C-H Trifluoromethylthiolation of aldehyde hydrazones
The selective C-H trifluoromethylthiolation of aldehyde hydrazones afforded interesting fluorinated building blocks, which could be used as a synthetic platform. Starting from readily available (hetero)aromatic and aliphatic hydrazones, the formation of a C-SCF bond was achieved under oxidative and mild reaction conditions in the presence of the readily available AgSCF salt via a one-pot sequential process (28 examples, up to 91% yield). Mechanistic investigations revealed that AgSCF was the active species in the transformation.
Synthesis of fluorinated acid-functionalized, electron-rich nickel porphyrins
In this study, novel fluorinated carboxylic acid esters of the generic structure TfO-CH-(CF) -COOCH ( = 2,4,6, Tf = triflate) were synthesized. The triflates were reacted with 2-hydroxy-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde via Williamson ether syntheses. The resulting electron-rich compounds were used as aldehydes in the Rothemund reaction with pyrrole to form ester-substituted porphyrins. After metalation with Ni(acac) and hydrolysis electron-rich porphyrins were obtained, that are equipped with covalently attached long chain acid substituents. The target compounds have potential applications in catalysis, sensing, and materials science. The fluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acids (TfO-CH-(CF) -COOCH) with triflate as leaving group in terminal position are easily accessible and versatile building blocks for attaching long chain acids (p 0-1) to substrates in Williamson ether-type reactions.
4,6-Diaryl-5,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxanes as chiral dopants for liquid crystal compositions
Two racemic -4,6-diphenyl-5,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxanes were prepared and the corresponding enantiomers were evaluated as potential new chiral dopants for liquid-crystal compositions.
Synthesis of pyrrole-fused dibenzoxazepine/dibenzothiazepine/triazolobenzodiazepine derivatives via isocyanide-based multicomponent reactions
An efficient and facile synthesis of pyrrole-fused dibenzoxazepine/dibenzothiazepine/triazolobenzodiazepine derivatives was developed through the isocyanide-based multicomponent reaction of isocyanides, -diactivated olefins, and cyclic imines such as dibenzoxazepine, dibenzothiazepine, and triazolobenzodiazepine under solvent- and catalyst-free conditions. Purposefully, this approach produced various bioactive scaffolds using environmentally friendly, mild, and simple conditions. Due to their bioactive moieties, these compounds with exclusive fluorescence properties may attract great attention in biomedical applications, clinical diagnostics, and conjugate materials.
Investigation of a bimetallic terbium(III)/copper(II) chemosensor for the detection of aqueous hydrogen sulfide
The chemosensor properties of a bimetallic terbium(III)/copper(II) complex functionalized with a 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole ligand for the detection of Cu ions and, aqueous and gaseous hydrogen sulfide was investigated. The 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole ligand functions both as an antenna chromophore and a receptor for Cu ions; the Cu complex was shown to be a chemosensor for the detection of aqueous hydrogen sulfide. The chemosensor exhibited significant reversibility over multiple cycles, observed with the sequential addition of NaS followed by Cu ions. The limit of detection for aqueous hydrogen sulfide was 0.63 μM (20 ppb). No luminescent changes of the bimetallic terbium(III)/copper(II) complex were observed in the presence of gaseous hydrogen sulfide, and thus this sensor can only be used for the detection of aqueous hydrogen sulfide.
Enantioselective regiospecific addition of propargyltrichlorosilane to aldehydes catalyzed by biisoquinoline ,-dioxide
Distilled propargyltrichlorosilane with >99% isomeric purity was prepared for the first time, and its asymmetric catalytic regiospecific addition reaction to aldehydes was developed through a systematic catalyst structure-reactivity and selectivity relationship study. The observed catalyst structure-enantioselectivity relationship of the present allenylation reaction was found exactly opposite to that of the analogous allylation reaction. The method provided eleven α-allenic alcohols in 22-99% yield with 61:39-92:8 enantiomeric ratios. Furthermore, possible mechanisms of propargyl-allenyl isomerization of propargyltrichlorosilane were computationally investigated.
