Chiral Ruthenium Complexes Research Articles

Enantioselective Cyanosilylation of Alkynyl Ketones Catalyzed by Combined Systems Consisting of Chiral Ruthenium(II) Complex and Lithium Phenoxide

AbstractAsymmetric cyanosilylation of alkynyl ketones with the catalyst systems consisting of amino acid/2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (BINAP)/ruthenium(II) complex and lithium phenoxide (Ru⋅Li cat.) was studied. The reaction was conducted in tert‐butyl methyl ether (TBME) at −78 °C with a substrate‐to‐catalyst molar ratio (S/C) as high as 2000. A series of simple and functionalized ketones was converted into the alkynyl tertiary cyanohydrin derivatives in up to 99% ee. Appropriate selection of an amino‐acid ligand of the catalyst according to the substrate structure was crucially important to achieve high enantioselectivity and a wide scope of substrates. Transformation of the chiral cyanohydrin product into a functionalized lactone was also examined.magnified image

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Carbocyclic Aromatic Amines: Access to Chiral Exocyclic Amines.

The first highly enantioselective hydrogenation of carbocyclic aromatic amines has been successfully realized using in situ-generated chiral ruthenium complex as catalyst, affording facile access to chiral exocyclic amines with up to 98% ee.

Chiral ruthenium(ii) complex as potent radiosensitizer of 125I through DNA-damage-mediated apoptosis.

A chiral ruthenium(ii) complex, Λ-[Ru(bpy)2(o-tFMPIP)] (ClO4)2 (o-tFMPIP = 2′-trifluoromethylphenyl) imidazo [4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline, was prepared and evaluated for its enhancement of the radiosensitivity of 125I seeds. The synthetic Ru(ii) complex, LR042, effectively enhanced growth inhibition against HepG2 human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cells induced by 125I seeds and consequently effectively promoted the apoptosis of tumor cells with increasing level of cleave-caspase-3. Furthermore, the results of immunofluorescence indicated that LR042 enhanced the phosphorylation of H2AX by 125I seeds vigorously in response to damaged DNA. LR042 improved DNA damage induced by 125I seeds, which resulted in apoptosis through the activation of the p53/AKT signal. In conclusion, synthetic LR042 can be further developed as a potential radiosensitizer of 125I seed radiotherapy for cancer therapy.

Interfering with DNA High‐Order Structures using Chiral Ruthenium(II) Complexes

In this work, it was found that DNA can undergo B-Z transformational changes and compaction in the presence of DNA intercalators such as ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes. The link between B-Z transition and condensation is weak but can be strengthened under certain circumstances with slight alterations to the structures of the ruthenium(II) complexes. Here, following on from previous research, this work reports a series of ruthenium(II) complexes with imidazophenanthroline ligands, which vary in size and planarity. The complexes exhibit distinct effects on DNA structures, ranging from little impact to the transformation of DNA secondary structures to the formation of higher-order DNA structures. Further studies on DNA morphological changes induced by chiral ruthenium(II) complexes are observed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Binding Differences of Two Homochiral [Ru(bpy)2dppz]2+ Complexes with poly(U)·poly(A)*poly(U) Triplex RNA

The first investigation of chiral ruthenium(II) complexes Δ- and Λ-[Ru(bpy)2dppz]2+ and triplex RNA poly(U)·poly(A)*poly(U) was carried out, which showed that Δ enantiomer displayed significant ability in stabilizing model triplex RNA.

Improvement of molecular dynamics simulation method applied to nematics doped with racemic metal complexes

ABSTRACTIn order to carry out MD simulations for the racemic system consisting of two different enantiomers of a chiral ruthenium complex and nematic liquid crystal molecules accurately, we here proposed modified force field parameters for the chiral dopant. The validity of the modified parameter was confirmed by performing MD simulations for pure ruthenium complex system at crystalline state. MD simulations for the racemic system of Δ- and Λ-isomers of the chiral dopant molecule and nematic solvent molecules led to the accurate and precise determination of the helical twisting power of the chiral dopant.

Chiral Ruthenium(II) Complexes as Supramolecular Building Blocks for Heterometallic Self-Assembly.

A series of enantiopure ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes are reported that feature pendant pyridyl groups suitable for building larger self-assembled structures. The complexes are characterized in detail in solution using NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and photophysical methods and in the solid state using single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The complexes are luminescent, displaying long excited-state lifetimes that are quenched when the pendant pyridyl groups are protonated. Reaction with cadmium(II) ions results in the formation of a mixed-metal one-dimensional coordination polymer, which was characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.

