonium]hexyl}‐2′‐fluorenylethynyl)benzene tetraiodide, were synthesized. The amplified fluorescence quenching of these WSCPs by Fe(CN)₆⁴⁻ in H₂O was studied by comparison with a corresponding analogous trimer. The effects of aggregation on the fluorescence quenching may be two‐edged in these cases. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5778–5794, 2006     

Insulin Secretagogues from Moringa oleifera with Cyclooxygenase Enzyme and Lipid Peroxidation Inhibitory Activities

Bioassay‐directed isolation and purification of the methanol extract of Moringa oleifera fruits yielded bioactive N‐benzyl thiocarbamates, N‐benzyl carbamates, benzyl nitriles, and a benzyl ester. Among these, methyl 2‐[4‐(α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)phenyl]acetate ( 2 ), N‐[4‐(β‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)benzyl]‐1‐O‐α‐D ‐glucopyranosylthiocarboxamide ( 3 ), 1‐O‐phenyl‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranoside ( 5 ), and 4‐[(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)‐(1→3)‐(α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)]phenylacetonitrile ( 6 ) are novel, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. The known compounds isolated and characterized from the MeOH extract were niazirin (=4‐(α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)phenylacetonitrile; 1 ), niazicin A (=methyl N‐{4‐[(4′‐O‐acetyl‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)benzyl]}thiocarbamate; 4 ), methyl N‐{4‐[(α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)benzyl]}carbamate ( 7 ), and methyl N‐{4‐[(4′‐O‐acetyl‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)benzyl]}carbamate ( 8 ). The combined yield of these compounds from dried M. oleifera fruits was 1.63%. In rodent pancreatic β‐cells (INS‐1), compounds 4, 5, 6, 7 , and 8 at 100 ppm significantly stimulated insulin release. Cyclooxygenase‐1 (COX‐1) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) enzyme inhibition assays revealed that 5 and 6 were most active at 83 ppm. Compound 6 , however, demonstrated greater specificity for inhibition of COX‐2 enzyme (46%) than COX‐1 enzyme. Lipid peroxidation assays revealed that 4 and 6 at 50 ppm inhibited peroxidation reactions by 80 and 95%, respectively, while 3 and 8 inhibited lipid peroxidation by 35%. These compounds did not inhibit the cell growth when tested with human breast (MCF‐7), central nervous system (CNS, SF‐268), lung (NCI‐H460), or colon (HCT‐116) cancer cell lines. Moreover, these compounds were not cytotoxic at the concentrations tested.     

Pentopyranosyl Oligonucleotide Systems,Communication No.12, The β‐D‐Xylopyranosyl‐(4′→2′‐oligonucleotide System

β‐D ‐Xylopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotides containing adenine and thymine as nucleobases were synthesized as a part of a systematic study of the pairing properties of pentopyranosyl oligonucleotides. Contrary to earlier expectations based on qualitative conformational criteria, β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotides show Watson‐Crick pairing comparable in strength to that shown by pyranosyl‐RNA.     

Aminophenolates of aluminium,gallium and zinc: Synthesis,characterization and polymerization activity

Complexes containing aminophenolate ligands are considered as very efficient initiators of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP). Our systematic studies of the reactions of two selected aminophenols, 2‐[(p ‐tolylamino)methyl]‐4‐(2,4,4‐trimethylpentan‐2‐yl)phenol (L'H₂) and 2‐cyclohexylaminomethyl‐4‐methylphenol (L″H₂), with alkyl compounds of aluminium, gallium and zinc resulted in the formation of a variety of products depending on the type of metallic centre and alkyl groups bonded to metal atoms. New trinuclear aluminium complexes (Me₅Al₃(L′)₂ ( 1 ) and Me₅Al₃(L″)₂ ( 2 )), monomeric aluminium (^t Bu₂Al(L'H) ( 3 ) and ^t Bu₂Al(L″H) ( 5 )) and gallium (^t Bu₂Ga(L'H) ( 4 ) and ^t Bu₂Ga(L″H) ( 6 )) compounds, and dinuclear gallium (Et₂Ga(L″H)·Et₃Ga ( 7 )) and zinc (^t BuZn(L″H)]₂ ( 8 )) complexes were isolated and characterized. The molecular and crystal structures of 7 and 8 were determined on the basis of an X‐ray diffraction study. Polymerization tests showed that only three complexes ( 6 – 8 ) had activity in the ROP of ε ‐caprolactone, whereas 1 – 5 were inactive in ROP.     

