Determination of acylglycerols in vegetable oil methyl esters by on-line normal phase LC-GC

An on-line LC-GC method for the analysis of mono-, di-, and triacylglycerols in vegetable oil methyl esters has been developed. The concentrations of these components have turned out to be key parameters for the quality of diesel fuel substitutes. Separation of all classes of acylglycerols from the fatty acid methyl ester matrix is achieved by LC after acetylation of the hydroxyl groups. The acylglycerol fraction is transferred on-line to GC, using the loop-type interface and concurrent eluent evaporation. Quantification of mono-, di-, and triacylglycerols is performed by combining external calibration with internal standardization. Both recovery of the procedure and reproducibility of the quantitative results are evaluated.     

Carboxylate-stabilised sulfur ylides (thetin salts) in asymmetric epoxidation for the synthesis of glycidic acids. Mechanism and implications

The reaction of carboxylate-stabilised sulfur ylides (thetin salts) with aldehydes and ketones has been investigated. Using both achiral and chiral sulfur ylides, good yields were obtained with dimsylsodium or LHMDS as bases in DMSO or THF-DMSO mixtures. However, the enantioselectivities observed with a camphor-based sulfide were only moderate (up to 67%). The reaction was studied mechanistically by independent generation of the betaine (via the hydroxyl sulfonium salt) in the presence of a more reactive aldehyde, which resulted in incorporation of the more reactive aldehyde and showed that betaine formation was reversible. Thus, the moderate enantiomeric excess observed is a consequence of the enantiodifferentiating step being the ring closure step rather than the betaine forming step. We had expected betaine formation might be non-reversible because a carboxylate-stabilised ylide has only slightly higher stability than a phenyl-stabilised ylide, which does largely react non-reversibly with aldehydes. Evidently, a carboxylate-stabilised ylide is significantly more stable than a phenyl-stabilised ylide and as such reacts reversibly with aldehydes.     

Further studies in the acyl-type radical additions promoted by SmI2: mechanistic implications and stereoselective reduction of the keto-functionality

Attempts were made to promote the carbonyl coupling of cyclohexanone to 4-pyridylthioesters of N-carbamate-protected amino acids with the one electron reducing agent, samarium diiodide. Such reactions proved unsuccessful due to the inability of the ketyl-type radical anion intermediate to be reduced to the corresponding dianion at −78°C. Nevertheless, these results explain our recently published work on the high efficiency of the SmI₂-mediated acyl-type radical additions of the same thioesters with electron deficient alkenes [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 4030]. A study was also undertaken to examine methods for the stereoselective reduction of N-carbamate-protected amino ketones to either the syn- or anti-vicinal amino alcohols. In most cases, LiAl(O-t-Bu)₃H and (S)-Alpine-Hydride were found to effectively provide the anti- and syn-amino alcohols, respectively. The SmI₂-promoted reduction of the same ketones afforded a majority of the syn-isomer with selectivities of approximately 5:1. However, in one case, the SmI₂-promoted reduction was found to be more effective than that of (S)-Alpine-Hydride.     

X-ray structures of new substituted 2-(pyrazol-1-yl)-2′-nitroacetanilides with pharmacological activity

The X-ray structures of four pharmacologically active lidocaine analogs, containing substituted pyrazole moieties as the basic residue and an o-nitrophenyl moiety as the hydrophobic residue, have been determined. They are 2-(pyrazol-1-yl)-2-nitroacetanilide (1), 2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-2-nitroacetanilide (2), 2-(3,5-dimethyl-4-iodo-pyrazol-1-yl)-2-nitroacetanilide (3), and 2-(3,5-dimethyl-4-nitro-pyrazol-1-yl)-2-nitroacetanilide (4). Crystal data are 1: space group Pn with a = 4.6944(1), b = 22.3890(3), c = 15.7481(2) Å, = 96.810(1)°, Z = 6; 2: P with a = 4.7277(2), b = 11.6878(5), c = 12.0355(6) Å, = 87.689(2), = 85.048(2), = 85.975(2)°, Z = 2; 3: I2/a with a = 24.108(5), b = 4.7321(9), c = 25.337(5) Å, = 96.09(3)°, Z = 8; 4: P2₁ with a = 5.7788(2), b = 8.9844(3), c = 14.0304(5) Å, = 101.611(1)°, Z = 2. Molecules of compound 1 adopt a unique, folded conformation stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds and the crystal structure lacks significant intermolecular interactions. In contrast, molecules of 2–4 adopt common, extended conformations and their crystal structures are based on linear arrays of hydrogen bonded (N—H...O=C) molecules. Compound 3 displayed the highest local anesthetic activity while 2 was the most active in tests for anti-arrhythmic effects.     