Synthesis of Chiral Cyclopropyl Carbocyclic Purine Nucleosides via Asymmetric Intramolecular Cyclopropanations Catalyzed by a Chiral Ruthenium(II) Complex

AbstractThe synthesis of chiral cyclopropyl carbocyclic purine nucleoside analogues via the highly enantioselective intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions has been reported. With a chiral ruthenium(II)‐phenyloxazoline complex as the catalyst, cyclopropyl carbocyclic purine nucleoside analogues containing three contiguous stereocenters were obtained with up to 99% yield and 99% ee. Furthermore, a chiral cyclopropyl carbocyclic adenosine nucleoside having anti‐BLV activity could be synthesized in a concise manner using this strategy.magnified image

Investigation of antitumor mechanism of the chiral ruthenium complex Λ-[Ru(phen)2p-MOPIP]2 + in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells

There has been a vast increase in telomerase inhibition research over the past several years, which was demonstrated as an attractive anti-tumor strategy. Our previous study found that the chiral ruthenium complex, [Ru(phen)2p-MOPIP]2+ (Phen=1,10-phenanthroline, p-MOPIP=2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-imidazo[4,5f] Markman (2003), Janaratne et al. (2007) phenanthroline) (dl-OMe) and its enantiomer Δ/Λ-[Ru(phen)2p-MOPIP]2+ (Δ/Λ-OMe) could bind to and stabilize G-quadruplex DNA structure in telomeres, and inhibit telomerase activity. In this study, cytotoxic activity of these Ru complexes was studied by MTT assay. The anti-tumor mechanisms of Λ-OMe were investigated using TRAP assay, Western blot analysis, flow cytometry, Hochest staining, and RT-PCR. Results showed that among several Ru complexes, Λ-OMe demonstrated a better anti-tumor activity against gastric cancer cell line (MGC-803), and had less effect on normal gastric epithelial cell. Λ-OMe effectively inhibited the cell growth by inhibiting cellular telomerase activity, triggering cell cycle arrest, and inducing apoptosis of MGC-803 cells. The inhibitory effect on telomerase activity was associated with the altered expression of telomere-related proteins TRF1 and TRF2. Cell-cycle arrest was associated with increased levels of P21 mRNA. Apoptosis of MGC-803 cell was triggered by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. Overall, the results suggest that Λ-OMe may be a new promising agent for human gastric cancer therapy.

Imaging Nuclei of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells by Chiral Ruthenium(II) Complex Coordinated by 2-(4-Phenyacetylenephenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5f][1,10]phenanthroline.

A pair of chiral ruthenium(II) complexes, Λ- and Δ-[Ru(bpy)2(p-BEPIP)](ClO4)2 [Λ- and Δ-RM0627; bpy = 2,2-bipyridine; p-BEPIP = 2-(4-phenyacetylenephenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5f][1,10]phenanthroline], were prepared using the Sonogashira coupling reaction under microwave irradiation. The study shows that Λ-RM0627 emitted strong phosphorescence in the range 500-700 nm with a maximum at 594 nm when excited at 365 nm (the Stokes shift is about 227 nm), which was mainly located in the cell nucleus with red phosphorescence. Further studies using real-time phosphorescence observation confirmed that Λ-RM0627 can be taken up quickly by MDA-MB-231 cells and enriched in the nucleus. The in vitro and in vivo toxicities of Λ-RM0627 were also evaluated, and it was found that Λ-RM0627 slightly inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and HaCaT normal human epidermal cells and had little influence on the development of Zebrafish embryos at low concentration. In conclusion, the levoisomer of chiral ruthenium complexes can act as a potential phosphorescent probe that targets nuclei of living cells with low toxicity.

Ruthenium-BINAP Catalyzed Alcohol C-H tert-Prenylation via 1,3-Enyne Transfer Hydrogenation: Beyond Stoichiometric Carbanions in Enantioselective Carbonyl Propargylation.

The chiral ruthenium complex formed in situ from (TFA)2Ru(CO)(PPh3)2 and (R)-BINAP is found to catalyze the enantioselective C-C coupling of diverse primary alcohols with the 1,3-enyne, TMSC≡CC(Me)═CH2, to form secondary homopropargyl alcohols bearing gem-dimethyl groups. All reagents for this byproduct-free coupling are inexpensive and commercially available, making this protocol a practical alternative to stoichiometric carbanions in enantioselective carbonyl reverse prenylation.

Asymmetric Three-Component Coupling Reaction of Alkyne, Enone, and Aldehyde Catalyzed by Chiral Phebox Ruthenium Catalysts.

Catalytic asymmetric three-component coupling reactions of terminal alkynes, α,β-unsaturated ketones, and aldehydes were studied. The chiral ruthenium complexes containing bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl ligands were found to serve as efficient catalysts for a tandem reaction based on conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to α,β-unsaturated ketones and subsequent aldol reaction with aldehydes, giving β-hydroxyketone derivatives containing α-propargyl groups in high yields with moderate to good enantioselectivities. This method can produce various functional molecules from commercially available substrates in a one-pot procedure. The absolute configuration of the major product was determined by X-ray analysis. The control experiments suggested that a ruthenium enolate species generated in situ by conjugate addition could be involved as an intermediate for the aldol coupling with an aldehyde.

