The Absolute Configuration of (+)‐Ethyl cis‐1‐Benzyl‐3‐hydroxypiperidine‐4‐carboxylate and (+)‐4‐Ethyl 1‐Methyl cis‐3‐Hydroxypiperidine‐1,4‐dicarboxylate; a Revision

Discrepancies between chiroptical data from the literature and our determination of the structure of the title compounds (+)‐ 5 and (+)‐ 9a were resolved by an unambiguous assignment of their absolute configuration. Accordingly, the dextrorotatory cis‐3‐hydroxy esters have (3R,4R)‐ and the laevorotatory enantiomers (3S,4S)‐configuration. The final evidences were demonstrated on both enantiomers (+)‐ and (?)‐ 5 by biological reduction of 4 by bakers' yeast and stereoselective [Ru^II(binap)]‐catalyzed hydrogenations of 4 (Scheme 2), by the application of the NMR Mosher method on (+)‐ and (?)‐ 5 (Scheme 3), as well as by the transformation of (+)‐ 5 into a common derivative and chiroptical correlation (Scheme 4).     

Stereoselective Synthesis of (−)‐(1R,1′R,5′R,7′R)‐1‐Hydroxy‐exo‐brevicomin and (+)‐exo‐Brevicomin from 3,4,6‐Tri‐O‐acetyl‐D‐glucal

Stereoselective syntheses of (?)‐(1R,1′R,5′R,7′R)‐1‐hydroxy‐exo‐brevicomin ( 1 ) and (+)‐exo‐brevicomin ( 2 ) were accomplished from 3,4,6‐tri‐O‐acetyl‐D ‐glucal ( 5 ; Schemes 2 and 3). Chemoselective reduction, Grignard reaction, Barton? McCombie deoxygenation, and ketalization were used as key steps.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Insertion of α‐Diazoesters into Vinyl Halides To Generate α,β‐Unsaturated γ‐Amino Esters

As easy as 1, 2, 3 : A palladium‐catalyzed three‐component coupling generates α,β‐unsaturated γ‐amino acids in a single step (see scheme). The reaction is believed to involve migration of a vinyl substituent to a highly electrophilic palladium carbene. Unlike previous synthetic approaches, this synthesis provides access to γ‐amino acids with non‐natural side chains.

     

The solid‐state emmissive chalcone (2E)‐1‐(5‐chlorothiophen‐2‐yl)‐3‐[4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl]prop‐2‐en‐1‐one

Orange rectangular blocks suitable for X‐ray diffraction analysis were obtained for the previously reported [Ahmad & Bano (2011). Int. J. ChemTech Res. 3 , 1470–1478] title chalcone, C₁₅H₁₄ClNOS. This solid‐emissive chalcone exhibits a planar structure and the bond parameters are compared with related compounds already described in the literature. The determination of the structure of this chalcone is quite relevant because it will play an important role in theoretical calculations to investigate potential two‐photon absorption processes and could also be useful for studying the interaction of such compounds with a biological target.     

First Stereoselective Synthesis of the Cytotoxic Polyketide (4R)‐1‐(3,5‐Dihydroxyphenyl)‐4‐hydroxypentan‐2‐one

The first stereoselective synthesis of the cytotoxic polyketide (4R)‐1‐(3,5‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐4‐hydroxypentan‐2‐one ( 1 ) was achieved from readily available propylene oxide and 3,5‐dimethoxybenzyl alcohol. The synthesis involves Jacobsen's hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) and Grignard reaction as key steps.     

1‐Thiacyclooct‐4‐yne (=5,6‐Didehydro‐3,4,7,8‐tetrahydro‐2H‐thiocin), and Its Sulfoxide and Its Sulfone

1‐Thiacyclooct‐4‐yne (=5,6‐didehydro‐3,4,7,8‐tetrahydro‐2H‐thiocin; 9 ) can be prepared from thiocan‐5‐one ( 6 ) in three steps by applying the so‐called selenadiazole method. The heterocyclic alkyne can be oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxide 16 and sulfone 17 . Due to their geometrical strain, all three cyclic alkynes show high reactivities in Diels? Alder and 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions. Moreover, tetrathiafulvalenes can be prepared from 9 and 16 by the reaction with CS₂.     

RhI‐Catalyzed Regio‐ and Stereospecific Carbonylation of 1‐(1‐Alkynyl)cyclopropyl Ketones: A Modular Entry to Highly Substituted 5,6‐Dihydrocyclopenta[c]furan‐4‐ones

Efficient route : A novel Rh^I‐catalyzed regio‐ and stereospecific carbonylation reaction of (1‐alkynyl)cyclopropyl ketones by selective activation of a carbon? carbon σ bond of the cyclopropane ring was demonstrated (see scheme). This method provides a general, efficient, stereoselective route to synthesise 1,3,5‐trisubstituted and 1,3,5,6‐tetrasubstituted 5,6‐dihydrocyclopenta[c]furan‐4‐one with convertible functional groups.

