Recent advances in electrochemistry of pyridinium-based electrophores: A structronic approach

The context of molecular structronics (from “molecular structure” and “electronics”) is that of molecular-level electrochemical storage of energy of sustainable origin (wind, solar). Due to its discontinuous availability, storage of this energy is a key issue. The targeted type of storage relies on implementing “electron reservoirs” within the structronic molecules by electrochemically forming dedicated chemical bonds according to non-catalytic processes. Reservoir bonds are therefore integral parts of the molecular backbone of structronic assemblies. When filled, electron reservoirs manifest themselves in the form of elongated covalent bonds that are to be cleaved for electron releasing (discharging) on demand. The scope of this short review is limited to pyridinium electrophores as particularly suited building blocks for the development of structronics.     

Iron-modified zeolite BETA: efficient catalyst in methyllaurate, 2-hexyl-1,3-dioxolane, 4-methyl-2-propyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ol and 4-methyl-2-phenyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ol synthesis

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Several types of modified zeolite BETA38 with different iron loading were prepared. Prepared materials were characterized using different techniques (XRD, XRF,...     

Exploring the Influence of Intermolecular Interactions in Prebiotic Chemistry Using Laser Spectroscopy and Calculations

One of the most fascinating questions in chemistry is why nature chose CGAT as the alphabet of life. Very likely, such selection was the result of multiple factors and a long period of refinement. Here, we explore how the intermolecular interactions influenced such process, by characterizing the formation of dimers between adenine, theobromine and 4-aminopyrimidine. Using a combination of mass-resolved excitation spectroscopy and DFT calculations, we determined the structure of adenine-theobromine and 4-aminopyrimidine-theobromine dimers. The binding energy of these dimers is very close to the canonical adenine-thymine nucleobases. Likewise, the dimers are able to adopt Watson-Crick conformations. These findings seem to indicate that there were many options available to build the first versions of the informational polymers, which also had to compete with other molecules, such as 4-aminopyrimidine, which does not have a valid attaching point for a saccharide. For some reason, nature did not select the most strongly-bonded partners or if it did, such proto-bases were later replaced by the nowadays canonical CGAT.     

Sulfonyl Nitrene and Amidyl Radical: Structure and Reactivity

Photocatalytic generation of nitrenes and radicals can be used to tune or even control their reactivity. Photocatalytic activation of sulfonyl azides leads to the elimination of N₂ and the resulting reactive species initiate C−H activations and amide formation reactions. Here, we present reactive radicals that are generated from sulfonyl azides: sulfonyl nitrene radical anion, sulfonyl nitrene and sulfonyl amidyl radical, and test their gas phase reactivity in C−H activation reactions. The sulfonyl nitrene radical anion is the least reactive and its reactivity is governed by the proton coupled electron transfer mechanism. In contrast, sulfonyl nitrene and sulfonyl amidyl radicals react via hydrogen atom transfer pathways. These reactivities and detailed characterization of the radicals with vibrational spectroscopy and with DFT calculations provide information necessary for taking control over the reactivity of these intermediates.     

Quadrupolar Ultrafast Charge Transfer in Diaminoazobenzene-Bridged Perylenediimide Triads

Strong push-pull interactions between electron donor, diaminoazobenzene (azo), and an electron acceptor, perylenediimide (PDI), entities in the newly synthesized A−D−A type triads (A=electron acceptor and D=electron donor) and the corresponding A−D dyads are shown to reveal wide-band absorption covering the entire visible spectrum. Electrochemical studies revealed the facile reduction of PDI and relatively easier oxidation of diaminoazobenzene in the dyads and triads. Charge transfer reversal using fluorescence-spectroelectrochemistry wherein the PDI fluorescence recovery upon one-electron oxidation, deterring the charge-transfer interactions, was possible to accomplish. The charge transfer state density difference and the frontier orbitals from the DFT calculations established the electron-deficient PDI to be an electron acceptor and diaminoazobenzene to be an electron donor resulting in energetically closely positioned PDI ^δ− -Azo ^δ+ -PDI ^δ− quadrupolar charge-transfer states in the case of triads and Azo ^δ+ -PDI ^δ− dipolar charge-transfer states in the case of dyads. Subsequent femtosecond transient absorption spectral studies unequivocally proved the occurrence of excited-state charge transfer in these dyads and triads in benzonitrile wherein the calculated forward charge transfer rate constants, k_f, were limited to instrument response factor, meaning >10¹² s⁻¹ revealing the occurrence of ultrafast photo-events. The charge recombination rate constant, k_r, was found to depend on the type of donor-acceptor conjugates, that is, it was possible to establish faster k_r in the case of triads (∼10¹¹ s⁻¹) compared to dyads (∼10¹⁰ s⁻¹). Modulating both ground and excited-state properties of PDI with the help of strong quadrupolar and dipolar charge transfer and witnessing ultrafast charge transfer events in the studied triads and dyads is borne out from the present study.     

Acyl Group Migration in Pyranosides as Studied by Experimental and Computational Methods

Acyl group migration affects the synthesis, isolation, manipulation and purification of all acylated organic compounds containing free hydroxyl groups, in particular carbohydrates. While several isolated studies on the migration phenomenon in different buffers have been reported, comprehensive insights into the overall migration process in different monosaccharides under similar conditions have been lacking. Here, we have studied the acyl migration in different monosaccharides using five different acyl groups by a combination of experimental, kinetic and theoretical tools. The results show that the anomeric configuration in the monosaccharide has a major influence on the migration rate, together with the relative configurations of the other hydroxyl groups and the nature of the migrating acyl group. Full mechanistic model, based on computations, demonstrates that the acyl migration proceeds through an anionic stepwise mechanism with linear dependence on the [OH⁻] and the pK_a of the hydroxyl group toward which the acyl group is migrating.     

