Nitrileketenimine tautomerism in substituted alkylidene malononitriles and alkylidene cyanoacetates: A characteristic UV absorption band

Several alkylidene malononitriles (1b,1d,1e,2b and4b) and alkylidene cyanoacetates (1a,2a and4a) studied exhibit a long wavelength UV absorption band around 355 nm which shows a hyperchromic effect in the presence of ethanolic alkali. This band has been assigned to the ketenimine tautomer (5). Addition of water to1b,1e and2b gives the corresponding pyridine diols (7a,7b and8a) respectively. Similarly, addition of ethanol to1e and2b gave the corresponding ethoxypyridine derivatives (7c and8b). Mechanism of formation of these compounds is discussed. Structures, as well as mechanism of formation of1c,7c and10 obtained from1b,1e and2b respectively on standing at room temperature are also discussed.     

Synthesis,antimicrobial and anticancer activities of some new N-methylsulphonyl and N-benzenesulphonyl-3-indolyl heterocycles: 1st Cancer Update

A series of 1-(N-methyl 2a–c and N-benzenesulphonyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-3-aryl-prop-2-ene-1-ones 3a–c were prepared and allowed to react with urea, thiourea or guanidine and gave the pyrimidine derivatives 4a–c to 9a–c. Base catalyzed reaction of 2a–c or 3a–c with ethyl acetoacetate gave cyclohexanone derivatives 10a–c and 11a–c, respectively. Reaction of the latter compounds with hydrazine hydrate afforded indazole derivatives 12a–c and 13a–c, respectively. On the other hand, condensation of 2c or 3c with some hydrazine derivatives namely, hydrazine hydrate, acetyl hydrazine, phenyl hydrazine and benzyl hydrazine hydrochloride gave pyrazole derivatives 14a,b-17a,b, respectively. Moreover, reaction of 2c or 3c with hydroxyl amine hydrochloride gave isoxazole derivatives 18a,b. The newly synthesized compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activity and showed that, compounds 14a, 14b, 15a and 15b were found to be the most active ones of all the tested compounds toward Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 14,028) compared to the reference drug chloramphenicol. Eighteen new compounds namely, pyrimidin-2(1H)-ones 4a–c and 5a–c, pyrimidin-2(1H)-thiones 6a–c and 7a–c and pyrimidin-2-amines 8a–c and 9a–c were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human liver carcinoma (HEPG2), human breast cancer (MCF7) and human colon cancer (HCT-116) cell lines and showed that, compounds 4c, 5c, 6c, 8c and 9c were found to be the highly active compounds compared to the reference drug doxorubicin.     

Stereoselective intramolecular cycloadditions of homochiral N-alkenoyl aryl azides

Starting from the commercially available (S)-1-phenylethylamine and l-alanine benzylester, we synthesised the homochiral N-alkenoyl aryl azides 2a–2d. The intramolecular cycloaddition of unsubstituted 2a and 2b gave enantiopure 3,3a-dihydro-1,2,3-triazolo[1,5-a][1,4]benzodiazepine-4(6H)-ones 3a, 3b, 4a and 4b, while phenyl-substituted 2c and 2d gave enantiopure 1,1a-dihydro-2H-azirino[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine-4(6H)-ones 5c, 5d, 6c and 6d.     

Structures des virescenosides F et G,nouveaux metabolites de Oospora virescens (Link) Wallr.

Several glycosides (virescenosides) have been isolated from Oospora virescens (Link) Wallr. Virescenosides A, 1a, B, 1b and C, 1c, are β-D-altropyranosides of virescenol A, 2a, B, 2b and C, 2c. Here we describe the isolation of two metabolites, virescenosides F (3a), C₂₆H₄₀O₉, and G (3b), C₂₆H₄₀O₈. They are the first natural glycosides of altruronic acid. Virescenosides F and G readily undergo lactonisation. Two types of lactones have been isolated for which structures 5a, 5b and 7a, 7c are proposed.     

