Light-Induced Tetrazole-Quinone 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions.

Quinones were firstly used as dipolarophiles in a photoclick 1,3-cycloaddition with 2,5-diaryltetrazoles, as photoactivatable predipoles, providing a novel and efficient access to three types of pyrazole-fused quinones (indazoledione derivatives). Distinctive features of this protocol include the use of light as the unique reagent and readily available, stable, and easy to handle starting materials and good to excellent yields. Photophysical and electrochemical properties of the quinones and their potential application as photoredox catalysts are also detailed.

Sulfoxide-Induced Homochiral Folding of ortho-Phenylene Ethynylenes (o-OPEs) by Silver(I) Templating: Structure and Chiroptical Properties.

A new family of homochiral silver complexes based on carbophilic interactions with ortho-phenylene ethynylene (o-OPE) scaffolds containing up to two silver atoms are described. These compounds represent a unique class of complexes with chirality at the metal. Chiral induction is based on the inclusion of chiral sulfoxides, which allow efficient transfer of chirality to the helically folded o-OPE, leading to circularly polarized luminescence (CPL)- and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD)-active compounds. In the presence of silver(I) cations, carbophilic interactions dominate, which promote helical structures with a defined helicity. This is one of the very scarce examples of the use of such interactions in the attractive field of abiotic foldamers. The switching event has been extensively studied by using different chiroptical techniques, including circular dichroism, CPL, and VCD, and represents one of the few CPL switches described in the literature.

Synthesis of functionalized alkyl substituted benzoquinones by Rh-catalyzed additions of boronic acids.

A general synthetic route to γ-oxo alkyl or α-hydroxy benzyl 2-substituted benzoquinones has been developed through a one-pot Rh-catalyzed C-C bond formation/oxidative demethylation sequence from 2,5-dimethoxy aryl boronic acids and several electron deficient alkenes or aldehydes. The process allows rapid access to functionalized benzoquinones under very mild conditions and good yields. We disclose the first example of a Rh-catalyzed 1,4-addition reaction of benzoquinonyl boronic acid to methyl vinyl ketone and other conjugate acceptors, which allows the direct synthesis of 2-(γ-functionalized alkyl) substituted benzoquinones.

Control of the helical chirality of enantiopure sulfinyl (Z)-azobenzene-based photoswitches.

A new class of enantiopure ortho,ortho-disubstituted azobenzene photoswitches has been synthesized from (S)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)benzoquinone and arylhydrazines. The sulfoxide acts as a unidirectional controller of the helical chirality that arises in the Z isomer after photoisomerization. Highly congested E-azobenzenes 5 c showed two atropisomeric diastereoconformers in the solid state that converged upon irradiation into a unique Z isomer with defined helicity (M), as evident in the X-ray structure. The chiroptical properties of this three-state enantiopure switch can be externally tuned both photochemically and/or thermally. Theoretical CD spectra calculated by using time-dependent DFT methods support the existence of two atropoisomeric E isomers and only one Z isomer with (M) helicity. Complementary to the classical azobenzene-based switches, the photoswiching event is promoted under green/blue light and do not occur under UV irradiation.

Enantioselective synthesis of helicenequinones and -bisquinones.

A convergent approach based on Diels-Alder reactions between polycyclic dienes and benzoquinones has emerged as a powerful tool for the construction of helicenequinones and bisquinones. Chemical resolution and asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions with sulfinyl quinones provide direct access to enantiopure derivatives. Biaryl or ferrocenyl dienes can be resolved leading to helicenequinones having additional axial or planar chirality.

Versatile bottom-up approach to stapled π-conjugated helical scaffolds: synthesis and chiroptical properties of cyclic o-phenylene ethynylene oligomers.

Spring loaded: the smallest members of a family of carbon nanocoils (CNCs), adopting a fixed helical structure, have been synthesized by introduction of one or two staples in o-phenylene ethynylene oligomers. The chiroptical responses of the systems having enantiopure L-tartrate-derived staples confirmed the induced helicity. Theoretical studies suggest that these CNCs are pseudoelastic.

The effect of sulfoxides on the stereoselective construction of tetrahydrofurans: total synthesis of (+)-goniothalesdiol.

