Donor-acceptor interaction-mediated arrangement of hydrogen bonded dimers

The donor-acceptor interaction-driven supramolecular arrangement of a new series of quadruply hydrogen-bonded homo- and heterodimers have been investigated in chloroform with ¹H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Two kinds of structurally complementary monomers have been prepared. Monomers 3 and 4 are incorporated with one ureidopyrimidone unit and one electron deficient pyromellitic diimide (PDI) or naphthalene diimide (NDI) unit, respectively, monomers 5 and 6 are incorporated with two ureidopyrimidone units and one PDI or NDI unit, respectively, whereas monomers 7 and 8 consist of one electron rich bis-p-phenylene[34]crown-10 unit and one or two 2,7-diamido-1,6-naphthyridine units, respectively. Compounds 3 and 4 exist exclusively as homodimers, respectively. Adding 1 equiv. of 7 to the solution of 3·3 and 4·4 induced them to partially or fully dissociate to produce heterodimers 3·7 and 4·7 due to intermolecular donor-acceptor interaction and the formation of a new binding mode between the ureidopyrimidone of 3 or 4 and the 2,7-diamido-1,6-naphthyridine unit of 7. Both 5 and 6 exist as cyclic monomer and dimer in chloroform. Adding 1 equiv. of 8 to the solution of 5 or 6 in chloroform caused all the cyclic dimer and most of the cyclic monomer to de-cyclize to form new heterodimers 5·8 and 6·8, respectively. ¹H NMR and UV-vis study revealed that heterodimer 5·8 has a structure in which the PDI of 5 is not threaded through the cavity of the bis-p-phenylene[34]crown-10 unit of 8. In contrast, in addition to the heterodimer similar to 5·8, about 40% of heterodimer 6·8 is generated, in which the PDI of 6 is threaded through the cavity of the bis-p-phenylene[3]crown-10 unit of 8 due to the increased donor-acceptor interaction between NDI and bis-p-phenylene[34]crown-10. Steric hindrance and mismatching of the hydrogen bonding moiety play important roles in the arrangement of the new homo- and heterodimers.     

Photoactive building blocks for coordination complexes: Gilding 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine

The alkyne unit of 4′-ethynyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine has been functionalized with Ph₃PAu, (2-tolyl)₃PAu or Au(dppe)Au units to produce compounds 1-3, respectively. These derivatives have been characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry, solution ¹H and ¹³C NMR, UV-Vis and emission spectroscopies, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In the solid state, molecules of 1 or 2 pack with separated domains of tpy and R₃PAu units; the tpy units in 2 (but not 1) exhibit face-to-face π-stacking. Compound 3 crystallizes as 2(3)^.CHCl₃, and the folded conformation of the dppe backbone results in a short (2.9470(8) Å) aurophilic interaction. Folded molecule 3 captures CHCl₃, preventing intramolecular face-to-face π-interactions between the tpy units. In CH₂Cl₂ solution, 1-3 are emissive when excited between 230 and 300 nm, but over minutes when λ_ex = 230 nm, the emission bands decay as the compounds photodegrade.     

Addition of silyloxydienes to 2,6-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone: an approach to highly oxygenated bromonaphthoquinones for the synthesis of thysanone

The synthesis of tetraoxygenated bromonaphthoquinones 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, key intermediates for a synthesis of the 3C protease inhibitor, thysanone, were investigated. Addition of 1-methoxy-1,3-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadiene 8 to 2,6-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone 10 in benzene afforded a mixture of naphthoquinone 6a, arising from Diels-Alder addition followed by aromatisation, and Michael adduct 12. The Michael adduct 12 predominated when THF was used as solvent whereas 6a predominated when benzene was used. Naphthoquinone 6a underwent benzylation to naphthoquinone 6c. Addition of 1,1-dimethoxy-3-trimethylsilyloxy-1,3-butadiene 9 to 2,6-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone 10 followed by benzylation failed to afford the desired bromonaphthoquinone 6d yet methylation did afford naphthoquinone 6b. Bromonaphthoquinone 6d was finally prepared from naphthol 18, obtained from addition of diene 9 to 1,4-benzoquinone 17, followed by ortho-bromination and oxidation. Attempted Sakurai allylation of bromonaphthoquinone 6d afforded naphthodihydrofuran 21. A similar observation was observed for 2-carbomethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone 22 that also underwent Sakurai allylation to afford naphthodihydrofuran 23. The structure of Michael adduct 12 was confirmed by X-ray crystallography.     

