Anomeric Effect on Geminal and Vicinal JHH NMR Coupling Constants

Tigliane and rhamnofolane glycosides from Euphorbia wallichii prevent oxidative stress-induced neuronal death in PC-12 cells

Tigliane and rhamnofolane diterpenoids bearing glycosyl substituents are rarely found in nature. In the current study, seven new tigliane glycosides, euphorwallsides A - G (1-7), and five new rhamnofolane glycosides, euphorwallsides H - L (8-12), were isolated from the whole plants of Euphorbia wallichii. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic, computational, and chemical means. The aglycones of 1-5 represent a rare class of 13-deoxygenated tiglianes, while those of 8-12 represent the first examples of 4-deoxygenated rhamnofolanes. 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 12 showed significant neuroprotective effects on sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced neuronal death in pheochromocytoma cell line PC-12 at 10 μM, being more active than the clinical drug, edaravone. Mechanistic study revealed that the most active compound, 3, could inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and restore the mitochondrial membrane potential via modulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in PC-12 cells.

Theoretical calculations of carbon-hydrogen spin-spin coupling constants

Structural applications of theoretical calculations of carbon-hydrogen spin-spin coupling constants are reviewed covering papers published mainly during the last 10-15 years with a special emphasis on the most notable studies of hybridization, substitution and stereoelectronic effects together with the investigation of hydrogen bonding and intermolecular interactions. The wide scope of different applications of calculated carbon-hydrogen couplings in the structural elucidation of particular classes of organic and bioorganic molecules is reviewed, concentrating mainly on saturated, unsaturated, aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds and their functional derivatives, as well as on natural compounds and carbohydrates. The review is dedicated to Professor Emeritus Michael Barfield in view of his invaluable pioneering contribution to this field.

Rotational isomerism of some chloroacetamides: theoretical and experimental studies through calculations, infrared and NMR

The geometries involved in the conformational equilibria of 2,2-dichloro-N-cyclohexyl-N-methyl-acetamide (DCCMA) and 2-chloro-N,N-dicyclohexylacetamide (CDCA) were investigated. Theoretical calculations at the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory showed that gauche forms (ClCCO) are the most stable and the predominant conformers in isolated phase. Both compounds had the conformational behavior in solvents of different polarities estimated from theoretical calculations with the PCM (Polarizable Continuum Model), at the same level of theory, using infrared data from deconvolution of the carbonyl absorption bands and (13)C NMR spectra. Their IR spectra showed two carbonyl absorptions and that the conformer with the highest dipole moment had its population increased when the most polar solvents were used, in accordance with the theoretical calculation in solution. (1)JCH coupling constants were obtained from their NMR spectra, and revealed that there was population variation of conformers with solvent exchange. Experimental data (NMR and IR) as well as calculations including the solvent effects followed the same trend.

Thermal and solvent effects on NMR indirect spin-spin coupling constants of a prototypical Chagas disease drug

NMR J-couplings across hydrogen bonds reflect the static and dynamic character of hydrogen bonding. They are affected by thermal and solvent effects and can therefore be used to probe such effects. We have applied density functional theory (DFT) to compute the NMR (n)J(N,H) scalar couplings of a prototypical Chagas disease drug (metronidazole). The calculations were done for the molecule in vacuo, in microsolvated cluster models with one or few water molecules, in snapshots obtained from molecular dynamics simulations with explicit water solvent, and in a polarizable dielectric continuum. Hyperconjugative and electrostatic effects on spin-spin coupling constants were assessed through DFT calculations using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and atoms in molecules (AIM) theory. In the calculations with explicit solvent molecules, special attention was given to the nature of the hydrogen bonds formed with the solvent molecules. The results highlight the importance of properly incorporating thermal and solvent effects into NMR calculations in the condensed phase.

Difference between ²JC2H3 and ²JC3H2 spin-spin couplings in heterocyclic five- and six-membered rings as a probe for studying σ-ring currents: a quantum chemical analysis

Adequate analyses of canonical molecular orbitals (CMOs) can provide rather detailed information on the importance of different σ-Fermi contact (FC) coupling pathways (FC term transmitted through the σ-skeleton). Knowledge of the spatial distribution of CMOs is obtained by expanding them in terms of natural bond orbitals (NBOs). Their relative importance for transmitting the σ-FC contribution to a given spin-spin coupling constants (SSCCs) is estimated by resorting to the expression of the FC term given by the polarisation propagator formalism. In this way, it is possible to classify the effects affecting such couplings in two different ways: delocalisation interactions taking place in the neighbourhood of the coupling nuclei and 'round the ring' effects. The latter, associated with σ-ring currents, are observed to yield significant differences between the FC terms of (2)J(C2H3) and (2)J(C3H2) SSCCs which, consequently, are taken as probes to gauge the differences in σ-ring currents for the five-membered rings (furan, thiophene, selenophene and pyrrol) and also for the six-membered rings (benzene, pyridine, protonated pyridine and N-oxide pyridine) used in the present study.

