Mechanism of rhodium(III)-catalyzed formal C(sp3)H activation/spiroannulation of α-arylidene pyrazolones with alkynes: A computational study

DFT calculations were performed to investigate the rhodium-catalyzed formal C(sp³)-H activation/ spiroannulation of α-arylidene pyrazolones with alkynes. The calculations indicate that the spiroannulation through the proposed C-C reductive elimination is kinetically unfeasible. Instead, the C-C coupling from the eight-membered rhodacycle was proposed to account for the experimental results     

Exploring the activities of vanadium,niobium, and tantalum PNP pincer complexes in the hydrogenation of phenyl-substituted CN,CN, CC,CC, and CO functional groups

The structures and stability of the designed PNP pincer amido M(NO)₂(PNP) and amino ^HM(NO)₂(PN^HP) complexes [M = V, Nb, and Ta, PNP = N(CH₂CH₂P(isopropyl)₂)₂, PN^HP = HN(CH₂CH₂P(isopropyl)₂)₂] and their hydrogenation mechanisms for phenyl-substituted unsaturated functional groups have been explored at the B3PW91 level of density functional theory. Under H₂ environment, these conjugated complexes can form equilibrium and fulfill the criteria of metal–ligand cooperated bifunctional hydrogenation catalysts. For the hydrogenation of Ph-CN, Ph-CHNH, Ph-CHNH-Ph, Ph-CHNCH₂Ph, Ph-CCH, Ph-CHCH₂, Ph-CHO, and Ph-COCH₃, the reaction prefers either a two-step or one-step mechanism for the hydridic MH and protonic NH transfer. These results clearly show that the V, Nb, and Ta complexes are promising catalysts for the hydrogenation reactions, and these provide experimental challenges.     

Nucleophilic substitution of 4-bromomethyltriazolium with different nucleophiles

1,2,3-Triazolium salts draw much attentions in recent years. We developed a new synthetic method to heteroatom-functionalized triazoliums via nucleophilic substitution of 4-bromomethyltriazolium. This method afforded triazoliums with different S, N, and O heteroatom-substituents. Moreover, S_N2′ reaction was observed with alcohols or hydroxides. In addition, debromination and debromomethylation reaction occurred in some cases.     

Transition-metal-catalyzed CH functionalization for late-stage modification of peptides and proteins

The present review surveyed the progress achieved in the late-stage modification of peptides and proteins utilizing transition- metal-catalyzed C-H functionalization with C-C and C-X (F, Cl, O, N, B, etc.) bonds formation.     

Frequencies and absorption intensities of the fundamental and the first overtone of NH stretching vibrations of pyrroleacetylene and pyrroleethylene complexes studied by density-functional-theory calculation

The structures of pyrroleacetylene and pyrroleethylene complexes which form an NH–π hydrogen bonding were calculated by density-functional-theory calculation. The wavenumbers and absorption intensities of the fundamental and the first overtone of NH stretching of the complexes were investigated to compare effects of the hydrogen bonding on the fundamental and the first overtone of the NH stretching mode. One-dimensional Schrödinger equation in consideration of molecular vibrational anharmonicity was used for the estimation of the wavenumbers and absorption intensities of NH stretching modes of the complexes; it was found that the NH–π hydrogen-bond formation induced lower wavenumber shift for both the fundamentals and first-overtones of NH stretching mode and it increases absorption intensities of the fundamentals and decreases those of first overtones of NH stretching mode.     

Ni–Mo2C supported on alumina as a substitute for Ni–Mo reduced catalysts supported on alumina material for dry reforming of methane

In this study, alumina-supported NiMo catalysts were carburized to obtain alumina-supported nickel–molybdenum carbides as potential catalysts for dry reforming of methane. The typical carbide was compared with a low carburized material (in 5% H₂/CH₄) and a reduced NiMo catalyst. It was shown that the passivated alumina-supported NiMo catalysts by carbon lead to higher reactivity, selectivity, and stability for dry methane reforming reaction.     

