Mechanistic studies on the electrohydrodimerization of benzylidenemalononitriles

Rate constants and activation parameters for the reductive dimerization of substituted benzylidenemalononitriles were obtained from derivate cyclic voltammetry measurements in dimethylformamide as solvent. Benzylidene-,p-methyl-andp-methoxybenzylidenemalononitrile react exclusively via dimerization of their anion radicals (radical-radical coupling) while forp-fluorobenzylidenemalononitrile 25% of the dimerization proceeds by coupling of the anion radical with the substrate.     

Preparation of chiral bipyridine bis-N-oxides by oxidative dimerization of chiral pyridine N-oxides

The direct preparation of chiral 2,2′-bipyridine bis-N-oxides has been developed. The method involves two stages, first, the deprotonation of substituted chiral pyridine N-oxides and second, the oxidative dimerization of the resulting 2-lithiopyridine N-oxides. Optimization of the reaction conditions led to the selection of LiTMP in THF for the deprotonation and molecular iodine as the oxidant. The corresponding 2-iodopyridine N-oxide is invariably formed as a by-product. A series of 11 chiral pyridine N-oxides was prepared that bear substituents at the C(2) and C(5) positions. Oxidative dimerization of these mono-N-oxides proceeded in 33–77% yield. In all cases, the dimerization was highly diastereoselective for the formation of the P-configuration of the chiral axis.     

Thermodynamic study of the dimerization of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid by isothermal titration calorimetry

Dimerization of the fluorescence probe, 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) in aqueous media have been studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). ITC experiments carried out at different pHs show that dimerization constants are highly pH dependent, decreasing their values with increasing pH. No dimerization is detected over pH 7. Analyzing the dependence of K_dim on pH, using a model that only considers dimers between zwitterionic molecules of ANS, a value of 5.6 for the pK of anilinium moiety is obtained. It is in agreement with the pK determined spectrophotometrically. The dimerization process is enthalpically disfavored and entropically driven at all pH and temperatures studied, indicating that hydrophobic effect has an important role on the formation of dimers. Although dimerization constants are low, dimerization equilibria must be taken into account when the energetics of the interaction of ANS to a protein is studied at pH below 7.     

IR Study of Monomer–Dimer Self-association of 2,2-Dimethyl-3-ethyl-3-pentanol in n-Octane: Determination of the Molar Absorptivities of Monomer and Dimer Bands, and Dimerization Constants Using Novel Equations

The monomer–dimer self-association equilibrium of 2,2-dimethyl-3-ethyl-3-pentanol in n-octane has been studied by IR spectroscopy at four temperatures (288, 298, 308, and 318 K). The solute was chosen to restrict the self-association between solute molecules to dimerization only, owing to steric hindrance of the bulky chains in the vicinity of the OH group. Two linear equations have been derived for the treatment of the experimental data. One of these equations was used to treat the data of the concentration dependent integrated absorbance of the monomer bands for each temperature to obtain the monomer molar absorptivity, ε _m, and dimerization constant, K. The other equation was used to treat the data of concentration-dependent dimer bands to obtain the dimer molar absorptivity, ε _d, and K. Thus, the dimerization constant was determined by two methods. Since the same thermodynamic quantity K is obtained from either the monomer bands or the dimer bands, the difference between them at a given temperature can serve as an assessment of the quality of the experiment. The standard enthalpy and entropy of dimerization were also obtained from a van’t Hoff plot.     

tert-Butyl nitrite induced radical dimerization of primary thioamides and selenoamides at room temperature

A simple and efficient method for the dimerization of primary thioamides into 1,2,4-thiadiazoles using tert-butyl nitrite is described. The optimized condition was also found to be suitable for the dimerization of benzoselenoamides into 1,2,4-selenadiazoles. All the reactions proceed smoothly at room temperature and gave the desired products in excellent yields in a short span of time.     

The kinetics of the solid-state dimerization of aquabis-N-acetyl-β-alaninatocopper(II)monohydrate

The simultaneous dehydration and dimerization of the blue monomeric complex of N-acetyl-β-alanine and copper(II) has been studied by isothermal thermogravimetry. The results are consistent with a two-stage loss of water from the dihydrate, dimerization being concurrent with the loss of the second water molecule.     

(4+2) Dimerization of imides of arylmaleic acids in the presence of the 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole and 2,6-lutidine

Imides of arylmaleic acids in the presence of 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole underwent (4+2) dimerization under heating in chlorobenzene within 24 h to afford 1,2,3,3a,3b,4,5,6,6a,10b-decahydrobenzo[e]pyrrolo[3,4-g]isoindole-1,3,4,6-tetraones in good yields. It was established that during the heating of imides of arylmaleic acid in 2,6-lutidine at 100 °C the (4+2) dimerization products containing a lutidine fragment are obtained.     

