Reactivity of Chiral Sesquiterpene Synthons Obtained by the Degradation of Maslinic Acid from Olive‐Pressing Residues

Maslinic acid, a naturally occurring compound isolated from the solid wastes of olive‐oil pressing, was fragmented through the C‐ring via oxidative procedures to obtain two structural fragments. The chemical behaviors of cis‐decalin, from the D and E rings, and of trans‐decalin fragments, from the A and B rings, were investigated in depth using several chemical and enzymatic reactions. These decalin chiral synthons are interesting intermediates to semisynthesize phenanthrene‐ and drimane‐type compounds and natural tricyclic triterpenes.     

Control of the Stereochemical Course of [4+2] Cycloaddition during trans‐Decalin Formation by Fsa2‐Family Enzymes

Enzyme‐catalyzed [4+2] cycloaddition has been proposed to be a key transformation process in various natural product biosynthetic pathways. Recently Fsa2 was found to be involved in stereospecific trans‐decalin formation during the biosynthesis of equisetin, a potent HIV‐1 integrase inhibitor. To understand the mechanisms by which fsa2 determines the stereochemistry of reaction products, we sought an fsa2 homologue that is involved in trans‐decalin formation in the biosynthetic pathway of an enantiomerically opposite analogue, and we found phm7, which is involved in the biosynthesis of phomasetin. A decalin skeleton with an unnatural configuration was successfully constructed by gene replacement of phm7 with fsa2, thus demonstrating enzymatic control of all stereochemistry in the [4+2] cycloaddition. Our findings highlight enzyme‐catalyzed [4+2] cycloaddition as a stereochemically divergent step in natural product biosynthetic pathways and open new avenues for generating derivatives with different stereochemistry.     

α‐Onocerin chloro­form hemisolvate

The triterpenoid natural product α‐onocerin [8,14‐secogammacera‐8(26),14(27)‐diene‐3,21‐diol], determined here as the chloro­form hemisolvate, C₃₀H₅₀O₂·0.5CHCl₃, consists of two independent symmetric trans‐decalin C₁₅ building blocks. Hydro­gen bonds between the hydroxyl groups form an infinite two‐dimensional network perpendicular to the c axis.     

π‐Facial selectivities of diastereotopic ketones: p‐bromobenzoates of 4‐hetero‐1‐decalinols

The crystal structures of the p‐bromo­benzoates of cis‐4‐oxa‐1‐decalinyl (C₁₆H₁₉BrO₃), trans‐4‐oxa‐1‐decalinyl (C₁₆H₁₉­BrO₃), N‐benzyl‐cis‐4‐aza‐1‐decalinyl (C₂₃H₂₆BrNO₂), N‐benzyl‐trans‐4‐aza‐1‐decalinyl (C₂₃H₂₆BrNO₂) and trans‐4‐thia‐1‐decalinyl (C₁₆H₁₉BrO₂S) (decalin is per­hydro­naphthalene) have been determined as part of a study directed at predicting and interpreting the π‐facial selectivities of diastereotopic ketones in reactions with nucleophiles. All five structures are composed of mol­ecules that are separated by normal van der Waals distances. In all five structures, the heterocyclic and cyclo­hexyl rings adopt chair conformations, and the p‐bromo­benzoate groups are planar.     

Poly[(μ3‐benzene‐1,4‐diacetato)[μ2‐1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)butane]cadmium(II)]: self assembly into a three‐dimensional supramolecular framework based on [Cd(μ3‐benzene‐1,4‐diacetate)] double chains

The title compound, [Cd(C₁₀H₈O₄)(C₈H₁₂N₆)]_n, crystallizes with an asymmetric unit comprising a divalent Cd^II atom, a benzene‐1,4‐diacetate (PBEA²⁻) ligand and a complete 1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)butane (BTB) ligand. [Cd(PBEA)]_n double chains, arranged parallel to the c axis, are formed through an exo‐tridentate binding mode of the PBEA²⁻ ligands. These [Cd(PBEA)]_n double chains are pillared by tethering BTB ligands, in which the BTB shows a trans–trans–trans conformation, to establish [Cd(PBEA)(BTB)]_n two‐dimensional coordination polymer (4,4)‐layer slab patterns. The three‐dimensional supramolecular architecture is formed by C—H...O hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions.     

