Nucleophilic Substitution at Phosphorus Centres - Old and Recent Studies and a Final Solution of Mechanistic and Related Stereochemical Problems.

Among many problems of a fundamental value in the heteroatom chemistry the mechanism and stereochemistry of the nucleophilic substitution reaction at the phosphorus and other heteroatom centres have attracted great attention of phosphorus chemists already in the middle of the last century. This review, which does not have a comprehensive character, summarizes the selected original contributions aimed at solution of the mechanism of SN2-P reaction and its relationship with stereochemistry. The breakthrough in these studies was the Westheimer's concept and his rules which is presented at the beginning of this article. Next, a series of papers is presented where the stereochemistry of the substitution at phosphorus was investigated in cyclic five-, four- and six-membered ring phosphorus compound. The majority of these reactions have been found to occur with retention of the P-configuration. In the third part of this account, the selected examples of substitution reactions at phosphorus in acyclic compounds are discussed. As the results of all the investigations discussed did not allow to undoubtedly ascribe the mechanism (SN2 or A-E) to the investigated reactions, in the last part the SN-P reactions are presented, the mechanism of which has been established by combination of the stereochemical and DFT-studies.

Towards Chemoenzymatic Syntheses of Both Enantiomers of Phosphoemeriamine.

An enzyme-promoted addition of nitromethane to the appropriate phosphorylated imine (aza-Henry reaction) intended to be used in the synthesis of the title phosphoemeriamine, a phospha-analog of emeriamine (aminocarnitine), failed due to the tautomerization of the imine to the corresponding enamine. Nevertheless, both enantiomers of phosphoemeriamine were synthesized in high yield and enantiomeric purity using another chemoenzymatic approach, starting with a crucial step involving a CAL-B-mediated acetylation of the appropriate racemic precursor-diethyl 2-amino-3-dimethylaminopropylphosphonate-under kinetic resolution conditions. The enzymatic reaction was very efficient and provided each enantiomeric product in acceptable yield and with enantiomeric excess of 91 and 92%. The following appropriate chemical transformations led to the desired enantiomers of phosphoemeriamine in the form of phosphoemeriamine sesquichloride with enantiomeric excess up to 90%.

Correction: Mikolajczyk et al. Nucleophilic Substitution at Heteroatoms-Identity Substitution Reactions at Phosphorus and Sulfur Centers: Do They Proceed in a Concerted (SN2) or Stepwise (A-E) Way? Molecules 2022, 27, 599.

(1) The authors would like to correct mistakes in the title paper [...].

Nucleophilic Substitution at Heteroatoms-Identity Substitution Reactions at Phosphorus and Sulfur Centers: Do They Proceed in a Concerted (SN2) or Stepwise (A-E) Way?

The mechanisms of three selected identity substitution reactions at phosphorus and sulfur occurring with stereospecific inversion have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT). The first identity reaction between methoxyl anion and methyl ethylphenylphosphinate 1 reported in 1963 has been shown to proceed in a stepwise fashion according to the addition-elimination (A-E) mechanism involving formation of a pentacoordinate phosphorus intermediate (TBI-1). In contrast, the results of DFT studies of the identity chloride exchange reaction in (ethoxy)ethylphosphonochloridothionate 3 in acetone solution provided evidence that it proceeds synchronously according to the classical Ingold's SN2-P mechanism. DFT calculations of the methoxyl-methoxy exchange reaction at sulfur in methyl p-toluenesulfinate 4 catalyzed by trifluoroacetic acid in methanol revealed that it proceeds stepwise (A-E mechanism), involving the formation of the high-coordinate sulfurane intermediate. In both identity transesterification reactions, 1 and 4, the transiently formed trigonal bipyramidal intermediates with the two methoxyl groups occupying apical positions (TBI-1 and TBI-4) have higher free energy barriers for the Berry-type pseudorotation than those for direct decomposition to starting phosphinate and sulfinate ensuring stereospecific inversion of configuration at the phosphinyl and sulfinyl centers. Thus, the DFT method proved its usefulness in the distinction between both mechanisms that are often indistinguishable by kinetic measurements.

