Stereoselective synthesis of oligo-alpha-(2,8)-sialic acids

An efficient and elegant synthesis of alpha(2,8)-oligosialosides is described. The 5-N,4-O-carbonyl-protected sialyl donor undergoes alpha-sialylation in CH2Cl2 to give alpha(2,8)- and alpha(2,9)-disialosides in excellent yields. The 5-N,4-O-carbonyl protecting group was effective in improving the reactivity of the C8 hydroxyl groups toward glycosylation. Using the sialyl building block, the synthesis of tetra-alpha(2,8)-sialic acid was accomplished by using a simple glycosidation and deprotection protocol.     

Synthesis and structure of diamido ether uranium(IV) and thorium(IV) halide "ate" complexes and their conversion to salt-free bis(alkyl) complexes

The high-yield synthesis, spectroscopic and structural determination of three new uranium(IV) and thorium(IV)ate complexes supported by three different diamido ether ligands are reported. The reaction of Li2[2,6-iPr2PhN(CH2CH2)]2O (Li2[DIPPNCOCN]) with 1 equiv. of UCl4 in THF generates [DIPPNCOCN]UCl3Li(THF)2(1), while reaction in toluene/ether gives salt-free [DIPPNCOCN]UCl2.1/2C7H8(2), which was identified by paramagnetically shifted 1H NMR. Reaction of 0.5 equiv. of {[tBuNON]UCl2}2([tBuNON]=[(CH3)3CN(Si(CH3)2)]2O2-) with 3.5 equiv. LiI in toluene and a minimal amount of THF results in [tBuNON]UI3Li(THF)2(3) and is very similar in structure to 1. {[MesNON]ThCl3Li(THF)}2(4), a dimeric complex with a Th2Li2Cl6 core, is prepared by reaction of Li2[2,4,6-Me3PhN(Si(CH3)2)]2O (Li2[MesNON]) with ThCl4 in THF. The analogous reaction in toluene did not yield the salt-free complex but rather a sterically crowded diligated compound, [MesNON]2Th (5), which was also structurally characterized. Complex 5 was prepared rationally by reacting 2 equiv. Li2[MesNON] with ThCl4 in toluene. The reaction of 1 and 3 with 2 equiv. of LiCH2Si(CH3)3 generates the stable, salt-free organoactinides [DIPPNCOCN]U(CH2Si(CH3)3)2(6) and [tBuNON]U(CH2Si(CH3)3)2(7). Complex 6 was structurally characterized. These reactions illustrate the viability of ate complexes as useful synthetic precursors.     

A facile synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles

alpha-Aminoalkylcuprates prepared from CuX.2LiCl (X = Cl, CN) and 1 equiv of an alpha-lithiocarbamate undergo conjugate addition reactions to alpha,beta-alkynyl ketones in moderate to good yields, affording E:Z mixtures of alpha,beta-enones. Treatment of the conjugate adducts with PhOH/TMSCl in CH(2)Cl(2) effected carbamate deprotection and cyclization to afford a flexible two-step synthesis of substituted pyrroles.     

Studies on the reaction of aziridines with nitriles and carbonyls: synthesis of imidazolines and oxazolidines

Reaction of N-tosylaziridines with nitriles and carbonyls to produce imidazolines and oxazolidines has been studied in the presence of a variety of Lewis acids. The reaction is efficient with 1 equiv of BF3.Et2O or Et3OBF4 in CH2Cl2. However, it is catalytic with metal triflates that give the best results for cycloaddition of N-tosylaziridine with nitriles under solvent free conditions. The same reaction with carbonyls proceeds best in CH2Cl2 in the presence of molecular sieves. Among various triflates, Zn(OTf)2 has been found to be the best. The cleavage of the N-Ts bond of the cyclized products has been studied in order to make it more versatile in synthesis. The mechanistic aspect of the reaction has been studied by using chiral aziridines as substrates. These formal [3+2] cycloaddition reactions of aziridines with nitriles and carbonyls proceed in a Ritter fashion.     

