Novel 6a,12b-Dihydro-6H,7H-chromeno[3,4-c] chromen-6-ones: Synthesis, Structure and Antifungal Activity.

A new series of coumarin derivatives, 7-hydroxy-7-(trifluoromethyl)-6a,12b-dihydro-6H,7H-chromeno[3,4-c]chromen-6-ones 3a-p, were synthesized via Michael addition, transesterification and nucleophilic addition from the reaction of 3-trifluoroacetyl coumarins and phenols in the presence of an organic base. The products were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS). Single crystal X-ray analysis of compounds 3a and 3n clearly confirmed their assigned chemical structures and their twisted conformations. Compound 3a crystallized in the orthorhombic system, Pbca, in which a = 8.6244(2) Å, b = 17.4245(4) Å, c = 22.5188(6) Å, α = 90°, ß = 90°, γ = 90°, v = 3384.02(14) Å3, and z = 8. In addition, the mycelial growth rate method was used to examine the in vitro antifungal activities of the title compounds 3a-p against Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium monitiforme at 500 µg/mL. The results showed that compound 3l exhibited significant anti-Fusarium monitiforme activity with inhibitory index of 84.6%.

Vibrational spectra of guaiacylglycerol-ß-guaiacyl ether: experiment and theory.

As an important inter-unit of lignin, guaiacylglycerol-ß-guaiacyl (GG) ether has been synthesized, and characterized using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy in the frequency range of 5-85 cm(-1). Seven absorption peaks have been observed. Among these peaks, the 49.8 cm(-1) and 57.6 cm(-1) vibrations are propose to be characteristic absorption peaks of GG ether. Raman spectra were also measured in the range of 50-3500 cm(-1). The vibrations of the two lowest energy forms, i.e., erythro 1r4s and threo 1s4s, were calculated using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311G∗∗ level and assigned according to potential energy distribution. In addition, the contents of erythro and threo forms in GG sample could be estimated by comparing the waveform similarities between theoretical and observed curves in the 33.0-80.0 cm(-1) range. Results showed that the observed curve of GG sample is a combination of erythro 1s4r and threo 1s4s. The four absorption vibrations below 33.0 cm(-1) could be assigned to phonon, inter-molecular modes and/or hydrogen bond vibrations. Terahertz spectra and Raman spectra, together with theoretical calculations, could be powerful methods for predicting contents of different isomers in sample.

Menthyl 2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C(20)H(24)O(4), was synthesized from the reaction of 2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-acyl chloride and menthol. The mean plane of the ester group and that of the four essentially planar (maximum deviation 0.0112 Å) C atoms of the chair-form cyclo-hexyl ring form dihedral angles of 43.8 (3) ° and 81.8 (1)°, respectively, with the mean plane of the coumarin ring system. In the crystal structure, weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect the mol-ecules into a two-dimensional network.

Cinnamyl 8-meth-oxy-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxyl-ate.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C(20)H(16)O(5), the mol-ecule assumes an E configuration with the benzene ring and chromenecarboxyl group located on opposite ends of the C=C double bond. The chromene ring system and benzene ring are oriented at a dihedral angle of 74.66 (12)°. Weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal structure.

Cinnamyl 2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C(19)H(14)O(4), was prepared by the reaction of 2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-acyl chloride with cinnamic alcohol. The whole mol-ecule is not planar, the dihedral angle between the planes of coumarin and benzene rings being 13.94 (4)°, but the plane of the coumarin ring and that of the ester group are almost coplanar, making a dihedral angle of 2.9 (1)°. In the crystal structure, weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link two mol-ecules into dimers, and π-π stacking inter-actions between inversion-related rings of the coumarin groups [centroid-centroid distance 3.8380 (15) Šwith a slippage of 1.535 Å], which connect the dimers into columns extending along [010].