One-step three-component coupling of aromatic organozinc reagents, secondary amines, and aromatic aldehydes into functionalized diarylmethylamines

Numerous functionalized diarylmethylamines have been synthesized in high yield according to a one-step three-component coupling between an aromatic organozinc reagent, a secondary amine, and an aromatic aldehyde. Both organozinc species and aldehyde can bear a functional group and either aromatic or non-aromatic amines can be used in this versatile procedure.     

Nickel(II)-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond formation reaction of functionalized organozinc reagents with aromatic aldehydes

In the presence of a silylating reagent and catalytic amount of Ni(acac)₂, organozinc halides reacted with aromatic aldehydes to give the corresponding dialkylation products in good to excellent yields under mild conditions.     

Use of functionalized aromatic organozinc reagents in the three-component Mannich-type synthesis of diarylmethylamines

Efficient syntheses of functionalized diarylmethylamines have been realized according to a one-step three-component coupling between an aromatic aldehyde, a secondary amine and an aromatic organozinc reagent. Phenyl rings can be substituted by functional groups and either aromatic or non-aromatic amines can be used in this process.     

Convenient processes for the synthesis of aromatic ketones from aryl bromides and carboxylic anhydrides using a cobalt catalysis

The cross-coupling of various para- and meta-substituted aromatic bromides, mostly bearing sensitive moieties, with several carboxylic acid anhydrides is reported. This reaction can be carried out in two steps, by forming an aromatic organozinc reagent via cobalt catalysis in the first step, or even more interestingly in a single step, also by using a cobalt-based catalyst. The aromatic ketones are obtained by these new, mild, and convenient methods in 30-79% yields versus starting aryl bromide. Results are also disclosed that suggest the role played by cobalt species in the coupling of organozinc reagents with electrophiles could be similar to those of more commonplace transition metal complexes.     

Biotransformation of aromatic ketones and ketoesters with the non-conventional yeast Pichia glucozyma

The non-conventional yeast Pichia glucozyma CBS 5766 has been used for the biotransformation of different aromatic ketones and ketoesters. The growth and biotransformation conditions were optimised for the reduction of acetophenone and under optimised conditions, propiophenone, butyrophenone and valerophenone were reduced to the corresponding (S)-alcohols with high yields and enantioselectivity. Ketoreductase(s) of Pichia glucozyma showed high catalytic activities also towards aromatic β- and γ-ketoesters, being often competitive with esterase(s). These concurrent activities allowed for the preparation of hydroxyesters, hydroxyacids and lactones often in a very selective manner.     

Microwave-Assisted Olefination Reaction of Alkylzinc with Aromatic Aldehyde Catalyzed by Nickel Complex

Carbon-carbon double bond-forming reactions have always been great importance in organic synthesis. Manymethods have been described for C =C bond formation. We[1] have reported the new method of C =C bond formation of nickel catalyzed organozinc with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of Me3SiC1.     

Selective mono-alkylation and arylation of aromatic dihalides by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling with the Grignard and organozinc reagents

Dibromobenzene, dibromothiophenes, dichloro- and dibromopyridine are highly selectively mono-alkylated and arylated with Grignard or organozinc reagents in the presence of palladium complexes as catalysts.     

Catalytic enantioselective addition of organometallic reagents to N-formylimines using monodentate phosphoramidite ligands

The asymmetric synthesis of protected amines via the copper/phosphoramidite-catalyzed addition of organozinc and organoaluminum reagents to N-acylimines, generated in situ from aromatic and aliphatic alpha-amidosulfones, is reported. High yields of optically active N-formyl-protected amines and enantioselectivities up to 99% were obtained. Under the reaction conditions, partial oxidation of the phosphoramidite ligand to the corresponding phosphoric amide was detected. A preliminary study on the origin and the effect on the catalytic addition reaction is presented.     

Straightforward three-component synthesis of diarylmethylpiperazines and 1,2-diarylethylpiperazines

Several functionalized diarylmethylpiperazines and 1,2-diarylethylpiperazines have been synthesized in moderate to high yield according to a one-step three-component coupling between an aromatic or a benzylic organozinc reagent, a piperazine derivative, and an aromatic aldehyde. The procedure can be extended to the synthesis of benzylpiperazine derivatives or β-arylethylpiperazines toward the use of paraformaldehyde or aliphatic aldehydes.     

