Disparate orientation of [1]rotaxanes

A novel [1]rotaxane 2 has been synthesized employing a 4-methyl-benzenesulfonyl and an azobenzene modified β-cyclodextrin (β-CyD) at the 2 position, through self-inclusion complexation and Suzuki-coupling capping in aqueous solution. Disparate absorption, induced circular dichroism (ICD) properties from its isomer [1]rotaxane 1, prepared from the isomeric β-CyD modifier at the 6 position, and the photoisomerization of [1]rotaxane 2 were thoroughly investigated.     

Tonkinensines A and B, two novel alkaloids from Sophora tonkinensis

Tonkinensines A (1) and B (2), two novel cytisine-type alkaloids that feature the skeleton with a linkage to pterocarpan, were isolated from the roots of Sophora tonkinensis. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, especially X-ray crystal diffraction and CD spectral analysis. The proposed biosynthetic pathway was also discussed. Both 1 and 2 were tested in HeLa and MDA-MB-231 tumor cell lines, and compound 2 showed moderate cytotoxic activity.     

First stereoselective total synthesis of decytospolides A and B

The first stereoselective total synthesis of decytospolides A and B has been accomplished starting from n-hexanal. The key steps involved in this synthesis are Horner-Wittig reaction, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, and oxa-Michael reaction.     

Synthesis of the FG ring fragment of pectenotoxins 1-9

The synthesis of the FG ring fragment common to pectenotoxins 1-9 is reported. The successful, convergent synthesis relied on high yielding routes to access two key intermediates; aldehyde 1 and phosphonium salt 2. A Z-selective Wittig reaction gave access to advanced linear precursor 3, which was converted to FG ring fragment 4 using two sequential cyclization reactions.     

Synthesis, photophysical properties, and cyanide detection in aqueous solution of BF2-curcumin dyes

Derivatives of difluoroboron curcumin (BF₂-curcumin, BF₂-cur(OMe)₂, BF₂-cur(OTs)₂, and BF₂-curOTs), were synthesized. All compounds possessed electron donor moieties at both ends of the conjugated π system and an electron acceptor moiety in the middle of the molecules (D-A-D system) and should exhibit different optical properties depending on substituents on the benzene rings. Photophysical properties of curcumin and difluoroboron curcumin derivatives were explored. The electron-withdrawing substituent could decrease the electron acceptability of BF₂-acceptor moiety resulting in the hypsochromic shift of both absorption and emission bands. BF₂-curcumin and BF₂-cur(OMe)₂ displayed the positive solvatochromic effect relying predominantly on polarity and polarizability of the solvent. Interestingly, BF₂-curcumin showed high selectivity and sensitivity towards cyanide with the detection limits of 22 μM and 0.14 μM measured by visual detection and UV-vis spectrophotometry, respectively. Compared to the original curcumin, BF₂-curcumin offered a remarkably promising detection of cyanide with 66-fold enhancement in aqueous media (4:1 of CH₃CN/H₂O).     

Bis(3-pyridyl)methylvinylsilane (L1) and 1,2-di(3-quinolyl) dimethyl disilane (L2): Synthesis and complexation reactions. Anion controlled solid state structures of cationic Ag(I)-L1 complex

3-Bromopyridine and 3-bromoquinoline on reaction with n-butyllithium give lithiated products which on reaction with dichloromethylvinylsilane and 1,2-dichlorodimethyldisilane at −78 °C result in the ligands bis(3-pyridyl)methylvinylsilane (L1) and 1,2-di(3-quinolyl)dimethyl disilane (L2). The complexation reactions of both these ligands with Ag(I), Pd(II) and Cu(II) have been explored. The ¹H, ¹³C{¹H} and ²⁹Si{¹H}NMR and IR spectra of both the ligands and their metal complexes have been found characteristic. The complex of L1 with silver(I), [Ag(L1)]ClO₄ (1) gives suitable single crystals characterized by X-ray diffraction. Its structure consists of two dimensional sheets, having 25-membered metallamacrocycle ring, in which Ag has distorted tetrahedral geometry and is bonded to vinyl (η²) group. On reacting AgCF₃SO₃ with L1 and subjecting the single crystals of the resulting complex to X-ray diffraction it has been found that contrary to 1 there is no bond between vinyl group and silver, resulting in infinite molecular strands, in which coordination geometry of silver is distorted trigonal planar. anion acts as a bridge between two molecular strands through F?H (aromatic) and Ag?O secondary interactions. The Ag-C distances in 1 are 2.309(5) and 2.350(12) Å. The CC bond length does not exhibit significant change on bonding with silver in 1.     