Formation of a Highly Reactive Cobalt Nanocluster Crystal within a Highly Negatively Charged Porous Coordination Cage

Earth‐abundant first‐row transition‐metal nanoclusters (NCs) have been extensively investigated as catalysts. However, their catalytic activity is relatively low compared with noble metal NCs. Enhanced catalytic activity of cobalt NCs can be achieved by encapsulating Co NCs in soluble porous coordination cages (PCCs). Two cages, PCC‐2a and 2b, possess almost identical cavity in shape and size, while PCC‐2a has five times more net charges than PCC‐2b. Co²⁺ cations were accumulated in PCC‐2a and reduced to ultra‐small Co NCs in situ, while for PCC‐2b, only bulky Co particles were formed. As a result, Co NCs@PCC‐2a accomplished the highest catalytic activity in the hydrolysis of ammonium borane among all the first‐row transition‐metals NCs. Based on these results, it is envisioned that confining in the charged porous coordination cage could be a novel route for the synthesis of ultra‐small NCs with extraordinary properties.     

A Vastly Increased Chemical Variety of RNA Modifications Containing a Thioacetal Structure

Recently discovered new chemical entities in RNA modifications have involved surprising functional groups that enlarge the chemical space of RNA. Using LC‐MS, we found over 100 signals of RNA constituents that contained a ribose moiety in tRNAs from E. coli. Feeding experiments with variegated stable isotope labeled compounds identified 37 compounds that are new structures of RNA modifications. One structure was elucidated by deuterium exchange and high‐resolution mass spectrometry. The structure of msms²i⁶A (2‐methylthiomethylenethio‐N6‐isopentenyl‐adenosine) was confirmed by methione‐D3 feeding experiments and by synthesis of the nucleobase. The msms²i⁶A contains a thioacetal, shown in vitro to be biosynthetically derived from ms²i⁶A by the radical‐SAM enzyme MiaB. This enzyme performs thiomethylation, forming ms²i⁶A from i⁶A in a first turnover. The new thioacetal is formed by a second turnover. Along with the pool of 36 new modifications, this work describes a new layer of RNA modification chemistry.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)‐1‐Alkyl‐Substituted Tetrahydro‐ß‐carbolines Catalyzed by Strictosidine Synthases

Stereoselective methods for the synthesis of tetrahydro‐ß‐carbolines are of significant interest due to the broad spectrum of biological activity of the target molecules. In the plant kingdom, strictosidine synthases catalyze the C?C coupling through a Pictet–Spengler reaction of tryptamine and secologanin to exclusively form the (S)‐configured tetrahydro‐ß‐carboline (S)‐strictosidine. Investigating the biocatalytic Pictet–Spengler reaction of tryptamine with small‐molecular‐weight aliphatic aldehydes revealed that the strictosidine synthases give unexpectedly access to the (R)‐configured product. Developing an efficient expression method for the enzyme allowed the preparative transformation of various aldehydes, giving the products with up to >98 % ee. With this tool in hand, a chemoenzymatic two‐step synthesis of (R)‐harmicine was achieved, giving (R)‐harmicine in 67 % overall yield in optically pure form.     

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective 1,3-dimethylallylation of aldehydes

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective pentenylation of aldehydes is described. The homoallylic alcohol derived from 1,3-dimethylallylation of (-)-menthone undergoes an efficient allyl-transfer reaction with a wide range of aliphatic aldehydes in the presence of an acid catalyst to give rise to the corresponding 4-methyl-2(E)-penten-4-yl-5-ol products in good yields with high enantio- and 4,5-syn-selectivities.     

Stereochemistry of nucleophilic attack by amine on a cationic π-allylnickel complex

Reaction of the π-allylnickel complex $\text{3}$ with morpholine gave a 1:1 mixture of the amines $\text{4}$ and $\text{5}$ indicating that the amine has attacked the π-allyl moiety from the side trans to nickel.