Chiroptical Properties – Structure Relationship in Bicyclic Isoxazolidin‐5‐one Derivatives

The relationship between chiroptical properties of substituted bicyclic isoxazolidin‐5‐one derivatives and their molecular structures was investigated. The chromophoric system in isoxazolidinones was found to be nonplanar with a shallow pyramidal configuration at the N‐atom. The deviation from planarity can be attributed to the strain imposed by the bicyclic skeleton. Due to the nonplanarity, the isoxazolidinone system becomes inherently dissymmetric, which is supported by the high magnitude of the CD band occurring around 210 nm. In addition, the helicity of lactone moiety in investigated bicyclic isoxazolidinones is controlled by the absolute configuration at C(6). On this basis, a helicity rule correlating a positive (negative) helicity expressed by the OC(8) O(9) N(1) torsional angle with a positive (negative) sign of the CD band around 210 nm was formulated.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of the cis‐ and trans‐3,4‐Dihydro‐2,4,8‐trihydroxynaphthalen‐1(2H)‐ones

A short and efficient protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of cis‐ and trans‐3,4‐dihydro‐2,4,8‐trihydroxynaphthalen‐1(2H)‐one ( 1 and 2 , resp.) is described, with a phthalide annulation as the key step. Introduction of a OH substituent at position 2 was performed by Sharpless dihydroxylation of a silyl enol ether or by means of an N‐sulfonyloxaziridine. The absolute configuration of each isomer was determined via Mosher‐ester derivatives. By comparison with previously recorded CD spectra of our natural sample, we established that the natural trans‐ and cis‐isomers from Ceratocystis fimbriata sp. platani were the (?)‐(2S,4S)‐isomer (?)‐ 2 and the (+)‐(2S,4R)‐isomer (+)‐ 1 , respectively.     

Water‐Soluble Luminescent Cyclometalated Gold(III) Complexes with cis‐Chelating Bis(N‐Heterocyclic Carbene) Ligands: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties

A new class of cyclometalated Au^III complexes containing various bidentate C‐deprotonated C^N and cis‐chelating bis(N‐heterocyclic carbene) (bis‐NHC) ligands has been synthesized and characterized. These are the first examples of Au^III complexes supported by cis‐chelating bis‐NHC ligands. [Au(C^N)(bis‐NHC)] complexes display emission in solutions under degassed condition at room temperature with emission maxima (λ_max) at 498–633 nm and emission quantum yields of up to 10.1 %. The emissions are assigned to triplet intraligand (IL) π→π* transitions of C^N ligands. The Au^III complex containing a C^N (C‐deprotonated naphthalene‐substituted quinoline) ligand with extended π‐conjugation exhibits prompt fluorescence and phosphorescence of comparable intensity with λ_max at 454 and 611 nm respectively. With sulfonate‐functionalized bis‐NHC ligand, four water‐soluble luminescent Au^III complexes, including those displaying both fluorescence and phosphorescence, were prepared. They show similar photophysical properties in water when compared with their counterparts in acetonitrile. The long phosphorescence lifetime of the water‐soluble AuIII complex with C‐deprotonated naphthalene‐substituted quinoline ligand renders it to function as ratiometric sensor for oxygen. Inhibitory activity of one of these water‐soluble Au^III complexes towards deubiquitinase (DUB) UCHL3 has been investigated; this complex also displayed a significant inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value of 0.15 μM .     

N‐phenyl‐substituted pyrrolidines,piperidines and azabicyclics by a tandem reduction‐double reductive amination reaction

N‐Phenyl‐substituted pyrrolidines and piperidines have been synthesized by catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene in the presence of 4‐ and 5‐oxoaldehydes, respectively. The process involves reduction of the aromatic nitro group to give the N‐phenylhydroxylamine or aniline followed by reductive amination with the two carbonyl functional groups. Monocyclic systems are generally formed in high yield and are easily purified. The method has also been extended to the synthesis of fused N‐phenylazabicyclics from 2‐(3‐oxo‐propyl)cycloalkanones. A high degree of diastereoselectivity for the trans‐fused product is observed in substrates having an ester group α to the cycloalkanone carbonyl. Bicyclic precursors lacking this ester group give mixtures of cis and trans products. Finally, contrary to previous reports, we have demonstrated that aniline can be substituted for nitrobenzene in these reactions.     

