Preparation of Carbazoles Involving 6π-Electrocyclization, Photoredox-, Electrochemical-, and Thermal Cyclization Reactions: Mechanistic Insights.

Carbazole is a heterocyclic motif that can be found in a diverse array of natural and unnatural products displaying a wide range of biological and physiological properties. Furthermore, this heterocycle is part of electronic materials like photoconducting polymers and organic optoelectronic materials owing to its excellent photophysical characteristics. Consequently, the development of synthetic strategies for carbazole scaffolds holds potential significance in biological and material fields. In this regard, a variety of preparation methods has been developed to exploit their efficient and distinct formation of new C-C and C-heteroatom bonds under mild conditions and enabling broad substrate diversity and functional group tolerance. Therefore, this review focuses on the synthesis of a set of carbazole derivatives describing a variety of methodologies that involve direct irradiation, photosensitization, photoredox, electrochemical and thermal cyclization reactions.

Perfluoroalkylation of Triarylamines by EDA Complexes and Ulterior Sensitized [6π]-Electrocyclization to Perfluoroalkylated Endo-Carbazoles. Mechanistic and Photophysical Studies.

Blue LEDs-irradiation of a mixture of N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) and perfluoroalkyl iodides (RF-I) - Electron Donor Acceptor (EDA)-complex - in the presence of triphenylamines (TPAs) in an aqueous solvent mixture afforded mono-perfluoroalkylated triphenylamines (RF-TPA) in good yields. These RF-TPA were further subjected to acetone-sensitized [6π]-electrocyclization at 315 nm-irradiation affording exclusively perfluoroalkylated endo-carbazole derivatives (RF-CBz) in quantitative yields. Mechanistic studies and photophysical properties of products are studied.

Solvent Effects on the Photoinduced [6π]-Electrocyclization Reactions of Mono-, Di-, and Trisubstituted Arylamines: Photophysical, Preparative Photochemistry, and Mechanistic Investigations.

The substituent and solvent effects on the spectroscopic behavior and on the photoinduced [6π]-electrocyclization reaction of substituted triphenylamine derivatives have been investigated. Direct irradiation of triphenylamines bearing electron-donor substituents in different solvents has provided for the first time the substituted exo/endo carbazole derivatives from modest to good yields, whereas triphenylamines bearing electron-withdrawing substituents did not provide the carbazoles due to the formation of charge transfer complexes (CTCs). A corollary of the experiments purports that the photoreaction is favored with weak electron-acceptor groups in polar solvents. The lowest-frequency absorption bands of the triarylamines (π,π* electronic transitions) displayed bathochromic shifts as the solvent polarity is increased. The fluorescence emission spectra of triarylamines bearing electron-donor substituents behave as mirror images of the lowest absorption bands, showing dependence on the solvent polarity. Conversely, triarylamines bearing formyl, acetyl, and nitro groups formed CTCs behaving as good fluorescence chromophores in polar solvents. Hammett correlations on the ΔE(0,0) energies of monosubstituted amines showed a bell-shape behavior where the ρ values depended on the solvent polarity. The physical quenching of the photoreaction of triarylamines has demonstrated for the first time that the triplet excited state is univocally the photoreactive state leading to exo/endo carbazole derivatives.

Light-Driven Two-Step Preparation of 4-Chromanone Fused to Estrone Derivatives.

A protocol involving the irradiation of some 3-(2-alkenyl)estrone and 3-(2-alkenyl)-17-norestrone derivatives under a nitrogen atmosphere in organic solvents (both hexane and MeOH) followed by base-mediated intramolecular oxa-Michael cyclization reaction was investigated under steady-state conditions. The solvent effect and nature of the acyl group on the preparative photoreaction were studied and the multiplicity of the excited state was also demonstrated. The ortho-regioisomers were obtained in modest to good yields. Intramolecular based-mediate cyclization reaction of these synthons led to the formation of a set of novel substituted 4-chromanone moieties fused to estrone (and 17-norestrone) in good yields. This two-step sequential procedure involving a photochemical/intramolecular thermal cyclization strategy will be useful for the preparation of wide heterocyclic-fused-steroid compounds.

