Electronic excitations of 1,4-disilyl-substituted 1,4-disilabicycloalkanes: a MS-CASPT2 study of the influence of cage size

We present a multistate complete active space second-order perturbation theory computational study aimed to predict the low-lying electronic excitations of four compounds that can be viewed as two disilane units connected through alkane bridges in a bicyclic cage. The analysis has focused on 1,4-disilyl-1,4-disilabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane (1a), 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-disilabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane (1b), 1,4-disilyl-1,4-disilabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane (2a), and 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-disilabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane (2b). The aim has been to find out the nature of the lowest excitations with significant oscillator strengths and to investigate how the cage size affects the excitation energies and the strengths of the transitions. Two different substituents on the terminal silicon atoms (H and CH3) were used in order to investigate the end group effects. The calculations show that the lowest allowed excitations are of the same character as that found in disilanes but now red-shifted. As the cage size is reduced from a 1,4-disilabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane to a 1,4-disilabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane, the Si...Si through-space distance decreases from approximately 2.70 to 2.50 A and the lowest allowed transitions are red-shifted by up to 0.9 eV, indicating increased interaction between the two Si-Si bonds. The first ionization potential, which corresponds to ionization from the Si-Si sigma orbitals, is lower in 1b and 2b than in Si2Me6 by approximately 0.9 and 1.2 eV, respectively. Moreover, 1b and 2b, which have methyl substituents at the terminal Si atoms, have slightly lower excitation energies than the analogous species 1a and 2a.     

Resolution of 2-substituted 1,4-benzodioxanes by entrainment

The methyl ester of 1,4-benzodioxane-2-carboxylic acid 1 and the mesylate of 2-hydroxymethyl-1,4-benzodioxane 2 are synthetic intermediates whose enantiomers can be advantageously used to prepare a number of enantiopure 2-substituted 1,4-benzodioxanes from readily accessible (±)-1,4-benzodioxane-2-carboxilic acid. We have previously demonstrated the conglomerate nature of the enantiomeric systems of 1 and 2. Herein, we report the resolution of their racemates by preferential crystallization according to an entrainment procedure. In particular, the entrainment resolution of 1 showed good efficiency, which makes the present method a competitive alternative to the classical resolutions of 1,4-benzodioxane-2-carboxylic acid with dehydroabietylamine and para-substituted 1-phenylethylamines that we have recently reported.     

Metal carbonyl derivatives of 1,4-quinone and 1,4-hydroquinone

CpMoMn(CO)5(mu-S2), 1 reacts with 1,4-benzoquinone to yield CpMoMn(CO)5(mu-S2C6H2O2), 2 containing a 1,4-quinonedithiolato ligand formed by replacing two of the hydrogen atoms on one of the C-C double bonds of 1,4-benzoquinone with sulfur atoms from the disulfido ligand in 1. Compound 2 was reduced with hydrogen to yield CpMoMn(CO)5[mu-S2C6H2(OH)2], 3 which contains a 1,4-hydroquinonedithiolato ligand. Compound 3 was reoxidized to 2 with ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate.     

Photoinduced self-substitution of haloquinones

A series of novel oligo(halobenzoquinoid) compounds have been obtained from the photoinduced self-substitution of 2,5-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (1a), 2,6-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (1b), 2-chloro-1,4-benzoquinone (1c), 2-bromo-5-chloro-1,4-benzoquinone (1d), 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone (1e) and 1,4-benzoquinone (1f) in the presence of N,N-dimethyl-t-butylamine (2) in acetonitrile. Dimers, trimers and/or pentamers of these haloquinones were found to be the major products.     

Reaction of zinc enolates derived from 1-aryl-2,2-dibromoalkan-1-ones with tetramethyl 2,2′-(1,4-phenylenedimethylidene)dimalonate,dimethyl 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2-cyanoacrylate), and 2,2′-(1,4-phenylenedimethylidene)-bis(malononitrile)

Zinc enolates derived from 1-aryl-2,2-dibromoalkanones reacted with tetramethyl 2,2′-(1,4-phenylenedimethylidene)dimalonate, dimethyl 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2-cyanoacrylate), and 2,2′-(1,4-phenylenedimethylidene)bis(malononitrile) to give, respectively, tetramethyl 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2-alkyl-2-aroylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates), dimethyl 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2-alkyl-2-aroyl-1-cyanocyclopropane-1-carboxylates), and 3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2-alkyl-2-aroylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarbonitriles) as a single stereoisomer.     

