Synthesis and application of C2-symmetric diamino FERRIPHOS as ligands for enantioselective Rh-catalyzed preparation of chiral α-amino acids

C₂-Symmetrical ferrocenyl diamino diphosphines (diamino FERRIPHOS ligands) proved to be excellent ligands for the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective reduction of methyl α-acetamidoacrylates. The straightforward synthesis, their air stability and the easy modification of their structure makes these ligands especially interesting for transition metal-catalyzed hydrogenations. α-Amino acids with enantioselectivities greater than 95% (and up to 99.3% ee) were obtained with no need of further recrystallization.     

Bis((2-methoxymethyl)pyrrolidine)phosphine as effective chiral auxiliary for the stereoselective synthesis of chiral ferrocenyl diphosphines

The bis(2-methoxymethyl pyrrolidine)phosphine moiety is shown to be a very effective chiral auxiliary for the ortho- and diastereoselective lithiation of ferrocene, thereby allowing the highly selective attachment of various electrophiles to the cyclopentadienyl ring of ferrocene. The potential of the methodology is demonstrated by the synthesis of Kephos, a new family of ferrocenyl diphosphines and of OH-Taniaphos derivatives.     

Diastereospecific oxidation of ferrocenyl aminoalcohols: synthesis of new chiral ligands

Oxidation of 1-[2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl]ethanol by manganese dioxide proceeds with complete diastereospecificity without any catalyst. New diastereopure and enantiopure ferrocenyl compounds were produced.     

Mass spectrometry of γ-Complexes of transition metals : XXII. Fragmentations of ferrocenyl-substituted pyrazolines-2 under electron impact

The mass spectra of 1-N-acetyl- and 1-N-phenyl-3-ferrocenyl-5-arylpyrazolines-2, their 5-ferrocenyl-3-aryl isomers and their 3,5-diferrocenyl analogues have been studied. The “pyrazoline” type of the molecular ion fragmentation involves various processes of heterocyclic nucleus destruction and elimination of the substituents or their fragments. The directions and intensifies of the processes observed are interpreted in terms of preferred positive charge localization on the transition metal atom. Interactions between the acetyl and ferrocenyl groups manifest themselves by the appearance of intense [P  C₅H₅]⁺ ions (ferrocenyl type fragmentation products) in the mass spectra of 1-N-acetyl-3-aryl-5-ferrocenylpyrazolines-2 only. The fragmentation mechanism leading from [P  C₅H₅]⁺ to C₇H₇OFe⁺ is discussed.     

About diastereoselective oxidations of ferrocenyl amino alcohols

Oxidation of some 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenylalkylcarbinols by MnO₂ is totally diastereoselective: only one diastereomer is oxidized. A study was performed to highlight the influential factors of this phenomenon. Several ferrocenyl alcohols have been studied. First, two diastereomers of the ferrocenyl amino alcohol bearing a deuterium as an R group have been synthesized and oxidized. The good reactivity of both diastereomers displayed the importance of the size of the alkyl group, which needs to be bulkier than a deuterium. The synthesis and the oxidation of endo- and exo-α-hydroxy [4](1,2)ferrocenophane enabled the elimination of the hypothesis involving the spatial position of the hydroxy group, while the two diastereomers were oxidized. The replacement of the dimethylamino group by a methoxy or a methyl, the oxidation of these compounds, and the study of the preferential conformation of each diastereomer showed clearly the influence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. So,the diastereoselectivity was shown to depend on the steric bulk of the alkyl group and on the presence of a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxy group and the nitrogen.     

Tris-(1,2-N,N-dimethylaminomethylferrocenyl)stibine and its heterotrimetallic complex

New tertiary chloro-bis(1,2-N,N-dimethylaminomethylferrocenyl)stibine (1) and tris-(1,2-N,N-dimethylaminomethylferrocenyl)stibine ligand (2) containing CH₂NMe₂ pendenant arm at the ortho-position have been synthesized. Stibine (2) reacts with PtCl₄^2? and hetero trimetallic cis-PtCl₂L (3) complex is obtained, where stibine (2) acts as a bidentate ligand. All these compounds were characterized by various physicochemical methods and their molecular structures were determined by X-ray diffraction analyses. It is to be noted that tris(1,2-aminomethylferrocenyl)stibine represents the first example of a structurally characterized ferrocenyl pnictogen where three 1,2-disubstituted ferrocenyl groups are attached to the central antimony atom and phosphorus analogue of the stibine is missing in the literature. Stibine (1) shows a hypervalent Sb–N interaction while stibine (2) does not show this interaction in solid state.     

