"Chiral-at-Metal" octahedral ruthenium(II) complexes with achiral ligands: a new type of enantioselective catalyst

cis-[Ru(dmp)(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)][PF(6)](2) (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline), complex 1[PF(6)](2), exists in two enantiomeric forms, Delta and Lambda. During treatment with the chiral anion tris[tetrachlorobenzene-1,2-bis(olato)]phosphate(V), also named Trisphat, in dichloromethane it has been possible to selectively precipitate each enantiomer, associated with Trisphat in the form of the heterochiral pair. This enantiomerically pure compound has been characterized in solution by UV-visible, CD, ESI-MS, and NMR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography in the solid state. Trisphat was also used as an NMR chiral shift reagent to determine the enantiomeric excess of the complex preparations. The "chiral-at-metal" ruthenium complex has been evaluated as a catalyst for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides by hydrogen peroxide. The reactions displayed a low but significant level of enantioselectivity (18% ee in the case of 4-bromophenyl methyl sulfide). Our results thus provide the first demonstration that the chiral information carried by a stereogenic metal center can be catalytically transferred to molecules during stereoselective oxidation.     

Total synthesis and stereochemical reassignment of (+)-dolastatin 19, a cytotoxic marine macrolide isolated from Dolabella auricularia

Using conformational analysis and biogenetic considerations, a revised configurational assignment for the cytotoxic marine macrolide dolastatin 19 is proposed, together with its validation by completion of the first total synthesis. Key features of the highly stereocontrolled route include an asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction to simultaneously install both the remote C13 stereocenter and the C10-C11 (E)-trisubstituted olefin, two sequential 1,4-syn boron-mediated aldol reactions, and a late-stage, α-selective Mukaiyama glycosylation to append the l-rhamnose-derived pyranoside.     

Synthesis and α‐Mannosidase Inhibitory Evaluation of (2R,3R,4S)‐ and (2S,3R,4S)‐2‐(Aminomethyl)pyrrolidine‐3,4‐diol Derivatives

The synthesis of 46 derivatives of (2R,3R,4S)‐2‐(aminomethyl)pyrrolidine‐3,4‐diol is reported (Scheme 1 and Fig. 3), and their inhibitory activities toward α‐mannosidases from jack bean (B) and almonds (A) are evaluated (Table). The most‐potent inhibitors are (2R,3R,4S)‐2‐{[([1,1′‐biphenyl]‐4‐ylmethyl)amino]methyl}pyrrolidine‐3,4‐diol ( 3fs ; IC₅₀(B)=5 μM , K_i=2.5 μM ) and (2R,3R,4S)‐2‐{[(1R)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐inden‐1‐ylamino]methyl}pyrrolidine‐3,4‐diol ( 3fu ; IC₅₀(B)=17 μM , K_i=2.3 μM ). (2S,3R,4S)‐2‐(Aminomethyl)pyrrolidine‐3,4‐diol ( 6 , R?H) and the three 2‐(N‐alkylamino)methyl derivatives 6fh, 6fs , and 6f are prepared (Scheme 2) and found to inhibit also α‐mannosidases from jack bean and almonds (Table). The best inhibitor of these series is (2S,3R,4S)‐2‐{[(2‐thienylmethyl)amino]methyl}pyrrolidine‐3,4‐diol ( 6o ; IC₅₀(B)=105 μM , K_i=40 μM ). As expected (see Fig. 4), diamines 3 with the configuration of α‐D ‐mannosides are better inhibitors of α‐mannosidases than their stereoisomers 6 with the configuration of β‐D ‐mannosides. The results show that an aromatic ring (benzyl, [1,1′‐biphenyl]‐4‐yl, 2‐thienyl) is essential for good inhibitory activity. If the C‐chain that separates the aromatic system from the 2‐(aminomethyl) substituent is longer than a methano group, the inhibitory activity decreases significantly (see Fig. 7). This study shows also that α‐mannosidases from jack bean and from almonds do not recognize substrate mimics that are bulky around the O‐glycosidic bond of the corresponding α‐D ‐mannopyranosides. These observations should be very useful in the design of better α‐mannosidase inhibitors.     

Oligosaccharide tagged β-cyclodextrins: synthesis and biological affinity towards Concanavalin A

An original synthetic route based on multi-glycosylation and selective protection–deprotection steps has been developed which allows a fast access to complex oligomannosides with both α-(1,3),α-(1,6) and α-(1,3),α-(1,4) cores. The later have been linked to modified β-cyclodextrins bearing spacing arms of varying chemical structure and length through peptidic-like coupling, leading to the formation of a range of oligomannosyl cyclodextrin conjugates. Complexation studies with sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (ASANa) and sodium adamantane 1-carboxylate (ACNa) as guest molecules demonstrated that the β-cyclodextrin inclusion properties are preserved. Binding affinity studies using the mannose specific lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) demonstrated the key role of the density and tridimensional structure of the sugar ligand in recognition events.     

