Facile Orthoester Formation in a Model Compound of the Taxol Oxetane: Are Biologically Active Epoxy Esters,Orthoesters, and Oxetanyl Esters Latent Electrophiles?

A steroidal oxetanyl ester was synthesized in eight steps as a biomimetic model of taxol oxetane. The model compound was surprisingly reactive under acidic conditions, rearranging in the absence of H₂O to a [2.2.1]‐bicyclic orthoester. Both the oxetanyl ester and the orthoester readily hydrolyze to produce the same triol monoacetate. On the basis of the oxetanyl ester/orthoester rearrangement, a novel biochemical function is suggested for the epoxy esters and oxetanyl esters found in taxoids whereby dioxonium ions, generated from these functional groups, react with cellular proteins to form mixed orthoesters or ethers. A similar process could be involved in the mechanism of action of natural orthoesters such as resiniferatoxin.     

Preparation and polymerization of the two isomeric (chloromethyl)oxetanes

2-(Chloromethyl)oxetane was prepared in 8% overall yield from 2-propen-1-ol by protection of the alcohol with dihydropyran, epoxidation, ring expansion with dimethylsulfoxonium methylide, acid deprotection, and chlorination with triphenylphosphine in CCl₄. 3-(Chloromethyl)oxetane was prepared in 22% overall yield by hydroboration-oxidation of 3-chloro-2-chloromethyl-1-propene followed by base-catalyzed cyclization. Each of the oxetanes was converted to the corresponding elastomeric homopolymer by treatment with a triethylaluminum–acetylacetone–water mixture. Poly[2-(chloromethyl)oxetane] was found to be similar to polyepichlorophydrin in reactivity toward benzoate ion, whereas poly[3-(chloromethyl)oxetane] is more reactive by a factor of 2.     

Polymerization of some sulfur-containing oxetanes

Polymerization under the influence of boron trifluoride of 2-oxa-6-thia[3,3]spiroheptane gives two products: a linear polyether containing oxetane groups and a crosslinked polyether polysulfide. When the polymerization was carried out at ?3°C., up to 60% of soluble polysulfide is obtained. This does not prove that the thietane group polymerizes more rapidly than the oxetane group but rather that oxetane polymerization is inhibited by the presence of thietane groups. Polymerization under the influence of boron trifluoride etherate of 3,3-bis(mercaptomethyl)oxetane leads to a polyether containing free thiol groups. The degree of polymerization of the polymer, however, is low. In order to obtain higher degrees of polymerization several compounds with masked thiol groups were polymerized. 2-Oxa-6,7-dithia-6-thio[3,4]spirooctane and 2-oxa-6,8-dithia-7,7-dimethyl[3,5]-spirononane gave crosslinked products. The diacetate of 3,3-bis(mercaptomethyl)oxetane gave a linear polyether containing thiolacetate groups. Hydrolysis of this polymer leads to poly-3,3-bis(mercaptomethyl)oxetane with a softening temperature of 125–135°C.     

Mechanistic studies of the biomimetic epoxy ester-orthoester and orthoester-cyclic ether rearrangements

The relative rates of acid-catalyzed rearrangements of epoxy esters to [3.2.1]bicyclic orthoesters, the subsequent rearrangements of these ortho esters to substituted tetrahydrofurans, and the rates of orthoester hydrolysis at pH 4.75 were measured in NMR kinetics experiments. The ease of formation and stabilities of these orthoesters compared favorably with the OBO-type [2.2.2]bicyclic orthoesters typically used as protecting groups of carboxylic acids. Studies with 13C NMR-detected 18O-labeling show that epoxy ester rearrangement takes place preferentially via 6-exo cyclization, although the 7-endo process competes when the distal center of the epoxide is disubstituted. The ortho ester-cyclic ether rearrangement was shown by 18O-labeling to occur exclusively via intermediacy of a five-membered dioxonium ion. The structures of the hydrolysis products also indicate the intermediacy of a dioxolanium ion during hydrolysis. The implications for a hypothetical biosynthesis of marine polyether toxins are discussed.     