Phytophenol Dimerization Reaction: From Basic Rules to Diastereoselectivity and Beyond

Phytophenol dimerization, which is a radical-mediated coupling reaction, plays a critical role in many fields, including lignin biosynthesis. To understand the reaction, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical was used to initiate a series of phytophenol dimerization reactions in methanol. The products were identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS) analysis in situ. The identified products mainly included biphenols, magnolol, honokiol, gingerol 6,6′-dimers, 3,6-dimethoxylcatechol β,β′ dimer, euphorbetin, bis-eugenol, dehydrodiisoeugenol, trans-ε-viniferin, (+) pinoresinol, and (−) pinoresinol. Structure–function relationship analysis allowed four basic rules to be defined: meta-excluded, C–C bonding domination, ortho-diOH co-activation, and exocyclic C=C involvement. The exocyclic C=C involvement, however, required conjugation with the phenolic core and the para-site of the -OH group, to yield a furan-fused dimer with two chiral centers. Computational chemistry indicated that the entire process was completed via a radical coupling reaction and an intramolecular conjugate addition reaction. Similar results were also found for the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed coniferyl alcohol dimerization, which produced (+) and (−) pinoresinols (but no (−) epipinoresinol), suggesting that the HRP-catalyzed process was essentially an exocyclic C=C-involved phytophenol dimerization reaction. The reaction was highly diastereoselective. This was attributed to the intramolecular reaction, which prohibited Re-attack. The four basic rules and diastereoselectivity can explain and even predict the main products in various chemical and biological events, especially oxidase-catalyzed lignin cyclization.     

Formation of stereodefined multiply substituted all-cis octatetraenes, tricyclo[4.2.0.0]octa-3,7-dienes and pentalenes via CuCl- or FeCl3-mediated dimerization of 1-lithiobutadienes and 1,4-dilithiobutadienes

Dimerization of 1-lithiobutadienes and 1,4-dilithiobutadienes depended remarkably on the substituents and metal halide reagents. Stereodefined multiply-substituted linear all-cis octatetraenes were prepared in moderate yields via FeCl₃-mediated dimerization of 1-lithiobutadienes, while CuCl induced the dimerization of alkyl-substituted 1,4-dilithio-1,3-dienes to form linear all-cis octatetraenes and tricyclo[4.2.0.0^2,5]octa-3,7-dienes. Interestingly, stereodefined pentalene derivatives were also obtained when 1,4-dilithio-1,3-dienes possessed both phenyl and alkyl substituents.     

Dielectric study of dipolar association in dilute solutions of nitrobenzene in benzene

The correlation factors R_p and R_s are determined for the dielectric polarization and the non-linear dielectric effect in dilute solutions of nitrobenzene in benzene. Assuming dipole association of the nitrobenzene molecules to be restricted to dimerization, we determined the concentration x₂ of dimers, their dipole moment μ_dim, and the equilibrium constant K_x and Gibbs energy ΔG of the dimerization process.     

Si-embedded graphene: an efficient and metal-free catalyst for CO oxidation by N2O or O2

We present a preliminary simulation toward the control of the Cope rearrangement of the most stable isomer of methyl-cyclopentadienylcarboxylate dimer. An experimental investigation of the dimerization of methyl-cyclopentadienylcarboxylate has been carried out. It shows that the most stable isomer of the dimer, the Thiele’s ester, is the major product of the dimerization. The simulation takes it as the initial state for the further control of the Cope reaction. The aim of the simulation is to examine the possibility of laser control to form the target product, not detected during the dimerization. The relevant stationary states have been characterized at the DFT B3LYP level, particularly the Cope transition state in which the dimer is connected only by a single bond r ₁. A minimum energy potential surface has been computed in a two-dimensional subspace of two bounds r ₂ and r ₃ which achieve the dimerization and have a very high weight in the reaction path from the Cope TS to the two adducts. Quantum wave packet optimal control simulation has been studied in a one-dimensional model using an active coordinate $ r_{ - } = r_{3} - r_{2} $ which nearly corresponds to the reaction path. The stability of the optimal field against dissipation is examined by a non-Markovian master equation approach, which is perturbative in the system-bath coupling but without limitation on the strength of the field.     