Nucleophilic Substitution at Tricoordinate Sulfur-Alkaline Hydrolysis of Optically Active Dialkoxysulfonium Salts: Stereochemistry, Mechanism and Reaction Energetics.

Optically active dialkoxyisopropylsulfonium salts were obtained by methylation (ethylation) of optically active alkyl isopropanesulfinates using methyl (ethyl) trifluoromethanesulfonate. Alkaline hydrolysis of a series of methoxy(alkoxy)sulfonium salts afforded the two sulfinate products methyl isopropanesulfinate and alkyl isopropanesulfinate, both formed with a slightly prevailing inversion of configuration at the sulfur atom. DFT calculations revealed that this substitution reaction proceeded stepwise according to an addition-elimination (A-E) mechanism involving the formation of high tetracoordinate SIV sulfurane intermediates. In addition, the DFT calculations showed that recombination of the hydroxy anion with the methoxy(alkoxy)sulfonium cation-leading to the parallel formation of the two most stable primary sulfuranes, with the hydroxy and alkoxy groups in apical positions and their direct decomposition-is the most energetically favorable pathway.

Nucleophilic Substitution at Tetracoordinate Phosphorus. Stereochemical Course and Mechanisms of Nucleophilic Displacement Reactions at Phosphorus in Diastereomeric cis- and trans-2-Halogeno-4-methyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-2-thiones: Experimental and DFT Studies.

Geometrical cis- and trans- isomers of 2-chloro-, 2-bromo- and 2-fluoro-4-methyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-2-thiones were obtained in a diastereoselective way by (a) sulfurization of corresponding cyclic PIII-halogenides, (b) reaction of cyclic phosphorothioic acids with phosphorus pentachloride and (c) halogen-halogen exchange at PIV-halogenide. Their conformation and configuration at the C4-ring carbon and phosphorus stereocentres were studied by NMR (1H, 31P) methods, X-ray analysis and density functional (DFT) calculations. The stereochemistry of displacement reactions (alkaline hydrolysis, methanolysis, aminolysis) at phosphorus and its mechanism were shown to depend on the nature of halogen. Cyclic cis- and trans-isomers of chlorides and bromides react with nucleophiles (HO-, CH3O-, Me2NH) with inversion of configuration at phosphorus. DFT calculations provided evidence that alkaline hydrolysis of cyclic thiophosphoryl chlorides proceeds according to the SN2-P mechanism with a single transition state according to the potential energy surface (PES) observed. The alkaline hydrolysis reaction of cis- and trans-fluorides afforded the same mixture of the corresponding cyclic thiophosphoric acids with the thermodynamically more stable major product. Similar DFT calculations revealed that substitution at phosphorus in fluorides proceeds stepwise according to the A-E mechanism with formation of a pentacoordinate intermediate since a PES with two transition states was observed.

Nucleophilic Substitution at Tetracoordinate Sulfur. Kinetics and Mechanism of the Chloride-Chloride Exchange Reaction in Arenesulfonyl Chlorides: Counterintuitive Acceleration of Substitution at Sulfonyl Sulfur by ortho-Alkyl Groups and Its Origin.

The chloride-chloride exchange reaction in arenesulfonyl chlorides was investigated experimentally and theoretically by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The second order rate constants and activation parameters of this identity reaction were determined for 22 variously substituted arenesulfonyl chlorides using radio-labeled Et4N36Cl. The chloride exchange rates of 11 sulfonyl chlorides bearing para-and meta-substituents (σ constants from -0.66 to +0.43) in the aromatic ring followed the Hammett equation with a ρ-value of +2.02. The mono- and di-ortho-alkyl substituted sulfonyl chlorides exhibit an enhanced reactivity although both inductive and steric effects lower the reaction rate. The DFT calculations of their structures together with X-ray data showed that an increased reactivity is mainly due to a peculiar, rigid, strongly compressed and sterically congested structure. The DFT studies of the title reaction revealed that it proceeds via a single transition state according to the SN2 mechanism. The analogous fluoride exchange reaction occurs according to the addition-elimination mechanism (A-E) and formation of a difluorosulfurandioxide intermediate. The reliability of the calculations performed was supported by the fact that the calculated relative rate constants and activation parameters correlate well with the experimental kinetic data.

