Total synthesis of attenols A and B

A concise approach for the total synthesis of attenols A and B is described involving MacMillan’s α-aminooxylation, Evan’s asymmetric alkylation, Brown’s allylation, and spiro-ketalization as key steps. This approach has successfully demonstrated the α-aminooxylation protocol for the construction of the anti-1,3-diol unit.     

Coinage metal complexes with N’NN’ and SeNSe ligands – Pincer vs bridging coordination pattern

The reactions of the ligands 2,6-(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₅H₃N (N’NN’) (1) and 2,6-(PhSeCH₂)₂C₅H₃N (SeNSe) (4) with different coinage metal starting materials gave 1:1, 2:1 or 1:2 metal-to-ligand species, i.e. [Ag(N’NN’){O(O)CCF₃}] (2), [{Ag(PPh₃)}₂(N’NN’)](OTf)₂ (3), [Au(SeNSe)Cl]Cl₂ (5), [Ag(PPh₃)(SeNSe)](OTf) (6), [Cu(MeCN)(SeNSe)](PF₆) (7) or [Cu(SeNSe)₂](PF₆) (8). The new compounds were investigated by IR, multinuclear NMR spectroscopies as well as mass spectrometry. In most cases, the ligands 1 and 4 act as pincer ligands. An attempt to grow single crystals of 2 gave an unexpected result. The crystal investigated by X-ray diffraction proved to be a polynuclear species, [Ag₄(N’NN’){O(O)CCF₃}₄(EtOH)]_n (2a), which contains an unusual, bimetallic triconnective coordination pattern of the N’NN’ ligand. Two tetranuclear [Ag₄(N’NN’){O(O)CCF₃}₄(EtOH)] units form centrosymmetric dimers further associated into a polymer which contains four different coordination environments around silver atoms. The complex 3, in which the ligand also exhibits a bimetallic triconnective pattern, shows an intense, long-lived luminescence in the solid state with emission energies in the green region of the visible spectrum.     

Synthesis of Hantsch 1,4-dihydropyridines by fermenting bakers’ yeast

Hantsch 1,4-dihydropyridines are prepared by fermenting bakers’ yeast with alkyl acetoacetate and ammonium acetate.     

Michael addition approach for the synthesis of novel spiro compounds and 2-substituted malonic acid derivatives from Meldrum’s acid

Novel routes for the synthesis of spiro derivatives of Meldrum’s acid and 2-substituted malonic acid derivatives have been developed. Meldrum’s acid was monoalkylated using a Michael addition reaction. Mono-Michael adducts were then alkylated using substituted haloalkanes, which on condensation gave spiro derivatives of Meldrum’s acid. Bis Michael addition of Meldrum’s acid with 1,5-diaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-one gave directly a spiro derivative of Meldrum’s acid. These compounds and bis alkylated Meldrum’s acid derivatives, on acidic methanolysis gave 2-substituted malonic acids.     

Bromohydrin reactions of Grieco’s bicyclic lactone

The bromohydrin reaction in Grieco’s bicyclic lactone 1 was reinvestigated. Two regioisomeric bromohydrins were obtained (2 and 8), and their configurations were unambiguously determined by X-ray diffraction analyses.     

Highly stereoselective approach toward the synthesis of the macrolactone core of amphidinolide W

The diastereoselective synthesis of the macrolactone core of amphidinolide W was successfully accomplished using Evans’ asymmetric alkylation, Aldol reaction, Julia-Kocienski olefination, and Kita’s macrocyclization protocol.     

Meyers’ bicyclic lactam formation under mild and highly stereoselective conditions

New and mild conditions to prepare chiral bicyclic lactams in high yields and high diastereoselectivities are reported herein. This approach based on the activation of the carboxylic acid by means of Mukaiyama’s reagent is an excellent alternative to Meyers’ dehydrating conditions and provide the main advantage to work at lower temperature (40 °C). Higher diastereoselectivity was obtained with 5,7-bicyclic lactams (de = 82% instead of 44% under standard dehydrating conditions).     

Solubility of freons in polar and non-polar liquids at 298.15 K

The cavity formation energy (CFE) is the free energy invested in rearrangement of the solvent molecules when a solute is inserted into a solvent, which is very important to the solubility studies. The CFE of liquid solvents; n-heptane, n-octane, cyclohexane, tetrachloromethane, benzene and water at 298.15 K has been determined. The solubility (in terms of Henry’s law constant), Gibb’s free energy of solution and ΔG_s^*, the thermodynamical quantities for the solvation process defined by Ben-Naim and Marcus of fluorine containing gases; freon-11, freon-12, freon-13, freon-14, freon-21, freon-c-318 and sulpherhexafluoride (SF₆) in above liquid solvents at 298.15 K also been calculated with this cavity formation energy. It yields good agreement with experimental results. The calculation shows importance of CFE in determining the solution properties.     

