Transition-Metal-Free Radical Relay Cascade Annulation of Amides: Access to Antitumor Active Benzo[b]azepine and Oxindole Derivatives.

Efficient metal-free synthesis of benzo[b]azepines and oxindoles is achieved via a radical relay cascade strategy employing halogen atom transfer (XAT) for aryl radical generation followed by intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). Optimization yielded moderate to substantial yields under visible light irradiation. Preliminary biological assessments revealed promising anti-tumor activity for select compounds. This study underscores the potential of XAT-mediated radical relay cascades in medicinal chemistry and anticancer drug discovery.

Visible-Light-Driven Synthesis of N-Alkyl α-Amino Acid Derivatives from Unactivated Alkyl Bromides and In Situ Generated Imines.

One-pot, multicomponent reactions are known for their green and efficient nature. We report a novel three-component reaction of alkyl amines, alkyl glyoxylates, and unactivated alkyl bromides under visible-light-induced palladium catalysis, yielding N-alkyl unnatural α-amino acid derivatives. This method offers mild conditions, broad substrate scope, and excellent functional group tolerance without requiring stoichiometric organometallic reagents. The approach has promising applications in protein engineering and drug discovery.

Photoinduced copper catalyzed nitrogen-to-alkyl radical relay Sonogashira-type coupling of o-alkylbenzamides with alkynes.

This report describes a copper-catalyzed, photoinduced N-to-alkyl radical relay Sonogashira-type reactions at benzylic sites in o-alkylbenzamides with alkynes. The process employs an N-to-alkyl radical mechanism, initiated through the copper-catalyzed reductive generation of nitrogen radicals. Radical translocation is facilitated by a 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT), leading to the formation of translocated carbon radicals. These radicals are then subjected to copper-catalyzed alkynylation. The methodology exhibits broad sub-strate scope and applicability to the synthesis of complex natural products.

The influence of ionic strength on the characteristics of heat-induced soy protein aggregate nanoparticles and the freeze-thaw stability of the resultant Pickering emulsions.

The improvement of the freeze-thaw stability of emulsions by interfacial engineering has attracted increasing attention in recent years. The present work investigated the potential of using soy protein isolate (SPI) aggregate nanoparticles as the Pickering stabilizers to improve the freeze-thaw stability of the resultant emulsions. SPI nanoparticles with different particle sizes and surface properties were fabricated through heating the SPI solutions (at a constant protein concentration of 2%, w/v) at 95 °C for 15 min, by varying the ionic strength (I) in the range of 0-500 mM. The nanoparticles fabricated at I values of 100-500 mM exhibited larger particle sizes and higher surface hydrophobicity, but poorer emulsification efficiency than those at I = 0.05 mM. The presence of NaCl during the nanoparticle fabrication resulted in the formation of a kind of gel-like emulsion with a high extent of droplet flocculation. The emulsion stabilized by SPI nanoparticles at I = 0.05 mM was highly susceptible to coalescence, flocculation and creaming upon freeze-thaw treatment, while those in the presence of NaCl exhibited excellent freeze-thaw stability. The much better freeze-thaw stability of the emulsions in the presence of NaCl (relative to that at I = 0.05 mM) was largely attributed to the gel-like network formation, rather than the salt itself. The results indicated that a kind of Pickering emulsion with excellent freeze-thaw stability, stabilized by heat-induced SPI nanoparticles, could be fabricated by heating the SPI solutions at I values of 100-500 mM. The findings would be of great relevance for providing important information about the development of food grade Pickering emulsions stabilized by protein-based particles, with potential applications in frozen food, or functional food formulations.