Analysis of six 'neuro-enhancing' phenidate analogs.

Six collected phenidates, i.e., 4-methylmethylphenidate, 3,4-dichloromethylphenidate, ethylphenidate, 3,4-dichloroethylphenidate, ethylnaphthidate, and N-benzyl-ethylphenidate were fully characterized by means of X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and GC solid-state IR analysis. Crystallography revealed the exclusive presence of the threo-configuration. Steric crowding induced by N-benzyl substitution at the piperidine moiety prompted an adoption of an unexpected axial positioning of substituents on the piperidine moiety in the crystal state as opposed to the exclusive equatorial positioning encountered in N-unsubstituted phenidate analogues. Gas phase computations of the relative lowest energy conformers confirm that the axial positioning appears to be favoured over the equatorial positioning; in solution, however, equatorial positioning is predominant according to nuclear Overhauser effect experiments. All samples, mainly originating from China, had a good to very good degree of purity indicative of their professional chemical synthesis. Routine analysis of these drugs by GC-MS revealed thermal decomposition of phenidate analogues in the injection port and/or on column to 2-aryl-ethyl-acetates and 2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridines. The decomposition pathway was suggested to proceed via a 6-membered transition state which was supported by density functional theory (DFT) computations. Fragmentation pathways of decomposition products as well as the corresponding electron ionization (EI) mass spectra are provided. The thermal instability might thus render smoking or 'vaping' of these drugs a less effective route of administration. The analytical fingerprints of six structurally diverse phenidate analogues provide a helpful reference to forensic chemists in charge of identifying new psychoactive substances. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Asymmetric Michael Additions of 4-Hydroxycoumarin to ß-Nitrostyrenes with Chiral, Bifunctional Hydrogen-Bonding Catalysts.

Enantioselective Michael additions of 4-hydroxycoumarin to ß-nitrostyrenes are catalyzed by different chiral, bifunctional hydrogen-bonding catalysts, based on thiourea- and squaramide motifs. The scope of the catalysis is tested by employing a series of substituted ß-nitrostyrenes as well as different solvents. The 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl- and quinine-substituted squaramide catalyst is shown to be the most selective catalyst, resulting in 78% yield and 81% ee. Computational analyses of transition structures with different binding modes show that the most favored transition structure exhibits squaramide (NH)2 binding to an oxygen atom of the enolate nucleophile, while the nitroalkene coordinates via hydrogen bonding to the ammonium function of the quinuclidine unit of the catalyst. Hence, the canted directionality of the squaramide (NH)2 motif, favoring one-atom binding, might be decisive for the selectivity of the reaction. The absolute configuration of the major (-)-(R) enantiomer of the product is assigned computationally according to its optical rotation.

Anion recognition with hydrogen-bonding cyclodiphosphazanes.

Modular cyclodiphosph(V)azanes are synthesised and their affinity for chloride and actetate anions were compared to those of a bisaryl urea derivative (1). The diamidocyclodiphosph(V)azanes cis-[{ArNHP(O)(µ-tBu)}2 ] [Ar=Ph (2) and Ar=m-(CF3 )2 Ph (3)] were synthesised by reaction of [{ClP(µ-NtBu)}2 ] (4) with the respective anilines and subsequent oxidation with H2 O2 . Phosphazanes 2 and 3 were obtained as the cis isomers and were characterised by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, HRMS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The cyclodiphosphazanes 2 and 3 readily co-crystallise with donor solvents such as MeOH, EtOH and DMSO through bidentate hydrogen bonding, as shown in the X-ray analyses. Cyclodiphosphazane 3 showed a remarkably high affinity (log[K]=5.42) for chloride compared with the bisaryl urea derivative 1 (log[K]=4.25). The affinities for acetate (AcO(-) ) are in the same range (3: log[K]=6.72, 1: log[K]=6.91). Cyclodiphosphazane 2, which does not contain CF3 groups, exhibits weaker binding to chloride (log[K]=3.95) and acetate (log[K]=4.49). DFT computations and X-ray analyses indicate that a squaramide-like hydrogen-bond directionality and Cα H interactions account for the efficiency of 3 as an anion receptor. The Cα H groups stabilise the Z,Z-3 conformation, which is necessary for bidentate hydrogen bonding, as well as coordinating with the anion.

New hydrogen-bonding organocatalysts: Chiral cyclophosphazanes and phosphorus amides as catalysts for asymmetric Michael additions.

Ten novel hydrogen-bonding catalysts based on open-chain P(V)-amides of BINOL and chinchona alkaloids as well as three catalysts based on rigid cis-P(V)-cyclodiphosphazane amides of N (1),N (1)-dimethylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine have been developed. Employed in the asymmetric Michael addition of 2-hydroxynaphthoquinone to ß-nitrostyrene, the open-chain 9-epi-aminochinchona-based phosphorus amides show a high catalytic activity with almost quantitative yields of up to 98% and enantiomeric excesses of up to 51%. The cyclodiphosphazane catalysts show the same high activity and give improved enantiomeric excesses of up to 75%, thus representing the first successful application of a cyclodiphosphazane in enantioselective organocatalysis. DFT computations reveal high hydrogen-bonding strengths of cyclodiphosphazane P(V)-amides compared to urea-based catalysts. Experimental results and computations on the enantiodetermining step with cis-cyclodiphosphazane 14a suggest a strong bidentate H-bond activation of the nitrostyrene substrate by the catalyst.