Stable Noble Gas Compounds Based on Superelectrophilic Anions [B12(BO)11]− and [B12(OBO)11]−

Superelectrophilic monoanions [B₁₂(BO)₁₁]⁻ and [B₁₂(OBO)₁₁]⁻, generated from stable dianions [B₁₂(BO)₁₂]²⁻ and [B₁₂(OBO)₁₂]²⁻, show great potential for binding with noble gases (Ngs). The binding energies, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), natural population analysis (NPA), energy decomposition analysis (EDA), and electron localization function (ELF) were carried out to understand the B−Ng bond in [B₁₂(BO)₁₁Ng]⁻ and [B₁₂(OBO)₁₁Ng]⁻. The calculated results reveal that heavier noble gases (Ar, Kr, and Xe) bind covalently with both [B₁₂(BO)₁₁]⁻ and [B₁₂(OBO)₁₁]⁻ with large binding energies, making them potentially feasible to be synthesized. Only [B₁₂(OBO)₁₁]⁻ could form a covalent bond with helium or neon but the small binding energy of [B₁₂(OBO)₁₁He]⁻ may pose a challenge for its experimental detection.     

The chemistry of 2-aminobenzoyl hydrazides. 1. Effects of orthoester substituents on the mode of cyclization

Treatment of substituted 2-aminobenzoyl hydrazides with orthoesters has been found to yield different products depending upon the type of orthoester employed. Equimolar quantities of orthoester and hydrazide yield 3-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinones, whereas utilization of a two-fold excess (or greater) of orthoester yields, in some cases, 3,4-dihydro-5H-1,3,4-benzotriazepin-5-ones as minor products in addition to N-[4(3H)-quinaz-olinon-3-yl]imidate esters as major products. Treatment of hydrazides with trimethyl orthobenzoate yields substituted 5-(2-aminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles and 3,4-dihydro-5H-1,3,4-benzotriazepin-5-ones. The steric bulk of the phenyl group in trimethyl orthobenzoate effects the formation of adduct at the β-nitrogen of the hydrazide which cyclized to the oxadiazole and benzotriazepinone products. In the aliphatic orthoester series, the formation of adduct to the aromatic amino group appears to be favored which gives rise to quinazolinone and benzotriazepinone products.     

A stereoselective synthesis of 3-substituted (S)-pyroglutamic and glutamic acids via OBO ester derivatives

(S)-Pyroglutamic acid is transformed to the Cbz-protected 4-methyl-2,6,7-trioxabicyclo[2.2.2] octane (OBO) ester. This ortho ester functionality is employed as a bulky steering group for stereoselective introduction of alkyl and aryl groups via 1,4-cuprate addition to 3,4-unsaturated pyroglutamates. After deprotection and ringopening, 3-substituted glutamic acids are obtained.     

Enantiomeric resolution of cyclobutanones and related derivatives by enzyme-catalyzed acylation and hydrolysis

A method for the regio- and enantioselective protection and deprotection of a number of cyclobutanone derivatives employing the isolated enzyme porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) has been developed. PPL catalyzes the regioselective acylation or deacylation of the C-3 substituent in (2S,3R)-(+)-bis[hydroxymethyl]-1,1-dimethoxycyclobutanone and its enantiomer. Photochemical ring expansion of the corresponding cyclobutanones in methanol gave anomeric mixtures of the methyl furanosides with stereochemical retention of the ring substituents. The PPL-catalyzed hydrolysis of the acetal derived from (2S,3R)-bis[acetoxymethyl]cyclobutanone resulted in a regioselective reaction of the C-3 acetoxymethyl group. PPL exhibits no hydrolysis activity toward the acetal derived from the enantiomeric cyclobutanone diacetate.

Racemic 2-acetoxymethyl-3,3-dimethylcyclobutanone was converted to its enantiomerically enriched (S)-alcohol by PPL-catalyzed hydrolysis. The corresponding methyl furanoside obtained from the photochemical ring expansion of racemic 2-acetoxymethyl-3,3-dimethylcyclobutanone in methanol is not an effective substrate for PPL mediated hydrolysis.     