Solvent-dependent reactivities of acyclic nitrones with β-diketones: catalyst-free syntheses of endiones and enones

Reactions of the nitrones ^?O⁺N(Me)C(H)Ar 1 (Ar=phenyl 1a, 4-methylphenyl 1b, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl 1c, and anthracen-9-yl 1d) with the cyclic β-diketones 1,3-indandione 2 or barbituric acid 3 in CH₂Cl₂, afford the corresponding endiones 2′a–2′d or 3′a–3′d. In contrast, dimedone 4 reacts with 1a or 1b to give the endione 4′a or 4′b and the bis-adduct 4″a or 4″b. Nevertheless, reaction of 4 with 1c or 1d in CH₂Cl₂ furnishes only the endione adducts 4′c or 4′d. However, the reaction of 4 with 1a or 1b in methanol gives only 4″a or 4″b, respectively. Among acyclic β-diketones only malonic acid 7 reacts with 1a–1c. Reaction of 7 with 1a in CH₂Cl₂ forms cinnamic acid 7″a, whereas in the case of 1b, the endione 7′b and (E)-3-p-tolylacrylic acid 7″b are obtained. The nitrone 1c reacts with 7 in CH₂Cl₂ to afford the endione 7′c or with acetone yielding (E)-4-mesitylbut-3-en-2-one 8. X-ray analyses are reported for 4′c, 5, and 7″b. In addition, the calculated acidity of the hydrogen at the α-C atom is shown to correlate with the reactivity of the β-diketones with nitrones.     

Synthesis and conformational preferences of cyclic unnatural di- and tripeptides containing an l-valine unit: Part 2

Stereoselective syntheses of non-proteinogenic di- 14a,b, 15a,b and 16a,b and tripeptides 14c, 15c and 16c containing an l-valine unit and a cyclic unnatural α-amino acid have been accomplished starting from the l-valine derived chiral synthon 1. The conformational preferences of these unnatural peptides were investigated by ¹H NMR and IR spectroscopies and by molecular modelling calculations. X-ray analysis of pseudopeptides 15a and 15b is also reported.     

Functionalized enamines—XIV : Reaction of α-tetralone enamines with carbenes influence of the nature of carbene and the base-component of the enamine on the reaction pattern

Enamine Ia, derived from 6-methoxy-1-tetralone and morpholine, reacts with carbenes¹2a and 2b to give (1:1) adducts 3a, and a mixture of 3b and 3c, respectively. The pyrrolidine enamine 1b, on the other hand, reacts with carbene 2b, to give, beside the (1:1) adduct 3e, benzylidene-derivative 4b. Reaction of enamine 1b with carbene 2a does not yield a 1:1 adduct; instead, two products were isolated which have been identified as 4a and 5. Both morpholine and pyrrolidine enamines 1ab, react with carbene 2c to give one and the same product 6. Possible mechanisms for the formation of the reaction products are discussed.     

Hydroboration d'aziridudines èthylèniques synthése d'aza-1 bicyclo[n, 1, 0]alcanes

Hydroboration of aziridines having a β or γ-double bond 3b, 3c, 4b, 7c and 8 yields after oxidation, the expected hydroxy aziridines 11b, 11c, 12b, 13 and 14, which were cyclized by reaction with PPh₃/Br₂ to give 1-aza bicyclo[n, 1, 0]alkanes 23b, 24b, 25c, 26 and 27. The hydroboration of 2-vinyl aziridines 3a, 4a and 7a give _Z-allylic amines 16aZ, 17aZ and 18Z. The use of 9-BBN or of 2-vinyl substituted aziridines provides the β-hydroxy aziridines 19, 20 and 21.     

2-(1-Isopropyl-2-benzimidazolyl)-6-(1-aryliminoethyl)pyridyl transition metal (Fe, Co, and Ni) dichlorides: Syntheses, characterizations and their catalytic behaviors toward ethylene reactivity

A series of 2-(1-isopropyl-2-benzimidazolyl)-6-(1-aryliminoethyl)pyridyl metal complexes [iron (II) (1a-6a), cobalt (II) (1b-6b) and nickel (II) (1c-6c)] were synthesized and fully characterized by elemental and spectroscopic analyses. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of five coordinated complexes 5a, 3b, 5b, 1c and 2c reveal 5a and 5b as distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry, and 3b, 1c and 2c as distorted square pyramidal geometry. All complexes performed ethylene reactivity with the assistance of various organoaluminums. The iron complexes displayed good activities in the presence of MAO and MMAO. Upon activated by Et₂AlCl, the cobalt analogues showed moderate ethylene reactivity, while the nickel analogues exhibited relatively higher activities.     

Reactions of ketenes with ethoxyalkynes: Synthesis of 2,2,4-trialkylcyclobutane-1,3-diones

Treatment of dimethyl ketene with ethoxyacetylene 1a, 1-ethoxyoct-1-yne 1b, and 1-ethoxytetrade-1-yne 1c afforded the 3-ethoxycyclobutenones 2a–c. Hydrolysis of 2a–c with dilute hydrochloric acid gave the cyclobutane-1,3-diones 3a–c. The ¹H NMR spectra of these compounds indicate that in CDCl₃ solution 2,2-dimethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione 3a exists as the diketone, whereas the 2,2,4-trialkylcyclobutane-1,3-diones 3b and 3c exist as the monoenols.     