Iron pentacarbonyl assisted photochemical route to 2,5- and 2,6-divinyl-substituted 1,4-benzoquinones from 1-ene-3-ynes

Photochemical reaction between the enynes, (Z)-1-methoxybut-1-ene-3-yne, 1 or isopropenyl acetylene, 2 with CO in presence of Fe(CO)₅ yields the 2,6- and 2,5-divinyl-substituted 1,4-benzoquinones: 2,6-bis{(Z)-2-methoxyvinyl}-1,4-benzoquinone (3, 42%), 2,5-bis{(Z)-2-methoxyvinyl}-1,4-benzoquinone (4, 31.5%), [{η²,η²:2,6-di(prop-1-en-2-yl)-1,4-benzoquinone}tricarbonyliron] (5, 45%), and {η²,η²:2,5-di(prop-1-en-2-yl)-1,4-benzoquinone}tricarbonyliron] (6, 65%).     

Salen-ligands based on a planar-chiral hydroxyferrocene moiety: Synthesis, coordination chemistry and use in asymmetric silylcyanation

Condensation of the O-protected hydroxyferrocene carbaldehyde (S_p)-1 with suitable diamines, followed by liberation of the hydroxyferrocene moiety leads to a new type of ferrocene-based salen ligands (3). While the use of ethylenediamine in the condensation reaction yields the planar-chiral ethylene-bridged ligand [(S_p,S_p)-3a], reaction with the enantiomers of trans-1,2-cyclohexylendiamine gives rise to the corresponding diastereomeric cyclohexylene-bridged systems [(S,S,S_p,S_p)-3b and (R,R,S_p,S_p)-3c], which feature a combination of a planar-chiral ferrocene unit with a centrochiral diamine backbone. Starting with the ferrocene-aldehyde derivative (R_p)-1, the enantiomeric ligand series (3d/e/f) is accessible via the same synthetic route.The (S_p)-series of these newly developed N₂O₂-type ligands was used for the construction of the corresponding mononuclear bis(isopropoxy)titanium (4a/b/c), methylaluminum (5a/b/c) and chloroaluminum-complexes (6a/b/c), which were isolated in good yields and identified by X-ray diffraction in several cases. The aluminum complexes (5/6) were successfully used in the Lewis-acid catalyzed addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to benzaldehyde, yielding the corresponding cyanohydrins in 45-62% enantiomeric excess.     

Fluorescent aminoarylcyclotetraphosphazenes

In the present work, octachlorocyclotetraphosphazatetraene (1), N₄P₄Cl₈, is reacted with aniline (2), 1-napthylamine (4) and 2-aminoanthracene (6) to give octakis(arylamino)cyclotetraphosphazenes (3, 5 and 7). These cyclotetraphosphazene compounds (3, 5 and 7) have been fully characterized by elemental analysis, mass (MS), FT-IR, ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopies. The molecular and crystal structures of 5 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The structure of 5 is monoclinic with the space group P21/c. The octakis(1-napthylamino)-(5) and octakis(2-aminoanthracene)-(7) cyclotetraphosphazene compounds have been synthesised for the first time in this study. The fluorescence properties of 3, 5 and 7 have been investigated in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and have been shown to have highly fluorescence behavior. This work also presents the quenching of arylamino substituted cyclotetraphosphazene derivatives (3, 5 and 7) by p-benzoquinone (BQ) or hydroquinone (HQ).     

