Chiral Aminoalcohols and Squaric Acid Amides as Ligands for Asymmetric Borane Reduction of Ketones: Insight to In Situ Formed Catalytic System by DOSY and Multinuclear NMR Experiments

A series of squaric acid amides (synthesized in 66–99% isolated yields) and a set of chiral aminoalcohols were comparatively studied as ligands in a model reaction of reduction of α-chloroacetophenone with BH₃•SMe₂. In all cases, the aminoalcohols demonstrated better efficiency (up to 94% ee), while only poor asymmetric induction was achieved with the corresponding squaramides. A mechanistic insight on the in situ formation and stability at room temperature of intermediates generated from ligands and borane as possible precursors of the oxazaborolidine-based catalytic system has been obtained by ¹H DOSY and multinuclear 1D and 2D (¹H, ^10/11B, ¹³C, ¹⁵N) NMR spectroscopy of equimolar mixtures of borane and selected ligands. These results contribute to better understanding the complexity of the processes occurring in the reaction mixture prior to the possible oxazaborolidine formation, which play a crucial role on the degree of enantioselectivity achieved in the borane reduction of α-chloroacetophenone.     

Understanding the Influence of Donor-Acceptor Diazo Compounds on the Catalyst Efficiency of B(C6F5)3 Towards Carbene Formation

Diazo compounds have been largely used as carbene precursors for carbene transfer reactions in a variety of functionalization reactions. However, the ease of carbene generation from the corresponding diazo compounds depends upon the electron donating/withdrawing substituents either side of the diazo functionality. These groups strongly impact the ease of N₂ release. Recently, tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane [B(C₆F₅)₃] has been shown to be an alternative transition metal-free catalyst for carbene transfer reactions. Herein, a density functional theory (DFT) study on the generation of carbene species from α-aryl α-diazocarbonyl compounds using catalytic amounts of B(C₆F₅)₃ is reported. The significant finding is that the efficiency of the catalyst depends directly on the nature of the substituents on both the aryl ring and the carbonyl group of the substrate. In some cases, the boron catalyst has negligible effect on the ease of the carbene formation, while in other cases there is a dramatic reduction in the activation energy of the reaction. This direct dependence is not commonly observed in catalysis and this finding opens the way for intelligent design of this and other similar catalytic reactions.     

Solution-based production of graphene nano-platelets containing extremely low amounts of heteroatoms

We developed a new route for scalable production of graphene-based nano-platelets containing extremely low amounts of heteroatoms via treatment of graphene oxide suspensions with ammonia borane at low temperatures without further thermal annealing. The C/O atomic ratio measured by combustion-based elemental analysis is the highest value among published data on graphene-based nano-platelets using solution processes. Resulting materials showed a very high electrical conductivity.     

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane catalyzed Ferrier azaglycosylation with sulfonamides and carbamates

The reaction of tri-O-acetyl-d-glucal with different nitrogen nucleophiles was effectively promoted by a catalytic amount of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane for the first time in acetonitrile at room temperature to produce a variety of azapseudoglycals via Ferrier rearrangement in good yields and preferential anomeric selectivity.     

The supramolecular structures and reactivities of some complexes of chiral crown ethers with borane ammonia

Whereas 1 1 crystalline complexes have been isolated between borane ammonia and methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-dideoxy--d-galactopyranosido [2,3-b]-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclo-octadecane (1), methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-dideoxy--d-mannopyranosido [2,3-b] (methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-dideoxy--d-mannopyranosido [2,3-k]-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclo-octadecane (3), and (1R,2R,7R,24R)-3,5,8,11,14,17,20,23,26,28-decaoxatricyclo-[21.4.0.0^2,7]octacosane (4), the hosts, methyl, 4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-dideoxy--d-mannopyranosido[2,3-b] 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclo-octadecane (2) and 1,4 1,4 3,6 3,6-tetra-anhydro-2,2 5,5-bis-O-oxydiethylenedi-d-mannitol (5) have yielded 2 1 (guest:host) crystalline complexes with borane ammonia as guest. X-ray analyses of the supramolecular structures of BH₃NH₃ ·1, (BH₃NH₃)₂ ·2, BH₃NH₃ ·3, BH₃NH₃ ·4, and (BH₃NH₃)₂ ·5 have been carried out and BH₃NH₃ ·1, BH₃NH₃ ·2, and (BH₃NH₃)₂ ·5 have been shown to reduce acetophenone with enantiomeric excesses of 5, 13, and 10% respectively. Supplementary Data relating to this article (atomic coordinates of the hydrogen atoms and thermal parameters) are deposited with the British Library as Supplementary Publication No. SUP 82017 (74 pages).Dedicated to Professor H. M. Powell.     

