Efficient asymmetric selenocyclizations of alkenyl oximes into cyclic nitrones and 1,2-oxazines promoted by sulfur containing diselenides

Treatment of the di-2-[(1S)-1-(methylthio)ethyl]phenyl diselenide or of the di-2-methoxy-6-[(1S)-1-methylthio)ethyl]phenyl diselenide with bromine and silver triflate afforded the corresponding electrophilic selenylating triflates which were used in situ to promote the asymmetric selenocyclization of γ-alkenyl oximes and δ-phenyl-γ-alkenyl oximes. The course of these reactions and hence the structures of the cyclization products were dictated by the (E)- or (Z)-geometry of the starting oximes. The two types of cyclization products were either the cyclic nitrones or the 1,2-oxazines; in both cases the reactions proceeded with excellent yields, complete regioselectivity and good diastereoselectivity.     

Synthesis and applications of (R)- and (S)-7,7′-dimethoxy-2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthalene

The synthesis of (R)- and (S)-7,7′-dimethoxy-2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthalene 5a and 5b is described. The phosphorus atoms in (S)-(−)-5b are shown to be slightly more basic than the phosphorus atoms in (S)-BINAP by comparing the magnitude of the ¹J (³¹P–⁷⁷Se) coupling constant in their respective diselenide derivatives. (S)-(−)-5b behaved similarly to (S)-BINAP in asymmetric Heck reactions.     

Helicity discrimination in diselenides by chiral substituents—a circular dichroism study

Diselenides substituted with chiral alkyl groups exhibit, in solution and in the crystal form, Cotton effects within the diselenide chromophore absorption region. The origin is traced to steric effects, leading to a non-uniform distribution of diastereomeric P and M forms of the diselenide chromophore. A DFT computational model presented herein allows us to predict the preferred helicity of the diselenide chromophore from the sign of the experimental n–σ¹ Cotton effect, that is, a positive long-wavelength Cotton effect is due to a P conformer and a negative Cotton effect corresponds to an M conformer.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel chiral azomethine diselenide

The first chiral diselenide 9 having an ortho-azomethine functional group has been synthesized by the reaction of bis(o-formylphenyl) diselenide with the chiral amine R(+)-(1-phenylethylamine). The chiral diselenide 9 was further characterized by derivatizing it into the corresponding selenenyl halides. The derivatives are characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. In the solid state, the bromide derivative 11 shows the strongest Se?N intramolecular interaction. The chiral azomethine diselenide 9 has been further reduced to afford the diselenide 13. The monoselenide analogues of 9 and 13 have also been synthesized.     

A sulfur-containing diselenide as an efficient chiral reagent in asymmetric selenocyclization reactions

Treatment of the di-2-[(1S)-1-(methylthio)ethyl]phenyl diselenide with bromine and silver triflate afforded the corresponding selenyl triflate which was used in situ as a strongly electrophilic selenium reagent to effect the asymmetric synthesis of oxygen- or nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Cyclic ethers, lactones, lactams or N-protected pyrrolidines have been prepared in good yield with complete regioselectivity and high diastereoselectivity.     

Stereospecific synthesis of P-epimeric (Rp1, Rp2)-bis-[O-l-menthylphenylphosphonothionyl] diselenide. A new variant of the stereoselective Staudinger reaction

An efficient procedure is described that leads to pure (S_P)- O -l-menthylphenylthiophosphinate. The absolute configuration of this diastereomer was assigned by chemical correlation and confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The reaction of the isomer with phenyl azide, leading to amidate, is a new variant of the stereoselective Staudinger reaction. Addition of elemental selenium to the (S_P)-thiophosphinate led to diastereomeric O-l-menthylphenylselenophosphonothioic acid, which was finally oxidized to the diastereomeric (R_P1,R_P2)-bis-[O-l-menthylphenylphosphonothionyl] diselenide. The diselenide structure was unambiguously confirmed by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy.     

Syntheses and reactions of terpene β-hydroxyselenides and β-hydroxydiselenides

A convenient method for the synthesis of optically active trans-hydroxyselenides and trans-hydroxydiselenides from the bicyclic terpene group based on the reactions of sodium selenide or sodium diselenide with cis- and trans-(+)-3-carane, trans-(+)-2-carane and (?)-β-pinane epoxides is described. The corresponding cis-hydroxy and cis-methoxydiselenides were obtained in the reaction of sodium diselenide with β-hydroxy- and β-methoxytosylates. The influence of a hydroxy group at the β-position on the diastereomeric ratio of the products of the asymmetric methoxyselenenylation of styrene has been established by composition of the products, crystal structure analyses, and theoretical calculations using a DFT method on the B3LYP level (6-311G(d)).     

