Diastereo‐ and Regioselective Addition of Thioamide Dianions to Imines and Aziridines: Synthesis of N‐Thioacyl‐1,2‐diamines and N‐Thioacyl‐1,3‐diamines

Addition reactions of thioamide dianions that were derived from N‐arylmethyl thioamides to imines and aziridines were carried out. The reactions of imines gave the addition products of N‐thioacyl‐1,2‐diamines in a highly diastereoselective manner in good‐to‐excellent yields. The diastereomeric purity of these N‐thioacyl‐1,2‐diamines could be enriched by simple recrystallization. The reduction of N‐thioacyl‐1,2‐diamines with LiAlH₄ gave their corresponding 1,2‐diamines in moderate‐to‐good yields with retention of their stereochemistry. The oxidative‐desulfurization/cyclization of an N‐thioacyl‐1,2‐diamine in CuCl₂/O₂ and I₂/pyridine systems gave the cyclized product in moderate yield and the trans isomer was obtained as the sole product. On the other hand, a similar cyclization reaction with antiformin (aq. NaClO) as an oxidant gave the cis isomer as the major product. The reactions of N‐tosylaziridines gave the addition products of N‐thioacyl‐1,3‐diamines with low diastereoselectivity but high regioselectivity and in good‐to‐excellent yields. The use of AlMe₃ as an additive improved the efficiency and regioselectivity of the reaction. The stereochemistry of the obtained products was determined by X‐ray diffraction.     

First principles study of the structure,electronic state,and stability of CmN2 clusters

Geometric and electronic properties of C_mN₂ (m = 1–14) clusters have been investigated by density functional theory using the hybrid B3LYP functional and the 6‐311G(d) basis set. Harmonic frequencies for these clusters are given to aid in the characterization of the ground states. These results show that C_mN₂ (m = 1–14) clusters form linear structures with D_∞h symmetry. Two N atoms favor to bond at ends in linear isomers. The chains with odd m have triplet ground states whereas the ones with even m have singlet ground states. The calculated HOMO–LUMO gaps and ionization potentials all show that the C_mN₂ (m = 1–14) clusters with even m are more stable than those with odd m, which is consistent with the observed even–odd alternation of the time‐of‐flight signal intensities. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004     

Coulombic aggregations of Mn(III) salen-type complexes and Keggin-type polyoxometalates: isolation of Mn2 single-molecule magnets

The reaction of Mn(III) salen-type complexes with di- and tetraanionic α-Keggin-type polyoxometalates (POMs) was performed, and three types of Coulombic aggregations containing Mn(III) out-of-plane dimeric units (abbreviated as [Mn(2)](2+)) that are potentially single-molecule magnets (SMMs) with an S(T) = 4 ground state were synthesized: [Mn(2)(5-MeOsaltmen)(2)(acetone)(2)][SW(12)O(40)] (1), [Mn(2)(salen)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2)[SiW(12)O(40)] (2), and [Mn(5-Brsaltmen)(H(2)O)(acetone)](2)[{Mn(2)(5-Brsaltmen)(2)}(SiW(12)O(40))] (3), where 5-Rsaltmen(2-) = N,N'-(1,1,2,2-tetramethylethylene)bis(5-R-salicylideneiminate) with R = MeO (methoxy), Br (bromo) and salen(2-) = N,N'-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminate). Compound 1 with a dianionic POM, [SW(12)O(40)](2-), is composed of a 1:1 aggregating set of [Mn(2)](2+)/POM, and 2, with a tetraanionic POM, [SiW(12)O(40)](4-), is a 2:1 set. Compound 3 with [SiW(12)O(40)](4-) forms a unique 1D coordinating chain with a [-{Mn(2)}-POM-](2-) repeating unit, for which a hydrogen-bonded dimeric unit ([Mn(5-Brsaltmen)(H(2)O)(acetone)](2)(2+)) is present as a countercation. Independent of the formula ratio of [Mn(2)](2+)/POM, Mn(III) dimers and POM units in 1-3 form respective segregated columns along a direction of the unit cell, which make an alternate packing to separate evenly identical species in a crystal. The nearest intermolecular Mn···Mn distance is found in the order 2 < 3 < 1. The segregation of the [Mn(2)](2+) dimer resulted in interdimer distances long enough to effectively reduce the intermolecular magnetic interaction, in particular in 1 and 3. Consequently, an intrinsic property, SMM behavior, of Mn(III) dimers has been characterized in this system, even though the interdimer interactions are still crucial in the case of 2, where a long-range magnetic order competitively affects slow relaxation of the magnetization at low ac frequencies.     

