Green protocol for conjugate addition of amines to p-quinones accelerated by water

Amines undergo smooth conjugate addition to p-quinones in H₂O at ambient temperature in the absence of a catalyst to produce 2-aminoquinones in excellent yields. Significant rate acceleration of this reaction is observed in H₂O compared to organic solvents. H₂O played a dual role in simultaneously activating the p-quinone and amine. This new methodology constitutes an easy, highly efficient, and green synthesis of substituted p-quinones. Correspondence: J. S. Yadav, Division of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India.     

Synthesis of 1,2,4-oxadiazole-linked orthogonally urethane-protected dipeptide mimetics

The synthesis of a new class of 1,2,4-oxadiazole-linked orthogonally urethane-protected dipeptide mimetics is described. The protocol employs a reaction between an N-protected amino acyl fluoride and an amino acid-derived amidoxime. All the three commonly employed urethanes have been used in this protocol for N-protection. The course of the reaction was found to be high yielding and all new compounds were well characterized by NMR and mass spectroscopy. The O-acyl amidoxime intermediate has also been isolated as a stable solid.     

Ruthenium(II), rhodium(III) and iridium(III) based effective catalysts for hydrogenation under aerobic conditions

The new cationic mononuclear complexes [(η⁶-arene)Ru(Ph-BIAN)Cl]BF₄ [η⁶-arene = benzene (1), p-cymene (2)], [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ru(Ph-BIAN)PPh₃]BF₄ (3) and [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)M(Ph-BIAN)Cl]BF₄ [M = Rh (4), Ir (5)] incorporating 1,2-bis(phenylimino)acenaphthene (Ph-BIAN) are reported. The complexes have been fully characterized by analytical and spectral (IR, NMR, FAB-MS, electronic and emission) studies. The molecular structure of the representative iridium complex [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ir(Ph-BIAN)Cl]BF₄ has been determined crystallographically. Complexes 1–5 effectively catalyze the reduction of terephthaldehyde in the presence of HCOOH/CH₃COONa in water under aerobic conditions and, among these complexes the rhodium complex [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(Ph-BIAN)Cl]BF₄ (4) displays the most effective catalytic activity.     

Synthesis, characterization, and structural studies of mixed-ligand diorganotin esters, [R2Sn(OP(O)(OH)Ph)(OS(O)2R1)]n [R = n-Bu, R1 = Me (1), n-Pr(2); R = Et, R1 = Me (3)] with 1D and 3D coordination polymeric motifs

Mixed-ligand diorganotin esters, [R 2Sn(OP(O)(OH)Ph)(OS(O) 2R (1))] n [R = n-Bu, R (1) = Me ( 1), n-Pr ( 2); R = Et, R (1) = Me ( 3)], have been synthesized by reacting the tin precursors, R 2Sn(OR (1))OS(O) 2R with an equimolar amount of phenylphosphonic acid under mild conditions (room temperature, 6-8 h, CH 2Cl 2). These have been characterized by IR, multinuclear ( (1)H, (13)C{ (1)H}, (31)P, and (119)Sn) NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The asymmetric unit of 1 is comprised of a tetramer with four crystallographically unique tin atoms. The structure reveals a central eight-membered (Sn-O-S-O) 2 cyclic ring with two exocyclic tin atoms, which results from micro 3-binding of the two methanesulfonate groups. The remaining two sulfonates are monodentate and contribute in O...HO(P) hydrogen bonding. The molecular structure is extended into a 3D coordination polymer with the aid of hydrogenphenylphosphonate group on each tin atom, acting in a micro 2-O 2P mode and forms a series of eight-membered (Sn-O-P-O) 2 rings in the structural framework. 2 and 3 are isostructural and represent linear 1D coordination polymers via micro 2-binding mode of both alkanesulfonate and hydrogenphenylphosphonate groups.     