Trifluoromethoxylation Reactions of (Hetero) arenes, Olefinic Systems and Aliphatic Saturated Substrates.

Direct fluoroalkoxylation reactions of (hetero)arenes, carbon-carbon multiple bonds, and substitution reactions at Csp3 carbon centers by CF3 O, CHF2 O, and (CF3 )2 CFO groups are discussed. Emphasis on thermal radical, electron transfer, photocatalytic, electrochemical and redox-neutral radical methods are placed to accomplish fluoroalkoxylation reactions. All these methods employ either radical fluoroalkoxylating reagents or some nucleophilic trifluoromethoxylating sources of CF3 O. A summary of all these methods is provided in Table 2.

Photoinduced [6π]-Electrocyclic Reaction of Mono-, Di-, and Trisubstituted Triphenylamines in Acetonitrile. A Steady-State Investigation.

Direct irradiation of mono-, di-, and trisubstituted triphenylamine derivatives in acetonitrile as solvent with light of 254 nm has been systematically investigated, revealing that the exo/endo carbazole derivatives were formed as the main photoproducts from modest to good yields for triphenylamines substituted with electron-donor and neutral substituents. The kinetic profiles of the photoreaction were also recorded, and the consumption rate constants (k) were measured. These kinetic parameters show dependence on the nature of the substituents, and linear Hammett correlations were carried out to showcase the substituent effect. On the other hand, the spectroscopic behavior of the electron-rich substituted triphenylamines has been analyzed, suggesting that the fluorescence emission spectra display a mirror image of the lower energy absorption bands, while for those amines bearing electron-acceptor groups the formation of charge-transfer complexes and their fluorescence emissions constitute the main deactivation pathway of the photoreaction.

Photochemistry of para substituted benzanilides in solution: Preparative and mechanistic studies.

Preparative and mechanistic studies on the photochemical reaction of a series of p-substituted benzanilides in polar and nonpolar solvents have been carried out. The aim of this work is mainly focused to show whether the reaction solvent and the electronic effects of the substituents affect the product distribution, the chemical yields and the rate of formation of the 5-substituted-2-aminobenzophenone derivatives. Application of the Hammett linear free energy relationship (LFER) on the rate of formation of 2-aminobenzophenone derivatives, on the lower energy band of the UV-visible absorption spectra of the benzanilides and 5-substituted-2-aminobenzophenone derivatives allows a satisfactory quantification of the substituent effects. Furthermore, the solvent effect was also analyzed on the photoreaction by means of the Reichardt's solvent parameter (ET(30). Finally, (TD-) DFT calculations have been carried out to support the trends observed experimentally.

Induced selectivity in the photochemistry of estrone derivatives in sustainable and micellar environment: preparative and mechanistic studies.

In this study, we carried out preparative and mechanistic studies on the photochemical reaction of a series of 3-acylestrone derivatives in confined and sustainable micellar environment under steady-state conditions and the results were compared with those obtained in cyclohexane solution. The aim of this work is mainly focused to show whether the nature of the surfactant (cationic, neutral and anionic) leads to noticeable selectivity in the photoproduct formation. The 3-acylestrone derivatives underwent the photo-Fries rearrangement, with concomitant homolytic fragmentation of the ester group and [1;3]-acyl migration. This pathway afforded the ortho-acyl estrone derivatives, the main photoproducts together with estrone. However, epimerization of the ortho regioisomer 2-acetylestrone and estrone through Norrish Type I photoreaction occurred involving the fragmentation of the C-α at the carbonyl group (C-17) of the steroid. UV-visible and 2D-NMR (NOESY) spectroscopies have been employed to measure the binding constant Kb and the location of the steroids within the hydrophobic core of the micelle.

Direct Irradiation of Phenol and Para-Substituted Phenols with a Laser Pulse (266 nm) in Homogeneous and Micro-heterogeneous Media. A Time-Resolved Spectroscopy Study.