Late stage modification of peptides via CH activation reactions

Recently developed strategies for late stage modification of peptides through CH activation, an arena of contemporary interest in chemical biology and drug discovery, are discussed. Through this tactic, non-polar amino acids in peptides have been selectively functionalized and CH activation enabled new CC and CX bond formations (arylation, alkynylation, fluorination, hydroxylation, azidation, etc.) are documented. Significant advances have been made in Pd or Au-catalyzed, racemization-free, tryptophan specific modifications of large peptides via CH arylation and alkynylation reactions without any protecting group requirement. Development of a new biaryl stapling technique for complex peptides, 18F radiofluorine introduction and diversity oriented post synthetic applications on bio-active cyclopeptides like valinomycin and aureobasidin are additional highlights which underscores the vast potential of late stage CH activation reactions in peptide based therapeutics research.     

Oxidation and reduction of nanodiamond particles in colloidal solutions by laser irradiation or radio-frequency plasma treatment

Functionalized nanodiamond particles (NDs) represent carbon nanomaterial with unique properties for various applications. Here we report on a new approach to surface modification of NDs by their exposure to radio frequency (RF) plasma or laser irradiation (LI) plasma directly in aqueous solution. By using grazing angle reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and supporting analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, zeta-potential, and Kelvin force microscopy we show that surface chemistry of NDs produced by detonation process (DNDs) or high-pressure high-temperature process (HPHT NDs) works in different way. Moieties on as-received NDs are dominated by COOH and COC groups due to wet chemical cleaning procedures. On DNDs, both RF and LA treatment lead to removal of sp² shell and additional oxidation of the surface to C OC groups. On HPHT NDs the RF treatment leads to reduction of COC groups that are transformed into COH and CH moieties. Thus at least partial hydrogenation of colloidal HPHT NDs seems feasible.     

Infrared Spectral Assignment of Pyrimidine and Pyrazine in the CH Stretching Region by an Effective Spectroscopic Hamiltonian

Mid-Infrared spectra of pyrimidine (PM) and pyrazine (PZ) were recorded in the gas phase using a multi-pass long path gas cell. The IR band structure of these compounds above and below 3000 cm⁻¹ is very broad and contains many humps and shoulders. These humps and shoulders are due to various higher quantum excitation of low-frequency vibrational modes, which participate in Fermi resonance with the nearby CH stretch fundamentals and appears in this region. We constructed an Effective Spectroscopic Hamiltonian (ESH) in a mixed local mode (LM) normal mode (NM) basis to assign the various overtone and combination bands in the CH stretching region of these compounds. The CH stretching vibrations of both PZ and PM were treated as symmetrized anharmonic Morse oscillators in local coordinates and the in-plane deformations down to 1000 cm⁻¹ were treated as normal coordinates. The ESHs were diagonalized and the resulting eigenvalues were subsequently fitted in a given parameter space with the experimentally observed bands. The eigenvalues of the converged Hamiltonian are the anharmonic frequencies and the transition intensities were obtained by summing the squared eigenvector components. The overtone and combination transitions near 3000 cm⁻¹ of both PM and PZ were identified and assigned from the eigenvector coefficients of the ESH matrix. The wavefunctions of a pure CH stretch, overtone of the HCC in-plane bend and due to Type 1 Fermi coupling (resonance between a fundamental with an overtones of a low frequency mode, in this case resonance between the CH strech and the overtone of HCC in-plane bending modes) has been demonstrated pictorially.     

Rh（Ⅱ） carbene S-H insertion into H2S via the stepwise mechanism

The mechanism of Rh(Ⅱ)carbene S-H insertion into H_2S in gas phase has been studied by B3LYP functional.Calculation results showed that the Rh(Ⅱ)carbene S-H insertion into H_2S took only stepwise channels and no concerted channels had been located, which was different from the Rh(Ⅱ)carbene C-H and O-H insertions.     

