Directed ortho lithiation of N-alkylphenylaziridines

The ortho lithiation-trapping sequence of phenylaziridines is described. This methodology, which counts on the ability of the aziridino group to act as a directed metalation group (DMG), provides an easy access to functionalized arylaziridines as well as to phthalans and phthalides. The importance of the aziridine N-substituent in this DoM reaction is stressed as well. [reaction: see text]     

Alpha- vs ortho-lithiation of N-alkylarylaziridines: probing the role of the nitrogen inversion process

The lithiation reaction of monophenyl- and diphenylaziridines has been investigated in detail in an effort to understand why the former undergo exclusively or mainly ortho-lithiation while the latter are lithiated exclusively at the alpha-position. Evidence is reported that ruled out the possibility that the alpha-lithiation, observed for the diphenylaziridines, is the result of an ortho- to alpha-translocation phenomenon, thus substantiating a direct alpha-deprotonation process. The role of the aziridine nitrogen lone-pair has been considered: dynamics at the aziridine nitrogen as well as complex-induced proximity effects seem to be responsible for the observed regioselectivity in both monophenyl and diphenylaziridines. It turns out that, by tuning the reaction conditions for the lithiation of trans-1-alkyl-2-methyl-3-phenylaziridines, it is possible to generate with high regioselectivity alpha- and/or ortho-lithiated aziridines, which can be stereoselectively functionalized by electrophilic trapping. A regioselective ortho-functionalization of diphenylaziridines is made possible by halogen- or tin-lithium exchange and by deprotonation of bis-deuterated aziridines.     

Enhancement of Homochirality in Oligopeptides by Quartz

The onset of homochirality in oligopeptide chains is spontaneous. We show that the oligomerization of dilute racemic NCA (N‐carboxyanhydride=cyclic anhydride) leucine in the presence of quartz in aqueous solution yields oligopeptides that are characterized by a high degree of homochiral (L _n and D _n) sequences on the quartz surface. A similar effect is also observed, although to a lesser extent, for hydrophilic chains, namely in the oligomerization of racemic NCA glutamic acid in presence of hydroxylapatite. We argue that these findings may be relevant for the chemical evolution of homochirality.     

NMR Study of Micelles Formed by Monoalkylphosphoryl Nucleosides

An NMR investigation of aqueous micelles obtained from surfactants bearing a nucleotide head attached to a linear hexadecyl hydrocarbon chain is presented. In particular, hexadecylphosphoryl‐adenosine (C16‐AMP) and hexadecylphosphoryl‐uridine (C16‐UMP) are studied by a combination of ¹H‐NMR techniques such as NOESY, ROESY, and spin‐lattice relaxation times. Both the intramolecular (i.e., within one surfactant monomer) and the intermolecular interactions (i.e., between neighboring surfactant molecules) are investigated. Relaxation measurements show that different groups of the surfactant molecule have distinct dynamic properties, the internal mobility decreases starting from the head group towards the Me terminal, while protons belonging to the base (which should be exposed to water) enjoy considerable freedom. The large upfield shift of the resonance of the terminal Me groups is evidence of a collective property of the micelle, an effect that, to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported so far. The micelles are studied both in water and salt solution, and the noticeable difference between the two cases is interpreted as a salt‐induced stiffening effect. By mixing C16‐AMP with C16‐UMP, mixed micelles are obtained, i.e., micelles that contain both surfactant monomers in each aggregate; our analysis shows that a significant interaction between the two complementary aromatic bases is present. All these results allow us to draw a picture of the surfactant in the micelle in which the plane of the aromatic ring lies parallel to the surface of the micelle and towards the aqueous medium. There are no basic structural differences between C16‐AMP and C16‐UMP micelles or C16‐AMP/C16‐UMP mixed micelles.     

A highly stereoselective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated oxazolines

Lithiated 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-oxazoline 2a and 2-chloromethyl-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazoline 2b react smoothly with a number of nitrones 3 to produce α,β-unsaturated oxazolines 6 and 7 highly stereoselectively.     

Multistep Continuous Flow Synthesis of Isolable NH2-Sulfinamidines via Nucleophilic Addition to Transient Sulfurdiimide

The growing interest in novel sulfur pharmacophores led to recent advances in the synthesis of some S(IV) and S(VI) motifs. However, preparation and isolation of uncommon primary sulfinamidines, the aza-analogues of sulfinamides, is highly desirable. Here we report a multistep continuous flow synthesis of poorly explored NH₂-sulfinamidines by nucleophilic attack of organometallic reagents to in situ prepared N-(trimethylsilyl)-N-trityl-λ⁴-sulfanediimine (Tr−N=S=N−TMS). The transformation can additionally be realized under mild conditions, at room temperature, via a highly chemoselective halogen-lithium exchange of aryl bromides and iodides with n-butyllithium. Moreover, the synthetic potential of the methodology was assessed by exploring further manipulations of the products and accessing novel S(IV) analogues of celecoxib, tasisulam, and relevant sulfinimidoylureas.     

Synthesis and lithiation of oxazolinylaziridines: the N-substituent effect

The preparation of N-substituted oxazolinylaziridines and their deprotonation to afford the corresponding aziridinyllithiums is described. The chemical and configurational stability of the lithiated species depends on the N-substituent on the aziridine ring. The trapping with carbonyl compounds of (R*,S*) configurated oxazolinylaziridines is an interesting route for the preparation of functionalised α,β-aziridino-γ-lactones.