An efficient stereoselective synthesis of difluoromethylated alkenes in a microreactor

Synthetic utility of microreactors and highly stereoselective isomerization (>99:<1) of terminal difluoromethylated alkenes to (E)-difluoromethylated alkenes with TBAF in DMF, are described.     

Folding Dynamics of 10‐Residue β‐Hairpin Peptide Chignolin

Short peptides that fold into β‐hairpins are ideal model systems for investigating the mechanism of protein folding because their folding process shows dynamics typical of proteins. We performed folding, unfolding, and refolding molecular dynamics simulations (total of 2.7 μs) of the 10‐residue β‐hairpin peptide chignolin, which is the smallest β‐hairpin structure known to be stable in solution. Our results revealed the folding mechanism of chignolin, which comprises three steps. First, the folding begins with hydrophobic assembly. It brings the main chain together; subsequently, a nascent turn structure is formed. The second step is the conversion of the nascent turn into a tight turn structure along with interconversion of the hydrophobic packing and interstrand hydrogen bonds. Finally, the formation of the hydrogen‐bond network and the complete hydrophobic core as well as the arrangement of side‐chain–side‐chain interactions occur at approximately the same time. This three‐step mechanism appropriately interprets the folding process as involving a combination of previous inconsistent explanations of the folding mechanism of the β‐hairpin, that the first event of the folding is formation of hydrogen bonds and the second is that of the hydrophobic core, or vice versa.     

Theoretical study of C-H and N-H sigma-bond activation reactions by titinium(IV)-imido complex. Good understanding based on orbital interaction and theoretical proposal for N-H sigma-bond activation of ammonia

The C-H sigma-bond activation of methane and the N-H sigma-bond activation of ammonia by (Me3SiO)2Ti(=NSiMe3) 1 were theoretically investigated with DFT, MP2 to MP4(SDQ), and CCSD(T) methods. The C-H sigma-bond activation of methane takes place with an activation barrier (Ea) of 14.6 (21.5) kcal/mol and a reaction energy (DeltaE) of -22.7 (-16.5) kcal/mol to afford (Me3SiO)2Ti(Me)[NH(SiMe3)], where DFT- and MP4(SDQ)-calculated values are given without and in parentheses, respectively, hereafter. The electron population of the CH3 group increases, but the H atomic population decreases upon going to the transition state from the precursor complex, which indicates that the C-H sigma-bond activation occurs in heterolytic manner unlike the oxidative addition. The Ti atomic population considerably increases upon going to the transition state from the precursor complex, which indicates that the charge transfer (CT) occurs from methane to Ti. These population changes are induced by the orbital interactions among the d(pi)-p(pi) bonding orbital of the Ti=NSiMe3 moiety, the Ti d(z2) orbital and the C-H sigma-bonding and sigma*-antibonding orbitals of methane. The reverse regioselective C-H sigma-bond activation which leads to formation of (Me3SiO)2Ti(H)[NMe(SiMe3)] takes place with a larger Ea value and smaller exothermicity. The reasons are discussed in terms of Ti-H, Ti-CH3, Ti-NH3, N-H, and N-CH3 bond energies and orbital interactions in the transition state. The N-H sigma-bond activation of ammonia takes place in a heterolytic manner with a larger Ea value of 19.0 (27.9) kcal/mol and considerably larger exothermicity of -45.0 (-39.4) kcal/mol than those of the C-H sigma-bond activation. The N-H sigma-bond activation of ammonia by a Ti-alkylidyne complex, [(PNP)Ti(CSiMe3)] 3 (PNP = N-[2-(PH2)2-phenyl]2-]) ,was also investigated. This reaction takes place with a smaller E(a) value of 7.5 (15.3) kcal/mol and larger exothermicity of -60.2 (-56.1) kcal/mol. These results lead us to predict that the N-H sigma-bond activation of ammonia can be achieved by these complexes.     