Thermodynamics and kinetics of the hydride-transfer cycles for 1-aryl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and its 1,2-dihydroisomer

Five 1-(p-substituted phenyl)-1,4-dihydronicotinamides (GPNAH-1,4-H(2)) and five 1-(p-substituted phenyl)-1,2-dihydronicotinamides (GPNAH-1,2-H(2)) were synthesized, which were used to mimic NAD(P)H coenzyme and its 1,2-dihydroisomer reductions, respectively. When the 1,4-dihydropyridine (GPNAH-1,4-H(2)) and the 1,2-dihydroisomer (GPNAH-1,2-H(2)) were treated with p-trifluoromethylbenzylidenemalononitrile (S) as a hydride acceptor, both reactions gave the same products: pyridinium derivative (GPNA(+)) and carbanion SH(-) by a hydride one-step transfer. Thermodynamic analysis on the two reactions shows that the hydride transfer from the 1,2-dihydropyridine is much more favorable than the hydride transfer from the corresponding 1,4-dihydroisomer, but the kinetic examination displays that the former reaction is remarkably slower than the latter reaction, which is mainly due to much more negative activation entropy for the former reaction. When the formed pyridinium derivative (GPNA(+)) was treated with SH(-), the major reduced product was the corresponding 1,4-dihydropyridine along with a trace of the 1,2-dihydroisomer. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses on the hydride transfer from SH(-) to GPNA(+) all suggest that the 4-position on the pyridinium ring in GPNA(+) is much easier to accept the hydride than the 2-position, which indicates that when the 1,4-dihydropyridine is used the hydride donor to react with S, the formed pyridinium derivative GPNA(+) may return to the 1,4-dihydropyridine by a hydride transfer cycle; but when the 1,2-dihydropyridine is used as the hydride donor, the formed pyridinium derivative can not return to the 1,2-dihydropyridine by the hydride reverse transfer from SH(-) to GPNA(+). These results clearly show that the hydride-transfer cycle is favorable for the 1,4-dihydronicotinamides, but unfavorable for the corresponding 1,2-dihydroisomers.     

Synthesis and aromatization of 2-(3,6-diaryl-2,5-dihydropyridazin-4-yl)-1H-benzimidazoles

Treatment of 1,4-diaryl-2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)butane-1,4-diones with hydrazine gives the previously unknown 2-(3,6-diaryl-2,5-dihydropyridazin-4-yl)-1H-benzimidazoles which are aromatized by oxidation with nitrous acid to give 2-[3,6-diarylpyridazin-4-yl]-1H-benzimidazoles. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 252–259, February, 2008.     

The unusual reaction of semiquinone radicals with molecular oxygen

Hydroquinones (benzene-1,4-diols) are naturally occurring chain-breaking antioxidants, whose reactions with peroxyl radicals yield 1,4-semiquinone radicals. Unlike the 1,2-semiquinone radicals derived from catechols (benzene-1,2-diols), the 1,4-semiquinone radicals do not always trap another peroxyl radical, and instead the stoichiometric factor of hydroquinones varies widely between 0 and 2 as a function of ring-substitution and reaction conditions. This variable antioxidant behavior has been attributed to the competing reaction of the 1,4-semiquinone radical with molecular oxygen. Herein we report the results of experiments and theoretical calculations focused on understanding this key reaction. Our experiments, which include detailed kinetic and mechanistic investigations by laser flash photolysis and inhibited autoxidation studies, and our theoretical calculations, which include detailed studies of the reactions of both 1,4-semiquinones and 1,2-semiquinones with O2, provide many important insights. They show that the reaction of O2 with 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-semiquinone radical (used as model compound) has a rate constant of 2.4 +/- 0.9 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 in acetonitrile and as high as 2.0 +/- 0.9 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 in chlorobenzene, i.e., similar to that previously reported in water at pH approximately 7. These results, considered alongside our theoretical calculations, suggest that the reaction occurs by an unusual hydrogen atom abstraction mechanism, taking place in a two-step process consisting first of addition of O2 to the semiquinone radical and second an intramolecular H-atom transfer concerted with elimination of hydroperoxyl to yield the quinone. This reaction appears to be much more facile for 1,4-semiquinones than for their 1,2-isomers.     