DFT study of the IR and Raman spectra of a fluorescent dendron built from cyclotriphosphazene core

Combined experimental and theoretical studies on molecular structure of the zero generation dendron, built from the hexafunctional cyclotriphosphazene core, with five OC₆H₄(CH₂)₂NHSO₂C₁₀H₆N(CH₃)₂ terminal groups and one oxybenzaldehyde group G₀ are reported. The Fourier transform Raman and IR spectra of G₀ have been recorded. Conformations of low energy isomers of G₀ have been studied at quantum-chemical level. The optimized geometry has been calculated by density functional (DFT) method at the PBE/TZ2P level of theory. The theoretical geometrical parameters, harmonic vibrational frequencies, IR intensities and Raman scattering activities are predicted in a good agreement with the experimental data. It was found that dendron molecule G₀ has a concave lens structure with planar OC₆H₄CHO fragments and slightly non-planar cyclotriphosphazene core. Relying on DFT calculations the bands of the core and terminal groups were assigned. The frequencies of ν(NH) bands in the IR spectrum reveal the presence of the H-bonds in the dendron.     

Ni(II) complexes of some polyfunctional n-Naphthylideneamino acids

A new series of amino acid Schiff base Ni(II) complexes of 2-hydroxy- 1 -naphthaldehyde with glycine,l-alanine,l-valine,l-leucine,dl-isoleucine,dl-norleucine,l-serine andl-aspartic acid has been prepared by constituent combination. The structure of the complexes is investigated by microanalysts, conductance, electronic and IR spectral measurements. It is concluded that the bivalent anions of the Schiff bases coordinated to Ni(II) as a tetradentate ligand (ONOO), in the case of the aspartic acid moiety, or as a tridentate ligand (ONO) in the case of the other amino acid moieties. The structure of the Ni(II) complexes is suggested to be square planar.     

Two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy studies on the thermal-induced mesophase of 4-nitrobenzohydrazide derivative

Two-dimensional (2D) correlation infrared (IR) spectroscopy has been applied to explore the effect of hydrogen bondings (HBs) on the structure of mesophase in the dissymmetrical 4-nitrobenzohydrazide derivative, N-(4-cetyloxybenzoyl)-N′-(4′-nitrobenzoyl) hydrazine (C16-NO₂). The strength and species of HBs as well as the heat-induced structural variations in mesophase have been investigated. It has been found from 2D correlation IR spectroscopy that the sequential order of changes in the different functionalities in the course of liquid crystalline formation is that, firstly, the alkyl chain changes from the significant population of the trans conformation to the significant population of gauche conformation; then, the intermolecular HB between CO and NH groups is weakened, some even being broken, and consequently, the intermolecular distance is enlarged; finally, the skeleton of phenyl ring has enough space to change their conformation to weaken the π–π stacking interaction. In addition, besides a few free and some medium bonded NH and CO groups, strongly bonded NH and CO groups still predominantly exist in the mesophase.     

A theoretical study on the alkene insertion step in Rh-Yanphos catalyzed hydroformylation

This paper studied the mechanism of the alkene insertion elementary step in the asymmetric hydroformylation （AHF） catalyzed by RhH（CO）2[（R,S）-Yanphos] using four alkene substrates （CH2=CH- Ph, CH2=CH-Ph-（p）-Me, CH2=CH-C（==O）OCH3 and CH2=CH-OC（=O）-Ph, abbreviated as A1-A4）. Interestingly, the equatorial vertical coordination mode （A mode） with respect to the Rh center was found for AI and A2 but not for A3 and A4, although the equatorial in-plane coordination mode （E mode） was found for A1 -A4. The relative energy of the E mode of the -q2-intermediates is lower than that of the A mode. In the alkene insertion step, Path 1 is more favorable than Path 2 for this system. As for AI and A2, there could be a transformation between 2eq and 2ax.     

Palladium-catalyzed direct C2-arylation of free (NH) indoles via norbornene-mediated regioselective CH activation

A palladium-catalyzed direct C2-arylation reaction of free (NH) indoles has been developed. This reaction relies on a norbornene-mediated CH activation process on the indole ring, which features high regioselectivity and excellent functional group tolerance.     

