NaOH-catalyzed thiolysis of alpha,beta-epoxyketones in water. A key step in the synthesis of target molecules starting from alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones

NaOH (0.02-0.3 molar equiv) is an efficient catalyst for the thiolysis reactions of alpha,beta-epoxy ketones with alkyl and aryl thiols in water. Thiolysis of 3,4-epoxyheptan-2-one (1) with thiols 2a-d has been accomplished in mild conditions (30 degrees C and pH 6 or 9) with complete C-alpha-regioselectivity and anti-stereoselectivity, and the corresponding anti-beta-carbonyl-beta-hydroxysulfides 3a-d have been prepared in excellent yields (95-98%). Compounds 3a-d, depending on their nature and pH conditions, have undergone dehydration, C-3 epimerization reaction, and retroaldol condensation. Dehydration of anti-3a-d has been chemoselectively carried out by in situ acidic treatment at 70 degrees C, giving stereoselectively the related (Z)-vinyl sulfides 4 in 89-94% overall yields. Under NaOH-catalyzed thiolysis conditions, cyclic alpha,beta-epoxyketones 6-9 have shown C-alpha attack only and spontaneously dehydrated to furnish the corresponding vinyl sulfides in high yields (90-96%). The reactions of calchone oxide (10) with thiols 2b-d have exclusively resulted in the formation of beta-carbonylsulfides 10b-d (82-93% yield), coming from the nucleophilic attack at the alpha-position and retroaldol condensation. To highlight the synthetic utility of this procedure, one-pot multisteps preparation of vinyl sulfides 7b and 7c, vinyl sulfoxides 12 and 13, and 1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4H-1,2,3-benzotriazol-4-one (14) starting from 2-cyclohexen-1-one (11) have also been reported.     

A remarkable enhancement of the rate of ester thiolysis by synthetic amphiphile vesicles

Cationic surfactant vesicles accelerate the rate of thiolysis of p-nitrophenyl octanoate by n- heptylmercaptan by several million fold in the pH range from 4 to 6, providing an efficient system for ester thiolysis in aqueous solution that is functional even at pH4, i.e. more than 6 pH units below the pKa of the SH group. Analysis of the data in terms of an ion exchange formalism implies that this rate acceleration is due primarily to concentration of the reagents in the dimensionally-restrited environment provided by the vesicle, coupled with small contributions from enhanced dissociation and reactivity of the nucleophile at the vesicle surface(s).     

1,4-Dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarbothionic acid S-esters

Procedures have been developed for the synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarbothionic acid S-esters via the direct thiolysis of 1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acids and their ester derivatives. The use of different acid activating agents and thiolysis agents is discussed.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 7, pp. 953–958, July, 1991.     

Effect of dialkyldimethylammonium vesicles on the thiolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate

Cationic surfactant vesicles, prepared by an alcohol injection technique and characterized by gel filtration, are extremely effective at increasing the rate of ester thiolysis at near neutral pH.     

Stereo‐ and Regioselective Thiolysis of 1,2‐Epoxides in Water

A simple, efficient, stereoselective, and highly regioselective procedure for the synthesis of β‐hydroxy sulfides by thiolysis of various 1,2‐epoxides in water as a solvent, using no catalyst and under very mild conditions, is described.     

Mixed micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography separation of depolymerized grape procyanidins

Oligomeric procyanidins are potent antioxidant polyphenols of potential interest as disease-preventing agents. Their efficiency depends on the size and composition of their oligomeric structures. The mean degree of polymerization of these compounds is usually estimated by thiolysis with thiol-alpha-toluene followed by analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We show the development of a mixed micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method for the separation of the major components obtained after thiolysis with cysteamine (catechins and their cysteamine conjugates). MEKC studies using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS as pseudostationary phase led to long migration times, e.g., with 100 mM SDS, at pH 7, the solutes were separated in about 40 min), while the use of sodium cholate (SC) produced an elution window relatively short. Using a mixed micellar SC-SDS system (50 mM phosphate at pH 7 containing 40 mM SC and 10 mM SDS), it is possible to separate these compounds in less than 15 min. The proposed method is useful to separate the major components of the thiolysate in effluents from food processing (e.g., skins and seeds from grape and apple) considered as potential procyanidin sources.     

One-pot synthesis of benzo[e]1,4-oxathiepin-5-ones under solvent-free condition via self-promoted thiolysis of 1,2-epoxides

Under solvent-free conditions, thiosalicylic acid (2) efficiently self-promotes the thiolysis of 1,2-epoxides 1, anti-stereoselectively and generally totally beta-regioselectively. The resulting beta-hydroxysulfide products 3 have been obtained in very good yields. Benzo[e]1,4-oxathiepin-5-ones 4 have been easily prepared in a regio- and diasteroselective manner and in satisfactory yields under SFC by a one-pot protocol including nucleophilic ring opening of 1,2-epoxides 1 by thiosalicylic acid (2) and thermally induced lactonization of beta-hydroxy arylsulfides 3. Solvent-free condition and the absence of any catalyst make this procedure atom-economical and environmentally friendly.     

