New ru(II) complexes containing oxazoline ligands as epoxidation catalysts. Influence of the substituents on the catalytic performance

The synthesis of a family of new Ru complexes containing the facial tridentate ligand with general formula [Ru(II)(T)(D)(X)](n+) (T = trispyrazolylmethane (tpm); D = ((4S,4'S)-(-)-4,4',5,5'-tetrahydro-4,4'-bis(1-methylethyl)-2,2'-bioxazole) (iPr-box-C) or N-(1-hydroxy-3-methylbutan-(2S)-(-)-2-yl)-(4S)-(-)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole-2-carbimidate (iPr-box-O); X = Cl, H(2)O) has been described. All complexes have been spectroscopically characterized in solution through (1)H NMR and UV-vis techniques, and the redox properties of complexes have also been studied by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV). Furthermore, the chloro complexes presented here have been characterized in the solid state through monocrystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The oxazolinic iPr-box-C ligand undergoes a Ru-assisted hydrolysis reaction generating the corresponding amidate anionic ligand iPr-box-O, that keeps coordinated to the Ru metal center and that produces a strong σ-donation effect over it. The reactivity of the Ru-OH(2) complexes described in this paper together with other similar ones, previously synthesized by us, has been tested with regard to the epoxidation of different olefins. Complexes [Ru(II)(R-box-C)(tpm)OH(2)](BF(4))(2), R = Bz, 3'c/iPr, 3c, show high stereoselectivity in the epoxidation of cis-β-methylstyrene, with the exclusive formation of the cis-epoxide. However, there is a significant difference in regioselectivity between the two catalysts in the epoxidation of 4-vinylcyclohexene; complex 3'c leads to the regioselective oxidation at the ring alkene position, whereas complex 3c leads to the oxidation at the terminal position. Computational calculations indicate only small energy differences between the two possible products of 4-vinylcyclohexene epoxidation, but the energy barriers for the interaction of the catalytic systems with the alkene groups of 4-vinylcyclohexene agree with the reactivity differences found for the two catalysts having isopropyl or benzyl as substituent of the oxazole ligand. Computed local Fukui functions help to explain the observed reactivity trends.     

Understanding conjugation and hyperconjugation from electronic delocalization measures

The concepts of conjugation and hyperconjugation play an important role to provide an explanation for several fundamental phenomena observed in organic chemistry. Because these effects cannot be directly measured experimentally, their assessment became a primary concern for chemists from the very beginning. In general, the stabilization produced by both phenomena has been studied by means of isodesmic reactions and energy based analysis such as the energy decomposition analysis. In recent years, electronic delocalization measures have been successfully applied to elucidate the nature of chemical bonding and the aromatic character of all kind of molecules. Because conjugation and hyperconjugation stabilizations are strongly linked to the concept of electron delocalization, this paper will give an account of both effects from the point of view of electronic delocalization measures calculated within the framework of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules. In particular, we focus our attention in the controversial case of the stabilization by conjugation in 1,3-butadiyne and 1,3-butadiene. Unexpectedly, theoretical calculations based on the scheme proposed by Kistiakowsky to quantify the extent of stabilization due to conjugation predicted that the conjugation of 1,3-butadiyne was zero. Subsequent energetic analyses contradicted this observation. These studies pointed out the presence of hyperconjugation stabilization in the hydrogenated product of 1,3-butadiyne and 1,3-butadiene that were used as reference systems in the Kistiakowsky's scheme. Consequently, the extra stabilization of 1-butyne due to hyperconjugation hides the stabilization by conjugation of 1,3-butadiyne. Our results based on electron delocalization measures confirm both the presence of conjugation in 1,3-butadiene and 1,3-butadiyne and hyperconjugation stabilization in their respective hydrogenated products, 1-butene and 1-butyne.     

On the utility of S-mesitylsulfinimines for the stereoselective synthesis of chiral amines and aziridines

The synthetic utility of S-mesitylsulfinimines for the synthesis of chiral amines and aziridines was examined through their reactions with Grignard reagents, with the ylides derived from trimethylsulfonium iodide and S-allyl-tetrahydrothiophenium bromide and through an aza-Darzens manifold, affording convenient access to a diverse range of highly substituted chiral amines and aziridines in high yields and excellent stereoselectivities.     

Metal-biomolecule frameworks (MBioFs)

Biomolecules are the building blocks of life. Nature has evolved countless biomolecules that show promise for bridging metal ions. These molecules have emerged as an excellent source of biocompatible building blocks that can be used to design Metal-Biomolecule Frameworks (MBioFs). This feature article highlights the advances in the synthesis of this class of MOFs. Special emphasis is provided on the crystal structures of these materials, their miniaturization to the submicron length scale, and their new potential storage, catalytic, and biomedical applications.     

Synthesis of heavily substituted 1,2-amino alcohols in enantiomerically pure form

[reaction: see text] A simple and convenient methodology for the preparation of optically pure 2-amino-2-aryl-1,1-diphenylethanols is presented. Allylamine was found to produce the ring-opening of triaryloxiranes in a regioselective and a stereospecific fashion. Removal of the allyl protecting group provided the free 1,2-amino alcohols in enantiomerically pure form.     

Recent applications of conductivity detection in capillary and chip electrophoresis

The review provides a comprehensive survey of the recent applications of contact and contactless conductivity detection in capillary electrophoretic and chip electrophoretic analyses of a broad scale of compounds, from low-molecular-mass highly mobile small inorganic and organic ions, via medium-molecular-mass peptides and oligo- and polynucleotides up to high-molecular-mass biopolymers, proteins and nucleic acids fragments. The review presents also the recent developments in the construction of different types of conductivity detectors (detectors with galvanic contact of the sensing electrodes with the BGE and sample components, contactless conductivity detectors with capacitively coupled tubular and semitubular electrodes and combined conductivity/optical detectors) applied in the capillary electromigration methods performed in classical fused silica, polytetrafluorethylene, and polyetheretherketone capillaries or on glass and polymethylmethacrylate microchips. In addition, the principle and theoretical bases of conductivity detection in capillary electromigration techniques, zone electrophoresis, ITP, micellar EKC, and electrochromatography are briefly described.     

Gas-phase structures, rotational barriers, and conformational properties of hydroxyl and mercapto derivatives of cyclohexa-2,5-dienone and cyclohexa-2,5-dienthione

The rotational barriers and conformational properties of the hydroxyl and mercapto groups attached to the alpha and beta positions of cyclohexa-2,5-dione and cyclohexa-2,5-dienthione have been studied at the B3LYP/ 6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The results show that the conformational preferences of these studied systems are the result of a subtle interplay between different competing effects (conjugation, hyperconjugation, and steric repulsions). The applicability of the density functional theory reactivity indices and the maximum hardness principle for the present systems has been analyzed.     

AlCl3-catalyzed tandem acetylation of hydroarylated [60]fullerenes

The AlCl3-catalyzed acetylation of 1,2-hydrophenylated [60]fullerenes, HC60-Ar, proceeded via a sequential manner involving the acetylation at the hydrogenated fullerene carbon, the following intramolecular cyclization with the adjacent aryl group, the facile loss of water, and the second acetylation of the generated indenylidene double bond. However, the similar reaction of the hydrobiphenylated analogue brought about the normal acetylation at the terminal aromatic ring prior to the same sequential reactions as did hydrophenylated fullerenes.