Double-tandem [4π+2π]·[2π+2π]·[4π+2π]·[2π+2π] synthetic sequence with photoprotolytic oxametathesis and photoepoxidation in the chromone series

Chromones are introduced into a double-tandem [4(π)+2(π)]·[2(π)+2(π)]·[4(π)+2(π)]·[2(π)+2(π)] synthetic sequence, culminating in photoprotolytic oxametathesis, which leads to an expeditious growth of molecular complexity over a few experimentally simple steps. The overall reaction can potentially be utilized in diversity-oriented synthesis, as it allows for three or more diversity inputs furnishing novel unique polycyclic scaffolds decorated with a variety of functionalities and aromatic/heterocyclic pendants. The polycyclic alkenes, resulting from the oxametathesis step, were found to undergo efficient and clean photoinduced epoxidation when irradiated in the presence of molecular oxygen.     

Intramolecular [8+2] cycloaddition and 10π-electron electrocyclization reactions of an 8-acylheptafulvene

Compound 8-(trans-3-ethoxycarbonylallylacetyl)heptafulvene,8, undergoes both an intramolecular [8+2] cycloaddition and a 10π-electron electrocyclization followed by 1,5-sigmatropic hydrogen shifts to give10 and₁₂, respectively.     

Iron-catalyzed intermolecular [2π+2π] cycloaddition

The bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen compounds, ((iPr)PDI)Fe(N(2))(2) and [((Me)PDI)Fe(N(2))](2)(μ(2)-N(2)) ((R)PDI = 2,6-(2,6-R(2)-C(6)H(3)N═CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N; R = (i)Pr, Me), promote the catalytic intermolecular [2π + 2π] cycloaddition of ethylene and butadiene to form vinylcyclobutane. Stoichiometric experiments resulted in isolation of a catalytically competent iron metallocycle intermediate, which was shown to undergo diene-induced C-C reductive elimination. Deuterium labeling experiments establish competitive cyclometalation of the bis(imino)pyridine aryl substituents during catalytic turnover.     

A convergent total synthesis of the marine sponge alkaloid ageladine A via a strategic 6π-2-azatriene electrocyclization

A second generation total synthesis of the marine sponge metabolite ageladine A utilizing a biogenetically inspired 6π-2-azaelectrocyclization of triene 34 as the key step is performed to construct the imidazopyridine core of the metabolite.     

[6π+4π] Cycloadditions of 5-azoniafulvene ions with nitrones and azomethine imines.

Nitrones as well as azomethine imines generated by the prototropic route from hydrazones are shown to add readily to the title iminium ions to give pyrrolo-annellated oxadiazine and triazine derivatives.     

Prediction of CB[8] host–guest binding free energies in SAMPL6 using the double-decoupling method

This study reports the results of binding free energy calculations for CB[8] host–guest systems in the SAMPL6 blind challenge (receipt ID 3z83m). Force-field parameters were developed specific for each of host and guest molecules to improve configurational sampling. We used quantum mechanical (QM) implicit solvent calculations and QM force matching to determine non-bonded (partial atomic charges) and bonded terms, respectively. Free energy calculations were carried out using the double-decoupling method (DDM) combined with Hamiltonian replica exchange method (HREM) and Bennett acceptance ratio (BAR) method. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the predicted values using DDM with respect to the experimental results was 4.32 kcal/mol. The coefficient of determination (R²) and Kendall rank coefficient (τ) were 0.49 and 0.52, respectively, highest of all submissions. In addition, these were compared to the results obtained by umbrella sampling (US) and weighted histogram analysis method (WHAM). Overall, DDM achieved a higher prediction accuracy than the US method. Results are discussed in terms of parameterization and free energy simulations.     

Ti-catalyzed [6π + 2π] cycloadditions of allenes with 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene

The reaction between 1,2-dienes and 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene in the presence of the two-component catalyst, TiCl₄-Et₂AlCl leads to the regioselective formation of endo-bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-diene derivatives in yields of up to 80%.     

