Photo-irradiation of α-halo carbonyl compounds: a novel synthesis of α-hydroxy- and α,α′-dihydroxyketones

The reaction of α-halo ketones (α-iodocycloalkanones, α-bromocycloalkanones, α-iodo-β-alkoxy esters, and α-iodoacyclicketones) with irradiation under a high-pressure mercury lamp gave the corresponding α-hydroxyketones in good yields. For α-bromoketones, it was found that α-hydroxylation does not occur. However, α-bromoketones were converted into α-hydroxyketones in the presence of KI. In the case of α,α′-diiodo ketones, α,α′-dihydroxyketones, which up to now have scarcely been reported, were obtained. This reaction affords a new, clean and convenient synthetic method for α-hydroxy- and α,α′-dihydroxyketones.     

Synthesis,isolation, and chromatography of perdeuterated α-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane

Perdeuterated α-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-PDHCH) was synthesized and isolated in pure form. α-PDHCH was baseline separated from unlabeled α-HCH by high resolution gas chromatography on different stationary phases. α-PDHCH was also resolved into its enantiomeric forms by application of a chiral GC phase. Furthermore, chiral chromatography of a mixture of labeled α-PDHDH and unlabeled α-HCH resulted in four peaks. Standard solutions of α-PDHCH are recommended both as recovery standard for sample clean-up and as internal standard for the quantitation of chlorinated hydrocarbons with GC/MS or GC/ECD in environmental samples.     

Synthesis and Diels-Alder reactions of α-fluoro- and α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles

A novel synthetic method for the preparation of α-fluoro- and the still unknown α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles is elaborated. The reaction of α-fluorovinylbromides and α-trifluoromethylvinylbromides with CuCN leads to the title compounds in good to high yields. While the α-fluoroacrylonitriles were isolated as mixture of Z/E-isomers, the α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles were obtained as pure Z-isomers. The α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles are shown to be excellent dienophiles for Diels-Alder reactions.     

Chaperone Function of Rat Lens α-Crystallin

A solution of γ-crystallin became turbid upon beating at 65 °C for 30 minutes; however, addition of α-crystallin suppressed this thermal aggregation. It was found the effective chaperone function could be achieved with the molar ratio of α/γ greater than 1/20. In terms of crystallin subunit, five molecular α-crystallin subunits could afford chaperone for one molecular γ-crystallin. The gel filtration profile of the sample solution, containing α- and γ-crystallins and preincubation at 65 °C for 30 minutes, showed complex formation between α- and γ-crystallins, indicating α-crystallin was bound to thermally denatured γ-crystallin. A 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence study showed that α-crystallin has more hydrophobic regions exposed after thermal incubation. In the presence of urea, both the α-crystallin chaperone activity and the ANS fluorescence intensity decreased. Accordingly, hydrophobic regions of α-crystallin play an indispensible role in its chaperone activity.     

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of O3 with a series of Terpenes and OH radical formation from the O3 reactions with Sesquiterpenes at 296 ± 2 K

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of O₃ with the sesquiterpenes α-cedrene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and longifolene, and with the monoterpenes limonene, terpinolene, α-phellandrene, and α-terpinene, have been measured using a relative rate technique at 296 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure of air. The rate constants obtained (in units of 10^?17 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) are: limonene, 20.1 ± 5.1; terpinolene, 188 ± 67; α-phellandrene, 298 ± 105; α-terpinene, 2110 ± 770; α-cedrene, 2.78 ± 0.71; α-copaene, 15.8 ± 5.6; β-caryophyllene, 1160 ± 430; α-humulene, 1170 ± 450; and longifolene, <0.07, where the indicated errors include the estimated overall uncertainties in the rate constants for the reference organics. Hydroxyl radical formation yields were also determined for the O₃ reactions with the sesquiterpenes, of 0.67 for α-cedrene, 0.35 for α-copaene, 0.06 for β-caryophyllene, and 0.22 for α-humulene, all with estimated overall uncertainties of a factor of ca. 1.5. The tropospheric lifetimes of the sesquiterpenes due to reaction with O₃ are calculated. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reactivity of α-arylseleno-aldehydes towards halogens and benzeneselenenyl chloride

Chlorination of α-seleno-aldehydes bearing an α-hydrogen gives selenium dichlorides which decompose into α-chloro α-seleno-aldehydes and α-chloroenal. Bromination, in all cases, and chlorination for the other α-seleno-aldehydes lead to the α-halogenoaldehydes.     

