Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of Highly Fluorescent and CPL-Active Dispiroindeno[2,1-c]fluorenes.

The enantioselective synthesis of chiral [7]-helical dispirodihydro[2,1-c]indenofluorenes (DSF-IFs) was achieved for the first time in good yields with high er values (er up to 99 : 1). The crucial step of the whole reaction sequence was the enantioselective intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of tethered triynediols to indenofluorenediols, which was catalyzed by a Rh/SEGPHOS® complex. Further transformations led to the corresponding DSF-IFs. The prepared helically chiral DSF-IFs combine circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) activity (glum =∼10-3 ) with exceptionally high fluorescence quantum yields (up to Φlum =0.97).

Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes of Conformationally Constrained Polyazamacrocycles as Efficient Catalysts for RNA Model Substrate Cleavage in Aqueous Solution at Physiological pH.

As part of a quest for efficient artificial catalysts of RNA phosphodiester bond cleavage, conformationally constrained mono- and bis-polyazamacrocycles in which tri- or tetraazaalkane chains link the ortho positions of a benzene ring were synthesized. The catalytic activities of mono- and dinuclear copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of these polyazamacrocycles towards cleavage of the P-O bond in 2-hydroxypropyl-4-nitrophenylphosphate (HPNP) in aqueous solution at pH 7 have been determined. Only the complexes of the ligands incorporating three nitrogen atoms in a macrocycle proved to be capable of efficiently catalyzing HPNP transesterification. The dinuclear complexes were found to be approximately twice as efficient as their mononuclear counterparts, and exhibited Michaelis-Menten saturation kinetics with calculated rate constants of kcat ≈10(-4)  s(-1) . By means of quantum chemical calculations (DFT/COSMO-RS), several plausible reaction coordinates were described. By correlating the calculated barriers with the experimental kinetic data, two possible reaction scenarios were revealed, with activation free energies of 20-25 kcal mol(-1) .

A general method for preparing bridged organosilanes with pendant functional groups and functional mesoporous organosilicas.

New organosilica precursors containing two triethoxysilyl groups suitable for the organosilica material formation through the sol-gel process were designed and synthesised. These precursors display alkyne or azide groups for attaching targeted functional groups by copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) and can be used for the preparation of functional organosilicas following two strategies: 1) the functional group is first appended by CuAAC under anhydrous conditions, then the functional material is prepared by the sol-gel process; 2) the precursor is first subjected to the sol-gel process, producing porous, clickable bridged silsesquioxanes or periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs), then the desired functional groups are attached by means of CuAAC. Herein, we show the feasibility of both approaches. A series of bridged bis(triethoxysilane)s with different pending organic moieties was prepared, demonstrating the compatibility of the first approach with many functional groups. In particular, we demonstrate that organic functional molecules bearing only one derivatisation site can be used to produce bridged organosilanes and bridged silsesquioxanes. In the second approach, clickable PMOs and porous bridged silsesquioxanes were prepared from the alkyne- or azide-containing precursors, and thereafter, functionalised with complementary model azide- or alkyne-containing molecules. These results confirmed the potential of this approach as a general methodology for preparing functional organosilicas with high loadings of functional groups. Both approaches give rise to a wide range of new functional organosilica materials.

Preparations of spherical nanoparticles of chiral Cinchona alkaloid-based bridged silsesquioxanes and their use in heterogeneous catalysis of enantioselective reactions.

Two spherical nanoparticulate materials were prepared by base-catalyzed sol-gel hydrolysis/self-condensation of the bis-Cinchona alkaloid-phthalazine-based bridged bis(triethoxysilanes). For the purpose of comparing the catalytic properties, two compact materials were also prepared from the same precursors using a fluoride-catalyzed sol-gel process. All materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, solid-state 29Si NMR and 13C NMR, TGA, and FTIR. The prepared silsesquioxane-based materials were studied as potential heterogeneous catalysts for selected enantioselective reactions. The spherical material with regularly incorporated bis-quinine-phthalazine chiral units exhibited good to excellent enantioselectivities in osmium-catalyzed dihydroxylations of alkenes. Enantioselectivities observed in dihydroxylations of aromatic trans-alkenes were as excellent as those observed with the homogeneous catalyst (DHQ)2-PHAL. One compact and one nanoparticulate material was successfully recycled and reused five times without loss of enantioselectivity. Furthermore, both quinine-based and cinchonine-based materials were tested as heterogeneous organocatalysts for chlorolactonization of 4-arylpent-4-enoic acids. The materials showed only moderate enantioselectivities; however, these are the first heterogeneous catalysts for enantioselective chlorolactonization published so far.