Transition-Metal-Free One-Pot [3+3] Heteroannulative Coupling of Thioamides with Epichlorohydrin: Access to Diverse 1,3-Thiazinanes

An operationally simple and efficient cascade approach to access a series of 1,3-thiazinanes has been developed through intermolecular [3+3] heteroannulative coupling employing β-ketothioamide as a C1 N1S1 unit and epichlorohydrin as a C3 unit at room temperature for the first time. The reaction proceeds by nucleophilic attack of thiocarbonyl sulfur to less hindered primary carbon of oxirane followed by sequential intramolecular N-cyclization and dehydrochlorination enabling the coupling by cleavage of C−O bond and formation of two new C−S and C−N bonds in one stretch. This protocol not only avoids potential toxicity and tedious work up procedures, but also features open atmosphere, good to high yields, gram-scalability, and easy performance from inexpensive, readily available starting materials under transition-metal-free conditions. A probable mechanism for the formation of 1,3-thiazinanes has been suggested.     

Supramolecular non-symmetric dimers derived from cholesterol: synthesis and phase transitional properties

Three series of novel dimeric supramolecules, possessing both inter- as well as intramolecular H-bonding, have been prepared and investigated for their thermal properties. They were obtained in excellent yields by condensing cholesteryl ω-(3-hydroxy-4-formylphen-oxy)alkanoates with 4-(n-alkoxy)benzohydrazides, 3,4-bis(n-decyl-oxy)benzohydrazide and 3,4,5-tris(n-decyloxy)benzohydrazide. The influence of increase in the number of terminal n-alkoxy tails from one to three and the length and parity of the flexible spacer on phase transitional behaviour have been thoroughly investigated with the aid of microscopic, calorimetric and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The results of these complementary studies clearly illustrate the dependence of thermal behaviour of the dimers on these structural factors. The rigid intermolecular association via H-bonds through complementary benzohydrazide component enforce their self-assembly into frustrated and polar smectic phases; H-bond force coupled with the bulkiness of steroid moiety affects the electrical switching property of this fluid polar structure.     

s‐Triazine‐Based Functional Discotic Liquid Crystals: Synthesis,Mesomorphism and Photoluminescence

A new series of C₃‐symmetric, π‐conjugated molecules was designed, synthesized and characterized. The materials were derived from electron‐accepting s‐triazine, appended covalently to electron‐donating styrylbenzene arms, and were readily prepared in excellent yield with high purity by means of three‐fold condensation of triphosphonate with n‐alkoxybenzaldehydes under Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction conditions. Examination of the phase transitional properties by several complementary techniques evidenced self‐assembly into a hexagonal columnar phase, occurring over wide and reasonable thermal ranges. The photophysical properties were studied both in solution and in the fluid/frozen columnar states by UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The emission spectra obtained as a function of the temperature rule out the breaking‐up of larger columns and a non‐radiative, thermally activated process. A study carried out on thin films of the glassy columnar state, which accounts for conserved fluorescence, defect‐free orientation, and freezing ionic species, with the help of atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, suggested a homogeneous granular morphology comprising fibrillar structures. Dissimilarities in the surface morphology and birefringence of thin films of the solid and frozen columnar states were clearly shown by Raman spectroscopy. An electrochemical investigation revealed a LUMO energy of ?4.0 eV. Thus, the discotic motifs presented herein meet certain criteria of organic materials, which are essential for developing electronic devices.     

Chiral discrimination of a gemini-type surfactant with rigid spacer at the air-water interface

Spontaneous separation of chiral phases was observed in the monolayers of a racemate of gemini-type twin-tailed, twin-chiral amphiphiles, (2R,3R)-(+)-bis(decyloxy)succinic acid and (2S,3S)-(-)-bis(decyloxy)succinic acid. The pressure-area isotherms of the interfacial monolayers formed at the liquid-air interface, and the 2D lattice structures studied through surface probe measurements revealed that the racemate exhibits a homochiral discrimination of the enantiomers in two dimensions. An enantiomeric excess (e,e) of 20% was sufficient to break the chiral symmetry at the air-water interface for a homochiral interaction. Langmuir monolayers on ZnCl2 and CaCl2 subphases manifested chiral discrimination with Zn2+ evidencing homochiral interaction with a chelate-type complex, whereas Ca2+ resulted in a heterochiral interaction forming an ionic-type complex. For the chiral asymmetric units, oblique and rectangular unit cells of the racemic monolayer had exclusive requirements of homo- and heterochiral recognitions for Zn2+ and Ca2+ ions, respectively. Monolayers transferred from the condensed phase at 25 mN/m onto hydrophilic Si(100) and quartz substrates revealed the formation of bilayers through transfer-induced monolayer buckling. The emergence of homochiral discrimination was explained using the effective-pair-potential (EPP) approach.