Synthesis of 2,2,5,5‐Tetrasubstituted 1,4‐Dioxa‐2,5‐disilacyclohexanes via Organotin(IV)‐Catalyzed Transesterification of (Acetoxymethyl)alkoxysilanes

(Acetoxymethyl)silanes 2 , 7 a – c , and 10 a – c with at least one alkoxy group, of the general formula (AcOCH₂)Si(OR)_3?n(CH₃)_n (R: Me, Et, iPr; n=0, 1, 2), were synthesized from the corresponding (chloromethyl)silanes 1 , 6 a – c , and 9 a – c by treatment with potassium acetate under phase‐transfer‐catalysis conditions. These compounds were found to provide 2,2,5,5‐organo‐substituted 1,4‐dioxa‐2,5‐disilacyclohexanes 3 , 8 a – c , and 11 a – c if treated with organotin(IV) catalysts such as dioctyltin oxide. The reaction proceeds through transesterification of the acetoxy and alkoxy units followed by ring‐closure to form a dimeric six‐membered ring. The corresponding alkyl acetates are formed as the reaction by‐products. With these mild conditions, the method overcomes the drawbacks of previously reported synthetic routes to furnish 2,2,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐dioxa‐2,5‐disilacyclohexane ( 3 ) and even allows the synthesis of 1,4‐dioxa‐2,5‐disilacyclohexanes bearing hydrolytically labile alkoxy substituents at the silicon atom in good yields and high purity. These new materials were fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and X‐ray analysis (trans‐ 8 a ).     

Artificial Allosteric Receptors

Cooperative effects in the binding of two or more substrates to different binding sites of a receptor that are a result of a conformational change caused by the binding of the first substrate—also referred to as the effector—are called allosteric effects. In biological systems, allosteric regulation is a widely used mechanism to control the function of proteins and enzymes in cellular metabolism. Inspired by this a lot of efforts have been made in supramolecular chemistry to implement this concept into artificial systems to control functions as molecular recognition, signal amplification, or even reactivity and catalysis. This review gives an up‐to‐date overview over the different approaches that have been reported ever since the first examples from the late 1970s/early 1980s. It covers both homo‐ and heterotropic examples and is divided according to the nature of the effector—cationic, anionic, or neutral—effectors and systems that use combinations of those.     

Targeting the Substrate Binding Site of E. coli Nitrile Reductase QueF by Modeling,Substrate and Enzyme Engineering

Nitrile reductase QueF catalyzes the reduction of 2‐amino‐5‐cyanopyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one (preQ₀) to 2‐amino‐5‐aminomethylpyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one (preQ₁) in the biosynthetic pathway of the hypermodified nucleoside queuosine. It is the only enzyme known to catalyze a reduction of a nitrile to its corresponding primary amine and could therefore expand the toolbox of biocatalytic reactions of nitriles. To evaluate this new oxidoreductase for application in biocatalytic reactions, investigation of its substrate scope is prerequisite. We report here an investigation of the active site binding properties and the substrate scope of nitrile reductase QueF from Escherichia coli. Screenings with simple nitrile structures revealed high substrate specificity. Consequently, binding interactions of the substrate to the active site were identified based on a new homology model of E. coli QueF and modeled complex structures of the natural and non‐natural substrates. Various structural analogues of the natural substrate preQ₀ were synthesized and screened with wild‐type QueF from E. coli and several active site mutants. Two amino acid residues Cys190 and Asp197 were shown to play an essential role in the catalytic mechanism. Three non‐natural substrates were identified and compared to the natural substrate regarding their specific activities by using wild‐type and mutant nitrile reductase.     

Unusual Structure,Fluxionality, and Reaction Mechanism of Carbonyl Hydrosilylation by Silyl Hydride Complex [(ArN)Mo(H)(SiH2Ph)(PMe3)3]

