Generation of Threonine- and Azathreonine N-Carboxy Anhydrides from alpha-Hydroxy beta-Lactams Promoted by 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl (TEMPO) in Combination with Sodium Hypochlorite

A versatile one-pot oxidation-Baeyer-Villiger reaction sequence applied to alpha-hydroxy beta-lactams and promoted by 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl (TEMPO) leads to alpha-amino acid N-carboxy anhydrides. The examples reported constitute the first application of TEMPO in a Baeyer-Villiger reaction and provide a way for peptide coupling from non alpha-amino acid precursors.     

A highly efficient reusable homogeneous copper catalyst for the selective aerobic oxygenation sulfides to sulfoxides

Readily available copper showed efficient activity and great selectivity for the homogeneous catalysis of oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides using molecular oxygen as the oxidant. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of TEMPO. Importantly, the catalysts could be conveniently recovered and reused. And this methodology was proved to be applicable for the transformation of various aromatic and aliphatic sulfides into the corresponding sulfoxides with high conversion and high selectivity.     

Facile synthesis of α, β-unsaturated esters through a one-pot copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidation-Wittig reaction

An efficient one-pot synthesis of α, β-unsaturated esters through the aerobic oxidation – Wittig tandem reaction of alcohols and phosphorous ylide is developed. This new method operates under mild reaction conditions, and uses CuI/TEMPO (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl) as co-catalyst and air (O₂) as the oxidant. It tolerates a wide range of functionalized benzylic alcohol and aliphatic alcohols.     

Bromine isotopic signature facilitates de novo sequencing of peptides in free‐radical‐initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS) mass spectrometry

We recently showed that free‐radical‐initiated peptide sequencing mass spectrometry (FRIPS MS) assisted by the remarkable thermochemical stability of (2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO) is another attractive radical‐driven peptide fragmentation MS tool. Facile homolytic cleavage of the bond between the benzylic carbon and the oxygen of the TEMPO moiety in o‐TEMPO–Bz–C(O)–peptide and the high reactivity of the benzylic radical species generated in ?Bz–C(O)–peptide are key elements leading to extensive radical‐driven peptide backbone fragmentation. In the present study, we demonstrate that the incorporation of bromine into the benzene ring, i.e. o‐TEMPO–Bz(Br)–C(O)–peptide, allows unambiguous distinction of the N‐terminal peptide fragments from the C‐terminal fragments through the unique bromine doublet isotopic signature. Furthermore, bromine substitution does not alter the overall radical‐driven peptide backbone dissociation pathways of o‐TEMPO–Bz–C(O)–peptide. From a practical perspective, the presence of the bromine isotopic signature in the N‐terminal peptide fragments in TEMPO‐assisted FRIPS MS represents a useful and cost‐effective opportunity for de novo peptide sequencing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of cell wall-active lipopeptide diastereomers

The first synthesis of cell wall-active lipopeptide diastereomers from easily accessible starting materials has been reported. The synthetic strategy involves Jacobsen resolution, TEMPO/BAIB & 2C-Wittig (one pot reaction), and peptide couplings.     

含环氧基团的聚合物微球固载2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶氮氧自由基催化剂的制备及其催化分子氧氧化苯甲醇

以甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(GMA)为单体, 以乙二醇二甲基丙烯酸酯(EGDMA)为交联剂, 采用悬浮聚合法制得交联聚甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(CPGMA)微球, 然后以4-羟基-2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶氮氧自由基(4-OH-TEMPO)为试剂, 使CPGMA微球表面的环氧基团发生开环反应, 从而制得了TEMPO固载化微球TEMPO/CPGMA, 考察了制备条件对固载化反应的影响, 并采用多种方法对微球TEMPO/CPGMA进行了表征. 将微球TEMPO/CPGMA与CuCl组成共催化体系, 用于分子氧氧化苯甲醇, 考察了反应条件对催化体系性能的影响. 结果表明, 以含环氧基团的聚合物微球CPGMA为载体, 通过开环反应, 可成功地实现TEMPO的固载化, 开环反应属S_N2亲核取代反应, 适宜采用溶剂N,N''-二甲基甲酰胺和反应温度85℃. 非均相催化剂TEMPO/CPGMA与助催化剂CuCl构成共催化体系, 在室温、常压O₂条件下可高效地将苯甲醇氧化为苯甲醛, 产物选择性和产率分别为100%和90%. 主催化剂TEMPO与助催化剂CuCl适宜的摩尔比为1:1.2; 主催化剂适宜用量为0.90 g. 此外, TEMPO/CPGMA固体催化剂具有良好的循环使用性能.     

