Controlled Reactivity Tuning of Metal‐Functionalized Vanadium Oxide Clusters

Controlling the assembly and functionalization of molecular metal oxides [M_xO_y]^n? (M=Mo, W, V) allows the targeted design of functional molecular materials. While general methods exist that enable the predetermined functionalization of tungstates and molybdates, no such routes are available for molecular vanadium oxides. Controlled design of polyoxovanadates, however, would provide highly active materials for energy conversion, (photo‐) catalysis, molecular magnetism, and materials science. To this end, a new approach has been developed that allows the reactivity tuning of vanadium oxide clusters by selective metal functionalization. Organic, hydrogen‐bonding cations, for example, dimethylammonium are used as molecular placeholders to block metal binding sites within vanadate cluster shells. Stepwise replacement of the placeholder cations with reactive metal cations gives mono‐ and difunctionalized clusters. Initial reactivity studies illustrate the tunability of the magnetic, redox, and catalytic activity.     

Syntheses of substituted benzosiloles and siloles by diisobutylaluminium hydride-promoted cyclization of 1-silyl-2-(2-silylethynyl)benzenes and 1,4-disilylalk-3-en-1-ynes

An efficient method for preparing substituted benzosiloles and unsymmetrically substituted siloles by intramolecular C-Si bond formation has been developed. The reaction of 1-methoxysilyl-2-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]benzenes with 1.5 equiv of diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL-H) gave benzosiloles in good to high yields. Similarly 4-methoxysilyl-1-silylalk-3-en-1-ynes were cyclized to multisubstituted siloles. Mechanistic study of this transformation uncovered that the methoxysilyl group was initially converted into the corresponding hydrosilyl group by the action of DIBAL-H, and that the resultant hydrosilanes underwent the DIBAL-H-promoted cyclization to benzosiloles. When 1-hydrosilyl-2-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]benzenes were used as substrates, a substoichiometric amount of DIBAL-H was enough for the cyclization. The DIBAL-H-promoted transformation could be applied to regio-defined synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted siloles from 4-hydrosilyl-1-silylalk-3-en-1-ynes. This pre-installation approach provides a straightforward access to multisubstituted siloles with complete regioselection.     

6‐Azido‐6‐deoxy‐l‐idose as a Hetero‐Bifunctional Spacer for the Synthesis of Azido‐Containing Chemical Probes

The design of 6‐azido‐6‐deoxy‐l ‐idose for use as a hetero‐bifunctional spacer is reported. The hemiacetal at one terminus is an equivalent of an aldehyde and can react with nucleophiles, such as amino groups and electron‐rich aromatics. The azido group at the other terminus bio‐orthogonally undergoes a Hüisgen [3+2] cycloaddition with an acetylene. The idose derivative exhibited a higher level of reactivity towards oxime formation than a corresponding glucose derivative. The ¹³C NMR spectrum of the uniformly ¹³C‐labeled 6‐azido‐idose indicated that the acyclic forms of the sugar totaled 0.3 % of all the isomers, whereas those of glucose totaled 0.01 %. The larger population of the acyclic forms of the idose derivative would result in higher reactivity towards electrophilic addition in comparison with glucose derivatives. Finally, we prepared a C‐idosyl epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that bears an azido group through C‐glycosylation of EGCG with 6‐azido‐idose. This glycosyl form of the C‐idosyl EGCG exhibited a cytotoxicity against U266 cells that was comparable to that of EGCG. These results suggested that the EGCG derivative could be used as an effective chemical probe for the elucidation of EGCG biological functions.     

Enhancement of Negative Photochromic Properties of Naphthalene-Bridged Phenoxyl-Imidazolyl Radical Complex

Negative photochromism has increased attention as a light-switch for functional materials. A development of fast photochromic molecules has been also expected because a rapid thermal back reaction within a millisecond time scale is useful for real-time switching. Herein, we synthesized the derivatives of the naphthalene-bridged phenoxyl-imidazolyl radical complex (Np−PIC) showing the negative photochromism to demonstrate the efficient strategy to increase the visible light sensitivity and to control the thermal back reaction rates. The distances of the C−C bond of the transient 2,4’-isomer shows good agreement with the thermodynamic stability, leading to the control of the thermal back reaction rate. We revealed the cyclic voltammetry and the DFT calculations are efficient to predict the characters of the HOMO and LUMO. The introduction of the electron-withdrawing dicyanoquinodimethane group is efficient to induce the photochromic reaction with increased visible-light sensitivity by the expansion of the π-conjugation. The results will give an important insight for the future development of fast-responsive negative photochromic molecules.     

