A direct link between the Passerini reaction and α-lactams

α-Lactams (aziridinones) can function to replace two of the three reactants, the oxo-compound and the isonitrile, in the Passerini reaction. Four α-lactams (5a-d) were reacted with mono- and dicarboxylic acids of positive pK_a values to give 2-acyloxycarboxamides (4) and bis-2-acyloxycarboxamide products 12 and 13, respectively. The same compounds were also prepared via the Passerini reaction. Acids with a negative pK_a decarbonylate α-lactams to give immonium salts. The main path of the reaction depends on the pK_a of the acid component, the reactivity of the α-lactam, and the reaction conditions.     

Passerini three-component cascade reactions in deep eutectic solvent: an environmentally benign and rapid system for the synthesis of α-acyloxyamides

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A greener synthesis of α-acyloxyamides was achieved by one-pot three component cascade Passerini reactions in a deep eutectic solvent (DES). Reactions...     

A continuous-flow synthesis of annulated and polysubstituted furans from the reaction of ketones and α-haloketones

A synthesis of di-, tri- and tetra-substituted furans from reaction of the corresponding ketones and α-haloketones with LiHMDS is reported. Reaction under continuous-flow conditions gave increased yields and removed the need for external cooling when compared to the unoptimised batch conditions.     

Phosphorescence of α-diketones from ozone-olefin reactions

Phosphorescence spectra of α-diketones in the gas phase have been measured at 3 to 12 Å resolution, and are compared with equally well resolved chemiluminescence spectra from ozone-olefin reactions. Glyoxal phosphorescence could be identified in the chemiluminescence spectra of propene, 1-butene, cis- and trans-2-butene, and cyclohexene. Methylglyoxal phosphorescence results from the reactions of isobutene, trimethyl-ethylene, tetramethyl-ethylene. Biacetyl phosphorescence most probably does not contribute to the chemiluminescence of ozone-olefin reactions. The pressure dependence ofthe phosphorescence from the ozone-tetramethyl-ethylene reaction yields rate constants of 2.6 × 10⁻¹⁵ and 2.5 × 10⁻¹⁶ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the quenching of methylglyoxal phosphorescence by O₂ and N₂. The relative pressure dependences of formaldehyde fluorescence, glyoxal phosphorescence and methylglyoxal phosphorescence, as well as their excitation mechanisms are briefly discussed.     

Photoaddition reactions of azomethine ylides generated from α-aminonitriles to fullerene C60: Formation of fulleropyrrolidines and reaction efficiencies changes depending on reaction conditions

Photoaddition reactions of C₆₀ with both (trimethylsilyl)methyl and either benzyl or phenethyl group containing α-aminonitriles were carried out to explore how product distributions and reaction efficiencies can be influenced by reaction solvent systems. The results show that photoreactions produce both trimethylsilyl- and cyano group containing fulleropyrrolidines as a major (or exclusive) product. Especially, photoreactions performed in either EtOH containing solution or oxygenated environment take place with a much more efficient manner.     

Simple synthesis and separation of the diastereomers of α-thio analogs of ribo- and deoxyribo- di- and triphosphates

Nucleoside 5′-0-(1-thiodi-) and triphosphates can be obtained in yields of up to 45% directly from the nucleosides. Their diastereomers can be separated by preparative reversed phase chromatography.     

Construction of the reaction networks for heterogeneous catalytic reactions: Fischer—Tropsch synthesis and related reactions

The key approaches to the generation of reaction networks for the synthesis of products from CO and H₂ are considered. The selection rules for the elementary steps on the surface of heterogeneous catalysts are formulated. Data on the surface compounds and steps related to reactions of CO and H₂ are analyzed and a set of transforms (models of elementary steps) for generation of the reaction network are selected. Eight variants of generation of reaction networks for the formation of C1 products with different sets of transforms (12 to 31) were tested in computer experiments, and eight reaction networks comprising 34 substances and 132 to 1647 elementary steps were obtained. The pathways to CO₂, CH₄, and CH₃OH and pairs of compounds CH₄, CO₂ and CH₄, HCOOH obtained from the reaction network (220 elementary steps) are compared with the published schemes.     

Synthesis of novel α-acyloxycarboxamides containing vinylbis(silanes) through three-component Passerini reactions

A three-component efficient procedure is described for the synthesis of novel α-acyloxycarboxamides containing bis(trimethylsilyl)ethenyl group from 4-[2,2-bis(trimethylsilyl)ethenyl]benzaldehyde, aromatic carboxylic acids and isocyanides, via the Passerini reaction. This reaction proceeds smoothly and cleanly under mild conditions in H₂O and [bmim]BF₄ at room temperature and led to products in good yields. The silylated aldehyde was obtained via Peterson olefination reaction of terephthalaldehyde with tris(trimethylsilyl)methyllithium in THF at 0 °C.     

Chemistry of α-mangostin. Studies on the semisynthesis of minor xanthones from Garcinia mangostana

α-Mangostin is the major prenylated xanthone from Garcinia mangostana and it has been used also in recent times as starting material for the semisynthetic preparation of various biologically active derivatives. Its structure is characterised by the presence of few functional groups amenable to chemical manipulations, but present in the molecule in multiple instances (three phenolic hydroxyl groups, two prenyl chains and two unsubstituted aromatic carbons). This study represents a first approach to the systematic investigation of the reactivity of α-mangostin and describes the semisynthesis of some minor xanthones isolated from G. mangostana.     

Investigation of the reaction of α-thioamides, α-esters and α-nitriles with N-halosuccinimides

Investigation of the reaction of α-thioamides, α-esters and α-nitriles with NBS and NCS is described. The scope of this stereoselective oxidative transformation to the β-haloacrylamides, β-acrylates and β-acrylonitriles has been determined. A mechanistic rationale to explain the observed differences in reactivity between the amide, ester and nitrile series is proposed.     