Disulfide bond cleavage in TEMPO-free radical initiated peptide sequencing mass spectrometry

The gas‐phase free radical initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS) fragmentation behavior of o‐TEMPO‐Bz‐conjugated peptides with an intra‐ and intermolecular disulfide bond was investigated using MSⁿ tandem mass spectrometry experiments. Investigated peptides included four peptides with an intramolecular cyclic disulfide bond, Bactenecin (RLC RIVVIRVC R), TGF‐α (C HSGYVGVRC ), MCH (DFDMLRC MLGRVFRPC WQY) and Adrenomedullin (16–31) (C RFGTC TVQKLAHQIY), and two peptides with an intermolecular disulfide bond. Collisional activation of the benzyl radical conjugated peptide cation, which was generated through the release of a TEMPO radical from o‐TEMPO‐Bz‐conjugated peptides upon initial collisional activation, produced a large number of peptide backbone fragments in which the S? S or C? S bond was readily cleaved. The observed peptide backbone fragments included a‐, c‐, x‐ or z‐types, which indicates that the radical‐driven peptide fragmentation mechanism plays an important role in TEMPO‐FRIPS mass spectrometry. FRIPS application of the linearly linked disulfide peptides further showed that the S? S or C? S bond was selectively and preferentially cleaved, followed by peptide backbone dissociations. In the FRIPS mass spectra, the loss of ?SH or ?SSH was also abundantly found. On the basis of these findings, FRIPS fragmentation pathways for peptides with a disulfide bond are proposed. For the cleavage of the S? S bond, the abstraction of a hydrogen atom at C_β by the benzyl radical is proposed to be the initial radical abstraction/transfer reaction. On the other hand, H‐abstraction at C_α is suggested to lead to C? S bond cleavage, which yields [ion ± S] fragments or the loss of ?SH or ?SSH. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multivariate Analysis of Coupled Operando EPR/XANES/EXAFS/UV–Vis/ATR-IR Spectroscopy: A New Dimension for Mechanistic Studies of Catalytic Gas-Liquid Phase Reactions

Operando EPR, XANES/EXAFS, UV-Vis and ATR-IR spectroscopic methods have been coupled for the first time in the same experimental setup for investigation of unclear mechanistic aspects of selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol by a Cu/TEMPO catalytic system (TEMPO=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxyl). By multivariate curve resolution with alternating least-squares fitting (MCR-ALS) of simultaneously recorded XAS and UV-Vis data sets, it was found that an initially formed (bpy)(NMI)Cu^I- complex (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine, NMI=N-methylimidazole ) is converted to two different Cu^II species, a mononuclear (bpy)(NMI)(CH₃CN)Cu^II-OOH species detectable by EPR and ESI-MS, and an EPR-silent dinuclear (CH₃CN)(bpy)(NMI)Cu^II(μ-OH)₂ ⋅ Cu^II (bpy)(NMI) complex. The latter is cleaved in the further course of reaction into (bpy)(NMI)(HOO)Cu^II-TEMPO monomers that are also EPR-silent due to dipolar interaction with bound TEMPO. Both Cu monomers and the Cu dimer are catalytically active in the initial phase of the reaction, yet the dimer is definitely not a major active species nor a resting state since it is irreversibly cleaved in the course of the reaction while catalytic activity is maintained. Gradual formation of non-reducible Cu^II leads to slight deactivation at extended reaction times.     

Dissociation behavior of a bifunctional tempo‐active ester reagent for peptide structure analysis by free radical initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS) mass spectrometry

