Novel boracycles from 2-amino-2-methylpropan-1-ol and borane methyl sulfide: Synthesis and X-ray crystal structures

On reacting the simple 1,2-amino alcohol: 2-amino-2-methylpropan-1-ol, with borane methyl sulfide (BMS), the expected five member oxazaborolidine ring is not obtained. Instead, two polycyclic structures with trigonal boron atoms 6 and 7 were obtained, and their structure were determined by X-ray crystallography. Compound 6 was obtained in 39% yield and compound 7 was obtained in 7% yield.     

Theoretical study of the addition and abstraction reactions of hydroxyl radical with uracil

The addition as well as abstraction reactions of hydroxyl radical (OH) with the nucleic acid base, uracil (U), in the gas phase has been explored at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of density functional theory (DFT). The energy barrier of the OH addition to both the C5 and C6 positions of the uracil is less than 1 kcal/mol while the hydrogen abstractions (H-abstractions) from either the N1 or the N3 positions are ∼9.5 kcal/mol. Further the energetics of these reactions are assessed by applying the effect of aqueous medium through the polarizable continuum model (PCM). Both the gas and the solution phase data established that the thermodynamic and kinetic factors are more favorable for the OH addition to either C5 or C6 positions of the uracil than the H-abstraction reactions. Moreover, calculations at the MPW1K/6-31+G(d,p), CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d,p)//MPW1K/6-31+G(d,p) levels of theoretical methods qualitatively supported the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) results.     

The antioxidant activity of wines determined by the ABTS(+) method: influence of sample dilution and time

The free radical scavenging activity of 42 Spanish commercial wines was determined using the 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS⁺). The ABTS⁺ radical was generated enzymatically using a horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide. The presence of wine phenolic compounds caused the absorbance of the radical to decay at 414 nm. The measurement conditions were optimised. The total phenolic content of wines ranged from 1262 to 2389 mg l⁻¹ for red wines and 70 to 407 mg l⁻¹ for white wines, expressed as gallic acid equivalents. The phenolic content of Sherry wines was similar to that of white wines. Optimum dilutions for white and Sherry wines were set up as a function of their total phenolic content (for total phenol index, TPI<300 mg gallic acid per liter, dilution 2.5:10 to 5:10; for TPI>300 mg gallic acid per liter, dilution 1:10 to 3:10). Red wines absorb at the wavelength of measurement and dilutions between 0.35:10 and 0.1:10 are advisable. Reaction kinetics were also monitored and the antioxidant activity, expressed as Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC), was determined at 2 and 15 min of reaction. The mean values for TEAC_2 min were 5.01±1.40 mM for red wines, 0.46±0.32 mM for white wines and 0.26±0.19 mM for Sherry wines. At 15 min, mean values were 6.93±2.41 mM for red wines, 0.67±0.47 mM for white wines and 0.26±0.19 mM for Sherry wines. The correlation coefficients were better at 2 min (r=0.9012) than at 15 min (r=0.8462) when compared with TPI. Hence, TEAC_2 min seems to be a more appropriate measure.     

A novel method for flow injection analysis of total antioxidant capacity using enzymatically produced ABTS and biamperometric detector containing interdigitated electrode

Application of interdigitated array microelectrodes as electrochemical sensors for determination of antioxidant capacity is reported. Electrochemical measurements with interdigitated electrodes (IDE) were studied in both stationary solutions and the flow system. The method is based on biamperometric measurements using ABTS⁺|ABTS redox couple in phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.40. During analysis, the ABTS radical cation was enzymatically produced by peroxidase in a tubular flow-through reactor. The performance of bioreactor was tested at different concentrations of immobilized enzyme, ABTS and hydrogen peroxide. The influence of flow rate on proper operation of the bioreactor was also studied. The results of antioxidant activity were determined using Trolox as a standard. The applied IDE detector accomplished good sensitivity of 0.3 nA/μM of Trolox and offered linear range between 20 to 500 μM of Trolox.The comparison of results (R² = 0.9915) for antioxidant activity between spectroscopic and FIA biamperometric measurements by interdigitated electrodes confirmed the applicability of the proposed method for determination of antioxidant capacity.     