Selective formation of either Tröger’s base or spiro Tröger’s base derivatives from [2-aminoporphyrinato(2-)]nickel by choice of reaction conditions

The article reports on the unique manipulation of the acid-catalyzed reaction of [2-aminoporphyrinato(2-)]nickel with formaldehyde to form selectively either the symmetric Tröger’s base or the asymmetric spiro Tröger’s base bis(metalloporphyrin) derivative. The reaction is driven by the choice of acid catalyst, formaldehyde source, and particularly, solvent, to give a mixture of both derivatives in preparative yields of about 90%, or to give selectively one of the derivatives in a yield of about 60%.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the C33-C44 fragment of palau’amide

An efficient stereoselective synthesis of the C33-C44 fragment of palau’amide is described using a Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, a regioselective nucleophilic ring opening of the epoxide, a Grignard reaction and a Luche stereoselective reduction of a keto compound as the key steps.     

Sulfated zirconia, a mild alternative to mineral acids in the synthesis of hydroxycoumarins

Sulfated zirconia (1%) was employed as Pechmann’s catalyst without solvent or in some cases using a small amount of ethanol to obtain coumarins in moderate to good yields. With this procedure, no significant acidic waste was obtained and an environmental friendly alternative to obtain coumarins is provided.     

Boolean and fuzzy logic implemented at the molecular level

In this work, it is shown how to implement both hard and soft computing by means of two structurally related heterocyclic compounds: flindersine (FL) and 6(5H)-phenanthridinone (PH). Since FL and PH have a carbonyl group in their molecular skeletons, they exhibit Proximity Effects in their photophysics. In other words, they have an emission power that can be modulated through external inputs such as temperature (T) and hydrogen-bonding donation (HBD) ability of solvents. This phenomenology can be exploited to implement both crisp and fuzzy logic. Fuzzy Logic Systems (FLSs) wherein the antecedents of the rules are connected through the AND operator, are built by both the Mamdani’s and Sugeno’s models. Finally, they are adopted as approximators of the proximity effect phenomenon and tested for their prediction capabilities. Moreover, FL as photochromic compound is also a multiply configurable crisp logic molecular element.     

Isolation and Characterization of Actinoramides A-C, Highly Modified Peptides from a Marine Streptomyces sp

Reported herein is the isolation and structure elucidation of three highly modified peptides, actinoramides A-C (1-3), which are produced by a marine bacterium closely related to the genus Streptomyces. The planar structures of the actinoramides, which are composed of the unusual amino acids 2-amino-4-ureidobutanoic acid and 4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-5-phenylpentanoic acid, were assigned by chemical transformations and by interpretation of spectroscopic data, while the absolute configuration of these new peptides were defined by application of the advanced Marfey’s and Mosher’s methods.     

A novel approach for the synthesis of α-aminonitriles using Mitsunobu’s reagent under solvent-free conditions

A highly efficient, one-pot, three-component, solvent-free protocol for the synthesis of α-aminonitriles starting from their corresponding carbonyl compounds, amines, using Mitsunobu’s reagent has been developed. Diversity of α-aminonitriles has been synthesized in good to excellent yields (80-99%) using various kinds of aldehydes/ketones and a variety of amines.     

Synthesis and reactivity of dimethoxy-functionalised Tröger’s base analogues

Tröger’s base analogues were prepared bearing methoxy groups in the 1,7-, 2,8-, 3,9- or 4,10-positions. These compounds were converted to their dihydroxy analogues in excellent yields upon treatment with boron tribromide and the 4,10-dihydroxy analogue could be prepared by directly from 4-hydroxyaniline. The synthetic utility of the dihydroxy-functionalised compounds as building blocks was demonstrated by the synthesis of a dialkoxy and a diester Tröger’s base analogue.     

Novel synthesis of oxa[9]helicenes by Lawesson’s reagent-mediated cyclization of helical quinone derivatives

New oxa[9]helicenes which possess one furan ring have been readily prepared by reactive helical quinone with Lawesson’s reagent or phosphorus pentasulfide in good yields. The versatility of this protocol has been demonstrated with various substituted helical quinones.     

Synthesis of the C1-C12 fragment of amphidinolide T1

A synthesis of the C1-C12 fragment of amphidinolide T1 utilising Evans’ aldol, oxy-Michael and cross metathesis reactions as the key steps is described.     

A general synthetic approach for the synthesis of β-hydroxy-δ-lactones: asymmetric total synthesis of prelactones and epi-prelactones V and E

A general synthetic approach for the synthesis of prelactones and epi-prelactones V and E has been reported using an Evans’ aldol reaction as the key step.     

cis-Selective synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines

A concise approach to cis-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines is reported, which relies upon N-tert-butoxycarbonylmethyl substitution in a substrate derived from pyroglutamic acid. The method is especially noteworthy since a significant improvement in the conditions for a key Lawesson’s reaction have been established. Regioselective enolate generation and alkylation permits extension of the C-5 side chain.     

One-pot preparation of 2-(alkyl)arylbenzoselenazoles from the corresponding N-(acetyl)benzoyl-2-iodoanilines via a microwave-assisted methodology

We report here the first example of a one-pot synthesis of 2-(alkyl)arylbenzoselenazoles from N-(acetyl)benzoyl-2-iodoanilines. The reaction was carried out in the presence of Woollins’ reagent under microwave irradiation and resulted in moderate to good yields.