Aminoalkoxide-mediated formation and stabilization of phenylpyridyllithium: straightforward access to phenylpyridine derivatives

Pyridylamido hafnium complexes with a silylene bridge: synthesis and olefin polymerization

Pyridylamido hafnium complexes with a silylene bridge were synthesized, characterized with X-ray crystal structure analysis and shown to polymerize 1-hexene and propene and copolymerize ethylene and 1-octene.

Highly Selective Tau-SPECT Imaging Probes for Detection of Neurofibrillary Tangles in Alzheimer's Disease

Neurofibrillary tangles composed of aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins are one of the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in addition to the deposition of β-amyloid plaques. Since the deposition of tau aggregates is closely associated with the severity of AD, the in vivo detection of tau aggregates may be useful as a biomarker for the diagnosis and progression of AD. In this study, we designed and synthesized a new series of radioiodinated benzoimidazopyridine (BIP) derivatives, and evaluated their utility as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging agents targeting tau aggregates in AD brains. Five radioiodinated BIP derivatives were successfully prepared in high radiochemical yields and purities. In in vitro autoradiographic studies using postmortem AD brains, all BIP derivatives displayed high accumulation of radioactivity in the brain sections with abundant neurofibrillary tangles, while no marked radioactivity accumulation was observed in the brain sections with only β-amyloid aggregates, indicating that the BIP derivatives exhibited selective binding to tau aggregates. Biodistribution studies in normal mice showed high brain uptake at 2 min postinjection (3.5-4.7% ID/g) and rapid clearance at 60 min postinjection (0.04-0.23% ID/g), which is highly desirable for tau imaging agents. The results of the present study suggest that [¹²³I]BIP derivatives may be useful SPECT agents for the in vivo imaging of tau aggregates in AD.

Synthesis of a 7-azaindole by chichibabin cyclization: reversible base-mediated dimerization of 3-picolines

The lithium diisopropylamide (LDA)-mediated condensation of 2-fluoro-3-picoline and benzonitrile to form 2-phenyl-7-azaindole via a Chichibabin cyclization is described. Facile dimerization of the picoline via a 1,4-addition of the incipient benzyllithium to the picoline starting material and fast 1,2-addition of LDA to benzonitrile cause the reaction to be complex. Both adducts are shown to reenter the reaction coordinate to produce the desired 7-azaindole. The solution structures of the key intermediates and the underlying reaction mechanisms are studied by a combination of IR and NMR spectroscopies.

Synthesis and characterization of intramolecularly coordinated alanes with new sterically demanding trisyl-based ligands

Five new intramolecularly coordinated aluminum species, whose molecular structures have been elucidated in solution by NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by single crystal X-ray analysis, are described. All species are equipped with a trisyl-based ligand with a pyridyl donor group [Pytsi stands for -C(SiMe3)2SiMe2(2-C5H4N)]. While the compound (Pytsi)AlMeCl was accessible either from Li(THF)(Pytsi) and MeAlCl2 or from (Pytsi)AlCl2 and LiMe, the tert-butyl derivative (Pytsi)AltBuCl could only be obtained from Li(THF)(Pytsi) and tBuAlCl2. Attempted synthesis of (Pytsi)AltBuCl from (Pytsi)AlCl2 and LitBu or from (Pytsi)AlCl2 and tBuMgCl failed. Three other compounds (3-5) were synthesized and can be described as derivatives of (Pytsi)AlMe2 with additional groups in the ortho position of the pyridyl group. Compound 3 carried a Me group in the ortho position, while compounds 4 and 5 were equipped with Ph and 2,6-diisopropylphenyl moieties, respectively.Key words: aluminum, trisyl ligands, methyl alanes.