Rhodium-catalyzed conjugate addition-enantioselective protonation: the synthesis of alpha,alpha'-dibenzyl esters

Alpha-benzyl acrylates, which are conveniently prepared from the corresponding aldehydes, can be employed as substrates in a tandem rhodium-catalyzed conjugate addition-enantioselective protonation protocol to afford enantiomerically enriched alpha,alpha'-dibenzyl esters. The synergistic effect of enantiopure ligand and proton source was rapidly optimized with use of a microwave reactor.     

Diastereoselective protonation of enolates of chiral Schiff bases

Diastereoselective protonation of potassium enolates of chiral Schiff bases prepared from racemic α-amino esters and 2-hydroxypinan-3-one afforded, after mild cleavage of the imine function, optically active α-amino esters.     

Broad-spectrum enantioselective diels-alder catalysis by chiral,cationic oxazaborolidines

The cationic chiral Lewis acids 1 and 2, generated by triflic acid protonation of the corresponding neutral oxazaborolidines, serve as excellent catalysts for Diels-Alder addition of cyclopentadiene to a wide variety of dienophiles. Adducts have been obtained in excellent yield and enantioselectivity from alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, lactones, and cyclic ketones. The absolute facial selectivity for each of these substrates follows a common pattern which differs from that observed with alpha,beta-enals. The different reaction channels can be understood in terms of pathways via complexes 3 (for alpha,beta-enals) and 4 (for alpha,beta-enones and esters).     

Carbynehydridoruthenium Complexes as Catalysts for the Selective,Ring-Opening Metathesis of Cyclopentene with Methyl Acrylate

The first members of a homologous series of long-chain, multiply unsaturated esters were obtained upon selective ring-opening metathesis of cyclopentene with methyl acrylate [Eq. (a)]. The catalysts are cationic carbynehydridoruthenium complexes (e.g. L=OEt₂), which were prepared for the first time by protonation of hydridovinylideneruthenium compounds in the presence of L.     

Redox-initiated cationic polymerization: The diaryliodonium salt/benzoin redox couple

A new redox couple based on the copper-catalyzed reduction of diaryliodonium salts with benzoins has been used to initiate cationic polymerizations of cyclic ethers and esters. A proposed mechanism for initiation by this redox couple is based on its stoichiometry and on the nature of the products. It was concluded that initiation of polymerization occurs both by direct arylation of the monomer and by protonation by strong Brønsted acids. The polymerization of several typical cationically polymerizable monomers using this new redox initiator were studied.     

Pyrimidines

The corresponding 2-pyrimidoylacetate esters (I, II) and 2-pyrimidoyl-acetonitrile (V) were obtained by condensation of pyrimidine-2-carboxylic acid esters with methyl acetate or acetonitrile. The structures of the tautomeric forms were determined by IR and PMR spectroscopy. The effect of a solvent and protonation of the pyrimidine ring on the ketone-enol equilibrium was examined.     

D-glycopyranosyl phenylsulfones: Acylation of their lithiated anions and reductive desulfonylation of the resulting acylated sulfones. A synthesis of α-D-C-glycosides

The lithiated anion of 3,4,6-tri-O-t-butyldimethylsilyl-2-deoxy-α,β-D-glucopyronosyl phenylsulfone reacts with dimethylcarbonate and various phenyl esters to give stable acylated products. Subsequent reductive lithiation leads to enolates which undergo kinetic protonation to afford selectively α-D-C-glucosides.     

Rhodium catalysed tandem conjugate addition-protonation: an enantioselective synthesis of 2-substituted succinic esters

The rhodium catalysed addition of potassium trifluoro(organo)borates to dimethyl itaconate generates an intermediate complex which on protonation provides enantioenriched succinic esters.     

The Determination of Protonation Constants of Some Amino Acids and Their Esters by Potentiometry in Different Media

In this study, stoichiometric protonation constants of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, L-tryptophane, L-lysine, and L-histidine, and their methyl and ethyl esters in water and ethanol–water mixtures of 30, 50, and 70% ethanol (v/v), were determined potentiometrically using a combined pH electrode system calibrated as the concentration of hydrogen ion. Titrations were performed at 25^∘C and the ionic strength of the medium was maintained at 0.10 mol⋅L⁻¹ using sodium chloride. Protonation constants were calculated by using the BEST computer program. The effect of solvent composition on the protonation constants is discussed. The log₁₀ K₂ values of esters generally decreased with increasing ethanol content. However, the log₁₀ K₁ values of the esters of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, and L-tryptophane were found to increase with increasing ethanol content in contrast those of L-lysine and L-histidine esters.     

