DYNAMIC STEREOCHEMISTRY OF SYMMETRICALLY BUT DIFFERENTLY SUBSTITUTED DIPHOSPHANES

Abstract

The main interest of our work in Bonn during the last years was in the field of phosphorus-carbon compounds with multiple bonds. Beside the synthesis of new classes of compounds we were particularly interested in the amazing analogy between the PC- and the CC-double bond, which could be proved by evidence of E/Z isomers and a clear indication of pericyclic reactions.     

Engyodontochones,Antibiotic Polyketides from the Marine Fungus Engyodontium album Strain LF069

Six new ( 2 , 4 – 8 ) and two known polyketides with a basic structure of an anthraquinone‐xanthone were isolated from mycelia and culture broth of the fungus Engyodontium album strain LF069. The structures and relative configurations of these compounds were established by spectroscopic means, and their absolute configurations were defined mainly by comparison of quantum chemical TDDFT calculated and experimental ECD spectra. Compounds 2 and 4 – 8 were given the trivial names engyodontochone A ( 2 ) and B–F ( 4 – 8 ). Compounds 5 – 8 represent the first example of a 23,28 seco‐beticolin carbon skeleton. The relative and absolute configurations of two known substances JBIR‐97/98 ( 1 ) and JBIR‐99 ( 3 ) were determined for the first time. All isolated compounds were subjected to bioactivity assays. Compounds 1 – 4 exhibited inhibitory activity against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that was 10‐fold stronger than chloramphenicol.     

Double Pancake Versus Long Chalcogen–Chalcogen Bonds in Six‐Membered C,N,S‐Heterocycles

The double “pancake” bonding in the dimers of the six‐membered heterocycles 1,3‐dithia‐2,4,6‐triazine ( 4 ) and 1,3‐dithia‐2,4‐diazine ( 16 ) were investigated by means of high‐level quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP and CCSD(T)). It was found that the S–S dimers, 20 a and 27 , are not the most stable isomers, but the dimers showing short S?N ( 21 a ) and S?C ( 25 , 28 ) bonds. An investigation of the 5‐phenyl‐1,3‐dithia‐2,4,6‐triazine ( 4 b ) yields that the syn dimer with two S?S bonds (2.57 Å) is the most stable one. In this dimer, the phenyl groups are placed on top of each other. The additional dispersion energy of the phenyl rings causes a stabilization of the syn‐S–S (C_2v‐like) isomer. As a result, two weak albeit relevant single S?S bonds (2.57 Å) are predicted. These findings contradict the recently published concept of double “pancake” bonding in the dimer 4 b ₂.     

A Further Extension of Pnictide Oxide Chemistry – Synthesis and Structure of La2AuP2O

The phosphide oxide La₂AuP₂O was synthesized from lanthanum filings, dried La₂O₃, gold pieces, and ground red phosphorus in the ideal 1.33:0.33:1:2 ratio in an evacuated silica tube at 1473 K. Small single crystals were obtained by recrystallization in a NaCl/KCl flux. The structure was determined on the basis of single‐crystal X‐ray diffractometer data: new type, C2/m, a = 1537.3(3), b = 427.39(8), c = 1009.2(2) pm, β = 131.02(1) °, wR₂ = 0.046, 1102 F² values, 38 variables. La₂AuP₂O contains two striking structural motifs: The oxygen atoms are located in La₄ tetrahedra. The latter are cis‐edge‐shared forming polymeric cationic [La₂O]⁴⁺ chains. These cationic units are separated and charge‐balanced by [AuP₂]^4– polyanions which have monovalent gold in distorted trigonal planar phosphorus coordination. Two crystallographically independent phosphorus sites occur in the polyanion, i.e. isolated P^3– besides dumb‐bells P₂^4– (P2–P2 223 pm). La₂AuP₂O, which crystallizes in the form of ruby red transparent crystals, is an electron precise phosphide oxide (4La³⁺)(2Au⁺)(2P^3–)(P₂^4–)(2O^2–).     

Traveling Salesman Problem with Clustering

In the original traveling salesman problem, the traveling salesman has the task to find the shortest closed tour through a proposed set of nodes, touching each node exactly once and returning to the initial node at the end. For the sake of the tour length to be minimized, nodes close to each other might not be visited one after the other but separated in the tour. However, for some practical applications, it is useful to group nodes to clusters, such that all nodes of a cluster are visited contiguously. Here we present an approach which leads to an automatic clustering with a clustering parameter governing the sizes of the clusters.     

Moisturizing emulsion systems based on the novel long-chain alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier

Mesomorphic behavior of the novel long-chain alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier comprising arachidyl alcohol (C₂₀), behenyl alcohol (C₂₂), and arachidyl glucoside was investigated in order to determine the prevalent stabilization mechanism and moisturizing capacity of emulsion systems based on it. For this to be accomplished thermoanalytical methods (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis) coupled with microscopy, rheological, X-ray diffraction methods and a short-term in vivo study of skin hydration level were performed. Obtained results have proved that C₂₀/C₂₂ alkyl polyglucoside mixed emulsifier is able to provide the synergism between the two main types of lamellar phases, the liquid-crystalline (Lα), and the gel crystalline (Lβ) one, building the emulsion systems of different stability and performance. Formation of lamellar structures influenced for more than one half of water within the system to be entrapped. Conducted investigation of hydration potential in real-time conditions provided valuable information on the investigated emulsion vehicles’ moisturizing potential as well as their contribution to the skin barrier improvement. Therefore, it could be expected that emulsions based on this alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier could influence the delivery of active ingredients of both the lipophilic and hydrophilic type. The employment of thermoanalytical methods in our work suggests the possibility for thermal methods to be used more frequently in the characterization of both the novel raw materials and the belonging emulsion systems.     

Facile Synthesis of 3,6‐Diaminopyridazine

An efficient two‐step synthesis of 3,6‐diaminopyridazine from 3,6‐dichloropyridazine is reported. In this synthetic procedure, 4‐methoxybenzylamine was used as a nitrogen source to substitute the chloro groups of 3,6‐dichloropyridazine to form N,N′‐bis‐(4‐methoxybenzyl)‐pyridazine‐3,6‐diamine. The 4‐methoxybenzyl groups were then removed by treatment with hydrochloric acid to provide the target 3,6‐diaminopyridazine with an overall yield of 78%.     

Improved Synthesis of 1-Bromo-3-buten-2-one

A convenient procedure for the synthesis of 1-bromo-3-buten-2-one, 4, from commercially available 2-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane, 1, is described. The procedure involves three reaction steps: (1) The acetal 1 is converted to 2-(1-bromoethyl)-2-bromomethyl-1,3-dioxolane, 2, by reacting 1 with elemental bromine in dichloromethane to yield 98% of 2. (2) Dehydrobromination of 2 with potassium tert-butoxide in tetrahydrofuran gives 2-bromomethyl-2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane, 3, in 84–93% yield. (3) Removal of the acetal protection from 3 by formolysis for 6–10 h afforded 1-bromo-3-buten-2-one, 4, in 85–94% yield. A more rapid method is acid hydrolysis of 3 under microwave activation (100 °C, 8–10 min), by which 4 was obtained in 75% yield. Full experimental details are given.