A New Route to Pyrrolidines: One-Step Cyclization of 1,4-Azido Alcohol Synthesis of 1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-Imino-L-Lyxitol

Several optically active 3,4-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl pyrrolidines are potent α-glycosidase inhibitors; for example, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-lyxitol (1) is a powerful inhibitor of α-galactosidase.¹ Furthermore, pyrrolidine 1 can be easily converted into the indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine to which it is structurally related.² (-) Swainsonine exhibits α-D-mannosidase inhibitory activity and immunoregulatory activity. Certain swainsonine stereoisomers have glycosidase inhibitory activity as well, and therefore have attracted considerable interest.³ 1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-L-lyxitol (2) (enantiomer of 1) could be of biological interest. This communication describes the first synthesis of 2, starting from D-ribonolactone.     

New method for preparing saturated and unsaturated aliphatic polyurethanes

Saturated and unsaturated aliphatic polyurethane were obtained from three different routes. In route 1, 1,4-dichloro-2-butene, sodium cyanate, and methanol were reacted to give dimethyl 2-butene-1,4-dicarbamate. This is hydrogenated easily to give dimethyl butane-1,4-dicarbamate. Ester exchange reaction of this compound with glycol gave saturated aliphatic polyurethane. In another procedure, route 2, 1,4-dichloro-2-butene, sodium cyanate and excess glycol were reacted to give bis(ω-hydroxyalkyl)-2-butene-1,4-dicarbamate. This was hydrogenated to give bis(ω-hydroxyalkyl)-butane-1,4-dicarbamate. A glycol elimination reaction gave poly(polymethylene tetramethyl-enedicarbamate). By route 3, 1,4-dichloro-2-butene, sodium cyanate, and glycol were reacted to give poly(polymethylene 2-butene-1,4-dicarbamate), a new unsaturated aliphatic polyurethane.     

Addition reactions of nucleophiles to dibenzoylacetylene

Several enamine diones have been prepared through the nucleophilic addition of different amines to dibenzoylacetylene (DBA). Thus, the reaction of aniline, piperidine, o-aminophenol and N-phenylbenzylamine with DBA gave the corresponding 1:1 adducts namely, 1,4 - diphenyl - 2 - (N - phenylamino)but - 2 - ene -1,4 - dione (1), 1,4 - diphenyl - 2 - piperidinobut - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (2), 2 - (N - 2 - hydroxyphenylamino)1,4 - diphenylbut - 2 -ene - 1,4 - dione (3) and 1,4 - diphenyl - 2 - (N - phenylbenzylamino)but - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (4). UV absorption data reveal that the adducts 1 and 3, formed from aniline and o-aminophenol, respectively, are the E-isomers, arising through a trans-mode of addition whereas the adducts 2 and 4, formed from piperidine and N-phenyl-benzylamine are the Z-isomers, formed through a cis-mode of addition.The reaction of N-phenaeylaniline with DBA gave 2,3 - dibenzoyl - 1,4 - diphenylpyrrole (5), whereas the reaction of 1,8 - diaminonaphthalene with DBA gave a mixture of products consisting of 2 - benzoyl - 2 - phenacyl -2,3 - dihydroperimidine (11) and 2 - benzoylperimidine (12). The reaction of 2-aminopyridine with DBA gave a mixture of two 1:1-adducts, 2 - (2 - imino - 1(2H) - pyridyl) - 1,4 - diphenylbut - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (14) and 1,4 -diphenyl - 2 - (N - 2 - pyridylamino)but - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (15).     

Synthese von Plectranthonen,diterpenoiden Phenanthren-1,4-chinonen

Synthesis of Plectranthons, Diterpenoid Phenanthrene-1,4-diones The following phenanthrene-1,4-diones have been synthesized by using the photocyclization of the corresponding highly substituted stilbenes as the key step: 3-hydroxy-5,7,8-trimethyl-2-(prop-2-enyl)phenanthrene-1,4-dione ( 1 ), (RS)-, (R)-, and (S)-2-[3-hydroxy-5,7,8-trimethyl-1,4-dioxophenanthren-2-yl]-1-methylethyl acetate ( 2 , 31 , and 32 , resp.), 3-hydroxy-7,8-dimethyl-2-(prop-2-enyl)phenanthrene-1,4-dione ( 3 ), 3-hydroxy-7,8,10-tri-methyl-2-(prop-2-enyl)phenanthrene-1,4-dione ( 4 ), 5,7,8-trimethyl-2-(prop-2-enyl)phenanthrene-1,4-dione ( 17 ), and 3-hydroxy-2-methylphenanthrene-1,4-dione ( 42 ). The quinones 1 and 3 proved to be identical with the recently isolated plectranthons A and C. Compounds 2 , 31 , and 32 exhibited the same UV/VIS, IR, ¹H-NMR and mass spectra as natural plectranthon B , but had different melting points. This might be due either to crystal modifications or to diastereoisomerism caused by the helical structure of the phenanthrene-1,4-dione skeleton. The spectral data of synthetic 4 were not compatible with those of natural plectranthon D for which structure 4 had been proposed based mainly on ¹H-NMR arguments concerning the chemical shifts of H? C(9) and H? C(10) in 1–3. Extensive ¹H-NMR investigations have now revealed that the currently stated assignments of the H? C(9)/ H? C(10) AB system have to be reversed for highly substituted phenanthrene-1,4-diones: in the model compounds 2-methylphenanthrene-1,4-dione (41) and 2, H? C(10) resonates al lower field as expected (peri-position), whereas in the highly substituted congeners 1 , 2 , 3 , 31 , and 32 , H? C(9) is shifted paramagnetically, a fact which had lead to the erroneous assignment of structure 4 for natural plectranthon D .     