Do Glycosyl Sulfonium Ions Engage in Neighbouring‐Group Participation? A Study of Oxathiane Glycosyl Donors and the Basis for their Stereoselectivity

Neighbouring‐group participation has long been used to control the synthesis of 1,2‐trans‐glycosides. More recently there has been a growing interest in the development of similar strategies for the synthesis of 1,2‐cis‐glycosides, in particular the use of auxiliary groups that generate sulfonium ion intermediates. However, there has been some debate over the role of sulfonium ion intermediates in these reactions: do sulfonium ions actually engage in neighbouring‐group participation, or are they a resting state of the system prior to reaction through an oxacarbenium ion intermediate? Herein, we describe the reactivities and stereoselectivities of a family of bicyclic thioglycosides in which an oxathiane ring is fused to the sugar to form a trans‐decalin‐like structure. A methyl sulfonium ion derived from one such glycosyl donor is so stable that it can be crystallised from ethanol, yet it reacts with complete stereoselectivity at high temperature. The importance of a ketal group in the oxathiane ring for maintaining this high stereoselectivity is investigated using a combination of experiment and ab initio calculations. The data are discussed in terms of S_N1 and S_N2 type mechanisms. Trends in stereoselectivity across a series of compounds are more consistent with selective addition to oxacarbenium ions rather than a shift between S_N1 and S_N2 mechanisms.     

Muconato‐bridged Manganese Coordination Polymer exhibiting rare Distorted‐trigonal Prismatic Coordination Arrangement

Novel poly[Mn(H₂O)(dmb)(muco)] ( 1 ) (H₂muco = trans,trans‐muconic acid; dmb = 5,5′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine) was obtained by self‐assembly, one‐pot, solution reaction. 1 crystallizes in a monoclinic system with P2₁ space group and forms an infinite one‐dimensional (1D) polymer. Remarkably, the six‐coordinate Mn^II display a rare distorted trigonal prismatic configuration. This unusual coordination arrangement appears to be acquired due to the supramolecular interactions of the polymeric structure of 1 , mainly throughout hydrogen bonding, giving rise to a 2D framework. Magnetic properties measurements reveal that 1 possesses weak antiferromagnetic interactions with θ_(C–W) = –1.0 K and J = 458 cm^–1.     

Short Syntheses of some ‘Decalin‐1,8‐diones’ and their Derivatives: Breaking the Pretended Symmetry

A cheap synthesis of the so‐called ‘decalin‐1,8‐diones’ started with the conjugate (1,4‐) addition of cyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐one derivatives to the γ‐position of the dilithium derivative (buta‐1,3‐diene‐1,1‐bis(olate)) of crotonic acid. Hydrogenation of these ‘1,4‐γ’ adducts and final cyclization afforded the enol tautomers of decalin‐1,8‐diones. Nucleophilic substitutions at these 3‐oxoenols by NH₃ or primary amines created only monoamino products (namely, 3‐oxoenamines) whose reactions with OPCl₃ yielded dihydro(1,3,2)oxazaphosphinin‐2‐one derivatives. The two regioisomers of a trimethyl‐3‐oxoenamine served as models for the constitutional assignments of the two rapidly interconverting (hence, individually NMR‐invisible), tautomeric trimethyl‐3‐oxoenols. Such methyl substitutions served to break the ‘pretended’ symmetry of ‘decalin‐1,8‐dione’. Hydrazine and 3‐oxoenols furnished oxygen‐free indazole derivatives whose N?H bonds exchanged with t_1/2=ca. 0.00035 s at ca. ?58(9) °C.     

Tetra­butyl­ammonium α‐acetyl‐γ‐butyrolactonate containing a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded network

The title compound, C₁₆H₃₆N⁺·C₆H₇O₃^?, crystallizes with two independent anions and two independent cations in the asymmetric unit. Each anion adopts an s‐trans conformation and forms O?H—C hydrogen bonds to the α‐methyl­ene groups of four neighbouring tetra­butyl­ammonium cations, to create a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded network.     

Cocrystal of cis‐ and trans‐N‐phenylformamide

N‐Phenylformamide, C₇H₇NO, crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit which have different conformations of the formylamino group, one being cis and the other trans. This is the first example of an arylformamide crystal containing both conformational isomers and it may thus be considered a cocrystal of the two conformers. The two molecules in the unit cell are linked through N—H...O hydrogen bonding to two other molecules, thereby forming hydrogen‐bonded tetramers within the crystal structure.     

