π–π stacking motifs in dialkylbis{5‐[(E)‐2‐aryldiazen‐1‐yl]‐2‐hydroxybenzoato}tin(IV) complexes

The diorganotin(IV) complexes of 5‐[(E)‐2‐aryldiazen‐1‐yl]‐2‐hydroxybenzoic acid are of interest because of their structural diversity in the crystalline state and their interesting biological activity. The structures of dimethylbis{2‐hydroxy‐5‐[(E)‐2‐(4‐methylphenyl)diazen‐1‐yl]benzoato}tin(IV), [Sn(CH₃)₂(C₁₄H₁₁N₂O₃)₂], and di‐n‐butylbis{2‐hydroxy‐5‐[(E)‐2‐(4‐methylphenyl)diazen‐1‐yl]benzoato}tin(IV) benzene hemisolvate, [Sn(C₄H₉)₂(C₁₄H₁₁N₂O₃)₂]·0.5C₆H₆, exhibit the usual skew‐trapezoidal bipyramidal coordination geometry observed for related complexes of this class. Each structure has two independent molecules of the Sn^IV complex in the asymmetric unit. In the dimethyltin structure, intermolecular O—H…O hydrogen bonds and a very weak Sn…O interaction link the independent molecules into dimers. The planar carboxylate ligands lend themselves to π–π stacking interactions and the diversity of supramolecular structural motifs formed by these interactions has been examined in detail for these two structures and four closely related analogues. While there are some recurring basic motifs amongst the observed stacking arrangements, such as dimers and step‐like chains, variations through longitudinal slipping and inversion of the direction of the overlay add complexity. The π–π stacking motifs in the two title complexes are combinations of some of those observed in the other structures and are the most complex of the structures examined.     

Asymmetric synthesis of mono- and dinuclear bis(dipyrrinato) complexes

The diastereoselective syntheses of Zn(II) bis(dipyrrinato) helicates is reported, involving ligands templated by the incorporation of homochiral binol within the linker joining the two dipyrrinato units. The most diastereoselective formation of dinuclear bis(dipyrrinato) helicates to date is reported. The formation of either mononuclear or dinuclear helicates can be tuned by varying the length of the linker between the dipyrrinato units and by varying the complexation procedure. The neutral dipyrrinato helicates were readily analyzed by HPLC to ascertain diastereoselectivity, and circular dichroism studies revealed the helical nature of the complexes. The molar ellipticities of the helicates produced by diastereoselective complexation are very large in the visible region and typically correspond to binol moieties in the UV region. Extensive X-ray crystallographic investigations further confirmed the helicity of the mononuclear Zn(II) helicates and identified significant interlayer displacement and bending within crystals.     

Transitions in structure in oil-in-water emulsions as studied by diffusing wave spectroscopy

Transitions in structure of sodium caseinate stabilized emulsions were studied using conventional rheometry as well as diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS). Structural differences were induced by different amounts of stabilizer, and transitions in structure were induced by acidification. Special attention was given to the sol-gel transition. In this study the criterion of the sol-gel transition being frequency independent was verified for emulsions using DWS. It was shown that this sol-gel transition did not correspond to the so-called ergodic-nonergodic transition. Differences, as a function of the pH, were found for emulsions containing different amounts of stabilizer. The emulsion droplets in an emulsion without extra stabilizer formed a continuous network upon acidification, while the droplets in emulsions with an excess of stabilizer formed a network of oil droplets at neutral pH. Upon acidification of the latter one, the initial network of oil droplets fell apart, and eventually a network of sodium caseinate, in which the oil droplets were embedded, was formed. This caused the appearance of two sol-gel transitions. The breaking of the initial network as well as the network formation of sodium caseinate in time was observed by DWS.     

