5,5‐Di­methoxy‐2‐phenoxy‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphorinane 2‐oxide

In the title compound, C₁₁H₁₅O₆P, the six‐membered dioxa­phospho­rinane ring of the cyclic phosphate triester exists in a distorted chair conformation, with the phenoxy group in an axial position. The phenyl ring and both methoxy groups are in a trans–gauche orientation with respect to the 1,3,2‐di­oxa­phospho­rinane ring. In the phosphate group, a significant deformation from the ideal tetrahedral shape is observed. The crystal structure is stabilized by a three‐dimensional network of C—H⋯O interactions.     

Application of Novel Glycosides Prepared with Odorless Benzenethiols in Glycosylation Reaction

p‐Dodecylbenzenethiol (1) and p‐octyloxybenzenethiol (2) were synthesized as new odorless benzenethiols. Moreover, preparation of novel 1‐thioglycosides using 1 and 2 as well as their application for glycosylation reactions was performed. As a result, it was found that these 1‐thio‐glycosides were excellent glycosyl donors, and especially 2‐thio‐sialoside prepared from 1 and 2 afforded the best result to date in terms of α‐ and β‐selectivity in the sialylation where only the single C‐3 hydroxyl group of acceptor D‐galactopyranoside was free. All procedures from the preparation of thioglycosides to glycosylation reaction were attainable under completely odorless conditions.     

Influence of Side Chain Conformation on the Activity of Glycosidase Inhibitors

Substrate side chain conformation impacts reactivity during glycosylation and glycoside hydrolysis and is restricted by many glycosidases and glycosyltransferases during catalysis. We show that the side chains of gluco and manno iminosugars can be restricted to predominant conformations by strategic installation of a methyl group. Glycosidase inhibition studies reveal that iminosugars with the gauche,gauche side chain conformations are 6- to 10-fold more potent than isosteric compounds with the gauche,trans conformation; a manno-configured iminosugar with the gauche,gauche conformation is a 27-fold better inhibitor than 1-deoxymannojirimycin. The results are discussed in terms of the energetic benefits of preorganization, particularly when in synergy with favorable hydrophobic interactions. The demonstration that inhibitor side chain preorganization can favorably impact glycosidase inhibition paves the way for improved inhibitor design through conformational preorganization.     

Low‐Concentration 1,2‐trans β‐Selective Glycosylation Strategy and Its Applications in Oligosaccharide Synthesis

This study develops an operationally easy, efficient, and general 1,2‐trans β‐selective glycosylation reaction that proceeds in the absence of a C2 acyl function. This process employs chemically stable thioglycosyl donors and low substrate concentrations to achieve excellent β‐selectivities in glycosylation reactions. This method is widely applicable to a range of glycosyl substrates irrespective of their structures and hydroxyl‐protecting functions. This low‐concentration 1,2‐trans β‐selective glycosylation in carbohydrate chemistry removes the restriction of using highly reactive thioglycosides to construct 1,2‐trans β‐glycosidic bonds. This is beneficial to the design of new strategies for oligosaccharide synthesis, as illustrated in the preparation of the biologically relevant β‐(1→6)‐glucan trisaccharide, β‐linked Gb₃ and isoGb₃ derivatives.     

Infrared spectra of some isotopomers of isopropylamine: A theoretical study

The normal‐mode frequencies and the corresponding vibrational assignments of some isotopomers of isopropylamine are examined theoretically using the Gaussian 94 set of quantum chemistry codes at the MP2 level of theory using a 6‐311g** basis set. In particular deuteration of the NH₂ hydrogen atoms as well as the deuteration of the CH₃ hydrogen atoms, the α‐CH hydrogen atom, and various combinations of deuteration of isopropylamine are examined. Correction factors for predominant vibrational motions are reported and compared for a number of isotopomers of s‐trans‐ and gauche‐isopropylamine. Comparison of theoretically predicted infrared spectra with experimental spectra is made for isotopomers for which experimental data exist. Enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy changes are considered for the trans→gauche transformation. An amino torsional potential is deduced and barrier heights are calculated for the trans→gauche, gauche→trans, and gauche→gauche transformations. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 72: 109–126, 1999     

