An efficient synthesis of New chiral oxazolines

Several new chiral oxazolines were prepared conveniently in good to high yields using a two-step synthesis involving formation of an optically active amide, in situ conversion of the amide into tosylate (OTs) and finally ring closing reaction under MW irradiation (800 W) in solvent free condition. A comparison of these results with those obtained from the ring closing reaction under classical conditions was also made.     

Convenient synthesis of fused pyrano[3,2-h]- and furo[3,2-h]benzo[f]coumarins from naphthalene-2,3-diol

The treatment of 8-propargyloxy-benzo[f]coumarin with boron trifluoride diethyl etherate in N,N-dimethylformamide under reflux or MW irradiation resulted in pyrano[3,2-h]benzo[f]coumarin, while the furo[3,2-h]benzo[f]coumarin is received from the treatment with N-methylformamide under MW irradiation.     

Clean and atom-economic synthesis of octahydroacridines: application to essential oil of citronella

A green and efficient method for the synthesis of octahydroacridine (OHA) has been developed by a simple one-pot hetero-Diels-Alder reaction starting from (+)-citronellal and N-arylamines in the presence of a solid supported catalyst (SiO₂/ZnCl₂), under MW irradiation and without any solvent. The method was used in the direct preparation of OHA from citronella oil in good yield.     

Microwave assisted hydroaminomethylation of alkenes

Hydroaminomethylation of terminal alkenes can be regioselectively carried out in less than 30 min with secondary amines in EtOH under MW irradiation using (PPh₃)₃RhCO(H) and Xantphos or Biphephos as ligands. When primary amines were employed, the corresponding enamines were obtained in good yields. Tris-benzyl allylglycine was transformed into different (basic) benzylated α-amino acids. Moreover, the benzyl protection was removed in few minutes under MW irradiation with Pd(OH)₂ under H₂ atmosphere.     

Green synthesis of (−)-isopulegol from (+)-citronellal: application to essential oil of citronella

A simple green and efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of (−)-isopulegol from (+)-citronellal in the presence of a solid supported catalyst (SiO₂/ZnCl₂), under solvent-free conditions and MW irradiation. It was also found that the same technology is applicable to the direct preparation of (−)-isopulegol from the essential oil of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus, growing in southern Brazil) in excellent yield.     

Photo-oxidation of 5-acetyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones

A variety of Biginelli 5-acetyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones are efficiently oxidized to their corresponding pyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives upon UV irradiation under argon atmosphere in chloroform solution. The nature of the additional substituent on the phenyl ring located on C-4 of the heterocyclic ring influences the rate of reaction. An electron-transfer induced photoreaction is proposed based on the formation of HCl and CH₂Cl₂.     

An eco-friendly protocol for synthesis of thiourea derivatives: 1-benzoyl-3-benzylguanidine and 1-benzoyl-3-benzyl-O-ethylisourea. A possible non-purely thermal microwave assisted reaction

1-Benzoyl-3-benzylguanidine and 1-benzoyl-3-benzyl-O-ethylisourea were synthesized in good yields (68 and 76%, respectively) from 1-benzoyl-3-benzylthiourea and benzoyl-ethylthiocarbamate in dry media conditions using KF-Al₂O₃ under microwave irradiation. Strong nucleophilic amines promoted the sulfur elimination by attack on the thiocarbonyl group in both thiourea and thiocarbamates to afford guanidines and isourea, respectively. Transesterification products were obtained from p-TsOH catalyzed reaction of thiocarbamate with alcohols under MW-solvent-free conditions. Very important non-purely thermal MW specific effects were evidenced and attributed to stabilization by coulombic interactions between materials and waves.     

Synthesis of N-substituted carbazolones from α-iodo enaminones via Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular coupling under microwave irradiation

A variety of N-aryl and N-alkyl carbazolones were conveniently achieved in good to high yields via Pd₂(dba)₃-mediated intramolecular coupling of N-substituted α-iodo enaminones under microwave irradiation. The Pd(0)-catalyzed cyclization was found to proceed favorably with the more electron-deficient phenyl ring during the reactions involving unsymmetrical N,N-diaryl α-iodo enaminones. This unique property enables the construction of carbazolone skeleton containing nitro substituted benzenoid ring.     