Synthesis of Fluorine-Containing 2-(1-Aryl-4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnolin-3-yl)-2-oxoacetic Acids

Acid hydrolysis of ethyl 2-(1-aryl-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnolin-3-yl)-2-oxoacetates gives 2-(1-aryl-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnolin-3-yl)-2,2-dihydroxyacetic acids which undergo dehydration on heating in toluene to afford 2-(1-aryl-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnolin-3-yl)-2-oxoacetic acids. Reactions of the latter with excess morpholine result in replacement of two fluorine atoms in positions 5 and 7 by the amine residues.     

Plectranthone A,B, C und D. Diterpenoide Phenanthren-1,4-dione aus Blattdrüsen einer Plectranthuus sp. (Labiatae)

Plectranthons A, B, C, and D. Diterpenoid Phenanthrene-1,4-diones from Leaf-glands a Plectranthus sp. (Labiatae) The following structures of four new 1,4-phenanthraquionones, isolated in minute amounts from the coloured leaf-glands of a Plectranthus sp. obtained from the borders of Lake Kiwu₂, Rwanda, are proposed: plectranthon A ( 1 ; 3-hydroxy-5, 7,8-trimethyl-2-(2-propenyl)phenanthrene-1, 4-dione), plectranthon B ( 2 ; 2-(2ξ-acetoxypropyl)-3-hydroxy-5,7,8-trimethylphenanthrene-1,4-dione), plextranthon C ( 3 ; 3-hydroxy- 7,8-diemethyl-2-(2-propenyl)phenanthrene-1,4-dione), and plectranthon D ( 4 ; 3-hydroxy-7,8,10-trimethyl-2-(2-propenyl)phenanthrene-1,4-dione). 2-(2ξ-Hydroxypropyl)-3,6-dihydroxy-5,7,8-trimethylphenanthrene-1,4-dione ( 11 ), a compound very similar to 1–4 , was prepared by a Wagner-Meerwein, rearrangement of coleon E (⁵). Biogenetically, the plectranthons are derived from abietanoic precursors. The compounds 1, 2 and 4 are the first natural C₂₀-phenanthrenes of diterpenoid origin.     

Cycloaddition of primary phosphines to divinyl sulfide

Primary phosphines reacted with divinyl sulfide under radical initiation conditions (AIBN, 65–70°C, reactant molar ratio 1:1) according to the addition-cyclization pattern to give 4-substituted 1,4-thiaphosphinanes which underwent almost quantitative oxidation with oxygen or elemental sulfur, yielding the corresponding 4-substituted 1,4-thiaphosphinane oxides (sulfides). The reaction of 4-(2-phenylethyl)-1,4-thiaphosphinane with methyl iodide afforded 4-methyl-4-(2-phenylethyl)-1,4-thiaphosphinanium iodide with high chemoselectivity.     

Synthesis and properties of 3-cyano-4-(4-cyanophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-2(3H)-thiones

Piperidinium 3-cyano-4-(4-cyanophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-2(3H)-thiolates were obtained by the condensation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, 4-cyanobenzaldehyde, and cyanothioacetamide in the presence of an equimolar amount of piperidine. The acidification of these thiolates gave the corresponding 1,4-dihydropyridine-2(3H)-thiones and pyridine-2(1H)-thione. Alkylation of 1,4-dihydropyridine-2-thiolates or the reaction mixture of the three-carbon condensation using iodacetamide gave 2-carbamoylmethylthio-1,4,5,6-tetrahydro- or 1,4-dihydropyridines, which were characterized by their conversion to 4,7-dihydrothieno[2,3-b]pyridines.Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, LV-1006, Riga, LatviaTranslated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 794–798, June, 2000.     

