Four-step Reaction Research Articles

An efficient chemoenzymatic method to prepare optically active O-methyl-d-serine

Lacosamide is an important anti-epilepsy drug and O-methyl-d-serine is a relevant intermediate in the synthesis of lacosamide. Optically active O-methyl-d-serine was prepared by using a chemoenzymatic method from inexpensive acrylamide. Our method is a four-step reaction sequence: bromination of acrylamide; etherification of dibromopropionamide; ammonolysis of α-bromo-β-methoxy-propionamide; enzymatic racemization and selective hydrolysis. The double-enzyme catalyst system, which consists of α-amino-ε-caprolactam racemase (Locus, E01594) and d-stereospecific amino-acid amidase (Locus, AB026907), was successfully applied to produce enantiopure O-methyl-d-serine (ee >99.8%) in high yield (>98.5%). Optically active O-methyl-d-serine was obtained with a total yield of 81.3%.

The synthesis and structural characterization of new metallo phthalocyanines with 1,2,4-triazole fragments

Novel Zn(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Cu(II) phthaloyanine complexes that have [1,2,4]-triazole and Schiff's base moieties on peripheral positions have been synthesized. Key material, substituted phthalonitrile, was obtained in four-step reaction. Firstly hydrazone derivative has been obtained, then [1,2,4]-triazole moiety has been created, Schiff base fragment has been constituted and then phthalonitrile fragment has been added to the structure. The novel phthalocyanines are soluble in many organic solvents. The photophysical, photochemical and fluorescence quenching properties of zinc phthalocyanine derivative (10) have been studied in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution. These properties of the other metallophthalocyanine complexes (11, 12 and 13) have not been appreciated because zinc phthalocyanine is the best compound for photocatalytic applications due to the d10 configuration of the Zn2+ ion in the phthalocyanine cavity.

ChemInform Abstract: Copper‐Catalyzed Domino Synthesis of Quinazolin‐4(3H)‐ones from (Hetero)arylmethyl Halides, Bromoacetate, and Cinnamyl Bromide.

Alkyl halides, including heteroarylmethyl and arylmethyl halides, bromoacetate, and cinnamyl bromide, are readily prepared via halogenation from basic raw materials, even using green processes. It is essential to replace their downstream products with them to prepare medicinally important heterocycles quinazolin-4(3H)-ones. Copper(I) bromide catalyzed domino reaction of alkyl halides and anthranilamides under air affords 2-substituted quinazolin-4(3H)-ones in good to excellent yields and with wide functional group tolerance. A mechanism for a copper(I) bromide involved organometal-catalyzed reaction via a four-step domino reaction is proposed.

Thermokinetic investigation of binary Cu/Zn hydroxycarbonates as precursors for Cu/ZnO catalysts

A combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) coupled to mass spectrometry has been applied to study the thermal decomposition of Cu/Zn hydroxycarbonates, which are used as a precursor for the active methanol synthesis catalyst. Original TG and DSC profiles and results of a formal kinetic analysis of the calcination process are compared with transformations occurring in the solid phase, which has been studied by means of in situ XRD. A series of hydroxycarbonate precursors with different Cu/Zn molar ratios (40/60, 70/30, 80/20) were synthesized under conditions reported as optimum for catalytic performance. The samples contain primarily two crystalline phases, aurichalcite (Cu,Zn)5(CO3)2(OH)6 and zincian malachite (Cu,Zn)2CO3(OH)2. At least four formal decomposition stages of CO2 and H2O evolution cause the major mass loss in the TG experiments. The best-fit quality for all the studied samples was obtained for a four-step competitive reaction model. The experimental TG dependences are adequately described by the n-th order equation and 3D Jander diffusion equation. The effects of the gas flow, sample mass, and water transfer conditions on the reaction pathway were studied. The presence of H2O vapor in the reaction feed accelerates the decomposition and dramatically changes the reaction TG profile. The decomposition enthalpy of mixed Cu/Zn (80/20) hydroxycarbonate was determined, and the formation enthalpy of the decomposition intermediate, a carbonate-modified oxide, was calculated to be ΔHf° = −633.7 ± 5.6 kJ/mol.