Aromatic vs. Carbohydrate Residues in the Major Groove: Synthesis of 5‐[(Benzyloxy)methyl]pyrimidine Nucleosides and Their Incorporation into Oligonucleotides

The synthesis of 5‐[(benzyloxy)methyl]‐substituted pyrimidine 2′‐deoxynucleosides 14 and 15 starting from the uracil derivative 6 and tetra‐O‐acetyl‐D ‐ribose is described (Schemes 1 – 3). These nucleosides were converted to the corresponding cyanoethyl phosphoramidites 18 and 19 , respectively, and incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotide decamers. The 5‐[(benzyloxy)methyl]‐nucleoside building blocks ^boT_d and ^bomC_d (bo=benzyloxy, bom=(benzyloxy)methyl) – shape analogs of the naturally occurring glucosylated nucleosides 1 and 2 (see Fig. 1) – lead to weaker binding affinities of oligodeoxynucleotides pairing to DNA as well as RNA complements. The modification is more destabilizing in the case of ^boT_d than ^bomC_d. Analysis of the thermodynamics of duplex formation shows that ^boT_d and ^bomC_d incorporation leads to a smaller entropy change in duplex formation that is, however, overcompensated by a less favorable enthalpy term. Molecular‐modeling studies suggest that the benzyl groups reside in the major groove which would explain the improved pairing entropy as a result of the exclusion of ordered H₂O.     

Synthesis and properties of 3′-deoxyadenylate trimer dA2′p5′A2′p5′A

The trimeric 3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′→5′)-3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′→5′)-3′-deoxyadenosine ($\text{1}$$\text{2}$) was synthesized via the phosphotriester approach starting from cordycepine ($\text{1}$). Various physical data have been determined and compared with those of the ribo-A2′p5′A2′p5′A analog.     

Synthesis and characterization of organosoluble ditrifluoromethylated aromatic polyimides

Two novel diamine monomers, 1,4‐bis (4‐aminophenoxy)‐2‐[(3′,5′‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenyl]benzene and 1,4‐bis [2′‐cyano‐3′(4″‐amino phenoxy)phenoxy]‐2‐[(3′,5′‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenyl] benzene, were synthesized from (3,5‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenylhydroquinone. A series of ditrifluoromethylated aromatic polyimides derived from the diamines were prepared through a typical two‐step polymerization method. These polyimides had a high thermal stability, and the temperatures at 10% weight loss were above 507 °C in nitrogen. Most of the polymers showed good solubility in anhydrated 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide, chloroform, and tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. All the polymers formed transparent, strong, and flexible films with tensile strengths of 63.6–95.8 MPa, elongations at break of 5–10%, and Young's moduli of 2.38–2.96 GPa. The dielectric constants estimated from the average refractive indices are 2.69–2.89. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3018–3029, 2005     

Diimido‐, Imido(oxo)‐, Dioxo‐ und Imido(alkyliden)‐Halbsandwich‐Verbindungen über selektive Hydrolyse und α—H‐Abstraktion an Organylkomplexen des sechswertigen Molybdäns und Wolframs