The investigation on the NH reactivity of pentacoordinate spirophosphoranes by H/D exchange and NMR experiments

Different pentacoordinate spirophosphoranes were investigated by H/D exchange and NMR tracking experiments. The H/D exchanged site of spirophosphoranes was confirmed to be the NH bond instead of the PH bond according to the integration of the signal changes in proton-decoupled, proton-coupled ³¹P NMR and ¹H NMR tracking experiments. The reactivity of NH bond at the spiroring of spirophosphoranes was explored by the rate constant of H/D exchange of different spirophosphoranes. The results demonstrated that the reactivity of NH bond of spirophosphoranes was influenced by steric hindrance and the species of substituent at phosphorus atom, and the electronic effect of the substituent was the main effect factor on the reactivity of the NH bond. The strong electron-withdrawing group at phosphorus resulted in more reactive NH bond of spirophosphoranes. These results are beneficial to further understand and explore the characteristics of pentacoordinate spirophosphoranes.     

In silico quest for stable phosphastannaallenes

A computational study at different levels of theory was performed for the not yet synthesized phosphastannaallenes >SnCP– in order to evaluate the strength of the SnC bond, the main postulated factor to stabilize such species, and the geometry in R₂SnCPR derivatives. The influence of the substituents with various electronic effects (H, Me, Ph, F, Cl, OMe, SiMe₃) at the Sn or P atoms of the SnCP unit on the SnC bond order was evaluated in the quest for a substituent that would stabilize the phosphastannaallenic unit. PC bond orders have also been calculated.     

Metal- and solvent-free,iodine-catalyzed cyclocondensation and CH bond sulphenylation: A facile access to C-4 sulfenylated pyrazoles via a domino multicomponent reaction

We describe herein a green and efficient MCRs protocol to synthesize C-4 sulfenylated pyrazoles by iodine-catalyzed cyclocondensation and direct CH bond sulphenylation reactions. Through this protocol, two new CN bonds and one CS bond are constructed simultaneously in a single step. This method provides a straightforward and sustainable way to construct valuable sulfenylated pyrazoles under metal- and solvent-free conditions.     

Computational study of Rh(I)-Catalyzed Cycloaddition–Fragmentation of N-cyclopropylacrylamides

Rh-catalyzed cycloaddition–fragmentation of N-cyclopropylacrylamides is an effective method to directly obtain substituted azocanes. In this transformation, the challenging step is insertion of CO and alkene into the more hindered proximal cyclopropane CC bond while avoiding competitive less hindered proximal CC activation. Given the importance of this novel strategy, we performed a density functional theory study to clarify the catalytic mechanism. The calculations confirm that cleavage of the more hindered bond is more favorable than cleavage of the less hindered bond for Rh-catalyzed (7 + 1) cycloaddition of N-cyclopropylacrylamides. Comparison between Rh-catalyzed (3 + 1 + 2) and (7 + 1) cycloaddition shows that the coordination mode with different ligand plays a crucial role in enabling different CC cleavage. The main factors responsible for the occurrence of β-hydride elimination rather than CC reductive elimination are also discussed. The kinetic preference for β-hydride elimination can be attributed to the transition state of CC reductive elimination being more distorted and forming in a much more concerted fashion than that of β-hydride elimination. Additionally, C4H elimination is disfavored owing to weaker interaction energy compared with C7H elimination by analyzing using the distortion/interaction model.     

A one-pot,two-step synthesis of 3-deazacanthin-4-ones via sequential Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura and Cu-catalyzed Buchwald-Hartwig reactions

3-Deazacanthin-4-one and nine analogues, including the 8-aza analogue, were prepared rapidly and in high yields from 8-iodoquinolones and 2-chloro(het)arylboronic acids. The strategy involves construction of the central B ring via concomitant Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura CC and Cu-catalyzed Buchwald-Hartwig CN coupling reactions.