Chemo‐ and Enzyme‐Catalyzed Reactions Revealing a Common Temperature‐Dependent Dynamic Solvent Effect on Enantioselectivity

The enantiomeric ratio E of enzyme‐catalyzed (Candida antarctica lipase and lipase PS) and chemo‐catalyzed (L ‐proline‐based diamines) acylation reactions of 1‐(naphthalen‐2‐yl)ethanol, 2‐phenylpropanol, and 2‐benzylpropane‐1,3‐diol is dependent on solvent and temperature. Plots of ln E vs. 1/T showed the presence of inversion temperatures (T_inv). The T_inv values for the bio‐catalyzed and the chemo‐catalyzed reactions are fairly in agreement, and correspond as well to the T_NMR values obtained by variable‐temperature ¹³C‐NMR experiments on the substrates in the same solvent of the resolution. This result demonstrates that clustering effects in the substrate solvation manage the chemical and the enzymatic enantioselectivity, and, moreover, that the solute? solvent cluster is always the real reacting species in solution for chemical as well as for enzymatic reactions.     

Simplified chemical and radiochemical synthesis of 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol, an endogenous ligand of cannabinoid receptors

Endocannabinoids have emerged as a new class of lipid mediators, with manifold roles in the central nervous system and in the periphery. Several studies have identified 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) as a major endogenous agonist of cannabinoid receptors. Here, the chemical synthesis of 2-AG is reported, along with the synthesis of its tritium-labeled derivative. These unlabeled and radiolabeled compounds are suitable tools for unravelling some metabolic routes and biological activities of 2-AG in various cells and tissues.     

Synthesis of Pyrrolidine Analogues of N-Acetylneuraminic Acid as Potential Sialidase Inhibitors

The pyrrolidine derivatives 3 , 4 , and 5 were prepared from the methyl ester 7 of Neu2en5Ac via lie pyrrolidine-borane adduct 33 . They inhibit Vibrio cholerae sialidase competitively with K_i = 4. 4 10^?3 M, 5. 3 10^?3 M, and 4. 0 10^?2 M, respectively. Benzylation of 7 gave the fully O-benzylated 8 besides 9, 10 , and 11. Ozonolysis and reduction with NaBH₄ of 8 and 9 gave the 1, 4-diols 12 and 15 , the hydroxy acetates 13 and 16 , and the furanoses 14 and 17 (Scheme 1), respectively. The diol 12 was selectively protected (→ 19 → 20 → 23 ) and transformed into the azide 27 by a Mitsunobu reaction. Selective base-catalysed deprotection of the diacetate 22 , obtained from 12 , was hampered by an easy acetyl-group migration. The mesylate 28 proved unstable. The azide 27 was transformed via 29 into the ketone 30 (Scheme 2). Hydrogenation of 30 gave the dihydropyrrole 31 and, hence, the pyrrole 32. The adduct 33 was obtained from 30 by a Staudinger reaction (→31) and reduction with LiBH₄/HBF⁴. It was transformed into the pyrroudine 34 . The structure of 34 was established by X-ray analysis. Reductamination of the pyrrolidine-borane adduct with glyoxylic acid gave 40 and, hence, 3. N-Alkylation afforded 44 and, hence, the phosphonate 4. The acid 5 was obtained from 33 by acylation (→ 47 ) and deprotection (Scheme 4).     

Baeyer-Villiger oxidation with potassium peroxomonosulfate supported on acidic silica gel

[reaction: see text] Potassium peroxomonosulfate deposited onto silica SiO2 x KHSO5 efficiently reacts with ketones in dichloromethane at room temperature to give the corresponding esters or lactones in quantitative yields. This method avoids hydrolysis of the reaction products. The Baeyer-Villiger reaction is catalyzed by potassium hydrogensulfate present in the supported reagent.     

Conformational studies by dynamic NMR. 94.1 cogwheel pathway for the stereomutations of durene derivatives containing the mesityl ring

The low-temperature NMR spectra of 1,4-bis(mesitoyl)durene, 1, and of 1,4-bis(mesitylethenyl)durene, 2, reveal the presence of syn and anti rotamers at the equilibrium, their relative proportions depending on the dielectric constant of the solvent. In solution the more stable rotamer of 1 is the anti whereas, in the case of 2, the more stable is the syn. Depending on the crystallization solvent employed the more (anti) and the less stable (syn) rotamers were both observed (X-ray diffraction) in the solid state of 1. On the other hand, only the less stable rotamer (anti) was found to be present in the solid state of 2. As shown by MM calculations, the syn-to-anti interconversion occurs via a correlated process (cogwheel pathway) involving the mesityl-C and durene-C bond rotations: the dynamic NMR technique yields an experimental barrier of 8.2 kcal mol(-)(1) for 1 and 13.1 kcal mol(-)(1) for 2. In the case of derivative 2 a second barrier, due to a second type of correlated rotation process (torsion), was also determined (8.6 kcal mol(-)(1)). As a consequence of the restriction of this second torsional motion the anti rotamer of 2 displays two distinguishable NMR spectra at -133 degrees C, corresponding to a pair of conformers with different symmetry (anti C(i)() and anti C(2)).     