α-Arylation and Ring Expansion of Annulated Cyclobutanones: Stereoselective Synthesis of Functionalized Tetralones

α-Arylcyclobutanones display unique reactivity that makes them valuable synthetic intermediates and target molecules. We describe the preparation of α-aryl- and α-heteroarylcyclobutanones through a direct α-arylation reaction. Problematic fragmentations are avoided by the use of LiO^tBu, which promotes a rapid but reversible self-aldol reaction that slowly releases the enolate required for α-arylation. We also demonstrate the ring expansion of α-arylcyclobutanones, a process that is highlighted in the stereoselective synthesis of 1-methoxy coniothyrinone D.     

Microwave-induced selective synthesis of α-bromo and α,α-dibromoalkanones using dioxane-dibromide and silica gel under solvent-free conditions

Selective synthesis of α-bromo and α,α-dibromoalkanones using dioxane-dibromide and silica gel in solvent-free conditions under microwave irradiation has been reported. The amount of dioxane-dibromide, silica gel and time of irradiation are keys for the selective synthesis of α-bromo and α,α-dibromoalkanones.     

Photochemistry of haloketones—I : Reactions of some α-halocyclohexanones

α-Halocyclohexanones 1–4 on irradiation in cyclohexane have been found to involve competing radical and ionic photo-behaviour. The principal photoprocess observed in α-chloro-, α-bromo- and α-iodo-cyclo-hexanones was homolytic β-cleavage of carbon-halogen bond to afford radical products. These were usually accompanied by ionic products such as cyclohexenones, but in much lower proportions. Photo-Favorskii type ring contraction reported recently for α-chlorocyclobutanones was found to be completely absent. Sensitisation and quenching studies indicate that radical cleavage occurs from n-π^* triplet states whereas ionic cleavage could be a singlet derived reaction; thus providing for the first time experimental support to the proposed Wagner-model for the cleavage of carbon-halogen bond in α-haloketones.     

A Molecular Toolkit for the Functionalization of Titanium‐Based Biomaterials That Selectively Control Integrin‐Mediated Cell Adhesion

We present a click chemistry‐based molecular toolkit for the biofunctionalization of materials to selectively control integrin‐mediated cell adhesion. To this end, α5β1‐selective RGD peptidomimetics were covalently immobilized on Ti‐based materials, and the capacity to promote the selective binding of α5β1 was evaluated using a solid‐phase integrin binding assay. This functionalization strategy yielded surfaces with a nine‐fold increased affinity for α5β1, in comparison to control samples, and total selectivity against the binding of the closely related integrin αvβ3. Moreover, our methodology allowed the screening of several phosphonic acid containing anchoring units to find the best spacer–anchor moiety required for establishing an efficient binding to titanium and to promote selective integrin binding. The integrin subtype specificity of these biofunctionalized surfaces was further examined in vitro by inducing selective adhesion of genetically modified fibroblasts, which express exclusively the α5β1 integrin. The versatility of our molecular toolkit was proven by shifting the cellular specificity of the materials from α5β1‐ to αvβ3‐expressing fibroblasts by using an αvβ3‐selective peptidomimetic as coating molecule. The results shown here represent the first functionalization of Ti‐based materials with α5β1‐ or αvβ3‐selective peptidomimetics that allow an unprecedented control to discriminate between α5β1‐ and αvβ3‐mediated adhesions. The role of these two integrins in different biological events is still a matter of debate and is frequently discussed in literature. Thus, such bioactive titanium surfaces will be of great relevance for the study of integrin‐mediated cell adhesion and the development of new biomaterials targeting specific cell types.     