Photophysical properties and photostability of novel unsymmetric polycyclicphenazine-type D-π-A fluorescent dyes and the dye-doped films

Structural isomers of unsymmetric polycyclicphenazine-type D-π-A fluorescent dyes have been newly synthesized and characterized in both solution and polymer films. The dyes exhibited two strong absorption bands at around 328-401 nm and 516-532 nm, and an intense fluorescence band at around 595-629 nm (Φ = 0.32-0.84) in 1,4-dioxane. The dye-doped polymer films showed good ability of wavelength conversion; the films can efficiently convert ultraviolet and green-yellow lights into red light (Φ = 0.43-0.86). Moreover, the photostability of the dyes-doped PS, PMMA, and PLA films has been investigated.     

Different reaction modes for the oxidative dimerization of epoxyquinols and epoxyquinones. Importance of intermolecular hydrogen-bonding

An oxidative dimerization reaction, involving the three successive steps of oxidation, 6 pi-electrocyclization, and Diels-Alder reaction, has been experimentally and theoretically investigated for the three 2-alkenyl-3-hydroxymethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one derivatives epoxyquinol 3, epoxyquinone 6, and cyclohexenone 10. Of the sixteen possible modes of the oxidation/6 pi-electrocylization/Diels-Alder reaction cascade for the epoxyquinone 6, and eight for the cyclohexenone 10, only the endo-anti(epoxide)-anti(Me)-hetero and endo-anti(Me)-hetero modes are, respectively, observed, while both endo-anti(epoxide)-anti(Me)-hetero and exo-anti(epoxide)-anti(Me)-homo reaction modes occur with the epoxyquinol 3. Intermolecular hydrogen-bonding is found to be the key cause of formation of both epoxyquinols A and B with 3, although epoxyquinone 6 and cyclohexenone 10 both gave selectively only the epoxyquinol A-type product. In the dimerization of epoxyquinol 3, two monomer 2H-pyrans 5 interact with each other to afford intermediate complex 28 or 29 stabilized by hydrogen-bonding, from which Diels-Alder reaction proceeds. Theoretical calculations have also revealed the differences in the reaction profiles of epoxyquinone 6 and cyclohexenone 10. Namely, the rate-determining step of the former is the Diels-Alder reaction, while that of the latter is the 6 pi-electrocyclization.     

Asymmetric total syntheses of (+)-mycoepoxydiene and related natural product (-)-1893A: application of one-pot ring-opening/cross/ring-closing metathesis to construct their 9-oxabicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-diene skeleton

The total syntheses of (+)-mycoepoxydiene and (-)-1893A have been completed. The present synthetic strategy features the use of one-pot ring-opening/cross metathesis (ROM/CM) followed by a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction, allowing for the concise construction of the 9-oxabicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-diene framework from a 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene derivative and 1,3-butadiene. The sequential metathesis product was converted into (+)-mycoepoxydiene through the oxidative rearrangement of a furfuryl alcohol to a pyranone, thereby establishing its absolute stereochemistry. From the common intermediate, a structurally related natural product (-)-1893A was also synthesized via the vinylogous aldol reaction.     

Studies on aldose reductase inhibitors from natural products. II. Active components of a Paraguayan crude drug "Para-parai mí," Phyllanthus niruri

Aldose reductase (AR) inhibitory activity-directed fractionation of the 70% ethanolic extract of Para-parai mí, Phyllanthus niruri, has led to the isolation of three active components, ellagic acid (1), brevifolin carboxylic acid (4) and ethyl brevifolin carboxylate (5). Among them, 1 showed the highest inhibitory activity, being about 6 times more potent than quercitrin, which is a known natural inhibitor of AR.     

Effects of magnesium salts and amines on the stereoselectivity in the imine aldol reaction

In the imine aldol reactions of 1 with aromatic aldehydes using magnesium salts in the presence of amines, the threo/erythro ratios of products increased in the order Mg(ClO4)2>MgI2>MgBr2>MgCl2>Mg(OTf)2 and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA)>Et3N. This increase in the threo/erythro ratios of products was estimated to be caused by a retro-imine aldol reaction under thermodynamic control.