Preparation and aluminum trichloride-induced cationic rearrangements of bicyclo[2.2.0]hexene carboxylic esters

Reaction between the tetramethyl[4]annulene aluminum trichloride σ-complex and α, β-alkenic esters gave the corresponding 1,4,5,6-tetramethylbicyclo[2.2.0]hex-5-one-2-endo-carboxylic esters. AlCl₃-induced cationic rearrangements of these bicyclic esters yielded a number of bicyclo[3.1.0]hexene carboxylic esters and related lactones which were isolated and identified. The isomerization seems to proceed via stereospecific endo protonation and subsequent rearrangement to 2-methoxycarbonyl-1,4,5,6-exo-tetramethylbicyclo(3.1.0]hex-4-yl carbocations.     

Stereoselective reduction of alpha-bromopenicillanates by tributylphosphine

[reaction: see text] Diastereoselective reduction of 6-bromo-6-substituted penicillanate esters has been achieved by treatment with tributylphosphine to give 6-substituted penicillanate esters. This reaction would appear to proceed through a phosphonium beta-lactam enolate species, followed by a diastereoselective protonation. This method has the advantage of being simple to carry out and it is mild, gives high diastereoselectivity, and should tolerate a number of functional groups in the substrates. Implications of these observations are discussed.     

Anionic versus photochemical diastereoselective deconjugation of diacetone d-glucose α,β-unsaturated esters

Deconjugation of diacetone d-glucose α,β-unsaturated esters has been conducted by deprotonation using NaHMDS with HMPA as co-solvent followed by stereoselective protonation at low temperature. High selectivities (>95%) were obtained with α-methyl linear compounds.     

Synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-alpha-alkylidene-gamma-aryl-gamma-butyrolactones via alkenylalumination of oxiranes

Alkenylalumination of substituted styrene oxides with [alpha-(ethoxycarbonyl)alkenyl]diisobutylaluminum, in the presence of BF(3).Et(2)O, affords the corresponding (Z)-alpha-alkylidene-gamma-aryl-gamma-hydroxy esters in 81-100% Z-selectivity. Chromatographic separation of isomers, followed by lactonization with trifluoroacetic acid, provides isomerically pure (Z)-alpha-alkylidene-gamma-aryl-gamma-butyrolactones in 53-78% overall yield. Isomerization of the (Z)-alkylidene hydroxyl esters using LDA, followed by protonation using a bulky proton source, such as BHT, provides a simple route to the corresponding alpha-(E)-alkylidene-gamma-phenyl-gamma-hydroxy esters in 72-78% yield, which were cyclized to obtain the corresponding (E)-butyrolactones in 78-85% yield.     

Protonation of aminopyrone: A four centers problem,CNDO/2 versus MNDO study

The mechanism of protonation of aminopyrones and the nature of the protonated forms are of some interest because of the biological importance of these compounds. The use of CNDO/2 molecular electrostatic potentials contour maps shows that the most reactive centre is the extracyclic oxygen. MNDO protonation energies confirm the protonation of this atom and elucidate the basicity of the nitrogen atom. The effect of a N substitution on the basicity of the N₁₃ atom has been studied. The calculations are in agreement with preliminary experimental results.     

Singlet oxygen generation versus O–O homolysis in phenyl-substituted anthracene endoperoxides investigated by RASPT2, CASPT2, CC2, and TD-DFT methods

Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4), also known as protein arginine deiminase 4, performs a post-translational deimination that converts arginine to citrulline. The dysregulation of PAD4 has been implicated in a number of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cancer. This makes PAD4 an important therapeutic target. To develop small-molecule inhibitors as potential treatments, it is advantageous if the catalytic mechanism is well understood. The protonation states of the active site residues, which have long been under controversy, have a direct impact on the catalytic mechanism. Two competing mechanisms are under investigation in the current literature. The first is a reverse protonation mechanism that depends on the active site histidine and cysteine existing as an ion pair. The second is a substrate-assisted mechanism that depends on the active site histidine and cysteine being neutral. This study uses the semimicroscopic protein dipoles Langevin dipoles (PDLD/S) linear response approximation method in the MOLARIS software package to calculate the change in solvation energy of moving the residue from water to the protein interior, and then using that information to assess the protonation states of the active site residues of PAD4. Results from these calculations suggest that in the enzyme–substrate complex of PAD4, the cysteine and histidine are protonated and deprotonated, respectively, and are therefore both neutral, analogous to the proposed protonation states of the active site residues in the Michaelis complex in the substrate-assisted mechanism.     