Diimido, Imido Oxo, Dioxo, and Imido Alkylidene Halfsandwich Compounds via Selective Hydrolysis and α—H Abstraction in Molybdenum(VI) and Tungsten(VI) Organyl Complexes Organometal imides [(η⁵‐C₅R₅)M(NR′)₂Ph] (M = Mo, W, R = H, Me, R′ = Mes, tBu) 4 — 8 can be prepared by reaction of halfsandwich complexes [(η⁵‐C₅R₅)M(NR′)₂Cl] with phenyl lithium in good yields. Starting from phenyl complexes 4 — 8 as well as from previously described methyl compounds [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)M(NtBu)₂Me] (M = Mo, W), reactions with aqueous HCl lead to imido(oxo) methyl and phenyl complexes [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)M(NtBu)(O)(R)] M = Mo, R = Me ( 9 ), Ph ( 10 ); M = W, R = Ph ( 11 ) and dioxo complexes [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)M(O)₂(CH₃)] M = Mo ( 12 ), M = W ( 13 ). Hydrolysis of organometal imides with conservation of M‐C σ and π bonds is in fact an attractive synthetic alternative for the synthesis of organometal oxides with respect to known strategies based on the oxidative decarbonylation of low valent alkyl CO and NO complexes. In a similar manner, protolysis of [(η⁵‐C₅H₅)W(NtBu)₂(CH₃)] and [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)Mo(NtBu)₂(CH₃)] by HCl gas leads to [(η⁵‐C₅H₅)W(NtBu)Cl₂(CH₃)] 14 und [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)Mo(NtBu)Cl₂(CH₃)] 15 with conservation of the M‐C bonds. The inert character of the relatively non‐polar M‐C σ bonds with respect to protolysis offers a strategy for the synthesis of methyl chloro complexes not accessible by partial methylation of [(η⁵‐C₅R₅)M(NR′)Cl₃] with MeLi. As pure substances only trimethyl compounds [(η⁵‐C₅R₅)M(NtBu)(CH₃)₃] 16 ‐ 18 , M = Mo, W, R = H, Me, are isolated. Imido(benzylidene) complexes [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)M(NtBu)(CHPh)(CH₂Ph)] M = Mo ( 19 ), W ( 20 ) are generated by alkylation of [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)M(NtBu)Cl₃] with PhCH₂MgCl via α‐H abstraction. Based on nmr data a trend of decreasing donor capability of the ligands [NtBu]^2— > [O]^2— > [CHR]^2— ? 2 [CH₃]^— > 2 [Cl]^— emerges.     

Aromatization and ring cyclization: A reasonable understanding on the ring cyclization mechanism of 3‐amino‐6‐hydrazino‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5(2H)‐one reacted with one‐carbon fragment reagents or nitrous acid

The cyclization mechanism for the title compound ( 2 ) reacting with one‐carbon fragment reagents or nitrous acid to afford heterobicyclic compounds 6‐amino‐3‐substituted‐1,2,4‐triazolo[3,4‐f][1,2,4]triazin‐8(7H)‐ones ( 3a～d ) or 6‐amino‐1,2,3,4‐tetrazolo[5,1‐f][1,2,4]triazin‐8(7H)‐one ( 4 ), respectively, is explored in this paper. When 3‐amino‐2‐benzyl‐6‐hydrazino‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5(2H)‐one ( 10 ), the N‐2 benzylated derivative of 2 , is treated under the same conditions, ring cyclization does not occur; instead, 3‐amino‐2‐benzyl‐6‐substituted‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5(2H)‐ones ( 11,12,14 ) and 2‐N‐(2‐amino‐1‐benzyl‐4‐oxo‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5‐yl)semicarbazide ( 13 ) are formed. Alternatively, when 3‐amino‐6‐hydrazino‐2‐[(2‐hydroxyethoxy)methyl]‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5(2H)‐one ( 16 ), a compound bearing the 2‐[(2‐hydroxyethoxy)methyl] side‐chain at N‐2 of 2 by an N? C? O bond, reacts with glacial acetic acid or nitrous acid, the side‐chain is cleaved through acidolysis to affford the ring‐closed compound 6‐amino‐3‐methyl‐1,2,4‐triazolo[3,4‐f][1,2,4]triazin‐8(7H)‐one ( 3b ) or compound 4 , respectively. From these results, we suggest a cyclization mechanism that the ring cyclization is dependent on the aromatization of the 1,2,4‐triazine ring, which influence the reactivity and reaction behavior of the π‐deficient 1,2,4‐triazine.     