The reactions of bis(borohydride) complexes [(RN?)Mo(BH₄)₂(PMe₃)₂] ( 4 : R=2,6‐Me₂C₆H₃; 5 : R=2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃) with hydrosilanes afford new silyl hydride derivatives [(RN?)Mo(H)(SiR′₃)(PMe₃)₃] ( 3 : R=Ar, R′₃=H₂Ph; 8 : R=Ar′, R′₃=H₂Ph; 9 : R=Ar, R′₃=(OEt)₃; 10 : R=Ar, R′₃=HMePh). These compounds can also be conveniently prepared by reacting [(RN?)Mo(H)(Cl)(PMe₃)₃] with one equivalent of LiBH₄ in the presence of a silane. Complex 3 undergoes intramolecular and intermolecular phosphine exchange, as well as exchange between the silyl ligand and the free silane. Kinetic and DFT studies show that the intermolecular phosphine exchange occurs through the predissociation of a PMe₃ group, which, surprisingly, is facilitated by the silane. The intramolecular exchange proceeds through a new non‐Bailar‐twist pathway. The silyl/silane exchange proceeds through an unusual Mo^VI intermediate, [(ArN?)Mo(H)₂(SiH₂Ph)₂(PMe₃)₂] ( 19 ). Complex 3 was found to be the catalyst of a variety of hydrosilylation reactions of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones) and nitriles, as well as of silane alcoholysis. Stoichiometric mechanistic studies of the hydrosilylation of acetone, supported by DFT calculations, suggest the operation of an unexpected mechanism, in that the silyl ligand of compound 3 plays an unusual role as a spectator ligand. The addition of acetone to compound 3 leads to the formation of [trans‐(ArN)Mo(OiPr)(SiH₂Ph)(PMe₃)₂] ( 18 ). This latter species does not undergo the elimination of a Si? O group (which corresponds to the conventional Ojima′s mechanism of hydrosilylation). Rather, complex 18 undergoes unusual reversible β‐CH activation of the isopropoxy ligand. In the hydrosilylation of benzaldehyde, the reaction proceeds through the formation of a new intermediate bis(benzaldehyde) adduct, [(ArN?)Mo(η²‐PhC(O)H)₂(PMe₃)], which reacts further with hydrosilane through a η¹‐silane complex, as studied by DFT calculations.     

Synthesis and Optical Properties of Water‐Soluble Polyglycerol‐Dendronized Rylene Bisimide Dyes

Four new water‐soluble polyglycerol‐dendronized perylene, terrylene, and quaterrylene bisimides have been synthesized and characterized with respect to their optical properties in polar organic solvents and water by using UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. All of these dyes were highly soluble in water, but the size of the chosen polyglycerol dendron was only sufficient to completely suppress dye aggregation for the core‐unsubstituted perylene derivative. Their high solubility in water and their absorption and emission wavelengths up to the NIR region make the core‐unsubstituted perylene and terrylene bisimides ideal candidates for applications in bioimaging, whilst the lack of fluorescence for quaterrylene bisimide in all polar solvents does not warrant further investigation of this chromophore in fluorescence and imaging applications. Likewise, tuning of the emission of rylene bisimides towards longer wavelengths by employing electron‐donating bay substituents is not a promising strategy, owing to the lower fluorescence quantum yields in polar solvents and, in particular, in water.     

Heterobimetallic Cuprates Consisting of a Redox‐Switchable,Silicon‐Based Metalloligand: Synthesis,Structures, and Electronic Properties

A series of bimetallic silyl halido cuprates consisting of the new tripodal silicon‐based metalloligand [κ³N‐Si(3,5‐Me₂pz)₃Mo(CO)₃]^? is presented (pz=pyrazolyl). This metalloligand is straightforwardly accessible by reacting the ambidentate ligand tris(3,5‐dimethylpyrazolyl)silanide ({Si(3,5‐Me₂pz)₃}^?) with [Mo(CO)₃(η⁶‐toluene)]. The compound features a fac‐coordinated tripodal chelating ligand and an outward pointing, “free” pyramidal silyl donor, which is easily accessible for a secondary coordination to other metal centers. Several bimetallic silyl halido cuprates of the general formula [CuX{μ‐κ¹Si:κ³N‐Si(3,5‐Me₂pz)₃Mo(CO)₃}]^? (X=Cl, Br, I) have been synthesized. The electronic and structural properties of these complexes were probed in detail by X‐ray diffraction analysis, electrospray mass spectrometry, infrared‐induced multiphoton dissociation studies, cyclic voltammetry, spectroelectrochemistry, gas‐phase photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The heterobimetallic complexes contain linear two‐coordinate copper(I) entities with the shortest silicon–copper distances reported so far. Oxidation of the anionic complexes in methylene chloride and acetonitrile solutions at ${E{{0\hfill \atop 1/2\hfill}}}$ =?0.60 and ?0.44 V (vs. ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc⁺)), respectively, shows substantial reversibility. Based on various results obtained from different characterization methods, as well as density functional theory calculations, these oxidation events were attributed to the Mo⁰/Mo^I redox couple.     