Traceless chirality transfer from a norbornene β-amino acid to pyrimido[2,1-a]isoindole enantiomers

The synthesis of two enantiomeric pairs of pyrimidoisoindoles 9a, 9b and 10a, 10b is reported. During a domino ring-closure reaction, followed by cycloreversion, the chirality of diendo-(?)-(1R,2S,3R,4S)-3-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxamide [(?)-1] was successfully transfered to heterocycles (+)-9a, (+)-10a, (?)-9b, (?)-10b and (?)-10c.     

On the mechanism and diastereoselectivity of 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran formation from sulfinylbenzoquinones and 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran

A mechanistic study of the reactions between 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran 1 and (SS)-2-(arylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinones 2a and 2b, giving rise to the diastereoselective formation of [3aS,8bS,SS]-3a,8b-dihydro-7-hydroxy-8-(arylsulfinyl)furo[3,2-b]benzofuran-2(3H)-ones 3a and 3b, is reported. The detection and ¹H NMR characterization of several precursors of 3a and 3b accounts for a Michael-type initial reaction which dictates the final diastereoselection of the process. A significant improvement of the stereoselectivity (up to 96% de) in the formation of the tert-butylsulfinyl substituted derivative 3c was achieved by using 2-(tert-butylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone 2c as the starting quinone.     

The orthosomycins,a new family of antibiotics

A new family of antibiotics, the orthosomycins, which contain in their structures one or more orthoester linkages associated with carbohydrate residues, is described. Examples of orthosomycin antibiotics include flambamycin (1), the everninomicins -B2a, -C2b, -D2c and -2(3), hygromycin B4a, the destomycins -A4b, -B5 and -C4c, the antibiotics SS-56-C4d, A-396-I4e and, more recently, the avilamycins -A49a and -C49b. The structural elucidation of these orthosomycin antibiotics is discussed, with emphasis on structural similarities and differences, together with a commentary on their biological activities and structure-activity relationships.     

Generation and fate of free radicals of Δ2-oxazolin-5-ones

The reaction of Δ² -oxazolin-5-ones 1a and 1b with nickel peroxide in benzene produces the corresponding 4,4-dehydrodimers 5a and 5b as the main products in yields over 75%. Under the same conditions, the 2-aryl -4-methyl - Δ²-oxazolin-5-ones 1c, 1d and 1e yield five products. In the case of 1c, the constituents of the product mixture were separated and identified as two 4,4-dehydrodimers ( meso and d] pair isomers) 5c and 5c', (40.7%), 2,4-dehydrodimer 6c (34.9%), acetylanisoylimide 8c (8.5%) and anisamide (15.9%). Adequate mechanistic schemes are discussed to account for the products formed.     

A general method for the synthesis of the most powerful naturally occurring Maillard flavors

The natural flavors 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline 1a, 2-propionyl-1-pyrroline 1b, 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine 1c, 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline 1d, 2-propionyl-2-thiazoline 1e, and the artificial flavor 2-acetyl-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiazine 1f have been prepared by catalytic SeO₂ oxidation of the corresponding cyclic imines 6a-c and sulfur cyclic imines 7a-c using TBHP as co-oxidant. The oxidation of the pyrrolines 1a and b is completely regioselective. Professional olfactory evaluation together with the odor threshold of the new flavor 1f is reported.     

Allylstannation of α-, β- and γ-diketones mediated by allylbutyltin halides: Bu2(CH2=CHCH2) SnCl and Bu(CH2 =CHCH2) SnCl2

Butane-2,3- (1a), pentane-2,4- (1b) and hexane-2,5-dione (1c) react with Bu₂(CH₂=CHCH₂)SnCl in the presence of water to give monoallylated keto-ols (2a, 2b) and/or diallylated diols (3a, 3b, 3c), this depending upon the employed molar ratio [diketone]/[allyltin chloride]. Bu(CH₂=CHCH₂)SnCl₂ reacts with neat 1c in a one-pot synthesis to give mixtures of heterocyclic compounds: 2,5-diallyl-2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran (4), and 3-chloro-1,5-dimethyl-8-oxabicyclo [3,2,1] octane (5). Compound 4 is also obtained in high yield from the corresponding diol 3c by cyclodehydration promoted by RSnCl₃ (R = Me and Bu).     

An enzyme-triggered enantio-convergent cascade-reaction

The biocatalytic hydrolysis of the (±)-2,3-disubstituted cis-chloroalkyl epoxides 1a and 2a using resting cells of Rhodococcus sp. did not give the corresponding chloroalkyl vic-diols 1b, and 2b, respectively, but furnished the rearranged products (2R,3R)-1c and (2R,3R)-2c in high e.e. as the sole products via an enzyme-triggered enantio-convergent cascade-reaction.     

Gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene based initiators for bulk ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide

Synthesis, structures, and catalysis studies of gold(I) complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes namely, a di-O-functionalized [1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(acetophenone)imidazol-2-ylidene], a mono-O-functionalized [1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(benzyl)imidazol-2-ylidene] and a non-functionalized [1,3-di-i-propyl-benzimidazol-2-ylidene], are reported. Specifically, the gold complexes, [1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(acetophenone)imidazol-2-ylidene]AuCl (1c), [1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(benzyl)imidazol-2-ylidene]AuCl (2c), and [1,3-di-i-propyl-benzimidazol-2-ylidene]AuCl (3b), were prepared from the respective silver complexes 1b, 2b, and 3a by treatment with (SMe₂)AuCl in good yields following the commonly used silver carbene transfer route. The silver complexes 1b, 2b, and 3a were synthesized from the respective imidazolium halide salts by the reactions with Ag₂O. The N-heterocyclic carbene precursors, 1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(acetophenone)imidazolium chloride (1a) and 1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(benzyl)imidazolium chloride (2a), were synthesized by the direct reactions of cyclohexene oxide and imidazole with chloroacetophenone and benzyl chloride respectively. The gold (1c, 2c, and 3b) and the silver (3a) complexes along with a new O-functionalized imidazolium chloride salt (1a) have been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The structural studies revealed that geometries around the metal centers were almost linear in these gold and silver complexes. The gold (1c, 2c, and 3b) complexes efficiently catalyze ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide under solvent-free melt conditions producing polylactide polymer of moderate to low molecular weights with narrow molecular weight distributions.     

Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of phenoxy-ketimine ligands: Synthesis,structures and their utility in bulk ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide

Synthetic, structural and catalysis studies of Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of a series of phenoxy-ketimine ligands with controlled variations of sterics, namely 2-[1-(2,6-diethylphenylimino)ethyl]phenol (1a), 2-[1-(2,6-dimethylphenylimino)ethyl]phenol (1b) and 2-[1-(2-methylphenylimino)ethyl]phenol (1c), are reported. Specifically, the ligands 1a, 1b and 1c were synthesized by the TiCl₄ mediated condensation reactions of the respective anilines with o-hydroxyacetophenone in 21–23% yield. The nickel complexes, {2-[1-(2,6-diethylphenylimino)ethyl]phenoxy}₂Ni(II) (2a) and {2-[1-(2,6-dimethylphenylimino)ethyl]phenoxy}₂Ni(II) (2b), were synthesized by the reaction of the respective ligands 1a and 1b with Ni(OAc)₂ · 4H₂O in the presence of NEt₃ as a base in 71–75% yield. The copper complexes, {2-[1-(2,6-diethylphenylimino)ethyl]phenoxy}₂Cu(II) (3a), {2-[1-(2,6-dimethylphenylimino)ethyl]phenoxy}₂Cu(II) (3b) and {2-[1-(2-methylphenylimino)ethyl]phenoxy}₂Cu(II) (3c) were synthesized analogously by the reactions of the ligands 1a, 1b and 1c with Cu(OAc)₂ · H₂O in 70–87% yield. The molecular structures of the nickel and copper complexes 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b and 3c have been determined by X-ray diffraction studies. Structural comparisons revealed that the nickel centers in 2a and 2b are in square planar geometries while the geometry around the copper varied from being square planar in 3a and 3c to distorted square planar in 3b. The catalysis studies revealed that while the copper complexes 3a, 3b and 3c efficiently catalyze ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide at elevated temperatures under solvent-free melt conditions, producing polylactide polymers of moderate molecular weights with narrow molecular weight distributions, the nickel counterparts 2a and 2b failed to yield the polylactide polymer.     

Singlet oxygen addition to homoallylic substrates in solution and microemulsion: novel secondary reactions

The photooxygenation of three homoallylic substrates, the γ,δ-unsaturated ketone 1a, nitrile 2a, and the γ,δ-unsaturated ester 3a was investigated in homogeneous solution and in microemulsion (for 1a). Two secondary reaction pathways were detected for the allylic hydroperoxides of type b and c, respectively. The cyclization reactions of 1b and 2b to the 1,2-dioxanes 1d and 2d followed well-known reaction patterns, whereas the base-catalyzed epoxide (1e-3e) formation from the tertiary allylic hydroperoxides 1c-3c is a unprecedented reaction type.