Cyclodextrin-based rotaxanes for polymer materials: challenge on simultaneous realization of inexpensive production and defined structures
Owing to their dynamic natures, rotaxane-based polymers are attractive motifs for developing stimuli-responsive materials. However, the accurate control of the rotaxane structure, which can be achieved via multistep synthesis, is key to utilizing the material. Concurrently, implementing a scale-up synthesis procedure to exploit the application potential of rotaxane-based polymers induces structural ambiguities, thereby presenting a significant trade-off between realizing inexpensive production and defined structures. To overcome this rotaxane-synthesis challenge, cyclodextrin (CD) can be employed as a promising alternative owing to its low production cost. Thus, this study presents an overview of the precise synthesis of CD-based rotaxane and its application to polymers to simultaneously ensure inexpensive production and realize defined structures.
Structure and thermal stability of phosphorus-iodonium ylids
Hypervalent iodine(III) reagents have become indispensable tools in organic synthesis, but gaps remain in the functionalities they can transfer. In this study, a fundamental understanding of the thermal stability of phosphorus-iodonium ylids is obtained through X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Insights into the structural factors affecting thermal stability and potential decomposition pathways will enable the future design and development of new reagents.
Advances in radical peroxidation with hydroperoxides
Organic peroxides have become sought-after functionalities, particularly following the multi-tone consumption in polymer production and success in medicinal chemistry. The selective introduction of a peroxide fragment at different positions on the target molecule is a priority in the modern reaction design. The pioneering Kharasch-Sosnovsky peroxidation became the basic universal platform for the development of peroxidation methods, with its great potential for rapid generation of complexity due to the ability to couple the resulting free radicals with a wide range of partners. This review discusses the recent advances in the radical Kharasch-type functionalization of organic molecules with OOR fragment including free-component radical couplings. The discussion has been structured by the type of the substrate of radical peroxidation: C(sp )-H substrates; aromatic systems; compounds with unsaturated C-C or C-Het bonds.
Tailored charge-neutral self-assembled LZn container for taming oxalate
Dicarboxylic acids and their derivatives play crucial roles in various biological processes, necessitating the development of effective receptors for their detection. In particular, the smallest dicarboxylate, oxalate, presents a significant importance due to its widespread presence in nature and its association with various diseases. Yet, very little attention was devoted to the recognition of oxalate with metal-driven self-assemblies like cages or containers while numerous classic organic receptors for oxalate exist. This discrepancy is astonishing because metallocontainers or metallocages have advantages over classic macrocycles or organocages like a higher modularity and good preorganization paired with a ready receptor preparation by metal complexation. The reason for the underrepresentation is the competitive nature and excellent ligand properties of oxalate which not only is associated with the aforementioned diseases but also poses a serious hazard for metal-driven self-assemblies because the dianion can easily replace ligand strands leading to a partial or full receptor decomposition. Herein, we present a charge-neutral zinc(II)-based metallocontainer which was tuned to contest oxalate as most competitive dicarboxylate. The dianion is bound in a 1:1 fashion with a binding constant of log = 4.39 selectively over other dicarboxylates by maintaining the receptor stability. This study highlights the importance of a highly modular receptor design so that tailored hosts can be designed to tackle the recognition of challenging competitive analytes.
Synthesis of the 1,5-disubstituted tetrazole-methanesulfonylindole hybrid system via high-order multicomponent reaction
A series of 1,5-disubstituted tetrazole-indole hybrids were synthesized via a high-order multicomponent reaction consisting of an Ugi-azide/Pd/Cu-catalyzed hetero-annulation cascade sequence. This operationally simple one-pot protocol allowed high bond-forming efficiency and creating six new bonds (two C-C, three C-N, and one N-N). Additionally, the products were evaluated against breast cancer MCF-7 cells, finding moderate activity in the compounds substituted with fluorine and chlorine.
