The Intramolecular Interaction of Thiophene and Furan with Aromatic and Fluoroaromatic Systems in Some [3.3]Meta(heterocyclo)paracyclophanes: A Combined Computational and NMR Spectroscopic Study

Four thiophene‐ and furan‐containing [3.3]meta(heterocyclo)paracyclophanes were designed and synthesized to study the intramolecular interaction between standard heteroaromatic rings and tetra‐H‐ or tetra‐F‐substituted benzenes. A complete conformational analysis, carried out by DFT calculations and variable‐temperature NMR techniques, showed that, despite their structural similarity, these adducts have different conformational preferences and undergo different types of isomerizations depending on the nature of the heterocycle. The thiophene‐derived adducts adopted a parallel stacked arrangement of the aromatic systems in the ground‐state conformations. Their isomerization pathways involved a thiophene ring‐flip process passing through an edge‐to‐face arranged transition state in which the heterocycle is perpendicular to the benzene platform and its sulfur atom points toward the center of that ring. The threshold energy barrier to the ring‐flip process was higher by 10 kJ mol^?1 in the case of the adduct featuring the perfluorinated benzene. This difference was rationalized by assuming that the ground‐state conformations of the H‐ and F‐substituted compounds have different stability. On the contrary, the furan‐derived adducts were shown by calculations and NMR spectroscopy to adopt, in their ground‐state conformations, a perpendicular edge‐to‐face disposition of the rings with the oxygen atom pointing toward the benzene platform. The adoption of this arrangement was confirmed by X‐ray crystallography. In the case of these compounds, the isomerization process involved distortion of the CH₂SCH₂ bridges connecting the aromatic systems and the adoption of transition‐state geometries for which the rings were arranged in a parallel‐stacked orientation. Once again a very nice agreement was observed between the predicted and the experimentally determined geometries and pathways. In the case of the furan‐containing compounds, the threshold barriers were found to be much lower in energy that those observed for the thiophene derivatives. Remarkably, they were virtually independent of the presence of fluorine atoms on the platform benzene ring.     

Structure and Dynamic of Three Indole Alkaloids from the Campylospermum Genus (Ochnaceae)

A new indole alkaloid, calanthumindole ( 4 ), and three known biflavonoids, amentoflavone, sequoiaflavone, and podoscarpusflavone B, were isolated from Campylospermum calanthum (Ochnaceae). Calanthumindole is a new indole alkaloid of the serotobenine family characterized by the presence of a C?C bond between atoms C(7′) and C(8′) of the furan ring. This is the first compound to have a fully unsaturated furan ring among the members of this family. The combination of NMR and DFT allowed the determination and comparison of the 3D structures and relevant conformational characteristics of serotobenine ( 1 ), flavumindole ( 2 ), and calanthumindole ( 4 ).     

Core‐Modified Analogues of Expanded Porphyrins Containing Rigid β,β′‐Linked o‐Phenylene Bridges

Structural modifications that lead to the creation of π‐extended aromatic macrocyles involving a heterocyclic ring other than pyrrole and rigid β‐β′ linkages have not been well studied up to date. The rigidity caused by the conformational restriction would change the spectroscopic properties of the system as compared with those of the normal congeners. With these considerations, we have synthesized and fully characterized π‐extended, core modified expanded porphyrins bearing rigid bipyrrole units. Core‐modified naphthorubyrins were synthesized by the Lewis acid‐catalyzed condensation of naphthobipyrrole with thiophene/furan diols, whereas naphthosapphyrins were obtained by reacting 2,9‐diformyl‐naphthobipyrrole with 16‐thia/oxatripyrranes under mild reaction conditions. The core‐modified analogues of both naphthorubyrin and naphthosapphyrin displayed the aromatic character. The dithiarubyrin analogues showed a lack of conformational change as expected and displayed well‐resolved ¹H NMR resonances at room temperature. On the other hand, the oxasapphyrin analogue adopts a furan‐inverted geometry, and the ring inversion is independent of the protonation state. The oxanaphthosapphyrin also exhibited a weak fluorescence emission at 613 nm.     