Optimal transfer of spin-order between a singlet nuclear pair and a heteronucleus

Intramolecular spin-order transfer is a useful technique for signal enhancement of insensitive and low-concentration molecular species. We present a closed-form, optimized pulse sequence which maximizes the efficiency of transfer between a singlet (para) nuclear pair and a vicinal heteronucleus. Neglecting the decay of coherences while the nuclei are in the transverse plane, the scheme is unity efficient for all combinations of internuclear scalar couplings. Efficiency loss due to T2-like decay is also minimized by keeping the sequence as short as possible. We expect this result to be useful for hyperpolarization experiments in which the spin-order originates in parahydrogen, as well as studies of singlet state decay aimed at longer-term storage of spin-order in hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Stereochemical dependence of NMR geminal spin-spin coupling constants

In this work it was sought to explore the versatility of geminal spin-spin coupling constants, (2)J(XY) SSCCs, as probes for stereochemical studies. A set of compounds, where their experimental (2)J(XY) SSCCs through the X-C-Y molecular fragment are predicted to be sensitive to hyperconjugative interactions involving either bonding or antibonding orbitals containing the C carbon atom ('coupling pathway'), were analyzed. SSCC calculations were performed for some selected examples using the second order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) method or within the DFT-B3LYP framework. Hyperconjugative interactions were calculated within the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) approach. Results are condensed in two qualitative rules: Rule I(M)-hyperconjugative interactions transferring charge into the coupling pathway yield a positive increase to the Fermi contact (FC), contribution to (2)K(XY) reduced spin-spin coupling constants (RSSCC), and Rule II(M)-hyperconjugative interactions transferring charge from the coupling pathway yield a negative increase to the FC contribution to (2)K(XY) RSSCC.

On the unusual 2J(C2-H(f)) coupling dependence on syn/anti CHO conformation in 5-X-furan-2-carboxaldehydes

A remarkable difference for (2)J(C(2)-H(f)) coupling constant in syn and anti conformers of 5-X-furan-2-carboxaldehydes (X = CH(3), Ph, NO(2), Br) and a rationalization of this difference are reported. On the basis of the current knowledge of the Fermi-contact term transmission, a rather unusual dual-coupling pathway in the syn conformer is presented. The additional coupling pathway resembles somewhat that of the J(H-H) in homoallylic couplings, which are transmitted by hyperconjugative interactions involving the pi(C=C) electronic system. The homoallylic coupling pathway can be labeled as sigma*(C-H) <-- pi(C=C) --> sigma*(C-H). In the present case, this additional coupling pathway, using an analogous notation, can be labeled as sigma*(C(2)-C(C)) <-- LP(1)(O(1))...LP(2)(O(C)) --> sigma*(C(C)-H(f)) (sigma*(C(2)-C(C))) where O(1) and O(C) stand for the ring and carbonyl O atoms, respectively. This additional coupling pathway is not activated in the anti conformers since both oxygen lone pairs do not overlap.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of NMR 2JHH coupling constant on six-membered ring systems containing oxygen or sulfur atoms

Theoretical and experimental 2JHH coupling constants for six-membered rings containing oxygen or sulfur atoms were studied to investigate whether the 2JHH coupling constant can be used for stereoelectronic studies in heterocyclohexanes, instead of 1JCH, because it is well known that experimental measurements of 2JHH coupling constants at low temperature are much easier to determine than the corresponding 1JCH couplings. For all compounds studied here, the 2JHH coupling constants are affected by sigma*C-H antibonding occupancy together with bond angle effects. For cyclohexane and oxygen-containing compounds, the influence on the geminal coupling for Hax-C2-Heq and for X1-C2-X3 (X=O and C), bond angles are more pronounced than for the sulfur derivatives.

Substituent-dependent anomeric effects as a source of conformational preference in pyridinium methylides

A systematic density functional theory level investigation of differently substituted pyridinium methylides was carried out to determine the role of C(ylidic) lone-pair-associated hyperconjugative and negative hyperconjugative interactions in deciding conformational preferences. Deviation from the coplanar orientation of the carbanionic center with the pyridine ring and its substituent dependence has been found to correlate well with the relative opportunities for conjugative and negative hyperconjugative interactions of a ylidic moiety with different substituent groups present at the ylidic carbon. The contribution of individual n-->pi* conjugative, n-->sigma* negative hyperconjugative, and sigma-->pi* hyperconjugative interactions in a particular conformation of pyridinium dichlorophosphinomethylides was assessed from donor-acceptor stabilization energies, as obtained from natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The relative extent of conjugative and negative hyperconjugative interactions with the substituents present at the ylidic carbon plays an important role in permitting the delocalization of ylidic charge into the pyridine ring, thereby controlling the relative orientation of the latter with the carbanionic plane.

Orbital Interactions and Their Effects on 13C NMR Chemical Shifts for 4,6-Disubstituted-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxanes. A Theoretical Study

A theoretical study is employed to describe the orbital interactions involved in the conformers' stability, the energies for the stereoelectronic interactions, and the corresponding effects of these interactions on the molecular structure (bond lengths) for cis- and trans-4,6-disubstituted-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxanes. For cis-4,6-disubstituted-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxanes, two LPO --> sigma*C(2)-Me(8) interactions are extremely important and the energies involved in these interactions are in the range 6.81-7.58 kcal mol(-1) for the LP(O)(1) --> sigma*C(2)-Me(8) and 7.58-7.71 kcal mol(-1) for the LP(O)(3) --> sigma*C(2)-Me(8) interaction. These two LP(O) --> sigma*C(2)-Me(8) interactions cause an upfield shift, indicating an increased shielding (increased electron density) of the ketal carbon C(2) as well as the axial Me(8) group in the chair conformation. These LP(O) --> sigma*C(2)-Me(8) hyperconjugative anomeric type interactions can explain the 13C NMR chemical shifts at 19 ppm for the axial methyl group "Me(8)" and 98.5 ppm for the ketal carbon "C(2)". The observed results for the trans derivatives showed that for compounds 2a-c (R = -CN, -C[triple bond]CH, and -CHO, respectively) the chair conformation is predominant, whereas for 2d,f-h [-CH3, -Ph, -C6H4(p-NO2), -C6H4(p-OCH3), respectively] the twist-boat is the most stable compound and for 2e [-C(CH3)3] is the only form.