Palladium-catalyzed sequential alkylation-alkenylation reactions. Application to the synthesis of 2-substituted-4-benzoxepines and 2,5-disubstituted-4-benzoxepines

The synthesis of 2-substituted-4-benzoxepines and 2,5-disubstituted-4-benzoxepines from aryl iodides and bromoenoates is described. This methodology is based on a palladium-catalyzed aromatic substitution followed by an intramolecular Heck sequence. Under the reaction conditions (Pd(OAc)(2) (10 mol %), tri-2-furylphosphine (20 mol %), norbornene (2 equiv), Cs(2)CO(3) (2 equiv), CH(3)CN, 85 degrees C), moderate to excellent yields of benzoxepines bearing numerous substituents (Me, F, Cl, etc.) are obtained.     

Hexa boron-dipyrromethene cyclotriphosphazenes: synthesis, crystal structure, and photophysical properties

We have synthesized four examples of a cyclotriphosphazene ring appended with six boron-dipyrromethene dyes N(3)P(3)(BODIPY)(6) by adopting two different methods. In method I, 1 equiv of N(3)P(3)Cl(6) was treated with 6 equiv of meso-(o- or m- or p-hydroxyphenyl)boron-dipyrromethene in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the presence of cesium carbonate. This afforded N(3)P(3)(BODIPY)(6) in yields ranging from 80 to 90%. In method II, we first prepared hexakis(p-formylphenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene N(3)P(3)(CHO)(6) by treating 1 equiv of N(3)P(3)Cl(6) with 6 equiv of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of cesium carbonate in THF. In the second step, N(3)P(3)(CHO)(6) was condensed with excess of pyrrole in the presence of catalytic amount of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature and afforded hexakis(p-phenoxy dipyrromethane)cyclotriphosphazene. In the last step, the hexakis(p-phenoxy dipyrromethane)cyclotriphosphazene was first oxidized with 6 equiv of DDQ in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature for 1 h followed by neutralization with triethylamine and further reaction with excess BF(3)·Et(2)O afforded the target N(3)P(3)(BODIPY)(6) in 16% yield. The route II was used only for the synthesis of one target compound whereas the route I was used for the synthesis of all four target compounds. The four compounds were characterized by mass, NMR, absorption, electrochemical, and fluorescence techniques. The crystal structure solved for one of the compounds revealed that the P(3)N(3) ring is slightly puckered and the six substituents were not interacting with each other and attained pseudo-axial and pseudo-equatorial positions. The photophysical studies in five different solvents indicated that the compounds exhibit large Stokes' shifts unlike reference monomeric BODIPYs indicating that the compounds are promising for fluorescence bioassays. The quantum yields and lifetimes of compounds 1-4 depends on the type of BODIPY unit attached to the cyclotriphosphazene ring.     

Synthesis of nickel complexes with bidentate N,O-type ligands and application in the catalytic oligomerization of ethylene