Photoaddition of 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride to selenophthene

As a continuation of studies carried out in this laboratory [2] on the properties of selenophene and its methyl derivatives as substrates for excited carbonyl compounds and for methylmaleic anhydride derivatives in photosensitized reactions benzo[b]selenophene and selenophthene were tested as well. The latter were found to be inert in oxetane formation but good substrates in photosensitized reactions.     

The pseudouridine synthases: revisiting a mechanism that seemed settled

RNA containing 5-fluorouridine, [f 5U]RNA, has been used as a mechanistic probe for the pseudouridine synthases, which convert uridine in RNA to its C-glycoside isomer, pseudouridine. Hydrated products of f 5U were attributed to ester hydrolysis of a covalent complex between an essential aspartic acid residue and f 5U, and the results were construed as strong support for a mechanism involving Michael addition by the aspartic acid residue. Labeling studies with [18O]water are now reported that rule out such ester hydrolysis in one pseudouridine synthase, TruB. The aspartic acid residue does not become labeled, and the hydroxyl group in the hydrated product of f 5U derives directly from solvent. The hydrated product, therefore, cannot be construed to support Michael addition during the conversion of uridine to pseudouridine, but the results do not rule out such a mechanism. A hypothesis is offered for the seemingly disparate behavior of different pseudouridine synthases toward [f 5U]RNA.     

A novel synthetic route to 6-oxabicyclo[3.1.1]heptane skeleton

6-Oxabicyclo[3.1.1]heptane skeleton is synthesized starting from bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton, in which as a key reaction, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the tricyclic oxetane (19) is involved.     

Directed ring-opening of 1,5-dioxaspiro[3.2]hexanes: selective formation of 2,2-disubstituted oxetanes

1,5-Dioxaspiro[3.2]hexanes undergo ring-opening reactions with many heteroatom nucleophiles to provide alpha-substituted-beta'-hydroxy ketones. However, certain Lewis acidic nucleophiles provide 2,2-disubstituted oxetanes. Herein, the results of reactions of 3-phenyl-1,5-dioxaspiro[3.2]hexane with a variety of nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic bases are reported. There appears to be a correlation between the pK(a) of the nucleophile and the reaction outcome with more acidic nucleophiles providing 2,2-disubstituted oxetanes. Moreover, the mode of ring opening can be directed toward the substituted oxetane by the addition of a Lewis acid. These results are rationalized by calculation of stationary points on the potential energy surfaces for the various possible reaction pathways using ab initio molecular orbital methods.     

A Paterno-Büchi approach to the synthesis of merrilactone A

A six-step approach to the tetracyclic core of merrilactone A is described that uses an intramolecular Paterno-Büchi photoaddition to install the key oxetane ring. Irradiation of bicyclic enone 16, constructed through cyclopentenone alkylation followed by a domino oxy-/carbopalladation reaction, produces the tetracyclic oxetane 17 in excellent yield, having the core carbon skeleton of the target compound merrilactone A. [reaction: see text]     

Cationic equilibrium ring-opening polymerization of bicyclic monomers and its application to chemical recycling

Spiro orthoesters give poly(cyclic orthoester)s by single ring-opening polymerization in the presence of acid catalysts, and this process undergoes the equilibrium polymerization. We have applied the function of equilibrium polymerization to chemical recycling of polymeric materials. Crosslinked poly(cyclic orthoester)s, prepared by radical additions of poly(cyclic orthoester)s possessing exomethylene groups and dithiols, efficiently decrosslinked to bifunctional spiro orthoesters in the presence of CF₃CO₂H in CH₂Cl₂. The dithiol-linked bifunctional spiro orthoester monomers, prepared by the radical additions of spiro orthoester possessing exomethylene group and dithiols, afforded the corresponding crosslinked polymers in the presence of CF₃CO₂H as a catalyst in bulk. The decrosslinking of the obtained crosslinked polymer proceeded quantitatively to obtain the corresponding bifunctional monomer at room temperature in CH₂Cl₂. Further, an acid-catalyzed reversible crosslinking-decrosslinking of a polymer having a spiro orthoester group in the side chain was carried out. The copolymer obtained by the radical copolymerization of 2-methylene-1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.6]undecane with acrylonitrile was treated with CF₃CO₂H at −10 °C in CH₂Cl₂ to afford the crosslinked polymer quantitatively. The crosslinked polymer was then treated with CF₃CO₂H at room temperature at a low concentration in CH₂Cl₂ to recover the original polymer.     