Role of Co3O4 in improving the hydrogen storage properties of a LiBH4–2LiNH2 composite

Adding a small amount of Co3O4 significantly reduces the operating temperatures of dehydrogenation and improves the hydrogen storage reversibility of the LiBH4–2LiNH2 system. The LiBH4–2LiNH2–0.05/3Co3O4 composite desorbs ∼9.9 wt% hydrogen by a four-step reaction with a 96 °C reduction in the midpoint temperature with respect to the pristine sample. The first and third steps of the dehydrogenation of the 0.05/3Co3O4-added sample are endothermic in nature, which is different from the pristine sample. Upon thermal dehydrogenation, the Co3O4 additive undergoes a series of chemical transformations and finally converts to the metallic Co, which is responsible for the improved thermodynamics and kinetics of the Co3O4-added sample. More importantly, 1.7 wt% of hydrogen is recharged into the 0.05/3Co3O4-added system under 110 bar hydrogen at 220 °C, which is superior to the pristine system.

Numerical investigation of the stagnating laminar premixed methane/air flame with fuel concentration oscillation using a four-step reaction mechanism

Numerical investigation of the stagnating laminar premixed methane/air flame with fuel concentration oscillation using a four-step reaction mechanism

Thermal racemization of spiropyrans: implication of substituent and solvent effects revealed by computational study

The thermal racemization of spiropyrans has been investigated by computational study at the density functional theory and MP2 levels. Two possible reaction mechanisms for the thermal racemization of spiropyrans were found. One reaction mechanism is a three-step reaction, the other represents a four-step reaction. The competition between these two mechanisms is dependent on the strengths of the substituents, as well as the polarities of the solvents. Different substituents and solvents change the rate-determining step and lead to various pathways. The solvent effect is found more pronounced on the electron-withdrawing substituted spiropyrans. In addition, bond length alternation (BLA), a structural parameter, has been employed in this study. It has been proven that BLA is a useful parameter to correlate the effect of substituents and solvents with the racemization mechanism of spiropyrans. The relationship between BLA and activation energies clearly explains the origin of the competition between the two reaction mechanisms. The results from this work would be valuable for selecting substituents and solvents for development of desired optical properties of spiropyrans.

Novel Four-Step Synthesis of Thioxo-quinazolino[3,4-a]quinazolinone Derivatives

A novel synthesis of thioxo-quinazolino[3,4-a]quinazolinone framework was developed through a four-step reaction starting from isatoic anhydride. The resulting 2-aminobenzamides from the reaction of isatoic anhydride and different amines underwent coupling–cyclization reaction with 2-nitrobenzaldehydes, reduction of nitro group, and then cyclization reaction with carbon disulfide (CS2). All steps were carried out under easy and user-friendly conditions in a short time without using expensive catalysts or reagents. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]

Copper-Catalyzed Domino Synthesis of Quinazolin-4(3H)-ones from (Hetero)arylmethyl Halides, Bromoacetate, and Cinnamyl Bromide

Alkyl halides, including heteroarylmethyl and arylmethyl halides, bromoacetate, and cinnamyl bromide, are readily prepared via halogenation from basic raw materials, even using green processes. It is essential to replace their downstream products with them to prepare medicinally important heterocycles quinazolin-4(3H)-ones. Copper(I) bromide catalyzed domino reaction of alkyl halides and anthranilamides under air affords 2-substituted quinazolin-4(3H)-ones in good to excellent yields and with wide functional group tolerance. A mechanism for a copper(I) bromide involved organometal-catalyzed reaction via a four-step domino reaction is proposed.

Enantioselective Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activities of Tetrahydro‐Β‐Carboline Diketopiperazines

A series of single isomers tetrahydro-β-carboline diketopiperazines were stereoselectively synthesized starting from l-tryptophan methyl ester hydrochloride and six aldehydes through a four-step reaction including Pictet-Spengler reaction, crystallization-induced asymmetric transformations (CIAT), Schotten-Baumann reaction, and intramolecular ester amidation. The chemical structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and elemental analysis, among which two compounds were determined by x-ray single crystal diffraction. Moreover, antimicrobial activities of all the compounds were also tested.