The dinuclear complexes [Ni(micro-Cl){(4,5-dihydro-4,4-dimethyloxazol-2-yl)methanol}](2)Cl(2) and [Ni(micro-Cl){(pyridin-2-yl)methanol}](2)Cl(2) 16 have been synthesized in high yields by reaction of NiCl(2) with 2 mol. equiv. of the ligands 4,5-dihydro-4,4-dimethyloxazol-2-yl)methanol 13 or (pyridin-2-yl)methanol 15, respectively. The reaction of NiCl(2) with 3 mol. equiv. of 15 afforded in high yield the mononuclear, octahedral mer-[Ni{(pyridin-2-yl)methanol}(3)Cl(2)] complex 18. The reaction of 16 with NaH led to the deprotonation of one of the pyridine alcohol ligands to form [Ni{(pyridin-2-yl)methanol}{(pyridin-2-yl)methanolate}Cl] 21 in which the metal is coordinated by one pyridine alcohol and one pyridine alcoholate ligand. The crystal structures of the dinuclear, chloride-bridged octahedral complexes in 14.C(6)H(12) and in 16.3CH(2)Cl(2) and of the mononuclear, octahedral complex 18 in 18.CH(2)Cl(2) have been determined by X-ray diffraction. In the latter case, intermolecular OH...Cl bonding interactions generate a centrosymmetric pseudo-dimer. Complexes 14, 16, and 21 have been tested in ethylene oligomerization with AlEtCl(2) (Al/Ni ratios of 2, 4 or 6) or MAO (50, 100 or 200 equiv.) as co-catalysts under 10 bar of ethylene and yielded mostly dimers and trimers. Complex 16 in the presence of 6 equiv. of AlEtCl(2) proved to be the most active system with a turnover frequency (TOF) up to 187 500 C(2)H(4) (mol Ni h)(-1). Complex 16 with 200 equiv. of MAO was also the most active, with TOF up to 104 300 C(2)H(4) (mol Ni h)(-1) under 30 bar of ethylene.     

Facile oxidation-based synthesis of sterically encumbered four-coordinate bis(2,9-di-tert-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline)copper(I) and related three-coordinate copper(I) complexes

A new oxidation-based synthetic route was developed for synthesis of Cu(I) complexes with weakly coordinating ligands, leading to the synthesis of the elusive [Cu(dtbp)2]+ (dtbp, 2,9-di-tert-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline) complex that may be useful as a sensor or as a dye for dye-sensitized solar cells. An acetone solution of either 1 or 2 equiv of dtbp was added to excess Cu(0) and 1 equiv of AgY (Y is O3SCF3-, BF4-, SbF6-, or B(C6F5)4-) in a nitrogen-filled glove box. Following filtration and evaporation under vacuum, crystallization from CH2Cl2 and hexanes results in X-ray quality crystals of Cu(dtbp)(O3SCF3) (1), Cu(dtbp)(BF4) (2), [Cu(dtbp)(acetone)][SbF6] (3), [Cu(dtbp)2][B(C6F5)4].CH2Cl2 (4.CH2Cl2), [Cu(dtbp)2][BF4].CH2Cl2 (5.CH2Cl2), and [Cu(dtbp)2][SbF6].CH2Cl2 (6.CH2Cl2). Complexes 1-6 were characterized by X-ray crystallography and NMR. The Cu atom in complexes 1-3 exhibited distorted trigonal coordination geometries, reflecting the steric effect of the bulky tert-butyl substituents. The structures of the pseudotetrahedral complexes 4, 4.CH2Cl2, 5.CH2Cl2, and 6.CH2Cl2 revealed the longest average Cu-N distances (2.11 A, 2.11 A, 2.10 A, and 2.11 A, respectively) in this class of compounds-longer by more than three standard deviations from the average.     

The reactions of beta- and alpha-pyranose peracetates with PCl5, and utilization of the products to construct sarsasapogenin glycosides.

The reactions of beta- and alpha-pyranose peracetates with PCl5 gave products regioselectively chlorinated. The reactions of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranose (5) and -beta-D-galactopyranose (6) with PCl5 in CCl4 and that of methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucuronatopyranose (7) with PCl5 in toluene gave 2-O-trichloroacetyl-beta-D-pyranosyl chlorides 4, 12 and 14, respectively, as major products, and alpha-D-pyranosyl chlorides 11, 13 and 15, respectively, as minor products. On the other hand, the reactions of compounds 8 and 9 which were alpha-anomers of 5 and 6, respectively, with PCl5 gave as major products transformed acetyl groups at C-6 to -C(Cl) = CCl2 or -C(Cl)2-CCl3 group (16 and 17 from 8 and 18 from 9). The same reaction of 10, which was alpha-anomer of 7, gave alpha-chloride 15 as a major product. The glycosidation of sugar derivative 4 with sarsasapogenin 23 gave beta-glycoside 24 (29.1%) and alpha-glycoside 25 (46.9%), and that of 12 with 23 gave beta-glycoside 26 (24.0%) and alpha-glycoside 27 (40.8%). The improvement of the yields of beta-glycosides 24 and 26 (66.9 and 62.1% for 24 and 26, respectively) in the glycosidations were accomplished by the employment of alpha-bromides 28 and 29 obtained from 4 and 6, respectively. The glycosidations of monoglycosides 30 and 31 obtained by the treatment 24 and 26, respectively, with ammonia-saturated ether with sugar acetate bromides 32 and 34 gave diglycoside derivatives 35 and 33, respectively.     