Novel Compounds with a Viologen Skeleton and N‐Heterocycles on the Peripheries: Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Properties

The present article deals with novel compounds comprising a redox‐active group as core and a nucleobase in the peripheries, linked covalently via a spacer. The new derivatives 1,1′,1″‐(benzene‐1,3,5‐triyltrimethanediyl)tris{1′‐[3‐(3,4‐dihydro‐5‐methyl‐2,4‐dioxopyrimidin‐1(2H)‐yl)propyl]‐4,4′‐bipyridinium} hexafluorophosphate ( 1 ), 1,1′,1″‐(benzene‐1,3,5‐triyltrimethanediyl)tris{1′‐[2‐(4‐chloro‐7H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐7‐yl)ethyl]‐4,4′‐bipyridinium} hexachloride ( 2a ) 1

1 The numbering of the pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine system follows the IUPAC rules and is different from that of the purine ring system.

, and 1,1′,1″‐(benzene‐1,3,5‐triyltrimethanediyl)tris{1′‐[2‐(2‐amino‐4‐chloro‐7H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐7‐yl)ethyl]‐4,4′‐bipyridinium} hexabromide ( 2b )¹) were synthesized by nucleobase‐anion alkylation and linked to the 4,4′‐bipyridinium core. UV and CV analyses of these compounds were performed and revealed significantly different properties.     

Nucleotides,Part LXVII,The 2‐Cyanoethyl and (2‐Cyanoethoxy)carbonyl Group for Base Protection in Nucleoside and Nucleotide Chemistry

The amino functions of the common 2′‐deoxyribo‐ and ribonucleosides were blocked by the (2‐cyanoethoxy)carbonyl group on treatment with 2‐cyanoethyl carbonochloridate ( 5 ) or 1‐[(2‐cyanoethoxy)carbonyl]‐3‐methyl‐1H‐imidazolium chloride ( 6 ) leading to 7 , 18 , 8 , 19 , 9 , and 20 . In 2′‐deoxyguanosine, the amide group was additionally blocked at the O⁶ position by the 2‐cyanoethyl (→ 27 ) and 2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)ethyl group (→ 31 , 32 ). Comparative kinetic studies regarding the cleavage of the ce/ceoc and npe/npeoc group by β‐elimination revealed valuable information about the ease and sequential deprotection of the various blocking groups at different sites of the nucleobases. Besides the 5′‐O‐(dimethoxytrityl)‐protected 3′‐(2‐cyanoethyl diisopropylphosphoramidites) 38 and 39 of N⁴‐[(2‐cyanoethoxy)carbonyl]‐2′‐deoxycytidine and N⁶‐[(2‐cyanoethoxy)carbonyl]‐2′‐deoxyadenosine, respectively, the N²‐[(2‐cyanoethoxy)carbonyl]‐2′‐deoxy‐O⁶‐[2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)ethyl]guanosine analog 40 is recommended as building block for oligo‐2′‐deoxyribonucleotide synthesis.     

Iron(III) Catecholates for Cellular Imaging and Photocytotoxicity in Red Light

Iron(III) complexes [Fe( L )( L′ )(NO₃)]—in which L is phenyl‐N,N‐bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]methanamine ( 1 ), (anthracen‐9‐yl)‐N,N‐bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]methanamine ( 2 ), (pyreny‐1‐yl)‐N,N‐bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]methanamine ( 3 – 5 ), and L′ is catecholate ( 1 – 3 ), 4‐tert‐butyl catecholate ( 4 ), and 4‐(2‐aminoethyl)‐benzene‐1,2‐diolate ( 5 )—were synthesized and their photocytotoxic properties examined. The five electron‐paramagnetic complexes displayed a Fe^III/Fe^II redox couple near ?0.4 V versus a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in DMF/0.1 m tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). They showed unprecedented photocytotoxicity in red light (600–720 nm) to give IC₅₀≈15 μM in various cell lines by means of apoptosis to generate reactive oxygen species. They were ingested in the nucleus of HeLa and HaCaT cells in 4 h, thereby interacting favorably with calf thymus (ct)‐DNA and photocleaving pUC19 DNA in red light of 785 nm to form hydroxyl radicals.     