Advances in the use of metal-free tetrapyrrolic macrocycles as catalysts
This review provides an overview of recent progress made in the field of catalysis using metal-free tetrapyrrolic macrocycles, focusing on calix[4]pyrroles, porphyrins and corroles, which are structurally related to porphyrins. Calix[4]pyrroles are versatile receptors in supramolecular chemistry while porphyrins are considered as 'pigment of life' due to their role in vital biological processes. Beyond their natural functions, synthetic porphyrins have been applied in various fields, including organometallic catalysis, dye-sensitized solar cells, sensing, artificial olfactory systems, photodynamic therapy (PDT), anticancer drugs, biochemical probes, and electrochemical devices. Relevant examples of these two pyrrolic macrocycles as metal-free organocatalysts, photocatalysts, and electrocatalysts are presented here. The effect of macrocyclic structural modifications such as their functionalization with different substituents, distortion from planarity, conformational flexibility and rigidity towards catalytic activity are presented, highlighting the potential of these two macrocycles as metal-free catalysts.
Controlled oligomerization of [1.1.1]propellane through radical polarity matching: selective synthesis of SF- and CFSF-containing [2]staffanes
Selectivity in radical chain oligomerizations involving [1.1.1]propellane - i.e., to make []staffanes - has been notoriously challenging to control when > 1 is desired. Herein, we report selective syntheses of SF- and CFSF-containing [2]staffanes from SFCl and CFSFCl, demonstrating cases whereby oligomerization is preferentially truncated after incorporation of two bicyclopentane (BCP) units. Synthetic and computational studies suggest this phenomenon can be attributed to alternating radical polarity matching. In addition, single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) data reveal structurally interesting features of the CFSF-containing [2]staffane in the solid state.
-Difluorovinyl and trifluorovinyl Michael acceptors in the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated fluorinated and nonfluorinated amides
The incorporation of fluorine atoms within the structure of organic compounds is known to exert a significant impact on their electronic properties, thereby modulating their reactivity in diverse chemical transformations. In the context of our investigation, we observed a striking illustration of this phenomenon. A Michael addition involving -difluorovinyl and trifluorovinyl acceptors was successfully achieved, demonstrating high stereoselectivity. This selectivity was further elucidated through theoretical calculations. Using this methodology, a series of new α,β-unsaturated amides, both fluorinated and nonfluorinated, were synthesized.
Tunable full-color dual-state (solution and solid) emission of push-pull molecules containing the 1-pyrindane moiety
A facile method for the synthesis of arylidene derivatives of pyrindane - ()-7-arylmethylene-2-chloro-6,7-dihydro-5-cyclopenta[]pyridine-3,4-dicarbonitriles - was developed. Tunable full-color emission was achieved for the synthesized push-pull molecules, solely by changing donor groups while keeping both the conjugated system and acceptor part of the molecule unchanged. This represents a rare approach for the design of such fluorophores. Arylidene derivatives of pyrindane were found to be efficient fluorescent dyes showing a moderate to high emission quantum yield. The push-pull molecules were also characterized by a dual-state emission (in solution and in the solid state). Emission maxima ranged from 469 to 721 nm in solution depending on the solvent and type of donor substituent, and from 493 to 767 nm in the solid state. For the arylidene derivative of pyrindane with a dimethylamino group, it was shown that fluorescence can be changed by the action of an acid both in solution and in the solid state.
The charge transport properties of dicyanomethylene-functionalised violanthrone derivatives
The study of organic small molecule semiconductor materials as active components of organic electronic devices continues to attract considerable attention due to the range of advantages these molecules can offer. Here, we report the synthesis of three dicyanomethylene-functionalised violanthrone derivatives (, and ) featuring different alkyl substituents. It is found that the introduction of the electron-deficient dicyanomethylene groups significantly improves the optical absorption compared to their previously reported precursors -. All compounds are p-type semiconductors with low HOMO-LUMO gaps (≈1.25 eV). The hole mobilities, measured from fabricated organic field-effect transistors, range from 3.6 × 10 to 1.0 × 10 cm V s. We found that the compounds featuring linear alkyl chains ( and ) displayed a higher mobility compared to the one with branched alkyl chains, . This could be the result of the more highly disordered packing arrangement of this molecule in the solid state, induced by the branched side chains that hinder the formation of π-π stacking interactions. The influence of dicyanomethylene groups on the charge transport properties was most clearly observed in compound which has a 60-fold improvement in mobility compared to . This study demonstrates that the choice of the solubilising group has a profound effect on the hole mobility on these organic semiconductors.
