Application of 2d-nmr spectroscopy in the structural determination of a new tobacco cembranoid

Proton-proton shift correlated 2D-NMR spectroscopy has been used to determine the structure of a new tobacco cembranoid as (1$\text{S}$,2$\text{E}$,4$\text{S}$,6$\text{R}$,7$\text{E}$)-4,6-dihy-droxy-2,7,12(20)-cembratrien-11-one (1). This assignment has been verified by chemical means.     

2:2 Fe(III):ligand and "adamantane core" 4:2 Fe(III):ligand (hydr)oxo complexes of an acyclic ditopic ligand

A bis-hydroxo-bridged diiron(III) complex and a bis-mu-oxo-bis-mu-hydroxo-bridged tetrairon(III) complex are isolated from the reaction of 2,6-bis((N,N'-bis-(2-picolyl)amino)methyl)-4-tert-butylphenol (Hbpbp) with iron perchlorate in acidic and neutral solutions respectively. The X-ray structure of the dinuclear complex [{(Hbpbp)Fe([mu-OH)}(2)](ClO(4))(4).2C(3)H(6)O (1.2C3H6O) shows that only one of the metal-binding cavities of each ligand is occupied by an iron(III) atom and two [Fe(Hbpbp)]3+ units are linked together by two hydroxo bridging groups to form a [Fe(III)-(mu-OH)](2) rhomb structure with Fe...Fe = 3.109(1)A. The non-coordinated tertiary amine of Hbpbp is protonated. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show a well-behaved weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the two Fe(III) atoms, J= -8 cm(-1). The tetranuclear complex [(bpbp)(2)Fe(4)(mu-O)(2)(mu-OH)(2)](ClO(4))(4)(2) was isolated as two different solvates .4CH(3)OH and .6H(2)O with markedly different crystal morphologies at pH ca. 6. Complex .4CH(3)OH forms red cubic crystals and .6H(2)O forms green crystalline platelets. The Fe(4)O(6) core of shows an adamantane-like structure: The six bridging oxygen atoms are provided by the two phenolato groups of the two bpbp(-) ligands, two bridging oxo groups and two bridging hydroxo groups. The hydroxo and oxo ligands could be distinguished on the basis of Fe-O bond lengths of the two different octahedral iron sites: Fe-mu-OH, 1.953(5), 2.013(5)A and Fe-mu-O, 1.803(5), 1.802(5)A. The difference in ligand environment is too small for allowing Mossbauer spectroscopy to distinguish between the two crystallographically independent Fe sites. The best fit to the magnetic susceptibility of .4CH(3)OH was achieved by using three coupling constants J(Fe-OPh-Fe)= 2.6 cm(-1), J(Fe-OH-Fe)=-0.9 cm(-1), J(Fe-O-Fe)=-101 cm(-1) and iron(III) single ion ZFS (|D|= 0.15 cm(-1)).     

Isolation and molecular structure of hexacyanoruthenate(III)

The [Ru(CN)(6)](3-) ion is synthesized in aqueous solution and isolated as [Ph(4)As](3)[Ru(CN)(6)].2H(2)O (1). Compound 1 crystallizes as orange needles in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with cell parameters a = 11.346(2) A, b = 23.107(5) A, c = 25.015(5) A, beta = 99.55(3) degrees, V = 6467.1(22) A(3), Z = 4. The octahedral anion has Ru-C bond lengths in the range 2.023(6)-2.066(6) A. DFT calculations reproduce experimental geometries for [M(CN)(6)](3-) (M = Fe, Ru) equally well and yield significantly higher spin densities on the cyanide ligands in [M(CN)(6)](3-) (M = Ru, Os) than in [Fe(CN)(6)](3-).     

Toward the synthesis of norzoanthamine: complete fragment assembly

The complex marine alkaloid norzoanthamine (2) was envisioned to be assembled from three key building blocks: the C1-C5 fragment A, the C6-C10 fragment B, and the C11-C24 fragment C. The synthesis of fragment A was achieved in 14 steps and 33% overall yield from (R)-gamma-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butyrolactone. Fragment B was made in two steps from PMB-protected 4-pentynol in 76% yield. The C11-C24 fragment C was made from (S)-carvone via (R)-isocarvone in 18 steps (6% overall yield). The convergent stereoselective synthesis of the entire carbon framework (C1-C24) of the target molecule was achieved via the following assemblage. Alkenyl iodide 20 derived from the C11-C24 fragment C was coupled to fragment B (C6-C10) through a high-yielding Stille coupling reaction of these two sterically very demanding coupling partners, affording the key Diels-Alder precursor 24. The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction proceeded smoothly in excellent yield and diastereoselectivity, generating the tricyclic trans-anti-trans perhydrophenanthrene motif of norzoanthamine (C6-C24). The final fragment coupling between lithiated fragment A (C1-C5) and aldehyde 40 (C6-C24) has also been successfully accomplished affording the entire carbon framework of the natural product.     

Short and efficient diastereoselective synthesis of pyrrolidinone-containing dipeptide analogues

The pyrrolidine-2,4-diones have been identified as a convenient starting point for the synthesis of peptide analogues. Herein we describe an optimized two-step reductive amination procedure, which provides a small library of pyrrolidinone-containing dipeptide analogues in high yield and excellent diastereoselectivity.     

Study of the oxidative half‐reaction catalyzed by a non‐heme ferrous catalytic center by means of structural and computational methodologies

Deacetoxycephalosporin C synthase (DAOCS) is a mononuclear ferrous enzyme that catalyzes the expansion of the five‐membered thiazolidine ring of the penicillin nucleus into the six‐membered dihydrothiazine ring of the cephalosporins. In the first half‐reaction with dioxygen and 2‐oxoglutarate, a reactive iron–oxygen species is produced that can subsequently react with the penicillin substrate to yield the cephalosporin. We describe quantum mechanical calculations of the first part of the reaction based on the high‐resolution structures of the active site of DAOCS and its complexes with ligands. These studies are aimed at understanding how the reactive species can be produced and contained in the active site of the enzyme. The results demonstrate the priming of the active site by the co‐substrate for oxygen binding and hint to the presence of a stable iron–peroxo intermediate in equilibrium with a more reactive ferryl species and the formation of CO₂ as a leaving group by decarboxylation of 2‐oxoglutarate. A conclusion from these studies is that substitution of CO₂ by the penicillin substrate triggers the oxidation reaction in a booby‐trap‐like mechanism. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Design and synthesis of a new type of ferrocene-based planar chiral DMAP analogues. A new catalyst system for asymmetric nucleophilic catalysis

A new first-generation catalyst system for nucleophilic catalysis has been developed. It is based on a planar chiral ferrocene skeleton with either the potent nucleophile 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) or the related 4-nitropyridine N-oxide attached in either the 2- or the 3-position. The syntheses are short, efficient, and enantioselective and X-ray crystal structures of both DMAP-derived catalysts are presented. The DMAP-based catalysts were tested in asymmetric reactions and the 3-derivative 14 showed good activity and a moderate level of enantioselectivity. The sense of induction (selectivity) was studied using molecular modeling and the results pointed at new directions for future generations of catalysts based on this design.