Comparative study of dielectric,mechanical, and nuclear magnetic relaxations in linear polyethylene. II. Relaxation spectroscopy of the α, β, and γ loss bands with special emphasis on fine structure

Dielectric, mechanical, and NMR retardation (correlation) spectra for relaxations in linear polyethylene were calculated in normalized form and intercompared. For each of the two local-mode relaxations in the γ region, called γ₁ and γ₂, these spectra are found to be in excellent agreement. For the α region, the spectra for two mechanical processes, called α₁ and α₂, two NMR processes, called α′ and α, and one dielectric process α were calculated. Excellent agreement is found between the spectra for the dielectric α and NMR α′ processes and also spectra for the mechanical α₂ and NMR α processes, due to molecular motion in the interior of crystals. However, the spectrum for the mechanical α₁ process is different from that for the dielectric α and NMR α′ processes, though the activation energy for the first process is almost the same as for the other two. This behavior is interpreted on the assumption that the dielectric α and NMR α′ processes are caused by molecular motion in lamellar surface layers while the mechanical α₁ process is due to grain-boundary slip with viscous resistance of the surface layers in the boundaries. The shapes of the spectra, including the spectrum for the β process, are not affected by diluent.     

Application of acyl cyanophosphorane methodology to the synthesis of protease inhibitors: poststatin, eurystatin, phebestin, probestin and bestatin

Full details are given for the syntheses of the protease inhibitors, poststatin and eurystatin by the acyl cyanophosphorane coupling procedure used for the formation of α-keto amides. We have also extended this methodology to the syntheses of the related α-hydroxy amide natural products, phebestin, probestin and bestatin. The key step in the latter synthetic sequences involved diastereomeric selectivity in the reduction of the α-keto precursor to the corresponding α-hydroxy amide by the use of zinc borohydride.     

A synthesis, including asymmetric synthesis, of α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes from ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide via sulfinylaziridines

Treatment of 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, prepared from ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, with N-lithio arylamines resulted in the formation of sulfinylaziridines in good to high yields. The sulfinylaziridines were treated with N-lithio aniline or N-lithio p-chloroaniline to afford α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes in good yields. From α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes, α-quaternary α-amino acid esters and β-quaternary β-amino alcohols were obtained. When optically active chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide was used in this procedure, a method for the synthesis of optically active α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes was realized. The reaction mechanism, including asymmetric induction, for the formation of the sulfinylaziridines is described.     

Synthesis of Mannosylerythritol Lipid Analogues and their Self-Assembling Properties,Recovery Effects on Damaged Skin Cells,and Antibacterial Activity

Synthesis of three types of purpose-designed mannosylerythritol lipid (MEL)-D analogues with decanoyl groups, β-GlcEL-D, α-GlcEL-D, and α-MEL-D, was accomplished utilizing our boron-mediated aglycon delivery (BMAD) methods. Their self-assembling properties, recovery effects on damaged skin cells, and antibacterial activity were evaluated. It was revealed, for the first time, that α-GlcEL-D and α-MEL-D only generated giant vesicles, indicating that slight differences in the steric configuration of an erythritol moiety and fatty acyl chains affect the ability to form vesicles. Analogue α-MEL-D exhibited significant recovery effects on damaged skin cells. Furthermore, α-MEL-D exhibited antibacterial activity as high as that for MEL-D, indicating that α-MEL-D is a promising artificial sugar-based material candidate for enhancing the barrier function of the stratum corneum, superior to a known cosmetic ingredient, and possesses antibacterial activity.     

