Unusual Chemoselective RhII-Catalysed Transformations of α-Diazocarbonyl Piperidine Cores

Triple Thorpe-Ingold Effect in the Synthesis of 18-Membered C3 Symmetric Lactams Stacking as Endless Supramolecular Tubes

Three C₃ symmetric macrolactams were very efficiently cyclized from their linear precursors. Adequately located substituents are responsible for the enhancement of reactivity that is not observed in the unsubstituted parent. DFT calculations show that the properly folded cyclization precursor, the reactive conformer, is more populated than other conformers, leading to a decrease of free energy of activation. The crystal structure of the ring substituted with three very bulky esters indicates that tubular stacking is preserved.

Buchner Reaction/Azirine Modification Approach Toward Cycloheptatriene Containing Nitrogen Heterocyclic Scaffolds

The reaction conditions for the Buchner reaction of 2-(diazoacetyl)-2H-azirines with benzene leading to 2-(cyclohepta-2,4,6-trien-1-yl)-2H-azirines have been found. The azirine fragment of these compounds was subsequently used to prepare 5-(cyclohepta-2,4,6-trien-1-yl)isoxazoles and α-(cyclohepta-2,4,6-triene-1-ylcarbonyl)-1H-pyrroles. NMR and DFT calculations showed that the cycloheptatriene-norcaradiene valence isomerization in the corresponding moieties of synthesized azirines, isoxazoles, and pyrroles is very fast at room temperature. Cycloheptatriene valence isomer predominates in azirines and pyrroles, while 5-(cycloheptatrienyl)isoxazoles exist in a pure cycloheptatriene form at 25 °C in chloroform solution. In accordance with the X-ray analysis, two of the synthesized pyrroles crystallized as norcaradiene isomers from a solution of equilibrium mixture of valence isomers. Reductive isoxazole ring opening using the Mo(CO)₆/H₂O reductive system afforded (Z)-3-amino-3-aryl-1-(cyclohepta-2,4,6-trien-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-ones, which are pure cycloheptatriene isomers. α-(Cycloheptatrieneylcarbonyl)-1H-pyrroles were transformed into the α-(benzylcarbonyl)-1H-pyrroles under cooperative TFA/Rh₂(TFA)₄ catalysis.

New sp3 diphosphine-based rhodium catalysts for the asymmetric conjugate addition of aryl boronic acids to 3-azaarylpropenones

The new diphosphine (R,R)-EPHOS featuring a stereogenic sp3 carbon combined with a C2 axial chirality was applied to the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4 addition of aryl boronic acids to 3-azaarylpropenones, affording the product with e.e. up to 94%.

Tandem Tetrahydroisoquinoline-4-carboxylic Acid/β-Alanine as a New Construct Able To Induce a Flexible Turn

Tetrahydroisoquinoline-4-carboxylic acid, a constrained β² -amino acid named β-TIC, was synthesised for the first time in enantiopure form. The biocatalytic route applied herein represents one of the few successful examples of enzymatic resolution of β² -amino acids. Model tetrapeptides, namely, Fmoc-l-Ala-β-TIC-β-Ala-l-Val-OBn (Fmoc=fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl, Bn=benzyl), containing both isomers of β-TIC, were prepared. Both computational and NMR spectroscopy studies were performed. A reverse-turn conformation was observed in the case of (R)-β-TIC enantiomer that was obtained in 99 % enantiomeric excess by enzymatic resolution. The β-TIC/β-Ala construct represents the first example of a flexible turn mimetic containing a cyclic and an acyclic β-amino acid. Furthermore, the presence of an aromatic ring of β-TIC could facilitate non-covalent interactions to increase the potential of this scaffold for the preparation of protein-protein interaction modulators.