Influence of quaternary onium salts,crown ethers and cryptands on olefin epoxidations promoted by HOCl/ClO− in the Presence of Mn(III)-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin chloride

Reaction rates of alkene epoxidations, promoted by aqueous NaOCl and catalyzed by Mn(III)-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin chloride1 (P) in the presence of a lipophilic axial ligand (L) (e.g.N-hexylimidazole) and carried out under H₂O/CH₂Cl₂ two phase conditions at 0°C, are strongly enhanced by lowering the pH of the aqueous phase from 12.7 to 9.5. Under these conditions, a further relevant increase in the reaction rates can be achieved by adding phase-transfer catalysts (PT), e.g. quaternary ammonium salt 3, lipophilic crown ether4 or cryptand5, provided that the amount of L is very small (L/P=1 for very reactive alkenes, e.g. cyclooctene, and 10 for poorly reactive ones, e.g. 1-dodecene). In the case of cyclooctene epoxidation, the use of 0.006–0.03 mol. equiv. of PT completes the reaction in 1–10 min., the initial rates being up to 600 turnovers/min. with (2.2.2,C₁₀) cryptand. In the absence of the axial ligand, the quaternary ammonium salt3 and cryptand5 show an inhibitory effect. Such an effect is due to the formation of the poorly reactive Mn(P)CI species, by Cl– extraction to the organic phase. However, dibenzo crown ether 4 does not show this effect. In the presence of 4, and with L/P =1, the 1-dodecene epoxidation reaches 94% in 1 min. The unique behavior of crown ethers can be explained by their ineffectiveness in extracting alkali chlorides, providing a very low concentration of Cl– in the organic phase and thus avoiding the Mn(III)-porphyrin deactivation.This paper is dedicated to the memory of the late Dr C. J. Pedersen.     

Facile synthesis of novel functionalized bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) derivatives

An improved and efficient synthetic route to four functionalized bis(ethylenedithio)-tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) derivatives 2-5 is reported. Tetrathiolate 1 was readily prepared from 2,2'-bis(1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalen-5-one) under carefully controlled conditions. Subsequent reaction of 1 with selected primary alkyl halides affords new functionalized BEDT-TTF derivatives in good yields.     

Pyrrole-Annulated Heterocyclic Systems. Synthesis of 2H-Pyrrolo[3,4-b][1,5]benzothiazepine 4,4-Dioxide Derivatives

Condensation of 2-nitrothiophenol with ethyl propiolate afforded 3-(2-nitrophenylthio)propenoate. Oxidation of sulfur atom to sulfone group gave ethyl 3-(2-nitrophenylsulfonyl)propenoate, which underwent condensation with tosyl methylisocyanide (TosMIC) to yield ethyl 4-(2-nitrophenylsulfonyl)pyrrole-3-carboxylate. Reduction of nitro group afforded ethyl 4-(2-aminophenylsulfonyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate, which was cyclized to 2H-pyrrolo[3,4-b][1,5] benzothiazepin-10(9H)-one 4,4-dioxide. Similar procedure was used for the synthesis of 9,10-dihydro-10-methyl-2H-pyrrolo[3,4-b][1,5]benzothiazepine 4,4-dioxide.     

A DFT investigation of the addition reaction of monomeric lithium enolate derived from propiophenone to propene oxide: examination of the possible transition structures

The addition reaction of monomeric lithium enolate (Z)-1, derived from propiophenone, to propene oxide 2, was examined to clarify the exact geometry of the transition state (TS) involved in this type of reaction. The eight possible TSs and the corresponding pathways, four leading to syn gamma-hydroxy ketone (gamma-HK) 3 and four leading to anti gamma-HK 4, were compared, using the B3LYP/6-31+G(d)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) theory level in vacuo and in the presence of the reaction solvent (toluene/hexane). In every case, the favored pathway involves a TS where the enolate C=C and the epoxide C-C are in a gauche relationship and where the Li(+) is stabilized by some C-C and C-H sigma bonds of epoxide 2.     

Gd-AAZTA]-: a new structural entry for an improved generation of MRI contrast agents

An innovative MRI contrast agent based on the unprecedented and easily obtained ligand AAZTA is described. The simple and straightforward synthesis of the ligand, together with the potentiometric and relaxometric behavior of the corresponding Gd(III) chelate, is reported. The complex [Gd(AAZTA)]- shows outstanding magnetic properties connected with high thermodynamic stability in aqueous solution and a nearly complete inertness toward the influence of bidentate endogenous anions, placing this compound as one of the most promising candidates for the development of high performance MRI contrast agents.     

Effect of the oxygen transfer coefficient on xylitol production from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate by continuous stirred-tank reactor fermentation

The effect of the oxygen transfer coefficient on the production of xylitol by biocon version of xylose present in sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate using the yeast Candiada guilliermondii was investigated. Continuous cultivation was carried out in a 1.25-L fermentor at 30°C, pH 5.5, 300 rpm, and a dilution rate of 0.03/h, using oxygen transfer coefficients of 10,20, and 30/h. The results showed that the microbial xylitol production (11 g/L) increased by 108% with the decrease in the oxygen volumetric transfer coefficient from 30 to 20/h. The maximum values of xylitol productivity (0.7g/[L…h]) and yield (0.58 g/g) were obtained at k _L a 20/h.     

Synthesis and characterization of a Gd(III) based contrast agent responsive to thiol containing compounds

A novel Gd(III) complex with a modified DO3A-like chelating cage has been synthesized and characterized as a candidate contrast agent responsive to the concentration of free thiols in tissues (essentially represented by reduced glutathione, GSH). The novel compound (called Gd-DO3AS-Act) bears a flexible linker ending with a 2-pyridyl-dithio group, that can promptly react with free thiols (XSH) to form mixed disulfides of the form Gd-DO3AS-SX. Compound Gd-DO3AS-Act is characterized by a millimolar relaxivity as high as 8.1 mM(-1) s(-1) (at 20 MHz, 25 degrees C and pH 7.4). Upon reaction with GSH, the Gd-DO3AS-SG covalent adduct is formed and the millimolar relaxivity drops to 4.1 mM(-1) s(-1). Such a decrease in relaxivity is explained on the basis of the formation of an intramolecular coordinative bond between one of the glutathionyl carboxyl groups and the Gd(III) centre, lowering the hydration state of the paramagnetic centre. (1)H-NMR dispersion profiles together with (17)O-NMR transverse relaxation time versus temperature profiles confirm that the hydration of the Gd(III) centre is strongly reduced ongoing from Gd-DO3AS-Act to the Gd-DO3AS-SG adduct. The relaxivity difference brought about by the reaction of Gd-DO3AS-Act with GSH can be enhanced up to 60% in the presence of poly-beta-cyclodextrin.     

The scaffold tree--visualization of the scaffold universe by hierarchical scaffold classification

A hierarchical classification of chemical scaffolds (molecular framework, which is obtained by pruning all terminal side chains) has been introduced. The molecular frameworks form the leaf nodes in the hierarchy trees. By an iterative removal of rings, scaffolds forming the higher levels in the hierarchy tree are obtained. Prioritization rules ensure that less characteristic, peripheral rings are removed first. All scaffolds in the hierarchy tree are well-defined chemical entities making the classification chemically intuitive. The classification is deterministic, data-set-independent, and scales linearly with the number of compounds included in the data set. The application of the classification is demonstrated on two data sets extracted from the PubChem database, namely, pyruvate kinase binders and a collection of pesticides. The examples shown demonstrate that the classification procedure handles robustly synthetic structures and natural products.