2,4‐Bis(o‐tolyl)‐3‐azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan‐9‐one

The crystal structure of the title compound, C₂₂H₂₅NO, confirms that the bicyclic ring system adopts the chair–chair conformation. The phenyl rings are equatorially disposed with respect to the bicyclic ring. There is a slight deviation from the chair conformation in the case of the cyclo­hexane ring.     

Stereochemistry and opioid receptor affinity of 2,4‐dipyridine‐3,7‐diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanones ‐ influence of the substituent in position N7

The stereochemistry the 2,4‐di‐arene substituted 3,7‐diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan‐9‐one 1,5‐dicarboxylate skeleton was found to be regulated by the kind of substituents attached to the arene rings as well as to the nitrogens N3 and N7. Conformational isomers, i.e., chair/chair, boat/chair and chair/boat, in addition to cis/trans conflgurational isomerism with respect to the arene rings were reported. Since the analgesic potency of the diazabicyclononanones, which is related to their affinity toward the κ‐opioid receptor, is governed by the stereochemistry of the molecules, the influence of the substituents at nitrogen N7 was studied herein. The various differently N7 substituted diazabicyclononanones were found to crystallise in a highly symmetrical chair/chair conformation. However, beside HZ2 none of the compounds exhibits high affinity to the κ receptor. In contrast, some compounds with affinity to the μ receptor could be identified. In addition, the N7‐(4‐carboxybenzyl) substituted compound was found to have affinity to the δ receptor in the submi‐cromolar range of concentration.     

Intramolecular [2+2] Photocycloaddition Reactions as an Entry to the 2‐Oxatricyclo[4.2.1.04, 9]nonan‐3‐one Skeleton of Lactiflorin

Two [2+2] photocycloaddition routes were evaluated as possible ways to access the tricyclic core structure found in the terpene monoglycoside lactiflorin. While the first route via γ‐substituted cyclopentenones was quickly discarded, the reactions of racemic (5R*)‐3‐benzyloxy‐5‐but‐3′‐enyl‐4‐methoxycarbonylfuran‐2(5 H)‐ones proceeded in high yields and with perfect diastereoselectivity. However, it turned out that the regioselectivity was strongly dependent on the substitution pattern within the but‐3′‐enyl chain, which connects the terminal olefinic double bond to the photoexcited butenolide chromophor. If the chain was unsubstituted or if a tert‐butyldimethylsilyloxy group was placed at the 2′ position in a syn‐relationship to the existing stereogenic center (5R*,2′S*), the crossed product prevailed with regioselectivities of 89:11 to 69:31. If the tert‐butyldimethylsilyloxy group was positioned at 2′ in an anti‐relationship to the existing stereogenic center (5R*,2′R*), the desired straight products were obtained in regioselectivities of 74:24 to 55:45 (61–83 % yield). Following this route, the aglycon part of lactiflorin was obtained by an intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition and a subsequent hydrogenolysis in 53 % yield. Its further conversion into the natural product after glycosylation included a methyl addition to the lactone carbonyl group, which was optimized to give the desired key intermediate in a yield of 70 %. The further conversion to lactiflorin was achieved in four steps and with an overall yield of 49 %.     

Hydrogen‐bonded and π‐interaction assembly in two 8‐alkoxycarbonyl‐1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐enium chloride salts

The crystal structures of 8‐phenoxycarbonyl‐1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐enium chloride, C₁₆H₂₁N₂O₂⁺·Cl⁻, (I), and 8‐methoxycarbonyl‐1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐enium chloride monohydrate, C₁₁H₁₉N₂O₂⁺·Cl⁻·H₂O, (II), recently reported by Carafa, Mesto & Quaranta [Eur. J. Org. Chem. (2011), pp. 2458–2465], are analysed and discussed with a focus on crystal interaction assembly. Both compounds crystallize in the space group P2₁/c. The crystal packings are characterized by dimers linked through π–π stacking interactions and intermolecular nonclassical hydrogen bonds, respectively. Additional intermolecular C—H...Cl interactions [in (I) and (II)] and classical O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds [in (II)] are also evident and contribute to generating three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded networks.     

Two 2,6‐Dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan‐3‐ones from Phragmanthera capitata (Spreng.) Balle (Loranthaceae)

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Phragmanthera capitata collected on Cassia spectabilis tree led to the isolation of two natural lactones, rel‐(1R,5S,7S)‐7‐[2‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]‐2,6‐dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan‐3‐one ( 1 ) and 4‐{2‐[rel‐(1R,3R,5S)‐7‐oxo‐2,6‐dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]non‐3‐yl]ethyl}phenyl 3,4,5‐trihydroxybenzoate ( 2 ) together with the known compounds betulinic acid ( 3 ), dodoneine ( 4 ), quercetin 3‐O‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranoside ( 5 ), quercetin 3‐O‐α‐L ‐arabinofuranoside ( 6 ), quercetin ( 7 ), betulin ( 8 ), lupeol ( 9 ), and sitosterol ( 10 ). Their structures were established by means of modern spectroscopic techniques, and the relative configuration of compound 1 was confirmed by X‐ray analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 were tested in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity against the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine sensitive‐strains NF54 and 3D7. Compound 2 exhibited good antiplasmodial activity against both strains with IC₅₀ of 2.4 and 4.9 μM , respectively, while compound 1 was inactive.     