Stereochemical Course of the Reaction between Thiocarbonyl Compounds and Oxiranes: Reaction with cis‐ and trans‐2,3‐Dimethyloxirane

The reactions of thiocarbonyl compounds with cis‐2,3‐dimethyloxirane ( 1a ) in CH₂Cl₂ in the presence of BF₃⋅Et₂O or SnCl₄ led to trans‐4,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐oxathiolanes, whereas with trans‐2,3‐dimethyloxirane ( 1b ) cis‐4,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐oxathiolanes were formed. With the stronger Lewis acid SnCl₄, the formation of side‐products was also observed. In the case of 1,3‐thiazole‐5(4H)‐thione 2 , these side‐products are the corresponding 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐one 5 and the 1 : 2 adduct 8 (Schemes 2 – 4). Their formation can be rationalized by the decomposition of the initially formed spirocyclic 1,3‐oxathiolane and by a second addition onto the C=N bond of the 1 : 1 adduct, respectively. The secondary epimerization by inversion of the configuration of the spiro‐C‐atom (Schemes 5 – 7) can be explained by a Lewis‐acid‐catalyzed ring opening of the 1,3‐oxathiolane ring and subsequent ring closure to the thermodynamically more stable isomer (Scheme 12). In the case of 2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐3‐thioxocyclobutanone ( 20 ), apart from the expected spirocyclic 1,3‐oxathiolanes 21 and 23 , dispirocyclic 1 : 2 adducts were formed by a secondary addition onto the C=O group of the four‐membered ring (Schemes 9 and 10).     

Desulfurization of 4-Nitro-N,2-diphenyl-3-(phenylamino)isothiazol- 5(2H)-imine: Formation of a 3-Imino-2-nitroprop-2-enamidine

The course of the desulfurization reaction of 4-nitro-N,2-diphenyl-3-(phenylamino)isothiazol-5(2H)-imine ( 3 ) is investigated and the formation of the unstable 3-imino-2-nitroprop-2-enamidine ( A ) as intermediate is discussed. Addition of amines and thiophenol to the reaction mixture yielded the amidine derivatives 5 and the thioimidate 6 , respectively, via nucleophilic addition of the respective reagent to A (Scheme 2). Benzoic acid and thiobenzoic acid afforded the amide 7 and the thioamide 8 , respectively, as secondary products of the expected adducts 7a and 8a (Schemes 3 and 4). The presence of (benzylidene)(methyl)amine in the reaction mixture of the desulfurization of 3 led to the 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative 10 , together with the quinoxaline N-oxide 4 as a minor product. Reaction mechanisms involving an intermediate ketene imine and participation of the NO₂ group in the reaction leading to 1,2,4-oxadiazole 10 are proposed. Ab initio calculations of model structures for the nitroketene imine were performed and the results correlated with the experimental results. The structures of 8 and 10 were established by X-ray crystal-structure analysis.     

New Routes to Fused Isoquinolines

Treatment of 6,7‐diethoxy‐3,4‐dihydroisoquinoline ( 8 ) and its 1‐methyl derivative 12 with hydrazonoyl halides 10 in the presence of Et₃N in THF under reflux afforded the corresponding 5,6‐dihydro‐1,2,4‐triazolo[3,4‐a]isoquinolines 11 and 13 , respectively, in high yield (Schemes 2 and 3). The products are formed via regioselective 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of the intermediate nitrilimines 9 with the isoquinoline C=N bond. Reaction of 6,7‐diethoxy‐3,4‐dihydroisoquinoline‐1‐acetonitrile ( 4a ) with ethyl α‐cyanocinnamates 15 in the presence of piperidine in refluxing MeCN yielded benzo[a]quinolizin‐4‐ones 16 (Scheme 4). Under the same conditions, 12 and arylidene malononitriles 19 reacted to give benzo[a]quinolizin‐4‐imines 20 (Scheme 5). Instead of 15 and 19 , mixtures of an aromatic aldehyde, and ethyl cyanoacetate or malononitrile, respectively, can be used in a one‐pot reaction.     

Formation of 1,3‐Thiazol‐5(4H)‐imines and 1,3‐Oxazol‐5(4H)‐imines in Aib‐Containing Thiopeptides

When tripeptides of type Axx^t‐Aib‐Axx‐OH were coupled with amino acid methyl esters by means of commonly used coupling reagents, the formation of 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imines and 1,3‐oxazol‐5(4H)‐imines was observed. With the aim of understanding which structure elements are required for this reaction, several model peptides have been prepared according to our recently described methodology, a modification of the ‘azirine/oxazolone method', followed by selective isomerization of the peptide thioamides. In addition, attempts to prepare peptides that contain more than one C=S group by the same methodology also led to the formation of 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imine‐containing derivatives. An additional C=S group can be introduced into the peptide, when the 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imines were treated with H₂S, although mixtures of epimers were obtained. The structures of an endothiohexapeptide, two 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐ones, and two peptides containing a 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imine moiety have been established by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis.