Synthesis of chiral polydentate ligands and the use of their titanium complexes as pre-catalysts for the asymmetric trimethylsilylcyanation of benzaldehyde

A number of polydentate ligands based on enantiomerically pure binaphthol have been synthesized. The ligand complexes with titanium isopropoxide were used as catalysts for the asymmetric addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to benzaldehyde. A fragment with axial chirality is responsible for the configuration of O-trimethylsilyl cyanohydrin product. In the case of the optimum ligand based on (R)-binaphthol and (S)-leucinol, an enantiomeric excess of 86% and quantitative yield were achieved in 4 h. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1946–1953, September, 2008.     

Synthesis and properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-methyl[60]fullereno[<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>]pyrrolidines containing cyclopentadienyl(carbonyl)metal fragments

In new N-methyl[60]fullereno[c]pyrrolidine derivatives, the organometallic substituents in position 2 of the pyrrolidine ring are tricarbonyl(cyclopentadienyl)rhenium, α-bicymantrenyl, and β-bicymantrenyl (also the optically active (+)-enantiomer of the latter). The electrochemical and spectroscopic (NMR) properties of the compounds obtained were studied. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1932–1934, September, 2008.     

New monomer based on thienopyrazine with fluorocarbazole substituents as a promising building block for organic electronics

A new monomer, 2,3-bis[6-fluoro-9-(2-octyldodecyl)-9H-carbazol-3-yl]-3,3'-[5,7-di(5-bromothienyl-2)thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine, M1, based on thienopyrazine containing fluorocarbazole substituents in the pyrazine ring has been synthesized. The structure of the compound has been proved by ¹H and ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis. The HOMO and LUMO energies for monomer M1 and its precursor 3 determined by the electrochemical method are–5.03 and–3.31 eV, as well as–5.28 and–3.36 eV, respectively. Band gap widths E _g ^ec are 1.72 and 1.92 eV for compounds M1 and 3, respectively. The new structural fragment has rather deep energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals and a small band gap width; therefore, it is a promising building block for the synthesis of polymers for organic electronics.     

Synthesis of siloxane analogs of calixarenes

First siloxane analogs of calixarenes were synthesized based on the stereoregular cis-tetraphenylcyclotetrasiloxanetetrol. Different methods were used to study properties of new compounds in bulk, as well as their behavior at the water–air interface.     

New branched oligophenylenefluorenes: Synthesis and spectral-luminescent properties

The fluorenyl dendrimers 1,3,5-tris(2-fluorenyl)benzene and 1,3,5-tris[2-(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl)]benzene, which are model compounds for branched oligophenylenefluorenes, are prepared via the cyclocondensation of unsubstituted and dioctyl-substituted acetylfluorenes, respectively. Branched oligophenylenefluorenes are synthesized via the copolycondensation of phenyl-bis(pinacol diborate) with tribromoarylenes in the presence of the ferrocenyl complex of Pd via the Suzuki reaction A₃ + B₂. For solutions of model compounds and oligophenylenefluorenes, absorption and fluorescence spectra are measured and interpreted. In the case of the branched oligomers, no aggregation of luminophore fragments occurs, an advantageous feature that distinguishes the branched oligomers from well-known linear luminescent polymers.     

Prototropic processes in benzaurins. <Superscript>19</Superscript>F and <Superscript>1</Superscript>H NMR spectra of fluoro- and methylsubstituted 4-hydroxyphenyl-diphenylcarbinols,related fuchsones and benzaurins

Tautomerism of benzaurins and hydration are studied. ¹H and ¹⁹F chemical shifts have been determined for a number of substituted 4-hydroxyphenyl-diphenyl carbinols containing fluorine in a 3-, 3*- or 4*-position, and for similar compounds containing additional methyl groups in a position of 3, 3** or 4**. The same data have been obtained for the fuchsones prepared by dehydration of the above carbinols. On this basis chemical shifts of fluorine in different positions have been evaluated as a monitor of the transformation of 4-hydroxyphenyl group to the semiquinone moiety. The ¹⁹F NMR can be used to monitor the transformation of 4**-fluorobenzaurin and the related 3,3*-disubstituted and 3,3*,5,5*-tetramethylsubstituted compounds to the corresponding carbinols due to the addition of a water molecule and to study the tautomerism of the two latter benzaurins as well as that of 3,3*,4**trifluorobenzaurin. Furthermore, fluorine and methyl group chemical shifts are sensitive to syn-anti-isomerism in substituted fuchsones.     

A novel type of catalysts for the asymmetric C-C bond formation based on chiral stereochemically inert cationic Co iii complexes

Schiff bases derived from (1R,2R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and 1 eq. of salycylic (or substituted salycylic) aldehyde form stereochemically inert positively charged chiral octahedral Co ⁱⁱⁱ complexes of Δ-configuration with the stereoselectivity approaching 100%. To evaluate the calatylic activity and stereoinduction of the resulting complexes with various counteranions in the outer sphere, a model reaction of trimethylsilyl cyanide addition to benzaldehyde was used. O-trimethylsilylmandelonitrile formed in the process had an enantiomeric purity up to 27%. Complexes with F^? counterion showed high catalytic activity.     

Coupling of methylene-active compounds through a methylene bridge by the action of bis(dimethylamino)methane 1. Synthesis of 2,4-bis(diphenylphosphoryl)glutaronitrile

The reaction of diphenylphosphorylacetonitrile with bis(dimethylamino)methane gave 2,4-bis(diphenylphosphoryl)glutaronitrile. Its rac form was obtained by the synthesis followed by crystallization. However, the reaction of the latter with bases or acids in solution yielded the meso diastereomer.     

On the properties of the anions derived from α-deprotonation of α-(o-carboran-1-yl)- and α-ferrocenyl-1-alkylbenzotriazoles

The synthesis of 1-[(2-R-o-carboran-1-yl)methyl]benzotriazoles (R = Me, Ph) is described. α-Deprotonation of these compounds followed by reactions of the generated carbanions with MeI give the corresponding α-methylated products. Even at room temperature, they exist in solution as an equilibrium mixture of two conformers due to steric crowding around the C^α atom. In contrast, the anions generated by deprotonation of α-ferrocenyl derivatives of 1-methyl- and 1-ethylbenzotriazoles are ambident and are attacked by electrophiles at both the C^α and N(3) atoms.     

Highly selective reactions of C60Cl6 with thiols for the synthesis of functionalized [60]fullerene derivatives

Chlorofullerene C(60)Cl(6) undergoes highly selective reactions with thiols forming compounds C(60)[SR](5)H with high yields. These reactions open up straightforward synthetic routes to many functionalized fullerene derivatives, e.g. water-soluble compounds showing interesting biological activities.