Click approaches to functional water-sensitive organotriethoxysilanes.

The derivatization of functional organic fragments with triethoxysilyl groups to afford hydrolyzable organosilanes with targeted properties using the copper-catalyzed alkyne azide cycloaddition reaction under strictly anhydrous conditions is described according to two approaches, starting from five silylated substrates. This high yield, fast, and selective method is applicable to a wide range of substrates and is expected to lead to important achievements in the field of functional hybrid silica.

(1S,2S)-Cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-based Organosilane Fibres as a Powerful Tool Against Pathogenic Bacteria.

An urgent need to find an effective solution to bacterial resistance is pushing worldwide research for highly effective means against this threat. Newly prepared hybrid organosilane fibres consisting of a (1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine derivative, interconnected in the fibre network via covalent bonds, were fully characterised via different techniques, including FTIR, TGA-FTIR, SEM-EDS, and solid-state NMR. Fibrous samples were successfully tested against two types of pathogenic bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The obtained results, showing >99.9% inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in direct contact compared to the control, may help particularly in case of infections, where there is an urgent need to treat the infection in direct contact. From this point of view, the above-mentioned fibrous material may find application in wound healing. Moreover, this new material has a positive impact on fibroblasts viability.

New synthetic path to 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarbaldehyde and its use in the [3+3] cyclocondensation with trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane.

2,2'-Bipyridine-5,5'-dicarbaldehyde has been prepared in two steps by enamination of 5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine with Bredereck's reagent, and subsequent oxidative cleavage of the enamine groups with sodium periodate. On condensation of this dialdehyde with enantiomerically pure trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane, the macrocyclic [3+3] hexa Schiff base has been obtained in excellent yield. Its reduction has given large macrocyclic hexaamine having three bipyridine units incorporated into the macrocycle structure.

ISPD gene homozygous deletion identified by SNP array confirms prenatal manifestation of Walker-Warburg syndrome.

Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) is a rare form of autosomal recessive, congenital muscular dystrophy that is associated with brain and eye anomalies. Several genes encoding proteins involved in abnormal α-dystroglycan glycosylation have been implicated in the aetiology of WWS, most recently the ISPD gene. Typical WWS brain anomalies, such as cobblestone lissencephaly, hydrocephalus and cerebellar malformations, can be prenatally detected through routine ultrasound examinations. Here, we report two karyotypically normal foetuses with multiple brain anomalies that corresponded to WWS symptoms. Using a SNP-array examination on the amniotic fluid DNA, a homozygous microdeletion was identified at 7p21.2p21.1 within the ISPD gene. Published data and our findings led us to the conclusion that a homozygous segmental intragenic deletion of the ISPD gene causes the most severe phenotype of Walker-Warburg syndrome. Our results also clearly supports the use of chromosomal microarray analysis as a first-line diagnostic test in patients with a foetus with one or more major structural abnormalities identified on ultrasonographic examination.

Electronic circular dichroism of the chiral rigid tricyclic dilactam with nonplanar tertiary amide groups.

Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) of the spirocyclic dilactam 5,8-diazatricyclo[6,3,0,0(1,5)]undecane-4,9-dione has been measured in the extended wavelength range (170-260 nm) utilizing far-UV CD instrumentation including synchrotron radiation light source. The data of this model of two nonplanar tertiary amide groups interacting within the rigid chiral environment provided new information particularly about the shorter wavelength π-π* transition region below 190 nm. The interpretation using TDDFT calculations confirmed that effects of amide nonplanarity follow our previous observations on monolactams as far as amide n-π* transitions are concerned. ECD band in the n-π* transition region of the nonplanar diamide exhibits an identical bathochromic shift and its sign remains tied to the sense of nonplanar deformation in the same way. As far as n-π* transitions are concerned amide nonplanarity acts as a local phenomenon independently reflecting sum properties of single amide groups. On the other hand, CD bands associated with π-π* transitions (found between ∼170 to 210 nm) form an exciton-like couplet with the sign pattern determined by mutual orientation of the associated electric transition moments. This sign pattern follows predictions pertaining to a coupled oscillator. The influence of amide nonplanarity on π-π* transitions is only minor and concentrates into the shorter wavelength lobe of the π-π* couplet. The detailed analysis of experimental ECD with the aid of TDDFT calculations shows that there is only little interaction between effects of inherent chirality caused by nonplanarity of amide groups and amide-amide coupling. Consequently these two effects can be studied nearly independently using ECD. In addition, the calculations indicate that participation of other type of transitions (n-σ*, π-σ* or Rydberg type transitions) is only minor and is concentrated below 180 nm.