A Novel Dinuclear Nickel(II) Complex with Three Bridges of Cl–, OAc– and (‐OCH2CH2O‐) Group of N,N, N′, N′‐Tetrakis(2‐benzimidazolyl methyl‐1, 4‐di‐ethylene amino) Glycol Ether

The novel dinuclear Ni²⁺ complex [Ni₂(μ‐Cl)(μ‐OAc) (EGTB)]·Cl·ClO₄·2CH₃OH, where EGTB is N, N, N′, N′‐tetrakis (2‐benzimidazolyl methyl‐1, 4‐di‐ethylene amino)glycol ether, crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma with a = 15.272(2), b = 14.768(2), c = 22.486(3) Å, V = 5071.4(12) ų, Z = 4, D_calc = 1.414 g cm^?3, and is bridged by triply bridging agents of a chloride ion, an acetate and an intra‐ligand (‐OCH₂CH₂O‐) group. The nickel coordination geometry is that of a slightly distorted octahedron with a NiN₃O₂Cl arrangement of the ligand donor atoms. The Ni–Cl distance is 2.361(2) Å, and two Ni–O distances are 1.996(5) and 2.279(6) Å. The three Ni–N distances are 2.033(7), 2.060(6), and 2.166(6) Å with the Ni–N bond trans to an ether oxygen the shortest, the Ni–N bond trans to an acetate oxygen the middle and the Ni–N bond trans to Cl the longest.     

trans‐Chloridobis[(Z)‐1‐imino‐1‐methoxyethane‐κN](triphenylphosphane‐κP)platinum(II) chloride monohydrate

The title compound, [PtCl(C₃H₇NO)₂(C₁₈H₁₅P)]Cl·H₂O or trans‐[PtCl{Z‐HN=C(Me)OMe}₂(PPh₃)]Cl·H₂O, crystallizes from an acetone solution of isomeric trans‐[PtCl{E‐HN=C(Me)OMe}₂(PPh₃)]Cl. The two HN=C(Me)OMe ligands show typical π‐bond delocalization over the N—C—O group [Cini, Caputo, Intini & Natile (1995). Inorg. Chem. 34 , 1130–1137] and have the unprecedented Z–anti configuration. The relative orientation of the imino ether ligands is head‐to‐tail.     

trans‐(dl‐Isoleucinato‐N,O)[tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine‐κ4N]cobalt(III) diperchlorate

The racemic title compound, trans‐[N,N‐bis(2‐amino­ethyl)‐1,2‐ethanediamine‐κ⁴N]­(dl ‐isoleucinato‐N,O)­cobalt(III) di­per­chlor­ate, [Co(C₆H₁₈N₄)(C₆H₁₂NO₂)](ClO₄)₂, crystallizes in the enantiomorphous space group P2₁2₁2₁ with Z = 12 (Z′ = 3). Each of the three cations in the asymmetric unit represents a different chirality of the isoleucine ligand; two of them are R (or d ) and the third is the S (or l ) enantiomer. The mixture crystallizes in a so‐called unbalanced crystallization, in which the cations adopt a chiral array of composition RRS or SSR, depending on the crystal selected for data collection.     

5‐(2‐Pyridyl)‐1,3‐di­thia­ne‐2‐thione

The title compound, C₉H₉NS₃, crystallizes with two mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. In both mol­ecules, the di­thia­ne‐2‐thione rings adopt a symmetric half‐boat conformation with the C atom opposite the C—S_thione bond out of the plane. The pyridine ring is in an equatorial position and is twisted out of the plane of the half‐boat by 82.7 (2) and 84.5 (2)° in the two mol­ecules, so that the N atom is trans to the axial C—H bond in both cases.     

trans‐Di­iodo­bis(1,3,5‐tri­aza‐7‐phosphaadamantane)­platinum(II)

The crystal structure of the title compound, trans‐[PtI₂(C₆H₁₂N₃P)₂], describes one of the few platinum(II) complexes containing two of the water‐soluble 1,3,5‐tri­aza‐7‐phosphaadamantane ligands reported to date. The complex crystallizes on an inversion centre with the most important bond lengths and angles being Pt—P 2.3128 (12) Å, Pt—I 2.6022 (6) Å, P—Pt—I 90.94 (3)° and P′—Pt—I 89.06 (3)°.     