We have synthesized a homobifunctional active ester cross‐linking reagent containing a TEMPO (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxy) moiety connected to a benzyl group (Bz), termed TEMPO‐Bz‐linker. The aim for designing this novel cross‐linker was to facilitate MS analysis of cross‐linked products by free radical initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS). The TEMPO‐Bz‐linker was reacted with all 20 proteinogenic amino acids as well as with model peptides to gain detailed insights into its fragmentation mechanism upon collision activation. The final goal of this proof‐of‐principle study was to evaluate the potential of the TEMPO‐Bz‐linker for chemical cross‐linking studies to derive 3D‐structure information of proteins. Our studies were motivated by the well documented instability of the central NO―C bond of TEMPO‐Bz reagents upon collision activation. The fragmentation of this specific bond was investigated in respect to charge states and amino acid composition of a large set of precursor ions resulting in the identification of two distinct fragmentation pathways. Molecular ions with highly basic residues are able to keep the charge carriers located, i.e. protons or sodium cations, and consequently decompose via a homolytic cleavage of the NO―C bond of the TEMPO‐Bz‐linker. This leads to the formation of complementary open‐shell peptide radical cations, while precursor ions that are protonated at the TEMPO‐Bz‐linker itself exhibit a charge‐driven formation of even‐electron product ions upon collision activation. MS³ product ion experiments provided amino acid sequence information and allowed determining the cross‐linking site. Our study fully characterizes the CID behavior of the TEMPO‐Bz‐linker and demonstrates its potential, but also its limitations for chemical cross‐linking applications utilizing the special features of open‐shell peptide ions on the basis of selective tandem MS analysis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

TEMPO-promoted Pauson-Khand reaction. Single-electron activation of cobalt-carbonyl bonds?

[reaction: see text] The Pauson-Khand reaction is notably accelerated by TEMPO. According to DFT calculations, TEMPO could trigger a radical, low-energy pathway for the reaction by facilitating the decarbonylation of doublet complexes arising either from a CO/nitroxide exchange or from nitroxide addition to a CO ligand.     

Cu(bipy)2+/TEMPO-catalyzed oxidation of alcohols: radical or nonradical mechanism?

In the oxidation of alcohols with TEMPO as catalyst, the substrate has alternatively been postulated to be oxidized but uncoordinated TEMPO(+) (Semmelhack) or Cu-coordinated TEMPO(?) radical (Sheldon). The reaction with the Cu(bipy)(2+)/TEMPO cocatalyst system has recently been claimed, on the basis of DFT calculations, to not be a radical reaction but to be best viewed as electrophilic attack on the alcohol C-H(α) bond by coordinated TEMPO(+). This mechanism combines elements of the Semmelhack mechanism (oxidation of TEMPO to TEMPO(+)) and the Sheldon proposal ("in the coordination sphere of Cu"). The recent proposal has been challenged on the basis of DFT calculations with a different functional, which were reported to lead to a radical mechanism. We carefully examine the results for the two functionals and conclude from both the calculated energetics and from an electronic structure analysis that the results of the two DFT functionals are consistent and that both lead to the proposed mechanism with TEMPO not acting as radical but as (coordinated) positive ion.     

Direct asymmetric aldol reaction in aqueous media using polymer-supported peptide

PEG-PS resin-supported tripeptide/zinc chloride catalyst system has been developed for use in the direct asymmetric aldol reaction of acetone with aldehydes in aqueous media. The peptide catalyst could be separated from the reaction mixture by filtration, and was reusable at least five times without significant change in its activity and selectivity.     

Coordination chemistry of stable radicals: homolysis of a titanium-oxygen bond

Thermolysis of Cp2TiCl(TEMPO) (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) at 60 degrees C in a benzene/CCl4 mixture generates Cp2TiCl2. Kinetic studies implicate a mechanism involving the reversible cleavage of a Ti-O bond to generate the TEMPO radical and Cp2TiCl, which is trapped by CCl4 to give Cp2TiCl2. The rate of this reaction is strongly inhibited by added TEMPO and increases with increasing CCl4 concentration, indicating that the coupling of TEMPO to Cp2TiCl is faster than chloride atom abstraction from CCl4.     

Selective N,O‐Addition of the TEMPO Radical to Conjugated Boryldienes

B(C₆F₅)₂‐containing boryldienes 4 underwent the addition of two molar equivalents of TEMPO to give N,O‐bonded four‐membered heterocyclic products 7 . The reaction is a metal‐free example of the generation of reactive nitrogen‐centered TEMPO radical derivatives, in this case by the addition of TEMPO to the borane, followed by carbon–nitrogen bond formation and subsequent trapping of the resulting allyl radical by the second equivalent of TEMPO.     

Bis(ketenyl)benzenes: preparation,observation, and reaction with tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxyl

1,2- and 1,3-Bis(ketenyl)benzenes formed by double dehydrochlorination and by double Wolff rearrangement, respectively, gave ketenyl IR absorption at 2115, and 2122, and 2116 cm^–1, respectively. Reaction of these bisketenes with the aminoxyl radical tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxyl (TEMPO) gave the corresponding tetraadducts as mixtures of meso- and d,l-isomers. The kinetics of the reaction of 1,3-bis(ketenyl)benzene with TEMPO gave a rate constant comparable to that of the monoketene PhCH=C=O. The reactions proceed by the initial attack of TEMPO on the carbonyl carbon of one ketenyl group followed by fast capture of the intermediate radical by a second TEMPO, and then reaction of the remaining ketene.     

