Thioether macrocycles of the microbisporicins via reductive desulfurization

The microbisporicins are the most potent lantibiotics isolated to-date. Cyclic tetra-, hexa- and octapeptides, inspired by this family of antimicrobial agents, have been synthesized from linear peptides. Generalized reaction conditions are reported for the two-step conversion of linear peptides to thioether macrocycles: formation of a disulfide followed by reductive desulfurization. ¹H NMR analysis of the reduction reaction mixture indicated the intermediacy of a dehydroalanine when excess hexamethylphosphorus triamide (HMPT) was employed for the reduction. Maintaining a stoichiometric amount of HMPT, in dilute methanolic solution, gave the corresponding thioethers, retaining stereochemical integrity.     

A path from I(h) to C1 symmetry for C20 cage molecule

The symmetry of the C20 cage is studied based on the intrinsical relationship among point groups (Bradley, C. J.; Cracknell, A. P. The Mathematical Theory of Symmetry in Solids; Claredon Press: Oxford, 1972). The structure of the C20 cage with I(h) symmetry is constructed, as are eight other structures with subgroup symmetry. A path from I(h) symmetry to C1 symmetry is obtained for the closed-shell electronic state, and the structure with D2h symmetry is the most stable on this path. Using the D2h structure the correlation energy correction is studied on the condition of restricted excitation space at the CCSD(T) level. We obtain curves on the relation between the orbital numbers and the total energy at the CCSD(T), CCSD, and MP2 level, respectively. The results of these curves obtained from MP2 and CCSD(T) methods have the same tendency, while the results of CCSD gradually diverge with an increase in orbital numbers. When the orbitals used in the calculation reach 460, the total energy is -759.644 hartree at MP2 level and is -759.721 hartree by the CCSD(T) method. From the calculation results, we find that a large basis set can improve the reliability of the MP2 method, and to restrict excitation space is necessary when using the CCSD(T) method.     

Highly convergent synthesis of C3- or C2-symmetric carbohydrate macrocycles

[structure: see text] A highly convergent strategy for the synthesis of C3- or C2-symmetric oligosaccharide macrocycles is reported. Molecular modeling indicates these macrocycles possess sterically congested cavities. Weak host-guest interactions are observed that should be beneficial for applications such as functionalized molecular pores.     

Anharmonic oscillator model of overtone spectra for D3h symmetry molecules

The bond stretching vibrations of XF₅ molecules with D_3h symmetry are treated computationally on the Morse oscillator model in which the bond oscillators are coupled harmonically. Each calculation involves four parameters for two types of Morse potential and three parameters for the kinetic-energy, potential coupling terms. The eigenvalue formula for overtone and combination states up to three are presented and can be used to predict all the vibrational energy levels from local mode molecules through normal mode molecules. For PF₅, AsF₅ and VF₅, the coupled Morse oscillator model gives a prediction in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Syntheses of armed‐macrocycles by reductive amination using NaBH(OAc)3 under 1 MPa

Armed‐monoaza‐12‐crown‐4, monoaza‐15‐crown‐5, diaza‐12‐crown‐4, diaza‐18‐crown‐6 ethers, and 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane having aromatic pendants were prepared by the reductive amination of the corresponding macrocycles with aromatic carboxyaldehydes in the presence of NaBH(OAc)₃. Reductive amination under 1 MPa conditions provided significant shortening of the reaction time and yield enhancements.     

Rational design and assembly of M(2)M'(3)L(6) supramolecular clusters with C(3h) symmetry by exploiting incommensurate symmetry numbers.

A rational approach to heterometallic cluster formation is described that uses incommensurate symmetry requirements at two different metals to control the stoichiometry of the assembly. Critical to this strategy is the proper design and synthesis of hybrid ligands with coordination sites selective toward each metal. The phosphino-catechol ligand 4-(diphenylphosphino)benzene-1,2-diol (H(2)L) possesses both hard catecholate and soft phosphine donor sites and serves such a role, using soft (C(2)-symmetric) and hard (C(3)-symmetric) metal centers. The ML(3) catecholate complexes (M = Fe(III), Ga(III), Ti(IV), Sn(IV)) have been prepared and characterized as C(3)-symmetry precursors for the stepwise assembly (aufbau) of heterometallic clusters. While the single-crystal X-ray structure of the Cs(2)[TiL(3)] salt shows a C(1) mer-configuration in the solid -state, room-temperature solution NMR data of this and related complexes are consistent with either exclusive formation of the C(3)-fac-isomer with all PPh(2) donor sites syn to each other or facile fac/mer isomerization. Coordination of these [ML(3)](2)(-) (M = Ti(IV), Sn(IV)) metallaligands via their soft P donor sites to C(2)-symmetric PdBr(2) units gives exclusively pentametallic [M(2)Pd(3)Br(6)L(6)](4)(-) (M = Ti, Sn) clusters. These clusters have been fully characterized by spectral and X-ray structural data as C(3h) mesocates with Cs(+) or protonated 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO.H(+)) cations incorporated into deep molecular clefts. Exclusive formation of this type of supramolecular species is sensitive to the nature of the counterions. Alkali cations such as K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+) give high-yield formation of the respective clusters while NEt(3)H(+) and NMe(4)(+) yield none of the desired products. Extension of the aufbau assembly to produce related [M(2)Pd(3)Cl(6)L(6)](4)(-), [M(2)Pd(3)I(6)L(6)](4)(-), and [M(2)Cr(3)(CO)(12)L(6)](4)(-) (M = Ti, Sn) clusters has also been realized. In addition to this aufbau approach, self-assembly of several of these [M(2)Pd(3)Br(6)L(6)](4)(-) clusters from all eleven components (two M(IV), three PdBr(2), six H(2)L) was also accomplished under appropriate reaction conditions.     

