Mechanism of the α,α-diarylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether-catalyzed enantioselective C-C, C-N, C-F, C-S, and C-Br bond forming reactions

Theoretical calculations were employed to investigate the enantioselectivity of the α,α-diarylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether-catalyzed α-functionalization of aldehydes with various different electrophiles, via an enol intermediate. The reactions investigated were (i) Michael-aldol condensation, (ii) Michael addition, (iii) Mannich reaction, (iv) α-amination of an aldehyde, (v) α-fluorination of an aldehyde, (vi) α-sulfenylation of an aldehyde, and (vii) α-bromination of an aldehyde. In all seven cases, our proposed enol mechanism is able to account for the experimentally observed enantioselectivity of the products. Our calculations strongly suggest that these catalyzed reactions proceed via an enol intermediate and not via an enamine intermediate.     

Brønsted-acid and Brønsted-base catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions

The enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction is one of the most important reactions for the synthesis of complex molecules. It provides access to chiral six-membered carbocyclic compounds containing up to four stereogenic centers in a single step. Asymmetric catalysis in the Diels-Alder reaction has mainly been realized using chiral Lewis acids. In this perspective, we describe several cases of chiral Br?nsted-acid and Br?nsted-base catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions, providing an overview of this rapidly growing field.     

Na,Ba∥F,Br three-component reciprocal system and analysis of the Na,Ba∥F,Hal (Hal=Cl, Br, and I) series

A set of isopleths was studied using differential thermal analysis (DTA), the liquidus surface projection on the concentration square was plotted, and parameters were determined for the alloys corresponding to two ternary eutectics and one peritectic of the Na,Ba∥F,Br three-component reciprocal system. Solid-phase reactions in a sample containing 66.7% BaBr2+33.3% (NaF) ₂ were also studied by DTA. The results were used to analyze the entire series of the Na,Ba∥F,Hal (Hal = Cl, Br, and I) systems.     

Na,Rb‖F,Br three-component reciprocal system and analysis of the Na,M‖F,Br (M = K,Rb, and Cs) series

Solid-phase reactions were studied by differential thermal analysis and X-ray powder diffraction in a sample whose composition corresponds to the complete conversion point K of the Na,Rb‖F,Br three-component reciprocal system. A stable diagonal and a metastable diagonal were studied, and the parameters of two ternary eutectics were determined.     

Phase equilibria in the quaternary systems Li‖F,Cl,Br,CrO4 and Li‖F,Cl,Br,WO4

Phase equilibria in the quaternary systems Li‖F,Cl,Br,CrO₄ and Li‖F,Cl,Br,WO₄ were studied by differential thermal analysis. In these systems, the stability of continuous series of solid solutions based on lithium chloride and bromide is preserved. The number and compositions of crystallizing phases in the systems Li‖F,Cl,Br,CrO₄ and Li‖F,Cl,Br,WO₄ were confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction analysis.     

Dibromomethyl- and bromomethyl- or bromo-substituted benzenes and naphthalenes: C—Br…Br interactions

The structures of six benzene and three naphthalene derivatives involving bromo, bromomethyl and dibromomethyl substituents, namely, 1,3-dibromo-5-(dibromomethyl)benzene, C₇H₄Br₄, 1,4-dibromo-2,5-bis(bromomethyl)benzene, C₈H₄Br₆, 1,4-dibromo-2-(dibromomethyl)benzene, C₇H₄Br₄, 1,2-bis(dibromomethyl)benzene, C₈H₆Br₄, 1-(bromomethyl)-2-(dibromomethyl)benzene, C₈H₇Br₃, 2-(bromomethyl)-3-(dibromomethyl)naphthalene, C₁₂H₉Br₃, 2,3-bis(dibromomethyl)naphthalene, C₁₂H₈Br₄, 1-(bromomethyl)-2-(dibromomethyl)naphthalene, C₁₂H₉Br₃, and 1,3-bis(dibromomethyl)benzene, C₈H₆Br₄, are presented. The packing patterns of these compounds are dominated by Br…Br contacts and C—H…Br hydrogen bonds. The Br…Br contacts, shorter than twice the van der Waals radius of bromine (3.7 Å), seem to play a crucial role in the crystal packing of all these compounds. The occurrence of Type I and Type II interactions is also discussed briefly, considering the effective atomic radius of bromine, as is their impact on the packing of molecules in the individual structures.     

