Isomerizing Olefin Metathesis

Isomerizing olefin metathesis is currently undergoing a transformation from laboratory curiosity to powerful synthetic concept at the heart of orthogonal tandem catalysis. In this process, an isomerization catalyst continuously moves double bonds along carbon chains, while a metathesis catalyst scrambles the residues at the C−C double bonds. This cooperative action of two catalysts can be used to access single, defined products from a complex mixture of compounds. Alternatively, it enables the transformation of uniform starting materials into complex product blends with defined, tunable properties. This concept article highlights recent developments and potential applications of this fascinating reaction concept.     

Nanoscale Control of Polyoxometalate Assembly: A {Mn8W4} Cluster within a {W36Si4Mn10} Cluster Showing a New Type of Isomerism

Two near isomeric clusters containing a novel {Mn₈W₄} Keggin cluster within a [W₃₆Mn₁₀Si₄O₁₃₆(OH)₄(H₂O)8]^24? cluster are reported: K₁₀Li₁₄ [W₃₆Si₄O₁₃₆Mn^II₁₀(OH)₄(H₂O)₈] ( 1 ) and K₁₀Li1_3.5Mn_0.25[W₃₆Si₄O₁₃₆Mn^II₁₀(OH)₄(H₂O)₈] ( 1′ ). Bulk characterization of the clusters has been carried out by single crystal X‐ray structure analysis, ICP‐MS, TGA, ESI‐MS, CV and SQUID‐magnetometer analysis. X‐ray analysis revealed that 1′ has eight positions within the central Keggin core that were disordered W/Mn whereas 1 contained no such disorder. This subtle difference is due to a differences is how the two clusters assemble and recrystallize from the same mother liquor and represents a new type of isomerism. The rapid recrystallization process was captured via digital microscopy and this uncovered two “intermediate” types of crystal which formed temporarily and provided nucleation sites for the final clusters to assemble. The intermediates were investigated by single crystal X‐ray analysis and revealed to be novel clusters K₄Li₂₂[W₃₆Si₄Mn₇O₁₃₆(H₂O)₈]?56 H₂O ( 2 ) and Mn₂K₈Li₁₄[W₃₆Si₄Mn₇O₁₃₆(H₂O)₈]?45 H₂O ( 3 ). The intermediate clusters contained different yet related building blocks to the final clusters which allowed for the postulation of a mechanism of assembly. This demonstrates a rare example where the use X‐ray crystallography directly facilitated understanding the means by which a POM assembled.     

Acid-Catalyzed E-Ring Expansion and Isomerization of 3-Acetylbetulin: Synthesis of Cytotoxic Anhydrobetulin Saponins

22(17 → 28)abeo-Lupene derivatives 5a and 6a were obtained after the acid-catalyzed E-ring expansion of 3-acetylbetulin (1a). Glycosylation of these dehydrated triterpenoids using Schmidt's trichloroacetimidate sugar donors in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) provided the new anhydrobetulin saponins 7b–7e in which the terminal olefin C-20(29) isomerizes to form a C-19 tetrasubstituted alkene. The preliminary cytotoxic evaluation revealed that saponins 7b–7d exhibited a moderate cytotoxic activity against A549, DLD-1, and WS1 human cell lines with IC₅₀ ranging from 22 to 49 μM.     

Intramolecular Participation of Amino Groups in the Cleavage and Isomerization of Ribonucleoside 3′‐Phosphodiesters: The Role in Stabilization of the Phosphorane Intermediate

A dinucleoside‐3′,5′‐phosphodiester model, 5′‐amino‐4′‐aminomethyl‐5′‐deoxyuridylyl‐3′,5′‐thymidine, incorporating two aminomethyl functions in the 4′‐position of the 3′‐linked nucleoside has been prepared and its hydrolytic reactions studied over a wide pH range. The amino functions were found to accelerate the cleavage and isomerization of the phosphodiester linkage in both protonated and neutral form. When present in protonated form, the cleavage of the 3′,5′‐phosphodiester linkage and its isomerization to a 2′,5′‐linkage are pH‐independent and 50–80 times as fast as the corresponding reactions of uridylyl‐3′,5′‐uridine (3′,5′‐UpU). The cleavage of the resulting 2′,5′‐isomer is also accelerated, albeit less than with the 3′,5′‐isomer, whereas isomerization back to the 3′,5′‐diester is not enhanced. When the amino groups are deprotonated, the cleavage reactions of both isomers are again pH‐independent and up to 1000‐fold faster than the pH‐independent cleavage of UpU. Interestingly, the 2′‐ to 3′‐isomerization is now much faster than its reverse reaction. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed. The rate accelerations are largely accounted for by electrostatic and hydrogen‐bonding interactions of the protonated amino groups with the phosphorane intermediate.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of Organometallic Bis(helicene)s by a Combination of C?H Activation and Dynamic Isomerization

