Characterisation and properties of new ionic liquids with the difluoromono[1,2-oxalato(2-)-O,O′]borate anion

Three ionic liquids with borate anions of low symmetry, tetraethylammonium difluoromono[1,2-oxalato(2-)-O,O′]borate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium difluoromono[1,2-oxalato(2-)-O,O′]borate, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium difluoromono[1,2-oxalato(2-)-O,O′]borate were synthesised and characterised by physicochemical and electrochemical measurements including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cyclic voltammetry (CV), viscosity and conductivity measurements.     

Pyran annulation: asymmetric synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted-4-methylene tetrahydropyrans

[reaction: see text] A reaction process for the asymmetric construction of a variety of cis or trans disubstituted pyrans is described. This sequences allows for the asymmetric convergent union of two aldehydes with silyl-stannane reagent 1 in a two-step process: catalytic asymmetric allylation of the first aldehyde using 1 with a BITIP catalyst, followed by reaction of the alcohol so obtained with a second aldehyde and TMSOTf.     

A borderline case between meso and stable C1: an axially chiral, yet configurationally semi-stable biphenyl with two oppositely configured [10]paracyclophane portions

The synthesis of the bi[10]paracyclophanes 2 and 4 from the meso-configured bioxepine 3 is described. These compounds are stereochemically remarkable: the biaryl axis that connects the constitutionally identical, but oppositely configured planar-chiral paracyclophane portions, is configurationally semi-stable. Thus, 2 is an unprecedented borderline case of a (planar-chiral)-(axially chiral)-(planar-chiral) molecule that is right in between a meso-compound (as a macroscopical result of the—albeit slow—rotation about the central C,C-bond) and C₁-symmetry (with respect to the existence of separable—even though configurationally unstable—discrete atropo-enantiomers). Despite their restricted configurational stability, these atropo-enantiomers were resolved on a chiral phase at 5 °C and were stereochemically assigned by LC-CD coupling, in combination with quantum chemical CD calculations.     

Instantaneous SmI2/H2O/amine mediated reduction of nitroalkanes and α,β-unsaturated nitroalkenes

A rapid method for efficient reduction of nitroalkanes and α,β-unsaturated nitroalkenes using SmI₂/H₂O/amine has been developed.     

Direct observation of o-benzyne formation in photochemical hexadehydro-Diels–Alder (hν-HDDA) reactions

Reactive ortho-benzyne derivatives are believed to be the initial products of liquid-phase [4 + 2]-cycloadditions between a 1,3-diyne and an alkyne via what is known as a hexadehydro-Diels–Alder (HDDA) reaction. The UV/VIS spectroscopic observation of o-benzyne derivatives and their photochemical dynamics in solution, however, have not been reported previously. Herein, we report direct UV/VIS spectroscopic evidence for the existence of an o-benzyne in solution, and establish the dynamics of its formation in a photoinduced reaction. For this purpose, we investigated a bis-diyne compound using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet/visible region. In the first step, we observe excited-state isomerization on a sub-10 ps time scale. For identification of the o-benzyne species formed within 50–70 ps, and the corresponding photochemical hexadehydro-Diels–Alder (hν-HDDA) reactions, we employed two intermolecular trapping strategies. In the first case, the o-benzyne was trapped by a second bis-diyne, i.e., self-trapping. The self-trapping products were then identified in the transient absorption experiments by comparing their spectral features to those of the isolated products. In the second case, we used perylene for trapping and reconstructed the spectrum of the trapping product by removing the contribution of irrelevant species from the experimentally observed spectra. Taken together, the UV/VIS spectroscopic data provide a consistent picture for o-benzyne derivatives in solution as the products of photo-initiated HDDA reactions, and we deduce the time scales for their formation.

We report the transient ultraviolet/visible absorption spectrum of an o-benzyne species in solution for the first time.     

Fluorothiazynes, 50 years old and still exciting: electrophilic attack at the thiazyl nitrogen of NSF2NS(O)F2

One of the most interesting compounds in sulfur nitrogen fluorine chemistry is NSF₂NS(O)F₂ (3) (reported by Glemser and Höfer 30 years ago): in the NS backbone a triple and a double bond are connected by a single bond. Electrophiles (metal cations, fluoro Lewis acids, “CH₃⁺”) attack this multifunctional system exclusively at the thiazyl nitrogen of the triple bond. [M(NSF₂NS(O)F₂)₄][AsF₆]₂ (M = Ni (4b), Cu (4c)), [Re(CO)₅(NSF₂NS(O)F₂)][AsF₆]⁻ (5), F₅A·NSF₂NS(O)F₂ (A = As (6), Sb (7)), F₃B·NSF₂NS(O)F₂ (8) and [H₃CNSF₂NS(O)F₂]⁺[AsF₆]⁻ (9) were isolated. The X-ray structures of 4c, 6, 8 and 9 are reported, bonding in these complexes is compared with the recently reported related NSAr₂NS(X)Ar₂ (X = O, NH) species.     