Exploring the metal-catalyzed reaction of furans with alkyl α-diazomethanesulfonate and α-diazomethanephosphonate: synthesis of ω-acyl-substituted sulfono- and phosphonobutadienes

The metal-catalyzed reactions of neopentyl α-diazomethanesulfonate (DAMS) and diisopropyl α-diazomethanephosphonate (DIDAMP) with furan, 2-methylfuran and 2-methoxyfuran are reported. The products consist mostly of ω-acyl-substituted sulfono- or phosphonobutadienes and exo-cyclopropane derivatives. Treatment of the multicomponent reaction mixtures with iodine afforded exclusively the corresponding (E,E)-sulfono- and phosphono-ω-acylfunctionalized dienes, thus providing a short and efficient synthetic route to these hitherto unreported classes of compounds.     

ReactNMR and ReactIR as reaction monitoring and mechanistic elucidation tools: the NCS mediated cascade reaction of α-thioamides to α-thio-β-chloroacrylamides

On-flow ReactIR and (1)H NMR reaction monitoring, coupled with in situ intermediate characterization, was used to aid in the mechanistic elucidation of the N-chlorosuccinimide mediated transformation of an α-thioamide. Multiple intermediates in this reaction cascade are identified and characterized, and in particular, spectroscopic evidence for the intermediacy of the chlorosulfonium ion in the chlorination of α-thioamides is provided. Further to this, solvent effects on the outcome of the transformation are discussed. This work also demonstrates the utility of using a combination of ReactIR and flow NMR reaction monitoring (ReactNMR) for characterizing complex multicomponent reaction mixtures.     

Microbial deracemization of α-substituted carboxylic acids: control of the reaction path

A novel approach to preparing optically active α-substituted carboxylic acids using the whole cells of Nocardia diaphanozonaria JCM 3208 is described. When 2-phenylthiopropanoic acid and 2-methyl-3-phenylpropanoic acid were subjected to the reaction under aerobic conditions, the oxidation reaction proceeded preferentially rather than deracemization of these substrates. Herein, we report the design of reaction conditions to increase the deracemization activity in preference to oxidation reactions. In addition, we have successfully detected a metabolic intermediate in the reaction mixture of 2-methyl-3-phenylpropanoic acid, which indicates that the deracemization is a competitive reaction against the β-oxidation pathway of fatty acid metabolism.     

Oxazolidinone/enamine ratios in the reactions of α-silyloxy and α-alkoxy aldehydes with proline

α-Silyloxy and α-alkoxy aldehydes (propanal derivatives 1–4), when treated with proline in DMSO-d₆, give oxazolidinones rather than enamines. In fact, the relative trend is much stronger than that of all other carbonyl compounds examined, including simple aldehydes, α-branched aldehydes, α-(alkylthio)aldehydes, and standard ketones. For 1–4, the high prevalence of oxazolidinones prevents or delays the partial racemization of the α-stereocenters.     

Multistep derivatization method for the determination of multifunctional oxidation products from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone

A novel three-step analytical method was developed which enables the simultaneous detection and identification of multifunctional oxygenated products resulting from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone. The method consists of the following steps: conversion of carbonyl groups to methyloximes using methyloxyamine, conversion of carboxylic acids to methyl esters using trimethylsilyldiazomethane (TMSD), and conversion of alcohols to trimethylsilyl ethers using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA). The derivatization procedure at each stage was optimized yielding the appropriate amount of derivatization reagent, reaction temperature and time. The newly developed analytical procedure manages without processes of extraction and evaporation to dryness at any stage. Total time for sample analysis is short ca. 3h. The characteristic ions of derivatives and common pattern for ion fragmentation in capillary gas chromatography electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) analysis were elucidated and discussed.     

(E) Enol ethers from the stereoselective reduction of α-alkoxy-β-ketophosphonates and Wittig type reaction

When α-alkoxy-β-ketophosphonates, prepared by the Rh(II) mediated insertion reaction of α-diazo-β-ketophosphonates into the OH bond of primary alcohols, were reduced either by NaBH₄ in the presence of CaCl₂ or by DIBAL, they respectively gave the corresponding anti or syn stereomeric hydroxyphosphonates with pronounced to complete stereoselectivity. Submitted to the action of potassium tert-butoxyde, syn isomers led to the corresponding pure (E) enol ethers in moderate to good yields. Under the same conditions anti isomers led to a mixture of (Z) and (E) enol ethers in rather poor yields. The sequence was applied to the preparation of some allyl-vinyl ethers with a (E) configuration for the vinylic double bond.     

Synthesis and reactions of α-fluoro-α-amino amides

N-((S)-1-Phenylethyl)halofluoroethanamides have been investigated as precursors to N-protected α-fluoro-α-amino amides by nucleophilic displacement of halide with nitrogen nucleophiles such as potassium phthalimide, sodium succinimide, sodium glutarimide, trimethylamine and sodium azide. With single diastereoisomers of the iodofluoroethanamide, clean inversion of configuration occurs at room temperature, but subsequent epimerisation may occur as a result of the liberated iodide. The α-fluoro-α-amino amides made underwent a wide variety of reactions depending on conditions, but in many cases the carbon-fluorine bond was compromised. However, reacting trimethylamine and N-((S)-1-phenylethyl)iodofluoroethanamide gave the corresponding α-fluorobetaine amide, and subsequent acidic hydrolysis led to α-fluorobetaine as the first example of an ‘unprotected’ α-fluoroamino acid.