Photooxygenolytic Degradation of the Vitamin-B12 Derivative Heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-Dicyanocobyrinate. Efficient Preparation of Bicyclic Fragments

The methylene-blue sensitized photooxygenation of heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-dicyanocobyrinate ( 1 , cobester) at ca. ?45° and in (D₃)acetonitrile solution proceeds readily to the stage of selective double cleavage of the corrin macrocycle. It furnishes the bisected heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-dicyano-5,6:14,15-tetraoxo-5,6:14,15-disecocobyrinate ( 3 ) in 91% yield after warming the photooxygenation mixture to room temperature. Complex 3 is also obtained by photooxygenation of the secocorrinoid oxygenation products of 1 , namely of heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-dicyano-5,6-dioxo-5,6-secocobyrinate ( 2a ) and of its isomer heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-dicyano-14,15-dioxo-14,15-secocobyrinate ( 2b ). When the raw photooxygenation product of 1 is kept at low temperature, 3 is not formed in a significant amount; spectral analysis reveals 4 as intermediate that is transformed into 3 quantitatively upon warm-up and storage at r.t. Compound 4 is assigned the structure of heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-dicyano-5,6-epidioxy-5,6-dihydro-14,15-dioxo-14,15-secocobyrinate, based on NMR-spectral data and since 4 is also formed cleanly in the corresponding low-temperature photooxygenation of 2b . Catalytic reduction of the Co(III) complex 3 (H₂, Pt/C) in the presence of EDTA produces a colourless oil, from which the bicyclic fragments 5 (corresponding to rings A and D of 1 ) and 6 (corresponding to rings B and C of 1 ) are obtained in 99 and 91% yield, respectively, after chromatographic separation.     

Thermische Lactonisierung von Estern γ-Brom-α, β-ungesättigter Carbonsäuren zu Δα-Butenoliden. Direkte γ-Bromierung von α, β-ungesättigten Säuren

By heating with iron powder at 120–150° some γ-bromo-α, β-unsaturated carboxylic methyl esters, and, less smothly, the corresponding acids, were lactonized to Δ^7alpha;-butenolides with elimination of methyl bromide. The following conversions have thus been made: methyl γ-bromocrotonate ( 1c ) and the corresponding acid ( 1d ) to Δ^α-butenolide ( 8a ), methyl γ-bromotiglate ( 3c ) and the corresponding acid ( 3d ) to α-methyl-Δ^α-butenolide ( 8b ), a mixture of methyl trans- and cis-γ-bromosenecioate ( 7c and 7e ) and a mixture of the corresponding acids ( 7d and 7f ) to β-methyl-Δ^α-butenolide ( 8c ). The procedure did not work with methyl trans-γ-bromo-Δ^α-pentenoate ( 5c ) nor with its acid ( 5d ). Most of the γ-bromo-α, β-unsaturated carboxylic esters ( 1c, 7c, 7e and 5c ) are available by direct N-bromosuccinimide bromination of the α, β-unsaturated esters 1a, 7a and 5a ; methyl γ-bromotiglate ( 3c ) is obtained from both methyl tiglate ( 3a ) and methyl angelate ( 4a ), but has to be separated from a structural isomer. The γ-bromo-α, β-unsaturated esters are shown by NMR. to have the indicated configurations which are independent of the configuration of the α, β-unsaturated esters used; the bromination always leads to the more stable configuration, usually the one with the bromine-carrying carbon anti to the carboxylic ester group; an exception is methyl γ-bromo-senecioate, for which the two isomers (cis, 7e , and trans, 7d ) have about the same stability. The N-bromosuccinimide bromination of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids 1b , 3b , 4b , 5b and 7b is shown to give results entirely analogous to those with the corresponding esters. In this way γ-bromocrotonic acid ( 1 d ), γ-bromotiglic acid ( 3 d ), trans- and cis-γ-bromosenecioic acid ( 7d and 7f ) as well as trans-γ-bromo-Δ^α-pentenoic acid ( 5d ) have been prepared. Iron powder seems to catalyze the lactonization by facilitating both the elimination of methyl bromide (or, less smoothly, hydrogen bromide) and the rotation about the double bond. α-Methyl-Δ^α-butenolide ( 8b ) was converted to 1-benzyl-( 9a ), 1-cyclohexyl-( 9b ), and 1-(4′-picoly1)-3-methyl-Δ^α-pyrrolin-2-one ( 9 c ) by heating at 180° with benzylamine, cyclohexylamine, and 4-picolylamine. The butenolide 8b showed cytostatic and even cytocidal activity; in preliminary tests, no carcinogenicity was observed. Both 8b and 9c exhibited little toxicity.     