An ab initio interpretation in gas phase and aqueous solution of the generalized anomeric effect in R?O?CR2?NR2 (R = H,CH3)

The conformational stability of aminomethanol and its methylated derivatives has been investigated by means of ab initio methods in the gas phase and aqueous solution. Among the computational levels employed, HF/6‐31G**//HF/6‐31G** calculations correctly describe the conformational features of this series of compounds, and agree well with the results obtained using larger basis sets and including ZPE or electron correlation corrections. Calculated energies and geometries follow the known trends associated to the generalized anomeric effect. Thus, the most stable conformers exhibit preferences for the trans orientations of the Lp N C O and Lp O C N moieties. However, reverse anomeric effects are observed when a methyl group is bonded to the oxygen, because the Lp O C N unit prefers a gauche orientation (that is, trans Me O C N). The natural bond orbital (NBO) method was employed to explain the cited conformational preferences. According to the NBO results, trans arrangements are preferred because the stabilization due to charge delocalization is more important than electrostatic and steric contributions. This explanation agrees with the conclusions obtained by other independent procedures based on energy decomposition schemes. The NBO method was also used to explain the origin of the rotational barriers around the C O and C N bonds in terms of the balance between unfavorable hyperconjugation and electrostatic and steric effects. Changes in conformational stability caused by methylations in different molecular positions were also explained by the influence of the methyl groups on lone‐pair delocalization and on steric effects. Finally, the effect of solvation was studied by means of the ab initio PCM method, and the significant changes on relative energies found were analyzed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 462–477, 2000     

Diastereoselective synthesis of linear‐fused tricyclic nitrogen heterocycles by a tandem reduction‐reductive amination reaction

A two‐step diastereoselective synthesis of linear‐fused tricyclic nitrogen heterocycles has been developed from cyclic β‐ketoesters. The cyclization substrates are readily prepared by alkylation of the methyl 2‐oxo‐cycloalkanecarboxylates with 2‐nitrobenzyl bromide. Hydrogenation of these substrates initiates a reaction sequence involving (1) reduction of the aromatic nitro group, (2) condensation of the resulting hydroxyl‐amine or aniline nitrogen with the cycloalkanone and (3) reduction of the imine. The products are isolated in high yield as single diastereomers having the trans‐fused ring junction. The observed selectivity is rationalized in terms of a steric effect imposed by the ester group in the final reductive amination step which directs the incoming hydrogen to the opposite face of the molecule. By comparison, reductive cyclizations of substrates lacking the stereodirecting ester group give mixtures of cis and trans products with a preference for the cis‐fused heterocycle.     

Shapes and Internal Dynamics of the 1:1 Adducts of Ammonia with trans and gauche Ethanol: A Rotational Study

Two 1:1 adducts of ammonia with ethanol have been characterized by using pulsed‐jet FT microwave spectroscopy. They are formed with two different (trans and gauche), stable conformers of ethanol. Several internal‐dynamics effects are reflected in the features of the rotational spectra. The trans complex shows the tunneling effects owing to internal rotation of both ammonia and the methyl group. The rotational transitions of the gauche species exhibit a small splitting that is related to tunneling through the potential‐energy barrier between the two equivalent minima.     