Syntheses of (5E)-PGE2 and New 6-Functionalized Derivatives by the Use of Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Allylic Alkylation

(5 )-Prostaglandin E₂ (7) was synthesized fron ( )-4- -butyldimethylsilyloxy-2-cyclopentenone (1) by 2-alkenyloxycarbonylatlon of the organocopper conjugate-addition adduct (3) followed by intramolecular palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative allylic alkylation. The (5 )-prostaglandin E₂ skeleton was also obtained from the β-keto allylic ester (11) by a similar decarboxylative allylic alkylation. The decarboxylative allylic alkylation of another type of the three-component coupling product (12) gave new 6-methyleneprostaglandin E1 skeleton (15a), which was converted into new 6-methylprosta-glandin I methyl ester (20) 6-methyleneprostaglandin F₁ derivative (16) by two different ways. The stereochemistry of this intramolecular decarboxylative allylic alkylation was discussed in the reaction of 2-[( )- or ( )-2-butenyloxy-carbonyl] cyclopentanone systems.     

Chemical shifts as a novel measure of interactions between two binding sites of symmetric dialkyldimethylammonium bromides to α-cyclodextrin

Complex formation of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) with decyltrimethylammonium (DeTAB), N,N-dioctyldimethylammonium (DOAB), and N,N-didecyldimethylammonium bromides (DDeAB) was investigated by proton NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of chemical shifts yielded macroscopic 1:1 and 1:2 binding constants (K₁ and K₂) and chemical shift differences (Δδ_SD and Δδ_SD2) for the 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of DeTAB, DOAB, and DDeAB with α-CD. The K₁ and K₂ values of DDeAB were quantitatively explained on the basis of the assumption that the microscopic 1:1 binding constant of DDeAB is identical to the observed K₁ value of DeTAB. The K₂ value of DDeAB was also explained in terms of its observed K₁ value and the independent binding of two alkyl chains. Furthermore, the Δδ_SD and Δδ_SD2 values for protons of DDeAB and α-CD were quantitatively explained on the basis of the assumption that the geometry of the decyl group of DDeAB in an α-CD cavity is identical to that of DeTAB. The Δδ_SD value was also explicable on the basis of the same geometric assumption and the observed Δδ_SD2 value for this system. Similar results were obtained for the 1:1 and 1:2 DOAB-α-CD complexes.     

New base pairing motifs. The synthesis and thermal stability of oligodeoxynucleotides containing imidazopyridopyrimidine nucleosides with the ability to form four hydrogen bonds

The synthesis and thermal stability of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing imidazo[5',4':4,5]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine nucleosides 1-4 (N(N), O(O), N(O), and O(N), respectively) with the aim of developing two sets of new base pairing motifs consisting of four hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) is described. The proposed four tricyclic nucleosides 1-4 were synthesized through the Stille coupling reaction of a 5-iodoimidazole nucleoside with an appropriate 5-stannylpyrimidine derivative, followed by an intramolecular cyclization. These nucleosides were incorporated into ODNs to investigate the H-bonding ability. When one molecule of the tricyclic nucleosides was incorporated into the center of each ODN (ODN I and II, each 17mer), no apparent specificity of base pairing was observed, and all duplexes were less stable than the duplexes containing natural G:C and A:T pairs. On the other hand, when three molecules of the tricyclic nucleosides were consecutively incorporated into the center of each ODN (ODN III and IV, each 17mer), thermal and thermodynamic stabilization of the duplexes due to the specific base pairings was observed. The melting temperature (T(m)) of the duplex containing the N(O):O(N) pairs showed the highest T(m) of 84.0 degrees C, which was 18.2 and 23.5 degrees C higher than that of the duplexes containing G:C and A:T pairs, respectively. This result implies that N(O)and O(N) form base pairs with four H-bonds when they are incorporated into ODNs. The duplex containing N(O):O(N) pairs was markedly stabilized by the assistance of the stacking ability of the imidazopyridopyrimidine bases. Thus, we developed a thermally stable new base pairing motif, which should be useful for the stabilization and regulation of a variety of DNA structures.     

Synthesis of quinazolines using carbon dioxide (or carbon monoxide with sulfur) under mild conditions

Sulfur‐assisted carbonylation of 2‐aminobenzonitriles with carbon monoxide using K₂CO₃ as a base under ambient conditions (1 atm, 20°C) to afford 2‐hydroxy‐4‐mercaptoquinazolines in excellent yields was found. This carbonylation was applied to chemical fixation of carbon dioxide under mild conditions. Carbon dioxide (1 atm) easily reacted with 2‐aminobenzonitriles at 20°C assisted by 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) to give 2,4‐dihydroxyquinazolines in excellent yields. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 11:428–433, 2000