Congested ferrocenyl polyphosphanes bearing electron-donating or electron-withdrawing phosphanyl groups: assessment of metallocene conformation from NMR spin couplings and use in palladium-catalyzed chloroarenes activation

The synthesis of novel substituted cyclopentadienyl salts that incorporate both a congested branched alkyl group (tert-butyl, (triphenyl)methyl, or tri(4-tert-butyl)phenylmethyl) and a phosphanyl group is reported. The introduction of either electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituents (furyl, i-propyl, cyclohexyl, tert-butyl) on P atoms was generally achieved in high yield. The modular synthesis of ferrocenyl polyphosphanes from an assembly of these cyclopentadienyl salts was investigated, leading to the formation of new triphosphanes (denoted as 9-12) and diphosphanes (denoted as 14-16). The resulting phosphanes are not sensitive to air or moisture, even when electron-rich substituents are present. This set of polyphosphanes displays varied conformational features, which are discussed in the light of their multinuclear NMR characterization in solution and of the X-ray solid state structure of the representative triphosphane 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-1'-(diisopropylphosphanyl)-3'-(triphenyl)methyl-4-tert-butyl ferrocene, 11. In particular, the existence of a range of significantly different nonbonded ("through-space", TS) spin-spin coupling constants between heteroannular P atoms, for the triphosphanes of this class, allowed their preferred conformation in solution to be appraised. The study evidences an unanticipated flexibility of the ferrocene platform, despite the presence of very congested tert-butyl and trityl groups. Herein, we show that, contrary to our first belief, the preferred conformation for the backbone of ferrocenyl polyphosphanes can not only depend on the hindrance of the groups decorating the cyclopentadienyl rings but is also a function of the substituents of the phosphanyl groups. The interest of these robust phosphanes as ligands was illustrated in palladium catalysis for the arylation of n-butyl furan with chloroarenes, using direct C-H activation of the heteroaromatic in the presence of low metal/ligand loadings (0.5-1.0 mol?%). Thus, 4-chlorobenzonitrile, 4-chloronitrobenzene, 4-chloropropiophenone, and 4-(trifluoromethyl)chlorobenzene were efficiently coupled to n-butyl furan, using Pd(OAc)(2) associated to the new diphosphane ligands 1,1'-bis(diisopropylphosphanyl)-3,3'-di(triphenyl)methyl ferrocene (15) or 1,1'-bis(dicyclohexylphosphanyl)-3,3'-di(triphenyl)methylferrocene (16), which respectively hold the electron-rich -Pi-Pr(2) and -PCy(2) groups.     

SAXS investigation of a cubic to a sponge (L3) phase transition in self-assembled lipid nanocarriers

The encapsulation and release of peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and drugs in nanostructured lipid carriers depend on the type of the self-assembled liquid-crystalline organization and the structural dimensions of the aqueous and membraneous compartments, which can be tuned by the multicomponent composition of the systems. In this work, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) investigation is performed on the 'melting' transition of the bicontinuous double diamond cubic phase, formed by pure glycerol monooleate (MO), upon progressive inclusion of varying fractions of pharmaceutical-grade glycerol monooleate (GO) in the hydrated system. The self-assembled MO/GO mixtures are found to form diamond (Pn3m) inverted cubic, inverted hexagonal (H(II)), and sponge (L(3)) phases at ambient temperature in excess of aqueous medium without heat treatment. Mixing of the inverted-cubic-phase-forming MO and the sponge-phase-forming GO components, in equivalent proportions (50/50 w/w), yields an inverted hexagonal (H(II)) phase nanostructured carrier. Scattering models are applied for fitting of the experimental SAXS patterns and identification of the structural changes in the aqueous and lipid bilayer subcompartments. The possibility of transforming, at ambient temperature (20 °C), the bicontinuous cubic nanostructures into inverted hexagonal (H(II)) or sponge (L(3)) mesophases may facilitate novel biomedical applications of the investigated liquid crystalline self-assemblies.     

Semisynthesis of D-ring modified taxoids: novel thia derivatives of docetaxel.

