Intra-annular cyclophane diamines as proton sponges: a computational study

Gas-phase proton affinities of cyclophanes containing intra-annular amino groups were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31+G^∗∗//B3LYP/6-31G^∗ level. They are higher in magnitude as those for proton sponges such as 1,8-bisaminonaphthalene, however, they are slightly weaker bases than 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene. The high basicity of the cyclophane diamines is attributed mainly to their structural flexibility, which allows them to maximize the hydrogen bond strength in the cations by achieving N-H?N linearity, while strain relief upon protonation is less important. Another contributing factor is the stabilizing interaction of the added proton with adjacent phenyl π systems of the cyclophanes. Barriers for proton transfer between the nitrogen atoms of the diamine cations are also reported.     

Radical Cation States of 2,3,5,6,7,8-Hexamethylidenebicyclo [2.2.2]octane

The photoelectron spectrum of the title compound is reported and assigned by correlation with the photoelectron spectra of related molecules.     

Chemistry of azoimidazoles. Synthesis,spectral characterization and redox studies of N(1)-benzyl-2-(arylazo)imidazolepalladium(II)chloride

Arylazoimidazoles (2) are N,N-chelating ligands. The polymerization trend of the azolate system is restricted via N(1)-benzylation. The parent molecules (2), N(1)-benzylated products (3) and palladium complexes (4) were made by standard methods. The ligands (3) and complexes (4) are new. They have been characterized by elemental analysis, i.r., u.v.-vis. and high resolution 1H-n.m.r. spectral data. Redox studies were carried out by cyclic voltammetry. On complexation, azo reduction is shifted anodically.     

Tetranuclear manganese(II) complexes of thiacalixarene macrocycles with trigonal prismatic six-coordinate geometries: synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties

Two tetranuclear manganese(II) complexes [Mn(II)4(thiaS)2] (1) and [Mn(II)4(thiaSO)2] (2) have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions in methanol with p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene (thiaS) and p-tert-butylsulfinylthiacalix[4]arene (thiaSO). For both complexes, the structure has been established from single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [Mn4(thiaS)2].H2O (1) crystallizes in the orthorhombic Immm (No. 71) space group with the following parameters: a = 18.213 (5) angstroms, b = 19.037 (5) angstroms, c = 29.159 (5) angstroms, V = 10110 (4) angstroms3, and Z = 4. [Mn4(thiaSO)2].H2O (2) crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/m (No. 12) space group with the following parameters: a = 33.046(1) angstroms, b = 19.5363 (8) angstroms, c = 15.7773 (9) angstroms, beta = 115.176 (2) degrees, V = 9218.3 (8) angstroms3, and Z = 4. The two complexes are neutral and are best described as manganese squares sandwiched between two thiacalixarene macrocycles. In both complexes, each manganese center is six-coordinated in a trigonal prismatic geometry with four phenoxo oxygen atoms plus two sulfur atoms for 1 or two oxygen atoms from SO groups for 2. The two tetranuclear complexes exhibit identical magnetic behaviors resulting from antiferromagnetic interactions between the four manganese centers. The simulation of the magnetic susceptibility was done considering a single exchange-coupling constant between the manganese(II) ions, J (H = -J(S1S2 + S2S3 + S3S4 + S1S4)). The best fits give the same result for the two complexes: g = 1.94 and J = -5.57 cm(-1).     

Preparation and Diels-Alder Reactivity of 2,3,5,6,7,8-Hexamethylidenebicyclo [2.2.2]octane (‘[2.2.2]Hericene’). Force-field calculations of exocyclic dienes as a moiety of bicyclic skeletons