Microwave‐assisted synthesis and characterization of biodegradable block copolyesters based on poly(3‐hydroxyalkanoate)s and poly(D,L‐lactide)

Microwave (MW)‐assisted ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) provides a rapid and straightforward method for engineering a wide array of well‐defined poly(3‐hydroxyalkanoate)‐b‐poly(D,L ‐lactide) (PHA‐b‐PLA) diblock copolymers. On MW irradiation, the bulk ROP of D,L ‐lactide (LA) could be efficiently triggered by a series of monohydroxylated PHA‐based macroinitiators previously produced via acid‐catalyzed methanolysis of corresponding native PHAs, thus affording diblock copolyesters with tunable compositions. The dependence of LA polymerization on temperature, macroinitiator structure, irradiation time, and [LA]₀/[PHA]₀ molar ratio was carefully investigated. It turned out that initiator efficiency values close to 1 associated with conversions ranging from 50 to 85% were obtained only after 5 min at 115 °C. A kinetic investigation of the MW‐assisted ROP of LA gave evidence of its “living”/controlled character under the experimental conditions selected. Structural analyses and thermal properties of biodegradable diblock copolyesters were also performed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

InCl3 as an efficient catalyst for synthesis of oxazolines under thermal, ultrasonic and microwave irradiations

Efficient synthesis of 2-oxazolines by the reaction of nitriles with β-aminoalcohols using InCl₃ as catalyst under reflux conditions is reported. This catalyst can be successfully applied to the chemoselective conversion of dicyanobenzenes to their corresponding mono- and bis-oxazolines. The application of ultrasonic and microwave irradiation improved the yields and reduced the reaction times. Another advantage of this catalytic system is its ability to carry out large-scale reactions under ultrasonic and MW irradiations. Alkylnitriles such as acetonitrile was also converted to its corresponding 2-methyloxazoline in the presence of catalytic amounts of InCl₃.     

Synthesis of novel glycosyl-1,2,3-1H-triazolyl methyl quinazolin-4(3H)-ones and their effect on GLUT4 translocation

Cu(OTf)₂ catalyzed synthesis of propargylated 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones has been accomplished from 2-amino-N-propargyl benzamides and aromatic aldehydes under MW irradiation. Next, a series of novel glycosyl triazolyl methyl quinazolin-4(3H)-ones have been synthesized by CuAAC reaction of propargylated 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones with glycosyl azides followed by iodine mediated oxidation. In this series, six compounds showed promising to significant GLUT4 translocation activity comparable to rosiglitazone.     

Highly cis- and trans-selective alkyl radical addition to α-methylene-γ-phenyl-γ-butyrolactams

The 1,3-asymmetric induction in alkyl radical additions to α-methylene-γ-phenyl-γ-butyrolactams was investigated. The reactions of N-unsubstituted lactam using (Me₃Si)₃SiH under UV irradiation give cis-α,γ-disubstituted lactams, whereas reactions of N-pivaloyllactams using Et₃B and Bu₃SnH in the presence of Yb(OTf)₃ give trans-α,γ-disubstituted lactams, both with high diastereoselectivities.     

Solvent-free conjugated addition of thiols to citral using KF/alumina: preparation of 3-thioorganylcitronellals, potential antimicrobial agents

A general, clean and easy method for the conjugated addition of thiols to citral promoted by KF/Al₂O₃ under solvent-free conditions at room temperature or under MW irradiation is described. It was found that the same protocol is applicable to the direct reaction of thiophenol with essential oil of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) to afford directly 3-thiophenylcitronellal, a potential bactericide agent. The method was extended to others electron-poor alkenes with excellent results. The catalytic system can be reused up to three times without previous treatment with comparable activity.     

Microwave promoted methylation of plant polysaccharides

O-Methylation is of outstanding importance in structural polysaccharide chemistry. A novel method for the methylation of polysaccharides using microwave (MW) irradiation is described. Seed gum from Cyamopsis tetragonolobus (Guar) was fully methylated with dimethyl sulphate and sodium hydroxide using 100% microwave power for 4 min in 68% yield. The completely methylated seed gum thus obtained was hydrolyzed by 70% formic acid followed by 0.5N H₂SO₄ under full microwave power for 1.16 and 1.66 min, respectively. The partially methylated monosaccharides were separated and identified.     

