Regioselective photodimerization of cinnamic acids in water: Templation with cucurbiturils

Cinnamic acids upon irradiation in solution undergo geometric isomerization while dimerizing to different dimers in the crystalline state. Controlling the nature of the dimer formed upon irradiation remains a challenging task. We have aligned a variety of cinnamic acid molecules in a head-head fashion employing cucurbit[8]uril, a weakly water soluble host as a template. The water solubility of cucurbit[8]uril is enhanced by inclusion of water soluble cinnamic acids and positions the olefins in an arrangement that favors the formation of syn head-head cyclobutanes in near quantitative yields. This methodology works in both solid state as well as in aqueous solution. Irradiation of cinnamic acid complexes with gamma-cyclodextrin has been carried out as a comparison. We find that while cucurbit[8]uril functions well both in solid state and aqueous solution, cyclodextrin works best as solid complexes only. Consistent with the postulated requirement of large cavities for templating olefins to dimerization, irradiation of complexes of cinnamic acid with cucurbit[7]uril resulted in only the corresponding cis isomers.     

Control of chirality by cations in confined spaces: Photooxidation of enecarbamates inside zeolite supercages

On photooxygenation of the optically active Z/E enecarbamates 1 (X = i-Pr) and 2 (X = Me) equipped with the oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary in methylene-blue (MB)-incorporated, alkali-metal (M = Li, Na, K, Cs, Rb), exchanged Y-type zeolites (MY-MB), oxidative cleavage of the alkenyl functionality releases the enantiomerically enriched methyldesoxybenzoin (MDB) product. The extent (%ee) and/or the sense (R or S) of the stereoselectivity in the formation of the MDB product depends on the choice of the alkyl substiuent (i-Pr or Me) at the C-4 position of the oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary, the Z/E configuration of the alkene functionality in the enecarbamates, and the type of alkali metal in the zeolite. Most significantly-the highlight of this study-is the reversed sense (R or S) in the stereoselection when the photooxygenation is run in CDCl3 solution versus inside the MY-MB zeolite. As a mechanistic rationale for this novel stereochemical behavior, we propose the combined action of spatial confinement and metal-ion coordination (assessed by density-functional calculations) of the substrate within the zeolite supercage, both of which greatly reduce the freedom of the substrate and entropically manipulate the stereochemical outcome.     

Volume-demanding cis-trans isomerization of 1,2-diaryl olefins in the solid state

Volume-demanding cis-trans photoisomerization of the aromatic substituted alkenes 1-3 in the solid state at room temperature and at 50 degrees C is presented. Alkene 3 did not undergo the cis-trans isomerization in the solid state either at room temperature or at 50 degrees C. The importance of the presence of void space near the reaction center to facilitate the large volume change during cis-trans photoisomerization is discussed.     

PET suppression of acridinedione dyes by urea derivatives in water and methanol

Spectroscopic investigations involving the interaction of acridinedione dyes with urea and its derivatives in water and methanol were carried out by absorption, steady-state fluorescence, and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The hydrogen-bonding properties of urea and derivatives in aqueous solutions are found to be distinctly different from those observed in methanol. Urea, which can serve both as a hydrogen bond donor as well as an acceptor and has a unique hydrogen-bonding feature, helps in studying urea interaction with fluorophores in aqueous solutions, micelles, and alcohol. In our studies, we have used acridinedione dyes as the probe. We report that the hydrophobic interaction of urea with dye predominates by weakening of the hydrogen-bonding interaction of the solvent and urea derivatives with increase in the hydrophobicity of urea derivatives. In methanol, the hydrogen bonding between solvent and urea derivatives predominating over the hydrophobicity of the urea derivatives is observed. The presence of alkyl group substitution in the N-H moiety with a function of increasing concentration resulting in the creation of a more favorable hydrophobic environment to the dye molecule to reside in the hydrophobic shell phase rather than in the bulk aqueous phase is illustrated. The hydrophobic interaction of dye with urea in aqueous solution predominates because of the weakening of the hydrogen bonding of the solvent and urea derivatives, and the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process is used as a marker to identify the hydrophobic interaction illustrated in our studies.     

An indigenous cluster beam apparatus with a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer

The design and fabrication of a Smalley-type cluster source in combination with a reflectron based time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer are reported. The generation of clusters is based on supersonic jet expansion of the sampling plume. Sample cells for both liquid and solid targets developed for this purpose are described. Two pulsed Nd-YAG lasers are used in tandem, one (532 nm) for target vapourization and the other (355 nm) for cluster ionization. Methanol clusters of nuclearity up to 14 (mass 500 amu) were produced from liquid methanol as the test sample. The clusters were detected with a mass resolution of ∼ 2500 in the R-TOF geometry. Carbon clusters up to a nuclearity of 28 were obtained using a polyimide target. The utility of the instrument is demonstrated by carrying out experiments to generate mixed clusters from alcohol mixtures.     