Applications of Danishefsky’s dienes in asymmetric Oxo-Diels-Alder reactions

Applications of Danishefsky’s dienes in catalytic asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder (AHDA) reactions or specifically, their asymmetric Oxo-Diels-Alder (AOxo-DA) reactions with appropriate dienophiles are highlighted in detail, including the preparation of catalysts with discussion from a mechanistic points of view. Danishefsky’s dienes are effective and useful compounds for the synthesis of optically active six-membered rings such as dihydropyrones, dihydropyridones and dihydropyrans. Due to the broad range of the overall subject, we have limited ourselves, to the recent developments in the utility of Danishefsky’s dienes in the reaction with carbonyl compounds (aldehydes, ketones and 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds) in asymmetric Oxo-Diels-Alder (AOxo-DA) reactions.     

The study of mechanical behavior and flame retardancy of castor oil phosphate-based rigid polyurethane foam composites containing expanded graphite and triethyl phosphate

The goal of this work was the synthesis of novel flame-retarded polyurethane rigid foam with a high percentage of castor oil phosphate flame-retarded polyol (COFPL) derived from renewable castor oil. Rigid flame-retarded polyurethane foams (PUFs) filled with expandable graphite (EG) and diethyl phosphate (TEP) were fabricated by cast molding. Castor oil phosphate flame-retarded polyol was derived by glycerolysis castor oil (GCO), H₂O₂, diethyl phosphate and catalyst via a three-step synthesis. Mechanical property, morphological characterization, limiting oxygen index (LOI) and thermostability analysis of PUFs were assessed by universal tester, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), oxygen index testing apparatus, cone calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It has been shown that although the content of P element is only about 3%, the fire retardant incorporated in the castor oil molecule chain increased thermal stability and LOI value of polyurethane foam can reach to 24.3% without any other flame retardant. An increase in flame retardant was accompanied by an increase in EG, TEP and the cooperation of the two. Polyurethane foams synthesized from castor oil phosphate flame-retarded polyol showed higher flame retardancy than that synthesized from GCO. The EG, in addition to the castor oil phosphate, provided excellent flame retardancy. This castor oil phosphate flame-retarded polyol with diethyl phosphate as plasticizer avoided foam destroy by EG, thus improving the mechanical properties. The flame retardancy determined with two different flame-retarded systems COFPL/EG and EG/COFPL/TEP flame-retarded systems revealed increased flame retardancy in polyurethane foams, indicating EG/COFPL or EG/COFPL/TEP systems have a synergistic effect as a common flame retardant in castor oil-based PUFs. This EG/COFPL PUF exhibited a large reduction of peak of heat release rate (PHRR) compared to EG/GCO PUF. The SEM results showed that the incorporation of COFPL and EG allowed the formation of a cohesive and dense char layer, which inhibited the transfer of heat and combustible gas and thus increased the thermal stability of PUF. The enhancement in flame retardancy will expand the application range of COFPL-based polyurethane foam materials.     

Selective Aldehyde Reduction in Ketoaldehydes with NaBH4-Na2CO3-H2O at Room Temperatures

A variety of aliphatic and aromatic ketoaldehydes were reduced to the corresponding ketoalcohols with a mixture of sodium borohydride (1.2 equivalents) and sodium carbonate (sixfold molar excess) in water. Reactions were performed at room temperatures over (typically) 2 h, and yields of isolated products generally ranged from 70% to 85%. A bis-carbonate-borane complex, [(BH₃)₂CO₂]^2? 2Na⁺, possibly formed from the reagent mixture, is likely the active reductant. The moderated reactivity of this acylborane species would explain the chemoselectivity observed in the reactions. The readily available reagents and the mild aqueous conditions make for ease of operation and environmental compatibility, and make a useful addition to available methodology.