Critical view on the recent enantioselective synthesis of alcohols,amines and related molecules having tertiary benzylic stereocenter

Stereochemically defined enantioenriched molecules were, are and will always be playing a pivotal role in the development of novel pharmaceutical agents. On this line, compounds having tertiary benzylic stereocenter are of special note. This has led to an increase in the development of novel synthetic strategies for accessing molecules having this structural moiety. The current critical discussion proposes to describe the various synthetic methodologies for the enantioselective synthesis of diaryl methanols, diarylmethyl amines and other related scaffolds with tertiary benzylic stereogenic center that came up during 1995–2016. Through this critical view, we would not only like to give the readers a brief outlook on the different techniques that can be followed for the synthesis of a vast array of entities having this structural core, but also would like to highlight the limitations the protocols that need to be addressed.     

Synthesis,Structure, Bonding,and Reactivity of Metal Complexes Comprising Diborane(4) and Diborene(2): [{Cp*Mo(CO)2}2{μ‐η2:η2‐B2H4}] and [{Cp*M(CO)2}2B2H2M(CO)4], M=Mo,W

The reaction of [(Cp*Mo)₂(μ‐Cl)₂B₂H₆] ( 1 ) with CO at room temperature led to the formation of the highly fluxional species [{Cp*Mo(CO)₂}₂{μ‐η²:η²‐B₂H₄}] ( 2 ). Compound 2, to the best of our knowledge, is the first example of a bimetallic diborane(4) conforming to a singly bridged C_s structure. Theoretical studies show that 2 mimics the Cotton dimolybdenum–alkyne complex [{CpMo(CO)₂}₂C₂H₂]. In an attempt to replace two hydrogen atoms of diborane(4) in 2 with a 2e [W(CO)₄] fragment, [{Cp*Mo(CO)₂}₂ B₂H₂W(CO)₄] ( 3 ) was isolated upon treatment with [W(CO)₅?thf]. Compound 3 shows the intriguing presence of [B₂H₂] with a short B?B length of 1.624(4) Å. We isolated the tungsten analogues of 3 , [{Cp*W(CO)₂}₂B₂H₂W(CO)₄] ( 4 ) and [{Cp*W(CO)₂}₂B₂H₂Mo(CO)₄] ( 5 ), which provided direct proof of the existence of the tungsten analogue of 2 .     

Gauche and staggered forms of diethylamine in solvates of 1,5-dichloro-cis-9,10-diethynyl-9,10-dihydroanthracene-9,10-diol. A case of conformational pseudopolymorphism?

Diethylamine has been trapped in its less stable gauche conformation in a solvate of the title diol; the staggered conformation, which is ca. 4 kJ mol(-1) more stable, is found in another solvate of the same host.     

Exploring long-range proton conduction,the conduction mechanism and inner hydration state of protein biopolymers

Proteins are the main proton mediators in various biological proton circuits. Using proteins for the formation of long-range proton conductors is offering a bioinspired approach for proton conductive polymers. One of the main challenges in the field of proton conductors is to explore the local environment within the polymers, along with deciphering the conduction mechanism. Here, we show that the protonic conductivity across a protein-based biopolymer can be hindered using straightforward chemical modifications, targeting carboxylate- or amine-terminated residues of the protein, as well as exploring the effect of surface hydrophobicity on proton conduction. We further use the natural tryptophan residue as a local fluorescent probe for the inner local hydration state of the protein surface and its tendency to form hydrogen bonds with nearby water molecules, along with the dynamicity of the process. Our electrical and spectroscopic measurements of the different chemically-modified protein materials as well as the material at different water–aprotic solvent mixtures result in our fundamental understanding of the proton mediators within the material and gaining important insights on the proton conduction mechanism. Our biopolymer can be used as an attractive platform for the study of bio-related protonic circuits as well as a proton conducting biopolymer for various applications, such as protonic transistors, ionic transducers and fuel cells.

Post formation modification of protein-based materials can attenuate the proton conduction efficiency resulting from change in conduction mechanism, charge carrier mobility, carrier concentrations and inner hydration layer.     

Synthesis of the spiro fused β-lactone-γ-lactam segment of oxazolomycin

An effective synthetic strategy for construction of the novel spiro-bicyclic β-lactone-γ-lactam system present in oxazolomycin has been demonstrated. The 3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine ring system was constructed via an Evans aldol reaction. The spiro-β-lactone ring was elaborated from a gem-hydroxymethyl moiety that was successfully installed by an aldol followed by a crossed Cannizzaro reaction.     