Mesomerically stabilized thioaldehydes. 3-Thioformylindole and its alkyl and phenyl derivatives

3-Thioformylindole and its previously unknown 2-methyl-, 2 -phenyl-, and 1-ethyl substituted derivatives have been synthesized by the thiolysis of the corresponding indolylmethylenimmonium perchlorates. The thioaldehydes containing no substitutdt at the nitrogen atom were isolated as crystalline solvates with DMSO and DMF. Monitoring of 3-thioformylindole formation was effected by polarography and spectrophotometry.Deceased.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 493–496, April, 1996.     

Borax-catalyzed thiolysis of 1,2-epoxides in aqueous medium

A convenient, economical, and practical protocol for borax-catalyzed thiolysis of 1,2-epoxides in aqueous medium has been developed, which has greatly expanded the utility scope of borax in organic synthesis.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric addition of alcohols and thiols to activated electrophiles: efficient dynamic kinetic resolution and desymmetrization protocols

Bifunctional urea-based cinchona alkaloid derivatives have been shown to promote highly efficient DKR reactions of azalactones using an alcohol nucleophile. The optimum catalyst is remarkably insensitive to the steric bulk of the amino acid residue, allowing alanine-, methionine-, and phenylalanine-derived azalactones to undergo DKR with unprecedented levels of enantioselectivity using a synthetic catalyst. The first DKR of these substrates by thiols and the highly enantioselective desymmetrization of a meso-glutaric anhydride by thiolysis are also reported.     

Biomimetic studies using artificial systems. IV. Biomimetic peptide synthesis by using multifunctionalized crown ethers as a novel enzyme model. A new concept in mimicking of enzyme-catalyzed bond-forming reactions

A novel approach to the mimicking of enzyme-catalyzed bond-forming reactions has been examined using multifunctionalized chiral crown ethers. In addition to the 18-crown-6 moiety as a binding site, the host have one thiol and one thio ester with an N-protected alpha-amino acid or a peptide, and have successfully achieved peptide synthesis in an enzyme-mimetic reaction mode. This new method involves the following three key reactions. (1) Intra-complex thiolysis: the host carries out the rapid intra-complex thiolysis of alpha-amino acid ester salts to form the dithioester, corresponding to the assembly of two guests by the host. (2) Amide formation: intramolecular aminolysis occurs between the bound guests to form the amide bond. (3) Peptide chain elongation: as the thiol reactive group is regenerated, the above two reactions are repeated to elongate the peptide chain. Formal turnover of the enzyme model has been demonstrated by the synthesis of a tetrapeptide derivative by the repetition of the above processes.     

Procyanidin size and composition by thiolysis with cysteamine hydrochloride and chromatography

Summary Cysteamine hydrochloride is shown to be an alternative thiol reagent to toluene-α-thiol for the estimation of structural parameters (mean size, galloylation) of plant polymeric procyanidins. Acid depolymerization in the presence of the thiol yields mixtures which may be directly analysed by RPHPLC. Alternatively, the terminal units of the polymer may be separated from the extension units by cation-exchange chromatography previous to RPHPLC. High reaction-recovery yields (ca. 90% thiolysis and RPHPLC, ca. 69% thiolysis, cation exchange and RPHPLC) are obtained and both procedures are precise.     

Chromatographic characterization of proanthocyanidins after thiolysis with cysteamine

Summary Cysteamine is proposed as a user-friendly thiol donor with application to the analysis of proanthocyanidins by thiolysis. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins are potent antioxidants and disease-preventing agents. The efficiency of which depends on their composition and size. The degree of polymerization of proanthocyanidins is usually estimated by thiolysis then reversedphase high-performance liquid chromatography. The new derivatization procedure is an alternative to the use of toluene-α-thiol as thiol donor. In addition to enabling the direct chromatographic analysis of curude material, the amino function introduced facilitates prior discrimination between terminal and extension flavanoid moieties by means of cation-exchange chromatography.     

The kinetics of tritium-hydrogen exchange in xanthosine,theobromine and monomethylated derivatives of xanthine

Tritium exchange at C-8 of xanthosine, theobromine, 1-, 3- and 7-methylxanthine in water has been studied. The rates of detritiation of these compounds have been determined over a pH range at constant temperature. Several mechanisms of exchange involving various ionic forms of substrate operating at different pH have been suggested.     

New method to prepare polycrystalline meta-thioboric acid, (HBS(2))(3)

A new method to prepare polycrystalline meta-thioboric acid (c-HBS(2)) has been developed and reported. HBS(2) was obtained as a vapor condensate by reacting H(2)S with B(2)S(3) in the vapor phase, and the optimal conditions for this reaction are reported. The X-ray and spectroscopic characterization suggest that the structure of thioboric acid is monoclinic and made up of hexagonal rings formed by trimer units, (HBS(2))(3). The present preparation route is facile, faster than other wet routes of thiolysis, and the reaction requires much lower temperatures, thus avoiding contamination by reactor materials.     