Isomerization of an imine intermediate in a reductive amination reaction over metal catalysts

The reductive amination reaction of acetone by cyclohexylamine over hydrogenation metal catalysts was investigated. The study is focused on the formation of side products in the reaction. It was verified that the formation of amines having unusual combinations of alkyls is caused by the metal-catalyzed rearrangement of the double bond around the nitrogen atom in an imine intermediate and consequent reactions of the isomeric imine. It was found that the isomerization reactions occur over virtually all of the hydrogenation catalysts studied, while their respective activities for the imine isomerization decreases in the order Ni = Co > Ru > Pt = Rh > Pd.     

Iron-catalyzed imination of sulfoxides and sulfides

[reaction: see text] The Fe(III)-catalyzed imination of sulfoxides and sulfides with sulfonylamides in the presence of iodinanes has been investigated. The best results were obtained when Fe(acac)(3) was used as a catalyst in combination with iodosylbenzene, providing an effective alternative (stereospecific) access to sulfoximines and sulfilimines.     

Polyhedral gold nanocrystals with O h symmetry: from octahedra to cubes

We report the shape and size control of polyhedral gold nanocrystals by a modified polyol process. The rapid reduction of gold precursors in refluxing 1,5-pentanediol has successfully provided a series of gold nanocrystals in the shape of octahedra, truncated octahedra, cuboctahedra, cubes, and higher polygons by incremental changes of silver nitrate concentration. All nanocrystals were obtained quantitatively and were uniform in shape and size in the range of approximately 100 nm. Smaller octahedra and cubes were also prepared by using large amounts of PVP. Silver species generated from AgNO3 seemed to determine the final nanocrystal morphology by the selective growth of {111} and/or the restriction of {100}. The shape evolution of the particles was addressed by quenching the reactions at different time intervals. The approximately 60 nm seeds were generated rapidly and grown slowly with simultaneous edge sharpening. Aging the reaction mixture focused the size and shape of the nanocrystals by Ostwald ripening. We believe that our selective growth conditions can be applied to other shapes and compositions of face-centered cubic metals.     

Silver-catalyzed imination of sulfoxides and sulfides

[reaction: see text] Silver salts in the presence of a chelating ligand efficiently catalyze the stereospecific imination of sulfoxides and sulfides with sulfonylamides and PhI(OAc)(2) to afford sulfoximines and sulfilimines, respectively, in good yields.     

Copper-catalyzed imination of sulfoxides and sulfides

Sulfoximines and sulfilimines have attracted considerable interest among organic chemists. The Cu(II)-catalyzed imination of sulfoxides and sulfides using various N-fluoro benzenesulfonamides was investigated in this study. The scope of the reaction was demonstrated by using several substituted sulfides and sulfoxides. The flow strategy for the preparation of NH-sulfoximines was also examined. By trapping nitrene intermediates through triphenylphosphine, we found that the reaction was conducted through a metal-nitrene intermediate mechanism.     

Metal-free imination of sulfoxides and sulfides

Using a nitrogen transfer agent obtained in situ by mixing of NsNH₂ and PhI(OAc)₂, various N-nosyl sulfoximines and N-nosyl sulfilimines have been prepared under metal-free conditions starting from the corresponding sulfoxides and sulfides, respectively.     

Selective synthesis of the C3v isomer of C60h18

[chemical structure: see text]. C60H18 has been produced by hydrogenation of C60 at 100 bar H2 pressure and 673 K for 10 h. We have investigated the crude material without any purification by use of 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and IR spectroscopy and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. We show that the crude material consists of 95% of the C3v isomer of C60H18.     

Structure of binary sulfides withD 2h 16 symmetry

CAS-PAN analysis for revealing close-packed cristallographic planes is performed to investigate the structures of a series of binary chalcogenides containing heavy cations and having D _2h ¹⁶ , symmetry with a short spacing perpendicular to the mirror plane. For chalcogenides with complex compositions, complex relationships between planes are typically observed. Absolute ordering of atoms by mirror planes generally coexists with ordering along the other two directions. By analogy with simple sulfides, these structures have cationic and anionic matrices of AA′ type, that is, one-layer hexagonal packing of trigon nets with a base plane split into two planes and with a doubled number of sites with respect to the number of atoms. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 324–334, March–April, 2000.     

pi-Conjugated macrocycles from thiophenes and benzenes

pi-Conjugated macrocycles consisting of thiophenes and benzenes exhibit benzenoid features for 4npi macrocycles, whereas (4n + 2)pi macrocycles are annulenoid due to rapid interconversion between quinoid and Kekule canonical forms in the benzene units.     

A mixed-valence Co7 single-molecule magnet with C3 symmetry

The synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of [Co(II)(4)Co(III)(3)(HL)(6)(NO(3))(3)(H(2)O)(3)](2+) [H(3)L = H(2)NC(CH(2)OH)(3)] are reported: the complex is an exchange-biased single molecule magnet.