Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling of Bromotryptophan Derivatives at Ambient Temperature

Mild reaction conditions are highly desirable for bio‐orthogonal side chain derivatizations of amino acids, peptides or proteins due to the sensitivity of these substrates. Transition metal catalysed cross‐couplings such as Suzuki–Miyaura reactions are highly versatile, but usually require unfavourable reaction conditions, in particular, when applied with aryl bromides. Ligand‐free solvent‐stabilised Pd‐nanoparticles represent an efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional phosphine‐based catalysts, because the cross‐coupling can be performed at considerably lower temperature. We report on the application of such a highly reactive heterogeneous catalyst for the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling of brominated tryptophan derivatives. The solvent‐stabilised Pd‐nanoparticles are even more efficient than the literature‐known ADHP‐Pd precatalyst. Interestingly, the latter also leads to the formation of quasi‐homogeneous Pd‐nanoparticles as the catalytic species. One advantage of our approach is the compatibility with aqueous and aerobic conditions at near‐ambient temperatures and short reaction times of only 2 h. The influence of different N^α‐protecting groups, boronic acids as well as the impact of different amino acid side chains in bromotryptophan‐containing peptides has been studied. Notably, a surprising acceleration of the catalysis was observed when palladium‐coordinating side chains were present in proximal positions.

Distinct Palladium(II) Carbene Complexes Supported by Six-Membered 1,3-Disubstituted Permidin-2-ylidene, Six-Membered N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

The first synthesis, isolation, and characterization of permidin-2-ylidene complexes of Pd(II) is reported with entry resulting from either a direct reaction with isolable six-membered N-heterocyclic carbene or from the enetetramine, arising from dimerization of the carbene. Furthermore, a simplified method to prepare N,N'-disubstituted perimidinium bromide salts, precursors to 1,3-disubstituted perimidin-2-ylidene, was achieved using ammonium bromide as a source of weak acid. Through synthesis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis of a carbene-phosphinidine adduct, an interrogation of the fundamental π-bonding ability of 1,3-diisopropylperimidin-2-ylidene revealed this interaction to be weak and of a similar order to unsaturated imidazol-2-ylidenes.

(15)N NMR Spectroscopy, X-ray and Neutron Diffraction, Quantum-Chemical Calculations, and UV/vis-Spectrophotometric Titrations as Complementary Techniques for the Analysis of Pyridine-Supported Bicyclic Guanidine Superbases

Pyridine substituted with one and two bicyclic guanidine groups has been studied as a potential source of superbases. 2-{hpp}C5H4N (I) and 2,6-{hpp}2C5H3N (II) (hppH = 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine) were protonated using [HNEt3][BPh4] to afford [I-H][BPh4] (1a), [II-H][BPh4] (2), and [II-H2][BPh4]2 (3). Solution-state (1)H and (15)N NMR spectroscopy shows a symmetrical cation in 2, indicating a facile proton-exchange process in solution. Solid-state (15)N NMR data differentiates between the two groups, indicating a mixed guanidine/guanidinium. X-ray diffraction data are consistent with protonation at the imine nitrogen, confirmed for 1a by single-crystal neutron diffraction. The crystal structure of 1a shows association of two [I-H](+) cations within a cage of [BPh4](-) anions. Computational analysis performed in the gas phase and in MeCN solution shows that the free energy barrier to transfer a proton between imino centers in [II-H](+) is 1 order of magnitude lower in MeCN than in the gas phase. The results provide evidence that linking hpp groups with the pyridyl group stabilizes the protonation center, thereby increasing the intrinsic basicity in the gas phase, while the bulk prevents efficient cation solvation, resulting in diminished pKa(MeCN) values. Spectrophotometrically measured pKa values are in excellent agreement with calculated values and confirm that I and II are superbases in solution.

Bidentate cycloimidate palladium complexes with aliphatic and aromatic anagostic bonds

Palladium(II) complexes of bidentate cycloimidate ligand systems with a triarylmethyl moiety exhibit exceptional downfield shifts in proton NMR spectra due to rare anagostic interactions.

Blue-green emissive cationic iridium(iii) complexes using partially saturated strongly-donating guanidyl-pyridine/-pyrazine ancillary ligands

A new class of cationic iridium(iii) complexes of the form [(C^∧N)₂Ir(N^∧N)][PF₆] is reported, where C^∧N = cyclometallating 2-phenylpyridinato, ppy, or 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-5′-methylpyridinato, dFMeppy, and N^∧N = guanidyl-pyridine, gpy, or -pyrazine, gpz, as the ancillary ligand.