MultiSimplex optimisation of the solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,polychlorinated biphenyls and phthalates from water samples

Solid-phase microextraction coupled to GC-MS was optimised for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate esters and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water samples. A 30-microm polydimethylsiloxane fiber was immersed in a 30-ml water sample that contained the analytes of interest (PAHs, PCBs and phthalate esters) and the variables studied were extraction time (15-60 min), extraction temperature (30-90 degrees C), desorption time (1-5 min), desorption temperature (220-270 degrees C) and the addition of sodium chloride (0-9 g). The MultiSimplex programme based on the simplex algorithm was used to establish the optimal conditions. MultiSimplex allowed the simultaneous study of the variables mentioned above and considered the answers of all types of compounds studied in this work. Thus, the optimal conditions obtained allowed the simultaneous determination of PAHs, phthalate esters and PCBs. Furthermore, the accuracy and repeatability of the developed method were calculated from water samples spiked at known concentrations of the analytes. Finally, the optimised method was used to analyse water samples from different sampling points of the Urdaibai and Nerbioi-Ibaizabal estuaries (Biscay, Spain).     

Introduction of (2‐CF3)Phenyl Group via Nickel‐catalyzed C–Cl Bond Activation and Arylation

A simple and mild catalytic arylation via C–Cl bond activation is described. The phenyl group containing a 2‐trifluoromethyl group was introduced into the aromatic imine molecules through C,C‐coupling reaction between chloroarenes and the organozinc reagent, bis(2‐(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)zinc, with tetrakis(trimethylphosphine)nickel(0) complex as an effective catalyst. Under catalytic conditions chlorinated benzalimines were quantitatively converted into the expected benzalimines with trifluoromethyl group(s).     

Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed on particles of atmospheric interest using pressurised fluid extraction

Pressurised fluid extraction (PFE) was used for the measurement of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed on different types of particles: two model particles (PAH-coated silica, PAH-coated graphite) and two natural atmospheric particles (urban dust and diesel exhaust, from NIST reference materials). Samples were analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Extraction efficiency was evaluated with internal standard recovery yields and was shown to depend on the nature of the particle, on the structure of the analytes and on the PAH concentration. Extraction conditions (toluene, 130°C, 130 bar, 2 × 8-min static cycles) were optimised to extract PAHs when strongly interacting with solid matrices and were validated by the analysis of two PAH-certified materials.     

Hydration of aromatic terminal alkynes catalyzed by sulfonated condensed polynuclear aromatic (S-COPNA) resin in water

Hydration of aromatic terminal alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of sulfonated condensed polynuclear aromatic (S-COPNA) resin in water gave the corresponding methyl ketones in good yields. On the other hand, aliphatic terminal alkynes did not react at all under the employed conditions. Chemoselective hydration of aromatic terminal alkyne in the presence of aliphatic terminal alkyne catalyzed by S-COPNA resin was carried out.     

A systematic approach for optimisation of supercritical-fluid extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from earthworms

A systematic approach using a mathematical model as an alternative to time-consuming empirical optimisation of a supercritical-fluid extraction (SFE) procedure is presented. The model was applied to the extraction of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The selected fat-containing matrix is the earthworm used in ecotoxicological absorption studies. Settings for optimal recovery were established for the important parameters (temperature, pressure, amount of trapping sorbent, flow, and dynamic extraction time) using a D-optimal experimental design (including quadratic terms and interactions). The recoveries were modelled using a two sigmoid-model with parameters for each of the individual PAH. The main objective was to optimise the conditions for 15 PAH congeners by maximisation of the lowest recovery. The results show that for some parameters, e.g. the amount of sorbent material, optimal conditions are identical for all PAH. For other parameters, e.g. extraction time, the optimum is PAH dependent. The advantage of this optimisation procedure is that, within three days of analysis (73 experiments), optimised extraction conditions for the extraction of the set of 15 PAH were found but also optimum conditions for specific subsets can be extracted from the collected data for specific subsets.     