Development of a Metal‐Ion‐Mediated Base Pair for Electron Transfer in DNA

A new C‐nucleoside structurally based on the hydroxyquinoline ligand was synthesized that is able to form stable pairs in DNA in both the absence and the presence of metal ions. The interactions between the metal centers in adjacent Cu^II‐mediated base pairs in DNA were probed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The metal–metal distance falls into the range of previously reported values. Fluorescence studies with a donor–DNA–acceptor system indicate that photoinduced charge‐transfer processes across these metal‐ion‐mediated base pairs in DNA occur more efficiently than over natural base pairs.     

A Unified Strategy for the Synthesis of Mucin Cores 1–4 Saccharides and the Assembled Multivalent Glycopeptides

By displaying different O‐glycans in a multivalent mode, mucin and mucin‐like glycoproteins are involved in a plethora of protein binding events. The understanding of the roles of the glycans and the identification of potential glycan binding proteins are major challenges. To enable future binding studies of mucin glycan and glycopeptide probes, a method that gives flexible and efficient access to all common mucin core‐glycosylated amino acids was developed. Based on a convergent synthesis strategy starting from a shared early stage intermediate by differentiation in the glycoside acceptor reactivity, a common disaccharide building block allows for the creation of extended glycosylated amino acids carrying the mucin type‐2 cores 1–4 saccharides. Formation of a phenyl‐sulfenyl‐N‐Troc (Troc=trichloroethoxycarbonyl) byproduct during N‐iodosuccinimide‐promoted thioglycoside couplings was further characterized and a new methodology for the removal of the Troc group is described. The obtained glycosylated 9‐fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)‐protected amino acid building blocks are incorporated into peptides for multivalent glycan display.     

Fluxional processes in diamagnetic and paramagnetic allyl dicarbonyl and 2-methylallyl dicarbonyl molybdenum histidinato complexes as revealed by spectroscopic data and density functional calculations

This work describes a detailed study on the structure and dynamics of pseudooctahedral low-valent complexes of the type [Mo(His-N(epsilon)-R)(eta-2-R'-allyl)(CO)(2)] (His=N(delta),N,O-L-histidinate; R=H, R'=H (1); R=C(2)H(4)CO(2)Me, R'=H (2); R=H, R'=Me (3); R=C(2)H(4)CO(2)Me, R'=Me (4)). These diamagnetic 18-electron complexes were comprehensively characterized spectroscopically and by X-ray crystallography. In the solid state, the (substituted) allyl ligand is in an endo position in all compounds, but it is trans to the His-N(delta) atom in 1 and 2, whereas it is trans to the carboxylate O atom for the 2-Me-allyl compounds 3 and 4. In solution, both isomers are present in a solvent-dependent equilibrium. The third isomer (allyl trans to His-NH(2)) is not spectroscopically observed in solution. This is in agreement with the results from density functional (DFT) computations (BPW 91 functional) for 1 and 3, which predict a considerably higher energy (+6.3 and +5.9 kJ mol(-1), respectively) for this isomer. A likely path for isomerization is calculated, which is consistent with the activation energy determined by variable temperature NMR measurements. At least for 3, the preferred path involves several intermediates and a rotation of the 2-Me-allyl ligand. For the paramagnetic 17-electron congeners, DFT predicts the exo isomer of 3(+) with the 2-Me-allyl ligand trans to the carboxylate O atom to be by far the most stable isomer. For 1(+), an endo-exo equilibrium between the isomers with the allyl ligand trans to the carboxylate O atom is suggested. These suggestions are confirmed by EPR spectroscopy on the electrochemically generated species, which show signals for one- (4) and two- (2) metal-containing compounds. The appearance of the EPR spectra may be rationalized by inspection of the SOMOs from DFT calculations of the species in question. The notion of a metal-centered oxidation is also substantiated by IR spectroelectrochemistry and by UV/Vis spectra of the 17-electron complexes. Upon depleting the metal of electron density, the stretching vibrations of the carbonyl ligands shift more than 100 cm(-1) to higher wavenumbers, and the carbonyl vibration of the metal-coordinated carboxylate shifts by about 50 cm(-1). A color change from yellow to green upon oxidation is observed visually and quantified by the appearance of a new band at 622 nm (2(+)) and 546 nm (4(+)), respectively.