Combined ab initio computational and experimental multinuclear solid-state magnetic resonance study of phenylphosphonic acid

1H, 13C, 17O and 31P NMR parameters, including chemical shift tensors and quadrupolar parameters for 17O, were calculated for phenylphosphonic acid, C6H5PO(OH)2, under periodic boundary conditions. The results are in very good agreement with experimental data and permit the unambiguous assignment of all the sites present in the structure. In particular, the 17O NMR parameters of the P=O and P-OH environments were precisely determined, which should help in the characterization of the bonding mode of phosphonate molecules in hybrid solids. Moreover, the effect of intermolecular interactions on the NMR parameters were investigated by comparing the results of the calculations in the crystal and in an isolated molecule of phenylphosphonic acid.     

Synthesis and molecular structure of Ba5(μ5-OH)[μ3-OCH(CF3)2]4[μ2-OCH(CF3)2]4 [OCH(CF3)2](THF)4(H2O)·THF: a source of barium fluoride

The reaction between metallic barium and fluoroisopropanol or alcoholysis of [Ba(OPrⁱ)₂] produces a pentanuclear fluoroalkoxide. Its X-ray structure determination showed its formulation to correspond to Ba₅(μ₅-OH)[μ₃-OCH(CF₃)₂]₄[μ₂-OCH(CF₃)₂]₄ [OCH(CF₃)₂](THF)₄(H₂O)·THF. The metallic core is based on a square pyramid encapsulating an hydroxo ligand. In addition to the barium---alkoxide bonds [2.53(3)–2.86(3) Å] neutral O-donors, four THF [2.82(2)–2.86(3) Å] and one H₂O [2.79(3) Å] and secondary barium---fluorine interactions [2.99(2)–3.31(2) Å] ensure high coordination numbers, from 9 to 11 for the metal centers. Hydrogen bonding between the apical fluoroisopropoxide, the water molecule and one THF molecule, non-bonded to a metal center, accounts for the stability of the hydrate and illustrates the Lewis acidity of fluoroalkoxides. Thermal decomposition leads to BaF₂.     

Design of Homogeneous Hybrid Materials through a Careful Control of the Synthetic Procedure

Sols for the synthesis of hybrid organic-inorganic materials have been prepared by mixing zirconium n-propoxide and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS). The synthesis was done in two steps: a 15 minute hydrolysis of a MPS : H₂O : EtOH 1 : 1 : 2 mixture and then addition of 0.5 molar equivalent of zirconium alkoxide. All the experimental parameters—hydrolysis ratio, pH, dilution, pre-hydrolysis time—have been optimized through a detailed ²⁹ Si and ¹⁷O NMR analysis. Immediately after the addition, 94% of the initial water was consumed for the formation of Si–O–Zr bridges. Cleavage of these bonds, associated with formation of Si–O–Si and Zr–O–Zr bridges are then observed during the aging time.     

Regioselective glycosylation of 3,6-unprotected mannoside derivatives: fast access to high-mannose type oligosaccharides

A regioselective glycosylation of 3,6-unprotected mannoside acceptors was investigated. With glycosyl trichloroacetimidate donors, when an excess of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate is used as the catalyst, 6-O-glycosylation exclusively occurred affording a silylated disaccharide that could be involved in a subsequent glycosylation reaction. As an illustration, the fast synthesis of two trisaccharides and one pentasaccharide was achieved.     

Cathodic stripping voltammetry: Part I. Determination of organic sulfur compounds,flavins and porphyrins at the sub-micromolar level

The experimental parameters of cathodic stripping voltammetry have been studied and optimised, and the use of a cell with a mercury pool electrode has been proposed. The technique is valuable for the determination of several classes of organic compounds, including thiols, disulfides, flavins, flavones, pterins and porphyrins at concentrations as low as 1×10^?8M. In most cases the measurement precision at the 2×10^?7M level is ±3–5%, which is similar to that of anodic stripping voltammetry. Detailed investigations were made of the electrode reaction mechanisms of cysteine, cystine, riboflavin and hemoglobin. All thiol compounds were found to adsorb strongly on mercury and chemically react with it to form a film of a mercury-thiol compound. Some closely-related thiols, e.g. 2- and 6-mercaptopurine, produced stripping peaks at well-separated potentials. Selectivity could be achieved with some thiol mixtures by adjustment of the deposition potential.