Direct synthesis of palladium porphyrins from acyldipyrromethanes

[reaction: see text] Palladium porphyrins are valuable photosensitizers and luminescent agents in biology and materials chemistry. New methodology is described wherein a 1-acyldipyrromethane is converted into the palladium chelate of a trans-A(2)B(2) porphyrin via a one-flask reaction. The reaction entails self-condensation of the 1-acyldipyrromethane in refluxing ethanol containing KOH (5-10 mol equiv) and Pd(CH(3)CN)(2)Cl(2) (0.6 mol equiv) exposed to air. This direct route to palladium porphyrins is more expedient than the four steps of the traditional synthesis: (1) reduction of the 1-acyldipyrromethane; (2) acid-catalyzed condensation; (3) oxidation of the porphyrinogen intermediate; and (4) metal insertion. The new synthesis requires neither acid nor DDQ and formally entails only a 2e(-) + 2H(+) oxidation overall versus the traditional multistep synthesis which requires a 2e(-) + 2H(+) reduction per each 1-acyldipyrromethane (4e(-) + 4H(+) overall) followed by a 6e(-) + 6H(+) oxidation. The analogous reaction of a 1,9-diacyldipyrromethane and a dipyrromethane also gives the palladium porphyrin. Seven palladium porphyrins have been prepared in yields of 25-57%. The direct route also can be used with Cu(OAc)(2).H(2)O to give the copper porphyrin albeit in low yield. In summary, this methodology readily affords palladium porphyrins directly from acyldipyrromethanes.     

Zinc triflate-promoted glycosidation: synthesis of lipid A disaccharide intermediates.

Zinc triflate was found to be superior to the heavy metal salts as a promoter in the Koenigs-Knorr type glycosidation reaction in the synthesis of lipid A disaccharide intermediates. It readily promoted the reaction of a complex glycosyl bromide with a reducing sugar moiety and gave the disaccharide with beta-selectivity in good yield. This method would be suitable for the bulk preparation of lipid A disaccharide intermediates.     

Adsorption study of alkyl-silicas and methylsiloxy-silicas.

We report the synthesis and adsorption study of the lyophobic porous silicas. Four adsorbents were prepared and tested: (1) octyl-silica, (2) hexadecyl-silica, (3) bis(trimethylsiloxy)-silica, and (4) oligo(dimethylsiloxane)-silica. Octyl- and hexadecyl-silicas were prepared via the reaction of silica with (CH3)2NSi(CH3)2CnH(2n+1) (n=8 and 16), the reactions were carried under the optimized conditions yielding high bonding densities of alkyl groups approximately 2.9-3.0 groups/nm2 and highly uniform non-polar adsorbents. Bis(trimethylsiloxy)-silica was prepared via the reaction silica with ClSi(CH3)2(CH2)10Si(CH3)[OSi(CH3)3]2. Oligo(dimethylsiloxane)-silica was prepared via the reaction of silica with ClSi(CH3)2-[OSi(CH3)2]2-Cl. Adsorption of small organic compounds (n-alkanes, alkylbenzene, benzene, diethyl ether) was investigated using two methods, classical static adsorption and gas chromatography. Thermodynamic parameters (heat, Gibbs energy, and entropy) of the adsorption of organic compounds were studied as a function of the nature of adsorbate and of the nature of the bonded layer as well. The results obtained suggest penetration of the adsorbate molecules into the bonded layer and the importance of this process in the retention mechanism in gas chromatography. Energy of the dispersion interactions with the surface decreases in the following order: n-C16H33(CH3)2Si- > n-C8H17(CH3)2Si- > [(CH3)3SiO]2Si(CH3)-(CH2)10(CH3)2Si- > -[[(CH3)2SiO]2]x-(CH3)2Si-. Energy of the electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions with the surface, as assessed from the adsorption of benzene and diethyl ether molecules, decreases in the opposite direction, indicating that alkyl-silicas are less polar adsorbents than methylsiloxy-silicas.     