1,3‐Dihydro‐2H‐imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridin‐2‐one

A facile acid catalysed cyclisation method for the preparation of the cyclic urea 2H‐imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridin‐2‐one ( 2 ) in > 95 % yield is reported. The biologically active compound 2 can be obtained by heating (3‐amino‐4‐pyridinyl)‐carbamic acid methyl, ethyl or tert‐butyl esters ( 1a‐c ) in sulfuric acid (0.1 %) or in aqueous HBF₄ (3.5 equivalents) for 10 min. ‐ 3 hrs at 90 °C. The corresponding microwave‐promoted (MW) reactions afforded the pure product 2 within few minutes. The 6‐butylamino‐substituted analogue ( 2a ) was correspondingly obtained by MW irradiation in 99 % yield by cyclisation of 2‐(butylamino)‐5‐amino‐4‐pyridylcarbamic acid isopropyl ester ( 1d ). Quantitative precipitation of product 2 was obtained by pH adjustment. The process represents a solvent‐free, “green” method for the preparation of 2 .     

C—H⋯π and π–π interactions in the supramolecular structure of 3‐methyl‐1,4‐diphenyl‐1H‐pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridine

The supramolecular structure of the title compound, C₁₉H₁₅N₃, is defined by π–π‐stacking and C—H?π interactions. There are no conventional hydrogen bonds in the structure.     

Donor–acceptor‐integrated conjugated polymers based on carbazole[3,4‐c:5,6‐c]bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole with tight π–π stacking for photovoltaics

An original strategy to construct a new donor–acceptor (D–A)‐integrated structure by directly imposing “pull” unit on the “push” moiety to form fused ring architecture has been developed, and poly{N‐alkyl‐carbazole[3,4‐c:5,6‐c]bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole‐alt‐thiophene} (PCBTT) with D–A‐integrated structure, in which two 1,2,5‐thiadiazole rings are fixed on carbazole in 3‐, 4‐ and 5‐, 6‐position symmetrically and thiophene is used as bridge, has been synthesized. The interaction between pull and push units has fine tuned the HOMO/LUMO energy levels, and the resulting copolymer covers the solar flux from 300 to 750 nm. The interaction between pull and push units is worth noting that due to the fused five rings inducing strong intermolecular interaction, an extremely short π–π stacking distance of 0.32 nm has been achieved for PCBTT both in powder and solid states. This is the shortest π–π stacking distance reported for conjugated polymers. Additionally, an obvious intramolecular charge transfer and energy transfer from donor units to acceptor units have been detected in this D–A integration. A moderate‐to‐high open‐circuit voltage of ～0.7 V in PCBTT:[6,6]‐phenyl‐C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) (w/w = 1/2) solar cells is achieved due to the low‐lying HOMO energy level of PCBTT. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Substituted 4‐alkoxy‐7‐Cl‐quinolines exhibiting π–π stacking

The molecules of 4‐allyloxy‐7‐chloroquinoline, C₁₂H₁₀ClNO, (I), 7‐chloro‐4‐methoxyquinoline, C₁₀H₈ClNO, (II), and 7‐chloro‐4‐ethoxyquinoline, C₁₁H₁₀ClNO, (III), are all planar. In all three structures, π–π interactions between the quinoline ring systems are generated by unit‐cell translations along the a axes, irrespective of space group. These structures are the first reported for 4‐alkoxyquinolines.     

Oxa[7]superhelicene: A π‐Extended Helical Chromophore Based on Hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronenes

A novel π‐extended “superhelicene” based on hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronenes (HBCs) has been synthesized by an efficient four‐step synthetic procedure starting from diphenyl ether. Comprehensive structural analysis of the helicene was performed by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry measurements together with X‐ray analysis. Physicochemical analysis of the superhelicene and suitable HBC references revealed it had outstanding fluorescent features with quantum yields of over 80 %.     

Herring‐bone π–π interactions in trans‐2,6‐diphenyl‐2,3,5,6‐tetrahydrothiapyran‐4‐one

The structure of the title compound, C₁₇H₁₆OS, is primarily stabilized by T‐shaped and parallel‐displaced aromatic clusters. The distances between the centroids of the aromatic pairs are in the range 4.34–5.30 Å. In the crystal packing, the mol­ecules dimerize by means of π–π interactions of both face‐to‐face and edge‐to‐face types, and the aromatic rings associate in a cyclic edge‐to‐face tetrameric arrangement of the herring‐bone type. These herring‐bone interactions appear to insulate hydrogen‐bond interactions in the crystal structure.