Helical silica immobilizing ruthenium complexes for highly asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

A new series of helical silica were synthesized by doping of l-sodium hydrogen glutamate in a sol–gel procedure. Characterizations revealed doping of l-sodium hydrogen glutamate improved porosity, morphology, hydrolysis resistance and internal chirality of silica matrix. Meanwhile, chiral ruthenium complexes were synthesized and immobilized into helical silica in order to catalyze asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aryl aldehydes. Catalysis revealed chiral induction synergy of multiple chiral centers on one ruthenium complex was existent. Ruthenium complexes immobilized over the glutamate-doped helical silica showed much better ee values and yields than those over blank-doped one. Immobilization of helical silica-supported ruthenium complex into imidazolium ionic liquid was efficiently recycled during three times. This work not only provided new chiral silica, but also studied their application in asymmetric catalysis.

Topoisomerase IIα poisoning and DNA double-strand breaking by chiral ruthenium(ii) complexes containing 2-furanyl-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline derivatives.

Four chiral Ru(ii) complexes bearing furan ligands, Δ/Λ-[Ru(bpy)2(pocl)](2+) () and Δ/Λ-[Ru(bpy)2(poi)](2+) () (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, pocl = 2-(5-chlorofuran-2-yl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline, poi = 2-(5-5-iodofuran-2-yl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), were synthesized and characterized. These Ru(ii) complexes showed antitumor activities against HeLa, A549, HepG2, HL-60 and K562 tumor cell lines, especially the HL-60 tumor cell line. Moreover, was more active than other complexes accounting for the different cellular uptakes. In addition, could accumulate in the nucleus of HL-60 cells, suggesting that nucleic acids were the cellular target of . Topoisomerase inhibition tests in vitro and in living cells confirmed that the four complexes acted as efficient topoisomerase IIα poisons, DNA double-strand breaks had also been observed from neutral single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). inhibited the growth of HL-60 cells through the induction of apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the Alexa Fluor® 488 annexin V staining assays. The results demonstrated that acted as a topoisomerase IIα poison and caused DNA double-strand damage that could lead to apoptosis.

Synthesis and Resolution of Chiral Ruthenium Complexes Containing the 1-Me-3-PhCp Ligand

A new ruthenium chloride complex featuring chirality derived from the face-specific coordination of the 1-Me-3-PhCp ligand has been successfully synthesized and resolved. The resolution has been achieved via the diastereomers of the (S)-α-methyl-benzenemethanethiolate complex (1-Me-3-PhCp)Ru(dppm){(S)-C(S)(H)(Ph)(Me)}. The X-ray structures of (SCp,S)-(1-Me-3-PhCp)Ru(dppm){C(S)(H)(Ph)(Me)} and (RCp,S)-(1-Me-3-PhCp)Ru(dppm){C(S)(H)(Ph)(Me)} have been determined. Racemization has been observed at elevated temperatures, but a room-temperature conversion pathway provides access to the corresponding enantiopure acetonitrile, chloride, and hydride complexes.

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones by N,N-containing quinazoline-based ruthenium(II) complexes

The novel set of quinazoline-based chiral ligands was synthesized starting from optically pure amino acids. Coordination with RuCl2(PPh3)dppb gave ruthenium(II) N-heterocyclic complexes 4b–d. The structure of complex 4b was fully illuminated by X-ray crystallography. The steric environment of these chiral ruthenium complexes 4b–d was evaluated in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of prochiral ketones in the presence of NaOiPr by using 2-propanol as the hydrogen source and solvent. The resultant catalytic system can achieve very good enantioselectivities (up to 91%) and high yields (up to 99%).

Ruthenium Catalyzed Diastereo- and Enantioselective Coupling of Propargyl Ethers with Alcohols: Siloxy-Crotylation via Hydride Shift Enabled Conversion of Alkynes to π-Allyls.