An efficient synthesis of the protected carbohydrate moiety of Brasilicardin A

A synthesis of the protected carbohydrate moiety 2 of Brasilicardin A starting from l-rhamnose and d-glucosamine is described. The disaccharide was synthesized using a TMSOTf-mediated glycosylation of the 2-phthalimido-2-deoxyglucose donor 5 and the 3-hydroxyl group of the protected L-rhamnose derivative 4, which already bears the 3-hydroxybenzoate unit. The imidate 2 was coupled via TMSOTf-mediated glycosidation with cholesterol as a model aglycone followed by the selective cleavage of all the acetate groups to give the Brasilicardin A analogue 16.     

Total synthesis of formamicin

The enantioselective total synthesis of the cytotoxic plecomacrolide natural product formamicin (1) is described. Key aspects of this synthesis include the efficient transacetalation reactions of MOM ethers 28 and 38 to form the seven-membered formyl acetals 29 and 39, a late-stage Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of the highly functionalized vinyl boronic acid 6 and vinyl iodide 7, a highly beta-selective glycosidation reaction of beta-hydroxy ketone 4 with 2,6-dideoxy-2-iodoglucopyranosyl fluoride 3, and the global desilylation of penultimate intermediate 77 mediated by in situ generated Et(3)N.2HF.     

Multiple C-H bond activation in group 3 chemistry: synthesis and structural characterization of an yttrium-aluminum-methine cluster

Complete donor-induced alkylaluminate cleavage of halfmetallocene complex Cp*Y(AlMe4)2, that is, treatment of Cp*Y(AlMe4)2 with 2 equiv of diethyl ether, produces [Cp*Y(mu2-Me)2]3 in high yield (95%). In contrast, the equimolar reaction of Cp*Y(AlMe4)2 with diethyl ether reproducibly formed complex [Cp*4Y4(mu2-CH3)2{(CH3)Al(mu2-CH3)2}4(mu4-CH)2] in low yield (10-30%) via a multiple C-H bond activation. The synthesis of the heterooctametallic yttrium-aluminum-methine cluster was also accomplished in moderate yield (47%) by the equimolar reaction of discrete Cp*Y(AlMe4)2 and [Cp*Y(mu2-Me)2]3 in the absence of any donor solvent and "free" AlMe3. This gives strong evidence that preformed heterometal-bridged Y-CH3-Al moieties are prone to multiple hydrogen abstraction in the presence of a highly basic reagent such as [Cp*Y(mu2-Me)2]3. The monocylopentadienyl complexes [Cp*Y(mu2-Me)2]3 and [Cp*4Y4(mu2-CH3)2{(CH3)Al(mu2-CH3)2}4(mu4-CH)2] were structurally characterized.     

