Axially Chiral Enamides: Substituent Effects, Rotation Barriers, and Implications for their Cyclization Reactions.

The barrier to rotation around the N-alkenyl bond of 38 N-alkenyl-N-alkylacetamide derivatives was measured (ΔG(⧧) rotation varied between <8.0 and 31.0 kcal mol(-1)). The most important factor in controlling the rate of rotation was the level of alkene substitution, followed by the size of the nitrogen substituent and, finally, the size of the acyl substituent. Tertiary enamides with four alkenyl substituents exhibited half-lives for rotation between 5.5 days and 99 years at 298 K, sufficient to isolate enantiomerically enriched atropisomers. The radical cyclizations of a subset of N-alkenyl-N-benzyl-α-haloacetamides exhibiting relatively high barriers to rotation round the N-alkenyl bond (ΔG(⧧) rotation >20 kcal mol(-1)) were studied to determine the regiochemistry of cyclization. Those with high barriers (>27 kcal mol(-1)) did not lead to cyclization, but those with lower values produced highly functionalized γ-lactams via a 5-endo-trig radical-polar crossover process that was terminated by reduction, an unusual cyclopropanation sequence, or trapping with H2O, depending upon the reaction conditions. Because elevated temperatures were necessary for cyclization, this precluded study of the asymmetric transfer in the reaction of individual atropisomers. However, enantiomerically enriched atropsiomeric enamides should be regarded as potential asymmetric building blocks for reactions that can be accomplished at room temperature.

Novel route to chaetomellic acid A and analogues: serendipitous discovery of a more competent FTase inhibitor.

A new practical route to chaetomellic acid A (ACA), based on the copper catalysed radical cyclization (RC) of (Z)-3-(2,2-dichloropropanoyl)-2-pentadecylidene-1,3-thiazinane, is described. Remarkably, the process entailed: (i) a one-pot preparation of the intermediate N-α-perchloroacyl-2-(Z)-alkyliden-1,3-thiazinanes starting from N-(3-hydroxypropyl)palmitamide, (ii) a two step smooth transformation of the RC products into ACA and (iii) only one intermediate chromatographic purification step. The method offers a versatile approach to the preparation of ACA analogues, through the synthesis of an intermediate maleic anhydride with a vinylic group at the end of the aliphatic tail, a function that can be transformed through a thiol-ene coupling. Serendipitously, the disodium salt of 2-(9-(butylthio)nonyl)-3-methylmaleic acid, that we prepared as a representative sulfurated ACA analogue, was a more competent FTase inhibitor than ACA. This behaviour was analysed by a molecular docking study.

First chemoenzymatic synthesis of (+)-2-carboxypyrrolidine-3-acetic acid, the nucleus of kainoid amino acids.

The distinctive nucleus of kainoid amino acids, (2S,3R)-(+)-2-carboxypyrrolidine-3-acetic acid 6, was synthesized by a chemoenzymatic process, exploiting the diastereomeric cis/trans methyl pyroglutamate derivatives 10a-c/11a-c as key intermediates. These mixtures, when subjected to a kinetic resolution mediated by α-chymotrypsin, reacted diastereo-, regio-, and enantioselectively to give the trans derivatives (+)-10a-c possessing the correct (2S,3R) configuration. Subsequently, the desired product (2S,3R)-(+)-6 could be obtained after well-established transformations.

Acid- and base-catalysis in the mononuclear rearrangement of some (Z)-arylhydrazones of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole in toluene: effect of substituents on the course of reaction.

The reaction rates for the rearrangement of eleven (Z)-arylhydrazones of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole 3a-k into the relevant (2-aryl-5-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)ureas 4a-k in the presence of trichloroacetic acid or of piperidine have been determined in toluene at 313.1 K. The results have been related to the effect of the aryl substituent by using Hammett and/or Ingold-Yukawa-Tsuno correlations and have been compared with those previously collected in a protic polar solvent (dioxane/water) as well as with those on the analogous rearrangement of the corresponding (Z)-arylhydrazones of 3-benzoyl-5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole 1a-k in benzene. Some light can thus be shed on the general differences of chemical reactivity between protic polar (or dipolar aprotic) and apolar solvents.

Apolar versus polar solvents: a comparison of the strength of some organic acids against different bases in toluene and in water.

The constants of ion-pair formation with 3-nitroaniline (3NO(2)A) for eight halogenoacetic acids (HAAs, 3a-h: TFA, TCA, TBA, DFA, DCA, DBA, MCA, and MBA), and five 2,2-dichloroalkanoic acids containing 3-8 carbon atoms (HAs, 5a-e: DCPA, DCBA, DCMBA, DCVA, and DCOA) have been determined in TOL at 298.1 K. The results obtained brought to evidence for HAAs the formation of ion-pairs with two different stoichiometries (base-acid, 1:1 or 1:2), while in contrast the HAs furnish only the 1:1 pairs. The different steric and electronic requirements of HAAs and HAs seem to be responsible for such an unlikely behavior. At the same time, the acid-catalyzed MRH of the (Z)-phenylhydrazone of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (1) into (2,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)urea (2) in the presence of the five HAs above has been investigated in TOL at 313.1 K. Thus, in contrast with previous results in the presence of several HAAs, a unique pathway for the rearrangement has been observed, again pointing out the importance of the above effects on the initial acid/base interactions. Finally the acidic strength of TFA against seven nitroanilines (NA, 4a-g: 4NO(2)A, 3NO(2)A, 3Me4NO(2)A, 4Me3NO(2)A, 2Me3NO(2)A, 2NO(2)A, and 3,5diNO(2)A) characterized by a very different basicity has been measured in TOL at 298.1 K.