Functional Dynamics of Deuterated β2‐Adrenergic Receptor in Lipid Bilayers Revealed by NMR Spectroscopy

G‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) exist in conformational equilibrium between active and inactive states, and the former population determines the efficacy of signaling. However, the conformational equilibrium of GPCRs in lipid bilayers is unknown owing to the low sensitivities of their NMR signals. To increase the signal intensities, a deuteration method was developed for GPCRs expressed in an insect cell/baculovirus expression system. The NMR sensitivities of the methionine methyl resonances from the β₂‐adrenergic receptor (β₂AR) in lipid bilayers of reconstituted high‐density lipoprotein (rHDL) increased by approximately 5‐fold upon deuteration. NMR analyses revealed that the exchange rates for the conformational equilibrium of β₂AR in rHDLs were remarkably different from those measured in detergents. The timescales of GPCR signaling, calculated from the exchange rates, are faster than those of receptor tyrosine kinases and thus enable rapid neurotransmission and sensory perception.     

Furoyl phosphonates

A series of furoyl phosphonates bearing methyl, methoxymethyl, and diethoxyphosphorylmethyl groups in the furan ring have been synthesized via the Arbuzov reaction from the corresponding acid chlorides. NMR spectral parameters of the prepared compounds were studied. The values of coupling constants between the phosphorus nuclei and the carbon nuclei of the furan ring have been examined with relation to the location of the acylphosphoryl group in the furan ring, the nature of second substituent, and location of the latter with respect to the phosphorus-containing substituent in the furan ring. The substitution in position 4 of the furan ring of 3-furoyl phosphonates has been shown to strongly decrease the value of the coupling constant between the phosphorus nucleus and the C² atom of the heterocycle. The interaction between the phosphorus nuclei has not been detected in the spectra of the compounds containing both diethoxyphosphorylmethyl and acylphosphonate fragments.     

Studies on the furan series. Part VII. A preparation of 2,3-Di(2-furyl and thienyl)furans

Furoin reacts smoothly with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate via a Michael addition, which is followed by a dihydrofuran ring formation. After elimination of water the previously unknown 2,3-di(2-furyl)furan structure is produced. Thenoin gives a side reaction to yield a fumaric acid derivative in addition to the expected 2,3-di(2-thienyl)furan. A mechanism for the side reaction is suggested. The reactivities of the prepared new furan structures towards some oxidation, hydrogenation and electrophilic reagents were determined.     

Excited state aromatization assisted push-pull abilities of two unsaturated oxazolone derivatives

Molecular structures of two unsaturated oxazolone derivatives involving furan rings, which are decorated with p-tolyl (FurM) and 4-nitro phenyl (FurN), were investigated by X-ray crystallography and quantum chemical calculations. Their ground and excited states were examined by DFT and TD-DFT computations with the aid of topological electron density studies, NBO and Charge Decomposition Analysis. Both compounds have push-pull (D–π–A) framework using oxazolone ring as π-linker. Depending on the transitions from the ground to excited states, intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) in both compounds results in aromatization of oxazolones. Push-pull ability of FurN has more pronounced than that of FurM. The use of furan instead of almost fully aromatic benzenoid ring reduces HOMO?LUMO band gap due to relatively low aromaticity level of furan. Introduction of nitro substituent leads to a further reduction in HOMO?LUMO gap. In addition, electronic redistribution in the excited state results in aromatization of oxazolone moieties without elongation of carbonyl bonds.     

Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript> Clusters (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis> = 2–7) Interaction with Furan Ring: DFT Studies over Iron Surface Suitability for Furan Adsorption

The interaction of different iron clusters (Fe₂, Fe₃, Fe₄, Fe₅, Fe₆ and Fe₇) with furan compound was studied by density functional theory (DFT) and the results show that the compound possess suitable structural and electronic parameters for the metal adhesion. After analyzing the binding energy and molecular orbital studies, it is found that there is a bond between furan ring and metal. In the molecular orbital, since the HOMO localizes over furan ring, especially over C2=C3–C4=C5, the furan acts as donator (HOMO) and metal performs as acceptor (LUMO) in the interaction of furan with iron surface, transferring the high charge density mainly from the delocalization region of furan ring to the metal (L(σ) → Fe).     