Decarboxylative Radical Sulfilimination via Photoredox,Copper, and Brønsted Base Catalysis

Sulfilimines, the aza-variants of sulfoxides, are key structural motifs in natural products, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals; and sulfilimine synthesis is therefore important in organic chemistry. However, methods for radical sulfilimination remain elusive, and as a result, the structural diversity of currently available sulfilimines is limited. Herein, we report the first protocol for decarboxylative radical sulfilimination reactions between sulfenamides and N-hydroxyphthalimide esters of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl carboxylic acids, which were achieved via a combination of photoredox, copper, and Brønsted base catalysis. This novel protocol provided a wide variety of sulfilimines, in addition to serving as an efficient route for the synthesis of S-alkyl/S-aryl homocysteine sulfilimines and S-(4-methylphenyl) homocysteine sulfoximine. Moreover, it could be used for late-stage introduction of a sulfilimine group into structurally complex molecules, thereby avoiding the need to preserve labile organosulfur moieties through multistep synthetic sequences. A mechanism involving photocatalytic substrate transformation and copper-mediated C(sp³)−S bond formation is proposed.     

Theoretical investigation of the noble gas molecular anions XAuNgX? and HAuNgX? (X?=?F, Cl, Br; Ng?=?Xe, Kr, Ar)

The geometries, atomic charge distributions, vibrational frequencies, and relative energies of the noble gas molecular anions XAuNgX^? and HAuNgX^? (X?=?F, Cl, Br; Ng?=?Xe, Kr, Ar) were investigated at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory. The Au?CNg bond length of X(H)AuNgX^? is mainly dependent on the electronegative fragment bonded to the Au atom rather than on that bonded to the Ng atom. The presence of the right X^? anion stabilizes the Au?CNg bond of X(H)AuNg. Based on the interatomic distances and atomic charge distributions, X(H)AuNgX^? may be better described as X(H)AuNg···X^? rather than as X(H)^?···AuNgX. The MP2 calculations indicate that, for the Xe, Kr, and Ar molecular anion series, (i) X(H)AuNgX^? is less stable than the global minimum X(H)AuX^??+?Ng by ca. 25?C35, 33?C48, and 37?C57?kcal/mol, respectively, (ii) the reaction barriers are ca. 5?C14, 3?C9, and 2?C5?kcal/mol, respectively, when the anion dissociates into X(H)AuX^??+?Ng through the bending transition state, and (iii) X(H)AuNgX^? is more stable than the dissociation limit X(H)AuNg?+?X^? by ca. 14?C38, 11?C30, and 9?C25?kcal/mol, respectively.     

Brønsted basicities of diamines in the gas phase, acetonitrile, and tetrahydrofuran

A comprehensive basicity study of alpha,omega-alkanediamines and related bases has been carried out. Basicities in acetonitrile (AN, pK(a) values), tetrahydrofuran (THF, pK(alpha) values), and gas phase (GP, GB values), were measured for 16, 14, and 9 diamine bases and for several related monoamines. In addition the gas-phase basicities and equilibrium geometries were computed for 19 diamino bases and several related monoamines at the DFT B3LYP 6-311+G** level. The effects of the different factors (intrinsic basicity of the amino groups, formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, and molecular strain) determining the diamine basicities were estimated by using the method of isodesmic reactions. The results are discussed in terms of molecular structure and solvation effects. The GP basicity is determined by the molecular size and polarizability, the extent of alkylation, and the energy effect of intramolecular hydrogen bond formation in the protonated base. The basicity trends in the solvents differ very much from those in GP: 1) The solvents severely compress the basicity range of the bases studied (3.5 times for the 1,3-propanediamine family in AN, and 7 times in THF), and 2) while stepwise alkylation of the basicity center leads to a steady basicity increase in the gas phase, the picture is complex in the solvents. Significant differences are also evident between THF and AN. The high hydrogen bond acceptor strength of THF leads to this solvent favoring the bases with "naked" protonation centers. In particular, the basicity order of N-methylated 1,3-propanediamines is practically inverse to that in the gas phase. The picture in AN is intermediate between that of GP and THF.     

A general,Brønsted acid-catalyzed hetero-Michael addition of nitrogen,oxygen, and sulfur nucleophiles

[reaction: see text] Strong Br?nsted acids such as bis(trifluoromethanesulfon)imide catalyze the hetero-Michael addition of carbamates, alcohols, and thiols to alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, alkylidene malonates, and acrylimides. Scope, reaction rates, and yields are superior to comparable Lewis acid-catalyzed processes.     