Synthesis, structural characterization, in vitro anti-proliferative effect and cell cycle analysis of N-(ferrocenyl)benzoyl dipeptide esters

N-ortho, meta and para-(ferrocenyl)benzoyl dipeptide esters 2-10 were prepared by coupling ferrocenyl benzoic acids 1(ortho, meta and para) to the dipeptide ethyl esters GlyAbu(OEt) 2-4, GlyNva(OEt) 5-7 and GlyNle(OEt) 8-10 in the presence of N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole. The compounds were fully characterized by a range of NMR spectroscopic techniques, mass spectrometry and cyclic voltammetry. The cytotoxicity of 3, 6 and 9 versus H1299 lung cancer cells were 10.5 μM, 19.1 μM and 18.9 μM, respectively, whereas N-{meta-(ferrocenyl)-benzoyl}-glycine-l-alanine ethyl ester 11 and N-{para-(ferrocenyl)-benzoyl}-glycine-l-alanine ethyl ester 12 gave IC₅₀ values of 4.0 and 6.6 μM, respectively. Therefore, an increase in alkyl chain length of the second amino acid also increases the IC₅₀ values. Cell cycle analysis of N-{ortho-(ferrocenyl)-benzoyl}-glycine-l-alanine ethyl ester 13 suggests a block in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle.     

Simple route to ferrocenyl(alkyl)imidazoles

A suitable method for the synthesis of ferrocenyl(alkyl)imidazoles is proposed. The treatment of α-ferrocenylcarbinols with N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole affords the title compounds, are in more than 80% yields.     

Synthesis of chiral ferrocenyl aminoalcohols involving a diastereospecific oxidation: use in asymmetric catalysis

The synthesis of six new chiral ferrocenic aminoalcohols has been performed. One step of this synthesis was a diastereospecific oxidation of diastereomeric mixtures of 1-[2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl]alcohols by manganese dioxide: one diastereomer was oxidized, while the other stayed inert. The six new chiral compounds in association with ZnEt₂ proved to be good catalysts in the asymmetric ethylation of benzaldehyde (77 to 88% ee).     

Synthesis of ferrocenyl conjugates of thio analogs of hydroxyl-containing biomolecules via the Mitsunobu reaction with N-(ethoxycarbonyl)ferrocenecarbothioamide as the pronucleophile

A new method for attachment of a ferrocenyl moiety to hydroxyl-containing biomolecules is reported, based on the Mitsunobu reaction with N-(ethoxycarbonyl)ferrocenecarbothioamide. The reaction results in the replacement of the OH group with a (ferrocenyl)thioimidoyl moiety. Using this method, ferrocenyl conjugates of cholesterol, stigmasterol, as well as protected and nonprotected adenosine and 2′-deoxy adenosine were obtained in high yield and with high chemo- and stereoselectivity.     

A neo-pentyl-ferrocene motif for the synthesis of electroactive polyesters

Several new neo-pentylenediol based ferrocenyl molecules have been prepared using Friedel-Crafts acylation and Clemmensen reduction techniques. The acyl or methyl linker by which the ferrocenyl group is attached tunes the redox properties of the small molecule. The X-ray crystal structure of the acylferrocene with protecting ester groups, its derivative dialcohol, and the methylferrocene dialcohol compounds are reported. Melt polymerisation conditions result in an elimination from the acyl monomer, but a mild carbodiimide coupling protocol successfully generates a number of neo-pentylenediol/aromatic dicarboxylate polyesters with pendant ferrocenyl groups.     

Diferrocenylcyclopropenyl cations. Synthesis, structures, and some chemical properties

Synthesis of diferrocenylcyclopropenyl tetrafluoroborates with hetero-substituents in the three-membered ring, viz., ethoxy, trityloxy, ferrocenyl(phenyl)methoxy, N,N-diethylamino, piperidino, and morpholino, is described. The spatial structure of diferrocenyl(morpholino)cyclopropenyl tetrafluoroborate was established based on the data from X-ray diffraction analysis. Under the action of potassium tert-butoxide, all the diferrocenylcyclopropenyl tetrafluoroborates undergo three-membered ring-opening with formation of the corresponding 2,3-diferrocenylacrylic acid derivatives. A mechanism of the ring-opening is suggested.     

New 1,2-disubstituted ferrocenyl stibines containing N-heterocyclic pendant arm: Sb-N hypervalent compounds

New 1,2-disubstituted ferrocenyl stibines viz. containing -CH₂NR or -CH₂NHR pendant arm at the ortho-position have been synthesized and characterized by various physicochemical methods. These new ferrocenylstibines were prepared by the nucleophilic substitution reaction of diphenyl[(N,N,N-trimethylaminomethylferrocenyl)iodide]stibine by different primary amines and secondary heterocyclic amines viz. furan-2-ylmethylamine, p-aminoacetophenone, 3-(1-hydroxyethyl)-aniline, 4-hydroxypiperidine, 1-ethylpiperazine and 4-(4-bromophenyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine. Molecular structure of stibine (2), (3), (5) and (7) have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Stibine (2), (5) and (7) show a weak hypervalent Sb-N interaction while stibine (3) does not show this interaction in solid state.     