Degradation studies of14C labelled p-fluorophenylacetic acid prepared by exchange reaction

Carbon-14 labelled p-fluorophenylacetic acid was prepared by heating its sodium salt with¹⁴CO₂ at 325 °C. The labelled acid after isolation from the reaction mixture was degraded by reaction with sodium azide. From the radioactivity measurements it was observed that no scrambling of¹⁴C had taken place and the acid could be designated as carboxyl-¹⁴C.Paper presented at the DAE Symposium on Nuclear Chemistry and Radiation Chemistry in February 1988 at Bombay, India.     

Chirally modified zeolites as reaction media: photochemistry of an achiral tropolone ether

[structure: see text] Zeolites modified with chiral inductors serve as media for performing chiral induction during photochemical reactions of organic molecules. The photochemical behavior of achiral tropolone ethyl phenyl ether illustrates this unique feature of a zeolite.     

Synthesis of covalent probes for the radiolabeling of the cannabinoid receptor

The main psychoactive constituent of marijuana, (-)-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, produces most of its physiological effects by interacting with the CB1 cannabinoid receptor, a membrane protein belonging to the large superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors. The 3-D structure of the receptor binding site is of value in the design of novel medications for a variety of therapeutic indications. To obtain information on the amino acid residues associated with this binding site, we have designed and synthesized a cannabinergic CB1 ligand prototype carrying an electrophilic isothiocyanato group capable of reacting covalently with amino acid residues bearing thiol or unprotonated amino groups. The ligand also incorporates an iodide atom, which can serve as a high-activity radiolabel. The key step in our synthesis involves a rapid intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a transiently formed o-quinone methide, which proceeds stereospecifically with the formation of the tricyclic cannabinoid template. Introduction of the iodo group is the last step in the sequence and is compatible with the use of (125)I-radiolabel.     

A novel fluorophore with dual fluorescence: local excited state and photoinduced electron-transfer-promoted charge-transfer state.

Absorption and emission spectra of 9-N,N-dimethylaniline decahydroacridinedione (DMAADD) have been studied in different solvents. The fluorescence spectra of DMAADD are found to exhibit dual emission in aprotic solvents and single emission in protic solvents. The effect of solvent polarity and viscosity on the absorption and emission spectra has also been studied. The fluorescence excitation spectra of DMAADD monitored at both the emission bands are different. The presence of two different conformation of the same molecule in the ground state has lead to two close lying excited states, local excited (LE) and charge transfer (CT), and thereby results in the dual fluorescence of the dye. A CTstate involving the N,N-dimethylaniline group and the decahy droacridinedione chromophore as donor and acceptor, respectively, has been identified as the source of the long wavelength anomalous fluorescence. The experimental studies were supported by ab initio time dependent-density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations performed at the B3LYP/6-31G* level. The molecule possesses photoinduced electron transfer (PET) quenching in the LE state, which is confirmed by the fluorescence lifetime and fluorescent intensity enhancement in the presence of transition metal ions.     

Fencing of Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Nonconjugated Bichromophoric System by β-cyclodextrin Nanocavity

²³Na NMR measurements were employed to monitor the stability of Na⁺ ion complexes with 18-crown-6 (18C6), dicycloxyl-18-crown-6 (DC18C6), dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6), 15-crown-5 (15C5) and benzo-15-crown-5 (B15C5) in binary acetonitrile–dimethylformamide mixtures of varying composition. In all cases, the variation of ²³Na chemical shift with [crown]/[Na⁺] mole ratios indicated the formation of 1:1 complexes. The formation constants of the resulting complexes were evaluated from computer fitting of the mole ratio data to an equation which relates the observed chemical shifts to the formation constants. It was found that, in pure acetonitrile, the stabilities of the resulting 1:1 complexes vary in the order 15C5>DC18C6>B15C5>18C6>DB18C6, while in pure dimethylformamide the stability order is DC18C6>18C6>15C5>B15C5>DB18C6. The observed changes in the stability order could be related to the specific interactions between some crown ethers and acetonitrile. It was found that, in the case of all complexes, an increase in the percentage of dimethylformamide in the solvent mixtures would significantly decrease the stability of the complexes.