Total synthesis of (−)-radicamine B

The synthesis of a chiral cyclic nitrone with l-arabino configuration and its application in the total synthesis of radicamine B is reported. An agreement in the spectral data with natural radicamine B but specific rotation with an opposite sign warranted a revision of the absolute configuration of radicamine B.     

The absence of nitrone form in re-determined crystal structure of 2-hydroxyimino-3-methyl-4-nitro-2,5-dihydrothiophene 1,1-dioxide

Crystal and molecular structures of 2-hydroxyimino-3-methyl-4-nitro-2,5-dihydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide C₅H₆N₂O₅S (I) have been re-determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure of I (space group P2₁2₁2₁, a = 6.124(1) Å, b = 9.205(2) Å, c = 14.884(3) Å, Z = 4) was solved by the direct method and refined anisotropically in the full-matrix approximation to R = 0.064 using all 1756 measured independent reflections (automated diffractometer CAD-4, λCuK_α, anomalous scattering taken into account). This study proves that the compound I contains a disordered group H-O-N=C, but not the isomeric nitrone group O←N(H)=C, as it has been concluded by the workers who pioneered single crystal X-ray diffraction study of I and erroneously took the second low-occupied oxygen position of the disordered hydroxyimine group for H at N atom.     

Synthesis of (3′R,5′S)-3′-hydroxycotinine using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a nitrone

To synthesize (3′R,5′S)-3′-hydroxycotinine [(+)-1], the main metabolite of nicotine (2), cycloaddition of C-(3-pyridyl)nitrones 3a, 3c, and 15 with (2R)- and (2S)-N-(acryloyl)bornane-10,2-sultam [(2R)- and (2S)-8] was examined. Among them, l-gulose-derived nitrone 15 underwent stereoselective cycloaddition with (2S)-8 to afford cycloadduct 16, which was elaborated to (+)-1.     

Syntheses of the Saturated Analogues of 4-Nitrophenol and 4-Nitroaniline

Two syntheses for 4-nitrocyclohexanol and 4-nitrocyclohexanamine are presented. Both conveniently start from commercially available 4-aminocyclohexanol.     

Solvent‐Controlled Bifurcated Cascade Process for the Selective Preparation of Dihydrocarbazoles or Dihydropyridoindoles

A solvent‐controlled cascade process has been identified for the dual purpose of the preparation of either dihydrocarbazoles or dihydropyridoindoles from identical N‐aryl‐α,β‐unsaturated nitrones and electron‐deficient allene starting materials. These reactions proceed smoothly under mild metal‐free conditions affording a range of two types of skeletally distinct indole‐based heterocycles in high yield and diastereoselectivity. These transformations demonstrate the use of a bifurcated cascade process that hinges on the ring‐opening event of a benzazepine intermediate for the synthesis of skeletally diverse heterocyclic products and rapid access to biologically‐significant, indole‐based structures.     

Enhanced spin capturing polymerization: Numerical investigation of mechanism

Simulation on the kinetic scheme of enhanced spin capturing polymerizations (ESCP) were performed to reveal the influence of different parameters, e.g., initiation rate, spin capturing and side reactions on the properties (the monomer conversion, degree of polymerization, polydispersity index, and the fraction of “living” chains) of polymer obtained. The kinetic scheme of ESCP was solved numerically as well as the method of statistical moments of molecular weight distribution was applied to get some numerical expressions for analysis. The simulations showed that fast initiation rate can lead to decrease of living fraction and broadening of molecular weight distribution. Whereas high rate of spin capturing makes the polymer chains shorter but increases living character. And side reactions always decrease livingness of the polymer obtained. Finally in the case of absence of side reaction we were able to formulate criteria for formation of polymer with target molecular weight and quota of living chains via ESCP process. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 2546–2556     

