Concise Synthesis of α‐Methylene‐β‐hydroxy‐γ‐carboxy‐γ‐lactams

A concise protocol for the synthesis of α‐methylene‐β‐hydroxy‐γ‐carboxy‐γ‐lactams has been described via alkylation of amino acid derived iminoesters with α‐bromomethylmethacrylate, followed by allylic hydroxylation. All the synthesized compounds have been evaluated for their cytotoxicity on multiple myeloma cancer cell lines.     

Co‐crystals of 3‐deoxy‐3‐fluoro‐α‐d‐glucopyranose and 3‐deoxy‐3‐fluoro‐β‐d‐glucopyranose

3‐Deoxy‐3‐fluoro‐d ‐glucopyranose crystallizes from acetone to give a unit cell containing two crystallographically independent molecules. One of these molecules (at site A) is structurally homogeneous and corresponds to 3‐deoxy‐3‐fluoro‐β‐d ‐glucopyranose, C₆H₁₁FO₅, (I). The second molecule (at site B) is structurally heterogeneous and corresponds to a mixture of (I) and 3‐deoxy‐3‐fluoro‐α‐d ‐glucopyranose, (II); treatment of the diffraction data using partial‐occupancy oxygen at the anomeric center gave a high‐quality packing model with an occupancy ratio of 0.84:0.16 for (II):(I) at site B. The mixture of α‐ and β‐anomers at site B appears to be accommodated in the lattice because hydrogen‐bonding partners are present to hydrogen bond to the anomeric OH group in either an axial or equatorial orientation. Cremer–Pople analysis of (I) and (II) shows the pyranosyl ring of (II) to be slightly more distorted than that of (I) [θ_(I) = 3.85 (15)° and θ_(II) = 6.35 (16)°], but the general direction of distortion is similar in both structures [ϕ_(I) = 67 (2)° (B_C1,C4) and ϕ_(II) = 26.0 (15)° (^C3TB_C1); B = boat conformation and TB = twist‐boat conformation]. The exocyclic hydroxymethyl (–CH₂OH) conformation is gg (gauche–gauche) (H5 anti to O6) in both (I) and (II). Structural comparisons of (I) and (II) to related unsubstituted, deoxy and fluorine‐substituted monosaccharides show that the gluco ring can assume a wide range of distorted chair structures in the crystalline state depending on ring substitution patterns.     

Efficient Synthesis of α‐Benzylidene‐γ‐methyl‐γ‐butyrolactones

A concise synthesis of α‐benzylidene‐γ‐methyl‐γ‐butyrolactones 5a – g from substituted benzaldehydes is described. Compounds 1a – g on reaction with phosphorane 2 , provide the pentenoates 3a – g , which can be hydrolyzed to the acids 4a – g . The latter are cyclized to the corresponding butyrolactones 5a – g in excellent yields. The pentenoates 3a – g , on acid catalyzed cyclization, also provide 5a – g in very high yields.     

Radical‐initiated polymerization of β‐methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone

β‐Methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone (MMBL) was synthesized and then was polymerized in an N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solution with 2,2‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) initiation. The homopolymer of MMBL was soluble in DMF and acetonitrile. MMBL was homopolymerized without competing depolymerization from 50 to 70 °C. The rate of polymerization (R_p) for MMBL followed the kinetic expression R_p = [AIBN]^0.54[MMBL]^1.04. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 86.9 kJ/mol, k_p/k_t^1/2 was equal to 0.050 (where k_p is the rate constant for propagation and k_t is the rate constant for termination), and the rate of initiation was 2.17 × 10^?8 mol L^?1 s^?1. The free energy of activation, the activation enthalpy, and the activation entropy were 106.0, 84.1, and 0.0658 kJ mol^?1, respectively, for homopolymerization. The initiation efficiency was approximately 1. Styrene and MMBL were copolymerized in DMF solutions at 60 °C with AIBN as the initiator. The reactivity ratios (r₁ = 0.22 and r₂ = 0.73) for this copolymerization were calculated with the Kelen–Tudos method. The general reactivity parameter Q and the polarity parameter e for MMBL were calculated to be 1.54 and 0.55, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1759–1777, 2003     

Synthetic studies with 3‐Oxo‐N‐[4‐(3‐oxo‐ 3‐phenylpropionylamino)‐phenyl]‐3‐phenylpropionamide

3‐Oxo‐N‐[4‐(3‐oxo‐3‐phenylpropionylamino)‐phenyl]‐3‐phenylpropionamide 1 and its derivative 2‐benzoyl‐N‐[4‐(2‐benzoyl‐3‐(dimethylamino‐acryloylamino)‐phenyl]‐3‐dimethylaminoacrylamide 12 are used for the synthesis of the hitherto not known bis‐heterocyclic amine and bis‐heterocyclic carboxamide derivatives. Plausible mechanisms are discussed for the formation of the new compounds. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

4‐Ethoxycarbonyl‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐phenylcyclohexanone

The title compound, ethyl 2‐hydroxy‐4‐oxo‐2‐phenyl­cyclo­hexane­carboxyl­ate, C₁₅H₁₈O₄, was obtained by a Michael–Aldol condensation and has the cyclo­hexanone in a chair conformation. The attached hydroxy, ethoxy­carbonyl and phenyl groups are disposed in β‐axial, β‐equatorial and α‐­equatorial configurations, respectively. An intermolecular hydrogen bond, with an O?O distance of 2.874 (2) Å, links the OH group and the ring carbonyl. Weak intermolecular C—H?O=C (ester and ketone), O—H?O=C (ketone) and C—H?OH hydrogen bonds exist.     