Chemical structure metagenomics of microbial natural products: surveying nonribosomal peptides and beyond
Bioactivity-guided fractionation (BGF) has historically been a fruitful natural product discovery workflow. However, it is plagued by increasing rediscovery rates in recent years and new methods capable of exploring the natural product chemical space more broadly and more efficiently is in urgent need. Chemical structure metagenomics as one such method is the theme of this Perspective. It emphasizes a chemical-structure-centered viewpoint toward natural product research. Key to chemical structure metagenomics is the ability to predict the structure of a natural product based on its biosynthetic gene sequences, which facilitated the discovery of numerous new bioactive molecules and helped uncover oversampled/underexplored niches of decades of BGF based discovery. While microbial nonribosomal peptides have been the focus of chemical structure metagenomics efforts thus far, it is in principle applicable to other natural product families. The future outlook of this new approach will also be discussed.
Recent advances in transition-metal-free arylation reactions involving hypervalent iodine salts
Diaryliodonium salts have become widely recognized as arylating agents in the last two decades. Both, symmetrical and unsymmetrical forms of these salts serve as effective electrophilic arylating reagents in various organic syntheses. The use of diaryliodoniums in C-C and carbon-heteroatom bond formations, particularly under metal-free conditions, has further enhanced the popularity of these reagents. In this review, we concentrate on various arylation reactions involving carbon and other heteroatoms, encompassing rearrangement reactions in the absence of any metal catalyst, and summarize advancements made in the last five years.
Extension of the π-system of monoaryl-substituted norbornadienes with acetylene bridges: influence on the photochemical conversion and storage of light energy
The photochromic norbornadiene/quadricyclane pair is a promising system for molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage, with which solar energy may be converted, stored, and released as heat in one integral molecular system. Herein, we present the synthesis of mono-, bis-, and tris-norbornadiene derivatives with alkynylbenzene and alkynylnaphthalene core units, along with studies of their photochemical properties. The target compounds were synthesized by Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling reactions of 2-bromonorbornadiene and the corresponding arylacetylenes. The norbornadienes showed absorption maxima in the range of 310-345 nm and long-wavelength zero onsets of up to 420 nm. The photoisomerization quantum yields were as high as 59% per photoisomerization event and the resulting quadricyclanes showed half-lives of up to 8 h at room temperature. Furthermore, the norbornadienes were transformed quantitatively into their quadricyclane photoproducts by irradiation with green light (520 nm) in the presence of a photosensitizer.
C-C Coupling in sterically demanding porphyrin environments
Unlike their planar counterparts, classic synthetic protocols for C-C bond forming reactions on nonplanar porphyrins are underdeveloped. The development of C-C bond forming reactions on nonplanar porphyrins is critical in advancing this field of study for more complex porphyrin architectures, which could be used in supramolecular assemblies, catalysis, or sensing. In this work a library of arm-extended dodecasubstituted porphyrins was synthesized through the optimization of the classic Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of peripheral haloaryl substituents with a range of boronic acids. We report on palladium-catalyzed coupling attempts on the -, -, and -meso-phenyl position of sterically demanding dodecasubstituted saddle-shaped porphyrins. While and substitutions could be achieved, -functionalization in these systems remains elusive. Furthermore, borylation of a dodecasubstituted porphyrin's meso-phenyl position was explored and a subsequent C-C coupling showed the polarity of the reaction can be reversed resulting in higher yields. X-ray analysis of the target compounds revealed the formation of supramolecular assemblies, capable of accommodating substrates in their void.
Hypervalent iodine-mediated intramolecular alkene halocyclisation
The chemistry of hypervalent iodine (HVI) reagents has gathered increased attention towards the synthesis of a wide range of chemical structures. HVI reagents are characterized by their diverse reactivity as oxidants and electrophilic reagents. In addition, they are inexpensive, non-toxic and considered to be environmentally friendly. An important application of HVI reagents is the synthesis of halogenated cyclic compounds, in particular, the intramolecular HVI-mediated halocyclisation of alkenes using carbon, oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur nucleophiles. Herein, we describe the examples reported in the literature, which are organised by the different halogens involved and the internal nucleophiles.