Useful Access to Uncommon Thiazolo[3,2-a]indoles.

A practical and environmentally benign protocol for the assembly of poly substituted-thiazolo[3,2-a]indoles from 3-alkylated indoline-2-thiones and 2-halo-ketones has been developed. This metal-free approach consists in a complete chemo/regioselective formal [3 + 2] annulation that occurs in air, at 60 °C, and in water as the sole reaction medium. The opportunity to vary the substitution pattern up to six different positions, odorless manipulation of sulfurylated compounds, very easy product isolation, and mild reaction conditions are the main synthetic features of this method. The scaled-up experiment and the successive transformations of the products further demonstrate the utility of this chemistry.

Strong Hydrogen Bonds in Acetylenedicarboxylic Acid Dihydrate.

Acetylenedicarboxylic acid dihydrate (ADAD) represents a complex with strong hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic OH and the water molecule. An X-ray re-examination of the ADAD crystal structure confirms the O…O distance of the short hydrogen bonds, and clearly shows different bond lengths between the two oxygen atoms with respect to the carbon atom in the carboxyl group, indicating a neutral structure for the complex. The neutral structure was also confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy, as no proton transfer was observed. The diffraction studies also revealed two polymorph modifications: room temperature (α) and low temperature (ß), with a phase transition at approximately 4.9 °C. The calculated vibrational spectra are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental spectra. A comparison of the structure and the vibrational spectra between the ADAD and the oxalic acid dihydrate reveals some interesting details. The crystal structures of both crystal hydrates are almost identical; only the O…O distances of the strongest hydrogen bonds differ by 0.08 Å. Although it was expected that a larger O…O spacing in the ADAD crystal may significantly change the infrared and Raman spectra, especially for the frequency and the shape of the acidic OH stretching vibration, both the shape and frequency are almost identical, with all subpeaks topped on the broad OH stretching vibration. The O…O distance dependent are only in- and out-of-plane OH deformations modes. The presence of polarons due to the ionized defects was not observed in the vibrational spectra of ADAD. Therefore, the origin of the broad OH band shape was explained in a similar way to the acid dimers. The anharmonicity of a potential enhances the coupling of the OH stretching with the low-frequency hydrogen bond stretching, which, in addition to the Fermi resonance, structures the band shape of the OH stretching. The fine structure found as a superposition of a broad OH stretching is attributed to Davydov coupling.

Stereodivergent Synthesis of Camphor-Derived Diamines and Their Application as Thiourea Organocatalysts.

A series of 18 regio- and stereo-chemically diverse chiral non-racemic 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-diamines have been synthesized from commercial (1S)-(+)-ketopinic acid and (1S)-(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid. The structures of the diamines are all based on the d-(+)-camphor scaffold and feature isomeric diversity in terms of regioisomeric attachment of the primary and the tertiary amine function and the exo/endo-isomerism. Diamines were transformed into the corresponding noncovalent bifunctional thiourea organocatalysts, which have been evaluated for catalytic activity in the conjugative addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl nucleophiles (dimethyl malonate, acetylacetone, and dibenzoylmethane) to trans-ß-nitrostyrene. The highest enantioselectivity was achieved in the reaction with acetylacetone as nucleophile using endo-1,3-diamine derived catalyst 52 (91.5:8.5 er). All new organocatalysts 48-63 have been fully characterized. The structures and the absolute configurations of eight intermediates and thiourea derivative 52 were also determined by X-ray diffraction.

Synthesis and Reduction of 10-Phthalimidocamphor Oxime.

10-Phthalimidocamphor oxime was prepared from easily available 10-iodocamphor in two steps. Reduction of the oxime functionality resulted in the formation of two novel polycyclic isoindolinone heterocycles, the attempted preparation of the primary amine failed. The structures of novel heterocycles were unambiguously confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction as well as NMR techniques.

Absolute Configuration Determination of 2,3-Dihydro-1H,5H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazoles Using Chiroptical Methods at Different Wavelengths.