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Assessment of perfusion-related parameters compared to dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

Purpose

To investigate the correlation between perfusion-related parameters obtained with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and classical perfusion parameters obtained with dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and to compare direct and asymptotic fitting, the pixel-by-pixel approach, and a region of interest (ROI)-based approach respectively for IVIM parameter calculation.

Materials and methods

Seventeen patients with HNSCC were included in this retrospective study. All magnetic resonance (MR) scanning was performed using a 3 T MR unit. Acquisition of IVIM was performed using single-shot spin-echo echo-planar imaging with three orthogonal gradients with 12 b-values (0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, and 2000). Perfusion-related parameters of perfusion fraction ‘f’ and the pseudo-diffusion coefficient ‘D*’ were calculated from IVIM data by using least square fitting with the two fitting methods of direct and asymptotic fitting, respectively. DCE perfusion was performed in a total of 64 dynamic phases with a 3.2-s phase interval. The two-compartment exchange model was used for the quantification of tumor blood volume (TBV) and tumor blood flow (TBF). Each tumor was delineated with a polygonal ROI for the calculation of f, f ? D* performed using both the pixel-by-pixel approach and the ROI-based approach. In the pixel-by-pixel approach, after fitting each pixel to obtain f, f ? D* maps, the mean value in the delineated ROI on these maps was calculated. In the ROI-based approach, the mean value of signal intensity was calculated within the ROI for each b-value in IVIM images, and then fitting was performed using these values. Correlations between f in a total of four combinations (direct or asymptotic fitting and pixel-by-pixel or ROI-based approach) and TBV were respectively analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Correlations between f ? D* and TBF were also similarly analyzed.

Results

In all combinations of f and TBV, f ? D* and TBF, there was a significant correlation. In the comparison of f and TBV, a moderate correlation was observed only between f obtained by direct fitting with the pixel-by-pixel approach, whereas a good correlation was observed in the comparisons using the other three combinations. In the comparison of f ? D* and TBF, a good correlation was observed only with f ? D* obtained by asymptotic fitting with the ROI-based approach. In contrast, moderate correlations were observed in the comparisons using the other three combinations.

Conclusion

IVIM was found to be feasible for the analysis of perfusion-related parameters in patients with HNSCC. Especially, the combination of asymptotic fitting with the ROI-based approach was better correlated with DCE perfusion.     

A novel samarium(II)-mediated tandem spirocyclization onto an aromatic ring

We report a samarium(II)-mediated tandem spirocyclization reaction to provide dispiro[4.2.4.2]tetradecadiene and dispiro[4.2.5.2]pentadecadiene skeletons. The reaction was achieved by intramolecular addition of a ketyl radical onto an aromatic ring bearing an electrophilic moiety followed by reductive capture of the spirohexadienyl radical intermediate with SmI₂ in the presence of HMPA.     

Synthetic application and structural elucidation of axially chiral dicarboxylic acid: asymmetric Mannich-type reaction with diazoacetate, (diazomethyl)phosphonate, and (diazomethyl)sulfone

The past decade has witnessed the burgeoning research fields of chiral Br?nsted acid catalysis. However, carboxylic acids, arguably the most general acids in organic chemistry, have rarely been used as chiral Br?nsted acid catalysts. In this context, we developed axially chiral dicarboxylic acid and evaluated its catalytic activity in asymmetric Mannich-type reaction of aromatic aldehyde-derived N-Boc imines and tert-butyl diazoacetate. To demonstrate the remarkable generality of this catalytic system, tert-butyl diazoacetate was replaced with its phosphorus and sulfur analogues, (diazomethyl)phosphonate and (diazomethyl)sulfone, by which synthetically valuable chiral β-amino phosphonates and β-amino sulfones could be obtained with high enantioselectivities under identical reaction conditions. X-ray crystallographic analysis of axially chiral dicarboxylic acid complexed with a pyridine derivative revealed its unique internal hydrogen bonding, a property that serves as a basis for its distinctive acidity and chiral scaffold.