Brønsted acidic ionic liquids and their zwitterions: synthesis, characterization and pKa determination

Imidazolium chlorides with one or two carboxylic acid substituent groups, 1-methyl-3-alkylcarboxylic acid imidazolium chloride, [Me[(CH2)nCOOH]im]Cl (n=1, 3), and 1,3-dialkylcarboxylic acid imidazolium chloride, [[(CH2)nCOOH]2im]Cl (n=1, 3), have been synthesized via their corresponding acid esters. Deprotonation of the carboxylic acid functionalized imidazolium chlorides with triethylamine affords the corresponding zwitterions [Me[(CH2)nCOO]im] (n=1, 3) and [[(CH2)nCOOH][(CH2)nCOO]im] (n=1, 3). Subsequent reaction of the zwitterions with strong acids gives the new imidazolium salts [Me[(CH2)nCOOH]im]X (n=1, 3; X=BF4, CF3SO3) and [[(CH2)nCOOH]2im]X (n=1, 3; X=BF4, CF3SO3), which exhibit melting points as low as -61 degrees C. The solid-state structures of two of the carboxylic acid functionalized imidazolium salts have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Extensive hydrogen bonding is present between the chloride and the imidazolium, with eight Cl.H interactions below 3 A. The pK(a) values of all the salts, determined by potentiometric titration, lie between 1.33 and 4.59 at 25 degrees C.     

Coupled cluster,MP2, and DFT study of structures,stabilities, vibrations,and bonding properties of XXeOH (X = F,Cl, Br,and I)

The optimized geometries, molecular properties, and stabilities of new noble gas molecules, XXeOH (X = F, Cl, Br, and I), were studied using CCSD, MP2, CAM-B3LYP, and WB97XD methods and large basis sets. All XXeOH molecules showed equilibrium structures with Cs symmetry. The results also showed that some bonds in XXeOH could be presented as a typical ionic bond. An alteration in ion-pair character was observed for IXeOH, showing two OH ^? and IXe ⁺ parts, while in other molecules, they could be presented as XeOH ⁺ and X ^? . Two decomposition routes were proposed for these molecules that showed high exothermic reactions. However, despite their low thermodynamic stabilities, their decomposition rate constants were small and all molecules (except BrXeOH) had high kinetic stabilities, indicating the possibility for identification and characterization of these molecules. However, in addition to the calculation of their vibrational frequencies, NBO atomic charges, and hybridizations, the bonding properties of XXeOH molecules were studied by AIM calculations (to calculate electron densities, bond elipticities, and Laplacian of electron densities) and second-order intramolecular perturbation energies using NBO calculations. Moreover, the ease of formations and relative stabilities of XXeOH molecules were compared using heats of formations, Gibbs free energies of formations and isodesmic reactions. These calculations showed that the stability of XXeOH molecules was decreased from F to I.     

Structures and bonding situation of Pb2X2 (X?=?H, F, Cl, Br and I)

Quantum chemical calculations using DFT (BP86) and ab initio methods (MP2, MP4 and CCSD(T)) have been carried out for the title compounds. The nature of the Pb?CPb interactions has been investigated with an energy decomposition analysis. The energy minimum structures of the halogen substituted Pb₂X₂ molecules possess a doubly bridged butterfly geometry A like the parent system Pb₂H₂. The unusual geometry can be explained with the interactions between PbX fragments in the X ²?? ground state which leads to one Pb?CPb electron-sharing ?? bond and two donor?Cacceptor bonds between the Pb?CX bonds as donor and vacant p(??) AOs of Pb. The energy difference between the equilibrium form A and the linear structure XPb??PbX (E) which is a second-order saddle point is much higher when X is a halogen atom than for X?=?H. This is because the a ⁴??^?????X ²?? excitation energies of PbX (X?=?F?CI) are higher than for PbH. The structural isomers B, D1, D2, E, F1, F2 and G of Pb₂X₂ are no minima on the potential energy surface.     

Molecular and electronic structures, Brönsted basicities, and Lewis acidities of group VIB transition metal oxide clusters