Studies on the synthesis of phorboxazole B: stereoselective synthesis of the C28-C46 segment

A stereoselective synthesis of C28-C46 segment of phorboxazole B is described. Key features of the synthetic route involved the use of 1,3-asymmetric induction of Mukaiyama aldol reaction to construct the stereogenic center at C35, and the employment of metalated oxazole chemistry to prepare the ketal 6.     

Study on fluorescent switching of naphthopyran with carbazole and pyrene dyad immobilized on SBA-15

A naphthopyran-bridge-carbazole dyad (CzNP), which exhibits both fluorescence and photochromism was synthesized. Then the CzNP was grafted into SBA-15-NH₂, with particular focus on how the SBA-15-NH₂ affects the photoswitching fluorescence change properties. A double fluorescence photochromic material, which was prepared by reacting 1-Pyrenecardboxaldehyde(PY-CHO):naphthopyran-carbazole(CzNP)=1:1 (molar ratio) with SBA-15-NH₂ was also synthesized. Naphthopyran in this two systems displayed excellent photochromic performance. The fluorescent emission was modulated between ‘on’ and ‘off’ via the photoisomerization of naphthopyran in high-degree, especially in PY-CzNP-SBA-15-NH₂ (>90%) due to the photoinduced energy transfer from pyrene excimers to the opened-form naphthopyran and the photoinduced electron transfer between carbazoles and the opened-form naphthopyran moiety. Both the fluorescence photoswitching CzNP-SBA-15-NH₂ and PY-CzNP-SBA-15-NH₂ in CH₃CN/H₂O (v/v, 1:1) solution displayed excellent fatigue resistance. The structural characteristics of CzNP-SBA-15-NH₂ and PY-CzNP-SBA-15-NH₂ were measured by FTIR spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Elemental analysis.     

Selection of synthetic receptors capable of sensing the difference in binding of d-Ala-d-Ala or d-Ala-d-Lac ligands by screening of a combinatorial CTV-based library

Screening of a combinatorial CTV-based artificial, synthetic receptor library 1 {1-13, 1-13, 1-13} for binding of a variety d-Ala-d-Ala and d-Ala-d-Lac containing ligands (6-11) was carried out in phosphate buffer (0.1 N, pH=7.0). After screening and Edman sequencing, synthetic receptors were found containing amino acid sequences, which are either characteristic for binding dye labeled d-Ala-d-Ala or d-Ala-d-Lac containing ligands. For example, receptors capable of binding d-Ala-d-Ala containing ligands 6, 7, 9 and 11 contained—almost in all cases—at least one basic amino acid residue—predominantly Lys—in their arms. This was really a striking difference with the arms of the receptors capable of binding d-Ala-d-Lac containing ligands 8 and 10, which usually contained a significant number of polar amino acids (Gln and Ser), especially in ligand 8, but hardly any basic amino acids. Use of different (fluorescent) dye labels showed that the label has a profound, albeit not decisive, influence on the binding by the receptor. A hit from the screening of the CTV-library with FITC-peptidoglycan (6) was selected for resynthesis and validation.     

Enantiodivergent synthesis of the quinolizidine poison frog alkaloid 195C

Herein, we describe the enantiodivergent synthesis of the 1,4-cis-disubstituted quinolizidine alkaloid 195C. Although the stereoselectivity of the final hydrogenation reaction was low, we have proposed the first chiral total synthesis of both (−)- and (+)-195C as an enantiodivergent process.     

Facile organocatalytic domino oxidation of diols to lactones by in situ-generated TetMe-IBX

The domino oxidation of diols to lactones is an important transformation, and catalytic protocols that allow this conversion smoothly are scarce. Capitalizing on the established reactivity of tetramethyl-IBX (TetMe-IBX) and its in situ generation in the presence of a co-oxidant, such as oxone, we have shown that a variety of diols can be converted to the corresponding lactones in respectable yields by employing the precursor of TetMe-IBX, namely, tetramethyl-o-iodobenzoic acid (TetMe-IA), as a catalyst in 5 mol % in the presence of 2 equiv of oxone.     

A Baylis-Hillman/ozonolysis route towards (±) 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD) and analogues

The Baylis-Hillman reaction between 2-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)ethanal and 3-buten-2-one followed by desilylation gave rise to the corresponding α-methylene-β,γ-dihydroxy ketone further converted by reductive ozonolysis of the carbon-carbon double bond into racemic 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD), a significant molecule in bacterial cell-cell communication systems. The same sequence applied to other substrates allowed the preparation of chain elongated analogues and 5-O-acylated derivatives of DPD.     