Supramolecular copper hydroxide tennis balls: self-assembly, structures, and magnetic properties of octanuclear [Cu(8)L(8)(OH)(4)](4+) clusters (HL = N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide)

The self-assembly of supramolecular copper "tennis balls" that possess unusual magnetic properties using a small pyridyl amide ligand is described. Copper(II) complexes of N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide (HL) were synthesized in methanol. In the absence of base, the mononuclear complex [Cu(HL)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (1) was prepared. The structure of 1, determined by X-ray crystallography, contains a copper(II) ion surrounded by bidentate HL ligands coordinated via the pyridyl N atom and the carbonyl O atom in a trans, square planar arrangement. Reactions carried out in the presence of triethylamine resulted in cluster complexes [Cu(8)L(8)(OH)(4)](ClO(4))(4) and [Cu(8)L(8)(OH)(4)](CF(3)SO(3))(4) [2(ClO(4))(4) and 2(OTf)(4), respectively]. The cationic portions of 2(ClO(4))(4) and 2(OTf)(4) are isostructural, containing eight copper(II) ions, eight deprotonated ligands (L(-)), and four mu(3)-hydroxide ligands. The top and bottom halves of the cluster are related by a pseudo-S(4) symmetry operation and are held together by bridging L(-) ligands. Solutions of 2(ClO(4))(4) and 2(OTf)(4), which were shown to contain the full [Cu(8)L(8)(OH)(4)](4+) fragment by electrospray mass spectrometry and conductance experiments, are EPR silent. Magnetic susceptibility measurements for 2(ClO(4))(4) as a function of temperature and magnetic field showed the Cu ions all to exhibit magnetic moments in the range expected for the d(9) configuration. At low temperatures, the magnetization was reduced due to predominantly antiferromagnetic interactions between ions. Analysis showed that partially frustrated interactions among the four Cu ions making up each half of the cluster gave good agreement with the data once a large molecular anisotropy was taken into account, with J(c) = 106 cm(-1), D = 27 cm(-1), and g = 2.17.     

Oxomolybdenum tetrathiolates with sterically encumbering ligands: modeling the effect of a protein matrix on electronic structure and reduction potentials

The effect of sterically encumbering ligands on the electronic structure of oxomolybdenum tetrathiolate complexes was determined using a combination of electronic absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies, complimented by DFT bonding calculations, to understand geometric and electronic structure contributions to reduction potentials. These complexes are rudimentary models for a redox-active metalloenzyme active site in a protein matrix and allow for detailed spectroscopic probing of specific oxomolybdenum-thiolate interactions that are directly relevant to Mo-S(cysteine) bonding in pyranopterin molybdenum enzymes. Data are presented for three para-substituted oxomolybdenum tetrathiolate complexes ([PPh4][MoO(p-SPhCONHCH3)4], [PPh4][MoO(p-SPhCONHC(CH2O(CH2)2CN)3)4], and [PPh4][MoO(p-SPhCONHC(CH2O(CH2)2COOCH2CH3)3)4]). The Mo(V/IV) reduction potentials of the complexes in DMF are -1213, -1251, and -1247 mV, respectively. The remarkably similar electronic absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra of these complexes establish that the observed reduction potential differences are not a result of significant changes in the electronic structure of the [MoOS4]- cores as a function of the larger ligand size. We provide evidence that these reduction potential differences result from the driving force for a substantial reorganization of the O-Mo-S-C dihedral angle upon reduction, which decreases electron donation from the thiolate sulfurs to the reduced molybdenum center. The energy barrier to favorable O-Mo-S-C geometries results in a reorganizational energy increase, relative to [MoO(SPh)4](-/2-), that correlates with ligand size. The inherent flexible nature of oxomolybdenum-thiolate bonds indicate that thiolate ligand geometry, which controls Mo-S covalency, could affect the redox processes of monooxomolybdenum centers in pyranopterin molybdenum enzymes.     

Photodetachment dynamics from closed‐shell anions in the presence of a bichromatic field

I have studied the dynamics of photodetachment from closed‐shell anions in the presence of a two‐color (bichromatic) laser field. The electronic states of halide ions are modeled by a 1‐D Hamiltonian with a potential V(x) = ?V₀e. The two parameters V₀ and σ are fixed by requiring V(x) to reproduce the experimentally observed ground‐state ionization energy of the halide ions concerned. The potentials so generated are shown to support only one bound state in each case. The time‐dependent Fourier grid Hamiltonian method is used to follow the detachment dynamics with fairly high intensities of light. The environmental effects on the dynamics are sought to be modeled by allowing the well depth (V₀) to fluctuate randomly (V₀(t) = V₀[1 + ΔVR(t)]; R(t) randomly fluctuates between +1 and ?1 with time, when ΔV is fixed). The average detachment rate constants k_av are seen to increase with increase in the intensities of used bichromatic field. An alternative model potential, V(x) = ?V₀e^?σx, is also shown to yield similar results. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Formation of fast exotic atoms by radiative Coulomb capture

Interesting surprises in some exotic atom kinetics have been reported recently. These involve muonic atom transfer cross sections, nuclear pion capture and theq 1s effect in CF. These can be explained if the exotic atom population contains a contributing fast component. Such fast atoms can be formed by radiative continuum to bound transitions of fast (keV) muons or pions. Cross sections for formation of such fast pionic and muonic atoms and their velocity distributions are reported. The possibility of these processes competing with the thermalisation channels and contributing effectively to the exotic atom population is discussed.     

Dual Photoredox/Nickel‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Carbofunctionalization of Alkenes

The potential of merging photoredox and nickel catalysis to perform multicomponent alkene difunctionalizations under visible‐light irradiation is demonstrated here. Secondary and tertiary alkyl groups, as well as sulfonyl moieties can be added to the terminal position of the double bond with simultaneous arylation of the internal carbon atom in a single step under mild reaction conditions. The process, devoid of stoichiometric additives, benefits from the use of bench‐stable and easy‐to‐handle reagents, is operationally simple, and tolerates a wide variety of functional groups.