Synthesis of Polycyclic Indole Skeletons by a Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Cascade Reaction

The conversion of simple, easily available urea‐substituted 3‐phenylpropargyl alcohols catalyzed by a simple IPr–gold(I) catalyst in a gold(I)‐catalyzed cascade reaction composing of a gold‐catalyzed nucleophilic addition and a subsequent gold‐catalyzed substitution reaction delivers 1H‐imidazo[1, 5?a]indol‐3(2 H)‐ones. Other gold(I) catalysts or silver catalysts gave lower yields and often gave other side products. Gold(III) and copper(II) catalysts decomposed the starting material. Twelve examples, including donor and acceptor substituents on the distal nitrogen of the urea substructure, are provided. An X‐ray crystal structure analysis confirmed the structural assignment. The mechanistic investigation including isolation and further conversion of intermediates and reactions with enantiopure starting materials indicated that after the nucleophilic‐addition step, the substrate undergoes an S_N1‐type benzylic substitution reaction at the indolyl alcohol intermediate or an intramolecular hydroamination reaction of the 2‐vinylindole intermediate.     

Synthesis and Transformations of 5‐Chloro‐2,2′‐Dipyrrins and Their Boron Complexes, 8‐Chloro‐BODIPYs

Symmetric dipyrrylketones 1 a , b were synthesized in two steps from the corresponding α‐free pyrroles, by reaction with thiophosgene followed by oxidative hydrolysis under basic conditions. The dipyrrylketones produced the corresponding 5‐chloro‐dipyrrinium salts or 5‐ethoxy‐dipyrrins on reaction with phosgene or Meerwein’s salt, respectively. Boron complexation of the dipyrrins afforded the corresponding 8‐functionalized BODIPYs (borondipyrromethenes) in high yields. The 5‐chloro‐dipyrrinium salts reacted with methoxide or ethoxide ions to produce monopyrrole esters, presumably via a 5,5‐dialkoxy‐dipyrromethane intermediate. In contrast, 8‐chloro‐BODIPYs underwent a variety of nucleophilic substitutions of the chloro group in the presence of alkoxide ions, Grignard reagents, and thiols. In the presence of excess alkoxide or Grignard reagent, at room temperature or above, substitution at the boron center also occurred. The 8‐chloro‐BODIPY was a particularly useful reagent for the preparation of 8‐aryl‐, 8‐alkyl‐, and 8‐vinyl‐substituted BODIPYs in very high yields, using Pd⁰‐catalyzed Stille cross‐coupling reactions. The X‐ray structures of eleven BODIPYs and two pyrroles are presented, and the spectroscopic properties of the synthesized BODIPYs are discussed.     

On the Reaction Mechanism of the Complete Intermolecular O2 Transfer between Mononuclear Nickel and Manganese Complexes with Macrocyclic Ligands

The recently described intermolecular O₂ transfer between the side‐on Ni‐O₂ complex [(12‐TMC)Ni‐O₂]⁺ and the manganese complex [(14‐TMC)Mn]²⁺, where 12‐TMC and 14‐TMC are 12‐ and 14‐membered macrocyclic ligands, 12‐TMC=1,4,7,10‐tetramethyl‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane and 14‐TMC=1,4,8,11‐tetramethyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane, is studied by means of DFT methods. B3LYP calculations including long‐range corrections and solvent effects are performed to elucidate the mechanism. The potential energy surfaces (PESs) compatible with different electronic states of the reactants have been analyzed. The calculations confirm a two‐step reaction, with a first rate‐determining bimolecular step and predict the exothermic character of the global process. The relative stability of the products and the reverse barrier are in line with the fact that no reverse reaction is experimentally observed. An intermediate with a μ‐η¹:η¹‐O₂ coordination and two transition states are identified on the triplet PES, slightly below the corresponding stationary points of the quintet PES, suggesting an intersystem crossing before the first transition state. The calculated activation parameters and the relative energies of the two transition sates and the products are in very good agreement with the experimental data. The calculations suggest that a superoxide anion is transferred during the reaction.     

Novel multifunctional water- and oil-repellent,antibacterial, and flame-retardant cellulose fibres created by the sol–gel process

This research aimed to prepare cotton fibres with novel multifunctional water- and oil-repellent, antibacterial, and flame-retardant properties. A three-component equimolar sol mixture, which included 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, and P,P-diphenyl-N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl) phosphinic amide, was applied to the cotton fabric using the sol–gel process. The presence of the coating on the cotton fibres was confirmed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The functional properties of the coated cotton fabric were determined from liquid contact angle measurements and antibacterial activity, burning behaviour, and thermo-oxidative stability studies. The results demonstrate that a unique, compatible, and uniform organic-inorganic hybrid polymer network was formed on the fabric surface, which preserved its simultaneous hydrophobic (water contact angle of 135 ± 2°), oleophobic (n-hexadecane contact angle of 117 ± 1°), and bactericidal (bacterial reduction of 100 %) properties and incorporated the enhanced thermo-oxidative stability of the modified cellulose fibres.     