An Expeditious Access to Enantiomerically Pure cis‐Dialkyl‐Substituted γ‐ and δ‐Lactones

A facile general route to enantiomerically pure 3,4‐cis‐dialkyl‐substituted γ‐lactones and 4,5‐cis‐dialkyl‐substituted δ‐lactones by TiCl₄‐mediated Evans asymmetric aldolization as the key step is exemplified by synthesis of cis‐(3R,4R)‐3‐methyldecan‐4‐olide and (4R,5R)‐aerangis lactone.     

Photonenergy‐Controlled Symmetry Breaking with Circularly Polarized Light

Circularly polarized light (CPL) is known to be a true chiral entity capable of generating absolute molecular asymmetry. However, the degree of inducible optical activity depends on the λ of the incident CPL. Exposure of amorphous films of rac‐alanine to tunable CPL led to enantiomeric excesses (ee) which not only follow the helicity but also the energy of driving electromagnetic radiation. Postirradiation analyses using enantioselective multidimensional GC revealed energy‐controlled ee values of up to 4.2 %, which correlate with theoretical predictions based on newly recorded anisotropy spectra g(λ). The tunability of asymmetric photochemical induction implies that both magnitude and sign can be fully controlled by CPL. Such stereocontrol provides novel insights into the wavelength and polarization dependence of asymmetric photochemical reactions and are highly relevant for absolute asymmetric molecular synthesis and for understanding the origins of homochirality in living matter.     

Control of the Helical Chirality of Enantiopure Sulfinyl (Z)‐Azobenzene‐Based Photoswitches

A new class of enantiopure ortho,ortho‐disubstituted azobenzene photoswitches has been synthesized from (S)‐2‐(p‐tolylsulfinyl)benzoquinone and arylhydrazines. The sulfoxide acts as a unidirectional controller of the helical chirality that arises in the Z isomer after photoisomerization. Highly congested E‐azobenzenes 5 c showed two atropisomeric diastereoconformers in the solid state that converged upon irradiation into a unique Z isomer with defined helicity (M), as evident in the X‐ray structure. The chiroptical properties of this three‐state enantiopure switch can be externally tuned both photochemically and/or thermally. Theoretical CD spectra calculated by using time‐dependent DFT methods support the existence of two atropoisomeric E isomers and only one Z isomer with (M) helicity. Complementary to the classical azobenzene‐based switches, the photoswiching event is promoted under green/blue light and do not occur under UV irradiation.     

Guest‐Induced Arylamide Polymer Helicity: Twist‐Sense Bias and Solvent‐Dependent Helicity Inversion

A benzene/naphthalene alternately incorporated amide polymer was synthesized and characterized. ¹H NMR spectroscopy, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) experiments indicated that, in chloroform, the polymer could be induced by the chiral l ‐aspartic acid dianion or one of its derivatives to form a helical tubular conformation with twist‐sense bias. CD titration studies showed that the l ‐aspartic acid dianion (8 equiv.) could lead to a maximum Cotton effect. It was also revealed that the twist‐sense bias obeyed the majority rule, and 70 % enantiomeric excess could realize the maximum helicity bias. Adding acetonitrile to the solution of chloroform caused inversion of the guest‐induced helicity bias of the polymer.     

Synthesis and 1H and 13C NMR structural analysis of cis‐ and trans‐2‐imino‐1,3‐ and ‐3,1‐perhydrobenzoxazines and their 3‐ and 1‐N‐methyl derivatives

cis‐ and trans‐2‐imino‐1,3‐ and ‐3,1‐perhydrobenzoxazines and the N‐methyl derivatives of the latter were synthesized from the corresponding cyclic 1,3‐amino alcohol with cyanogen bromide. The configurations of the studied compounds were confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. All trans‐fused compounds exist in biased chair–chair conformations as expected, whereas the cis‐fused 1,3‐benzoxazines attain exclusively the O‐in conformations. The cis‐fused 3,1‐benzoxazines, especially the 1‐methyl‐substituted derivatives, tend to favor the N‐out form, obviously owing to the favorable axial orientation of this N‐methyl. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monohydroxy‐Substituted Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Swertia japonica