A novel thiolysis-high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of proanthocyanidins in grape seeds

A novel thiolysis-high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantitative determination of total proanthocyanidins and the mean degree of polymerization in grape seeds has been developed. Following thiolysis with formic acid and benzyl mercaptan, reaction products were separated and purified. Three proanthocyanidin monomers and three derivatives were obtained and their structures were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, FTIR spectroscopy, and NMR spectroscopy. A decomposition model of the thiolysis products and a correction formula for proanthocyanidins concentration were established. This thiolysis-high-performance liquid chromatography method displayed good calibration linearity (R² > 0.999 over the concentration range 0.01 to 10 mg/mL), excellent accuracy (recoveries of 97.9–99.6%), and precision (repeatability relative standard deviations of 0.45–0.75%). This method is suitable for the quantitative analysis of proanthocyanidins in grape seed products.     

Asymmetric Michael addition of formaldehyde N,N-dialkylhydrazones to alkylidene malonates

Enantiopure formaldehyde N,N-dialkylhydrazones 1 smoothly react with prochiral alkylidene malonates 2 in the presence of MgI2 to afford the corresponding Michael adducts 3 in excellent yields and good diastereoselectivities; direct racemization-free BF3.OEt2-catalyzed thiolysis of the hydrazone C=N bond affords the corresponding dithioketals 7 in optically pure or enantiomerically enriched form.     

Specific parametrisation of a hybrid potential to simulate reactions in phosphatases

Phosphatases are key biomolecules because they regulate many cellular processes. These enzymes have been studied for many years, but there are still doubts about the catalytic mechanism. Computer simulations can be used to shed light on these questions. Here we develop a new and specific parametrisation, and present extensive tests of a hybrid potential that can be used to reliably simulate reactions catalysed by phosphatases. High level ab initio data for phosphate ester thiolysis and alcoholysis is used in the training set. The parametrised quantum mechanical Hamiltonian reproduces ab initio energies with a root mean-squared deviation of 3 kcal mol(-1) for species along the pathway of various phosphate ester reactions. Preliminary results for simulation with the calibrated hybrid potential of catalysis by the phosphatase VHR indicate the calculated reaction barriers are in very good agreement with experiment.     

Multi-functionalized chiral crown ethers as enzyme models for the synthesis of peptides. Multiple chiral recognition in the enzyme model

A novel approach to the enzyme model for the synthesis of peptides has been established by using multi-functionalized chiral crown ethers as hosts. The new strategy consists of three key steps as follows. (1) Guest assembly: the host having one free thiol and one thioester withN-protected-amino acid or peptide proceeds via rapid intra-complex thiolysis of-amino acid ester salts to form the dithioester, and assembles two guests. (2) Amide formation: the intramolecular aminolysis occurs between the bound guests to form the amide bond. (3) Peptide chain elongation: as the thiol reactive group is regenerated, the above two reactions are repeated to elongate the peptide chain. In the present paper, we describe the multiple chiral recognition that could be achieved by the chiral crown ether in both the intra-complex thiolysis and the intramolecular aminolysis. For explanation of the chiral recognition, we propose a likely structure for the intermediate of the aminolysis.     

Theoretical study of thiolysis in penicillins and cephalosporines

Semiempirical calculations were used to conduct a comprehensive study of the thiolysis of the fundamental core of penicillins and cephalosporins. The significance of the intramolecular protonation of the β‐lactam nitrogen in the formation and cleavage of the tetrahedral intermediate ( T in Scheme 1 ) was examined in two thiols bearing substituents of different basicity in β with respect to the thiol group in the attacking nucleophile, namely 2‐mercaptoethanol ( 6 ) and 2‐mercaptoethylamine ( 7 ). Based on the results, the rate‐determining step in the reaction of penicillins is the cleavage of the tetrahedral intermediate, consistent with an intramolecular acid catalysis process in their thiolysis by 2‐mercaptoethylamine. On the other hand, the rate‐determining step in the reaction of cephalosporins, which possess an appropriate leaving group at position 3', is the formation of the tetrahedral intermediate, so the desolvation energy of the nucleophile is a major contributor to the overall energy of the process. This differential behavior between the two types of β‐lactam bicycles arises from the presence of the acetate group at 3' and the delocalization of π electrons over the N₅–C₄–C₃ system in cephalosporins; this favors the formation of a thiolate with the 5‐ethoxymethylene‐1,3‐thiazine group in the cleavage of the tetrahedral intermediate, which is stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond between N₅ and the alcohol or amine group in β of the attacking thiol. The theoretical results are consistent with previous experimental data showing that, unlike penicillins, cephalosporins undergo no intramolecular acid catalysis in their thiolysis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 434–443, 2005