Dimethylformamide as a carbon monoxide source in fast palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylations of aryl bromides

Dimethylformamide (DMF) acts as an efficient source of carbon monoxide and dimethylamine in the palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation (Heck carbonylation) of p-tolyl bromide to provide the dimethylamide. Addition of amines to the reaction mixture in excess delivers the corresponding aryl amides in good yields. The amines employed, benzylamine, morpholine, and aniline, all constitute good reaction partners. The reaction proceeds smoothly with bromobenzene and more electron-rich aryl bromides, but electron-deficient aryl bromides fail to undergo aminocarbonylation. The reactions are conducted at 180-190 degrees C for 15-20 min with microwave heating in a reaction mixture containing imidazole and potassium tert-butoxide: the latter is required to promote decomposition of the DMF solvent at a suitable rate. The beneficial effects of controlled microwave irradiation as an energy source for the rapid heating of the carbonylation reaction mixture are demonstrated. The carbonylation procedure reported herein, which relies on the in situ generation of carbon monoxide, serves as a convenient alternative to other carbonylation methods and is particularly applicable to small-scale reactions where short reaction times are desired and the direct use of carbon monoxide gas is impractical.     

SNAr reactions of β-substituted porphyrins and the synthesis of meso substituted tetrabenzoporphyrins

Reaction of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin with LiR reagents containing functional groups readily yields meso substituted derivatives suitable for further transformations with residues such as -p-C₆H₅Br, -p-C₆H₅-CCH, -p-C₆H₅-NH₂ or -(CH₂)₃-CHCH₂. Similar reactions of tetrabenzoporphyrin with alkyllithium reagents afforded the first entry into meso mono- and dialkylsubstituted tetrabenzoporphyrins while reaction of bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-type masked isoindole precursors with LiR followed by in situ retro-Diels-Alder reaction also afforded the 5-phenyl and 5,10-diphenyltetrabenzoporphyrins in high purity.     

(−)‐Englerin A is a Potent and Selective Activator of TRPC4 and TRPC5 Calcium Channels

Current therapies for common types of cancer such as renal cell cancer are often ineffective and unspecific, and novel pharmacological targets and approaches are in high demand. Here we show the unexpected possibility for the rapid and selective killing of renal cancer cells through activation of calcium‐permeable nonselective transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) calcium channels by the sesquiterpene (?)‐englerin A. This compound was found to be a highly efficient, fast‐acting, potent, selective, and direct stimulator of TRPC4 and TRPC5 channels. TRPC4/5 activation through a high‐affinity extracellular (?)‐englerin A binding site may open up novel opportunities for drug discovery aimed at renal cancer.     

Synthesis of 6-(perfluoroalkyl)salicylates by [3+3] cyclization of 1,3-bis(silyl enol ethers) with 3-ethoxy-1-(perfluoroalkyl)prop-2-en-1-ones

6-(Perfluoroalkyl)salicylates were prepared by [3+3] cyclization of 1,3-bis(silyl enol ethers) with 3-ethoxy-1-(perfluoroalkyl)prop-2-en-1-ones.     

Theoretical and infrared spectroscopic investigation of the O(2) (-).benzene and O(4) (-).benzene complexes

The infrared spectra of the O(2) (-).benzene and O(4) (-).benzene complexes are determined by means of Ar predissociation spectroscopy. Several transitions due to CH stretch fundamentals and various combination bands are observed in the 2700-3100 cm(-1) region. The experimental results are interpreted with the aid of electronic structure calculations. A comparison of the calculated and experimental spectra reveals that the spectrum of O(2) (-).benzene most likely arises from an isomer where the superoxide molecule binds preferentially to one CH group of benzene. In contrast, the spectrum of O(4) (-).benzene yields a CH pattern remarkably similar to that displayed by the C(2nu) X(-).benzene (X=halogen) complexes, consistent with a structure with two CH groups equally involved in the bonding. The lower energy vibrational fundamental transitions of the O(4) (-) anion are recovered with a slight redshift in the O(4) (-).benzene spectrum, establishing that this charge-delocalized dimer ion retains its identity upon complexation.     

Two types of intramolecular addition of an Al-N multiple-bonded monomer LAlNAr' arising from the reaction of LAl with N3Ar' (L = HC[(CMe)(NAr)]2, Ar' = 2,6-Ar2C6H3, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3)

The reaction of beta-diketiminated aluminum(I) monomer LAl with a large bulky azide N3Ar' (L = HC(CMeNAr)2, Ar' = 2,6-Ar2C6H3, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) in the temperature range from -78 degrees C to room temperature affords two different isomers 2 and 3, which have been characterized by spectroscopic and X-ray structural analyses, as well as elemental analysis. The variable-temperature 1H NMR kinetic studies of this reaction indicate the existence of the monomer LAlNAr' (1) at low temperature and the thermal stability of the compounds increases in the order of 1 < 2 < 3.     

Synthesis and self-association properties of flexible guanidiniocarbonylpyrrole-carboxylate zwitterions in DMSO: intra- versus intermolecular ion pairing

We have synthesized a new class of flexible zwitterions 6a-e, in which a carboxylate is linked via an alkyl chain with variable length (one to five methylene groups) to a guanidiniocarbonylpyrrole cation. The self-association properties of these zwitterions were determined by NMR dilution studies in DMSO and by ESI-MS experiments. The stability and hence also the size of the aggregates formed via self-assembly is critically dependent on the length and therefore flexibility of the spacer. Whereas the smallest zwitterion 6a forms large aggregates already at low concentrations, the more flexible zwitterions only form small oligomers (6b) or dimers (6c-e) at much larger concentrations. The differences between the five zwitterions can be explained based on the different extent of intramolecular ion pairing within the monomers. Any intramolecular ion pairing, which becomes possible with increasing linker length, stabilizes the monomer and therefore destabilizes any oligomer.