The structures and properties of transition metal oxide (TMO) clusters of the group VIB metals, (MO(3))(n) (M = Cr, Mo, W; n = 1-6), have been studied with density functional theory (DFT) methods. Geometry optimizations and frequency calculations were carried out at the local and nonlocal DFT levels with polarized valence double-zeta quality basis sets, and final energies were calculated at nonlocal DFT levels with polarized valence triple-zeta quality basis sets at the local and nonlocal DFT geometries. Effective core potentials were used to treat the transition metal atoms. Two types of clusters were investigated, the ring and the chain, with the ring being lower in energy. Large ring structures (n > 3) were shown to be fluxional in their out of plane deformations. Long chain structures (n > 3) of (CrO(3))(n) were predicted to be weakly bound complexes of the smaller clusters at the nonlocal DFT levels. For M(6)O(18), two additional isomers were also studied, the cage and the inverted cage. The relative stability of the different conformations of M(6)O(18) depends on the transition metal as well as the level of theory. Normalized and differential clustering energies of the ring structures were calculated and were shown to vary with respect to the cluster size. Br?nsted basicities and Lewis acidities based on a fluoride affinity scale were also calculated. The Br?nsted basicities as well as the Lewis acidities depend on the size of the cluster and the site to which the proton or the fluoride anion binds. These clusters are fairly weak Br?nsted bases with gas phase basicities comparable to those of H(2)O and NH(3). The clusters are, however, very strong Lewis acids and many of them are stronger than strong Lewis acids such as SbF(5). Br?nsted acidities of M(6)O(19)H(2) and M(6)O(18)FH were calculated for M = Mo and W and these compounds were shown to be very strong acids in the gas phase. The acid/base properties of these TMO clusters are expected to play important roles in their catalytic activities.     

Conductivity and Redox Potentials of Ionic Liquid Trihalogen Monoanions [X3]−, [XY2]−, and [BrF4]− (X=Cl,Br, I and Y=Cl,Br)

The ionic liquid (IL) trihalogen monoanions [N₂₂₂₁][X₃]⁻ and [N₂₂₂₁][XY₂]⁻ ([N₂₂₂₁]⁺=triethylmethylammonium, X=Cl, Br, I, Y=Cl, Br) were investigated electrochemically via temperature dependent conductance and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. The polyhalogen monoanions were measured both as neat salts and as double salts in 1-butyl-1-methyl-pyrrolidinium trifluoromethane-sulfonate ([BMP][OTf], [X₃]⁻/[XY₂]⁻ 0.5 M). Lighter IL trihalogen monoanions displayed higher conductivities than their heavier homologues, with [Cl₃]⁻ being 1.1 and 3.7 times greater than [Br₃]⁻ and [I₃]⁻, respectively. The addition of [BMP][OTf] reduced the conductivity significantly. Within the group of polyhalogen monoanions, the oxidation potential develops in the series [Cl₃]⁻>[BrCl₂]⁻>[Br₃]⁻>[IBr₂]⁻>[ICl₂]⁻>[I₃]⁻. The redox potential of the interhalogen monoanions was found to be primarily determined by the central halogen, I in [ICl₂]⁻ and [IBr₂]⁻_, and Br in [BrCl₂]⁻. Additionally, tetrafluorobromate(III) ([N₂₂₂₁]⁺[BrF₄]⁻) was analyzed via CV in MeCN at 0 °C, yielding a single reversible redox process ([BrF₂]⁻/[BrF₄]⁻).     

Brønsted acid catalyzed addition of phenols, carboxylic acids, and tosylamides to simple olefins

Intermolecular addition of phenols, carboxylic acids, and protected amines to inert olefins can be catalyzed by low concentrations (1-5%) of triflic acid. Functional groups, such as the methoxyl substitution on aromatics, could be tolerated if the concentration of triflic acid and the reaction temperature are controlled appropriately. This reaction provides one of the simplest olefin addition methods and is an alternative to metal-catalyzed reactions.     

Death,taxes, and the genetic code?

The genetic code is an enduring feature of biology: only rare circumstances result in changes to translation of the code, at least in nature. Researchers are devising methods to engineer ribosome-synthesized polypeptides containing novel and potentially useful amino acids.     

Halogen as halogen-bonding donor and hydrogen-bonding acceptor simultaneously in ring-shaped H3N·X(Y)·HF (X = Cl, Br and Y = F, Cl, Br) complexes

A series of ring-shaped molecular complexes formed by H(3)N, HF and XY (X = Cl, Br and Y = F, Cl, Br) have been investigated at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. Their optimized geometry, stretching mode, and interaction energy have been obtained. We found that each complex possesses two red-shifted hydrogen bonds and one red-shifted halogen bond, and the two hydrogen bonds exhibit strong cooperative effects on the halogen bond. The cooperativity among the NH(3)···FH, FH···XY and H(3)N···XY interactions leads to the formations of these complexes. The AIM analysis has been performed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ level of theory to examine the topological characteristics at the bond critical point and at the ring critical point, confirming the coexistence of the two hydrogen bonds and one halogen bond for each complex. The NBO analysis carried out at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory demonstrates the effects of hyperconjugation, hybridization, and polarization coming into play during the hydrogen and halogen bonding formations processes, based on which a clockwise loop of charge transfer was discovered. The molecular electrostatic potential has been employed to explore the formation mechanisms of these molecular complexes.