Electrophilic C12 building blocks for alkaloids: formal total synthesis of (+/-)-maritidine

Silyl-protected benzyl alcohol derivatives and the salt 1 are used to form ortho-substituted C12 electrophilic organoiron building blocks which are converted into a spirocyclic cyclohexenone to complete a formal total synthesis of (+/-)-maritidine (5). The choice of TBDPS protection was shown to be better than TIPS and compatible with ipso nucleophile addition to form a quaternary center. The reaction sequence is the first example of a successful application in the synthesis of an arylcyclohexadienyliron complex with an ortho-carbon substituent in the position required for Amaryllidaceae alkaloids of this type.     

A triple helix of double helicates: three hierarchical levels of self-assembly in a single structure

The bis-bidentate bridging ligand L reacts with Ag(I) ions to form a conventional dinuclear [Ag(2)L(2)](2+) double helicate; individual double helicate units assemble via Ag···Ag interactions into infinite chains, three of which wrap around a central spine of anions to give a triple helical braid, which is therefore an infinite triple helix composed of molecular double helicate subunits.     

Direct exfoliation of graphite with a porphyrin - creating functionalizable nanographene hybrids

Exfoliation of graphite was achieved using a free-base porphyrin 1 resulting in an efficient fabrication of single-layer nanographene (NG)- hybrid platelets that can be further functionalized with other nanomaterials. The novel nanographene-porphyrin hybrids reveal efficient charge transfer in the excited state.     

Effects of methanol on the thermodynamics of iron(III) [tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)]porphyrin chloride dissociation and the creation of catalytically active species for the epoxidation of cyclooctene

In a previous study, the authors showed that iron(III) [tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)]porphyrin chloride [(F20TPP)FeCl] is catalytically inactive for cyclooctene epoxidation by hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile but is catalytically active if the solvent contains methanol. It was suggested that the precursor to the active species is (F20TPP)Fe(OCH3) in methanol-containing solvents. The present study was aimed at evaluating this hypothesis. (F20TPP)Fe(OCH3) was synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR but was found to be inactive in both acetonitrile and methanol. Further investigation of the interactions of (F20TPP)FeCl with methanol in acetonitrile/methanol mixtures was then carried out using NMR. Two species, characterized by 1H NMR resonances at 82 and 65 ppm, were observed. The first resonance is attributed to the beta-pyrrole protons on molecularly dissolved (F20TPP)FeCl, whereas the second is attributed to beta-pyrrole protons of [(F20TPP)Fe]+ cations that are stabilized by coordination with a molecule of methanol, viz., [(F20TPP)Fe(CH3OH)]+. The relative concentration of [(F20TPP)Fe(CH3OH)]+ increases as the fraction of methanol in the solvent increases, suggesting that methanol facilitates the dissociation of (F20TPP)FeCl into cations and anions. A thermodynamic model of the dissociation is proposed and found to describe successfully the experimental observation over a range of solvent compositions, porphyrin concentrations, and temperatures. UV-visible spectroscopy was also used to validate the developed model. In addition, the observed rate constant for cyclooctene epoxidation was found to be proportional to the concentration of [(F20TPP)Fe(CH3OH)]+ calculated using the thermodynamic model, suggesting that this intermediate is a precursor to the species that catalyzes olefin epoxidation. The catalytic activity of [(F20TPP)Fe(CH3OH)]+ was further confirmed through experiments in which (F20TPP)Fe(OCH3) dissolved in methanol was reacted with HCl(aq). This reaction produced a product with an NMR peak at 65 ppm attributable to [(F20TPP)Fe(CH3OH)]+, and this mixture was found to have activity for cyclooctene epoxidation similar to that of (F20TPP)FeCl dissolved in methanol.     

Rovibrational resonance effects in collision-induced electronic energy transfer: I2(E,v=0-2)+CF4

Collisions of I2 in the E(0(g)+) electronic state with CF4 molecules induce electronic energy transfer to the nearby D, beta, and D' ion-pair states. Simulations of dispersed fluorescence spectra reveal collision-induced electronic energy transfer rate constants and final vibrational state distributions within each final electronic state. In comparison with earlier reports on I2(upsilon(E)=0-2) collisions with He or Ar atoms, we find markedly different dynamics when I2, excited to the same rovibronic states, collides with CF4. Final vibrational state distributions agree with the associated Franck-Condon factors with the initially prepared state to a greater degree than those found with He or Ar collision partners and suggest that internal degrees of freedom in the CF4 molecule represent a substantial means for accepting the accompanying loss of I2 vibronic energy. Comparison of the E-->D transfer of I2 excited to the J=23 and J=55 levels of the upsilon(E)=0 state reveals the onset of specific, nonstatistical dynamics as the available energy is increased above the threshold for excitation of the low frequency nu2 bending mode of CF4.     

High-Throughput Optimization of Photochemical Reactions using Segmented-Flow Nanoelectrospray-Ionization Mass Spectrometry**

Within the realm of drug discovery, high-throughput experimentation techniques enable the rapid optimization of reactions and expedited generation of drug compound libraries for biological and pharmacokinetic evaluation. Herein we report the development of a segmented flow mass spectrometry-based platform to enable the rapid exploration of photoredox reactions for early-stage drug discovery. Specifically, microwell plate-based photochemical reaction screens were reformatted to segmented flow format to enable delivery to nanoelectrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis. This approach was demonstrated for the late-stage modification of complex drug scaffolds, as well as the subsequent structure–activity relationship evaluation of synthesized analogs. This technology is anticipated to expand the robust capabilities of photoredox catalysis in drug discovery by enabling high-throughput library diversification.     

Leveraging the Persistent Radical Effect in the Synthesis of trans-2,3-Diaryl Dihydrobenzofurans**

A simple method for accessing trans-2,3-diaryl dihydrobenzofurans is reported. This approach leverages the equilibrium between quinone methide dimers and their persistent radicals. This equilibrium is disrupted by phenols that yield comparatively transient phenoxyl radicals, leading to cross-coupling between the persistent and transient radicals. The resultant quinone methides with pendant phenols rapidly cyclize to form dihydrobenzofurans (DHBs). This putative biomimetic access to dihydrobenzofurans provides superb functional group tolerance and a unified approach for the synthesis of resveratrol-based natural products.