Direct irradiation of para-substituted phenols under N2 atmosphere in homogeneous (cyclohexane, acetonitrile, and methanol) and micellar (SDS) solution was investigated by means of time-resolved spectroscopy. After a laser pulse (266 nm), two transient species were formed, viz. the para-substituted phenol radical-cations and the corresponding phenoxy radicals. The radical-cations showed a broad absorption band located between 390 and 460 nm, while the phenoxy radicals showed two characteristic bands centered at 320 nm and 400-410 nm. The deprotonation rate constant of radical-cations (kH) of 105 s-1 and the reaction rate constant of the phenoxy radicals (kR) in the order of 109-1010 M-1·s-1 have been derived. The kH rate constants gave good linear Hammett correlation with positive slope indicating that electron-withdrawing substituents enhance the radical-cation acidity. The binding constants (Kb) of the para-substituted phenols with the surfactant were also measured, and NOESY experiments showed that phenols were located in the hydrophobic core of the micelle. Finally, computational calculations provided the predicted absorption spectra of the transients and nice linear correlations were obtained between the theoretical and experimental energy of the lower absorption band of these species.

Substituent Effects on NMR Spectroscopy of 2,2-Dimethylchroman-4-one Derivatives: Experimental and Theoretical Studies.

The attribution of 1H and 13C NMR signals of a library of 5-, 6- and 7-substituted 2,2-dimethylchroman-4-one derivatives is reported. Substituent effects were interpreted in terms of the Hammett equation, showing a good correlation for carbons para- to the substituent group, not for the meta- ones. Similarly, the Lynch correlation shows the additivity of the substituent chemical shifts in the case of both H and C nuclei, again with the exception of the carbons in the meta- position. Density Functional Theory (DFT)-predicted 1H and 13C chemical shifts correspond closely with experimentally observed values, with some exceptions for C NMR data; however, the correlation is valid only for the aromatic moiety and cannot be extended to the heterocyclic ring of the chroman-4-one scaffold.

Selectivity in the Photo-Fries Rearrangement of Some Aryl Benzoates in Green and Sustainable Media. Preparative and Mechanistic Studies.

Irradiation of a series of p-substituted aryl benzoates under N2 atmosphere in homogeneous and micellar media was investigated by means of steady-state condition and of time-resolved spectroscopy. A notable selectivity in favor of the 2-hydroxybenzophenone derivatives was observed in micellar media. The benzophenone derivatives were the main photoproduct. On the other hand, in homogeneous media (cyclohexane, acetonitrile, and methanol) the observed product distribution was entirely different, viz. substituted 2-hydroxybenzophenones, p-substituted phenols, benzyl and benzoic acid were found. The binding constants in the surfactant were also measured and NOESY experiments showed that the aryl benzoates were located in the hydrophobic core of the micelle. Laser flash photolysis experiments led to the characterization of both p-substituted phenoxy radical and substituted 2-benzoylcyclohexadienone transients in homogeneous and micellar environment.

Photo-Fries Rearrangement of Some 3-Acylestrones in Homogeneous Media: Preparative and Mechanistic Studies.

Irradiation of a series of 3-acylestrones under a nitrogen atmosphere in cyclohexane, acetonitrile (MeCN), and methanol (MeOH) was investigated under steady-state conditions. The molecules underwent the photo-Fries rearrangement, with concomitant homolytic fragmentation of the ester group and [1;3]-acyl migration. This pathway afforded the ortho-acyl estrone derivatives, the main photoproducts, together with estrone. During the irradiation of 3-benzoyl estrone, epimerization of estrone through the Norrish type I reaction occurred, providing lumiestrone as the photoproduct. This photoreaction involves the fragmentation of the C-α at the carbonyl group (C-17) of the steroid. On the other hand, epimerization of ortho-regioisomer 2-acetyl estrone occurred during the irradiation of 3-acetyl estrone. Photosensitization with acetone and chemical quenching with N, N, N, N-tetramethyldiazetinedioxide of the photo-Fries reaction confirmed that the photoreaction took place from the singlet excited state while the Norrish type I reaction proceeds efficiently from the triplet excited state. Solvent effects, as well as the nature of the acyl group on the photoreactions, were also studied.

Lipophilic Decyl Chain-Pterin Conjugates with Sensitizer Properties.