Quinoxalines. Part 13: Synthesis and mass spectrometric study of aryloxymethylquinoxalines and benzo[b]furylquinoxalines

A series of new aryloxymethylquinoxalines, benzo[b]- and naphtho[2,1-b]furylquinoxalines, possessing potential biological activity, was prepared, characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy and their electron ionization (EI) mass spectra studied in detail. The aryloxymethylquinoxalines were obtained by reacting halogenomethylquinoxalines with bifunctional O-nucleophiles. The benzo[b]furylquinoxalines and naphtho[2,1-b]furylquinoxalines were prepared via two routes, which differed in the order of the two cyclization steps involved in the syntheses. The composition of the ions obtained by EI mass spectrometry were determined by accurate mass measurements and the fragmentation pathways clarified by B/E linked scans and collision induced dissociation. The mass spectrometric behaviour of the compounds studied as to the possible loss of OH radicals proved to be very characteristic.     

Chromogenic radical based optical sensor membrane for screening of antioxidant activity

Solid-state optical sensor membranes based on immobilised chromogenic radicals for the assessment of antioxidant activity have been studied. Two stable lipophilic chromogenic radicals, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) and galvinoxyl radical, GV, (2,6-di-tert-butyl-α-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-oxo-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene)-p-tolyloxy radical), were immobilised in plasticised PVC films and screened for suitability as indicators of antioxidative activity. The spectrophotometric characterisation of the polymer films containing immobilised free radicals was performed, and the response of the immobilised free radicals toward standard antioxidants was studied. It has been demonstrated that the immobilised radicals retain their reactivity towards antioxidants and the results suggest that the reactivity of immobilised radicals is comparable to standard solution-based DPPH assays. Polymer films containing immobilised DPPH radical respond to standard antioxidants in aqueous solutions by changing colour irreversibly from purple (absorption maximum at 520 nm) to yellow. The initial slopes of the response curves to the phenolic antioxidant gallic acid, obtained in the 1-50 mM concentration range, gave a linear calibration plot in a 1 min exposure cuvette test. The polymer films were used to screen antioxidative activity of beverage and food samples known to contain antioxidants, such as black and green tea, coffee, red wine, fruit juice, olive oil and sunflower oil. It has been demonstrated that a rapid and simple qualitative screening test of untreated samples is possible using a test strip based on immobilised DPPH radical.     

Group 9 complexes of an N-heterocycle carbene bearing a pentafluorobenzyl substituent: attempted dehydrofluorinative coupling of cyclopentadienyl and N-heterocycle carbene ligands

Treatment of N-methylimidazole with pentafluorobenzyl bromide produces 1-pentafluorobenzyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (1), which reacts with silver(I) oxide to give the N-heterocycle carbene (NHC) complex 1-pentafluorobenzyl-3-methylimidazolin-2-ylidene silver(I) bromide (2). Complex 2 acts as a carbene transfer reagent giving the complexes [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)MCl₂(NHC)] (3a, M = Rh; 3b M = Ir) on reaction with [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)MCl(μ-Cl)]₂. An attempt to use intramolecular dehydrofluorinative coupling methodology to link the carbene and the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligands of [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)RhCl(CN^tBu)(NHC)]BF₄ was unsuccessful.     

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of 2,2′-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl)bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole 3-oxide 1-oxyl)

An approach to the synthesis of nitronyl nitroxide 2,2′-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl)bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole 3-oxide 1-oxyl) (4) was developed. Compound 4 is the first diradical with nitronyl nitroxide groups directly linked through a diacetylene fragment. In solid phase the diradicals are arranged in stacks with parallel CC fragments, with the distances between the terminal carbon atoms of the neighboring diacetylene groups (T and d) being 6.170 and 4.466 Å, respectively, and the angle between the translation vector and the median line passing through the CCCC fragment of 45.9°. The values of T and d are outside the range of structural criteria allowing a topochemical reaction. Thus UV irradiation does not initiate solid phase polymerization of 4. After exposure at 373 K for 1 h the crystals of 4 turn dark-brown, become X-ray amorphous and lose the majority of their paramagnetic centers without significantly changing their mass. Upon further heating up to 400-420 K the product explodes, releasing about 360 kJ/mol of heat. A diluted solution of 4 in 1,4-dioxane produces an EPR spectrum typical of a strong exchange (a multiplet of nine broadened lines with A_4N = 0.35 mT), indicating the efficiency of the CCCC fragment as an exchange channel. The character of the experimental μ_eff(T) dependence for 4 indicates a strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic-type exchange interaction (J/k_B ∼ −104 K) and the dominating weak intermolecular ferromagnetic exchange.     