A correlation between the absolute configuration and chiroptical properties of nonracemic 1,6,7-trisubstituted 2,3-dihydro-1H,5H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazoles was studied. A series of 16 novel representatives were prepared by Cu-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloadditions of racemic (Z)-2-benzylidene-5-oxopyrazolidin-2-ium-1-ides to tert-butyl (S)-(3-oxopent-4-yn-2-yl)carbamate, and their structures were determined by NMR, VCD, ECD, and X-ray diffraction. A clear correlation between the sign of specific rotation and configuration at position C(1) allows for easy determination of the absolute configuration of 1,6,7-trisubstituted 2,3-dihydro-1H,5H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazoles by ECD and NMR. While VCD, requiring milligram quantities, allowed the determination of the correct relative and absolute configuration without additional information from other methods, the stereochemical analysis by ECD required knowledge of the relative configuration derived from NMR at a comparable computational level.

Synthesis of 3D-Rich Heterocycles: Hexahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-2(1H)-ones and Octahydro-2H-2a,2a1-diazacyclopenta[cd]inden-2-ones.

Two cyclic azomethine imines, 7-methyl- and 7-phenyl-2-oxo-Δ7-hexahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-8-ium-1-ide, were prepared in seven steps from the respective commercially available δ-keto acids. The addition of Grignard reagents followed by N-alkylation at position 1 afforded the 1,7,7-trisubstituted hexahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-2(1H)-ones, whereas 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of these dipoles to typical acetylenic and olefinic dipolarophiles gave 4a-substituted 2a,2a1-diazacyclopenta[cd]indene derivatives as the first representatives of a novel heterocyclic system. Regio- and stereoselectivity as well as the mechanism of these [3 + 2]-cycloadditions were evaluated using computational and experimental methods. The data obtained were in agreement with the polar concerted cycloaddition mechanism via the energetically favorable syn/endo-transition states.

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluations of (+)-isocampholenic acid-derived amides.

The synthesis of two novel (+)-isocampholenic acid-derived amines has been realized starting from commercially available (1S)-(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid. The novel amines as well as (+)-isocampholenic acid have been used as building blocks in the construction of a library of amides using various aliphatic, aromatic, and amino acid-derived coupling partners using BPC and CDI as activating agents. Amide derivatives have been assayed against several enzymes that hold potential for the development of new drugs to battle bacterial infections and Alzheimer's disease. Compounds 20c and 20e showed promising selective sub-micromolar inhibition of human butyrylcholinesterase [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] values [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively).

Synthesis of Naphthalene-Based Push-Pull Molecules with a Heteroaromatic Electron Acceptor.

Naphthalene derivatives bearing electron-accepting and electron-donating groups at the 2,6-positions belong to the family of D-π-A push-pull dyes. It has been found that these compounds, e.g., 2-(1-(6-((2-(fluoro)ethyl)(methyl)amino)naphthalen-2-yl)ethylidene)malononitrile (FDDNP), show not only interesting optical properties, such as solvatochromism, but they have the potential to label protein aggregates of different compositions formed in the brain of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's (AD). In continuation of our research we set our goal to find new FDDNP analogs, which would inherit optical and binding properties but hopefully show better specificity for tau protein aggregates, which are characteristic for neurodegeneration caused by repetitive mild trauma. In this work we report on the synthesis of new FDDNP analogs in which the acceptor group has been formally replaced with an aromatic five- or six-membered heterocycle. The heterocyclic moiety was annealed to the central naphthalene ring either by classical ring closure reactions or by modern transition metal-catalyzed coupling reactions. The chemical characterization, NMR spectra, and UV/vis properties of all new compounds are reported.

Synthesis of novel camphor-derived bifunctional thiourea organocatalysts.

Synthesis and catalyst performance of 2,3- (types and ) and 2,8-disubstituted (type ) thiourea bifunctional organocatalysts was attempted. The synthesis of catalyst of type has, so far, not been realized, while catalysts of type , i.e., the 2,3-exo- and the 2-endo-3-exo-thiourea catalysts, were prepared in six steps starting from (+)-camphor. The catalysts of type were prepared from (+)-camphor in eight steps. All the potential catalysts as well as most of the intermediate products were carefully structurally characterized. The thiourea bifunctional organocatalysts were tested in a model reaction of Michael addition of dimethyl malonate to trans-ß-nitrostyrene.

Dicyanovinylnaphthalenes for neuroimaging of amyloids and relationships of electronic structures and geometries to binding affinities.