The Chiral 1:2 Adduct (S)S(S)C(-)589-Ethyl 2-Phenylbutyl Sulphide-Mercury (II) Chloride:(-)589[(S)S(S)C-Et(2-PhBu)S.(HgCl2)2]. Stereoselective Synthesis, Asymmetric Oxidation, Crystal and Molecular Structure and Circular Dichroism Spectra.

Optically active (-)589ethyl (S)-2-phenylbutyl thioether, (-)(S)C-Et(PhBu)S (I), and its new diastereoisomeric mercury (II) chloride adduct, 1:2, (-)[(S)S(S)C-Et(PhBu)S.(HgCl2)2]2, (II) were stereoselectively synthesized; the absorbance (UV) and circular dichroism (CD) spectra were measured and the crystal and molecular structure of complex (II) was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Two different Hg centres are present whose coordination environments are built by two short bonds to chloride ligands in one case, and to one chloride and one sulphur in the other one. These originate digonal units. Electroneutrality is achieved by a further chlorine, which can be considered prevalently ionic and bonded to the two Hg centres, forming square bridging systems nearly perpendicular to the digonal molecules. The coordination polyhedra can be interpreted as 2 + 4 tetragonally-compressed octahedra with the four longer contacts lying in the equatorial plane. IR spectroscopic data are consistent with the presence of one bent and one linear Cl-Hg-Cl moiety. The absolute configurations at both stereogenic centres of the formed diastereoisomeric complex (II) are (S). The (S)S absolute configuration at the stereogenic sulphur atom bonded to the mercury(II) atom in complex (II) has been related with the negative Cotton effect assigned in its circular dichroism (CD) spectrum to a charge-transfer transition at ca. 230 nm. The stereoselective oxidation of (I) and (II) with hydrogen peroxide, induced by the stereogenic carbon atom (S)C of the enantiopure sulphide, gave (-)598ethyl (S)C-2-phenylbutyl(S)S-sulphoxide, (-)598[(S)S(S)C-Et(PhBu)SO], (III), having 18.1% de. Oxidations carried out in the presence of a 200 molar excess of mercury(II) chloride gave (-)598ethyl (S)C-2-phenylbutyl(R)S-sulphoxide, (-) 598[(R)S(S)C-Et(PhBu)SO], (IV) with 31% de, showing the cooperative influence of mercury(II) chloride on the selectivity of the oxidation reaction.

A new and expeditious synthesis of all enantiomerically pure stereoisomers of rosaprostol, an antiulcer drug.

Four enantiomerically pure stereoisomers of rosaprostol (1), an antiulcer drug, were efficiently synthesized from the enantiomers of 2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)-3-hexylcyclopentanone (3) as chiral substrates. The latter were obtained by resolution of racemic 3 with (+)-(R)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine. The conversion of (+)-3 into rosaprostol stereoisomer (-)-1a was accomplished in four steps in 56% overall yield. According to the same protocol, the second stereoisomer (+)-1c was obtained from (-)-3 in 55% overall yield. A slightly improved procedure of the last two steps of the transformation of (+)-3 into (-)-1a allowed an increase in the overall yield to 64%. The remaining two stereoisomers, (-)-1b and (+)-1d, were obtained from (-)-1a and (+)-1c in 71 and 68% yield, respectively, by a two-reaction sequence, in which a Mitsunobu inversion of configuration at C-5 was the key step.

Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure Stereomers of Rosaprostol.

Enantiopure stereomers of rosaprostol 1, an antiulcer drug, were synthesized from diastereomeric building blocks (-)-5a and (+)-5b. Conversion of (-)-5a into rosaprostol stereomer (-)-(1S,2R,5R)-1a was accomplished in nine steps in 18% overall yield. In this sequence, fully diastereoselective hydrogeneration of the endocyclic carbon double bond in the cyclopentenone ring was key, generating a new stereogenic center (C-2 in 1a). C-5 epimeric rosaprostol (-)-(1S,2R,5S)-1b was obtained from (-)-1a in 72% yield by a two-reaction sequence involving methylation and one-pot Mitsunobu esterification-hydrolysis.

