Formation of Giant Needle‐Like Polycation‐Bile Acid Complexes

The complexation of bile acids with various solvated polycations was studied. A one‐to‐one complex was precipitated when an aqueous solution of cholic acid sodium salt (CA) was mixed with aqueous solutions of 3,3‐ionene and grew to form crystals with needle‐like morphology, 3 millimeters in length. Hydrogen bonding of hydroxyls at the steroid face and the spacing between cationic sites of polycations were crucial for the formation of the giant needle.

Crossed polarizing microscopic photograph of the complex composed of cholic acid sodium salt and 3,3‐ionene.     

Construction of α-phosphonolactams via rhodium (II)-catalyzed intramolecular C?H insertion reactions

The Rh(II)-catalyzed intramolecular C H insertion reactions of N,N-dialkyl-α-diazo-α-(diethylphosphono)acetamides 2a , f–j in CHCl₃ or ClCH₂CH₂Cl were found to give monocyclic and bicyclic α-phosphono-β-lactams, 3a and 3f–j , in 43–67% yields via regiospecific α-C H insertion of the N-alkyl groups. Similar treatment of N-benzyl-N-isopropyl-α-diazo-α-(diethylphosphono)acetamide ( 2b ) and the corresponding N-isobutyl-N-methylacetamide 2d in ClCH₂CH₂Cl afforded mixtures of β-lactams 3b (35%) and and 3b ′ (16%), β-lactam 3d (47%), and γ-lactam 4d (10%), respectively, each of which is formed by the competitive C H insertion reaction between benzylic and isopropyl α-C H bonds and between methyl α-C H and methine β-C H bonds, respectively. For the formation of β-lactams, the selectivity in the rhodium-mediated C H insertion in ClCH₂CH₂Cl follows the order methyl > methine > benzylic α-C H bond on N-substituents. The N,N-dibutyl-α-diazo homologue 2c and Nα[α-diazo-α-(diethylphosphono)acetyl]-2-methylindoline ( 2k ) exclusively produced γ-lactams 4c (67%) and 4k (81%) via insertion into the methylene β-C H and methyl β-C H bonds. tert-Butyl N-[α-diazo-α-(dibenzylphosphono)acetyl]-piperidine-2-carboxylate ( 2m ) on similar treatment, followed by deprotection of the benzyl ester afforded the 7-phosphono carbacepham 6 in 32% overall yield. Similar Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclization of N-methyl-N[4-benzyloxy-α-(diethylphosphono)-phenyl(diethyl-phosphono)methyl]-α-diazo-acetamide ( 2n ) led to 1-[4′-benzylphenyl(diethylphosphono)methyl] -3-(diethyl-phosphono)azetidin-2-one ( 3n ) in 78% yicld. The phosphono group at C-7 of 3f was converted into the acetylamino group via a four-step reaction. Application of chiral rhodium(II) carboxylates 12a–c to the insertion reactions of 2b , c produced α-phosphono-β-and γ-lactams, 3b and 4c , in 6–24% ee and 25–29% ee, respectively.