Synthesis and characterization of metal-free and metallophthalocyanines containing N2S2-type macrocyclic moieties linked ferrocenyl groups

The new metal-free (4) and metallophthalocyanines (5) carrying macrocyclic moieties linked ferrocenyl groups have been synthesized by direct cyclotetramerization of the pre-cursor, 12,13-dicyano-4,7-bis(ferrocenylmethyl)-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9-octahydrocyclobenzo[k]-4,7-diaza-1,10-dithiacyclododecine (3) which has been prepared by the macrocyclization reaction of 1,2-bis(2-iodoethylmercapto)-4,5-dicyanobenzene (1) with N,N′-ethylenebis-(ferroceneylmethyl)amine (2), in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) as a strong organic base. Nickel (II) phthalocyanine (5) was synthesized by the reaction of metal-free phthalocyanine with anhydrous NiCl₂ in dry quinoline. The target compound and its intermediates have been characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and ¹H, ¹³C NMR, IR, UV-Vis and MS spectral data.     

Synthesis of the unnatural amino acid N-N-(ferrocene-1-acetyl)-l-lysine: A novel organometallic nuclease

The synthesis of a new unnatural amino acid, N^α-N^ε-(ferrocene-1-acetyl)-l-lysine, was achieved by coupling a ferroceneacetic acid molecule onto the side chain amine of a lysine. The structure of the compound provides options for incorporation of the molecule into peptides or large proteins. In addition, N^α-N^ε-(ferrocene-1-acetyl)-l-lysine exhibits nuclease activity. It is expected that incorporation of this ferrocenyl amino acid into any nucleic acid-binding protein will endow the protein with nuclease capability.     

Two-step synthesis of ferrocenyl esters of vanillic acid

Successive reactions of vanillin with aromatic aldehydes at the phenol group and ferroceneboronic acid at the carbonyl group catalyzed with various N-heterocyclic carbenes afforded the corresponding ferrocenyl esters. In these reactions copper(II) sulfate, cinnamic aldehyde, and air oxygen act as oxidants. The resulting ferrocenyl esters of vanillic acid were tested for cytotoxicity.     

Desymmetric hydrogenation of a meso-cyclic acid anhydride toward biotin synthesis

Catalytic reactivity in the hydrogenation of a cyclic anhydride to a biotin synthetic intermediate has been investigated on the basis of Lyons’ original method using Wilkinson Ru complex, revealing the high performance of DPPF and XANTPHOS diphosphines possessing wide bite angles. The results have shown a new trail for design of the corresponding asymmetric catalysts, and the potential utility of (S,S)-Et-FerroTANE and (S,S)-(R,R)-Ph-TRAP has been demonstrated.     

Surface functionalization with redox active molecule-based imidazolium via click chemistry

In this study, the redox active molecule N-ferrocenylmethyl-N-propargylimidazolium bromide was immobilized onto the surface of an electrode. The surface modification was performed by coupling the electrochemical reduction of the 4-azidophenyldiazonium generated in situ with a copper(I) catalyzed click chemistry reaction. Surface and electrochemical investigations suggest the attachment of a monolayer of redox active molecules containing an ionic liquid framework onto the electrode surface. Furthermore, scanning electrochemical microscopy studies revealed the conductive behavior of the attached ferrocenyl moieties on the ITO surface.     

The synthesis and structural characterization of novel N-meta-ferrocenyl benzoyl dipeptide esters: The X-ray crystal structure and in vitro anti-cancer activity of N-{meta-ferrocenyl)benzoyl}-l-alanine-glycine ethyl ester

A series of N-meta-ferrocenyl benzoyl dipeptide esters 2-5 have been prepared by coupling meta-ferrocenyl benzoic acid 1b to the dipeptide ethyl esters using the conventional 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC), 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) protocol. The dipeptides employed in the synthesis were AlaGly(OEt) (2), AlaAla(OEt) (3), AlaLeu(OEt) (4) and AlaPhe(OEt) (5). The compounds were fully characterized by a range of NMR spectroscopic techniques, mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS, ESI-MS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). In addition, the X-ray crystal structure and cytotoxicity of N-{meta-(ferrocenyl)-benzoyl}-l-alanine-glycine ethyl ester (2) towards lung cancer cells has been determined.     

Novel rhodium complexes with ferrocene-based N-heterocylic carbenes: Synthesis,structure and catalysis

The synthesis of a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene with an oxazolinyl ferrocenyl substituent is reported. The X-ray crystal structure of a rhodium complex reveals the chelating properties of the ligand, and catalysis studies demonstrate the capability of the rhodium complexes to catalyze hydrosilylations of ketones.