An experimental design approach to optimise the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from rainfall water using stir bar sorptive extraction and high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection

Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by HPLC-fluorescence detection (FLD) was optimised for analysing 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water samples, especially rainfall water with low PAH content. The literature data described widely different experimental conditions for the extraction of PAHs by SBSE. A chemometric approach was therefore used to evaluate the statistically influential and/or interacting factors, among those described in the literature, and to find the best extraction and desorption conditions. Among six factors studied in a 2(6-2) fractional factorial design, only sample volume, extraction time and the interaction between both of them had significant effects on the PAH extraction recoveries. Optimal sample volume of 10 mL and extraction time of 140 min were obtained with a response surface design. For the desorption conditions, a Box-Behnken design showed that desorption time, temperature and PAH concentrations had significant effects. The best conditions were two successive desorptions with 100 microL of acetonitrile for 25 min at 50 degrees C. The optimised method was repeatable (RSD< or =5.3% for 50 ng L(-1) spiked water and < or =12.8% for 5 ng L(-1) spiked water), linear (R(2)> or =0.9956), with quantitative absolute recoveries (> or =87.8% for 50 ng L(-1) spiked water), and with the LOD between 0.2 and 1.5 ng L(-1). The optimised method was successfully applied to six-rainfall water samples collected in a suburban area. The total PAHs concentrations studied ranged from 31 to 105.1 ng L(-1). Seasonal variation was observed and on average three PAHs were at the highest concentrations (phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene).     

Aromatic organozinc reagents as nucleophiles in the α-arylation of piperidine and tetrahydropyran

The arylation at the α-position of piperidine derivatives is achieved in good yield using aromatic organozinc reagents and either 2-methoxylated or α-cyanated piperidine. Oxygen-containing heterocycles such as 2-methoxy-tetrahydropyran reacts in a same manner to yield efficiently 2-arylated tetrahydropyran.     

Particle-size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban air in southern Spain

The size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was determined for airborne particles from a large city with high vehicular traffic. The analytical method was optimised and validated using NIST standard reference material (SRM 1649a Urban Dust). The 16 priority PAH listed in the US-EPA were Soxhlet-extracted from filtered particulate matter and then fractionated using on-column chromatography. The aromatic fraction was quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Real samples of particles collected in Seville (Spain) were analysed using the validated method. Values for the total concentration of PAH in the air, as well as the concentrations of each PAH in six particle-size ranges were obtained. Values of the PAH in TSP, PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and PM₁ were assessed.     

Ring opening of aziridines by aromatic thiols followed by amino-substitution

Ring opening of 2-aziridinecarboxylic acid methyl ester by a number of aromatic thiols under solvent-free and non-catalytic conditions resulted in bis-arylsulfanyl propanoic acid esters.     

Determination of traces of aromatic compounds in multicomponent mixtures by HRCGC

The possibilities and difficulties of trace analysis of highly complex organic mixtures has been demonstrated by the analysis of traces of numerous aromatic substances in an n-alkane matrix with a boiling point range of 151–270°C. Single column high resolution capillary gas chromatography (under optimized conditions) was performed after an off-line LC preseparation step which had been evaluated using a model mixture. Gas chromatographic quantitation of the 191 aromatic compounds identified was performed with an internal standard; following splitless injection and separation on a polydimethyl-siloxane column under temperature-programmed conditions the compounds were detected by flame ionization. The response factors of aromatic hydrocarbons at trace levels were verified and the precision and reproducibility both of the GC determination and the overall analysis, including preseparation, were studied. Percentage by weight of individual aromatic compounds (mainly alkylbenzenes, indanes, naphthalenes, and acenaphthenes) was in the range 10^?3 to 10^?6.     

Oxidative dimerization of aromatic amines using tBuOI: entry to unsymmetric aromatic azo compounds

It's all the hype: An oxidative dimerization reaction of aromatic amines utilizing tert-butyl hypoiodite (tBuOI) under mild reaction conditions leads to aromatic azo compounds. The method allows access to unsymmetric aromatic azo compounds, which are difficult to prepare by conventional synthetic methods, in a selective manner.