Cyclopentadienyl substituent effects on reductive elimination reactions in group 4 metallocenes: kinetics,mechanism, and application to dinitrogen activation

The rate of reductive elimination for a family of zirconocene isobutyl hydride complexes, Cp(CpR(n)())Zr(CH(2)CHMe(2))H (Cp = eta(5)-C(5)Me(5), CpR(n)() = substituted cyclopentadienyl), has been measured as a function of cyclopentadienyl substituent. In general, the rate of reductive elimination increases modestly with the incorporation of sterically demanding substituents such as [CMe(3)] or [SiMe(3)]. A series of isotopic labeling experiments was used to elucidate the mechanism and rate-determining step for the reductive elimination process. From these studies, a new zirconocene isobutyl hydride complex, Cp' '(2)Zr(CH(2)CHMe(2))(H) (Cp' ' = eta(5)-C(5)H(3)-1,3-(SiMe(3))(2)), was designed and synthesized such that facile reductive elimination of isobutane and activation of dinitrogen was observed. The resulting dinitrogen complex, [Cp' '(2)Zr](2)(mu(2), eta(2),eta(2)-N(2)), has been characterized by X-ray diffraction and displays a bond length of 1.47 A for the N(2) ligand, the longest observed in any metallocene dinitrogen complex. Solution magnetic susceptibility demonstrates that [Cp' '(2)Zr](2)(mu(2), eta(2), eta(2)-N(2)) is a ground-state triplet, consistent with two Zr(III), d(1) centers. Mechanistic studies reveal that the dinitrogen complex is derived from the reaction of N(2) with the resulting cyclometalated zirconocene hydride rather than directly from reductive elimination of alkane.     

Technical Procedures for the Syntheses of Carotenoids and Related Compounds from 6-Oxo-isophorone: Syntheses of (3R,3′R)-Zeaxanthin. Part I

Starting from the readily available, optically active (4R)-4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone ( 1 ), a new technical synthesis of (3R,3′R)-zeaxanthin is described. According to a 2(C₉ + C₆) + C₁₀ = C₄₀ construction scheme, the ketone 1 was first transformed with (E)-3-methylpent-2-en-4-yn-1-ol ( 5 ) into a C₁₅-intermediate which, by a three-step sequence, could be converted into the known olefinic C₁₅-Wittig salt 4 . Optimized conditions for the final Wittig reaction of 4 with the C₁₀-dialdehyde 3 are discussed. Based on 1 , the overall yield of the entire technical process is ca. 40%.     

Bromination of 4-aryl-3,5-dialkoxycarbonyl-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridines

4-Aryl-3,5-dialkoxycarbonyl-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridines are brominated by N-bromosuccinimide in methanol at room temperature at the methyl groups at positions 2 and 6 to form mono-, di-, tri-, and tetrabromo derivatives. When the N-unsubstituted bromomethyl-1,4-dihydropyridines are heated they are easily converted to tetrahydrofuropyridines, but in the case of the analogous N-substituted-1,4-dihydropyridines cyclization does not occur. The 2,6-bis(bromomethyl)-substituted products easily replace bromine under the influence of nucleophilic reagents.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1230–1235, September, 1991.     

Structures and cytotoxic properties of sponge-derived bisannulated acridines

A reinvestigation of sponge natural products from additional Indo-Pacific collections of Xestospongiacf. carbonaria and X. cf. exigua has provided further insights on the structures, biological activities, and biosynthetic origin of bisannulated acridines. These alkaloids include one known pyridoacridine, neoamphimedine (2), and three new analogues, 5-methoxyneoamphimedine (4), neoamphimedine Y (5), and neoamphimedine Z (6). A completely new acridine, alpkinidine (7), was also isolated. A disk diffusion soft agar assay, using a panel of five cancer cell lines (solid tumors and leukemias) and two normal cells, was used to evaluate the differential cytotoxicity (solid tumor selectivity) of the sponge semipure extracts and selected compounds including amphimedine (1), 2, 4, and 7. While all four compounds were solid tumor selective, 1 and 2 were the most potent and 4 was the most selective. The rationale used to characterize the new structures is outlined along with the related biosynthetic pathways envisioned to generate 2 and 7.     

Kinetics and mechanism of N2 hydrogenation in bis(cyclopentadienyl) zirconium complexes and dinitrogen functionalization by 1,2-addition of a saturated C-H bond