Fourteen monohydroxy‐substituted polyunsaturated fatty acids, including two new compounds, (9Z,12S,13E,15Z)‐12‐hydroxyoctadeca‐9,13,15‐trienoic acid ( 10 ) and (9Z,12Z,14E,16R)‐16‐hydroxyoctadeca‐9,12,14‐trienoic acid ( 13 ), and 12 known ones, i.e., 1 – 9, 11, 12 , and 14 , were isolated from the whole plants of Swertia japonica Makino , and characterized as the corresponding methyl esters 1a – 14a . Their structures were elucidated by analysis of the corresponding spectroscopic data, and the absolute configurations of 10a and 13a were determined by the Mosher‐ester method. The CD spectra (Table) of compounds 1a – 14a are briefly discussed. This is the first report on the isolation of monohydroxy‐substituted polyunsaturated fatty acids from the Swertia genus in Gentianaceae.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Arene cis‐Dihydrodiols from 2‐Pyrones

An enantioselective chemical synthesis of arene cis‐dihydrodiols has been realized from 2‐pyrones through sequential ytterbium‐catalyzed asymmetric inverse‐electron‐demand Diels–Alder (IEDDA) reaction of 2‐pyrones and retro‐Diels–Alder extrusion of CO₂. By using this strategy, a series of substituted arene cis‐dihydrodiols can be obtained efficiently with high enantioselectivity (>99 % ee in many cases). Based on this strategy, efficient and concise asymmetric total syntheses of (+)‐MK7607 and 1‐epi‐(+)‐MK7607 were accomplished.     

Optically Pure,Monodisperse cis‐Oligodiacetylenes: Aggregation‐Induced Chirality Enhancement

Conformational changes in the conjugated backbone of poly‐ and oligodiacetylenes (PDAs and ODAs) play an important role in determining the electronic properties of these compounds. At the same time, conformational changes can also result in a folded structure that shows helical chirality. Using D ‐camphor as a chiral building block, we have designed a high‐yielding, iterative synthesis of monodisperse, optically pure cis‐oligodiacetylenes (ODAs). cis‐ODAs up to the tridecamer have been formed, which is the longest monodisperse cis‐ODA reported to date. UV/Vis spectroscopy suggests a large effective conjugation length in THF, likely the result of a linear, planar conformation in this solvent. High‐resolution STM/AFM measurements of the nonamer cast from THF onto HOPG show a linear structure. In iPrOH, circular dichroism (CD) spectra suggest the formation of chiral aggregates for ODAs with at least nine D ‐camphor units, based on a strong CD response.     

A theoretical study on the conformation of 3‐phosphinoxido‐ and 3‐phosphono‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexahydrophosphinine 1‐oxides

The title compounds ( 2 and 4 ) obtained by the diastereoselective hydrogenation of the corresponding 1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophosphinine oxides ( 1 and 3 ) were subjected to a detailed quantum chemical study. The possible chair conformers were calculated at the HF/6‐31G* level of theory, according to which, the 1‐phenyl‐3‐P(O)Y₂‐substituted products ( 2 ) exist in the trans₁ form, in which all substituents are equatorial. At the same time, the 1‐ethoxy‐3‐dialkylphosphono compounds ( 4 ) adopt the cis conformations, in which the 1‐ethoxy group is axial and the 3‐P(O)(OR)₂ moiety is equatorial. The major diastereomer ( 4–1 ) is cis₃, in which the 5‐methyl group is axial, while the minor one is cis₁ with an equatorial methyl substituent. It is noteworthy that the rotational position of the exocyclic P(O)Z₂ function affected the energy content of the chair conformer to a high extent. The possibility of the involvement of the twist conformers was also considered. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 16:520–524, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20148     

Substituent Effect on the Competition between Hetero‐Diels‐Alder and Cheletropic Additions of Sulfur Dioxide to 1‐Substituted Buta‐1,3‐dienes