Differing reactivities of (trimpsi)M(CO)(2)(NO) complexes [M = V,Nb, Ta; trimpsi = (t)BuSi(CH(2)PMe(2))(3)] with halogens and halogen sources

Treatment of (trimpsi)V(CO)(2)(NO) (trimpsi = (t)BuSi(CH(2)PMe(2))(3)) with 1 equiv of PhICl(2) or C(2)Cl(6) or 2 equiv of AgCl affords (trimpsi)V(NO)Cl(2) (1) in moderate yields. Likewise, (trimpsi)V(NO)Br(2) (2) and (trimpsi)V(NO)I(2) (3) are formed by the reactions of (trimpsi)V(CO)(2)(NO) with Br(2) and I(2), respectively. The complexes (trimpsi)M(NO)I(2)(PMe(3)) (M = Nb, 4; Ta, 5) can be isolated in moderate to low yields when the (trimpsi)M(CO)(2)(NO) compounds are sequentially treated with 1 equiv of I(2) and excess PMe(3). The reaction of (trimpsi)V(CO)(2)(NO) with 2 equiv of ClNO forms 1 in low yield, but the reactions of (trimpsi)M(CO)(2)(NO) (M = Nb, Ta) with 1 equiv of ClNO generate (trimpsi)M(NO)(2)Cl (M = Nb, 6; Ta, 7). Complexes 6 and 7 are thermally unstable and decompose quickly at room temperature; consequently, they have been characterized solely by IR and (31)P[(1)H] NMR spectroscopies. All other new complexes have been fully characterized by standard methods, and the solid-state molecular structures of 1.3CH(2)Cl(2), 4.(3/4)CH(2)Cl(2), and 5.THF have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. A convenient method of generating Cl(15)NO has also been developed during the course of these investigations.     

Molybdenum(VI) catalysts obtained from η3-allyl dicarbonyl precursors: synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance in cyclooctene epoxidation

The oxidative decarbonylation of the η(3)-allyl dicarbonyl complexes [Mo(η(3)-C(3)H(5))Cl(CO)(2)(L)] (L = 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) (1), 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (di-tBu-bipy) (2)) by reaction with aqueous tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) or H(2)O(2) gave the following compounds in good to excellent yields: the oxo-bridged dimers [MoO(2)Cl(L)](2)O (L = bipy (3), di-tBu-bipy (6)) using TBHP(10 equiv.)/CH(3)CN/r.t.; the molybdenum oxide/bipyridine hybrid material {[MoO(3)(bipy)][MoO(3)(H(2)O)]}(n) (4) and the octanuclear complex [Mo(8)O(24)(di-tBu-bipy)(4)] (7) using TBHP(50 equiv.)/H(2)O/70 °C; the oxodiperoxo complexes MoO(O(2))(2)(L) (L = bipy (5), di-tBu-bipy (8)) using H(2)O(2)(10 equiv.)/CH(3)CN/r.t. The structure of 7·x(solvent) (where solvent = CH(2)Cl(2) and/or diethyl ether) was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Despite possessing the same windmill-type complex as that described previously for 7·10CH(2)Cl(2), the crystal structure of 7·x(solvent) is unique due to differences in the crystal packing. Compounds 1-8 were examined as catalysts or catalyst precursors for the epoxidation of cyclooctene using aqueous TBHP or H(2)O(2) as oxidant at 55 or 70 °C. Reactions were performed without co-solvent or with the addition of water, ethanol or acetonitrile. Cyclooctene oxide was always the only reaction product. Solids recovered after 24 h reaction at 70 °C were identified by FT-IR spectroscopy as the hybrid 4 from (1,3-5)/TBHP, complex 5 from (1,3-5)/H(2)O(2), and complex 8 from (2,6-8)/H(2)O(2). With TBHP as oxidant, the highest epoxide yields (for 24 h reaction at 70 °C) were obtained using excess H(2)O as solvent (28-38% for 1,3-5; 87-98% for 2,6-8), while with H(2)O(2) as oxidant, the highest epoxide yields were obtained using CH(3)CN as solvent (54-81% for 3-8).     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-brefeldin A and 7-epi-brefeldin A