The Photooxygenation of Heptamethyl Coα, Coβ-Dicyanocobyrinate

Irradiation with visible light of an oxygen-saturated methanolic solution of heptamethyl Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinate and of the sensitizer methylene blue causes the efficient photooxygenation of this vitamin B₁₂ derivative. Use of CD₃OD instead of CH₃OH strongly accelerates the reaction. This solvent H/D-isotope effect is consistent with a mechanism involving ‘singlet oxygen’ and is exploited preparatively. Two photooxygenation products can be isolated from such preparative experiments. One of these, isolated in 47% yield, has NMR.-spectral characteristics identical with those of Inhoffen's heptamethyl Coα,Coβ-dicyano-5,6-dioxo-5,6-secocobyrinate ( 2a ). To the other photoproduct, isolated in 25% yield, the structure of the unknown isomeric heptamethyl Coα, Coβ-dicyano-14,15-dioxo-14, 15-secocobyrinate ( 3a ) is assigned.     

Polymerization of α,α-disubstituted β-propiolactones and lactams. VII. Stereoregular polymers from optically active lactones

Optically active α-phenyl-ααethyl-β-propiolactone of high optical purity was prepared and polymerized by homogeneous anionic initiation to the isotactic polyester. The racemic and isotactic polymers had apparently different crystalline properties suggesting that the former may be syndiotactic or may crystallize with unit cells containing both R and S blocks. Similar attempts to prepare α-methyl-α-isopropyl-β-propiolactone of high optical purity were unsuccessful although a partially crystalline polymer was obtained from the racemic monomer.     

Coα‐(1H‐Imidazolyl)‐Coβ‐methylcob(III)amide: Model for Protein‐Bound Corrinoid Cofactors

Coα‐(1H‐Imidazol‐1‐yl)‐Coβ‐methylcob(III)amide ( 4 ) was synthesized by methylation with methyl iodide of (1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)cob(I)amide, obtained by electrochemical reduction of Coα‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)‐Coβ‐cyanocob(III)amide ( 5 ). The spectroscopic data and a single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis indicated 4 to exhibit a base‐on constitution in solution and in the crystal. The crucial lengths of the axial Co−N and Co−CH₃ bonds also emerged from the crystallographic data and were found to be smaller by 0.1 and 0.02 Å, respectively, than those in methylcob(III)alamin ( 2 ). The data of 4 support the view, that the `long' axial Co−N bonds as determined by X‐ray crystallography for the B<sub>12</sub>‐dependent methionine synthase, for methylmalonyl‐CoA mutase, and for glutamate mutase represent stretched Co−N bonds. The thermodynamic effect (the `trans influence') of the 1H‐imidazole base in 4 on the organometallic reactivity of this model for protein‐bound organometallic B₁₂ cofactors was examined by studying Me‐group‐transfer equilibria in aqueous solution and using (5′,6′‐dimethyl‐1H‐benzimidazol‐1‐yl)cobamides (cobalamins) as reaction partners (Schemes 2 – 5, Table). In comparison with methylcob(III)alamin ( 2 ), 4 was found to be destabilized for an abstraction of the Co‐bound Me group by a Co^III electrophile. In contrast, the abstraction of the Co‐bound Me group by a radical(oid) Co^II species was not significantly influenced thermodynamically by the exchange of the nucleotide base. Likewise, exploratory Me‐group‐transfer experiments with Me−Co^III and nucleophilic Co^I corrinoids at pH 6.8 provided an apparent equilibrium constant near unity. However, this finding also was consistent with partial protonation of the imidazolylcob(I)amide at pH 6.8, suggesting an interesting pH dependence of the Megroup‐transfer equilibrium near neutral pH. Therefore, the replacement of the 5′,6′‐dimethyl‐1H‐benzimidazole base by an 1H‐imidazole moiety, as observed in methyl transferases and in C‐skeleton mutases, does not by itself strongly alter the inherent reactivity of the B₁₂ cofactors in the crucial homolytic and nucleophilic‐heterolytic reactions involving the organometallic bond, but may help to enhance the control of the organometallic reactivity by protonation/deprotonation of the axial base.     