The rates of hydrogenation of the N2 ligand in the side-on bound dinitrogen compounds, [(eta(5)-C5Me4H)2Zr]2(mu2,eta(2),eta(2)-N2) and [(eta(5)-C5Me5)(eta(5)-C5H2-1,2-Me2-4-R)Zr]2(mu2,eta(2),eta(2)-N2) (R = Me, Ph), to afford the corresponding hydrido zirconocene diazenido complexes have been measured by electronic spectroscopy. Determination of the rate law for the hydrogenation of [(eta(5)-C5Me5)(eta(5)-C5H2-1,2,4-Me3)Zr]2(mu2,eta(2),eta(2)-N2) establishes an overall second-order reaction, first order with respect to each reagent. These data, in combination with a normal, primary kinetic isotope effect of 2.2(1) for H2 versus D2 addition, establish the first H2 addition as the rate-determining step in N2 hydrogenation. Kinetic isotope effects of similar direction and magnitude have also been measured for hydrogenation (deuteration) of the two other zirconocene dinitrogen complexes. Measuring the rate constants for the hydrogenation of [(eta(5)-C5Me5)(eta(5)-C5H2-1,2,4-Me3)Zr]2(mu2,eta(2),eta(2)-N2) over a 40 degrees C temperature range provided activation parameters of deltaH(double dagger) = 8.4(8) kcal/mol and deltaS(double dagger) = -33(4) eu. The entropy of activation is consistent with an ordered four-centered transition structure, where H2 undergoes formal 1,2-addition to a zirconium-nitrogen bond with considerable multiple bond character. Support for this hypothesis stems from the observation of N2 functionalization by C-H activation of a cyclopentadienyl methyl substituent in the mixed ring dinitrogen complexes, [(eta(5)-C5Me5)(eta(5)-C5H2-1,2-Me2-4-R)Zr]2(mu2,eta(2),eta(2)-N2) (R = Me, Ph), to afford cyclometalated zirconocene diazenido derivatives.     

Electroactivity of Nonconjugated Proteins and Peptides. Towards Electroanalysis of All Proteins

Present proteomics and biomedicine require sensitive analytical methods for all proteins. Recent progress in electrochemical analysis of peptides and proteins based on their intrinsic electroactivity is reviewed. Tyrosine and/or tryptophan‐containing proteins are oxidizable at carbon electrodes. At mercury electrodes all peptides and proteins (about 13 peptides and >25 proteins were tested) produce chronopotentiometric peak H at nanomolar concentrations. This peak is sensitive to changes in protein structure. Microliter sample volumes are sufficient for the analysis. Electrochemical methods can be used in studies of nucleic acid‐protein interactions and can be applied in biomedicine. Examples of such applications in neurogenerative diseases and cancer are presented.     

Anil-Synthese. 23. Mitteilung. Über die Herstellung von Styryl- und Stilbenyl-Derivaten des Pyrimidins

Preparation of Styryl and Stilbenyl Derivatives of Pyrimidines 2- and 4-(p-Tolyl)-substituted pyrimidines react with anils of hetero-aromatic aldehydes in the presence of dimethylformamide and potassium hydroxide or potassium t-butoxide to yield the corresponding 2- and 4-[4″-(heteroaryl)stilben-4′-yl]pyrimidines or the 2- and 4-[a-(heteroaryl)-4′-styryl]pyrimidines respectively (‘Anil synthesis’). Furthermore, the Schiff′s bases derived from p-chloroaniline and 4-(pyrimidine-2-yl and 4-yl)benzaldehydes give, with methyl- and with p-tolyl-substituted heterocycles, the corresponding heterocyclic substituted styryl and stilbenyl derivatives. Alkyl-, alkoxy- or phenyl-substituted pyrimidines undergo also the ‘Anil synthesis’.     

Stereoselective Syntheses of Benz[f]isoindoline-Derivatives by Intramolecular Cycloadditions of Styrenes to Olefins

The N-allyl-N-cinnamyl amide 10 undergoes thermal cyclization to a 2:1-mixture of the trans- and cis-benz(f)isoindolines 11a and 12a . By comparison, the thermolysis of the corresponding bis-cinnamylamide 14 proceeds in a highly stereoselective manner to give the cis-fused[4+2]-adduct 16a . Similarly, the trans-fused stereoisomeric adducts 30a and 31a were obtained with high stereochemical control on heating the N-allyl-N-diphenylallyl amide 28 . The thermal transformations 4 → 5 + 6a and 17 → 18a + 20a show the competitive formation of [2+2]-adducts. An alternative approach to (substituted) benz[f]isoindolines 16 via the all-cis-isomer 24a has been developed. The described structures have been assigned on the basis of spectral evidence, chemical correlations and by X-ray-diffraction study of the isomer 16b . These results illustrate the utility of substituent interactions in order to direct intramolecular cyclo-additions at will towards either endo- or exo-products.     

Three remarks on the modular commutator

First a problem of Ralph McKenzie is answered by proving that in a finitely directly representable variety every directly indecomposable algebra must be finite. Then we show that there is no local proof of the fundamental theorem of Abelian algebras nor of H. P. Gumm's permutability results. This part may also be of interest for those investigating non-modular Abelian algebras. Finally we provide a Gumm-type characterization of the situation when twonot necessarily comparable congruences centralize each other. In doing this, we introduce a four variable version of the difference term in every modular variety. A two-terms condition is also investigated.Dedicated to the memory of András HuhnPresented by R. W. Quackenbush.