Synthesis and characterization of β-fused porphyrin-BODIPY dyads

Novel dyads in which a porphyrin ring is directly fused through two β-pyrrolic carbons to a BODIPY^® moiety have been prepared using a stepwise approach starting from the copper(II) complex of pyrrolo[2,3-c]-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin. Formylation and reaction with 3,5-dimethylpyrrole afforded 8; subsequent BF₂ complexation gave the TPP-BODIPY^® dyad in reasonable yields. Demetalation in TFA/H₂SO₄ led to the corresponding free base 12, opening the way to the subsequent preparation of the Zn complex 13. Both 12 and 13 exhibited complex optical spectra with an intensely red-shifted Q-band. Luminescence spectra displayed a very intense band around 700 nm making these species suitable as near-IR dyes and sensors in biological media. Optical analyses of 12, using the INDO/SCI technique, were performed to obtain information to establish the origin of the novel optical properties. These studies showed that the optical properties of 12 cannot be attributed to deformation of the molecular skeleton, but derive from the increased extension of the conjugation between the TPP and BODIPY^® π-systems.     

Organofluorine compounds and fluorinating agents : Part 28. New perfluoroalkyl substituted chiral mesogens

The perfluorohexyl-aryl-thioethers 3 and 4, building blocks for the synthesis of the chiral target mesogens 12-15, were prepared by dithionite-mediated S-perfluoroalkylation of the p-substituted thiophenols 1 and 2. The phenolic HO group of 3 was O-glucosylated with pentaacetyl-d-glucopyranose to 5 followed by deacetylation forming the tetrol 6 and by acetalizing with 4-(4-perfluorohexylsulfanyl-benzoyloxy)-benzaldehyde-dimethylacetal (8) generating the dihydroxy-intermediate 9. The latter contains two perfluorohexylthio chains. Alternatively, the dimethylacetal 8 was linked to p-octylphenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (10) giving the mixed octyl/perfluorohexyl substituted p-octylphenyl-4,6-O-[4′-(4″-perfluorohexylsulfanyl)-benzoyloxy]-benzylidene-β-d-glucopyranoside (11). Compound 8 was obtained via esterification of 4 with p-hydroxy-benzaldehyde to 4-(4-perfluorohexylsulfanyl-benzoyloxy)-benzaldehyde (7). Finally, the diols 9 and 11 were dehydroxylated to 12 and 13 followed by hydrogenation yielding 14 and 15, respectively. Tetrol 6, diols 9, 11 and the non-amphiphilic compounds 7, 12-15 are thermotropic liquid crystals.     

Palladium(II) catalyzed carbonylative dimerization of allenyl ketones: efficient synthesis of difuranylketones

Palladium(II) catalyzed carbonylation of 1,2-allenyl ketones 1 in the presence of p-benzoquinone (1 equiv) under a CO atmosphere (balloon) afforded difuranylketones 4 in moderate to good yields. Mechanistically, the electron-withdrawing nature of the acyl group should enhance the electrophilicity of the acylpalladium species B, and thus promote the oxypalladation of an additional molecule of 1, leading to the difuranyl ketone 4.     

Synthesis of some tetrazole fused pyrido[2,3-c]coumarin derivatives from a one-pot three-component reaction via intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of azide to nitriles

Some novel tetrazole fused pyrido[2,3-c]coumarin derivatives 5/7/9 were synthesized from a one-pot three-component reaction of 4-chloro-3-formylcoumarins 2, sodium azide 3, and alkyl/aryl acetonitriles 4/6/8.     