The positron-emission tomography (PET) probe 2-(1-[6-[(2-fluoroethyl)(methyl)amino]-2-naphthyl]ethylidene) (FDDNP) is used for the noninvasive brain imaging of amyloid-ß (Aß) and other amyloid aggregates present in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. A series of FDDNP analogs has been synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic and computational methods. The binding affinities of these molecules have been measured experimentally and explained through the use of a computational model. The analogs were created by systematically modifying the donor and the acceptor sides of FDDNP to learn the structural requirements for optimal binding to Aß aggregates. FDDNP and its analogs are neutral, environmentally sensitive, fluorescent molecules with high dipole moments, as evidenced by their spectroscopic properties and dipole moment calculations. The preferred solution-state conformation of these compounds is directly related to the binding affinities. The extreme cases were a nonplanar analog t-butyl-FDDNP, which shows low binding affinity for Aß aggregates (520 nM K(i)) in vitro and a nearly planar tricyclic analog cDDNP, which displayed the highest binding affinity (10 pM K(i)). Using a previously published X-ray crystallographic model of 1,1-dicyano-2-[6-(dimethylamino)naphthalen-2-yl]propene (DDNP) bound to an amyloidogenic Aß peptide model, we show that the binding affinity is inversely related to the distortion energy necessary to avoid steric clashes along the internal surface of the binding channel.

New synthetic routes for the preparation of ruthenium-1,10-phenanthroline complexes. Tests of cytotoxic and antibacterial activity of selected ruthenium complexes.

Three novel complexes have been prepared through reactions of precursor [(dmso)2H][trans-RuCl4(dmso-S)2] (P) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) at different conditions. Whereas the analogs of mer-[RuCl3(dmso-S)(phen)] (1) and [Ru(phen)3]Cl2·6CH3OH (3·6CH3OH) have already been prepared by other synthetic routes before, product (H3O)[RuCl4(phen)]·4H2O (2·4H2O) is unprecedented. In the latter, isolated from highly acidic medium, one strongly bound dmso molecule in precursor P was substituted by chloride. Biological activity of 1 and previously isolated ruthenium-purine complexes ([mer-RuCl3(dmso-S)(acv)(CH3OH)] (4) (acv = acyclovir); [trans-RuCl4(dmso-S)(guaH)] (5) (guaH = protonated guanine)) was tested and compared. These data show that compounds 1, 4 and 5 are slightly cytotoxic against B-16 malignant melanoma cells but not against non-transformed V-79-379A cells. It seems that coordinated phen ligand increases the cytotoxicity of 1 in comparison to ruthenium precursor. The inability of tested compounds to induce lysis of bovine erythrocytes suggests that their cytotoxic effect is not due to the membrane damage.

Parallel synthesis of 7-heteroaryl-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxamides.

A simple and practical four-step protocol for the parallel synthesis of 7-heteroaryl-pyrazolo[1,5-[Formula: see text]]pyrimidine-3-carboxamides was developed. The synthesis starts with transformation of commercially available 2-acetylpyridine and acetylpyrazine with [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal into the corresponding [Formula: see text]-3-(dimethylamino)-1-(heteroaryl)prop-2-en-1-ones followed by cyclisation with methyl 5-amino-1[Formula: see text]-pyrazole-4-carboxylate to give methyl 7-heteroarylpyrazolo[1,5-[Formula: see text]]pyrimidine-3-carboxylates. Hydrolysis of the ester group and subsequent amidation of the so formed carboxylic acids with 12 primary and secondary aliphatic amines furnished a library of 24 title compounds in good overall yields and purity.

Synthesis and transformations of novel L-phenylalanine derived pyrazolidin-3-ones.

A simple and straightforward four-step synthesis of novel diastereomeric L-phenylalanine-derived pyrazolidin-3-ones is described. The absolute configuration of the novel C(5) stereogenic centre has been unambiguously determined by single crystal X-ray analysis and via chemical interconversions. A series of novel thiourea derived pyrazolidinones have been prepared and tested as potential organocatalysts. N(1) un-substituted pyrazolidinones can be used for the construction of a novel type of bicyclic heterocycles and other selective derivatizations.

Synthesis and structural elucidation of novel camphor-derived thioureas.