Absolute binding free energies for the SAMPL6 cucurbit[8]uril host–guest challenge via the AMOEBA polarizable force field

As part of the SAMPL6 host–guest blind challenge, the AMOEBA force field was applied to calculate the absolute binding free energy for a cucurbit[8]uril host complexed with 14 diverse guests, ranging from small, rigid structures to drug molecules. The AMOEBA results from the initial submission prompted an investigation into aspects of the methodology and parameterization employed. Lessons learned from the blind challenge include: a double annihilation scheme (electrostatics and van der Waals) is needed to obtain proper sampling of guest conformations, annihilation of key torsion parameters of the guest are recommended for flexible guests, and a more thorough analysis of torsion parameters is warranted. When put in to practice with the AMOEBA model, the lessons learned improved the MUE from 2.63 to 1.20 kcal/mol and the RMSE from 3.62 to 1.68 kcal/mol, respectively. Overall, the AMOEBA protocol for determining absolute binding free energies benefitted from participation in the SAMPL6 host–guest blind challenge and the results suggest the implementation of the methodology in future host–guest calculations.     

Differential reactivity of 3H-indole styrylcyanines: Intermolecular [4π + 2π] cycloaddition vs. proton - shift coupled six - electron electrocyclization

Differential reactivity of 3H-indole styrylcyanines leading to oxazabicyclo[3,3,1]nonanes or N-alkenyl spiropyrans is reported. Quantum mechanical calculations show that the isomerization of styrylcyanine to NH-spiropyran dictates the differential reactivity and the initial step for both reactions is a six-membered ring formation via six - electron pericyclic reactions.     

Scoring protein–protein docked structures based on the balance and tightness of binding

One main issue in protein-protein docking is to filter or score the putative docked structures. Unlike many popular scoring functions that are based on geometric and energetic complementarity, we present a set of scoring functions that are based on the consideration of local balance and tightness of binding of the docked structures. These scoring functions include the force and moment acting on one component (ligand) imposed by the other (receptor) and the second order spatial derivatives of protein-protein interaction potential. The scoring functions were applied to the docked structures of 19 test targets including enzyme/inhibitor, antibody/antigen and other classes of protein complexes. The results indicate that these scoring functions are also discriminative for the near-native conformation. For some cases, such as antibody/antigen, they show more discriminative efficiency than some other scoring functions, such as desolvation free energy (deltaG(des)) based on pairwise atom-atom contact energy (ACE). The correlation analyses between present scoring functions and the energetic functions also show that there is no clear correlation between them; therefore, the present scoring functions are not essentially the same as energy functions.     

Titanium-catalyzed [6π+2π]-cycloaddition of Si-containing alkynes to bis(1,3,5-cycloheptatriene-7-yl)alkanes

The reaction between Si-containing alkynes and bis(1,3,5-cycloheptatriene-7-yl)alkanes in the presence of the two-component catalyst Ti(acac)₂Cl₂-Et₂AlCl, led to the selective formation of mono- and bis-adducts – {9-[4-(2,4,6-cycloheptatrienyl)alkyl]-8-alkyl(phenyl)bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4,7-triene-7-yl}(trimethyl)silanes and bis(7-trimethylsilyl-8-alkyl(phenyl)bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4,7-triene-7-yl)alkanes in 78–86% yield. The structures of the obtained cycloadducts were confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.     

First example of [6π+2π] cycloaddition of 1,2-dienes to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene catalyzed by CoI compounds

A stereoselective [6π+2π] cycloaddition of 1,2-dienes to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene in the presence of a multi-component catalytic system CoI₂/dppe/Zn/ZnI₂, which led to the formation of substituted (E)-bicyclo[4.2.2]deca-2,4,7-trienes in 76—87% yields, was accomplished for the first time.     

Study of the structure and binding site features of FaEXPA2, an α-expansin protein involved in strawberry fruit softening

Tissue softening accompanies the ripening of many fruits and initiates the processes of irreversible deterioration. Expansins are plant cell wall proteins that have been proposed to disrupt hydrogen bonds within the cell wall polymer matrix. Several authors have shown that FaEXPA2 is a key gene that shows an increased expression level during ripening and softening of the strawberry fruit. For this reason, FaEXPA2 is frequently used as a molecular marker of softening in strawberry fruit, and changes in its relative expression have been related to changes in fruit firmness. In this context, we previously reported that FaEXPA2 has a high accumulation rate during fruit ripening in four different strawberry cultivars; however, the molecular mechanism of FaEXPA2 or expansins in general is not yet clear. Herein, a 3D model of the FaEXPA2 protein was built by comparative modeling to understand how FaEXPA2 interacts with different cell wall components at the molecular level. First, the structure was shown to display two domains characteristic of the other expansins that were previously described. The protein-ligand interaction was evaluated by molecular dynamic (MD) simulation using four different long ligands (a cellulose fiber, two of the more important xyloglucan (XG) fibers found in strawberry (XXXG and XXFG type), and a pectin (homogalacturonic acid type)). The results showed that FaEXPA2 formed a more stable complex with cellulose than other ligands via the different residues present in the open groove surface of its two domains, while FaEXPA2 did not interact with the pectin ligand.     