The conversion of 2-cyano cyanothioformanilides into 3-aminoindole-2-carbonitriles using triphenylphosphine

2-Cyano cyanothioformanilide 3a reacts with triphenylphosphine in the presence of water to give 2-(cyanomethyleneamino)benzonitrile 4a, 2-(cyanomethylamino)benzonitrile 5, 3-aminoindole-2-carbonitrile 2a and (2-cyanoindol-3-yl)iminotriphenylphosphorane 6a. In the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid in MeOH the reaction between 2-cyano cyanothioformanilide 3a and triphenylphosphine (2 equiv) gives 3-aminoindole-2-carbonitrile 2a in 90% yield. Under the same conditions 2-(cyanomethyleneamino)benzonitrile 4a gives anthranilonitrile 8a, 3-aminoindole-2-carbonitrile 2a and N-(2-cyanophenyl)formamide 9. In addition, substituted 2-cyano cyanothioformanilides 3b-f react with triphenylphosphine and p-toluenesulfonic acid in MeOH to give 3-aminoindole-2-carbonitriles 2b-f in 63-75% yields. Under analogous conditions 2-cyano-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl cyanothioformanilide 2g gives only 4,5-dimethoxyanthranilonitrile 8g and 4,6,7-trimethoxyquinazoline-2-carbonitrile 14g, but in refluxing dry PhMe in the absence of p-toluenesulfonic acid 2-cyano-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl cyanothioformanilide 3g, (2-cyano-5,6-dimethoxyindol-3-yl)iminotriphenylphosphorane 6g and 2-(cyanomethyleneamino)-4,5-dimethoxybenzonitrile 4g are obtained. The structure of 2-(cyanomethyleneamino)-4,5-dimethoxybenzonitrile 4g is supported unambiguously via independent synthesis and comparison to the isomeric 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline-2-carbonitrile 15. All new compounds are fully characterised and a tentative mechanism for the transformation of 2-cyano cyanothioformanilides to indoles is proposed.     

Transamidation reactions of 2-(2-sulfonylguanidino)acetamides

The reactivity of a series of sulfonylguanidinoacetamides 2A-E towards amines is reported. Guanidinoacetamides 2A-C, containing the arylsulfonylimino moiety, undergo a facile transamidation to give substituted carboxamides 4A-C, through the imidazolidinone intermediate 3. Acetamide 2D, having a methanesulfonylimino substituent, affords the imidazolidinone 3D and no transamidated carboxamides 4 are detected. In the case of guanidinoacetamide 2E, with a p-nitrobenzenesulfonylimino substituent, a Smiles rearrangement was observed.     

Synthesis, antitumor and DNA photocleaving activities of novel naphthalene carboxamides: effects of different thio-heterocyclic rings and aminoalkyl side chains

Two kinds of thio-heterocyclic fused naphthalene carboxamides, 3a-b, 4a-b, were designed, synthesized and quantitatively evaluated as efficient antitumor and DNA photocleaving agents. Compound 3a or 3b, having the thiophene ring, intercalated into DNA more strongly than compound 4a or 4b, having the thioxanthene ring. Compound 4a or 4b, photocleaved DNA more efficiently than 3a or 3b via superoxide anion. Compound 4a was the strongest inhibitor for P388 (murine leukemia cell), while 3a was the most cytotoxic one against A549 (human lung cancer cell). Each new compound showed stronger DNA photocleaving activity than corresponding naphthalimide.     

A facile approach for the synthesis of novel substituted 4H-chromenes and condensation reactions of 4H-chromenes leading to chromenopyrrolones and triazolylchromenopyrrolones

A facile method has been developed for the synthesis of 4H-chromene-3-carboxylates 3a–d by the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2-hydroxy-2H-chromene-3-carboxylates 2a–d with triethylsilane in the presence of BF₃·O(C₂H₅)₂. Cyclocondensation of 4H-chromene-3-carboxylates 3a–d with benzylamines 4a–d afforded a series of 2,3-dihydrochromenopyrrolones 5a–p and with propargylamine afforded 2-propynyl-2,3-dihydrochromenopyrrolones 6a–d. Click reaction of 6a–d with benzyl azides 7a–d provided a series of 1H-1,2,3-triazolylmethyl-2,3-dihydrochromenopyrrolones 8a–p. Thus synthesized compounds 3a–d, 5a–p, 6a–d, and 8a–p are novel heterocyclic compounds and being reported for the first time.     