Ab initio and experimental study of the K-shell spectra of 2,5-dihydrofuran

The K-shell spectra of gaseous 2,5-dihydrofuran at the carbon and oxygen thresholds are reported for the first time. They have been measured using the inner-shell electron energy loss spectroscopy (ISEELS) method. Ab initio Configuration Interaction calculations have been carried out to assign the observed bands. The O1s spectrum is similar to that of tetrahydrofuran and the assignments of the bands are close to those obtained in the case of furan, excepting the furan first π* band. At the C1s edge, the spectrum differs from the furan case, because of the different chemical environment of one of the non-equivalent carbon atoms: due to the presence of hydrogen atoms out of the carbon–oxygen ring plane, several Rydberg core excited states have an important valence character, leading to large intensities in the experimental spectrum.     

Matrix isolation and low temperature solid state FTIR spectroscopic study of alpha-furil

Alpha-furil [C(4)H(3)O-C(=O)-C(=O)-C(4)H(3)O] has been isolated in argon and xenon matrices and studied by FTIR spectroscopy, supported by DFT(B3LYP)/6-311++G(d,p) calculations. The obtained spectra were fully assigned and revealed the presence in the matrices of three different conformers, all of them exhibiting skewed conformations around the intercarbonyl bond with the two C(4)H(3)O-C(=O) fragments nearly planar. The three conformers differ in the orientation of the furan rings relative to the carbonyl groups: the most stable conformer, I (C(2) symmetry; O=C-C=O intercarbonyl dihedral equal to 153.1 degrees), has both furan rings orientated in such a way that one of their beta-hydrogen atoms approaches the oxygen atom of the most distant carbonyl group, forming two H-C=C-C-C=O six-membered rings; the second most stable conformer, II (C(1) symmetry; O=C-C=O intercarbonyl dihedral equal to 126.9 degrees ), has one furan ring orientated as in I, while the second furan group is rotated by ca. 180 degrees (resulting in an energetically less favourable H-C=C-C=O five-membered ring); in the third conformer, III (C(2) symmetry; O=C-C=O dihedral equal to 106.2 degrees ), both furan rings assume the latter orientation relative to the dicarbonyl group. The theoretical calculations predicted the two higher energy forms being 5.85 and 6.22 kJ mol(-1) higher in energy than the most stable form, respectively, and energy barriers for conformational interconversion higher than 40 kJ mol(-1). These barriers are high enough to prevent observation of conformational isomerization for the matrix isolated compound. The three possible conformers of alpha-furil were also found to be present in CCl(4) solution, as well as in a low temperature neat amorphous phase of the compound prepared from fast condensation of its vapour onto a suitable 10 K cooled substrate. On the other hand, in agreement with the available X-ray data [S. C. Biswas, S. Ray and A. Podder, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1987, 134, 541], the IR spectra obtained for the neat low temperature crystalline state reveals that, in this phase, alpha-furil exists uniquely in its most stable conformational state, I.     

Are isolated nucleic acid bases really planar? A Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics study

Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations of the flexibility of isolated DNA bases have been carried out. The comparison of lowest ring out-of-plane vibrations calculated by using MP2/cc-pvdz and BLYP/PW methods reveals that the DFT method with the plane wave basis set reasonably reproduces out-of-plane deformability of the pyrimidine ring in nucleic acid bases and could be used for reliable modeling of conformational flexibility of nucleobases. The conformational phase space of pyrimidine rings in thymine, cytosine, guanine, and adenine has been investigated by using the ab initio Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics method. It is demonstrated that all nucleic acid bases are highly flexible molecules and possess a nonplanar effective conformation of the pyrimidine ring despite the fact that the planar geometry corresponds to a minimum on the potential energy surface. The population of the planar geometry of the pyrimidine ring does not exceed 30%. Among the nonplanar conformations of the pyrimidine rings, the boat-like and half-chair conformations are the most populated.     

Inelastic neutron scattering and infrared spectroscopic study of furan adsorption on alkali-metal cation-exchanged faujasites.

Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) as well as infrared (IR) transmission and diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectra of furan adsorbed on Li-LSX, NaY, NaX, K-LSX, and CsNaX zeolites have been measured in the range 2000-200 and 4000-1300 cm(-1), respectively. On the basis of an assignment of normal modes of furan taken from the literature and our own quantum chemical calculations of vibrational frequencies, the observed frequency shifts between bulk furan and furan adsorbed on the zeolites mentioned above have been interpreted in view of the interactions between furan and zeolite. For an explanation of frequency shifts of CH out-of-plane bendings, CH stretchings and some ring vibrations, it has to be assumed that in addition to the interaction between furan and the corresponding cation of the zeolite, a further interaction between the CH bonds and lattice oxygen atoms exists.     