Water dimer equilibrium constant of saturated vapor

The value and temperature dependence of the dimerization constant for saturated water vapor are determined. A general expression that links the second virial coefficient and the dimerization constant is obtained. It is shown that the attraction between water monomers and dimers is fundamental, especially at T > 350 K. The range of application for the obtained results is determined.     

Zirconocene-catalyzed alkylative dimerization of 2-methylene-1,3-dithiane via a single electron transfer process to provide symmetrical vic-bis(dithiane)s

A mixture of tertiary alkyl halide and 2-methylene-1,3-dithiane was treated with butylmagnesium bromide in the presence of a catalytic amount of zirconocene dichloride. The reaction resulted in alkylative dimerization to yield the corresponding vic-bis(dithiane). The reaction would proceed as follows. A single electron transfer from low-valent zirconocene to alkyl halide would generate the corresponding alkyl radical. The radical adds to 2-methylene-1,3-dithiane to afford the corresponding radical stabilized by the two sulfur atoms. A couple of the stable radicals finally undergo dimerization.     

Investigating the Functional Role of the Cysteine Residue in Dehydrin from the Arctic Mouse-Ear Chickweed Cerastium arcticum

The stress-responsive, SK₅ subclass, dehydrin gene, CaDHN, has been identified from the Arctic mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium arcticum. CaDHN contains an unusual single cysteine residue (Cys143), which can form intermolecular disulfide bonds. Mutational analysis and a redox experiment confirmed that the dimerization of CaDHN was the result of an intermolecular disulfide bond between the cysteine residues. The biochemical and physiological functions of the mutant C143A were also investigated by in vitro and in vivo assays using yeast cells, where it enhanced the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutralizing hydrogen peroxide. Our results show that the cysteine residue in CaDHN helps to enhance C. arcticum tolerance to abiotic stress by regulating the dimerization of the intrinsically disordered CaDHN protein, which acts as a defense mechanism against extreme polar environments.     

Non-linear dielectric effect in the acetone-benzene and acetophenone-benzene systems

The non-linear dielectric effect has been studied for acetone and acetophenone, and their solutions in benzene. With the NDE results obtained in this work and the dielectric polarization calculated from literature values of the permittivity, density and refractive index, the mean values of the square and the fourth power of the dipole moment were calculated. Assuming dipolar association of the acetone and acetophenone molecules to be restricted to dimerization, the Gibbs free energy ΔG^o of the dimerization process is determined.     

Synthetic oligorhamnans related to the most common O-chain backbone from phytopathogenic bacteria

The synthesis of the tetrasaccharide rhamnanic motif α-l-Rha-(1→3)-α-l-Rha-(1→2)-α-l-Rha-(1→2)-α-l-Rha and its dimerization to octasaccharide have been developed. Three different pathways toward the dimerization have been investigated; the best one was based on a [4+2]+2 stepwise condensation of a rhamnose tetrasaccharide with two rhamnosyl N-phenyl trifluoroacetimidates as glycosyl donors and on an orthogonal set of protecting groups consisting of benzoyl, levulinoyl, and allyl groups.     

Nickel-catalyzed multi-component coupling reaction of aldimine, alkyne, and dimethylzinc via dimerization of butadiene

In the presence of a Ni/phosphine ligand catalyst, dimethylzinc, alkyne, butadiene, aldehyde, and primary amine were successively combined via dimerization of butadiene to provide (3E,7E,10Z)-dodecatrienylamine in good yields with excellent regio and stereoselectivities.     

Magnetic circular dichroism of molecules in dense media: Dimerization of benzoic acids

The purpose of this communication has been to show the application of MCD to dimerization of benzoic acid and its derivatives. We present results of the dimerization equilibrium constants from resolving the observed MCD spectra of the intramolecular charge transfer band (CT) into the spectra of monomers and dimers, and of the B-coefficients (or the magnetic rotational strengths) of the CT band of MCD of monomers and dimers.     

Zinc mediated reductive dimerization and cyclization of α,β-unsaturated ketones in the presence of a catalytic amount of mercury(II) chloride

The zinc mediated reductive dimerization and cyclization of α,β-unsaturated ketones gives functionalized cyclopentanols in good yield in the presence of a catalytic amount of mercury(II) chloride in N,N-dimethylformamide as solvent at room temperature. The reaction is regio- and stereo-selective producing 3,4-trans-diarylcyclopentanols selectively.     

The stereochemistry of the product derived from the base-catalyzed dimerization of 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one

Single-crystal X-ray analysis of the product derived from the base-catalyzed dimerization of 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one has established that it possesses a saturated diketone structure with a syn-stereochemistry rather than an anti-arrangement as previously proposed.