Structural Characterization and Enzymatic Degradation of α‐, β‐, and γ‐Crystalline Forms for Poly(β‐propiolactone)

A structural comparison of three different crystalline forms of poly(β‐propiolactone) (PPL) was carried out by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The α‐form in a hot‐drawn and annealed film represents a 2₁ helix conformation. The β‐form in a cold‐drawn and annealed film represents a planar zigzag conformation. The γ‐form in an oriented sedimented mat of solution‐grown chain‐folded lamellar crystals also implies a planar zigzag conformation. The solution‐cast film depicts similar outlines with the γ‐form in lamellar crystals in all the experimental measurements, suggesting that the molecular chain in the solution‐cast film has a planar zigzag conformation. While elongation at break decreased, tensile strength and Young's modulus increased with an increase in the crystallinity, independent of the crystalline forms. The influence of the enzymatic degradation of these crystal structures has been investigated by using an extracellular PHB depolymerase purified from Ralstonia pickettii T1. The rate of degradation was in the order of β‐form > α‐form > solution‐cast (γ‐form) film, and the different surface morphologies after partial enzymatic degradation were observed in scanning electron micrographs. It is suggested that the crystal structure is one of the important factors for determining the rate of degradation together with crystallinity.

Enzymatic degradation profiles of poly(β‐propiolactone) films.     

Isomerization of unsaturated radicals. V. Unimolecular isomerization of hot α,α- and α,β-dimethallyl radicals

The 147 nm photolysis of 3,3 dimethylbut-1-ene leads mainly to the formation of very hot (?375 kJ/mol) α,α-dimethallyl radicals. On the other hand, that of 3-methyl-cis-and trans-pentene-2, as well as that of 2,3-dimethylbut-1-ene is a source of very hot α,β-dimethallyl radicals. These allylic radicals are coolled down using pressure and are allowed to combine with available methyl radicals. From the formation of various C₆H₁₂ products, it is concluded that the very hot α,α- radical isomerizes towards the α,β-structure at low pressures and vice versa. The equilibrium constant of the following process has been evaluated to be 1.72 ± 0.30.      

Reactions of α,β‐Unsaturated Thioamides with Diazo Compounds

Several reactions of the α,β‐unsaturated thioamide 8 with diazo compounds 1a – 1d were investigated. The reactions with CH₂N₂ ( 1a ), diazocyclohexane ( 1b ), and phenyldiazomethane ( 1c ) proceeded via a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of the diazo dipole at the C?C bond to give the corresponding 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carbothioamides 12a – 12c , i.e., the regioisomer which arose from the bond formation between the N‐terminus of the diazo compound and the C(α)‐atom of 8 . In the reaction of 1a with 8 , the initially formed cycloadduct, the 4,5‐dihydro‐3H‐pyrazole‐3‐carbothioamide 11a , was obtained after a short reaction time. In the case of 1c , two tautomers 12c and 12c ′ were formed, which, by derivatization with 2‐chlorobenzoyl chloride 14 , led to the crystalline products 15 and 15 ′. Their structures were established by X‐ray crystallography. From the reaction of 8 and ethyl diazoacetate ( 1d ), the opposite regioisomer 13 was formed. The monosubstituted thioamide 16 reacted with 1a to give the unstable 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carbothioamide 17 .     