苯炔与硝酮[3+2]环加成制备二取代苯并异噁唑烷

采用[3 2]1,3-偶极环加成反应,苯炔前体邻-三甲硅基苯酚三氟甲磺酸酯在氟化铯的作用下与硝酮反应合成了9个2,3-二取代苯并[d]异噁唑烷,收率87%～97%。其结构经1H NMR,13C NMR和高分辨率MS确证。     

光催化氧化还原体系中硝酮与芳香叔胺的自由基偶联反应

通过氮α-位碳自由基构造氮α-位碳-碳键是合成含氮有机化合物的重要方法. 近期, 利用可见光催化氧化芳香叔胺—氮α-位去质子化形成氮α-位碳自由基的原理发展了一系列新颖的自由基加成(偶联)反应, 成为氮α-位碳自由基化学发展的重要方向. 本文应用Ir-催化剂, 实现了光催化氧化还原体系中硝酮与芳香叔胺的自由基偶联反应, 高效地合成β-氨基羟胺化合物. 该反应条件温和、操作简单, 具有较高的原子经济性, 且对于各种链状、环状以及手性硝酮都具有良好的适用性, 产物可方便地转化为重要的邻二胺化合物.     

Structural Manipulation of Ruthenium(II) Polypyridine Nitrone Complexes to Generate Phosphorogenic Bioorthogonal Reagents for Selective Cellular Labeling

We report a new class of ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes functionalized with a nitrone group as phosphorogenic bioorthogonal probes. These complexes were very weakly emissive owing to rapid C=N isomerization of the nitrone moiety, but exhibited significant emission enhancement upon strain‐promoted alkyne–nitrone cycloaddition (SPANC) reaction with bicyclo[6.1.0]nonyne (BCN)‐modified substrates. The modification of nitrone with a dicationic ruthenium(II) polypyridine unit at the α‐C‐position and a phenyl ring at the N‐position led to remarkably accelerated reaction kinetics, which are substantially greater (up to ≈278 fold) than those of other acyclic nitrone–BCN systems. Interestingly, the complexes achieved specific cell membrane/cytosol staining upon specific labeling of an exogenous substrate, BCN‐modified decane (BCN‐C10), in live cells. Importantly, the in situ generation of the more lipophilic isoxazoline adduct in the cytoplasm resulted in increased cytotoxicity, highlighting a novel approach to apply the SPANC labeling technique in drug activation.     

The kinetics of enhanced spin capturing polymerization: Influence of the nitrone structure

Several nitrones and one nitroso compound have been evaluated for their ability to control the molecular weight of polystyrene via the recently introduced radical polymerization method of enhanced spin capturing polymerization (ESCP). In this technique, molecular weight control is achieved (at ambient or slightly elevated temperatures) via the reaction of a growing radical chain with a nitrone forming a macronitroxide. These nitroxides subsequently react rapidly and irreversibly with propagating macroradicals forming polymer of a certain chain length, which depends on the nitrone concentration in the system. Via evaluation of the resulting number‐average molecular weight, M_n, at low conversions, the addition rate coefficient of the growing radicals onto the different nitrones is determined and activation energies are obtained. For the nitrones N‐tert‐butyl‐α‐phenylnitrone (PBN), N‐methyl‐α‐phenylnitrone (PMN), and N‐methyl‐α‐(4‐bromo‐phenyl) nitrone (pB‐PMN), addition rate coefficients, k_ad,macro, in a similar magnitude to the styrene propagation rate coefficient, k_p, are found with spin capturing constants C_SC (with C_SC = k_ad,macro/k_p) ranging from 1 to 13 depending on the nitrone and on temperature. Activation energies between 23.6 and 27.7 kJ mol⁻¹ were deduced for k_ad,macro, congruent with a decreasing C_SC with increasing temperature. Almost constant M_n over up to high monomer to polymer conversions is found when C_SC is close to unity, while increasing molecular weights can be observed when the C_SC is large. From temperatures of 100 °C onward, reversible cleavage of the alkoxyamine group can occur, superimposing a reversible activation/deactivation mechanism onto the ESCP system. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1098–1107, 2009