Stereodifferentiation in the photochemical cycloreversion of diastereomeric methoxynaphthalene-oxetane dyads

[structure: see text] Intramolecular PET cycloreversion of oxetanes 1 and 2 has been achieved in acetonitrile and chloroform as solvents. Interestingly, a higher photoreactivity has been found in acetonitrile, while a significant stereodifferentiation has been found in chloroform. This stereodifferentiation can be attributed to the folded conformation which predominates in 2, with the naphthalene ring directed toward the oxetane region, allowing for the intramolecular electron transfer. Accordingly, intramolecular fluorescence quenching is also more efficient in acetonitrile, whereas stereodifferentiation is markedly higher in chloroform. Thus, a good correlation can be established between the results from steady-state irradiations and fluorescence measurements.     

Unexpected reactivity of acetylenic omega-ketoesters toward TBAF and t-BuOK; new cascade reactions affording allene and oxetane derivatives

[reaction: see text]. The reactivity of acetylenic omega-ketoesters toward tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride and potassium tert-butoxide was studied. These cascade reactions proceeded smoothly and afforded either electrophilic allene derivatives or highly functionalized oxetane derivatives in moderate to high yields.     

Hydrogen bond energies and cooperativity in substituted calix[n]arenes (n = 4, 5)

Hydrogen-bonded interactions in para-substituted calix[n]arenes (CX[n]) (n = 4, 5) and their thia analogues are analyzed using the recently proposed molecular tailoring approach. The cooperative contribution toward the hydrogen-bonding network within the CX[5] host is shown to be nearly 5 times larger than that in its thia analogue. Hydrogen bond strengths in the O-H···O network are enhanced on substitution of an electron-donating group. The cooperativity contributions are reflected in the electron density at the bond critical point in the quantum theory of atoms in molecules.     

Application of oxetane ring opening toward stereoselective synthesis of zincophorin fragment

A stereoselective synthesis of the C1–C11 fragment of zincophorin was achieved by using an intramolecular oxetane ring opening reaction as the key step. The oxetane moiety was synthesized by employing a desymmetrization protocol developed at our group and a non-Evans syn aldol as the key steps toward the synthesis.     

Charging OBO‐Fused Double [5]Helicene with Electrons

Chemical reduction of OBO‐fused double[5]helicene with Group 1 metals (Na and K) has been investigated for the first time. Two doubly‐reduced products have been isolated and structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, revealing a solvent‐separated ion triplet (SSIT) with Na⁺ ions and a contact‐ion pair (CIP) with K⁺ ion. As the key structural outcome, the X‐ray crystallographic analysis discloses the consequences of adding two electrons to the double helicene core in the SSIT without metal binding and reveals the preferential binding site in the CIP with K⁺ counterions. In both products, an increase in the twisting of the double helicene core upon charging was observed. The negative charge localization at the central core has been identified by theoretical calculations, which are in full agreement with X‐ray crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic results. Notably, it was confirmed that the two‐electron reduction of OBO‐fused double[5]helicene is reversible.     

A very efficient synthesis of a mannosyl orthoester [2]rotaxane and mannosidic [2]rotaxanes

The direct preparation of mannosyl[2]rotaxane derivatives by O-glycosylation from tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-mannosyltrichloroacetimidate and a tert-butylanilinium alcohol in the presence of dibenzo-24-crown-8 is described. The method appears to be very efficient and allows for the preparation of either orthoester or mannosyl rotaxane derivatives, depending on reaction conditions.