Good to excellent stereoselectivities were achieved in the reductive cyclization (with Et(3)SiH/trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf)) of enantiopure hydroxy sulfinyl ketones en route to 2,5-cis-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran skeletons. Electrostatic effects of the exocyclic sulfoxide, which stabilized the reactive intermediate oxocarbenium conformations, were responsible for the observed stereocontrol. A model is proposed to explain the results. The use of this reaction and the asymmetric ß-ketosulfoxide reduction as key steps facilitated the total enantioselective synthesis of the natural ß-C-aryl glycoside (+)-goniothalesdiol.

Stereoselective synthesis of the C15-C26 fragment of the antitumor agent (-)-dictyostatin.

The synthesis of the C15-C26 fragment of (-)-dictyostatin is reported in 10 steps and 28% overall yield. The key steps are the two stereoselective sulfoxide-directed processes: a Reformatsky-type reaction and a ß-keto sulfoxide reduction.

Synthesis of benzo- and naphthoquinonyl boronic acids: exploring the Diels-Alder reactivity.

Substituted 2-quinonyl boronic acids have been synthesised from 1,4-dimethoxy aromatic derivatives in two steps: regiocontrolled boronation and oxidative demethylation. The study of their dienophilic behaviour evidenced that the boron substituent significantly increases the reactivity and triggers an efficient domino process in which the Diels-Alder reaction was followed by a protodeboronation or dehydroboronation, depending on the substitution on both the quinone and diene partners. The boronic acid acts as a temporary controller, opening a direct access to trans-fused meta-regiosomeric adducts when 3-methyl-substituted 2-quinonyl boronic acids react with dienes with a substituent at C-1. A particularly valuable synthetic result was obtained in the reaction between 3,6-dimethyl-2-quinonyl boronic acid and piperylene under an oxygen atmosphere; trans-fused 8a-hydroxy-2,4a,8-trimethyl tetrahydronaphthoquinone was formed directly, in excellent yield and in a highly diastereoselective manner.

Stereocontrolled approach to phenyl cyclitols from (SR)-[(p-tolylsulfinyl)methyl]-p-quinol.

Reactions of enantiopure (SR)-[(p-tolylsulfinyl)methyl]-p-quinol with ArAlMe(2) reagents allowed a highly diastereoselective 1,4-addition of the aryl group with an efficient desymmetrization of the prochiral cyclohexadienone moiety. The asymmetric synthesis of phenyl-substituted polyoxygenated cyclohexane derivatives was achieved by combining this reaction with a stereoselective reduction and elimination of the beta-hydroxysulfoxide, after oxidation to sulfone, to recover a carbonyl group, and a stereoselective epoxidation.

Asymmetric Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties of Enantiopure Helical Ferrocenes.

An enantiopure helical ferrocene ( Rp)-5 with five ortho-condensed aromatic rings was synthesized using a PtCl2-catalyzed cycloisomerization of planar-chiral 2-ethynyl-1-(4-phenanthrenyl)ferrocene ( Rp)-6f, prepared in 3 steps from known enantiopure sulfinyl ferrocenyl boronic acid ( SS, Sp)-7, as the source of planar chirality. This pentacyclic helical ferrocene showed a very high optical rotation value and strong circular dichroism (CD) signals.

Selective Oxidative Dearomatization of Angular Tetracyclic Phenols by Controlled Irradiation under Air: Synthesis of an Angucyclinone-Type Double Peroxide with Anticancer Properties.

Angular tetracyclic p-peroxyquinols, p-quinols, and a pentacyclic double peroxide, showing anticancer properties, were synthesized from the corresponding phenols by an environmentally friendly solvent- and wavelength-controlled irradiation under air in the absence of an external photosensitizer.

Direct stereocontrolled synthesis of polyoxygenated hydrobenzofurans and hydrobenzopyrans from p-peroxy quinols.

An acidic-basic tandem catalytic process on p-peroxy quinols with hydroxy alkyl chains at C-4 allowed the one-pot synthesis of hydrobenzofuran and hydrobenzopyran tricyclic epoxides. In this transformation, two new cycles and four new stereogenic centers are created in a highly stereocontrolled manner. The usefulness of the strategy is illustrated with the first total synthesis and structural revision of natural product Cleroindicin D.