Synthesis and Conformational Preferences of a Potential beta-Sheet Nucleator Based on the 9,9-Dimethylxanthene Skeleton

A 4,5-disubstituted-9,9-dimethylxanthene-based amino acid (10) has been synthesized for incorporation into peptide sequences which have a propensity to adopt beta-sheet structure. Molecular dynamics studies support the FT-IR and NMR results which demonstrate that amides based on this residue utilize the NH and the C=O from the xanthene residue to form an intramolecular hydrogen bond (13-membered ring), unlike the previously studied dibenzofuran-based amino acid residues in which the NH and the C=O of the attached amide groups participate in intramolecular hydrogen bonding (15-membered ring). Interestingly, residue 10 derivatized as a simple amide prefers to adopt a trans conformation where the aliphatic side chains are placed on opposite sides of the plane of the 9,9-dimethylxanthene ring system. This is different than the conformational preferences of the dibenzofuran-based amino acids which adopt a cis conformation that is preorganized to nucleate beta-sheet formation. It will be interesting to see how these conformational differences effect nucleation in aqueous solution.     

The furan approach to oxacycles: synthesis of medium-size 2,3-disubstituted oxacycles

We describe an efficient new approach for the synthesis of medium-size oxacycles that is based on the oxidation of a furan ring with singlet oxygen followed by an intramolecular Michael addition. This present study enlarges the scope of the furan approach strategy for the synthesis of oxepanes.     

Polyfuryl(Aryl)alkanes and their derivatives. 6. Stereochemistry of intramolecular rotations about the C-C+ bonds in aryl(Alkyl)difurylcarbonium ions

It was demonstrated by dynamic ¹H NMR spectroscopy that for difurylmethyl and gem-difurylethyl cations conformational changes are realized through rotation of one of the furan rings, whereas in the case of aryldifurylmethyl cations conformational transformations take place as the simultaneous rotation of two aromatic rings; the correlated rotation of the two furan rings proceeds with smaller energy expenditures.For Communication 5 see [1].Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 450–455, April, 1993.     

Copper-catalyzed addition of water affording highly substituted furan and unusual formation of naphthofuran ring from 3-(1-alkenyl)-2-alkene-1-al

We have developed a novel one-pot reaction to generate highly substituted furan through the addition of water followed by oxidation and unusual cyclization to naphthofuran ring under the same reaction condition.     

A conformational analysis of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine

An extensive conformational analysis of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) was performed at the semiempirical AM1 level with full relaxation of all geometric parameters and careful consideration of furan puckering and the rotational states of the thymine—furan, furan—azide, furan—methylene, and methylene—hydroxyl bonds. The search located 70 conformers, 21 of which have relative energies within 2.5 kcal/mol of the global minimum. Several geometric features, including various forms of hydrogen bonding, within this selected lowenergy subset were examined in terms of their relative contributions to the conformational states of AZT. Hydrogen bonding of thymine's position 2 carbonyl oxygen atom to the hydroxymethyl group (O₂? ;HO), which until recently has not been mentioned in the literature, is observed in a few low-energy AM1 conformations; however, this form is less favored at the AM1 level than the usually depicted modes involving the thymine moiety with the oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl and furan groups (H₆? ;OH and H₆? O_fur, as observed in the two crystallographically independent structures), as well as that involving the hydroxyl hydrogen and furan oxygen atoms (OH? O_fur, which also has not been mentioned for AZT in the literature until recently). The AM1-optimized geometries agree more closely with nuclear magnetic resonance data than with crystallographic structures and bear little resemblance to molecular mechanics results. The present study shows no evidence of a single dominant conformation or single structural parameter that determines AZT's conformational states. In contrast to our previous analogous study of cGMP, this computational study of AZT does not show strong evidence of a syn conformation with hydrogen bonding involving the base.     

Lactam acetals

The rate of deuteration of 1-methyl-2-aryliminolactams depends on the electronic character of the substituent in the benzene ring and on the size of the lactam ring. Deuterium exchange proceeds at the highest rate in piperidine derivatives that have electron-donor substituents in the benzene ring.