Chemically distinct Ni sites in the A-cluster in subunit beta of the acetyl-CoA decarbonylase/synthase complex from Methanosarcina thermophila: Ni L-edge absorption and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism analyses

The 5-subunit-containing acetyl-CoA decarbonylase/synthase (ACDS) complex plays an important role in methanogenic Archaea that convert acetate to methane, by catalyzing the central reaction of acetate C-C bond cleavage in which acetyl-CoA serves as the acetyl donor substrate reacting at the ACDS beta subunit active site. The properties of Ni in the active site A-cluster in the ACDS beta subunit from Methanosarcina thermophila were investigated. A recombinant, C-terminally truncated form of the beta subunit was employed, which mimics the native subunit previously isolated from the ACDS complex, and contains an A-cluster composed of an [Fe(4)S(4)] center bridged to a binuclear Ni-Ni site. The electronic structures of these two Ni were studied using L-edge absorption and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy. The L-edge absorption data provided evidence for two distinct Ni species in the as-isolated enzyme, one with low-spin Ni(II) and the other with high-spin Ni(II). XMCD spectroscopy confirmed that the species producing the high-spin signal was paramagnetic. Upon treatment with Ti(3+) citrate, an additional Ni species emerged, which was assigned to Ni(I). By contrast, CO treatment of the reduced enzyme converted nearly all of the Ni in the sample to low-spin Ni(II). The results implicate reaction of a high-spin tetrahedral Ni site with CO to form an enzyme-CO adduct transformed to a low-spin Ni(II) state. These findings are discussed in relation to the mechanism of C-C bond activation, in connection with the model of the beta subunit A-cluster developed from companion Ni and Fe K edge, XANES, and EXAFS studies.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of atmospheric oxidants at the air-water interface: solvation and accommodation of OH and O3

A comparative study of OH, O3, and H2O equilibrium aqueous solvation and gas-phase accommodation on liquid water at 300 K is performed using a combination of ab initio calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Polarizable force fields are developed for the interaction potential of OH and O3 with water. The free energy profiles for transfer of OH and O3 from the gas phase to the bulk liquid exhibit a pronounced minimum at the surface, but no barrier to solvation in the bulk liquid. The calculated surface excess of each oxidant is comparable to calculated and experimental values for short chain, aliphatic alcohols. Driving forces for the surface activity are discussed in terms of the radial distribution functions and dipole orientation distributions for each molecule in the bulk liquid and at the surface. Simulations of OH, O3, and H2O impinging on liquid water with a thermal impact velocity are used to calculate thermal accommodation (S) and mass accommodation (alpha) coefficients. The values of S for OH, O3, and H2O are 0.95, 0.90, and 0.99, respectively. The approaching molecules are accelerated toward the liquid surface when they are approximately 5 angstroms above it. The molecules that reach thermal equilibrium with the surface do so within 2 ps of striking the surface, while those that do not scatter into the gas phase with excess translational kinetic energy in the direction perpendicular to the surface. The time constants for absorption and desorption range from approximately 35 to 140 ps, and the values of alpha for OH, O3, and H2O are 0.83, 0.047, and 0.99, respectively. The results are consistent with previous formulations of gas-phase accommodation from simulations, in which the process occurs by rapid thermal and structural equilibration followed by diffusion on the free energy profile. The implications of these results with respect to atmospheric chemistry are discussed.     

Bright luminescent lithium and magnesium carbene complexes

We report on the convenient synthesis of a CNC pincer ligand composed of carbazole and two mesoionic carbenes, as well as the corresponding lithium- and magnesium complexes. Mono-deprotonation affords a rare “naked” amide anion. In contrast to the proligand and its mono-deprotonated form, tri-deprotonated s-block complexes show bright luminescence, and their photophysical properties were therefore investigated by absorption- and luminescence spectroscopy. They reveal a quantum yield of 16% in solution at ambient temperature. Detailed quantum-chemical calculations assist in rationalizing the emissive properties based on an Intra-Ligand-Charge-Transfer (ILCT) between the carbazolido- and mesoionic carbene ligands. (Earth-)alkali metals prevent the distortion of the ligand following excitation and, thus, by avoiding non-radiative deactivation support bright luminescence.

Lithium- and magnesium complexes of a CNC pincer ligand composed of carbazole and two mesoionic carbenes are bright luminescent, because the metals prevent molecular distortions upon excitation.     

Tin-free radical alkoxyamine addition and isomerization reactions by using the persistent radical effect: variation of the alkoxyamine structure

Various C-centered radicals can efficiently be generated through thermal C-O-bond homolysis of alkoxyamines. This method is used to perform environmentally benign radical cyclization and intermolecular addition reactions. These alkoxyamine isomerizations and intermolecular carboaminoxylations are mediated by the persistent radical effect (PRE). In the paper, the effect of the variation of the alkoxyamine structure--in particular steric effects in the nitroxide moiety--on the outcome of the PRE mediated radical reactions will be discussed. Fourteen different nitroxides were used in the studies. It will be shown that reaction times can be shortened about 100 times upon careful tuning of the alkoxyamine structure. Activation energies for the C-O-bond homolysis of the various alkoxyamines are provided. The kinetic data are used to explain the reaction outcome of the PRE-mediated processes.