A new series of decyl chain [-(CH2)9CH3] pterin conjugates have been investigated by photochemical and photophysical methods, and with theoretical solubility calculations. To synthesize the pterins, a nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction was used for the regioselective coupling of the alkyl chain to the O site over the N3 site. However, the O-alkylated pterin converts to N3-alkylated pterin under basic conditions, pointing to a kinetic product in the former and a thermodynamic product in the latter. Two additional adducts were also obtained from an N-amine condensation of DMF solvent molecule as byproducts. In comparison to the natural product pterin, the alkyl chain pterins possess reduced fluorescence quantum yields (ΦF) and increased singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ). It is shown that the DMF-condensed pterins were more photostable compared to the N3- and O-alkylated pterins bearing a free amine group. The alkyl chain pterins efficiently intercalate in large unilamellar vesicles, which is a good indicator of their potential use as photosensitizers in biomembranes. Our study serves as a starting point where the synthesis can be expanded to produce a wider series of lipophilic, photooxidatively active pterins.

Photochemical Co-Oxidation of Sulfides and Phosphines with Tris( p-bromophenyl)amine. A Mechanistic Study.

The photochemistry of tris( p-bromophenyl)amine was investigated in a nitrogen- and oxygen-flushed solution under laser flash photolysis conditions. The detected intermediates were the corresponding amine radical cation ("Magic Blue") and the N-phenyl-4a,4b-dihydrocarbazole radical cation that, under an oxygen atmosphere, is converted to the corresponding hydroperoxyl radical. The role of the last species was supported by the smooth co-oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides. On the other hand, co-oxidation of nucleophilic triarylphosphines to triarylphosphine oxides arose from an electron transfer between the photogenerated "Magic Blue" and phosphine that prevented the amine cyclization. In this case, intermediate Ar3POO•+ was found to play a key role in phosphine oxide formation.

Direct Irradiaton of Aryl Sulfides: Homolytic Fragmentation and Sensitized S-Oxidation.

The direct irradiation of diphenyl sulfide and p-substituted thioanisoles in the presence of oxygen was investigated by means of both steady state and laser flash photolysis experiments. Two competitive pathways took place from the triplet excited state of thioanisoles, C-S bond cleavage, finally leading to aryl sulfinic acid and sensitized oxidation leading to S-oxidation. Co-oxidation of dodecyl methyl sulfide occurred efficiently implying that an S-persulfoxide intermediate is involved during the sensitized oxidation. On the other hand, triplet state of diphenyl sulfide also showed competitive C-S bond cleavage giving phenyl sulfinic acid and ionization to diphenyl sulfide radical cation that in turn led to diphenyl sulfoxide. The rate constants of the above reactions were determined by time-resolved experiments.

Photo-Fries rearrangement of aryl acetamides: regioselectivity induced by the aqueous micellar green environment.

Photochemical reactions tend to give more than one photoproduct. However, such a reaction can be a powerful synthetic tool when it is possible to conduct it in regioselective conditions yielding a single photoproduct. Water-surfactant solutions as reaction media can be considered as an approach in this context because they show products with different features than those from isotropic solutions. Here we describe results obtained from studying the effect on the prototypical photoreaction, known as the photo-Fries reaction of several substituted acetanilides and α-naphthyl acetamide within surfactant micelles (ionic and non-ionic micelles). This reaction involves homolytic cleavage of a C-N bond to yield a singlet radical pair. The surfactant micelles control the rotational and translational mobility of the radical pair, resulting in noticeable photoproduct selectivity.

Photocatalytic fluoroalkylation reactions of organic compounds.

Photocatalytic methods for fluoroalkyl-radical generation provide more convenient alternatives to the classical perfluoroalkyl-radical (Rf) production through chemical initiators, such as azo or peroxide compounds or the employment of transition metals through a thermal electron transfer (ET) initiation process. The mild photocatalytic reaction conditions tolerate a variety of functional groups and, thus, are handy to the late-stage modification of bioactive molecules. Transition metal-photocatalytic reactions for Rf radical generation profit from the redox properties of coordinatively saturated Ru or Ir organocomplexes to act as both electron donor and reductive species, thus allowing for the utilization of electron accepting and donating fluoroalkylating agents for Rf radical production. On the other hand, laboratory-available and inexpensive photoorgano catalysts (POC), in the absence of transition metals, can also act as electron exchange species upon excitation, resulting in ET reactions that produce Rf radicals. In this work, a critical account of transition metal and transition metal-free Rf radical production will be described with photoorgano catalysts, studying classical examples and the most recent investigations in the field.

