Backbone-Modified C2-Symmetrical Chiral Bisphosphine TMS-QuinoxP*: Asymmetric Borylation of Racemic Allyl Electrophiles.

A new C2-symmetrical P-chirogenic bisphosphine ligand with silyl substituents on the ligand backbone, (R,R)-5,8-TMS-QuinoxP*, has been developed. This ligand showed higher reactivity and enantioselectivity for the direct enantioconvergent borylation of cyclic allyl electrophiles than its parent ligand, (R,R)-QuinoxP* (e.g., for a piperidine-type substrate: 95% ee vs 76% ee). The borylative kinetic resolution of linear allyl electrophiles was also achieved using (R,R)-5,8-TMS-QuinoxP* (up to 90% ee, s = 46.4). An investigation into the role of the silyl groups on the ligand backbone using X-ray crystallography and computational studies displayed interlocking structures between the phosphine and silyl moieties of (R,R)-5,8-TMS-QuinoxP*. The results of DFT calculations revealed that the entropy effect thermodynamically destabilizes the dormant dimer species in the catalytic cycle to improve the reactivity. Furthermore, in the direct enantioconvergent case, detailed calculations indicated a pronounced enantioselective recognition of carbon-carbon double bonds, which is virtually unaffected by the chirality at the allylic position, as a key for the borylation from both enantiomers of racemic allyl electrophiles.

Copper(I)-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of α-chiral linear or carbocyclic (E)-(γ-alkoxyallyl)boronates.

A new method has been developed for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of α-chiral linear or carbocyclic (γ-alkoxyallyl)boronates via the copper(I)-catalyzed γ-boryl substitution of allyl acetals. This reaction afforded the products in high yields with excellent E:Z selectivities and enantioselectivities [only (E)-product, 91-98% ee] and also exhibited high functional group compatibility. Subsequent allylation of aldehydes with the α-chiral (γ-alkoxyallyl)boronates provided the anti-1,2-diol derivatives in a highly stereospecific manner, and the utility of the α-chiral (γ-alkoxyallyl)boronates was further demonstrated by a convergent coupling of a complex polyol derivative using a (γ-alkoxyallyl)boronate and a chiral α-oxyaldehyde. The stereoselective modular construction of a complex 3,3-disubstituted cyclopentene containing three consecutive stereocenters including a quaternary chiral carbon was also reported. Useful transformations of the α-chiral linear (γ-alkoxyallyl)boronates were also demonstrated.

Accumulative gene integration into a pre-determined site using Cre/loxP.

Site-specific gene recombination systems, such as Cre/loxP, have been used for genetic modification of cells and organisms in both basic and applied research. We previously developed an accumulative gene integration system (AGIS), in which target gene cassettes could be repeatedly integrated into a pre-determined site on a plasmid or cellular genome by recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE), using Cre and mutated loxPs. In the present study, we designed a simplified AGIS. For gene integration into a target site, the previous system used two loxP sites in the acceptor DNA, whereas the new system uses a single loxP site. The gene integration reactions were repeated four times in vitro using Cre protein and specific plasmids. The expected integration reactions mediated by Cre occurred at the loxP sites, resulting in integration of four target genes. The system was also used for genomic integration of reporter genes using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The reporter genes were efficiently introduced into the CHO genome in a Cre-dependent manner, and transgene expression was detected after the integration reaction. The expression levels of the reporter genes were enhanced, corresponding to the increase of transgene copy number. Recombinase-mediated AGIS provides a useful tool for the modification of cellular genomes.