Synthesis, characterization, and molecular docking analysis of novel benzimidazole derivatives as cholinesterase inhibitors

Two series of novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors containing benzimidazole core structure were synthesized by a four-step reaction pathway starting from 4-fluoro-3-nitrobenzoic acid as the basic compound. The structure of the novel benzimidazoles was characterized and confirmed by the elemental and mass spectral analyses as well as 1H NMR spectroscopic data. Of the 34 novel synthesized compounds, three benzimidazoles revealed AChE inhibition with IC50<10μM. The highest inhibitory activity (IC50=5.12μM for AChE and IC50=8.63μM for BChE) corresponds to the compound 5IIc (ethyl 1-(3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylate). The relationship between lipophilicity and the chemical structures as well as their limited structure–activity relationship was discussed.

Mechanism of Copper Incorporation in Subunit II of Cytochrome c Oxidase from Thermus thermophilus: Identification of Intermediate Species

Detailed spectroscopic and kinetic studies of incorporation of copper ion in the wild type (WT) and the D111AA (AA = K, N, or E) mutants of the metal ion binding site of the soluble fragment of subunit II of cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus (TtCuA) showed the formation of at least two distinct intermediates. The global analyses of the multiwavelength kinetic results suggested a four-step reaction scheme involving two distinct intermediates in the pathway of incorporation of copper ions into the apoprotein forming the purple dinuclear CuA. An early intermediate similar to the red copper binding proteins was detected in the WT as well as in all the mutants. The second intermediate was a green copper species in the case of WT TtCuA. Mutation of Asp111, however, formed a second intermediate that is distinctly different from that formed in the case of the WT protein, suggesting that mutants follow pathways of copper ion incorporation different from that in the WT protein. The electrostatic interaction between Asp111 and the coordinating His114 possibly plays a subtle role in the mechanism of incorporation of metal ion into the protein. The overall Kd for WT TtCuA was found to be ~8 nM, which changed with mutation of the Asp111 residue. The activation and thermodynamic parameters were also determined from the temperature- and pH-dependent multiwavelength kinetics, and the results are discussed to unravel the role of Asp111 in the mechanism of formation of the dinuclear CuA center in cytochrome c oxidase.

First total synthesis of oteromycin utilizing one-pot four-step cascade reaction strategy

The first total synthesis of oteromycin was investigated. Our previously reported convergent strategy for the synthesis of α-acyl-γ-hydroxy-γ-lactams was first applied for the total synthesis, however, the final deprotection of the methoxyaminal moiety could not be achieved since an unexpected intramolecular Diels–Alder (IMDA) reaction occurred. Therefore, a novel one-pot four-step cascade reaction starting from α-selenolactam was investigated. The efficient synthetic strategy was successfully developed to afford the desired oteromycin, and its complete structure elucidation including the stereochemistry at C24 position was also accomplished.

One-pot synthesis of 2-aryl-3-alkoxycarbonyl chromones through a cascade Lewis acid-catalyzed aldehyde olefination/oxa-Michael addition/oxidation

2-Aryl-3-alkoxycarbonyl chromones were effectively constructed from aryl aldehydes and 3-(2-(methoxymethoxy)phenyl)propiolates via a cascade Lewis acid catalyzed phenol ether deprotection/aldehyde olefination/intramolecular oxa-Michael addition reaction, and a sequential oxidation. This four-step reaction could be conducted in one-pot with high atom efficiency.

Mechanism of RNA 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate end healing by T4 polynucleotide kinase–phosphatase

T4 polynucleotide kinase–phosphatase (Pnkp) exemplifies a family of enzymes with 5′-kinase and 3′-phosphatase activities that function in nucleic acid repair. The polynucleotide 3′-phosphatase reaction is executed by the Pnkp C-terminal domain, which belongs to the DxDxT acylphosphatase superfamily. The 3′-phosphatase reaction entails formation and hydrolysis of a covalent enzyme-(Asp165)-phosphate intermediate, driven by general acid–base catalyst Asp167. We report that Pnkp also has RNA 2′-phosphatase activity that requires Asp165 and Asp167. The physiological substrate for Pnkp phosphatase is an RNA 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate end (RNA > p), but the pathway of cyclic phosphate removal and its enzymic requirements are undefined. Here we find that Pnkp reactivity with RNA > p requires Asp165, but not Asp167. Whereas wild-type Pnkp transforms RNA > p to RNAOH, mutant D167N converts RNA > p to RNA 3′-phosphate, which it sequesters in the phosphatase active site. In support of the intermediacy of an RNA phosphomonoester, the reaction of mutant S211A with RNA > p results in transient accumulation of RNAp en route to RNAOH. Our results suggest that healing of 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate ends is a four-step processive reaction: RNA > p + Pnkp → RNA-(3′-phosphoaspartyl)-Pnkp → RNA3′p + Pnkp → RNAOH + phosphoaspartyl-Pnkp → Pi + Pnkp.