Synthesis and the absolute configuration of both enantiomers of 4,5-dihydroxy-3-(formyl)cyclopent-2-enone acetonide as a new chiral building block for prostanoid synthesis.

The synthesis of both enantiomers of 4,5-dihydroxy-3-(formyl)cyclopent-2-enone acetonide (5) was accomplished in five steps starting from meso-tartaric acid (6). The key steps involved are preparation of the isopropylidene protected 3-[(dimethoxyphosphoryl)methyl]-4,5-dihydroxycyclopent-2-enone (9), resolution of the diastereoisomeric products 10 of the Horner reaction of racemic 9 with (R)-glyceraldehyde acetonide and the final regioselective ozonolysis of the exocyclic carbon­carbon double bond of the separated dienones 10 leading to both enantiomeric title compounds 5. The absolute configuration of both enantiomers was initially assigned based on the comparison of the chiroptical properties obtained from the DFT calculations with the experimental data and finally confirmed by X-ray analysis.

Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxicity of cross-conjugated prostaglandin A and J series and their hydroxy derivatives.

The synthesis of two cross-conjugated prostaglandin analogues of known neurotrophic activity and their new hydroxy derivatives was accomplished starting from the diastereoisomeric (+)-camphor protected 3-[(dimethoxyphosphoryl)methyl]-4,5-dihydroxycyclopent-2-enones. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was determined against HeLa, K562, HL-60 human cancer cell lines and normal human cells (HUVEC). We found that NEPP11 and its C7-hydroxy derivative demonstrated high anticancer activity against the HeLa and HL-60 human cancer cell lines at concentrations ranging from 1 to 2 µM. Moreover, the C7-hydroxy derivative of NEPP11 displayed high cytotoxic selectivity between cancer cell lines and normal human cells. On the other hand, the J-type prostaglandin analogue of NEPP11 and its C13-hydroxy derivatives were much less toxic or nontoxic against the cancer and normal cells at concentrations up to 1 mM.

Acid catalyzed alcoholysis of sulfinamides: unusual stereochemistry, kinetics and a question of mechanism involving sulfurane intermediates and their pseudorotation.

The synthesis of optically active sulfinic acid esters has been accomplished by the acid catalyzed alcoholysis of optically active sulfinamides. Sulfinates are formed in this reaction with a full or predominant inversion of configuration at chiral sulfur or with predominant retention of configuration. The steric course of the reaction depends mainly on the size of the dialkylamido group in the sulfinamides and of the alcohols used as nucleophilic reagents. It has been found that bulky reaction components preferentially form sulfinates with retention of configuration. It has been demonstrated that the stereochemical outcome of the reaction can be changed from inversion to retention and vice versa by adding inorganic salts to the acidic reaction medium. The unusual stereochemistry of this typical bimolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction, as confirmed by kinetic measurements, has been rationalized in terms of the addition-elimination mechanism, A-E, involving sulfuranes as intermediates which undergo pseudorotations.

A novel route to a chiral building block for the preparation of cyclopentenyl carbocyclic nucleosides. Synthesis and anticancer activity of enantiomeric neplanocins A.

The synthesis of both enantiomers of 3-[(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy]methyl-4,5-O-isopropylidenecyclopent-2-en-1-ol was accomplished in six steps based on optically inactive dimethyl meso-tartrate. This key intermediate in the synthesis of cyclopentenyl carbocyclic nucleosides was subsequently applied in the preparation of enantiomeric neplanocins A. The toxic effect of these compounds was investigated for a series of suspension and adherent cancer cell lines and normal human fibroblasts. (-)-Neplanocin A ((-)-NPA) was more toxic against all tested cancer cell lines than its dextrorotary counterpart. The highest toxicity with IC50 values of 7 and 10 µM was observed for the MOLT-4 and A431 cells, respectively. Moreover, (-)-NPA also induced apoptosis in A431 cell while this effect was not observed for (+)-NPA.

From neutral to anionic eta1-carbon ligands: experimental synthesis and theoretical analysis of a rhodium-yldiide complex.