The first enantioselective carbonyl crotylations through direct use of alkynes as chiral allylmetal equivalents are described. Chiral ruthenium(II) complexes modified by Josiphos (SL-J009-1) catalyze the C-C coupling of TIPS-protected propargyl ether 1a with primary alcohols 2a-2o to form products of carbonyl siloxy-crotylation 3a-3o, which upon silyl deprotection-reduction deliver 1,4-diols 5a-5o with excellent control of regio-, anti-diastereo-, and enantioselectivity. Structurally related propargyl ethers 1b and 1c bearing ethyl- and phenyl-substituents engage in diastereo- and enantioselective coupling, as illustrated in the formation of adducts 5p and 5q, respectively. Selective mono-tosylation of diols 5a, 5c, 5e, 5f, 5k, and 5m is accompanied by spontaneous cyclization to deliver the trans-2,3-disubstituted furans 6a, 6c, 6e, 6f, 6k, and 6m, respectively. Primary alcohols 2a, 2l, and 2p were converted to the siloxy-crotylation products 3a, 3l, and 3p, which upon silyl deprotection-lactol oxidation were transformed to the trans-4,5-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones 7a, 7l, and 7p. The formation of 7p represents a total synthesis of (+)-trans-whisky lactone. Unlike closely related ruthenium catalyzed alkyne-alcohol C-C couplings, deuterium labeling studies provide clear evidence of a novel 1,2-hydride shift mechanism that converts metal-bound alkynes to π-allyls in the absence of intervening allenes.

Synthesis and characterization of chiral ruthenium(II) complexes Λ/Δ-[Ru(bpy)2(H2iip)](ClO4)2 as stabilizers of c-myc G-quadruplex DNA

In this article, two chiral ruthenium(II) complexes, Λ/Δ-[Ru(bpy)2(H2iip)](ClO4)2 (Λ-1 and Δ-1, bpy = 2,2-bipyridine; H2iip = 2-(indol-3-yl)-imidazo[4,5f][1, 10]phenanthroline), were synthesized and investigated as c-myc G4 DNA stabilizers. The interaction of both complexes with c-myc G4 DNA has been studied using UV–vis spectra, CD spectra, and ITC experiments, and the results show that both isomers strongly bind with c-myc G4 DNA. Furthermore, the FRET melting point experiments give a ΔTm for Λ-1 and Δ-1, which is about 9.5 and 8.3 °C, respectively, indicating that both isomers can stabilize the G-quadruplex conformation of c-myc oncogene in vitro. As a result, the replication ability of c-myc DNA, as evaluated by using PCR-stop assay, by both isomers. Besides, the inhibitory activity evaluated by MTT assay showed that Λ-1 and Δ-1 can inhibit the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting their potential utility as inhibitors targeting to c-myc G-quadruplexe in chemotherapy.

Enantioselective syntheses of sulfoxides in octahedral ruthenium(II) complexes via a chiral-at-metal strategy.

The preparation of chiral 2-(alkylsulfinyl)phenol compounds by enantioselective coordination-oxidation of the thioether ruthenium complexes with a chiral-at-metal strategy has been developed. The enantiomerically pure sulfoxide complexes Δ-[Ru(bpy)2{(R)-LO-R}](PF6) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, HLO-R is 2-(alkylsulfinyl)phenol, R = Me (Δ-1a), Et (Δ-2a), iPr (Δ-3a), Bn (Δ-4a), and Nap (Δ-5a)) and Λ-[Ru(bpy)2{(S)-LO-R}](PF6) (R = Me (Λ-1a), Et (Λ-2a), iPr (Λ-3a), Bn (Λ-4a), and Nap (Λ-5a)) have been synthesized by the reaction of Δ-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](2+) or Λ-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](2+) with the prochiral thioether ligands 2-(alkylthio)phenol (HL-R), followed by enantioselective oxidation with m-CPBA as oxidant. The X-ray crystallography was used to verify the stereochemistry of ruthenium complexes and sulfur atoms. The configurations of the ruthenium complexes are stable during the coordination and oxidation reactions. Moreover, the chiral sulfoxide ligands are enantioselectively generated by controlling of the configuration of ruthenium centers in the course of oxidation reaction. That is, the Λ configuration at the ruthenium center generates the S sulfoxide ligand; on the contrary, the Δ configuration of the ruthenium complex originates the R sulfoxide ligand. Acidolysis of Λ-[Ru(bpy)2{(R)-LO-R}](PF6) and Δ-[Ru(bpy)2{(S)-LO-R}](PF6) complexes in the presence of TFA-MeCN afforded the chiral ligands (R)-HLO-R and (S)-HLO-R in 96-99% ee values, respectively. Importantly, the chiral ruthenium complexes can be recycled as Δ/Λ-[Ru(bpy)2(MeCN)2](PF6)2 and reused in a next reaction cycle with complete retention of the configurations at ruthenium centers.

Enantioselective ruthenium-catalyzed carbonyl allylation via alkyne-alcohol C-C bond-forming transfer hydrogenation: allene hydrometalation vs oxidative coupling.

Chiral ruthenium(II) complexes modified by Josiphos ligands catalyze the reaction of alkynes with primary alcohols to form homoallylic alcohols with excellent control of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity. These processes represent the first examples of enantioselective carbonyl allylation using alkynes as allylmetal equivalents.