Polysubstituted oxygen heterocycles by a Reformatsky-type reaction/reductive cyclization approach from enantiopure beta-ketosulfoxides.

The stereoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted tetrahydrofurans and trisubstituted tetrahydropyrans bearing a sulfoxide was achieved by reductive cyclization (Et3SiH/TMSOTf) from the corresponding enantiopure hydroxy ketones protected as a dioxolane. These derivatives are easily accessible from a Reformatsky-type reaction between alpha-bromo-alpha'-sulfinyl ketones and protected alpha- or beta-ketoaldehydes, followed by diastereoselective reduction of the resulting beta-ketosulfoxide.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Four Stereoisomers of Sulfinyl Ferrocenyl Quinones with Central, Planar, and Helical Chirality.

Four stereoisomers of sulfinyl ferrocenyl-substituted helicenequinones having central, planar, and helical elements of chirality were stereoselectively formed, in one step, from reaction between enantiopure sulfinyl ferrocenyl dienes and a sulfinyl quinone. Asymmetric synthesis, kinetic resolution, or chemical resolution processes occurred in sequential cycloaddition, sulfoxide elimination, and partial aromatization steps.

Friedel-Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with p-Quinols: The Role of Hydrogen Bonding of Water for the Desymmetrization of the Cyclohexadienone System.

Lewis acid catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles has been achieved in high yields and selectivities using p-quinols as electrophiles. (S)-Binol-3,3'-(9-anthracenyl)-phosphoric acid was able to catalyze the enantioselective formation of 5-(3-indole)-2-cyclohexenone derivatives. Experimental results and theoretical calculations explained the enantioselectivity based on a transition state where two water molecules act as a tether joining the p-quinol with the phosphoric acid and the NH of indole, thus facilitating the desymmetrization of the prochiral cyclohexadienone framework.

Stapled helical o-OPE foldamers as new circularly polarized luminescence emitters based on carbophilic interactions with Ag(i)-sensitivity.

ortho-Oligo(phenylene)ethynylenes (o-OPEs) stapled with enantiopure 2,3-dihydroxybutane diethers have highly intense circular dichroism (CD) spectra and excellent circular polarized luminescence (CPL) responses (glum values up to 1.1 × 10-2), which are consistent with homochiral helically folded structures. In the presence of Ag(i), a change in the CPL emission is observed, representing the first example of CPL active small organic molecular emitters, which can be modulated by carbophilic interactions in a reversible manner.

Enantioselective synthesis of (+)- and (-)-dihydroepiepoformin and (+)-epiepoformin.

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective synthesis of both enantiomers of dihydroepiepoformin (1) and (+)-epiepoformin (2) was achieved from (p-tolylsulfinyl)methyl-p-quinols (SR)- or (SS)-3 and (4R,SR)-4, respectively. Key features include the stereocontrolled conjugate addition of AlMe3 to p-quinol 3 and retrocondensation to the ketone functionality, previous to oxidation of the beta-hydroxy sulfoxide moiety of advanced intermediates to the corresponding sulfone.

Total stereoselective synthesis of (+)-goniothalesdiol.

[reaction: see text] The stereoselective synthesis of (+)-goniothalesdiol (1) was accomplished in nine steps starting from commercially available (-)-(2S,3S)-dimethyl D-tartrate (3). The key features were a completely diastereoselective reduction of a beta-ketosulfoxide to generate the stereogenic center at C-5 in 7 and formation of the 2,5-cis-substituted tetrahydrofuran ring in 10 from a stereoselective Et(3)SiH/TMSOTf-promoted reductive cyclization/deoxygenation.

Short asymmetric synthesis of (-)- and (+)-cis-lauthisan.

The asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of cis-lauthisan (3) is achieved in only six steps from diethyl pimelate (4), the key steps being the diastereodivergent reduction of beta-ketosulfoxide 7 and the highly cis-stereoselective Et(3)SiH/TMSOTf-promoted reductive cyclization of enantiopure hydroxy sulfinyl ketones (S)-14 and (R)-14.