3‐Deoxy‐β‐d‐ribo‐hexopyranose (3‐deoxy‐β‐d‐glucopyranose)

The β‐pyranose form, (III), of 3‐deoxy‐d ‐ribo‐hexose (3‐deoxy‐d ‐glucose), C₆H₁₂O₅, crystallizes from water at 298 K in a slightly distorted ⁴C₁ chair conformation. Structural analyses of (III), β‐d ‐glucopyranose, (IV), and 2‐deoxy‐β‐d ‐arabino‐hexopyranose (2‐deoxy‐β‐d ‐glucopyranose), (V), show significantly different C—O bond torsions involving the anomeric carbon, with the H—C—O—H torsion angle approaching an eclipsed conformation in (III) (−10.9°) compared with 32.8 and 32.5° in (IV) and (V), respectively. Ring carbon deoxygenation significantly affects the endo‐ and exocyclic C—C and C—O bond lengths throughout the pyranose ring, with longer bonds generally observed in the monodeoxygenated species (III) and (V) compared with (IV). These structural changes are attributed to differences in exocyclic C—O bond conformations and/or hydrogen‐bonding patterns superimposed on the direct (intrinsic) effect of monodeoxygenation. The exocyclic hydroxymethyl conformation in (III) (gt) differs from that observed in (IV) and (V) (gg).     

6β‐Azido‐7α‐hydroxy‐17‐oxo‐5α‐androstan‐3β‐yl acetate

In the title compound, C₂₁H₃₁N₃O₄, a potential inhibitor of aromatase, all rings are fused trans. Rings A, B and C have chair conformations which are slightly flattened. Ring D has a 14α‐envelope conformation. The steroid nucleus has a small twist, as shown by the C19—C10⋯C13—C18 torsion angle of 6.6 (2)°. Ab initio calculations of the equilibrium geometry of the mol­ecule reproduce this small twist, which appears to be due to the steric effect of the 6β‐azide substituent rather than to packing effects.     

Synthesis and characterization of new α,β‐unsaturated γ‐lactones: Alkyl 3‐acetyl‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐2,5‐dihydrofuran‐2‐ylcarbamates

A convenient procedure for the preparation of carbamate derivatives of 5‐oxo‐2,5‐dihydrofuran ( 3 ) was described. The method is based on the Michael type addition of three alkyl carbamates ( 2 ) with 4‐acetyl‐5‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐2,3‐furandione ( 1 ). According to ¹H nmr spectra of compounds show tautomeric forms ( 3,4,5 ) in CDC1₃. In the solid state the synthesized compounds are enol forms ( 3 ). The products were characterized with molecular spectroscopic methods.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Enantiomerically Pure cis‐ and trans‐3‐Fluoro‐2,4‐dioxa‐8‐aza‐3‐phosphadecalin 3‐Oxides as γ‐Homoacetylcholine Mimetics and Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase

The title compounds, the P(3)‐axially and P(3)‐equatorially substituted cis‐ and trans‐configured 8‐benzyl‐3‐fluoro‐2,4‐dioxa‐8‐aza‐3‐phosphadecalin 3‐oxides (=8‐benzyl‐3‐fluoro‐2,4‐dioxa‐8‐aza‐3‐phosphabicyclo[4.4.0]decane 3‐oxides=2‐fluorohexahydro‐6‐(phenylmethyl)‐4H‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphorino[5,4‐c]pyridine 2‐oxides) were prepared (ee>98%) and fully characterized (Schemes 2 and 3). The absolute configurations were established from that of their precursors, the enantiomerically pure cis‐ and trans‐1‐benzyl‐4‐hydroxypiperidine‐3‐methanols which were unambiguously assigned. Being configuratively fixed and conformationally constrained phosphorus analogues of acetyl γ‐homocholine (=3‐(acetyloxy)‐N,N,N‐trimethylpropan‐1‐aminium), they are suitable probes for the investigation of molecular interactions with acetylcholinesterase. As determined by kinetic methods, all of the compounds are weak inhibitors of the enzyme.     

Tetra­piperidinium di‐μ‐methoxy‐di‐μ5‐oxo‐tetra‐μ3‐oxo‐dodeca‐μ2‐oxo‐octa­oxodeca­vanadate

The structure of the title compound, (C₅H₁₂N)₄[V₁₀O₂₆(CH₃O)₂], reveals the presence of four protonated piperidin­ium cations and a [{V₁₀O₂₆}(OCH₃)₂]⁴⁻ polyanion having an embedded centre of inversion. The compound is distinguished by presenting, in contrast with other anionic deca­vanadates, two meth­oxy groups bridging the outermost V atoms, and it becomes the first example of this type among reported deca­vanadates.     