3′‐Deoxyribopyranose (4′→2′)‐Oligonucleotide Duplexes (=p‐DNA Duplexes) as Substitutes of RNA Hairpin Structures

By automated synthesis, we prepared hybrid oligonucleotides consisting of covalently linked RNA and p‐DNA sequences (p‐DNA=3′‐deoxyribopyranose (4′→2′)‐oligonucleotides) (see Table 1). The pairing properties of corresponding hybrid duplexes, formed from fully complementary single strands were investigated. An uninterrupted π‐π‐stacking at the p‐DNA/RNA interface and cooperative pairing between the two systems was achieved by connecting them via a 4′‐p‐DNA‐2′→5′‐RNA‐3′ and 5′‐RNA‐2′→4′‐p‐DNA‐2′ phosphodiester linkage, respectively (see Fig. 4). The RNA 2′‐phosphoramidites 9 – 12 , required for the formation of the RNA‐2′→4′‐p‐DNA phosphodiester linkage were synthesized from the corresponding, 3′‐O‐tom‐protected ribonucleosides (tom=[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl; Scheme 1). Analogues of the flavin mononucleotide (=FMN) binding aptamer 22 and the hammerhead ribozyme 25 were prepared. Each of these analogues consisted of two p‐DNA/RNA hybrid single strands with complementary p‐DNA sequences, designed to substitute stem/loop and stem motifs within the parent compounds. By comparative binding and cleavage studies, it was found that mixing of the two complementary p‐DNA/RNA hybrid sequences resulted in the formation of the fully functional analogues 23 ⋅ 24 and 27 ⋅ 28 of the FMN‐binding aptamer and of the hammerhead ribozyme, respectively.     

Synthesis of Novel Spiro Pyrano[2,3‐d]thiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimidine via 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition of Azomethine Ylide

The reaction involving 4‐phenyl‐octahydro‐pyrano[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2‐thione, ethyl chloroacetate and the appropriate aromatic aldehyde yielded 2‐arylmethylidene‐5‐phenyl‐5a,7,8,9a‐tetrahydro‐5H,6H‐pyrano[2,3‐d][1,3]thiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimidin‐3(2H)‐ones. The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of 2‐arylmethylidene‐5‐phenyl‐5a,7,8,9a‐tetrahydro‐5H,6H‐pyrano[2,3‐d][1,3]thiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimidin‐3(2H)‐ones with azomethine ylide generated by a decarboxylative route from sarcosine and acenaphthenequinone afforded 4′‐aryl‐1′‐methyl‐5″‐phenyl‐5a″,7″,8″,9a″‐tetrahydro‐2H,5″H,6″H‐dispiro[acenaphthylene‐1,2′‐pyrrolidine‐3′,2″‐pyrano[2,3‐d][1,3]thiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimidine]‐2,3″‐diones in moderate yields. The structures of the products were determined and characterized thoroughly by NMR, MS, IR, elemental analysis, and X‐ray crystallographic analysis.     

An Efficient Synthesis of 3′‐Amino‐3′‐deoxyguanosine from Guanosine

3′‐Amino‐3′‐deoxyguanosine was synthesized from guanosine in eight steps and 58% overall yield. The 2′,3′‐diol of 5′‐O‐[(tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl]‐2‐N‐[(dimethylamino)methylidene]guanosine was reacted with α‐acetoxyisobutyryl bromide and treated with 0.5n NH₃ in MeOH to yield 9‐{2′‐O‐acetyl‐3′‐bromo‐5′‐O‐[(tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl]‐3′‐deoxy‐β‐D ‐xylofuranosyl]‐2‐N‐[(dimethylamino)methylidene]guanine, which was reacted with benzyl isocyanate, NaH, and then 3.0n NaOH, and finally with Pd/C (10%) and HCO₂NH₄ in EtOH/AcOH to afford 3′‐amino‐3′‐deoxyguanosine.