Homochiral and heterochiral cis‐bis‐cycloplatinated‐[6]helicene derivatives 1 b^{1, 2} , as representative examples of platina[6]helicenes that share a common platinum center, have been prepared. A diastereo‐ and enantioselective synthesis, which combines CH activation and dynamic isomerization from heterochiral structure 1 b² into homochiral structure 1 b¹ , is also described. Overall, this isomerization process results in the transfer of chiral information from one helicene moiety to the other one. The chiroptical properties of homochiral (P)‐ and (M)‐ 1 b¹ were greatly modified upon oxidation into their corresponding (P)‐ and (M)‐diiodo‐Pt^IV complexes ( 5 ). The changes were also analyzed by performing theoretical calculations. C? H activation in the synthesis of organometallic helicenes is further demonstrated by the preparation of cis‐bis‐cycloplatinated‐[8]helicene 1 c .     

Control of the Orientation and Photoinduced Phase Transitions of Macrocyclic Azobenzene

Photoinduced phase transitions caused by photochromic reactions bring about a change in the state of matter at constant temperature. Herein, we report the photoinduced phase transitions of crystals of a photoresponsive macrocyclic compound bearing two azobenzene groups ( 1 ) at room temperature on irradiation with UV (365 nm) and visible (436 nm) light. The trans/trans isomer undergoes photoinduced phase transitions (crystal–isotropic phase–crystal) on UV light irradiation. The photochemically generated crystal exhibited reversible phase transitions between the crystal and the mesophase on UV and visible light irradiation. The molecular order of the randomly oriented crystals could be increased by irradiating with linearly polarized visible light, and the value of the order parameter was determined to be ?0.84. Heating enhances the thermal cis‐to‐trans isomerization and subsequent cooling returned crystals of the trans/trans isomer.     

A convenient One-Pot Synthesis of an Unsymmetrical Propane-1,3-diamine BRL 61010A

The one-pot condensation of N-methylhomoveratrylamine with acrolein followed by in situ reductive amination with 3,4-dimethoxyaniline to give an unsymmetrical propane 1,3-diamine in excellent yield is described.     

Theoretical exploration of structure-reactivity relationships in organometallic chemistry: butadiene insertion into the organyltransition-metal bond and conversion of the allyltransition-metal fragment in the [Ni(η-Cp)(η-phenyl)(η-butadiene)] complex

We have theoretically examined the reaction course of the butadiene insertion into the arylNi^II bond in the [Ni^II(η⁵-Cp)(η¹-phenyl)(η²-butadiene)] complex (1), by employing a gradient-corrected DFT method. Critical elementary processes have been scrutinized, viz. monomer insertion, rotational allylic isomerization and allylic η¹-σ→η³-π rearrangement. The first mechanism suggested by Lehmkuhl et al. was refined and supplemented with important details. The critical factors that determine the generation of anti-η³- and syn-η³-allyl isomers of the [Ni^II(η⁵-Cp)(1-benzyl-allyl)] product have been elucidated. This let us to rationalize the experimentally observed, almost exclusive formation of the anti-η³-allyl isomer. Butadiene preferably inserts in η²-mode into the η¹-phenylNi^II bond, initially giving rise to the η¹(C³)-allyl product species, 3σ. The direct formation of the η³-allyl product species, 3π, along the alternative path for η⁴-butadiene insertion, however, is found to be almost entirely disabled kinetically. The thermodynamically favorable η²-trans form of 1 is also shown to be more reactive in accomplishing CC bond formation. Species 3σ is indicated to be a metastable intermediate, occurring in an appreciable stationary concentration. Its respective anti and syn isomeric forms are likely to be in equilibrium, due to the facile rotational isomerization. The subsequent allylic rearrangement into the thermodynamically strongly favorable η³-allylNi^II coordination mode is shown to be the crucial elementary step that discriminates which of the isomeric η³-allyl forms is preferably generated. The higher reactivity of the anti isomer in this process decisively determines the almost exclusive formation of the anti-η³-allyl product species under kinetic control. The requirement of elevated temperatures for the anti-η³-allyl→syn-η³-allyl isomerization to occur, as revealed from experiment, is attributed to the pronounced thermodynamic stability of the η³-allylNi^II coordination.