Addition of stable nitroxide radical to stable divalent compounds of heavier group 14 elements

The reactions of stable cyclic dialkylgermylene 2 and dialkylstannylene 3 with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxy (TEMPO) radical (2 equiv) gave the corresponding 1:2 adducts 4 and 5, respectively, which were characterized by NMR, MS, and X-ray analyses. The kinetics of the stepwise addition of two TEMPO molecules to germylene 2 revealed that the initial addition of TEMPO to 2 was 1010 times slower than the second TEMPO addition to the resulting germyl radical. The origin of the rate difference was discussed on the basis of the qualitative perturbation theory. In contrast to the reactions of 2 and 3, the reaction of dialkylsilylene 1 with TEMPO gave an interesting 1,3-dioxadisiletane derivative.     

Protection-deprotection chemistry to control styrene self-directed line growth on hydrogen-terminated Si(100)

TEMPO, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy, was used in a series of protection-deprotection chemical reactions in order to gain single molecule-level control over the extent of styrene line growth on hydrogen-terminated Si(100). The mechanism involves the reaction of TEMPO with the dangling bond at the end of individual styrene lines. The TEMPO cap protects the dangling bond from further reaction with styrene resulting in the termination of line growth. TEMPO is then selectively removed from desired lines, deprotecting the dangling bond, using the scanning tunneling microscope. Further exposure of the surface to styrene ensures that only the deprotected areas continue to grow while the protected lines do not. All lines can then be capped with TEMPO, and this allows for the generation of stable styrene lines of varying lengths.     

Organocatalytic intermolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of norbornadienes by a stable organic radical compound

An organocatalytic [2+2] cycloaddition reaction of norbornadienes (NBDs) using catalytic amount of TEMPO was reported. Single crystal X-ray diffraction of the product revealed its detailed multicyclic structure containing a 4-membered ring, formed in intermolecular reaction. Addition of AIBN to the current catalytic system improved the product yield. Quantitative reaction of the NBD and TEMPO gave a 2:2 adduct of NBD and TEMPO, which was confirmed by HR-MS. This catalytic [2+2] addition of NBDs has great advantage in selective intermolecular coupling in comparison with [2+2] photocycloaddition.     

Grafting of functional nitroxyl free radicals to polyolefins as a tool to postreactor modification of polyethylene‐based materials with control of macromolecular architecture

Nitroxyl radicals were used as functionalizing agents during the free radical postreactor modification process of polyolefins carried out in the melt. The 4‐hydroxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (HO‐TEMPO) and the 4‐benzoyloxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (BzO‐TEMPO) free radicals were successfully grafted onto a polyethylene‐based material (ethylene‐co‐1‐octene copolymer) by coupling reaction with polymer macroradicals; these last were formed by H‐abstraction through peroxide addition. The macromolecular structure of the functionalized polyolefins was assessed by ¹H‐NMR, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEC measurements which were used to evidence the grafting site, to evaluate the grafting level and to highlight the occurrence of chain extension through crosslinking side reactions. Indeed the use of proper model compounds allowed the preparation of accurate FTIR calibration curves for the quantitative determination of the functionalization degree. Besides the high temperature SEC analysis highlighted that this fast and simple coupling reaction between macroradicals and nitroxyl free radicals grants the grafting of functionalities onto the polyolefin backbone by contemporarily preventing the side reactions liable of the structure and MW modification of the pristine polymer. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Electron Transfer Reactions of Radical Anions with TEMPO: A Versatile Route for Transformation of Living Anionic Polymerization into Stable Radical‐Mediated Polymerization

Summary: The possibility of transforming a living anionic polymerization into a stable radical‐mediated radical polymerization (SFRP) was demonstrated. For this purpose, 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxyl (TEMPO) alcoholate, formed by a one‐electron redox reaction between potassium naphthalene and TEMPO, was used to initiate the living anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide (EO). Poly(ethylene oxide) obtained in this way possessed TEMPO terminal units and was subsequently used as an initiator for the SFRP of styrene to give block copolymers.

A one‐electron redox reaction gives rise to TEMPO alcoholate, which is able to initiate the living anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide (EO).