     

Electronic Structure Analysis of the Oxygen‐Activation Mechanism by FeII‐ and α‐Ketoglutarate (αKG)‐Dependent Dioxygenases

α‐Ketoglutarate (αKG)‐dependent nonheme iron enzymes utilize a high‐spin (HS) ferrous center to couple the activation of oxygen to the decarboxylation of the cosubstrate αKG to yield succinate and CO₂, and to generate a high‐valent ferryl species that then acts as an oxidant to functionalize the target C? H bond. Herein a detailed analysis of the electronic‐structure changes that occur in the oxygen activation by this enzyme was performed. The rate‐limiting step, which is identical on the septet and quintet surfaces, is the nucleophilic attack of the distal O atom of the O₂ adduct on the carbonyl group in αKG through a bicyclic transition state (^{5, 7}TS1). Due to the different electronic structures in ^{5, 7}TS1, the decay of ⁷TS1 leads to a ferric oxyl species, which undergoes a rapid intersystem crossing to form the ferryl intermediate. By contrast, a HS ferrous center ligated by a peroxosuccinate is obtained on the quintet surface following ⁵TS1. Thus, additional two single‐electron transfer steps are required to afford the same Fe^IV–oxo species. However, the triplet reaction channel is catalytically irrelevant. The biological role of αKG played in the oxygen‐activation reaction is dual. The αKG LUMO (C?O π*) serves as an electron acceptor for the nucleophilic attack of the superoxide monoanion. On the other hand, the αKG HOMO (C1? C2 σ) provides the second and third electrons for the further reduction of the superoxide. In addition to density functional theory, high‐level ab initio calculations have been used to calculate the accurate energies of the critical points on the alternative potential‐energy surfaces. Overall, the results delivered by the ab initio calculations are largely parallel to those obtained with the B3LYP density functional, thus lending credence to our conclusions.     

A One‐Pot Organometallic Route from a 4‐Alkenylpyridine to a 4,4‐Spiro‐Linked Ethyl 1,4‐Dihydropyridine‐1‐carboxylate

In a one‐pot process without isolation of intermediates, (but‐3‐en‐1‐yl)pyridine ( 13 ) is treated sequentially with dicyclohexylborane, trimethylaluminium, and ethyl carbonochloridate yielding ethyl 1,4‐dihydro‐4,4‐(tetramethylene)pyridine‐1‐carboxylate (=ethyl 8‐azaspiro[4.5]deca‐6,9‐diene‐8‐carboxylate; 2 ) in 46% yield based on starting alkenylpyridine 13 (Scheme 5).     

Transition‐Metal‐Free Formal Sonogashira Coupling and α‐Carbonyl Arylation Reactions

Transition‐metal‐free formal Sonogashira coupling and α‐carbonyl arylation reactions have been developed. These transformations are based on the nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) of β‐carbonyl sulfones to electron‐deficient aryl fluorides, producing a key intermediate that, depending on the reaction conditions, gives the aromatic alkynes or α‐aryl carbonyl compounds. The development of these reactions is presented and, based on investigations under basic and acidic conditions, mechanisms have been proposed. To develop the formal Sonogashira coupling further, a milder, two‐step protocol is also disclosed that expands the reaction concept. The scope of these reactions is demonstrated for the synthesis of Sonogashira and α‐carbonyl arylated products from a range of electron‐deficient aryl fluorides with a variety of functional groups and aryl‐, heteroaryl‐, alkyl‐, and alkoxy‐substituted sulfone nucleophiles. These transition‐metal‐free reactions complement the metal‐catalyzed versions in terms of substitution patterns, simplicity, and reaction conditions.     

Preparation,Properties, and Reactions of Metal‐Containing Heterocycles. CX [1] Crystal Structure of 1, 1'‐Bis{[4‐(1, 10‐phenanthroline‐3‐yl‐ethynyl)‐2, 5‐dipropoxy‐phenyl]ethynyl}ferrocene

The crystal structure of 1, 1'‐bis{[4‐(1, 10‐phenanthroline‐3‐yl‐ethynyl)‐2, 5‐dipropoxy‐phenyl]ethynyl}ferrocene ( 1 ) is reported. This compound crystallizes with two chloroform solvent molecules in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c (No. 14), a = 15.4253(11), b = 23.2003(10), c = 17.2630(13) Å, β = 90.866(9)° and Z = 4. Both arms of the ferrocene moiety are parallel displaced with the four nitrogen atoms pointing to the same direction.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structures,and Fungicidal Activity of Novel 1,5‐Diaryl‐3‐(glucopyranosyloxy)‐1H‐pyrazoles