The reactivity of sulfur dioxide toward variously substituted butadienes was explored in an effort to define the factors affecting the competition between the hetero‐Diels‐Alder and cheletropic additions. At low temperature (<−70°), 1‐alkyl‐substituted 1,3‐dienes 1 that can adopt s‐cis‐conformations add to SO₂ in the hetero‐Diels‐Alder mode in the presence of CF₃COOH as promoter. In the case of (E)‐1‐ethylidene‐2‐methylidenecyclohexane ((E)‐ 4a ), the [4+2] cycloaddition of SO₂ is fast at −90° without acid catalyst. (E)‐1‐(Acyloxy)buta‐1,3‐dienes (E)‐ 1c , (E)‐ 1y , and (E)‐ 1z with AcO, BzO, and naphthalene‐2‐(carbonyloxy) substituents, respectively also undergo the hetero‐Diels‐Alder addition with SO₂+CF₃COOH at low temperatures, giving a 1 : 10 mixture of the corresponding cis‐ and trans‐6‐(acyloxy)sultines c‐ 2c,y,z and t‐ 2c,y,z , respectively). Above −50°, the sultines undergo complete cycloreversion to the corresponding dienes and SO₂, which that add in the cheletropic mode at higher temperature to give the corresponding 2‐substituted sulfolenes (=2,5‐dihydrothiophene 1,1‐dioxides) 3 . The hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions of SO₂ follow the Alder endo rule, giving first the 6‐substituted cis‐sultines that equilibrate then with the more stable trans‐isomers. This statement is based on the assumption that the S=O group in the sultine prefers a pseudo‐axial rather than a pseudo‐equatorial position, as predicted by quantum calculations. The most striking observation is that electron‐rich dienes such as 1‐cyclopropyl‐, 1‐phenyl‐, 1‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐, 1‐(trimethylsilyl)‐, 1‐phenoxy‐, 1‐(4‐chlorophenoxy)‐, 1‐(4‐methoxyphenoxy)‐, 1‐(4‐nitrophenoxy)‐, 1‐(naphthalen‐2‐yloxy)‐, 1‐(methylthio)‐, 1‐(phenylthio)‐, 1‐[(4‐chlorophenyl)thio]‐, 1‐[(4‐methoxyphenyl)thio]‐, 1‐[(4‐nitrophenyl)thio]‐, and 1‐(phenylseleno)buta‐1,3‐diene, as well as 1‐(methoxymethylidene)‐2‐methylidenecyclohexane ( 4f ) do not equilibrate with the corresponding sultines between −100 and −10°, in the presence of a large excess of SO₂, with or without acidic promoter. The hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions of SO₂ to 1‐substituted (E)‐buta‐1,3‐dienes are highly regioselective, giving exclusively the corresponding 6‐substituted sultines. The 1‐substituted (Z)‐buta‐1,3‐dienes do not undergo the hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions with sulfur dioxide.     

Engineering P450 Peroxygenase to Catalyze Highly Enantioselective Epoxidation of cis‐β‐Methylstyrenes

P450 119 peroxygenase and its site‐directed mutants are discovered to catalyze the enantioselective epoxidation of methyl‐substituted styrenes. Two new site‐directed P450 119 mutants, namely T213Y and T213M, which were designed to improve the enantioselectivity and activity for the epoxidation of styrene and its methyl substituted derivatives, were studied. The T213M mutant is found to be the first engineered P450 peroxygenase that shows highly enantioselective epoxidation of cis‐β‐methylstyrenes, with up to 91 % ee. Molecular modeling studies provide insights into the different catalytic activity of the T213M mutant and the T213Y mutant in the epoxidation of cis‐β‐methylstyrene. The results of the calculations also contribute to a better understanding of the substrate specificity and configuration control for the regio‐ and stereoselective peroxygenation catalyzed by the T213M mutant.     

cis‐trans Peptide‐Bond Isomerization in α‐Methylproline Derivatives

α‐Methyl‐L ‐proline is an α‐substituted analog of proline that has been previously employed to constrain prolyl peptide bonds in a trans conformation. Here, we revisit the cis‐trans prolyl peptide bond equilibrium in derivatives of α‐methyl‐L ‐proline, such as N‐Boc‐protected α‐methyl‐L ‐proline and the hexapeptide H‐Ala‐Tyr‐αMePro‐Tyr‐Asp‐Val‐OH. In Boc‐α‐methyl‐L ‐proline, we found that both cis and trans conformers were populated, whereas, in the short peptide, only the trans conformer was detected. The energy barrier for the cis‐trans isomerization in Boc‐α‐methyl‐L ‐proline was determined by line‐shape analysis of NMR spectra obtained at different temperatures and found to be 1.24 kcal/mol (at 298 K) higher than the corresponding value for Boc‐L ‐proline. These findings further illuminate the conformationally constraining properties of α‐methyl‐L ‐proline.     