Synthesis, Characterization and Photocleavage of Bis-decyl Pteroic Acid: A Folate Derivative with Affinity to Biomembranes†.

Here, we provide mechanistic insight to the photocleavage of a compound in the folate family, namely pteroic acid. A bis-decyl chain derivative of pteroic acid was synthesized, structurally characterized and photochemically investigated. We showed that, like folic acid, pteroic acid and the decylated derivative undergo a photocleavage reaction in the presence of H2 O, while no reaction was observed in methanol solution. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations were carried out to predict relative stabilities of hypothetical mono-, bis- and tris-decylated pteroic acid derivatives to help rationalize the regioselectivity of the bis-decyl pteroic acid product. Additionally, the lipophilicity of the bis-decyl pteroic acid appears to confer a hydrophobic property enabling an interaction with biomembranes.

Alkylation converts riboflavin into an efficient photosensitizer of phospholipid membranes.

A new decyl chain [-(CH2)9CH3] riboflavin conjugate has been synthesized and investigated. A nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction was used for coupling the alkyl chain to riboflavin (Rf), a model natural photosensitizer. As expected, the alkylated compound (decyl-Rf) is significantly more lipophilic than its precursor and efficiently intercalates within phospholipid bilayers, increasing its fluorescence quantum yield. The oxidative damage to lipid membranes photoinduced by decyl-Rf was investigated in large and giant unilamellar vesicles (LUVs and GUVs, respectively) composed of different phospholipids. Using a fluorogenic probe, fast radical formation and singlet oxygen generation was demonstrated upon UVA irradiation in vesicles containing decyl-Rf. Photosensitized formation of conjugated dienes and hydroperoxides, and membrane leakage in LUVs rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids were also investigated. The overall assessment of the results shows that decyl-Rf is a significantly more efficient photosensitizer of lipids than its unsubstituted precursor and that the association to lipid membranes is key to trigger phospholipid oxidation. Alkylation of hydrophilic photosensitizers as a simple and general synthetic tool to obtain efficient photosensitizers of biomembranes, with potential applications, is discussed.

Environmental fate of dibutylphthalate in agricultural plastics: Photodegradation, migration and ecotoxicological impact on soil.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were determined in polyethylene covers used in horticultural production units located at Moreno and La Plata districts (Buenos Aires, Argentina), detecting 0.69-8.75 mg PAEs kg-1 plastic in greenhouse and tunnel films. The PAEs found were diisobutylphthalate (DIBP), dibutylphthalate (DBP) and diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP). DBP was chosen as a model molecule to carry out the photochemical degradation studies that led to the formation of monobutylphthalate (MBP) and phthalic acid (PA). DBP, MBP and PA migration from plastic covers was studied, finding that while DBP and MBP moved to soil and atmosphere in short times (<48 h), PA remained in the agricultural covers. Further experiments with DBP were made to explore the effect on migration of temperature (20 °C, 50 °C), film thickness (25 µm, 100 µm) and plastic ageing by solarization, observing that temperature increase, film thickness reduction and ageing by solarization favored DBP migration to the environment. DBP and MBP impact on soil were evaluated by avoidance and reproduction tests using Eisenia andrei as bioindicator. Both compounds reduced cocoon viability decreasing the number of juveniles at the lowest concentration assayed (0.1 mg kg-1 of soil). At higher DBP and MBP concentrations the reproductive parameters (number of total cocoons, hatchability and number of juveniles) also showed alterations compared with the controls. Carboxylesterases (CaE), cholinesterases (ChE) and glutathion-S-transferases (GST) activities were analyzed in E. andrei exposed to DBP; cholinesterases activities were reduced at 1 and 10 mg DBP kg-1 soil, and glutathione S-transferases activities were increased at 10 mg DBP kg-1 soil while no effect was observed on carboxylesterases activities. These results emphasize the need to continue studying the impact of PAEs and their photodegradation products on the environment.