Five novel pyrazole‐coupled glucosides, 1,5‐diaryl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl 2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosides 5a – 5e , were synthesized by the phase‐transfer catalytic reaction of 1,5‐diaryl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐ols 4a – 4e with acetobromo‐α‐D ‐glucose in H₂O/CHCl₃ under alkaline conditions, using Bu₄N⁺Br^? as catalyst. Then, glucosides 5a – 5c were deacetylated in a solution of Na₂CO₃/MeOH to yield the 1,5‐diaryl‐3‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐1H‐pyrazoles 6a – 6c . Their structures were characterized by ¹H,¹H‐COSY, ¹H‐, ¹³C‐, and ¹⁹F‐NMR spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis. The structures of 5d and 6c were also determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. A preliminary in vitro bioassay indicated that compounds 4e and 5d exhibited excellent‐to‐medium fungicidal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum at the dosage of 10 μg/ml.     

Cobalt‐Mediated Linear 2:1 Co‐oligomerization of Alkynes with Enol Ethers to Give 1‐Alkoxy‐1,3,5‐Trienes: A Missing Mode of Reactivity

A variety of 1,6‐heptadiynes and certain borylalkynes co‐oligomerize with enol ethers in the presence of [CpCo(C₂H₄)₂] (Cp=cyclopentadienyl) to furnish the hitherto elusive acyclic 2:1 products, 1,3,5‐trien‐1‐ol ethers, in preference to or in competition with the alternative pathway that leads to the standard [2+2+2] cycloadducts, 5‐alkoxy‐1,3‐cyclohexadienes. Minor variations, such as lengthening the diyne tether, cause reversion to the standard mechanism. The trienes, including synthetically potent borylated derivatives, are generated with excellent levels of chemo‐, regio‐, and diastereoselectivity, and are obtained directly by decomplexation of the crude mixtures during chromatography. The cyclohexadienes are isolated as the corresponding dehydroalkoxylated arenes. In one example, even ethene functions as a linear cotrimerization partner. The alkoxytrienes are thermally labile with respect to 6π‐electrocyclization–elimination to give the same arenes that are the products of cycloaddition. The latter, regardless of the mechanism of their formation, can be viewed as the result of a formal [2+2+2] cyclization of the starting alkynes with acetylene. One‐pot conditions for the exclusive formation of arenes are developed. DFT computations indicate that cyclohexadiene and triene formation share a common intermediate, a cobaltacycloheptadiene, from which reductive elimination and β‐hydride elimination compete.     

4‐Carboxypiperidinium 1‐carboxycyclobutane‐1‐carboxylate

The title salt, C₆H₁₂NO₂⁺·C₆H₇O₄⁻ or ISO⁺·CBDC⁻, is an ionic ensemble assisted by hydrogen bonds. The amino acid moiety (ISO or piperidine‐4‐carboxylic acid) has a protonated ring N atom (ISO⁺ or 4‐carboxypiperidinium), while the semi‐protonated acid (CBDC⁻ or 1‐carboxycyclobutane‐1‐carboxylate) has the negative charge residing on one carboxylate group, leaving the other as a neutral –COOH group. The –⁺NH₂– state of protonation allows the formation of a two‐dimensional crystal packing consisting of zigzag layers stacked along a separated by van der Waals distances. The layers extend in the bc plane connected by a complex network of N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds. Wave‐like ribbons, constructed from ISO⁺ and CBDC⁻ units and described by the graph‐set symbols C₃³(10) and R₃³(14), run alternately in opposite directions along c. Intercalated between the ribbons are ISO⁺ cations linked by hydrogen bonds, forming rings described by the graph‐set symbols R₆⁶(30) and R₄²(18). A detailed analysis of the structures of the individual components and the intricate hydrogen‐bond network of the crystal structure is given.     

Synthesis of Nickel(II) Azacorroles by Pd‐Catalyzed Amination of α,α′‐Dichlorodipyrrin NiII Complex and Their Properties

Synthesis of nickel(II) complexes of meso‐aryl‐substituted azacorroles was performed by Buchwald–Hartwig amination of a dipyrrin Ni^II complex with benzylamine through C? N and C? C coupling. The highly planar structure of Ni^II azacorroles was elucidated by X‐ray diffraction analysis. ¹H NMR analysis and nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) calculation on Ni^II azacorrole revealed its distinct aromaticity with [17]triaza‐annulene 18π conjugation. In addition, acylation of azacorrole selectively afforded N‐ and C‐acylated azacorroles depending on the reaction conditions, showing the dual reactivity of azacorroles.