Multielemental analysis of food and agricultural matrixes by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

The suitability of quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for multielemental analysis of food following microwave closed vessel digestion of samples was evaluated in relation to analytical challenges presented by some major food and agricultural matrixes. Fifteen key analytes (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, V, Zn) were determined in 9 reference materials representative of 3 major groups of staple foods (cereals, seafood, and meat). For all measurements, the method of external calibration was used and Rh was selected as internal standard. Matrix-induced interferences were evaluated for each material, and suitable methods to overcome them were applied. Spectral interferences caused by C, Cl, and Ca content of digestates were quantitated and corrected by entering a simple system of mathematical correction equations into the instrument software before each analytical run. Full mastering of interferences together with adoption of a series of measures to control the reliability of analytical measurements produced accurate results for all the analytes. A standard analytical protocol is outlined for the benefit of both research and routine high-throughput laboratories that perform ICP-MS analyses of food.     

Anion effects on the recognition of ion pairs by calix[4]arene-based heteroditopic receptors

A novel heteroditopic receptor (5) based on a rigid calix[4]arene cavity bearing at the upper rim four arylsulfonamido binding sites has been synthesized. The binding abilities of this new host have been investigated in apolar solvents toward a series of tetramethylammonium salts (tosylate, chloride, acetate, trifluoroacetate, and picrate) and compared with those of monotopic and heteroditopic calix[4]arene-bis(crown-3)-based receptors 1 and 2 in order to evaluate the role of the anion on ion-pair recognition. While monotopic host 1 shows an efficiency order toward the different salts that increases when the anion is less interactive (Hofmeister trend), an opposite role of the counteranion on the recognition process was observed with host 5 (anti-Hofmeister trend). A more complex behavior is experienced by host 2, which shows a high and leveled efficiency for all the anions tested. The results obtained were explained on the basis of the different types of ion pairs present in the recognition process. Further information on the role of the anion were obtained by the "dual host" strategy utilizing the tri-n-butylthioureido derivative of tren 7, which forms a stable complex with chloride anion. The very high efficiency shown by these heteroditopic hosts opens new routes in supramolecular projects and is a very interesting tool in the molecular recognition of ion-pairs and its applications.     

Synthesis of 1,2-cis-Configurated Glycosylphosphonates

A synthesis of 1,2-cis-configurated, non-isosteric phosphonate analogues of aldose-1-phosphates is described. Treatment of 1-O-acyl-glycoses 1 , 7 , 13 , and 19 with trialkyl phosphite in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate gave the 1,2-cis-configurated glycosylphosphonates 2 , 4 , 8 , 10 , 14 , 16 , 20 , and 22 as the major anomers and the 1,2-trans-configurated glycosylphosphonates 3 , 5 , 9 , 11 , 15 , 17 , 21 , and 23 as the minor anomers. The 1,2-cis-configurated phosphonates 4 , 10 , 16 , and 22 were deprotected to give the (β-D -glucopyranosyl)phosphonate 6 , the (β-D -mannopyranosyl)phosphonate 12 , the (β-D -ribofuranosyl)phosphonate 18 , and the (β-D -arabinofuranosyl)phosphonate 24 , respectively, in high yields. The preferred formation of 1,2-cis-configurated phosphonates is explained by postulating an equilibrium between the anomeric phosphonium-salt intermediates (such as 25 and 26 ) and a stabilization of the cis-configurated salts through formation of a pentacoordinated species (such as 28 ).     

A convenient protocol for selective cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides. Application to semisynthesis of the cyclic heptapeptide aza HUN-7293

A two-step protocol for the first chemoselective cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides has been developed. Mesylation of the model substrate 2-(hydroxypropionylamino)-4-methylpentanoic acid methyl ester (11) followed by treatment with N-ethylthiourea (13) allows cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides under smooth conditions. Successful application of this methodology to the open-chain transesterification product 15 (methylester) of the cyclic heptadepsipeptide HUN-7293, a potent inhibitor of inducible cell adhesion molecule expression, delivered the corresponding hexapeptide 18 with unprotected N-terminus in 70-75% yield. This result demonstrates that the protocol developed even works in the presence of an ester and several methylated and unmethylated amide bonds. Finally, a sequence of ligation of methyl D-dehydroglutaminate (20) to the C-terminus of the saponification product 21, followed by the degradation protocol and ring closure, allowed chemical "point mutation" at the DGCN site affording the aza analogue of HUN-7293 (24) in 15% overall yield. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on chemoselective cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides.     

Reaction of Ru3(CO)12 with but-2-yn-1,4-diol in CH3OH/KOH solution. Crystal structure of (μ-Cl)Ru3(CO)9[μ3-η-H2CCC(H)CH2]

The reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with but-2-yn-1,4-diol (HOCH₂CCCH₂OH, BUD) in CH₃OH/KOH followed by acidification with HCl leads to four products, one of which has been identified as the title complex (μ-Cl)Ru₃(CO)₉[μ₃-η⁴-H₂CCC(H)CH₂]. This is an open cluster containing a bridging Cl atom on the open side and a C₄H₅ moiety bound to all the metals. The structure of the complex has been determined by X-ray analysis.The thermal reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with BUD has been revisited for a comparison with the results in alkaline solution. The main product is the allylic derivative HRu₃(CO)₉[HCCHCCHO].