Two novel 5(20)-thia analogues of docetaxel have been synthesized from 10-deacetylbaccatin III or taxine B and isotaxine B. The key step of these syntheses is the concomitant thietane ring formation and acetylation of the tertiary alcohol at C-4. Both compounds are less cytotoxic than docetaxel but have divergent activity on microtubule disassembly.     

Corrigendum

Reactions of NaMn(CO)₃ with RuCl₂(PMe₃)₄, RuCl₂(dppm)₂ and RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃ lead either to an ionic species [Ru₂Cl₃(PMe₃)₆]+[Mn(CO)₅]^? or to metal—metal bonded RuMn compounds such as RuMn(μ-CO)₂(CO)₃(μ-dppm)₂ Cl, and, quite unexpectedly, to the μ-phosphido complex RuMn(μ-PPh₂)(CO)₆(PPh₃)₂ via a hydride intermediate.     

B?H,C?H,and B?C Bond Activation: The Role of Two Adjacent Agostic Interactions

Tuning the nature of the linker in a L∼BHR phosphinoborane compound led to the isolation of a ruthenium complex stabilized by two adjacent, δ‐C H and ε‐B_sp2 H, agostic interactions. Such a unique coordination mode stabilizes a 14‐electron “RuH₂P₂” fragment through connected σ‐bonds of different polarity, and affords selective B H, C H, and B C bond activation as illustrated by reactivity studies with H₂ and boranes.     

A multicomponent reaction for the one-pot synthesis of 4-aza-2,3-didehydropodophyllotoxin and derivatives

[reaction: see text] A convergent method has been found to prepare 4-aza-2,3-didehydropodophyllotoxin and derivatives in a one-pot procedure. The mechanism of the reaction between tetronic acid, anilines, and benzaldehydes is discussed.     

Two‐Coordinate Iron(I) Complex [Fe{N(SiMe3)2}2]−: Synthesis,Properties, and Redox Activity

First‐row two‐coordinate complexes are attracting much interest. Herein, we report the high‐yield isolation of the linear two‐coordinate iron(I) complex salt [K(L)][Fe{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂] (L=18‐crown‐6 or crypt‐222) through the reduction of either [Fe{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂] or its three‐coordinate phosphine adduct [Fe{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂(PCy₃)]. Detailed characterization is gained through X‐ray diffraction, variable‐temperature NMR spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility studies. One‐ and two‐electron oxidation through reaction with I₂ is further found to afford the corresponding iodo iron(II) and diiodo iron(III) complexes.     

Heterometallic Werner complexes as energetic materials

New heterometallic Werner complexes have been synthesized by combining the cobalt cationic [Co(NH3)6]3+ species with a nitrato metal fragment [M(NO3)4](x-) (M = Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) or with metal oxides X2MO4 (M = Mo, W and X = Na, NH4). Depending on the metals, an organic and/or a water synthetic route was developed. X-Ray data on Mn and Cu precursors have shown the versatility of nitrate ligand coordination. TDA-TGA studies have been performed to demonstrate the energetic material character. The [Co(NH3)6]x[M(NO3)4]3 complexes display a good oxygen balance and, as shown by standard sensitivity tests, are suitable for automotive applications.     

Bonding mode of a bifunctional P approximately Si-H ligand in the ruthenium complex "Ru(PPh2CH2OSiMe2H)3"

The phosphinosilane compound PPh 2CH 2OSiMe 2H is potentially a bifunctional P approximately Si-H ligand. By treatment with the Ru (II) precursor RuH 2(H 2) 2(PCy 3) 2, the complex Ru(PPh 2CH 2OSiMe 2H) 3 ( 2), resulting from the coordination of three ligands and the displacement of two PCy 3 and two dihydrogen ligands, was formed. The different bonding modes for each of the three bifunctional P approximately Si-H ligands are discussed on the basis of multinuclear NMR, X-ray diffraction, and density functional theory studies. One ligand acts as a monodentate phosphine ligand with a pendant Si-H group, whereas the two others act as bidentate ligands with different Si-H bond activations. Indeed, an intermediate structure between two arrested forms 2a and 2b can be proposed: a dihydrido(disilyl)ruthenium(IV) species (form 2a) resulting from two Si-H oxidative additions or a hydrido(silyl)ruthenium(II) species (form 2b) presenting an agostic Si-H bond and only one oxidative addition.