Photochemistry of Dihydrido(hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato)(Z-cyclooctene)iridium. Synthetic Intermediates and Mechanism of the Photochemical Formation of Hydridophenyl(hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato)(trimethyl phosphite)iridium

The photolysis of a benzene solution of [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(COE)], 1 (Tp(Me2) = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate, COE = Z-cyclooctene), in the presence of P(OMe)(3), gives the stable novel complex [Tp(Me2)IrH(C(6)H(5))(P(OMe)(3))], 3a. The photochemical syntheses of [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(P(OMe)(3))], from 1 and P(OMe)(3) in diethyl ether, and [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(CH(2)=CHCOO(t)Bu)], from 1 in tert-butyl acrylate, are also reported. The above reactions and several experiments using C(6)D(6) and P(OCD(3))(3) show that, in all cases, the primary photoproduct is the 16-electron, five-coordinate iridium(III) intermediate {Tp(Me2)IrH(2)}, 6a, produced by loss of COE from 1. The above experiments also allow the postulation of a mechanistic pathway for the formation of 3a which involves the oxidative addition of an aromatic C-H bond by 6a. Furthemore, the photochemical reaction of 1 in the presence of P(OCD(3))(3) shows that, under the reaction conditions used, oxidative addition of C-H bonds of P(OMe)(3) and of coordinated Tp(Me2)-ligands, presumably, to the intermediates 6a and {Tp(Me2)IrH(C(6)H(5))}, also occurs. Thus, coordinatively unsaturated iridium(III) species readily activate C-H bonds.     

d‐Secoestrone derivatives. VI. 17β‐Benzyl‐17α‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxyestra‐1,3,5(10)‐trien‐16‐one

The title mol­ecule, C₂₆H₃₀O₃, shows a novel chemical rearrangement of the substituents at position 17, i.e. an α‐­orientation of the hydroxy group and a β‐orientation of the bulky benzyl moiety. The packing arrangement consists of coils formed by O2?O3 hydrogen bonds along the c axis. The compound shows complete loss of oestrogenic activity, and neither does it exhibit an antagonistic effect.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Selenium-Containing Glycoconjugates via the Mitsunobu Reaction

A simple and efficient route for the synthesis of new glycoconjugates has been developed. The approach acts as a model for a mini-library of compounds with a deoxy-selenosugar core joined to a polyphenolic moiety with well-known antioxidant properties. An unexpected stereocontrol detected in the Mitsunobu key reaction led to the most attractive product showing a natural d-configuration. Thus, we were able to obtain the target molecules from the commercially available d-ribose via a shorter and convenient sequence of reactions.     

Kinetic and thermodynamic acidities of substituted 1-benzyl-1-methoxy-2-nitroethylenes. Strong reduction of the transition state imbalance compared to other nitroalkanes

Acidity constants of six substituted 1-benzyl-1-methoxy-2-nitroethylenes (2-Z with Z = m-NO(2), m-CF(3), m-Cl, H, p-Me, p-MeO) and their respective nitronic acids were determined in 50% DMSO-50% water (v/v) at 20 degrees C. Kinetic data were obtained on the reversible deprotonation of all six 2-Z by OH(-) and piperidine and on the reversible deprotonation of 2-NO(2)() by piperazine, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine, and morpholine in the same solvent. These data allowed a determination of the Br?nsted coefficients alpha (dependence on acidity of 2-Z) and beta (dependence on amine basicity). The fact that alpha > beta indicates the presence of a transition state imbalance which, however, is much smaller than that for the deprotonation of arylnitromethanes. The reasons for this reduction in the imbalance and their relevance to a recent study of the deprotonation of Fischer carbene complexes are discussed.     

Application of a chemometric method for simultaneous determination of acetaminophen and diclofenac in content-uniformity and drug-dissolution studies

A new, repeatable, and rapid method has been developed for resolution of binary mixtures of acetaminophen and diclofenac with minimum sample pretreatment and without separation of the analytes. The method, based on the PLS1 processing of absorbance data in the UV region, was successfully used for quantification of the drug content of three tablet preparations. The results obtained were in good agreement with HPLC recovery data. The method also enabled determination of drug-dissolution profiles of these commercial tablets, by simultaneous determination of both analytes during the dissolution test.     

Direct detection of yessotoxin and its analogues by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method is proposed for the sensitive, specific and direct detection of yessotoxin and its analogues, marine biotoxins which are associated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) and which have been found in the North Adriatic sea since 1995. The LC-MS method provided a detection limit of 70 pg for yessotoxin in full scan mode and was applied to determine the toxic profiles of a number of extracts or partially purified fractions of toxic mussels collected along the Emilia Romagna coasts (Italy) in the period 1995-1999. Detection of a desulfo-yessotoxin derivative from Mytilus galloprovincialis collected in 1998 is also reported.     

Structure and stereochemistry of a new cytotoxic polychlorinated sulfolipid from Adriatic shellfish

A detailed analysis of the causative toxins contained in the hepatopancreas of toxic mussels from the northern Adriatic sea has been carried out. Along with some DSP (diarrhetic shellfish poisoning) type toxins, such as okadaic acid, yessotoxin, and their derivatives, which are involved in a number of human intoxications throughout the world, we have now isolated a new cytotoxin, a polychlorinated sulfolipid 1, whose gross structure has been elucidated by spectral analysis, including various 2D NMR techniques. The relative stereochemistry of 1 was elucidated by successful application of the J-based configuration analysis developed for acyclic compounds using carbon-proton spin-coupling constants ((2,3)J(C,H)) and proton-proton spin-coupling constants ((3)J(H,H)); its absolute stereochemistry was established by the Mosher method. Compound 1 possesses in vitro cytotoxicity against WEHI 164 and RAW 264.7 cells.     

Electronic structure and solvation of copper and silver ions: a theoretical picture of a model aqueous redox reaction

Electronic states and solvation of Cu and Ag aqua ions are investigated by comparing the Cu(2+) + e(-)--> Cu(+) and Ag(2+) + e(-)--> Ag(+) redox reactions using density functional-based computational methods. The coordination number of aqueous Cu(2+) is found to fluctuate between 5 and 6 and reduces to 2 for Cu(+), which forms a tightly bound linear dihydrate. Reduction of Ag(2+) changes the coordination number from 5 to 4. The energetics of the oxidation reactions is analyzed by comparing vertical ionization potentials, relaxation energies, and vertical electron affinities. The model is validated by a computation of the free energy of the full redox reaction Ag(2+) + Cu(+) --> Ag(+) + Cu(2+). Investigation of the one-electron states shows that the redox active frontier orbitals are confined to the energy gap between occupied and empty states of the pure solvent and localized on the metal ion hydration complex. The effect of solvent fluctuations on the electronic states is highlighted in a computation of the UV absorption spectrum of Cu(+) and Ag(+).     

Unconventional stereoselective one-pot synthesis of Knoevenagel-type indoles via in situ condensation of iminium salts with active methylene reagents

A simple one-pot procedure for the stereoselective synthesis of Knoevenagel-type indoles is described. The method is based on the in situ reaction of indole iminium salts (four of them are fully characterized) with acyclic symmetrical and unsymmetrical active methylene reagents in the presence of triethylamine. In general, the overall yields are moderate to good. Some of relevant reaction parameters and steric effects affecting stereoselectivity are discussed.