Mechanistic approaches to asymmetric synthesis of aziridines from guanidinium ylides and aryl aldehydes

To approach more realistic mechanisms for asymmetric aziridine synthesis from guanidinium ylides and aryl aldehydes, reactions were systematically carried out by using a variety of p-substituted benzaldehydes under modified conditions. Two kinds of reaction mechanisms controlled by the nature of the p-substituents of aryl aldehydes is proposed for the two-steps aziridine synthesis composed of a C-C bond formation by nucleophilic addition of guanidinium ylides to aryl aldehydes (step 1) and the fragmentation of intermediate adducts to aziridine products by intramolecular nucleophilic substitution (step 2). A S_Ni-like mechanism via cationic-like transition state is proposed for step 2 in the asymmetric synthesis using EDG-substituted benzaldehydes, whereas with EWG-substituted benzaldehydes, a S_N2-like mechanism is proposed. Hammett analysis, based on the diastereomeric ratio in the aziridine products, is consistent with the proposed rate-determining steps in these two mechanisms. A second Hammett analysis, based on the enantiomeric ratio of the aziridine products, clearly reveals the difference in the susceptibilities to the electronic substituents effect between step 1 and step 2.     

Ring transformation of 6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine. IV (1). Reduction and reaction of 5a-acetyl-6a-ethoxycarbonyl-5a,6a-dihydro-6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitriles with primary amines

The reaction of 5a-acetyl-6-ethoxycarbonyl-5a,6a-dihydro-6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile ( 1a ) with benzylamine gave ethyl l-benzyl-5-cyano-8a,9-dihydro-2-methyl-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-e]-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-8a-carboxylate ( 2a ), in addition to 5-acetyl-3-benzylamino-1-(4-cyanopyrazol-3-yl)- 2-pyridone ( 3 ). Reaction of 1a with aniline gave ethyl 6-acetyl-8-anilino-3-cyano-7,8-dihydro-4H-pyrazolo-[1,5-a][1,3]diazepine-8-carboxylate ( 4 ), in addition to ethyl 3-cyano-7-methyl-6-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-acrylate ( 5 ). On the other hand, the same reactions of 1b with benzylamine or aniline gave 2b or 8b , respectively. Though catalytic hydrogenation of 1a over 5% palladium-carbon proceeded by ring fission of cyclopropane ring to give 9 , 1a (or 1b ) afforded 4,5-dihydro derivatives ( 13 or 15 ) by catalytic hydrogenation over platinum oxide. The reactivity of 5-methoxy-4,5,5a,6a-tetrahydro-6H-cyclopropa[e]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ( 16 ), which are related analogs of 1a,b , is also described.     

Ring‐Opening Reactions of 3‐Aryl‐1‐benzylaziridine‐2‐carboxylates and Application to the Asymmetric Synthesis of an Amphetamine‐Type Compound

Nucleophilic ring‐opening reactions of 3‐aryl‐1‐benzylaziridine‐2‐carboxylates were examined by using O‐nucleophiles and aromatic C‐nucleophiles. The stereospecificity was found to depend on substrates and conditions used. Configuration inversion at C(3) was observed with O‐nucleophiles as a major reaction path in the ring‐opening reactions of aziridines carrying an electron‐poor aromatic moiety, whereas mixtures containing preferentially the syn‐diastereoisomer were generally obtained when electron‐rich aziridines were used (Tables 1–3). In the reactions of electron‐rich aziridines with C‐nucleophiles, S_N2 reactions yielding anti‐type products were observed (Table 4). Reductive ring‐opening reaction by catalytic hydrogenation of (+)‐trans‐(2S,3R)‐3‐(1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)aziridine‐2‐carboxylate (+)‐trans‐ 3c afforded the corresponding α‐amino acid derivative, which was smoothly transformed into (+)‐tert‐butyl [(1R)‐2‐(1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)‐1‐methylethyl]carbamate((+)‐ 14 ) with high retention of optical purity (Scheme 6).     

Preparation of Titania Nanosheet-Precipitated Coatings on Glass Substrates by Treating SiO2-TiO2 Gel Films with Hot Water Under Vibrations

Titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings have been prepared by treating SiO₂-TiO₂ gel films on glass substrates with hot water at 90°C under vibration. Longitudinal vibrations at about 6 Hz during the treatment enhanced the formation of titania nanosheet. The titania nanosheet consisted of several layers with a spacing of about 0.6 nm and was identified as hydrated titania with a lepidocrocite-type structure. The morphology of the titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings is probably achieved by lowering of the concentration of hydrolyzed titania species at the surface due to rapid water flow driven by the vibrations. The coatings were transparent in the visible range and showed high photocatalytic activity and antifogging property.     

Quantum yields and quantitative spectra of firefly bioluminescence with various bivalent metal ions

We measured quantitative spectra of firefly (Photinus pyralis) bioluminescence in the presence of Zn²⁺ and other bivalent metal ions to investigate the effects of these metal ions on luciferin‐luciferase reaction. We studied the dependence of the quantum yield and spectrum on quantity and kind of bivalent metal ions. Adding various amounts of Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ produced virtually no change in the quantum yields or the spectra of bioluminescence. In contrast, increasing amounts of ions such as Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ decreased quantum yields and changed the bioluminescence color from yellow‐green to red. Quantitative analysis showed that the sensitivities of the quantum yield and color to various metal ions were in the order of Hg²⁺>Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺>Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe²⁺≫Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ca²⁺. We propose that the changes in quantum yield and spectrum caused by the metal ions are due to their effect on luciferase that surrounds oxyluciferin during its radioactive decay. We also found that having more metal ions accelerated bioluminescence reactions. The sensitivity of the reaction rate had no correlation with those of the quantum yield and spectrum.     