The [2.2.2]hericene ( 6 ), a bicyclo[2.2.2]octane bearing three exocyclic s-cis-butadiene units has been prepared in eight steps from coumalic acid and maleic anhydride. The hexaene 6 adds successively three mol-equiv. of strong dienophiles such as ethylenetetracarbonitrile (TCE) and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) giving the corresponding monoadducts 17 and 20 (k₁), bis-adducts 18 and 21 (k₂) and tris-adducts 19 and 22 (k₃), respectively. The rate constant ratio k₁/k₂ is small as in the case of the cycloadditions of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylidene-bicyclo [2.2.2]octane ( 3 ) giving the corresponding monoadducts 23 and 27 (k₁) and bis-adducts 25 and 29 (k₂) with TCE and DMAD, respectively. Constrastingly, the rate constant ratio k₂/k₃ is relatively large as the rate constant ratio k₁/k₂ of the Diels-Alder additions for 5,6,7,8-tetramethylidenebicyclo [2.2.2]oct-2-ene ( 4 ) giving the corresponding monoadducts 24 and 28 (k₁) and bis-adducts 26 and 30 (k₂). The following second-order rate constants (toluene, 25°) and activation parameters were obtained for the TCE additions: 3 +TCE→ 23 : k₁ = 0.591±0.012 mol^?1·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠=10.6±0.4 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?24.0±1.4 cal/mol·K (e.u.); 23 +TCE→ 25 : k₂=0.034±0.0010 mol^?1·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠ = 10.6±0.6 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?29.7±2.0 e.u.; 4 +TCE→ 26 : k₁ = 0.172±0.035 mol^?1·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠ 11.3±0.8 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?24.0±2.8 e.u.; 24 +TCE→ 26 : k₂ = (6.1±0.2)·10^?4 mol^?1·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠ = 13.0±0.3 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?29.5±0.8 e.u.; 6 +TCE→ 17 : k₁ = 0.136±0.002 mol^?1·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠ = 11.3±0.2 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?24.5±0.8 e.u.; 17 +TCE→ 18 : k₂ = 0.0156±0.0003 mol^?1·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠ = 10.9±0.5 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?30.1 ± 1.5 e.u.; 18 +TCE→ 19 : k₃=(5±0.2) · 10^?5 mol^?1 mol^?1 ·l·s^?1, ΔH^≠ = 15±3 kcal/mol, and ΔS^≠ = ?28 ± 8 e.u. The following rate constants were evaluated for the DMAD additions (CD₂Cl₂, 30°): 6 +DMAD→ 20 : k₁ = (10±1)·10^?4 mol^?1 · l·s^?1; 20 +DMAD→ 21 : k₂ = (6.5±0.1) · 10^?4 mol^?1 ·l·^?1; 21 +DMAD→ 22 : k₃ = (1.0±0.1) · 10^?4 mol^?1 ·l·s^?1. The reactions giving the barrelene derivatives 19, 22, 26 and 30 are slower than those leading to adducts that are not barrelenes. The former are estimated less exothermic than the latter. It is proposed that the Diels-Alder reactivity of exocyclic s-cis-butadienes grafted onto bicycle [2.2.1]heptanes and bicyclo [2.2.2]octanes that are modified by remote substitution of the bicyclic skeletons can be affected by changes inthe exothermicity of the cycloadditions, in agreement with the Dimroth and Bell-Evans-Polanyi principle. Force-field calculations (MMPI 1) of 3, 4, 6 and related exocyclic s-cis-butadienes as a moiety of bicyclo [2.2.2]octane suggested single minimum energy hypersurfaces for these systems (eclipsed conformations, planar dienes). Their flexibility decreases with the degree of unsaturation of the bicyclic skeleton. The effect of an endocyclic double bond is larger than that of an exocyclic diene moiety.     

Palladium catalyzed atom-efficient cross-coupling reactions of triarylbismuths with aryl bromides

Aryl bromides (3 equiv) were coupled efficiently with triarylbismuths (1 equiv) in an atom-efficient way using the Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ catalytic system in the presence of K₃PO₄ as base in DMF at 90 °C, providing excellent yields of the cross-coupled biaryls in short reaction times.     

Sequential [2+2] Photocycloaddition and Rearrangement to Substituted Cyclopentanone. A formal Synthesis of Planococcyl Acetate

An extremely short synthesis of 2,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxymethyl cyclopentanone 2 (R¹ = R² = Me), an advanced intermediate in the synthesis of the pheromone planococcyl acetate 3, is described.     

Cyclotriphosphazene,a scaffold for 19F MRI contrast agents

A cyclotriphosphazene substituted with six 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) benzyloxy units was designed as a novel ¹⁹F MRI contrast agent. The resulting molecule has 36 magnetically equivalent fluorine atoms and exhibited suitable MRI properties with high imaging sensitivity, confirming the proof-of-concept as a convenient scaffold for the production of new ¹⁹F MRI contrasts agents.