Filler‐polymer interactions of styrene and butadiene units in silica‐filled styrene–butadiene rubber compounds

Styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) is a copolymer of styrene and butadiene, and the butadiene unit is composed of cis‐1,4‐, trans‐1,4‐, and 1,2‐components. Filler‐polymer interactions of each component of SBR in silica‐filled SBR compounds were examined by microstructure analysis of the bound and unbound rubbers. The composition ratio of butadiene and styrene units (butadiene/styrene) of the bound rubber was higher than that of the compounded rubber. Of the butadiene units, the 1,2‐component of the bound rubber was more abundant than the cis‐1,4‐ and trans‐1,4‐components. The filler‐polymer interaction of the butadiene unit with silica was stronger than that of the styrene unit, and the interaction of the 1,2‐component was stronger as compared with the others. The butadiene–styrene ratio of the bound rubber of the compounds containing the silane coupling agent was lower than for the compounds without the silane. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 577–584, 2004     

A Light‐Controlled Molecular Brake with Complete ON–OFF Rotation

A light‐controlled molecular machine based on cyclic azobenzenophanes consisting of a dioxynaphthalene rotating unit and a photoisomerizable dioxyazobenzene unit bridged by methylene spacers is reported. In compounds 1 and 2 , 1,5‐ and 2,6‐dioxynaphthalene moieties, respectively, are linked to p‐dioxyazobenzene by different methylene spacers (n=2 in 1 a and 2 ; n=3 in 1 b ), whereas a 1,5‐dioxynaphthalene moiety is bonded to m‐dioxyazobenzene by bismethylene spacers in 3 . In 1 b and 2 , the naphthalene ring can rotate freely in both the trans and cis states at room temperature. The rotation speed can be controlled either by photoinduced reversible trans–cis (E–Z) isomerization of the azobenzene or by keeping the system at low temperature, as is evident from its NMR spectra. Furthermore, for the first time, we demonstrate a light‐controlled molecular brake, wherein the rotation of the naphthalene moiety through the cyclophane is completely OFF in the trans isomer of compound 3 due to its smaller cavity size. Such restricted rotation imparts planar chirality to the molecule, and the corresponding enantiomers could be resolved by chiral HPLC. However, the rotation of the naphthalene moiety is rendered ON in the cis isomer due to its increased cavity size, and it is manifested experimentally by the racemization of the separated enantiomers by photoinduced E–Z isomerization.     

Synthesis and Electroluminescence of Metal 4‐Styryl‐8‐hydroxyquinolates

Aluminum and zinc complexes of 4‐substituted 8‐hydroxyquinoline were used effectively as emissive materials in light‐emitting diodes (LED). The substituents chosen in this study were p‐methoxy‐2‐styryl, p‐diethylamino‐2‐styryl, and naphthalene‐2‐vinyl groups. Their emission spectra were red‐shifted with respect to that of aluminum tris(hydroxylquinolate) (Alq₃) as a result of extending their π‐conjugation. All complexes formed amorphous glasses, which exhibited high thermal and electrical stability. Typical LED devices were fabricated by mixing the dyes with polyvinylcarbazole and spin‐coated to form thin films, which were sandwiched between ITO (indium tin oxide) and a metal electrode. These devices displayed yellow‐orange emissions with quantum efficiency ca. 0.4%.     

Hierarchical Superstructures with Control of Helicity from the Self‐Assembly of Chiral Bent‐Core Molecules

Herein, two asymmetric chiral bent‐core molecules, 3‐[(4‐{[4‐(heptyloxy)benzoyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy]‐phenyl‐4‐[(4‐{[(1R)‐1‐methylheptyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy] benzoate (BC7R) and 3‐[(4‐{[4‐(heptyloxy)benzoyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy]‐phenyl‐4‐[(4‐{[(1S)‐1‐methylheptyl]oxy}benzoyl)oxy] benzoate (BC7S), were synthesized to demonstrate control of the helicity of their self‐assembled hierarchical superstructures. Mirror‐imaged CD spectra showed a split‐type Cotton effect after the formation of self‐assembled aggregates of BC7R and BC7S, thereby suggesting the formation of intermolecular exciton couplets with opposite optical activities. Both twisted and helical ribbons with preferential helicity that corresponded to the twisting character of the intermolecular exciton couplet were found in the aggregates. The formation of helical ribbons was attributed to the merging of twisted ribbons through an increase in width to improve morphological stability. As a result, control of the helicity of hierarchical superstructures from the self‐assembly of bent‐core molecules could be achieved by taking advantage of the transfer of chiral information from the molecular level onto the hierarchical scale.