Bis‐NHC Chelate Complexes of Nickel(0) and Platinum(0)

For a long time d¹⁰‐ML₂ fragments have been known for their potential to activate unreactive bonds by oxidative addition. In the development of more active species, two approaches have proven successful: the use of strong σ‐donating ligands leading to electron‐rich metal centers and the employment of chelating ligands resulting in a bent coordination geometry. Combining these two strategies, we synthesized bis‐NHC chelate complexes of nickel(0) and platinum(0). Bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and ‐platinum(0) react with bisimidazolium salts, deprotonated in situ at room temperature, to yield tetrahedral or trigonal‐planar bis‐NHC chelate olefin complexes. The synthesis and characterization of these complexes as well as a first example of C? C bond activation with these systems are reported. Due to the enforced cis arrangement of two NHCs, these compounds should open interesting perspectives for bond‐activation chemistry and catalysis.     

Selector‐Induced Dynamic Deracemization of a Selectand‐Modified Tropos BIPHEPO‐Ligand: Application in the Organocatalyzed Asymmetric Double‐Aldol‐Reaction

Stereolabile interconverting catalysts open up the possibility of directing enantioselectivity in asymmetric synthesis by formation of diastereomeric complexes with chiral auxiliaries and deracemization. However, the stoichiometrically used auxilliaries can significantly limit the potential applications of such systems. We synthesized a new BIPHEPO tropos ligand containing achiral selectands in the backbone, which forms transient diastereomeric associates with amylose‐tris‐3,5‐dimethylphenyl carbamate as a selector and thus deracemizes. The enantiomerically enriched BIPHEPO obtained was successfully used in the organocatalytic asymmetric double aldol addition of substituted methyl ketones to form benzaldehyde. This strategy combines an on‐column deracemization with the high stereoinduction of chiral biarylphosphineoxides and opens up new possibilities in the field of self‐amplified asymmetric syntheses.     

A Rapidly Reversible Chemical Dimerizer System to Study Lipid Signaling in Living Cells

Chemical dimerizers are powerful tools for non‐invasive manipulation of enzyme activities in intact cells. Here we introduce the first rapidly reversible small‐molecule‐based dimerization system and demonstrate a sufficiently fast switch‐off to determine kinetics of lipid metabolizing enzymes in living cells. We applied this new method to induce and stop phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) activity, allowing us to quantitatively measure the turnover of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5‐trisphosphate (PIP₃) and its downstream effectors by confocal fluorescence microscopy as well as standard biochemical methods.     

Coordination and Redox Isomerization in the Reduction of a Uranium(III) Monoarene Complex

Synthetic studies on the redox chemistry of trivalent uranium monoarene complexes were undertaken with a complex derived from the chelating tris(aryloxide)arene ligand (^Ad,MeArO)₃mes^3?. Cyclic voltammetry of [{(^Ad,MeArO)₃mes}U^III] ( 1 ) revealed a nearly reversible and chemically accessible reduction at ?2.495 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺—the first electrochemical evidence for a formally divalent uranium complex. Chemical reduction of 1 indicates that reduction induces coordination and redox isomerization to form a uranium(IV) hydride, and addition of a crown ether results in hydride insertion into the coordinated arene to afford uranium(IV) complexes. This stoichiometric reaction sequence provides structural insight into the mechanism of arene functionalization at diuranium inverted sandwich complexes.     

Decay of Iron(V) Nitride Complexes By a NN Bond‐Coupling Reaction in Solution: A Combined Spectroscopic and Theoretical Analysis

Cryogenically trapped Fe^V nitride complexes with cyclam‐based ligands were found to decay by bimolecular reactions, forming exclusively Fe^II compounds. Characterization of educts and products by Mössbauer spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and spectroscopy‐oriented DFT calculations showed that the reaction mechanism is reductive nitride coupling and release of dinitrogen (2 Fe^V?N→Fe^II‐N?N‐Fe^II→2 Fe^II+N₂). The reaction pathways, representing an “inverse” of the Haber–Bosch reaction, were computationally explored in detail, also to judge the feasibility of yielding catalytically competent Fe^V(N). Implications for the photolytic cleavage of Fe^III azides used to generate high‐valent Fe nitrides are discussed.     

Metastable Ionic Diodes Derived from an Amine‐Based Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity

A highly rigid amine‐based polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM), prepared by a polymerization reaction involving the formation of Tröger’s base, is demonstrated to act as an ionic diode with electrolyte‐dependent bistable switchable states.