Synthesis of stereoarray isotope labeled (SAIL) lysine via the "head-to-tail" conversion of SAIL glutamic acid

A stereoarray isotope labeled (SAIL) lysine, (2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-[3,4,5,6-(2)H(4);1,2,3,4,5,6-(13)C(6);2,6-(15)N(2)]lysine, was synthesized by the "head-to-tail" conversion of SAIL-Glu, (2S,3S,4R)-[3,4-(2)H(2);1,2,3,4,5-(13)C(5);2-(15)N]glutamic acid, with high stereospecificities for all five chiral centers. With the SAIL-Lys in hand, the unambiguous simultaneous stereospecific assignments were able to be established for each of the prochiral protons within the four methylene groups of the Lys side chains in proteins.     

Mixed-valence state of optically active 1',1'"-bis(2-phenylbutyl)-1,1''-biferrocenium pentaiodide: effects of cation symmetry and intermolecular interaction on trapped-/detrapped-valence states

The effects of cation symmetry and packing on the mixed-valence state of binuclear ferrocene derivatives are discussed separately by using chiral isomers and racemic modification of 1',1' "-bis(2-phenylbutyl)-1,1' '-biferrocenium pentaiodide. The pentaiodide anion has a polymeric structure and is composed of triiodide anion and iodine molecule units. The (R,S) isomer having an inversion center shows a detrapped-valence state even at 78 K. On the other hand, the (R,R) and the (S,S) isomers having no inversion center show a trapped-valence state at room temperature. The racemic modification, however, consisting of the (R,R) and the (S,S) isomers shows a perfect detrapped-valence state at room temperature. This finding shows that the packing effect overcomes the effect of cation asymmetry.     

PHOTOOXYGENATION OF METHYL LINOLEATE SENSITIZED BY PORPHYRINS AND DYES IN ACETONITRILE SOLUTION AND AQUEOUS EMULSION SYSTEMS

Photooxygenation reaction of an unsaturated fatty acid ester, methyl linoleate (methyl 9- cis. 12- cis -octadecadienoate, ML-H), sensitized by porphyrins and several types of dyes has been studied in aqueous emulsion and acetonitrile solution under air at 40°C. The oxygen (O₂) uptake proceeded slowly in the absence of sensitizers upon irradiation of an aqueous emulsion and an acetonitrile solution of ML-H (20 m M ) at ℷ_ex > 290 nm (11.4 and 6.1 μmol h^-1, respectively). The rate of O₂ uptake was enhanced by a catalytic amount (0.1 m M ) of porphyrins and dyes; hematoporphyrin (HP), zinc tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridiniumyi)porphyrin (ZnTMPyP), methylene blue (MB), rose bengal (RB), acridine orange (AO), and acriflavine (AF). In both systems, the sensitized photooxidation of ML-H by O₂ proceeded equimolarly to produce isomeric mixture of C9 and C13 hydroperoxides having the trans,cis and trans,trans conjugated diene configurations, independent of the types of the sensitizers used. The yield ratio of trans,trans/ trans,cis products in the MB-sensitized photooxygenation in acetonitrile and aqueous emulsion were almost equal (0.32 and 0.35. respectively). The sensitizing activity of the sensitizers, as measured by the quantum yield of O₂ uptake, increased in the order: MB (≃ 0) < ZnTMPyP < RB < HP < AF < AO in the aqueous emulsion and AO < AF < HP < RB = MB in the acetonitrile solution. The order in homogeneous acetonitrile solution was interpreted by the sensitizing ability of the dyes to produce singlet oxygen, while that in heterogeneous aqueous emulsion was correlated to the lipophilicity of dyes as well as the singlet-oxygen-producing ability.     

Molecular structures of isobutene and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene as studied by gas electron diffraction

The structures of isobutene and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene have been studied by gas electron diffraction. For isobutene the rotational constants obtained by Laurie by microwave spectroscopy have also been taken into account. Leastsquares analyses have given the following r_g bond distances and valence angles (r_av for isobutene and r_α for dimethylbutene): for isobutene, r(CC) = 1.342±0.003 Å, r(C-C)= 1.508±0.002Å, r(C-H, methyl) = 1.119±0.007 Å, r(C-H, methylene) = 1.095±0.020 Å, ∠(C-CC) = 122.2±0.2°, ∠(H-C-H) = 107.9±0.8°, and ∠(C-C-H) 121.3±1.5°; for dimethylbutene, r(CC)= 1.353 ±0.004 Å, r(C-C) = 1.511±0.002 Å, r(C-H) = 1.118± 0.004 Å, ∠(C-CC)= 123.9±0.5°, and ∠(H-C-H)= 107.0±1.0°, where the uncertainties represent estimated limits of experimental error. The bond distances and valence angles in these molecules and in related molecules are compared with one another. The CC and C-C bond distances increase almost regularly with the number of methyl groups, and the C-C bonds in isobutene and dimethylbutene are shorter than those in acetaldehyde and acetone by about 0.01 Å. Systematic variations in the C-CC angles suggest the steric influence of methyl groups.