Exploring the Reactivity of B-Connected Carboranylphosphines in Frustrated Lewis Pair Chemistry: A New Frame for a Classic System

The primary phosphines MesPH₂ and tBuPH₂ react with 9-iodo-m-carborane yielding B9-connected secondary carboranylphosphines 1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PHR (R=2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂ (Mes; 1 a ), tBu ( 1 b )). Addition of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (BCF) to 1 a , b resulted in the zwitterionic compounds 1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PHR(p-C₆F₄)BF(C₆F₅)₂ ( 2 a , b ) through nucleophilic para substitution of a C₆F₅ ring followed by fluoride transfer to boron. Further reaction with Me₂SiHCl prompted a H−F exchange yielding the zwitterionic compounds 1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PHR(p-C₆F₄)BH(C₆F₅)₂ ( 3 a , b ). The reaction of 2 a , b with one equivalent of R'MgBr (R’=Me, Ph) gave the extremely water-sensitive frustrated Lewis pairs 1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PR(p-C₆F₄)B(C₆F₅)₂ ( 4 a , b ). Hydrolysis of the B−C₆F₄ bond in 4 a , b gave the first tertiary B-carboranyl phosphines with three distinct substituents, 1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PR(p-C₆F₄H) ( 5 a , b ). Deprotonation of the zwitterionic compounds 2 a , b and 3 a , b formed anionic phosphines [1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PR(p-C₆F₄)BX(C₆F₅)₂]⁻[DMSOH]⁺ (R=Mes, X=F ( 6 a ), R=tBu, X=F ( 6 b ); R=Mes, X=H ( 7 a ), R=tBu, X=H ( 7 b )). Reaction of 2 a , b with an excess of Grignard reagents resulted in the addition of R’ at the boron atom yielding the anions [1,7-H₂C₂B₁₀H₉-9-PR(p-C₆F₄)BR’(C₆F₅)₂]⁻ (R=Mes, R’=Me ( 8 a ), R=tBu, R’=Me ( 8 b ); R=Mes, R’=Ph ( 9 a ), R=tBu, R’=Ph ( 9 b )) with [MgBr(Et₂O)_n]⁺ as counterion. The ability of the zwitterionic compounds 3 a , b to hydrogenate imines as well as the Brønsted acidity of 3 a were investigated.     

Tuning Deazaflavins Towards Highly Potent Reducing Photocatalysts Guided by Mechanistic Understanding – Enhancement of the Key Step by the Internal Heavy Atom Effect

Deazaflavins are well suited for reductive chemistry acting via a consecutive photo-induced electron transfer, in which their triplet state and semiquinone – the latter is formed from the former after electron transfer from a sacrificial electron donor – are key intermediates. Guided by mechanistic investigations aiming to increase intersystem crossing by the internal heavy atom effect and optimising the concentration conditions to avoid unproductive excited singlet reactions, we synthesised 5-aryldeazaflavins with Br or Cl substituents on different structural positions via a three-component reaction. Bromination of the deazaisoalloxazine core leads to almost 100 % triplet yield but causes photo-instability and enhances unproductive side reactions. Bromine on the 5-phenyl group in ortho position does not affect the photostability, increases the triplet yield, and allows its efficient usage in the photocatalytic dehalogenation of bromo- and chloroarenes with electron-donating methoxy and alkyl groups even under aerobic conditions. Reductive powers comparable to lithium are achieved.     

The Mechanism of Biochemical NO-Sensing: Insights from Computational Chemistry

The binding of small gas molecules such as NO and CO plays a major role in the signaling routes of the human body. The sole NO-receptor in humans is soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) – a histidine-ligated heme protein, which, upon NO binding, activates a downstream signaling cascade. Impairment of NO-signaling is linked, among others, to cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. In the present work, we use a combination of theoretical tools such as MD simulations, high-level quantum chemical calculations and hybrid QM/MM methods to address various aspects of NO binding and to elucidate the most likely reaction paths and the potential intermediates of the reaction. As a model system, the H-NOX protein from Shewanella oneidensis (So H-NOX) homologous to the NO-binding domain of sGC is used. The signaling route is predicted to involve NO binding to form a six-coordinate intermediate heme-NO complex, followed by relatively facile His decoordination yielding a five-coordinate adduct with NO on the distal side with possible isomerization to the proximal side through binding of a second NO and release of the first one. MD simulations show that the His sidechain can quite easily rotate outward into solvent, with this motion being accompanied in our simulations by shifts in helix positions that are consistent with this decoordination leading to significant conformational change in the protein.     

An Expedient Method for the Umpolung Coupling of Enols with Heteronucleophiles**

In this paper, we present an unprecedented and general umpolung protocol that allows the functionalization of silyl enol ethers and of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with a large range of heteroatom nucleophiles, including carboxylic acids, alcohols, primary and secondary amines, azide, thiols, and also anionic carbamates derived from CO₂. The scope of the reaction also extends to carbon-based nucleophiles. The reaction relies on the use of 1-bromo-3,3-dimethyl-1,3-dihydro-1λ³[d][1,2]iodaoxole, which provides a key α-brominated carbonyl intermediate. The reaction mechanism has been studied experimentally and by DFT, and we propose formation of an unusual enolonium intermediate with a halogen-bonded bromide.