Ag/K2S2O8-Mediated Direct Thiolation and Selenylation of Carbazoles

The first direct and selective 3,6-di-thiolation and 3,6-di-selenylation of carbazoles using diaryl disulfides/diselenide as the sulfur/selenium source were demonstrated. This simple, general, and efficient method could deliver a wide range of 3,6-di-sulfenyl-carbazoles and 3,6-di-selenyl-carbazoles from readily available starting materials with high regioselectivity in an easily-operated one-step reaction via a Ag/K₂S₂O₈-mediated protocol.     

Ultrasonic speed in compressed liquid by a sing-around method

A new apparatus for the measurement of ultrasonic speed in compressed liquid was constructed. The reliability of this instrument was confirmed by measuring the speeds in pure benzene in the ranges from 283.15 to 323.15 K and pressures up to near freezing pressure, and by comparing the results with literature values. The isentropic compressibilities κ_S were also determined using the experimental speeds and densities, and the results κ_S(u) were compared with those observed directly elsewhere κ_S(d) and those calculated thermodynamically κ_S(c) from (p, V_m, T). At atmospheric pressure, the present results, while agreeing with κ_S(u) reported in the literature, show differences from κ_S(d) and κ_S(c), while those for higher pressures close on a simple curve with κ_S(c).     

Preparation of bis(2-pyridyl) diselenide derivatives: Synthesis of selenazolo[5,4-b]pyridines and unsymmetrical diorganyl selenides,and evaluation of antioxidant and anticholinesterasic activities

We describe here an alternative method to prepare bis(2-pyridyl) diselenide derivatives using reduced selenium species, generated in situ, and different 2-chloropyridines promoted by p-TSOH in PEG-400 as solvent. This is a straightforward protocol to prepare bis(3-amino-2-pyridyl) diselenides unprecedented to date. Still, this article describe the employment of synthesized bis(3-amino-2-pyridyl) diselenide and a diverse array of aryl aldehydes to afford the corresponding 2-aryl-selenazolo[5,4-b]pyridines in satisfactory yields and, in a short reaction time under basic condition. Furthermore, when the bis(3-amino-2-pyridyl) diselenide reacted with aliphatic halides, in the presence of NaBH₄, a wide range of unsymmetrical diorganyl selenides was obtained. To complete this investigation the bis(3-amino-2-pyridyl) diselenide was evaluated for its inhibitory effect on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and free radical-scavenging capacity. Results demonstrated that this compound was antioxidant and inhibitor of the AChE activity, being a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.     

Convenient route to dialkyl diselenides from alkyl tosylates. Synthesis of di(cis-myrtanyl) diselenide

A one-step method for the synthesis of dialkyl diselenides, by reaction of alkyl tosylates with sodium diselenide is described. Three variants of the synthesis, using as an example the preparation of optically active di(cis-myrtanyl) diselenide, are compared.     

Resolution of cis-2-fluorocyclopropanecarboxylic acid by a microbial enantioselective hydrolysis

The important key intermediate of quinolone analogue synthesis, (1S,2S)-2-fluorocyclopropanecarboxylic acid, was prepared enantioselectively by a microbial resolution. One of the strains with the highest enzymatic specificity was selected from soil and when lyophilized cells were treated with corresponding ester, the remaining (1S,2S)-ester was obtained with high enantiomeric purity (98% e.e.).     

Synthesis of optically active heterocyclic compounds via deracemization of 1,2-diol monotosylate derivatives bearing a long aliphatic chain by a combination of enzymatic hydrolysis with Mitsunobu inversion

We have succeeded in accomplishing the deracemization of (±)-2-acetoxydecyl and (±)-acetoxy-6-benzyloxyhexyl tosylates, which have a long substituent, via an enzyme-mediated enantioselective hydrolysis with a Mitsunobu inversion using polymer-supported triphenylphosphine to afford the corresponding (S)-enantiomer. Enantiomerically pure (S)- and (R)-γ-dodecalactones, a fruit flavor, were synthesized from (S)-2-acetoxydecyl tosylate as the mutual starting material. The poisonous alkaloid (S)-coniine was also synthesized using enantiomerically pure allyl amine as the key intermediate derived from (S)-acetoxy-6-benzyloxyhexyl tosylate.     