6β‐Hydroxy‐5β‐methyl‐20‐oxo‐19‐norpregn‐9(10)‐en‐3β‐yl acetate

In the title compound, C₂₃H₃₄O₄, which is an intermediate in the synthesis of pregnane derivatives with a modified skeleton that show potent abortion‐inducing activity, the conformation of ring B is close to half‐chair due to the presence of both the C=C double bond and the axial 5β‐methyl group. Rings A and C have conformations close to chair, while ring D has a twisted conformation around the bridgehead C—C bond. Molecules are hydrogen bonded via the hydroxyl and acetoxy groups into infinite chains. Quantum‐mechanical ab initio Roothan Hartree–Fock calculations show that crystal packing might be responsible for the low values of the angles between rings A and B, and between ring A and rings C and D, as well as for a different steric position of the methyl ketone side chain compared to the geometry of the free molecule.     

5β,6β‐Epoxy‐17‐oxoandrostan‐3β‐yl acetate and 5β,6β‐epoxy‐20‐oxopregnan‐3β‐yl acetate

In the title compounds, C₂₁H₃₀O₄, (I), and C₂₃H₃₄O₄, (II), respectively, which are valuable intermediates in the synthesis of important steroid derivatives, rings A and B are cis‐(5β,10β)‐fused. The two molecules have similar conformations of rings A, B and C. The presence of the 5β,6β‐epoxide group induces a significant twist of the steroid nucleus and a strong flattening of the B ring. The different C17 substituents result in different conformations for ring D. Cohesion of the molecular packing is achieved in both compounds only by weak intermolecular interactions. The geometries of the molecules in the crystalline environment are compared with those of the free molecules as given by ab initio Roothan Hartree–Fock calculations. We show in this work that quantum mechanical ab initio methods reproduce well the details of the conformation of these molecules, including a large twist of the steroid nucleus. The calculated twist values are comparable, but are larger than the observed values, indicating a possible small effect of the crystal packing on the twist angles.     

17‐Oxo‐5α‐androstane‐3α,4β‐diyl diacetate and 17‐oxo‐5β‐androstane‐3α,4β‐diyl diacetate

The title compounds, both C₂₃H₃₄O₅, are the 5α and 5β configurations of two diacetate epimers. The 5β‐diacetate crystallizes in an hexagonal structure, unusual for steroid molecules. The unit cell has an accessible solvent volume of 358 ų, responsible for clathrate behaviour. The 5β‐epimer also features some shorter than average bond lengths in the 3α,4β‐acetoxy groups. The conformations of the molecules of both epimers are compared with those obtained through abinitio quantum chemistry calculations. Cohesion of the crystals can be attributed to van der Waals and weak molecular C—H⋯O interactions.     

Synthesis of 3‐Ω‐amino‐2‐thiohydantoins

In the reaction of ethyl isothiocyanatoacetate with diamines, followed by cyclization of the intermediate product, 3‐monosubstituted thiohydantoins have been obtained. It was found that the reaction course depends on the purity of the isothiocyanate used and also, in the case of dialkylaminoamines, the self‐cyclization occurs. Besides the dialkylamino derivatives of 3‐monosubstituted 2‐thiohydantoins also new monoalkylamino, amino and heterocyclic derivatives were synthesized. The aryldiazonium derivative of 3‐monosubstituted 2‐thiohydantoin yielded both respective phenol derivative after hydrolysis and the product of coupling with 2‐naphthol.     

16α,17α‐Epoxy‐20‐oxopregn‐5‐en‐3β‐yl acetate

The title compound, C₂₃H₃₂O₄, has a 3β configuration, with the epoxy O atom at 16α,17α. Rings A and C have slightly distorted chair conformations. Because of the presence of the C5=C6 double bond, ring B assumes an 8β,9α‐half‐chair conformation slightly distorted towards an 8β‐sofa. Ring D has a conformation close to a 14α‐envelope. The acetoxy and acetyl substituents are twisted with respect to the average molecular plane of the steroid. The conformation of the mol­ecule is compared with that given by a quantum chemistry calculation using the RHF–AM1 (RHF = Roothaan Hartree–Fock) Hamiltonian model. Cohesion of the crystal can be attributed to van der Waals interactions and weak intermolecular C—H?O interactions, which link the mol­ecules head‐to‐tail along [101].     

Synthesis of α‐alkylidene‐γ‐butyrolactones via Ring‐cleavage/recyclization of 2‐Amino‐4,5‐dihydro‐3‐furancarboxamides

The reactions of 2‐amino‐4,5‐dihydro‐3‐furancarboxarnides 1a,b with cyanomethylene compounds (such as alkyl cyanoacetates and malononitrile) gave the corresponding ring‐opened products 2a‐f. Compounds 2a‐d reacted with methanesulfonic acid to give the corresponding α‐alkylidene‐γ‐butyrolactones 3a‐d. On the other hand, treatment of 2e,f with methanesulfonic acid yielded 3‐pyridinecarbonitrile derivatives 4a,b.