Reactions of azulene and guaiazulene with all-trans-retinal and trans-cinnamaldehyde: comparative studies on spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of monocarbenium-ions stabilized by expanded π-electron systems with an azulenyl or 3-guaiazulenyl group

Reaction of azulene (1) with all-trans-retinal in diethyl ether in the presence of hexafluorophosphoric acid at −10 °C for 1 h in a dark room gives the corresponding monocarbenium-ion compound, (2E,4E,6E,8E)-1-azulenyl-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8-nonatetraen-1-ylium hexafluorophosphate (3), in 74% isolated yield. The spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of 3 compared with those of the previously-documented (2E,4E,6E,8E)-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8-nonatetraen-1-ylium hexafluorophosphate (4) are reported. Along with the above delocalized monocarbenium-ion compounds 3 and 4, stabilized by the expanded π-electron systems possessing an azulenyl (or 3-guaiazulenyl) group, an efficient preparation as well as the spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of (2E)-1-azulenyl-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ylium and (2E)-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ylium hexafluorophosphates (5 and 6) (90 and 96% isolated yields), having a similar partial structure [i.e., the (2E)-1-azulenyl-2-propen-1-ylium-ion or (2E)-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-2-propen-1-ylium-ion part] to those of 3 and 4, is documented. Moreover, the crystal structure of 6, whose carbenium-ion framework is planar, is shown.     

On the microstructure and symmetry of apparently hexagonal BaAl2O4

The P6₃ (a=2a_p, b=2b_p, c=c_p) crystal structure reported for BaAl₂O₄ at room temperature has been carefully re-investigated by a combined transmission electron microscopy and neutron powder diffraction study. It is shown that the poor fit of this P6₃ (a=2a_p, b=2b_p, c=c_p) structure model for BaAl₂O₄ to neutron powder diffraction data is primarily due to the failure to take into account coherent scattering between different domains related by enantiomorphic twinning of the P6₃22 parent sub-structure. Fast Fourier transformation of [0 0 1] lattice images from small localized real space regions (∼10 nm in diameter) are used to show that the P6₃ (a=2a_p, b=2b_p, c=c_p) crystal structure reported for BaAl₂O₄ is not correct on the local scale. The correct local symmetry of the very small nano-domains is most likely orthorhombic or monoclinic.     

Synthesis and characterization of coumarin and dimedone-derived diazabicycles

A series of diazabicyclic derivatives were prepared in three to four steps from p-anisidine and p-nitrobenzaldehyde. The key step of the synthesis involved the acid-catalyzed coupling of 4-aminocoumarin or dimedone derivatives with amino alcohols 3 or 7 to give the ring-opened forms 4, 10, 12 and the ring-closed diazabicycles 5, 6, 9, 11. When 4-alkylaminocoumarins were used as the coupling reagents, the major cyclized product was N-dealkylated diazabicycle 5, rather than the corresponding N-alkylated products. Alternatively, compound 4 was cyclized by DDQ oxidation to produce quinone imine 13. The molecular structures of the synthesized compounds were characterized by X-ray crystallography.     

Conformational chirality and chiral crystallization of N-sulfonylpyrimidine derivatives

New N-sulfonylpyrimidine derivatives 1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)uracil (1), 1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)thymine (2), 5-bromo-1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)uracil (3), 1-(methanesulfonyl)uracil (4), 1-(1-naphthylsulfonyl)uracil (5), and 1-(1-naphthylsulfonyl)thymine (6) were prepared by the condensation reaction of silylated pyrimidine derivatives with selected sulfonyl chlorides in acetonitrile. Some members of the series showed unexpected crystal properties as a consequence of their conformational chirality in the solid state. Compounds 1 and 5 exhibited chiral crystallization, which was, in the case of 1, accompanied by the formation of racemically twinned crystals regardless of the solvent used, while 5 gave a conglomerate of enantiomorphous crystals. For 2, 3, and 6, substituents at the C-5 position of the pyrimidine ring prevented chiral crystallization by influencing the crystal packing. Analysis of the crystal structures of 1, 4, and 5, reveals the influence of the arylsulfonyl group on the occurrence or absence of chiral crystallization.     