Insight into the cation-π interaction at the metal binding site of the copper metallochaperone CusF

The periplasmic Cu(+)/Ag(+) chaperone CusF features a novel cation-π interaction between a Cu(+)/Ag(+) ion and Trp44 at the metal binding site. The nature and strength of the Cu(+)/Ag(+)-Trp44 interactions were investigated using computational methodologies. Quantum-mechanical (QM) calculations showed that the Cu(+) and Ag(+) interactions with Trp44 are of similar strength (~14 kcal/mol) and bond order. Quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical (QM/MM) calculations showed that Cu(+) binds in a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment in the Trp44Met mutant, which lacks the cation-π interaction. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of CusF in the apo and Cu(+)-bound states emphasized the importance of the Cu(+)-Trp44 interaction in protecting Cu(+) from water oxidation. The protein structure does not change over the time scale of hundreds of nanoseconds in the metal-bound state. The metal recognition site exhibits small motions in the apo state but remains largely preorganized toward metal binding. Trp44 remains oriented to form the cation-π interaction in the apo state and faces an energetic penalty to move away from the metal ion. Cu(+) binding quenches the protein's internal motions in regions linked to binding CusB, suggesting that protein motions play an essential role in Cu(+) transfer to CusB.     

Target-selective fluorescent "switch-on" protein labeling by 6π-azaelectrocyclization

Application of azaelectrocyclization and FRET techniques to lysine groups enabled the selective and sensitive detection of a target protein from a mixture, with high fluorescence contrast.     

Microwave-Accelerated Ruthenium-Catalyzed [2π + 2π] Cycloadditions of Dimethylacetylene Dicarboxylate with Norbornenes

An efficient and convenient procedure has been developed for the ruthenium-catalyzed [2π + 2π] cycloadditions of dimethylacetylene dicarboxylate with norbornenes. Reaction is significantly accelerated in microwave conditions, while the commonly used benzene solvent was replaced by environmentally benign tetrahydrofuran.

[6O]富勒烯的化学修饰

对近年来一些新的[60]富勒烯的化学修饰方法进行了综述。参考文献76篇。     

π-Extension in expanded porphyrins: cyclo[4]naphthobipyrrole

The π-extended cyclo[4]naphthobipyrrole 1a has been prepared via an Fe(III)-mediated oxidative cyclization of an alkyl-substituted naphthobipyrrole. The structure of this new expanded porphyrin, isolated as the deprotonated sulfate salt, was characterized by spectroscopic means, as well through a single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Salt 1a displays a total of four well-resolved redox waves as determined by cyclic voltammetry. It also displays bathochromically shifted near-IR absorption maxima compared to the diprotonated forms of nonannulated cyclo[8]pyrroles.     

Tandem [1,5]-H shift/6π-electrocyclizations of ketenimines bearing 1,3-oxathiane units. Computational assessment of the experimental diastereoselection

N-Aryl ketenimines bearing a 1,3-oxathiane function at the ortho position of the keteniminic nitrogen atom convert into spiro[1,3-oxathiane-2,4′(3′H)quinolines] under mild thermal treatment. These cyclization processes are interpreted in terms of a two-step tandem sequence involving a [1,5]-H migration followed by a 6π-electrocyclic ring closure. Moreover, the cyclization of 1,3-oxathiane-ketenimines having two different substituents at the terminal carbon atom of the ketenimine moiety provided spiroquinolines bearing two stereocenters, the C3 and C4 atoms, with moderate diastereoselectivity. A DFT study support that the mechanism of these conversions consists of a [1,5]-H shift/6π-electrocyclization sequence, in which the [1,5]-H shift is the rate-limiting step. A quantitative kinetic analysis of the cyclization of an oxathiane-ketenimine with a prochiral ketenimine function explains the sense and degree of the experimentally observed diastereoselectivity.