Reaction of Cα,O-dilithiooximes with functionalized carbonyl compounds. Part 2 . Reaction with α-chloroketones and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones

The reaction of Cα,O-Dilithiooximes 2 and α-chloroketones afforded 5-(hydroxymethyl)-Δ²-soxazolines 4 . α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes and ketones reacted with 2 to give the corresponding acyclic 1,2-addition products 5 . The latter were cyclized with phosphorus pentoxide to 5-vinyl-Δ²-isoxazolines 6 .     

Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure D- and L-(Heteroaryl)alanines by asymmetric hydrogenation of (Z)-α-amino-αβ-didehydro esters

Homogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation of a wide range of methyl and tert-butyl (Z)-2-(acylamino)-3-(heteroaryl)acrylates (see 1a–f and 2a–d, f, g , resp.) catalyzed by diphosphinerhodium catalysts was studied for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure 3-furyl-, 3-thienyl-, and 3-pyrrolylalanines (see 3a–f , and 4a–d, g ; Scheme 1). The precursors, the (Z)-α-amino-α,β-didehydro esters 1a–f and 2a–d, f, g were prepared in high yields using the phosphorylglycine-ester method (Scheme 1). Isomerically pure (Z)-α-amino-α,β-didehydro esters were required to obtain the highest enantiomeric excesses (ee's) in the asymmetric hydrogenation, and the tert-butyl-ester strategy was beneficial in terms of both getting pure (Z)-α-amino-α,β-didehydro esters and obtaining high ee's in the hydrogenation. Finally, in contrast to the methyl-ester series, deprotection of the tert-butyl esters 4a–d, g was easily performed using CF₃CO₂H without any racemization.     

Über einen neuartigen synthetischen Zugang zu β,γ-ungesättigten α-Aminocarbonsäuren

A New Synthetic Route to β,α-Unsaturated α-Amino Acids A versatile new synthetic pathway for the preparation of βγ-unsaturated α-amino acids ( 1 ) is presented. Cu(I)-catalyzed addition of ethyl isocyanoacetate ( 2 ) to α-chloro carbonyl compounds ( 3 ) gives 5-chloroalkyl-2-oxazolin-4-carboxylates ( 4 ) in high yields. A reductive elimination on 4 by means of zinc yields the N-formyl derivatives of βγ-unsaturated α-amino carboxylates ( 5 ), which on acid hydrolysis lead to the free amino acids 1 . The five different βγ-dehydro-α-amono acids 1b-1f have been prepared by this method.     

Ring-opening polymerization of α,β-disubstituted oxiranes by α-methoxyphenylmethylium hexachloroantimonate

α-Methoxyphenylmethylium hexachloroantimonate was used as a novel initiator for the polymerization of α,β-disubstituted oxiranes such as cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and 2-butene oxide (trans and cis) (2-BO) at ?78°C with dichloromethane or dichloromethane-toluene mixtures as solvents. The CHO polymerization mixture became turbid and the polymer precipitated in dichloromethane. The CHO polymerization proceed quantitatively in dichloromethane–toluene mixtures. The molecular weight distribution of polyCHO obtained was bimodal regardless of the solvent used. The polymerization of trans-2-BO was heterogeneous in both dichloromethane and dichloromethane–toluene mixture. The polymerization mixtures of cis-2-BO were transparent but reached a limit yield which was less than the polymer yield of trans-2-BO. Furthermore, the microstructure of the poly2-BOs were analyzed by Vandenberg's method and the results confirmed Vandenberg's finding that inversion of configuration occurs in the propagation step.     