A convergent enantioselective route to brefeldin A (BFA) and 7-epi-BFA was developed. The key C-4/C-5 chiral centers were established by using chiral auxiliary induced intermolecular asymmetric aldolization in the presence of TiCl(4) and TMEDA. The results with the thiazolidinethione/TiCl(4) mediated intermolecular asymmetric aldolization added some new information about the scope and limitations to the existing knowledge of that type of reactions (which so far was essentially limited to the reactions with N-propionyl thiazolidinethiones). During the course a method for protecting the liable aldol hydroxyl groups by using inexpensive TBSCl in DMF with 2,6-lutidine as the base was developed to replace the otherwise unavoidable TBSOTf procedure. Due to the excessive steric hindrance, removal of the auxiliary was much more difficult than most literature cases. Cleavage of the oxazolidinone by reduction was almost impossible. The thiazolidinethione auxiliary was relatively easier to remove. However, several reactions reported for facile removal of thiazolidinethione auxiliaries in the literature still failed. Reductive removal of the thiazolidinethione auxiliary was most effectively realized with LiBH(4) in diethyl ether in the presence of 1 equiv of MeOH (a modification of a literature procedure for removal of oxazolidinone auxiliaries in less hindered substrates). Apart from the auxiliary removal, oxidation of the alcohol into aldehyde and the deprotection of the dithiolane protecting group were also rather difficult in the present context. A range of methods were screened before final solutions were found. The five-membered ring was constructed by employing an intramolecular Mukaiyama reaction after many attempts with the intramolecular aldolization under a variety of conditions failed. The rate of elimination of the alkoxyl to form the alpha,beta-double bond of the key intermediate cyclopentenone 49 with DBU was highly solvent dependent (very sluggish in CH(2)Cl(2) but rather fast in MeOH). Introduction of the lower chain (which was synthesized by using a Jacobsen KHR to establish the C-15 chirality) was achieved through a Michael addition similar to the precedents in the literature. It has not been noticed before that the yield of this Michael reaction could be dramatically raised by using 3 equiv of the copper-lithium reagent 55. Reduction of the C-7 carbonyl was apparently more difficult than similar cases in the literature. After examination of many reagents under various conditions, it was found that the best reagent for yielding the alpha-isomer was (S)-2-methyl-CBS-borolidine/BH(3) and that for the beta-isomer was L-Selectride. The alpha- and beta-isomers were then further elaborated into (+)-brefeldin A and 7-epi-BFA, respectively. An unexpected yet very interesting solubility difference between BFA and 7-epi-BFA was also observed.     

Theoretical study of the reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl and its product radicals and parent ether(CH3CH2OCH3) with OH

A dual-level direct dynamic method is employed to study the reaction mechanisms of CF3CH2OCHF2 (HFE-245fa2; HFE-245mf) with the OH radicals and Cl atoms. Two hydrogen abstraction channels and two displacement processes are found for each reaction. For further study, the reaction mechanisms of its products (CF3CH2OCF2 and CF3CHOCHF2) and parent ether CH3CH2OCH3 with OH radical are investigated theoretically. The geometries and frequencies of all the stationary points and the minimum energy paths (MEPs) are calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. The energetic information along the MEPs is further refined at the G3(MP2) level of theory. For reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl, the calculation indicates that the hydrogen abstraction from --CH2-- group is the dominant reaction channel, and the displacement processes may be negligible because of the high barriers. The standard enthalpies of formation for the reactant CF3CH2OCHF2, and two products CF3CH2OCHF2 and CF3CHOCHF2 are evaluated via group-balanced isodesmic reactions. The rate constants of reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl and CH3CH2OCH3 + OH are estimated by using the variational transition state theory over a wide range of temperature (200-2000 K). The agreement between the theoretical and experimental rate constants is good in the measured temperature range. From the comparison between the rate constants of the reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 and CH3CH2OCH3 with OH, it is shown that the fluorine substitution decreases the reactivity of the C--H bond.