Efficient synthesis of trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 via intramolecular ligation of peptide hydrazide

Cyclic peptide trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 was synthesized via intramolecular ligation of a linear peptide hydrazide with high yield. This cyclization strategy did not cause epimerization at the C-terminal Arg residue. CD spectrum and NMR spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that well-folded SFTI-1 could be obtained via standard oxidative folding process. Thus, we present a simple and cost-efficient strategy for the synthesis of SFTI-1.     

Synthesis of 3-iodothiophenes via iodocyclization of (Z)-thiobutenynes

A simple synthesis of 3-iodothiophenes was demonstrated using a wide range of (Z)-thioenynes. The key step in the iodocyclofunctionalization was the selective reduction of the triple bond in (Z)-thioenynes by the addition of iodine as an electrophilic agent. The 3-iodothiophenes were obtained in good to excellent yields of 61–92%. The 3-iodothiophenes were used as substrates in Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions to obtain thiophene acetylenes.     

Convenient synthesis of antisepsis agent TAK-242 by novel optical resolution through diastereomeric N-acylated sulfonamide derivative

A convenient synthesis method of antisepsis agent TAK-242 ((R)-1) through diastereomeric resolution was developed. By condensation of racemate rac-1 with chiral acid (S)-O-acetylmanderic acid (6a), the desired diastereomer 5a was isolated with 98% de in 39% yield by simple crystallization. Deacylation of 5a with aq NaOH followed by recrystallization provided (R)-1 with 99% ee in 20% yield from rac-1.     

A stereoselective CC free-radical cascade route to optically pure and potentially useful tetracyclic amines

Nucleophilic racemic amines have been synthesized utilizing a C⁷ⁿC^5x free-radical cascade reaction from a bis-allyl amine starting material. Being potentially useful organocatalytic bases as is evident from their screening in the Baylis-Hillman reaction, optically pure amines were also synthesized from optically pure aldehydes (−) or (+)-4. Bis-allyl amides under similar radical reaction condition resulted in C⁷ⁿ cyclized products.     

PS-SNAP, a practical polymer-supported nitrosation reagent in organic synthesis

PS-SNAP was designed and evaluated as a practical nitrosating polymer-supported reagent for the nitrosation of sec-amines. Nitrosated dialkyl amines, alkyl anilines, and bis-anilines were obtained in good yields and high purities after shaking the corresponding amines in the presence of an excess of the newly described reagent followed by simple filtration and removal of solvents.     

Stereochemistry and reactivity of F- and H-vinyldiazocarbonyl compounds and their phosphazines: synthesis of pyrazoles and pyridazines

3-(Trifluoromethyl)-substituted (F) 2-vinyl-2-diazocarbonyl compounds, having cis-relationship of functional groups (AlkO₂C, CN₂), do not undergo 1,5-electrocyclization, but readily take part in the tandem Staudinger-diaza-Wittig reactions to produce trifluoromethyl-substituted pyridazines, whereas their non-fluorinated analogs (H), with trans-configuration, easily cyclize to pyrazoles, but remain intact under Staudinger-diaza-Wittig reaction conditions. The difference in the reactivity of H- and F-vinyldiazoketones, vinyldiazoacetates, and derived phosphazines is apparently caused by the different stereochemical arrangements of the AlkO₂C and CN₂ groups.     

Use of 1,3-dibenzyl-dihydrouracil in the chain extension of 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde

The aldol-type addition of 1,3-dibenzyl-dihydrouracil 2 to 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde 3 was examined in different solvents and under Lewis acid catalysis in order to establish the stereochemical preferences. A stereodivergent synthesis of 5-trihydroxypropyl-dihydrouracil derivatives 4 and its C-5 epimer 5 was realized. The synthesis of ureido polyols 8 and 10 was obtained via the reductive ring opening of the templates 4 and 5.     

Steric course of some cyclopropanation reactions of L-threo-hex-4-enopyranosides

Completely protected 4-deoxy-α-L-threo-hex-4-enopyranosides 1c,d undergo the dichlorocarbene addition affording exclusively diastereomeric adducts 5c,d with the cyclopropane ring anti to the C-3 alkyloxy substituent, while the reaction with 3-unprotected derivatives 1a,b affords a mixture of syn and anti derivatives. Under the Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation adducts 2a-d with a syn stereochemistry are obtained. Starting from 5b, the cyclopropanated sugar 3b is obtained by reduction with LiAlH₄, thus the two diastereomers 2b and 3b can be stereoselectively obtained through the two different pathways. For a useful comparison, 4-deoxy-β-L-threo-hex-4-enopyranoside 1e was also subjected to the above two cyclopropanation methods affording the expected cycloadduct 2e and a diastereomeric mixture of dichlorocycloadducts 4e and 5e (4e/5e=2.8:1).