Analyse Conformationnelle par RMN du Proton des Oxo-2 Oxathiazannes-1,2,3 (Sulfinamates Cycliques) Diversement Substitués en 3, 4 et 6

In this study, carried out with 16 compounds, the chair form with an axial S?O group (CA) is found, in the absence of C-4, C-5 and C-6 substituents, to be the most stable (ΔG>8,4 kJ mole^?1), as previously reported for analogous cyclic sulfites. When methyl or tert-butyl substituents are present on the 4 and 6 carbon atoms, the conformation of the ring depends on their respective orientation towards the S?O group, and on the nature of the substituent of the nitrogen atom. For the trans isomers, the conformation remains anancomeric chair (CA) except when important gauche interactions exist: thus the strong Me/tBu gauche interaction in the 3-tert-butyl-4-t-methyl-2-r-oxo-1,2,3-oxathiazan induces a twist form with a 3,6-axis and an axial S?O group (CNA). When the 4- or 6-substituent is cis, the conformation of the sulfinamate may be either a chair form with an axial S?O group (CA), if the 4-substituent is a methyl, (even with a tert-butyl group in the 3-position which would be in the axial orientation) or a twist form with a 1,4-axis and an axial S?O group (COA) if the 4-substituent is a tert-butyl. Unlike cyclic sulfites, the equatorial SO chair form (CE) and the twist forms with a 2,3-axis and an isoclinal S?O group (CS, CS′) are rarely involved.     

Structural and Conformational Aspects of Equatorial and Axial Trifluoromethyl,Difluoromethyl, and Monofluoromethyl Groups

The X‐ray crystal structures of cis‐ and trans‐1‐(indol‐3‐yl)‐4‐methyl cyclohexane and its congeners with stepwise fluorination of the methyl group are reported. The trans‐configured compounds adopted diequatorial conformations, whereas the cis analogues adopted regular cyclohexane chair conformations with the methyl group preferentially assuming the axial position, even in the case of the CF₃ group. Surprisingly, although the axial CF₃ derivative displayed distinct valence deformations in the cyclohexane moiety, the observed structural changes were relatively modest. The cis derivatives with axial mono‐ and difluorinated methyl groups exhibited conformational disorder in the crystals with significant population levels for the staggered conformations that had one fluorine atom in the endo position; their respective trans counterparts adopted unique conformations, but again with one fluorine atom in the endo position. Theoretical calculations for a series of cis‐ and trans‐1,4‐dimethyl cyclohexane model compounds with stepwise fluorination of one equatorial or axial methyl group reproduced the experimentally observed structural response patterns very well, reproduced the experimentally determined nonlinear correlation of the axial–equatorial energy difference with the degree of methyl fluorination in a satisfactory manner, and provided further insights into important conformational aspects of partially fluorinated methyl groups.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of 4,5‐Diethylidene‐Oxazolidinones as New Dienes in Diels‐Alder Reactions

The N‐substituted isomeric (4Z,5Z)‐ and (4E,5Z)‐4,5‐diethylideneoxazolidin‐2‐ones 5 and 6 were synthesized, the latter being favored during the one‐step process from the α‐diketone 1c and different isocyanates. The steric interaction between the N‐substituent and the Me group attached to the exocyclic diene moiety plays a decisive role in controlling the observed stereoselectivity, as suggested by the calculated free energies of the two isomers. Both dienes undergo efficient additions to symmetric dienophiles in thermal Diels‐Alder reactions to yield the adducts 11 and 13 , respectively. These molecules displayed interesting C−H⋅⋅⋅π, and C−H⋅⋅⋅X (X=O, Cl) interactions according to their X‐ray crystal structures. Isomers 6 suffered highly stereo‐ and regioselective additions with nonsymmetrical dienophiles such as methyl vinyl ketone or methyl propiolate. Steric interactions, promoted by the inward‐pointing Me group in 6 , seem to explain such selectivity. These results have also been rationalized by ab initio calculations in terms of the FMO theory.     