Synthesis and characterization of ferrocene end-capped poly(ε-caprolactone)s by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and “click” chemistry techniques

Ferrocene (Fc) end-capped linear and star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)s (PCLs) with different numbers of arms were synthesized by a combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and “click” chemistry techniques in a four-step reaction procedure. In the first step, the polymer backbones were prepared via ROP of the ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) monomer in bulk by employing the compounds with different numbers of hydroxyl groups as the multisite initiators and stannous octoate (Sn(Oct)2) as the coordination-insertion catalyst. The hydroxyl end-groups of the obtained PCLs were then converted into a bromides and azides consecutively. In the final step, the Fc moiety was attached to the termini of the PCLs using a Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between the azide end-groups of the PCLs and the acetylene group of ethynylferrocene under ambient conditions. In all cases, the FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra indicated a successful and quantitative transformation of the desired end-functional groups. The electrochemical properties of the Fc end-capped PCLs were also investigated via cyclic voltammetry (CV).

Preparation and thermal stability of optically active 1,2,4-triazolium-based ionic liquids

The synthesis of optically active ionic liquids, in a four-step reaction sequence, is described. In the first step an oxirane ring of cyclohexene oxide was opened with 1,2,4-triazole, yielding a racemic mixture of (1R,2R)- and (1S,2S)-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)cyclohexanol. Kinetic resolution of the racemate by a lipase catalyzed transesterification with vinyl acetate followed by alkylation (quaternization) of the triazole ring resulted in the appropriate optically active salts formation. After the anion metathesis, thermally stable novel chiral ionic liquids were obtained.

A new type of anionic surfactant with four carboxylates for the preparation of mesoporous materials

In this paper, a new type of anionic surfactant containing four carboxylates was synthesized by a four-step synthetic reaction including bromination reaction and primary amide protective reaction. Intermediates and final products of each step in the whole synthetic process were characterized by 1H NMR and MS. Purification of the anionic surfactant was accomplished through combination of recrystallization and silica gel column chromatography. The structure and the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of this surfactant at different temperatures were also investigated. Unlike traditional monocarboxylate surfactant easy to form lamellar mesostructure, this surfactant has the hexagonal mesophase structure and comparatively low CMC, hopefully to be applied in the preparation of mesoporous metal oxides.

Kinetics and design relation for enzymatic conversion of lactose into galacto-oligosaccharides using commercial grade β-galactosidase

The enzymatic synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) from lactose was studied using commercial grade β-galactosidase (Biolacta FN5) from Bacillus circulans. The reaction was carried out under free enzyme condition varying initial lactose concentration (ILC: 55-525 g/L), enzyme concentration (0.05-1.575 g/L), temperature (30-50°C) and pH (5.0-6.0). Reaction mixture compositions were analyzed utilizing high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A maximum GOS formation of 39% (dry basis) was achieved at an ILC of 525 g/L converting 60% of the lactose fed. Tri-saccharides were the major types of GOS formed, accounting approximately 24%; whereas, tetra-saccharides and penta-saccharides account approximately 12% and 3%, respectively. Design correlation was developed in order to observe the quantitative effect of operating parameters on GOS yield. Further, based on Michaelis-Menten model, four-step reaction pathways were considered for simplistic understanding of the kinetics. Apart from predicting the reaction mixture composition, the approach also provided kinetic parameters though simulation using COPASI 4.7®. Excellent agreements were observed between simulated and experimental results.

A stereospecific pathway for the introduction of deuterium on the brassinosteroid skeleton by reductive dechlorination of chlorocarbonates

A new and efficient procedure for the preparation of brassinosteroids labeled with hydrogen isotopes was developed. A four-step reaction sequence started with the selective oxidation of a 2,3-diol group to an α-hydroxy ketone, which was converted stereospecifically into a chlorocarbonate by reaction with triphosgene. A subsequent Pd-catalyzed reductive dechlorination with deuterium gas yielded deuterium-labeled brassinosteroid 2,3-carbonates. The reaction sequence was completed by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of the cyclic carbonate.