Mechanistic studies on the reductive cyclooligomerisation of CO by U(III) mixed sandwich complexes; the molecular structure of [(U(eta-C8H6{Si(i)Pr3-1,4}2)(eta-Cp*)]2(mu-eta1:eta1-C2O2)

The stoichiometric reaction of 1 equiv of CO with [(U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2)(eta-Cp*)] affords the linear diuranium ynediolate complex [(U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2)(eta-Cp*)]2(mu-eta1:eta1-C2O2) which does not react with further CO to give the deltate derivative [(U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2)(eta-Cp*)]2(mu-eta1:eta2-C3O3). Spectroscopic and computational studies suggest a plausible mechanism for the formation of the deltate complex, in which a "zig-zag" diuranium ynediolate species is the key intermediate.     

Mercuric ion-catalyzed hydration of derivatives of 1,4-dichloro-2-butyne. Hydration of 1-aryloxy-4-arylthio-2-butynes, 1,4-bis(arylthio)-2-butynes,and 1,4-bis(arylsulfonyl)-1-butynes

The mercuric ion-catalyzed hydration of 1,4-bis(arylthio)-2-butynes and 1-aryloxy-4-arylthio-2-butynes was studied. The 1,4-bis(arylsulfonyl)-2-butynes afforded 1,4-bis(arylsulfonyl)-2-butanones (7). The 1,4-bis(arylthio)-2-butynes afforded a variety of products in acetic acid among which were: 1,4-bis(arylthiomethyl)vinyl acetate ( 18 ); 1,4-bis(arylthio)-2-butanone ( 15 ); 1-(arylthio)-3-buten-2-one ( 16 ); and 1-(arylthio)-4-acetoxy-2-butanone ( 17 ). Ketone 15 eliminates arylthiol in an acidic medium yielding 16 which undergoes Michael addition of solvent to give 17. Treatment of 7 with base in the presence of a nucleophile (ArSH) analogously leads to elimination of arylsulfinic acid, followed by Michael addition of arylthiol. Hydration of 5 in methanol cleanly gave 1-(arylthio)-4-methoxy-2-butanones ( 19 ). In contrast, 1-aryloxy-4-arylthio-24)utynes afforded chromenes ( 8 ) by intramolecular cyclization. No thiochromenes were formed in any of the examples investigated.     

Structure of the bromination product of 2-ethyl-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one

2-Ethyl-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one and bromine react smoothly to give Z-2-(1-bromoethylidine)-2(H)-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one, which results from a complex bromination-oxidation sequence. The structure of this product was determined by an X-ray study.     

Rapid-scan time-resolved FT-IR spectroelectrochemistry studies on the electrochemical redox process

The electron transfer to or from molecules containing multiple redox centers has been extensively investigated. Rapid scan time-resolved FT-IR-RAS spectroelectrochemistry was used to investigate the electron-transfer mechanism in this report. The electron transfer of two typical compounds, 1,4-benzoquinone and 1,4-bis(2-ferrocenylvinyl)benzene, was examined with this method. Although the two compounds show two-electron transfer in the redox process, 1,4-benzoquinone exhibits two single electron waves while 1,4-bis(2-ferrocenylvinyl)benzene exhibits a single wave in cyclic voltammetric experiments. The IR absorption of the intermediate, BQ*- and p-(Fc-CH=CH)+2-benzene, at 1506 and 1589 cm(-1), respectively, appeared and disappeared on the experimental time scale in the oxidation and reduction process was observed. In the oxidation process of the p-(Fc-CH=CH)2-benzene molecule, one Fc was oxidated to Fc+ first and the electron-withdrawing ability of Fc+ was stronger than that of Fc, which resulted in the D-pi-A structure and the band at 1589 cm(-1) becoming visible. Then as the oxidation continues, the other Fc was oxidated to Fc+ too, which resulted in the reforming of the symmetry of the benzene ring A-pi-A, so the band at 1589 cm(-1) disappeared. Similar phenomenon can be elucidated in the reduction process but the configuration type changed from A-pi-A to D-pi-A and finally to D-pi-D. Hence, not only 1,4-benzoquinone but also 1,4-bis(2-ferrocenylvinyl)benzene show two consecutive one-electron processes. In addition, it is observed that the existing time of the electrochemical reaction intermediate (BQ*- and p-(Fc-CH=CH)+2-benzene) is prolonged at low temperatures due to slow reaction kinetics.