Deprotonation of a cationic rhodium complex of a chelating semistabilized phosphino-phosphonium sulfinyl-ylide ligand afforded the neutral complex of the corresponding yldiide ligand. Despite the limited stability of the yldiide complex its structure was ascertained by ESI MS and multinuclear (1)H, (31)P, (13)C, and (103)Rh NMR spectroscopy. DFT calculations were carried out at the B3PW91/6-31G*/LANL2DZ*(Rh) level to derive a reasonable gas-phase structure for the yldiide complex or model thereof and gain insight into their electronic structure. ELF and AIM topological analyses were used to investigate the metal-ligand bonding and estimate the electron transfer resulting from proton abstraction. ELF weighting of the resonance forms of the anionic "free" yldiide ligand (Ar(3)PC(-)-S(O)Ar) was compared to the corresponding weighting of previously reported neutral counterparts (XCY), namely, bis-alpha-zwitterionic bisylides of phosphonium, sulfonium, or iminosulfonium moieties (X, Y = PR(3), SR(2), S(NMe)R(2)). The results suggest that the phosphonium sulfinylyldiide can be regarded as a tris-alpha,beta-zwitteranionic bisylide (Ar(3)P(+)-C(2-)-S(+)(-O(-))p-Tol).

Inapplicability of the Antiperiplanar Lone Pair Hypothesis to C-P Bond Breaking and Formation in Some S-C-P(+) Systems.

Both C(2)-P bond breaking and formation in the S-C-P(+) system do not occur according to the antiperiplanar lone pair hypothesis. Experiments using 2-phosphonio derivatives of 5-tert-butyl-1,3-dithiane and cis-4,6-dimethyl-1,3-dithiane are against the participation of higher-energy boat conformers as reactive intermediates. The results obtained support a possibility of conformational adjustment in the course of the reaction. Stereoelectronic control of the C(2)-P bond breaking and formation results from interplay of several factors. The role of the n(S)-sigma(C(2))(-)(P) and sigma(C(4,6))(-)(S)-sigma(C(2))(-)(P) hyperconjugation, as well as of the repulsive interactions between lone electron pairs pi(S) of endocyclic sulfur atoms and pi-electrons of the phenyl ring(s) connected with phosphorus, is discussed.

Molecular interactions in 3-carboxy-2-diphenylphosphinoylcyclopentanone.

The results of the X-ray structure analysis of the title compound (I) have been reported in [Synthesis (1997) 356]. Now we continue our efforts to understand the energy situation and the arrangements in the crystal, which will be strongly influenced by the formation of hydrogen bonds with the help of the results of theoretical calculations. Furthermore, the IR spectroscopic measurements will be discussed in comparison to the X-ray data. The IR experiments elucidate the molecular arrangement in solution. Using different solvents, equilibrium states with coexisting conformational and associative arrangements were observed. Unexpectedly, the alternative use of the solvents CHCl(3) or CDCl(3) has different influence on the equilibrium arrangement of I in solution.

Molecular modeling of the lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of acetoxymethyl(i-propoxy)phenylphosphine oxide and its P-borane analogue.

The molecular modeling of the CAL-B-promoted hydrolysis reactions of acetoxymethyl(i-propoxy)phenylphosphine oxide and its P-borane analogue, acetoxymethyl(i-propoxy)-phenylphosphine P-borane, confirms that the reactions proceed with the same stereochemistry and in both cases the (S)-enantiomers are preferentially transformed by the enzyme. Molecular mechanics calculations show that the main reason for the particular stereoselectivity of the substrates is the steric effect of the phenyl group which causes a remarkable hindrance when placed inside the active site. The replacement of the oxygen by a borane group at the phosphorus stereogenic center does not nullify the stereorecognition by the enzyme, although for the P-borane a lower stereoselectivity is observed. The latter is explained in terms of a smaller energy difference between complexes of CAL-B and particular enantiomers of the P-borane in comparison with those of the phosphine oxide, resulting from the steric effect of the BH3 group. The results helped to revise the previously published erroneous conclusions concerning absolute configuration of the phosphine-borane complex.