Influence of microwave irradiation on enzyme kinetics

The in vitro effect of 2.45 GHz microwave irradiation on porcine pepsin activity under controlled temperature and absorbed microwave power via kinetic parameters was evaluated. Kinetic study with respect of time of irradiation demonstrated the existence of an inactivation effect of microwaves at pH 2 on pepsin molecule. Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-bromphenol blue (BPB) complex was used as substrate for the assay of pepsin by kinetic method. Depending on absorbed microwave dose, the degree of caused inactivation varies from 39.11 to 45.91% for 5 and 20 min of pepsin MW irradiation, respectively. The V _maxapp and K _mapp were calculated for low (5 min of MW irradiation) and higher specific absorbed dose (20 min of MW irradiation), as well as for untreated enzyme, from double reciprocal Lineweaver-Burk plot. The effect of microwaves on substrate (BSA-BPB complex) was also investigated. For reaction performed with MW irradiated substrate for 5 min the reaction rate was decreased for 15.15%, while for 20 min of substrate irradiation reaction rate was decreased for 25.52% compared to the control reaction. The article is published in the original.     

Dechlorination of poly(vinyl chloride) by microwave irradiation I: A simple examination using a commercial microwave oven

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was decomposed by microwave (MW) irradiation (2.45 GHz) using a commercial MW oven. The efficiency of dielectric absorption was evaluated quantitatively from the rate of temperature increase on MW irradiation. The efficiency of dielectric heating increased at temperatures above the glass transition temperature (T_g). The decomposition on MW irradiation, monitored using the weight, depended on the initial (preheating) temperature of the sample before irradiation. The degradation time profile with various initial temperatures was shifted along the time axis and was successfully superimposed on a single curve. A pure PVC film was subjected to heating at a constant temperature from 230 °C to 310 °C, and the rate of weight decrease on heating was measured. The apparent activation energy was 84.4 kJ/mol for a single monomer unit.     

Photochemical reactions—XX : Solid state photochemistry of 3-dehydro-gibberellin A3 methyl ester; light-catalyzed topodimerization and subsequent aromatization

UV-irradiation (λ 300 nm) of 3-dehydro-gibberellin A₃ methyl ester 1 in the crystalline state leads via [2+2] cycloaddition to two cyclobutane-type photodimers 2 and 6. Further irradiation of both compounds gives, with loss of carbon dioxide, the corresponding ring A aromatic dimers. Photolysis of 1 as a thin film causes intramolecular photodecarboxylation to give the monomeric phenolic ester 8.     

Niobium(V) chloride catalyzed microwave assisted synthesis of 2,3-unsaturated O-glycosides by the Ferrier reaction

NbCl₅ catalyzes the Ferrier reaction of per-O-acetylated glycals with primary, secondary, allylic, benzylic and monosaccharide alcohols to give 2,3-unsaturated α-glycosides in short reaction times under microwave irradiation conditions.     

Rare direct imidation of aromatic metallacycle by reaction of CpCo(dithiolene) complex with N-halosuccinimide

The aromatic [CpCo(S₂C₂(R)(H))] (R = Ph, Me, 9-phenanthryl, H) complexes reacted with N-halosuccinimides (NXS; X = Cl, Br, I) in carbon tetrachloride at room temperature to undergo the N-succinimide substitution reaction on the dithiolene ring, but no halogenated dithiolene complex was obtained. The imidation products [CpCo(S₂C₂(R)(N-sccinimide))] were yielded up to 64% where X = I and R = 9-phenanthryl. The reaction of [CpCo(S₂C₂(Ph)(H))] with N-bromophthalimide (NBP) also gave the imidation product [CpCo(S₂C₂(Ph)(N-phthalimide))]. This is the rare direct imidation reaction to an aromatic metallacycle by NXS. The reaction of [CpCo(S₂C₂H₂)] (R = H) with NIS afforded the double imidation product. One by-product in this reaction was the dithiolene-dithiolene homo-coupling product [CpCo(S₂C₂(R))]₂ (R = Ph, Me, 9-phenanthryl). The microwave-enhanced (MW) reactions were attempted in the carbon tetrachloride solution. Although the solution temperature increased up to only 43 °C by MW irradiation, the imidation reaction worked with short reaction time.     

Hydrolysis of chitosan under microwave irradiation in ionic liquids promoted by sulfonic acid-functionalized ionic liquids

Hydrolysis of chitosan in ionic liquids was carried out under microwave irradiation (MW) using sulfonic acid-functionalized ionic liquids (SFILs) as catalysts. The effect of microwave power, irradiation time, dosage of SFILs and DMSO was investigated by orthogonal tests. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the yield of total reducing sugars (TRS) reached over 90% within 2 min. The viscosity-average molecular weight of degraded chitosan was determined by viscosity method. The structures of the original and degraded chitosan were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR). The influence of microwave power and irradiation time on the TRS and M_v was further studied. This method can dramatically reduce reaction time.