Nonplanar tertiary amides in rigid chiral tricyclic dilactams. Peptide group distortions and vibrational optical activity.

We investigate amide nonplanarity in vibrational optical activity (VOA) spectra of tricyclic spirodilactams 5,8-diazatricyclo[6,3,0,0(1,5)]undecan-4,9-dione (I) and its 6,6',7,7'-tetradeuterio derivative (II). These rigid molecules constrain amide groups to nonplanar geometries with twisted pyramidal arrangements of bonds to amide nitrogen atoms. We have collected a full range vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra including signals of C-H and C-D stretching vibrations. We report normal-mode analysis and a comparison of calculated to experimental VCD and ROA. The data provide band-to-band assignment and offer a possibility to evaluate roles of constrained nonplanar tertiary amide groups and rigid chiral skeletons. Nonplanarity shows as single-signed VCD and ROA amide I signals, prevailing the couplets expected to arise from the amide-amide interaction. Amide-amide coupling dominates amide II (mainly C'-N stretching, modified in tertiary amides by the absence of a N-H bond) transitions (strong couplet in VCD, no significant ROA) probably due to the close proximity of amide nitrogen atoms. At lower wavenumbers, ROA spectra exhibit another likely manifestation of amide nonplanarity, showing signals of amide V (δ(oop)(N-C) at ~570 cm(-1)) and amide VI (δ(oop)(C'═O) at ~700 cm(-1) and ~650 cm(-1)) vibrations.

Shape-complementarity in the recognition of tricarboxylic acids by a [3+3] polyazacyclophane receptor.

[structure: see text] The interaction of a macrocycle containing three trans-(1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane units connected by p-xylene spacers with the isomers 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic (1,3,5-BTC), 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic (1,2,4-BTC), and 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylic (1,2,3-BTC) acids and their relevant anions is studied by means of potentiometric and NMR analysis. The interaction is highest for the isomer 1,3,5-BTC, which perfectly fits within the macrocyclic cavity of the host species. The studies have been extended to the triacid 1,3,5-benzenetriacetic observing in this case the effect of a size mismatch between host and guest species.

Role of anions on the crystal structures of copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of a tunable butterfly cyclophane macrocycle.

Three crystal structures of a ditopic cyclophane ligand (L) in which two 1,5,8,12-tetraamine molecules have been attached through methylene spacers to the ortho positions of a benzene ring are reported. The first one (1) corresponds to the tetraprotonated free macrocycle (H4L4+) having two tetrachlorozincate(II) counteranions (C24H54O2N8Cl8Zn2, a = 9.1890(2) A, b = 14.0120(3) A, c = 15.3180(3) A, alpha = 89.2320(7) degrees , beta = 82.0740(6) degrees , gamma = 83.017(1) degrees , Z = 2.00, triclinic, P); the second one (2) is of a binuclear Cu2+ complex having coordinated chloride anions and perchlorate counteranions (C24H58O14N8Cl4Cu2 a = 9.9380(2) A, b = 30.2470(6) A, c = 53.143(1) A, orthorhombic, F2dd, Z = 18), and the third one (3) corresponds to an analogous Zn2+ complex that has been crystallized using triflate as counteranion (C26H(51.2)O(6.6)N8Cl2F6S2Zn2 a = 8.472(5) A, b = 9.310(5), c = 13.745(5) A, alpha = 84.262(5) degrees , beta = 77.490(5) degrees , gamma = 73.557(5) degrees , triclinic, P, Z = 2). The analysis of the crystallographic data clearly shows that the conformation of the macrocycle and, in consequence, the overall architecture of the crystals are controlled by the anions present in the moiety, pi-pi-stacking associations, and hydrogen bonding interactions. The protonation and stability constants for the formation of the Cu2+ and Zn2+ complexes in aqueous solution have been determined potentiometrically in 0.15 mol dm(-3) NaClO4 at 298.1 K. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding defines the protonation behavior of the compound. Positive cooperativity is observed in the formation of the Cu2+ complexes.