Photochemistry of 2-nitrobenzylidene acetals

Computational Study on the Mechanism of the Photouncaging Reaction of Vemurafenib: Toward an Enhanced Photoprotection Approach for Photosensitive Drugs

The photochemical behavior of the photosensitive first-line anticancer drug vemurafenib (VFB) is of great interest due to the impact of such behavior on its pharmacological activity. In this work, we computationally elucidated the mechanism of the photoinduced release of VFB from the 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzene (DMNB) photoprotecting group by employing various density functional theory (DFT)/time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) approaches. The computational investigations included a comparative assessment of the influence of the position of the photoprotecting group as a substituent on the thermodynamics and kinetics of the photouncaging reactions of two VFB-DMNB prodrugs, namely pyrrole (N_P) and sulfonamide (N_S). With the aid of the DFT calculations concerning the activation energy barrier (∆G^‡), the obtained results suggest that the step of the photoinduced intramolecular proton transfer of the DMNB moiety is not detrimental concerning the overall reaction profile of the photouncaging reaction of both prodrugs. However, the obtained results suggested that the position of the substitution position of the DMNB photoprotecting group within the prodrug structure has a substantial impact on the photouncaging reaction. In particular, the DMNB-N_s-VFB prodrug exhibited a notable increase in ∆G^‡ for the key step of ring opining within the DMNB moiety indicative of potentially hindered kinetics of the photouncaging process compared with DMNB-N_p-VFB. Such an increase in ∆G^‡ may be attributed to the electronic influence of the N_P fragment of the prodrug. The results reported herein elaborate on the mechanism of the photoinduced release of an important anticancer drug from photoprotecting groups with the aim of enhancing our understanding of the photochemical behavior of such photosensitive pharmaceutical materials at the molecular level.

Does the photoredox reaction affect the photorelease of anthraquinone protected benzaldehyde? A time-resolved spectroscopic study

Time-resolved spectroscopy studies coupled with the results from density functional theory (DFT) computations were utilized to unravel the photodeprotection reaction mechanism of Aqe-diol-PPG and the photoredox of photoproduct Aqe-diol.

Tailored photocleavable peptides: fragmentation and neutralization pathways in high vacuum

Photocleavable tags (PCTs) have the potential for excellent spatio-temporal control over the release of subunits of complex molecules. Here, we show that electrosprayed oligopeptides, functionalized by a tailored ortho-nitroarylether can undergo site-specific photo-activated cleavage under UV irradiation (266 nm) in high vacuum. The comparison of UV photodissociation (UVPD) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) points to the thermal nature of the cleavage mechanism, a picture corroborated by the temperature dependence of the process. Two competing photodissociation pathways can be identified. In one case a phenolate anion is separated from a neutral zwitterion. In the other case a neutral phenol derivative leaves a negatively charged peptide behind. To understand the factors favoring one channel over the other, we investigate the influence of the peptide length, the nature of the phenolic group and the position of the nitro-group (ortho vs. para). The observed gas phase cleavage of a para-nitro benzylic ether markedly differs from the established behavior in solution.

From organocatalysed desilylations to high-yielding benzylidenations of electron-deficient benzaldehydes

A new type of organoprecatalyst (MeSCH2Cl/KI) for desilylation and benzylidenation reactions has been designed. Both reactions are user friendly and high yielding (71–>99%) and have fast reaction rates. The desilylation of iodo silyl ethers was achieved with no sequential etherification side reactions like those seen for reactions when using TBAF. In the application of the catalytic system to a 6-TBDMS ether of a glucoside, glucoside benzylidenations using electron-deficient benzaldehydes were achieved in 87% yield compared with the previously reported yields of 69–77%. Altogether, 14 benzylidenation reactions were realised using silyloxy alcohols and electron-deficient benzaldehydes instead of their activated acetal forms. In terms of reaction rates and yields, the order of the benzylidenations is p-fluorobenzaldehyde > benzaldehyde > p-anisaldehyde, and a possible mechanism is discussed. These experiments have preliminarily differentiated this cost-effective catalytic system from the classic Lewis acids.