Applications of 1,4-addition of grignard reagents to α,β-unsaturated acid derivatives. III—configuration studies of α,β-diaryl-α,β-dialkylpropionitriles

The configuration of twenty-four different α,β-diaryl-α,β-dialkylpropionitriles has been determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The erythro form showed greater deshielding of the methine hydrogen and alkyl groups in its spectra than the corresponding threo isomer. The former, however, showed less deshielding of the aryl groups than the threo isomer. Infrared spectra were not suitable for assignments of configuration.     

The Crystal and Molecular Structure of 3-Oxo-17β-acetoxy-Δ4-14α-methyl-8α, 9β, 10α, 13α-estrene

The crystal and molecular structure of 3-oxo-17β-acetoxy-Δ⁴-14α-methyl-8α, 9β, 10α, 13α-estrene, C₂₁H₃₀O₃, has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, with the cell dimensions a = 12.093 Å, b = 19.667 Å, c = 7.746 Å; Z = 4. Intensity data were collected at room temperature with an automatic four-circle diffractometer. The structure was solved by direct methods and the parameters were refined by least-squares analysis. All the hydrogen atoms were included in the refinement. The final R value was 0.038 for 1413 observed reflections. The conformation of ring A is intermediate between a half-chair and a 1, 2-diplanar form. The hydrogens at C(9) and C(10) are anti, the B/C ring junction is trans, and rings B and C adopt chair conformations. Ring D is cis fused and is halfway between C₂ and C_s forms.     

Conjugate addition of grignard reagents to N-(α,β-unsaturated)acylpyrazoles. Diastereoselective β-alkylation using 3-phenyl-l-menthopyrazole

The conjugate additions of N-(α,β-unsaturated)acylpyrazoles were carried out by the treatment with Grignard reagents in the presence of cuprous halides. The reaction of 2-(α,β-unsaturated)acyl-3-phenyl-l-menthopyrazoles 3a-h occurred in higher chemical yields and with asymmetric inductions on β-position, where the addition of magnesium bromide as a Lewis acid influenced to the yields and the diastereoselectivities. In the case of α-methylated 2-(α,β-unsaturated)acyl-3-phenyl-l-menthopyrazoles 3i-n , the excellent asymmetric induction on the α-position was also observed through the diastereofacial protonation.     

Kinetics of the reactions of cyclopropane derivatives. V. The gas-phase unimolecular reactions of 1 α-chloro-2α,3α-dimethylcyclopropane and 1α-chloro-2α,3β-dimethylcyclopropane

Thermolysis of the “all-cis” compound 1α-chloro-2α,3α-dimethylcyclopropane (A) at 550–607 K and 6–115 torr is a first-order homogeneous non-radical-chain process giving penta-1,3-diene (PD) and HCl as products. The Arrhenius parameters are log₁₀A(sec^?1) = 13.92 ± 0.08 and E = 199.6 ± 0.9 kJ/mol. The isomer with trans-methyl groups, 1α-chloro-2α,3β-dimethylcyclopropane (B) reacts by two parallel first-order processes giving as observed products trans-4-chloropent-2-ene (4CP) and PD + HCl, with log₁₀A(sec^?1) = 14.6 and 13.8, respectively, and E = 199.5 and 190.2 kJ/mol, respectively. The 4CP undergoes secondary decomposition to PD + HCl (as investigated previously). Comparison of the results for compounds (A) and (B) with those for other gas-phase and solution reactions leads to the conclusion that the gas-phase thermolyses proceed by rate-determining ring opening to form olefins which may decompose further by thermal or chemically activated reactions, and that the ring opening is a semiionic electrocyclic reaction in which alkyl groups in the 2,3-positions trans to the migrating chlorine semianion move apart, with appropriate consequences for the rate of reaction and the stereochemistry of the products.     