Ruthenium carbene complexes containing bidentate and tridentate PO ligands

Treatment of [Ru(CHR)Cl₂(PCy₃)₂] (Cy = cyclohexyl) with Tl[N(Pr₂ⁱPO)₂] and AgL_OEt (L_OEt⁻ = [CpCo{P(O)(OEt)₂}₃]⁻) afforded the Ru carbene complexes [Ru(CHPh)(PCy₃)Cl{N(Pr₂ⁱPO)₂}] (1) and [L_OEtRu(CHR)(PCy₃)Cl] (2), respectively. Chloride abstraction of complex 2 with TlPF₆ in MeCN afforded [L_OEtRu(CHPh)(PCy₃)(MeCN)][PF₆] (3). Complexes 1 and 2 are capable of catalyzing ring-closing metathesis of diethyl 1,2-diallylmalonate. The crystal structure of complex 2 has been determined.     

InBr3-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted hexahydro-1H-furo[3,4-c]pyran derivatives

An ?,δ-unsaturated alcohol tethered with a hydroxyl group, that is, (E)-2-styrylbutane-1,4-diol (1) undergoes a smooth bicyclization with various aldehydes in the presence of 10 mol % InBr₃ and at 0 °C to afford a novel series of hexahydro-1H-furo[3,4-c]pyran derivatives in good yields with high diastereoselectivity.     

Rhodium assisted CH activation of N-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzaldimines. Synthesis, structure and electrochemical properties of a group of organorhodium complexes

Reaction of a group of N-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzaldimines, derived from 2-aminophenol and five para-substituted benzaldehydes (the para substituents are OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl and NO₂), with [Rh(PPh₃)₃Cl] in refluxing toluene in the presence of a base (NEt₃) afforded a family of organometallic complexes of rhodium(III). The crystal structure of one complex has been determined by X-ray crystallography. In these complexes the benzaldimine ligands are coordinated to the metal center, via dissociation of the phenolic proton and the phenyl proton at the ortho position of the phenyl ring in the imine fragment, as dianionic tridentate C,N,O-donors, and the two PPh₃ ligands are trans. The complexes are diamagnetic (low-spin d⁶, S = 0) and show intense MLCT transitions in the visible region. Cyclic voltammetry shows a Rh(III)Rh(IV) oxidation within 0.63-0.93 V vs SCE followed by an oxidation of the coordinated benzaldimine ligand. A reduction of the coordinated benzaldimine is also observed within −0.96 to −1.04 V vs SCE. Potential of the Rh(III)Rh(IV) oxidation is found to be sensitive to the nature of the para-substituent.     

Copper-catalyzed oxidative cleavage of carbon-carbon double bond of enol ethers with molecular oxygen

A novel CC bond cleavage reaction of aromatic enol ethers (1) to give ketones (2) using molecular oxygen as oxidant is described. Among the examined catalysts (Cu(II), Pd(II), Ru(II), and H⁺), CuCl₂ exhibited the highest activity. The reaction proceeded smoothly with several kinds of substrates.     

Preparation of fluorine compounds of groups 13 and 14: a study case for the diagonal relationship of aluminum and germanium

The synthesis of carbaalanes of composition [(AlF)₆(AlNMe₃)₂(CR)₆] containing terminal fluorine atoms is described. The clusters have in common that the central core consists of eight aluminum and six carbon atoms. Six of the eight aluminum atoms are bearing six terminal fluorine atoms. The fluorination of (t-BuNCH₂AlH)₄ results in the formation of the aggregate (t-BuNCH₂AlF)₄. In group 14, the fluorine containing unsaturated compounds LGeF, LGeS(F), LGeSe(F), and LGeNSiMe₃(F) were prepared (LHC(CMeNAr)₂), Ar = 2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃ and Ar = 2,6-Me₂(C₆H₃)).     

Aliphatic carboncarbon bond activation of ketones by rhodium(II) porphyrin radical

Aliphatic carboncarbon bond activation of both enolizable and non-enolizable ketones occurred successfully with rhodium(II) porphyrin radical to give rhodium(III) porphyrin alkyls. Added Ph₃P promoted the yields of products.