Catalyst-free alkanoylation of aromatic rings via arylstannanes. Scope and limitations

The reaction of alkanoyl chlorides with arylstannanes in 1,2-dichlorobenzene (180 °C) is a simple and direct route for the catalyst-free and regioselective synthesis of tertiary alkyl aryl ketones in good to excellent isolated yields (55-77%). Nevertheless, under similar conditions, reactions carried out with alkanoyl chlorides bearing α-hydrogens render only the product of protodestannylation.     

Factors that regulate the conformation of m-benziporphodimethene complexes: agostic metal-arene interaction, hydrogen bonding, and η2,π coordination

Group 12 and silver(I) tetramethyl‐m‐benziporphodimethene (TMBPDM) complexes with phenyl, methylbenzoate, or nitrophenyl groups as meso substituents were synthesized and fully characterized. The dimeric silver(I) complex displays an unusual η²,π coordination from the β‐pyrrolic C?C bond to the silver ion. All of the complexes displayed a close contact between the metal ion and the inner C(22)? H(22) on the m‐phenylene ring. The downfield chemical shifts of H(22) and large coupling constants between Cd^II and H(22) strongly support the presence of an agostic interaction between the metal ion and inner C(22)–H(22). Crystal structures revealed that the syn form is the predominant conformation for TMBPDM complexes. This is distinctively different from the exclusive anti conformation observed in m‐benziporphyrin and tetraphenyl‐m‐benziporphodimethene (TPBPDM) complexes. Evidently, intramolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions between axial chloride and methyl groups stabilize syn conformations. Unlike the merely syn conformation observed in the solid‐state structures of TMBPDM complexes that contain an axial chloride, in solution these complexes display highly solvent‐ and temperature‐dependent syn/anti ratio changes. The observation of dynamic ¹H NMR spectroscopic scrambling between syn and anti conformations from the titration of chloride ion into the solution of the TMBPDM complex suggests that axial ligand exchange is a likely pathway for the conversion between syn and anti forms. Theoretical calculations revealed that intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the axial chloride and CHCl₃ stabilizes the anti conformation, which explains the increased ratio for the anti form when dichloromethane or chloroform was used as the solvent.     

First principle studies toward the design of a new class of carbene superbases involving intramolecular H···π interactions

The higher basicity of carbenes has been exploited with H···π non-bonding interactions to design a new class of organic superbases. This simple molecular architecture gains a basicity comparable to some of the known functionalized nitrogen superbases and phosphazenes.     

Alkylation/elimination from azetidinium ylides: an entry to functionalized acrylonitriles

Azetidinium triflates were reacted in a one-pot two-steps sequence involving, generation of an azetidinium ylide, its alkylation with an halide, and final regioselective Hofmann elimination of the produced alkylated azetidinium ion to yield substituted α,β-unsaturated nitriles bearing an aminoethyl side-chain. The scope of this sequence was examined, and was found to depend both on the steric hindrance around the reactive center in the starting azetidinium salt, and on the nature of the reacting halide. Produced acrylonitriles were further used in DBU-catalyzed conjugate addition of amines, to yield 4-amino-2-aminomethyl-butyronitriles with fair diastereoselectivity, or, alternatively, to give C₂ symmetrical cyclopropanes.     

Lanthanide dota-like complexes containing a picolinate pendant: structural entry for the design of Ln(III)-based luminescent probes

In this contribution we present two ligands based on a do3a platform containing a picolinate group attached to the fourth nitrogen atom of the cyclen unit, which are designed for stable lanthanide complexation in aqueous solutions. Potentiometric measurements reveal that the thermodynamic stability of the complexes is very high (log K = 21.2-23.5), being comparable to that of the dota analogues. Luminescence lifetime measurements performed on solutions of the Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes indicate that the complexes are nine coordinate with no inner-sphere water molecules. A combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and NMR measurements shows that for the complexes of the heaviest lanthanides there is a major isomer in solution consisting of the enantiomeric pair Λ(δδδδ) and Δ(λλλλ), which provides square antiprismatic coordination (SAP) around the metal ion. Analysis of the Yb(III)-induced paramagnetic shifts unambiguously confirms that these complexes have SAP coordination in aqueous solution. For the light lanthanide ions however both the SAP and twisted-square antiprismatic (TSAP) isomers are present in solution. Inversion of the cyclen ring appears to be the rate-determining step for the Λ(δδδδ) ? Δ(λλλλ) enantiomerization process observed in the Lu(III) complexes. The energy barriers obtained from NMR measurements for this dynamic process are in excellent agreement with those predicted by DFT calculations. The energy barriers calculated for the arm-rotation process are considerably lower than those obtained for the ring-inversion path. Kinetic studies show that replacement of an acetate arm of dota by a picolinate pendant results in a 3-fold increase in the formation rate of the corresponding Eu(III) complexes and a significant increase of the rates of acid-catalyzed dissociation of the complexes. However, these rates are 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than those of do3a analogues, which shows that the complexes reported herein are remarkably inert with respect to metal ion dissociation.     

Preparation of unsymmetrical distyryl BODIPY derivatives and effects of the styryl substituents on their in vitro photodynamic properties

A series of unsymmetrical distyryl BODIPYs have been prepared which function as highly potent photosensitisers with in vitro IC(50) values as low as 15 nM. Their cellular uptake, subcellular localisation and photocytotoxicity depend greatly on the styryl substituents.     

The volume and compressibility change for the formation of transition metal sulfate ion pairs at 25°C

The apparent molal volume and adiabatic compressibilities of some transition metal (Mn²⁺, Co²⁺ Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cd²⁺) sulfates have been determined at 25°C. Values of to 11.4 cm³-mole^–1 and to 31.3 × 10^–4cm³-mole^–1-bar^–1 at 1 atm were found for the formation of the transition metal sulfate ion pairs. These results are in good agreement with the values obtained from the high-pressure conductance measurements of Fisher et al., Shimizu et al., and Taniguchi et al. The volume and compressibility data indicate that 3.1±0.7 water molecules are lost when transition metals form ion pairs with SO ₄ ^2– . The fractions of inner-sphere ion pairs (20%) estimated in this study are in good agreement with the values obtained from ultrasonic measurements.