Competitive Formation of Ylide and Carbene Intermediates from 1π,π*-Excited α,β-Unsaturated γ,δ-Epoxyketones

Laser flash photolyses (λ = 265mm) of the γ,λ-epoxyenones 1–3, 7 and 8 , the α,β-unsaturated γ,δ-epoxy ester 6 , and the epoxytriene 9 at ambient temperature produced short-lived transients with broad absorption maxima in the visible region, which are identified as carbonyl ylides. Comparison of the rather long-wavelength absorption maxima with the results of standard PPP SCF SCI calculations suggests that some degree of twisting is present in all the ylides studied. The lifetimes of the order of hundreds of ns of these intermediates and Stern-Volmer analysis of the trapping of the carbonyl ylide derived from 2 with CH₃COOH provide conclusive evidence that the carbene products are not formed via the carbonyl-ylide intermediate (Scheme 3).     

Stereoselectivity of the Diels-Alder Reaction of (E)-γ-Oxo-α,β-Unsaturated Thioesters with Cyclopentadiene

The stereoselectivity of the Diels-Alder reaction of (E)-γ-oxo-α,β-unsaturated thioesters 3a-3d with cyclopentadiene is greatly enhanced in the presence of Lewis acids favoring the endo acyl isomers 4a-4d . In the absence of Lewis acid, Diels-Alder reaction of 3a-3d with cyclopentadiene at 25 °C gave two adducts 4a-4d and 5a-5d in a ratio of 1:1 respectively. In the presence of Lewis acids, Diels-Alder reaction of 3a-3d with cyclopentadiene gave 4a-4d and 5a-5d in ratios of 75-94:25-6 respectively. The stereoelectivity was enhanced to ratios of 95-98:5-2 with lowering the reaction temperature. The stereochemistry of the cycloadducts 4 and 5 was confirmed by iodocyclization. Reaction of the endo-thioester 5c with I₂ in aqueous THF at 0 °C gave the novel methylthio group rearranged product 6c in 80% yield, the first example of iodo-lactonization of endo-thioesters. Reaction of the endo-acyl isomer 4b with I₂ under the same reaction conditions gave an isomeric mixture of 7b and 8b in 1:2 ratio. The stereochemistry of the thioester group in 8b was proved by X-ray single-crystal analysis. The solvent effect on the endo selectivity of (Z)-γ-oxo-α,β-unsaturated thioester 2b was also examined.     

Synthese makrocyclischer, α,β-ungesättigter γ-Oxolactone durch Ringerweiterungsreaktionen; ein neuer Weg zum makrocyclischen Lacton-Antibiotikum A 26771 B

Synthesis of Macrocyclic α,β-Unsaturated γ-Oxolactones by Ring-Enlargement Reactions; a New Path to the Macrocyclic Lactone Antibiotic A 26771 B A new synthetic route to the α,β-unsaturated γ-oxolactones 2a and 2b , involving two ring-enlarement reactions, is described. Ring opening of bicyclic α-nitroketones of the type 3 gave ring-enlarged compounds of the type 4 which were converted to monoprotected diketones of the type 10 by using a variation of the Nef reaction as a key step. Macrocyclic lactones of the type 11 were obtained by Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and converted into compounds of the type 2 . The conversion of 2b to the macrocyclic lactone antibiotic A 26771 B ( 1 ) is already described in the literature.     

Umwandlung von Cardenoliden durch Mikroorganismen VI. 7β, 11α-Dihydroxydigitoxigenin und Abbau von 7β-Hydroxy-digitoxigenin zum 3β, 7β-Diacetoxy-14-hydroxy-5β, 14β, 17αH-ätiansäure-methylester. Mitteilung über Reaktionen mit Mikroorganismen [1]

Digitoxigenin ( 3 ) was transformed by a Fusarium spec. to 7β-hydroxydigitoxigenin ( 1 ) 1β, 7β-dihydroxydigitoxigenin ( 4 ) and to the hitherto unknown 7β, 11α-dihydroxydigitoxigenin ( 9 ). 7β-acetoxy-digitoxigenin ( 2 ) was degraded to methyl 3β, 7β-diacetoxy-14-hydroxy-5β, 14β, 17αH-etianate ( 11 ).