Isochroman derivatives and their tendency to crystallize in chiral space groups

In methyl [5‐methoxy‐4‐(4‐methoxy­phenyl)­isochroman‐3‐yl]­acetate, C₂₀H₂₂O₅, (I), and methyl [4‐(2,5‐di­methoxy­phenyl)‐8‐methoxy­isochroman‐3‐yl]­acetate, C₂₁H₂₄O₆, (II), the heterocyclic rings adopt half‐chair conformations. The substituents at the 3‐ and 4‐positions are in a trans configuration in both (I) and (II), being in an axial conformation in (I) and in an equatorial conformation in (II). The crystal structure of (I) is stabilized by weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding, leading to the formation of an infinite three‐dimensional network. Compound (II) crystallizes in a chiral space group. This feature, which was also found in previously investigated isochroman derivatives, is related to the arrangement of substituents attached to the isochroman moiety.     

Stereocontrolled Annulations of Indolo[2,3‐a]quinolizidine‐Derived Lactams with a Silylated Nazarov Reagent: Access to Allo and Epiallo Yohimbine‐Type Derivatives

The facial selectivity of double Michael addition reactions of the silylated Nazarov reagent 4 to unsaturated indolo[2,3‐a]quinolizidine lactams 3 has been studied. Pentacyclic 3‐H/15‐H trans adducts 5 are generated from N_ind‐unsubstituted lactams, but the corresponding cis isomers 6 are formed when the indole nitrogen has a tert‐butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) substituent. This reversal in the facial selectivity of the annulation has been rationalized by means of theoretical calculations, which indicate that the initial nucleophilic attack under stereoelectronic control is hampered by the presence of the bulky Boc group. The synthetic usefulness of the pentacyclic Nazarov‐derived adducts is demonstrated by their conversion into allo and epiallo yohimbine‐type targets.     

Analysis of the nitrile and methyl torsional vibrations of n‐propyl cyanide in its S0 electronic state

This work presents a structural and vibrational theoretical study of n‐propyl cyanide as a function of the nitrile and methyl torsional modes. A potential energy hypersurface is built at the MP4(SDQ)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ//MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ theory level. The equilibrium structure is found in a gauche conformation. Another minimum is found for the trans form. The maximum appears in a cis conformation. For the first time, the interconversion barriers between the different forms are calculated. A two‐dimensional anharmonic vibrational Hamiltonian is built for the nitrile and methyl torsional modes. We find the vibrational energy levels to organize in two stacks associated to the gauche and trans forms. Fundamental frequencies of 113.12 and 220.54 cm^?1 are predicted for the nitrile and methyl torsions in the equilibrium, gauche, conformer. In addition, we find symmetry allowed transitions between the gauche and trans energy levels stacks. The lowest transition is predicted to appear at 24.49 cm^?1. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

7‐Methoxy‐1H‐indazole,a new inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase

The crystal structure of 7‐methoxy‐1H‐indazole, C₈H₈N₂O, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, shows that the methoxy group lies in the plane of the indazole system with its methyl group located trans to the indazole N—H group. The crystal packing consists principally of hydrogen‐bonded trimers. Intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions are formed between the indazole N atoms, with the N—H group as a hydrogen‐bond donor and the remaining N atom as an acceptor.     

Two ethyl 2-deoxy-α-d-hexo-3,7-pyranoso-3-octulosonate derivatives

In each of the two pyran­oid sugars, ethyl 2-deoxy-4,5,6,8-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d -gluco-3,7-pyran­oso-3-octulosonate, C₁₈H₂₆O₁₂, and ethyl 2-deoxy-4,5,6,8-tetra-O-benzyl-α-d -galacto-3,7-pyranoso-3-octulosonate, C₃₈H₄₂O₈, the anomeric configuration is α. The acetoxy­methyl substituent on the hexo­pyran­ose ring of the former compound and the ethoxy­carbonyl­methyl substituents in both sugars all have the gauche–trans conformation, while the benzyl­oxy­methyl substituent of the galacto­pyran­ose sugar has the trans–gauche conformation. In each structure, the anomeric hydroxy group forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond with the carbonyl O atom of the ethoxy­carbonyl­methyl substituent.     