Preparation of cobalt-containing bulky monodentate phosphines with electron-withdrawing/donating substituents on bridged arylethynyl and their applications in Suzuki coupling reactions

Several cobalt-containing bulky monodentate phosphines (μ-PPh₂CH₂PPh₂)Co₂(CO)₄(μ,η-(^tBu)₂PCC(C₆H₄R)) (4a: R=H; 4b: R=p-F; 4cp: R=p-CF₃; 4cm: R=m-CF₃; 4d: R=p-OMe) were prepared from the reactions of (^tBu)₂PCC(R-C₆H₄) (2a: R=H; 2b: R=p-F; 2cp: R=p-CF₃; 2cm: R=m-CF₃; 2d: R=p-OMe) with Co₂(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂CH₂PPh₂) 3. Further reactions of 4a, 4b, 4cp, 4cm, and 4d with Pd(OAc)₂ yielded unique palladium complexes (μ-PPh₂CH₂PPh₂)Co₂(CO)₄(μ,η-(^tBu)₂PCC(C₆H₃R)-κC¹)Pd(μ-OAc) (5a: R=H; 5b: R=p-F; 5cp: R=p-CF₃; 5cm: R=m-CF₃; 5d: R=p-OMe, respectively). The strong electron-withdrawing substituents, -F and -CF₃, assist the ortho-metalation process during the formation of 5b, 5cp, and 5cm. The more positively charged palladium center in 5b (or 5cp, 5cm) enhances the probability for PhB(OH)₃⁻ to attack the metal center and the rate of reduction thereafter. DFT studies on the charges of these palladium centers support this assumption. The enhancement of the reaction rates of the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions using 5b, 5cp, and 5cm is thereby attributed to this effect.     

Preparation, crystal structure, and spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of (2E,4E)-4-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)-1,3-butadiene compared with those of (E)-2-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylene

Wittig reaction of 3-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]propanal (5) with (3-guaiazulenylmethyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (4) in ethanol containing NaOEt at 25 °C for 24 h under argon gives the title (2E,4E)-1,3-butadiene derivative 6E in 19% isolated yield. Spectroscopic properties, crystal structure, and electrochemical behavior of the obtained new extended π-electron system 6E, compared with those of the previously reported (E)-2-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-1-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylene (12), are documented. Furthermore, reaction of 6E with 1,1,2,2-tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) in benzene at 25 °C for 24 h under argon affords a new Diels-Alder adduct 8 in 59% isolated yield. Along with spectroscopic properties of the [π4+π2] cycloaddition product 8, the crystal structure, possessing a cis-3,6-substituted 1,1,2,2-tetracyano-4-cyclohexene unit, is shown. Moreover, reaction of 6E with (E)-1,2-dicyanoethylene (DCNE) under the same reaction conditions as the above gives no product; however, this reaction in p-xylene at reflux temperature (138 °C) for four days under argon affords a new Diels-Alder adduct 9 in 54% isolated yield. Although reaction of 6E with DCNE in toluene at reflux temperature (110 °C) for four days under argon provides 9 very slightly, reaction of 6E with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) in toluene at reflux temperature for two days under argon yields a new Diels-Alder adduct 10, in 58% isolated yield, which upon oxidation with MnO₂ in CH₂Cl₂ at 25 °C for 1 h gives 11, converting a (CH₃)₂N-4″ into CH₃NH-4″ group, in 37% isolated yield. The crystal structure of 11 supports the molecular structure 10 possessing a partial structure cis-3,6-substituted 1,2-dimethoxycarbonyl-1,4-cyclohexadiene. The title basic studies on the above are reported in detail.