Radical Polymerizations of Vinyl Monomers in the Presence of α-Ethylsulfenyl Acrylonitrile

Radical polymerizations of styrene, methyl methacrylate, and acrylonitrile were carried out at 60°C in the presence of α-ethylsulfenyl acrylonitrile (α-ESAN). The rate of polymerization was found to be reduced by the addition of α-ESAN, and induction periods were observed when a large amount of α-ESAN was added to the systems. The chain transfer constant of α-ESAN was determined to be 2.0 and 17 for the polymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate, respectively. The Q, and e, values of α-ESAN were evaluated as 4.9 and -1.9, respectively. The presence of chromium(II) acetate and a-ESAN results in enhancement of α-ESAN activity as a retarder. From these results and ESR measurements, a mechanism of chain transfer is discussed.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Acyloin Rearrangement of α-Hydroxy Acetals to α-Alkoxy Ketones

We report an unprecedented organocatalytic enantioselective acyloin rearrangement of α,α-disubstituted α-hydroxy acetals. In the presence of a catalytic amount of chiral binol-derived N-triflyl phosphoramide, α-hydroxy acetals rearranged to α-alkoxy ketones in good to high yields with high enantioselectivities. Formation of an ion pair between the in situ generated oxocarbenium ion and the chiral phosphoramide anion was proposed to be responsible for the highly efficient transfer of chirality. Conditions for removal of cyclohexyl and cyclopentyl groups from the corresponding α-alkoxy ketones were uncovered underpinning their potential general utility as hydroxy protecting groups. Conversion of the rearranged products to the enantioenriched α-hydroxy ketone, 1,2-diol, β-amino alcohol and 1,4-dioxane was also documented.     

Combined study of vibrational spectra of α-carboline by theoretical and experimental IR methods

This paper reports the application of a scaled ab initio density-functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/ccpvtz level to calculate the vibrational spectrum of α-carboline (9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole), αCB, as well as the comparison of theoretical results with the experimental spectra. They have been recorded in Cl₃CD solution and in solid KBr pellets in the 4000-700 cm⁻¹ range. To test the adequacy of the computational method to reproduce the experimental vibrational spectra of αCB, this computational method has also been applied to the related and simpler molecules indole, Ind, and α-azaindole, αAInd. Previously reported assignments for the last compounds have been taken as reference for the subsequent assignments of the αCB vibrational bands. The results show that the hydrogen bonding interactions mainly affect the high frequency region while the skeletal vibration region keeps rather unchanged with the physical state of the sample. Moreover, apart from the vibrations involving the whole carboline nucleus, most of the experimental bands retain their original Ind and/or αAInd frequencies, thus allowing an easy assignment of the computed modes to the αCB vibrational bands.     

Synthesis of pyrazoles via electrophilic cyclization

Electrophilic cyclizations of α,β-alkynic hydrazones by molecular iodine were investigated for the synthesis of 4-iodopyrazoles. α,β-Alkynic hydrazones were readily prepared by the reactions of hydrazines with propargyl aldehydes and ketones. When treated with molecular iodine in the presence of sodium bicarbonate, α,β-alkynic hydrazones underwent electrophilic cyclization to afford 4-iodopyrazoles in good to high yields. Iodocyclization was general for a wide range of α,β-alkynic hydrazones and tolerated the presence of aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaromatic, and ferrocenyl moieties with electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents.     

α-Hydroxylation of carbonyls using iodine

The α-hydroxylation of ketones and aldehydes to α-hydroxyketals mediated by iodine under basic conditions in MeOH is described. Enolates generated under the reaction conditions are iodinated and the resulting α-iodocarbonyl is transformed into the hydroxyketal. The use of iodine for this chemistry represents an economical and practical alternative to existing methods for this transformation.     

Optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism. LXXV. Circular dichroism of some aryl-amino acids

CD. curves have been recorded for α-aryl-α-amino acids, esters and amides related to α-phenylglycine, α-phenyl-alanine and their N-dimethyl derivatives, and for the corresponding α-cyclohexyl-α-amino acids and esters. Compounds with the (S)-configuration at the single asymmetric carbon atom give strong positive Cotton effects near 220 nm. The conformations of the acids are discussed and compared with those of other α-amino acids.