Structural insights into methyl‐ or methoxy‐substituted 1‐(α‐aminobenzyl)‐2‐naphthol structures: the role of C—H…π interactions

Aminobenzylnaphthols are a class of compounds containing a large aromatic molecular surface which makes them suitable candidates to study the role of C—H…π interactions. We have investigated the effect of methyl or methoxy substituents on the assembling of aromatic units by preparing and determining the crystal structures of (S,S)‐1‐{(4‐methylphenyl)[(1‐phenylethyl)amino]methyl}naphthalen‐2‐ol, C₂₆H₂₅NO, and (S,S)‐1‐{(4‐methoxyphenyl)[(1‐phenylethyl)amino]methyl}naphthalen‐2‐ol, C₂₆H₂₅NO₂. The methyl group influenced the overall crystal packing even if the H atoms of the methyl group did not participate directly either in hydrogen bonding or C—H…π interactions. The introduction of the methoxy moiety caused the formation of new hydrogen bonds, in which the O atom of the methoxy group was directly involved. Moreover, the methoxy group promoted the formation of an interesting C—H…π interaction which altered the orientation of an aromatic unit.     

(1R*,2R*)‐1,2‐(2,3‐Di­methoxy­butane‐2,3‐dioxy)cyclo­hexane

The title compound, 2,3‐di­methoxy‐2,3‐di­methyl‐5,6,7,8‐tetra­hydro‐4‐oxa­chroman, C₁₂H₂₂O₄, was synthesized as a model compound for substituted diequatorial fixed vicinal trans‐cyclo­hexane­diols.     

Judicious Ligand Design in Ruthenium Polypyridyl CO2 Reduction Catalysts to Enhance Reactivity by Steric and Electronic Effects

A series of Ru^II polypyridyl complexes of the structural design [Ru^II(R?tpy)(NN)(CH₃CN)]²⁺ (R?tpy=2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine (R=H) or 4,4′,4′′‐tri‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine (R=tBu); NN=2,2′‐bipyridine with methyl substituents in various positions) have been synthesized and analyzed for their ability to function as electrocatalysts for the reduction of CO₂ to CO. Detailed electrochemical analyses establish how substitutions at different ring positions of the bipyridine and terpyridine ligands can have profound electronic and, even more importantly, steric effects that determine the complexes’ reactivities. Whereas electron‐donating groups para to the heteroatoms exhibit the expected electronic effect, with an increase in turnover frequencies at increased overpotential, the introduction of a methyl group at the ortho position of NN imposes drastic steric effects. Two complexes, [Ru^II(tpy)(6‐mbpy)(CH₃CN)]²⁺ (trans‐[ 3 ]²⁺; 6‐mbpy=6‐methyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine) and [Ru^II(tBu?tpy)(6‐mbpy)(CH₃CN)]²⁺ (trans‐[ 4 ]²⁺), in which the methyl group of the 6‐mbpy ligand is trans to the CH₃CN ligand, show electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction at a previously unreactive oxidation state of the complex. This low overpotential pathway follows an ECE mechanism (electron transfer–chemical reaction–electron transfer), and is a direct result of steric interactions that facilitate CH₃CN ligand dissociation, CO₂ coordination, and ultimately catalytic turnover at the first reduction potential of the complexes. All experimental observations are rigorously corroborated by DFT calculations.     

5‐Methyl‐6‐aza‐2′‐deoxy­isocytidine

In the title compound, 3‐amino‐2‐(2‐deoxy‐β‐d ‐erythro‐pento­furan­osyl)‐6‐methyl‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5(2H)‐one, C₉H₁₄N₄O₄, the conformation of the N‐glycosidic bond is high‐anti and the 2‐deoxy­ribo­furan­osyl moiety adopts a North sugar pucker (²T₃). The orientation of the exocyclic C—C bond between the –CH₂OH group and the five‐membered ring is ap (gauche, trans). The crystal packing is such that the nucleobases lie parallel to the ac plane; the planes are connected via hydrogen bonds involving the five‐membered ring.