Protonation of Homoenolate Equivalents Generated by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Homoenolate equivalents are generated by Lewis basic N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts and then protonated to generate efficiently saturated esters from unsaturated aldehydes. This reactivity is extended to the generation of β-acylvinyl anions from alkynyl aldehydes. The asymmetric protonation of a homoenolate equivalent generated from a β,β-disubstituted aldehyde can be accomplished with a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene.     

Synthesis of carboxylic acids based on the closo-decaborate anion

A series of new boron-containing carboxylic acids was prepared by the ring-opening reaction of cyclic oxonium derivatives of the closo-decaborate anion [B₁₀H₁₀]²⁻ with methyl esters of hydroxybenzoic acids or the cyanide anion followed by hydrolysis of the obtained nitrile and esters. Acid hydrolysis of the esters results in protonation of the oxygen atom connected to the boron cage, with the formation of the corresponding O-protonated acids, isolated in the solid state. The compounds synthesized can be used in radionuclide diagnostics and boron neutron capture therapy of cancer.     

Transition state differences in hydrolysis reactions of alkyl versus aryl phosphate monoester monoanions

Although aryl phosphates have been the subject of numerous experimental studies, far less data bearing on the mechanism and transition states for alkyl phosphate reactions have been presented. Except for esters with very good leaving groups such as 2,4-dinitrophenol, the monoanion of phosphate esters is more reactive than the dianion. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the hydrolysis of the monoanion species. (18)O kinetic isotope effects in the nonbridging oxygen atoms and in the P-O(R) ester bond, and solvent deuterium isotope effects, have been measured for the hydrolysis of m-nitrobenzyl phosphate. The results rule out a proposed mechanism in which the phosphoryl group deprotonates water and then undergoes attack by hydroxide. The results are most consistent with a preequilibrium proton transfer from the phosphoryl group to the ester oxygen atom, followed by rate-limiting P-O bond fission, as originally proposed by Kirby and co-workers in 1967. The transition state for m-nitrobenzyl phosphate (leaving group pK(a) 14.9) exhibits much less P-O bond fission than the reaction of the more labile p-nitrophenyl phosphate (leaving group pK(a) = 7.14). This seemingly anti-Hammond behavior results from weakening of the P-O(R) ester bond resulting from protonation, an effect which calculations have shown is much more pronounced for aryl phosphates than for alkyl ones.     

Are the enolates of amides and esters stabilized by electrostatics?

The fact that amides and esters form less stable enolates than ketones might be seen as evidence that electrostatic stabilization is unimportant in these anions. However, ab initio molecular orbital calculations show that electrostatic stabilization does in fact lie beneath the competing resonance effect that causes the decrease in acidity. The electrostatic contribution is revealed by examining torsionally twisted amide and ester structures in which the pi resonance interactions are largely inhibited. These twisted amides and esters have greater enolate acidity than the corresponding ketones. Qualitatively similar behavior is observed with respect to protonation, such that twisted amides and esters are generally less basic than the reference ketones, in striking contrast to their behavior in the normal geometries.     

Intramolecular catalysis in the mass spectrometer: Mechanisms for loss of methanol from methyl esters upon electron-impact

A review of the literature indicates compelling evidence that: (1) loss of ROH from esters requires protonation of the alkoxy oxygen; (2) the (symmetry forbidden) [1,3] hydrogen migration from protonated carbonyl to alkoxy oxygen does not occur in the mass spectra of esters; (3) hydrogen abstraction in esters occurs almost exclusively to the carbonyl oxygen. Mechanisms are proposed which account for all examples of ROH loss from esters. Alkanol loss from molecular ions in esters requires the presence of a second functional group to act as an intramolecular catalyst, either as a general acid in transferring a proton to the alkoxy oxygen, or as a general base in assisting the [1,3] carbonyl oxygen to alkoxy oxygen proton transfer. Loss of ROH from fragment ions requires proton transfer from an atom α to the positive charge to the alkoxy oxygen. These mechanisms are generalized to include a wide class of bifunctional esters and a selection of natural products.