Synthesis and stereochemistry of JBIR-81, a peptide enamide derived from aspergilli

The absolute stereochemistry of an aspergilli-derived peptide enamide, JBIR-81, was determined to be 12S, 15S by the first synthesis of (12S,15S)-JBIR-81 and its epimer. The overall yield was 56% over six steps from N-methyl-l-leucine. The (Z)-enamide structure was effectively constructed with use of a copper (I) catalyzed coupling reaction between a vinyl halide and a carboxamide.     

Straightforward access to new vinca-alkaloids via selective reduction of a nitrile containing anhydrovinblastine derivative

A procedure to exclusively obtain 3′S-cyanoanhydrovinblastine 12 from two naturally occurring vinca-alkaloids (catharanthine and vindoline) in one step with good yield is described. Stereoselective reductions of 12, providing straightforward access to three new vinca-alkaloids, including two diastereomers 3′S-cyano-(4′R,5′-dihydro)-anhydrovinblastine and 3′S-cyano-(4′S,5′-dihydro)-anhydrovinblastine as well as (3′S-aminomethyl)-(4′S,5′-dihydro)-anhydrovinblastine in good yields is also reported.     

Asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction using a new chiral β-nitroacrylate for enantiopure trans-β-norbornane amino acid preparation

The main nitronorbornene adduct derived from the asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of (S)-benzyl-4-(3-(3-nitroacryloyloxy)-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)benzoate (S)-1 and cyclopentadiene was isolated and transformed to afford the enantiopure bicyclic β-amino acid (1S,2R,3R,4R)-trans-β-norbornane amino acid 9. The enantiomer (1R,2S,3S,4S)-9 could be obtained by the same synthetic route by using the chiral auxiliary (R)-1.     

Stereoselective synthesis of a new trihydroxyindolizidine lactone

A general approach to 1,6,7-trihydroxyindolizidin-8-carboxylates is illustrated through the synthesis of a γ-lactone in an enantiopure form in seven steps starting from (3S)-3-t-butyloxy-1-pyrroline N-oxide and the acetonide of (2E,4S)-4,5-dihydroxy-2-pentenoic acid derived from (S)-malic acid and mannitol, respectively. The process was completely stereoselective and allowed the total control of the relative and absolute configuration of the five contiguous stereocentres of the product.     

Reversed diastereoselectivity in the ring-opening reaction of (S)-TFPO with a chiral aminoacetonitrile Schiff base

Diastereoselective ring opening of (S)-2,3-epoxy-1,1,1-trifluoropropane [(S)-TFPO: 75% ee] with an aminoacetonitrile Schiff base bearing the (R,R,R)-hydroxypinanone chiral auxiliary [(R)-Schiff base] are described. The reaction of (S)-TFPO with the (R)-Schiff base selectively gave one diastereomer out of the four possible, while that with the (S)-Schiff base gave a complex mixture of all four possible diastereomers. The stereochemistry of the reaction products was greatly dependent on the base used for abstracting a proton from the (R)-Schiff base; utilization of LDA and KO^tBu resulted in production of (R,R,R,S,S)- and (R,R,R,R,S)-isomers as the major diastereomers, respectively.     

Absolute configuration of (-)-biflora-4,10(19),15-triene,a diterpene from a termite soldier,as determined by the synthesis of its (1R, 6S, 7S, 11R)-(+)-isomer

(1R, 6S, 7S, 11R)-(+)-Biflora-4, 10(19),15-triene was synthesized starting from (r)-(+)-citronellic acid. This enabled us to assign (1S), 6R, 7R, (11S)-stereochemistry to the naturally occurring (-)-enantiomer isolated from soldiers of the termite species Cubitermes umbratus.     

Malyngic acid,a new fatty acid from Lyngbya majuscula

Malyngic acid, a major fatty acid in several varieties of the marine blue-green alga Lyngbya majuscula, has been determined to be 9(S),12(R),13(S)-trihydroxyoctadeca-10(E),15(Z)-dienoic acid from chemical and spectral data and by its conversion to 9(S),12(R),13(S)-trihydroxystearic acid and degradation to 2-deoxy-D-ribitol.