Spectroscopic and Crystallographic Characterization of the R3 N+ -C-H⋠⋠⋠X Interaction.

As appreciation for nonclassical hydrogen bonds has progressively increased, so have efforts to characterize these interesting interactions. Whereas several kinds of C-H hydrogen bonds have been well-studied, much less is known about the R3 N+ -C-H⋅⋅⋅X variety. Herein, we present crystallographic and spectroscopic evidence for the existence of these interactions, with special relevance to Selectfluor chemistry. Of particular note is the propensity for Lewis bases to engage in nonclassical hydrogen bonding over halogen bonding with the electrophilic F atom of Selectfluor. Further, the first examples of 1 H NMR experiments detailing R3 N+ -C-H⋅⋅⋅X (X=O, N) hydrogen bonds are described.

Acetyl nitrate mediated conversion of methyl ketones to diverse carboxylic acid derivatives.

The development of a novel acetyl nitrate mediated oxidative conversion of methyl ketones to carboxylic acid derivatives is described. By analogy to the haloform reaction and supported by experimental and computational investigation we propose a mechanism for this transformation.

Arene Amination Instead of Fluorination: Substitution Pattern Governs the Reactivity of Dialkoxybenzenes with Selectfluor.

Arene substitution patterns are well-known to affect the regioselectivity of a given transformation but not necessarily the type of reactivity. Herein, we report that the substitution pattern of alkoxyarenes dictates whether a putative one-electron or two-electron reaction predominates in reactions with Selectfluor. A series of amination products is presented, resulting from the single-electron oxidation of electron-rich arenes followed by direct C-H to C-N bond formation. We demonstrate the ability of this transformation to synthesize medicinally and biologically relevant nitrogen heterocycles. Lastly, this unusual "mechanistic switch" is probed with computational chemistry and competition experiments.

Cooperative Noncovalent Interactions Lead to a Highly Diastereoselective Sulfonyl-Directed Fluorination of Steroidal α,ß-Unsaturated Hydrazones.

A series of steroidal α,ß-unsaturated hydrazones is presented whose behavior and reactivity are governed by various types of weak C-H hydrogen bonds. Several interesting features in a representative X-ray crystal structure and 1H NMR spectrum are examined that provide evidence for a unique bifurcated intramolecular C-H interaction. Moreover, these steroid derivatives undergo functionalization in the form of a highly regio- and stereoselective fluorination; the sulfonyl oxygen atoms are proposed to direct the fluorinating reagent through C-H hydrogen bonds.

Carbonyl-Directed Aliphatic Fluorination: A Special Type of Hydrogen Atom Transfer Beats Out Norrish II.

Recently, our group reported that enone and ketone functional groups, upon photoexcitation, can direct site-selective sp3 C-H fluorination in terpenoid derivatives. How this transformation actually occurred remained mysterious, as a significant number of mechanistic possibilities came to mind. Herein, we report a comprehensive study describing the reaction mechanism through kinetic studies, isotope-labeling experiments, 19F NMR, electrochemical studies, synthetic probes, and computational experiments. To our surprise, the mechanism suggests intermolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) chemistry is at play, rather than classical Norrish hydrogen atom abstraction as initially conceived. What is more, we discovered a unique role for photopromoters such as benzil and related compounds that necessitates their chemical transformation through fluorination in order to be effective. Our findings provide documentation of an unusual form of directed HAT and are of crucial importance for defining the necessary parameters for the development of future methods.

Light-controlled twister ribozyme with single-molecule detection resolves RNA function in time and space.

Small ribozymes such as Oryza sativa twister spontaneously cleave their own RNA when the ribozyme folds into its active conformation. The coupling between twister folding and self-cleavage has been difficult to study, however, because the active ribozyme rapidly converts to product. Here, we describe the synthesis of a photocaged nucleotide that releases guanosine within microseconds upon photosolvolysis with blue light. Application of this tool to O. sativa twister achieved the spatial (75 µm) and temporal (≤30 ms) control required to resolve folding and self-cleavage events when combined with single-molecule fluorescence detection of the ribozyme folding pathway. Real-time observation of single ribozymes after photo-deprotection showed that the precleaved folded state is unstable and quickly unfolds if the RNA does not react. Kinetic analysis showed that Mg2+ and Mn2+ ions increase ribozyme efficiency by making transitions to the high energy active conformation more probable, rather than by stabilizing the folded ground state or the cleaved product. This tool for light-controlled single RNA folding should offer precise and rapid control of other nucleic acid systems.

Site-Selective Photochemical Fluorination of Ketals: Unanticipated Outcomes in Selectivity and Stability.

We report a method for the regioselective photochemical sp3 C-H fluorination of acetonide ketals that presents interesting problems in chemical reactivity. The question of why certain products of the reaction are stable while others are not is addressed, as is the question of why only select α-ethereal hydrogen atoms are targeted in the reaction. We demonstrate that the method can be employed to synthesize unprecedented fluorinated sugars and steroids, and it can also be applied toward the fluorination of carbamates. Though some substrates contain up to eight discrete α-ethereal C-H bonds, we observed site-selectivity in each case, prompting us to investigate potential transition states for the reaction. Finally, a remarkable regiochemical switch upon minor structural modification of a diketal is also analyzed.

Fluorofunctionalization of C═C Bonds with Selectfluor: Synthesis of ß-Fluoropiperazines through a Substrate-Guided Reactivity Switch.

The halofunctionalization of alkene substrates remains an essential tool for synthetic chemists. Herein, we report regioselective ammoniofluorination of unactivated alkenes through photochemical means. A one-pot transformation of the ammonium fluoride products into pharmaceutically relevant ß-fluoropiperazines is highlighted. Furthermore, a substrate-guided reactivity switch is observed: certain alkenes are shown to react with the same fluorinating reagent to instead give the less-substituted fluoride. We hope that the ammoniofluorination reaction will be of utility in the area of medicinal chemistry, where nitrogen and fluorine are among the most important heteroatoms.

Ketones as directing groups in photocatalytic sp3 C-H fluorination.

The ubiquitous ketone carbonyl group generally deactivates substrates toward radical-based fluorinations, especially sites closest to it. Herein, ketones are used instead to direct aliphatic fluorination using Selectfluor, catalytic benzil, and visible light. Selective ß- and γ-fluorination are demonstrated on rigid mono-, di-, tri-, and tetracyclic (steroidal) substrates employing both cyclic and exocyclic aliphatic ketones as directing groups.

Development of a novel series of non-natural triaryl agonists and antagonists of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasR quorum sensing receptor.

Bacterial chemical communication, through a process called quorum sensing (QS), plays a central role in infection in numerous bacterial pathogens. Quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa employs a series of small molecule receptors including the master QS regulator, LasR. In this study we investigate a non-natural triaryl series of LasR ligands using a combination of structure activity relationship studies and computational modeling. These studies have enabled the identification of key structural requirements for ligand binding and have revealed a new strategy for inducing the therapeutically relevant antagonism of LasR.