Two new polymorphs of trans‐bis(hinokitiolato)copper(II)

The title complex [systematic name: trans‐bis(3‐iso­propyl‐7‐oxo­cyclo­hepta‐1,3,5‐trienolato)copper(II)], [Cu(C₁₀H₁₁O₂)₂],is a substance possessing antimicrobial activity. The compound crystallizes in a number of polymorphic forms, the structures for two of which are reported here. Stacks of square‐planar mol­ecules exhibiting weak intermolecular copper–olefin π interactions (not observed in earlier reports on this substance) are described. The mol­ecules have crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry, with stacking and copper–olefin π distances ranging from 3.226 (2) to 3.336 (1) Å.     

trans‐Dichloridobis(4,8‐dimethyl‐2‐phenyl‐2‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane‐κP)platinum(II)

The crystal structure of the title compound, trans‐[PtCl₂(C₁₆H₂₃P)₂], has been determined at 100 K. The Pt atom is located on a twofold axis and adopts a distorted square‐planar coordination geometry. The structure is only the second example of a coordination complex containing a derivative of the 4,8‐dimethyl‐2‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (Lim) phosphine ligand family. The ligand contains four chiral C atoms, with the stereochemistry at three of these fixed during synthesis, therefore resulting in two possible ligand stereoisomers. The compound crystallizes in the chiral space group P4₃2₁2 but is racemic, comprising an equimolar mixture of both stereoisomers disordered on a single ligand site. The effective cone angles for both isomers are the same at 146°.     

Thermal decomposition of 2‐ethylhexyl nitrate (2‐EHN)

The decomposition mechanism of 2‐ethyl‐hexylnitrate (2‐EHN), an important additive to diesel fuel to improve the cetane number, was investigated in solution and in the gas phase. In trans‐decalin as solvent, an activation barrier for the thermal decomposition of 39 kcal/mol was determined, and thus the decomposition is slow at temperatures below 100°C. Under high pressure conditions (2.4 kbar) the decomposition rates decrease, in accordance with a radical mechanism. Flash vacuum pyrolysis with subsequent detection of the products via mass spectroscopy or matrix IR spectroscopy allows to identify NO₂, formaldehyde, and several olefins as the major decomposition products. These data allow proposing a consistent mechanistic scheme for the 2‐EHN decay. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 34–38, 2002     

Synthese und Eigenschaften von Ph3Sn‐substituierten Telluraten – Die Kristallstrukturen von trans‐[(Ph3SnO)4Te(OH)2] und trans‐[(Ph3SnO)2Te(OMe)4]

The reaction of Te(OH)₆ with Ph₃SnOH in ethanol leads to the formation of trans‐[(Ph₃SnO)₄Te(OH)₂] ( 1 ). Compound 1 crystallizes triclinic in the space group P\bar{1} with a = 996.6(2) pm, b = 1365.4(3) pm, c = 1368.2(3) pm and α = 71.15(2)°, β = 71.48(2)°, γ = 74.81(3)° (at 220 K). The molecular structure of 1 consists of a tellurium atom, which is coordinated nearly octahedrally by four Ph₃SnO units and two hydroxyl groups that are trans to each other. The Te–O bond lengths are in the range of 190.5(2) and 193.7(2) pm. Treatment of 1 with methanol under reflux yields trans‐[(Ph₃SnO)₂Te(OMe)₄] ( 2 ). Compound 2 crystallizes triclinic in the space group P\bar{1} with a = 1012.8(1) pm, b = 1422.4(2) pm, c = 1618.1(2) pm, and α = 100.44(1)°, β = 107.92(1)°, γ = 110.66(1)° (at 220 K). 2 forms centrosymmetric molecules in which the tellurium atom is surrounded nearly octahedrally by four methoxy groups and two trans arranged Ph₃SnO units. The Te–O bond lengths of 187.9(3)–194.5(3) pm are similar to those observed in 1 .     

A new polymorph,form C,of [1,2‐­bis­(di­phenyl­phosphino)­ethane]­dichloronickel(II)

The title compound, [NiCl₂(C₂₆H₂₄P₂)], has arisen as a result of the unexpected reduction (hydrogenation) of the trans‐1,2‐bis­(di­phenyl­phosphino)­ethene ligand. The hydro­thermal reaction conditions have produced a third polymorphic form of the compound which has twofold symmetry, crystallizes in an enantiomer‐selective manner and contains an unexpectedly short C—C (ethane) bond. Contacts of the form C—H?Cl are present, one involving alkyl and the other aryl hydrogen, with C?Cl distances of 3.556 (4) and 3.664 (6) Å, respectively.