Nine novel (+)-camphor-derived thioureas have been prepared. 3-((Dimethylamino)methylene)camphor (2) served as the common precursor for the preparation of both, 2-thiourea 15-20 and 3-thiourea functionalized camphor derivatives 6, 7/7', respectively. Starting from 2, the latter were prepared in two or three steps whereas the former in five steps, respectively. Configuration of all novel compounds has been meticulously determined using NMR techniques and/or single crystal X-ray crystallography.

Synthesis and structural characterization of novel camphor-derived amines.

Two novel 4-substituted camphidine derivatives 10a,b have been prepared from (+)-camphor (1) in five steps, the Beckmann rearrangement being the bottleneck of the synthesis. Isoborneol derivative 5b, formed as a side product during the hydrogenation of arylidene ketone 3b, under Beckmann rearrangement conditions yielded interesting novel rearrangement products 11 and 12. (1S)-(+)-Camphorquinone (13) was transformed into diamines 15 and 16 in two steps, the former being cyclized into an imidazoline salt 17, an N-heterocyclic carbene precursor. The structures of all novel compounds have been meticulously characterized using NMR techniques and/or single crystal X-ray analysis.

A new layered Ca-succinate coordination polymer.

A new layered Ca-succinate coordination polymer, poly[µ(3)-succinato-calcium(II)], [Ca(C(4)H(5)O(4))](n), was synthesized by reaction of CaCl(2)·2H(2)O and succinic acid in an aqueous medium under hydrothermal microwave conditions. The structure contains infinite layers of edge-sharing calcium pentagonal-bipyramidal polyhedra forming six-membered rings connected through succinate ligands. Such an assembly of inorganic building units is unique for calcium metal-organic framework-type structures. Adjacent layers are packed into a final pseudo-three-dimensional structure through weak C-H···O hydrogen bonds.

Polymorphism of LaTaTiO6.

Two polymorphs of LaTaTiO6, i.e. monoclinic and orthorhombic, were synthesized by solid-state reaction technique. Both were found to be isostructural with analogous niobium compounds which were used as structural models. Structural characterization was performed on X-ray powder data by Rietveld refinement procedure which resulted in final Rwp values of 7.01 and 7.52% for orthorhombic and monoclinic form, respectively. Comparisons between both title compounds are given and their plausibility is proved by bond valence sums and global instability index calculations. For the monoclinic polymorph, dielectric properties measured at 1 MHz are also given.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of a new Hydroxylammonium Fluoroferrate.

This paper reports on the synthesis of a new hydroxylammonium fluoroferrate, with the formula (NH3OH)3FeF6, obtained after dissolving iron powder in hydrofluoric acid and adding solid NH3OHF. This new compound has been characterized by chemical and thermal analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and magnetic measurements. The title compound crystallizes trigonal, R3c, with cell parameters a = 11.4154(2) Å, c = 11.5720(2) Å, Z = 6. The structure consists of NH3OH+ cations and isolated FeF63- octahedra in which the central ion lies on a threefold axis. The oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the hydroxylammonium cations are donors of hydrogen bonds to fluoride anions, resulting in a network of hydrogen bonds between counterions. The effective magnetic moment µeff = 5.8 BM was calculated and perfectly matches the expected value of high-spin Fe(III) ions. The thermal decomposition of the compound was studied by TG, DSC, and X-ray powder diffraction.

Dichloridotetra-kis-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-κN(4))copper(II).

The central Cu(II) atom of the molecular title complex, [CuCl(2)(C(2)H(3)N(3))(4)], is situated on a site with symmetry 2.22. It is six-coordinated in an elongated octa-hedral geometry, with the equatorial plane defined by four N atoms of four 1,2,4-triazole ligands and the axial positions occupied by two Cl atoms situated on a twofold axis. The mol-ecules are connected via N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds and the crystal consists of two inter-penetrating three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded frameworks.

Structure of LaTi2Al9O19 and reanalysis of the crystal structure of La3Ti5Al15O37.

The non-perovskite compound LaTi(2)Al(9)O(19) was synthesized and structurally characterized by conventional X-ray powder diffraction and shown to be isostructural with SrTi(3)Al(8)O(19), as confirmed by bond-valence sum calculations. The dielectric properties of LaTi(2)Al(9)O(19) at 1 MHz were measured. The crystal structure of La(3)Ti(5)Al(15)O(37), which is referred to as the most complex structure solved ab initio from X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) to date, is shown to be incorrect.