Ketone Substrates Research Articles

Visible-Light-Induced α-Arylation of Ketones with (Hetero)aryl Halides.

An enamine-mediated photoredox catalyzed C(sp2)-C(sp3) cross-coupling of dual radical precursors for the arylation of ketone is presented in this Letter. These reactions led to the formation of an enamine by using pyrrolidine to functionalize the C(sp3)-H bond in ketone substrates, which could be smoothly converted to α-arylated ketones with inert aryl bromides and even aryl chlorides in moderate to good yields under mild reaction conditions. The photocatalytically induced C(sp2)-C(sp3) cross-coupling between unactivated noncyclic ketones and aryl halides was achieved, and multiple carbonyl α-arylated backbones containing various natural products and drug molecules were successfully constructed.

Asymmetric Photoinduced Excited-State Nazarov Reaction.

We report herein the first asymmetric photoinduced excited-state Nazarov reaction of non-aromatic dicyclic divinyl ketones by using hydrogen-bonding catalysis. The enantioselectivity of photoinduced electrocyclization is highly dependent on the structural features of the substrate and its interaction with chiral catalysts. For the simple dicyclic divinyl ketone substrates, there is no discernible selectivity of the hydrogen bond coordination between the thiourea and carbonyl groups of the substrates in the ground state. However, we found that the direction of the electrocyclization was well controlled in each coordination model and the N,N'-dimethylamine motif acts as a base in the regioselective deprotonation process, which leads to the formation of two stereoisomers with high enantioselectivity. Photolysis of dicyclic divinyl ketones bearing a 1,3-dioxolane motif in the presence of bifunctional hybrid peptide-thiourea chiral catalysts gave the tricyclic cis-hydrofluorenones with good enantioselectivity. Mechanistic and DFT studies suggested that the amide and thiourea groups in the bifunctional chiral catalysts play a key role as H-bond donors, which coordinate with both the carbonyl group and the 1,3-dioxolane motif to provide a more favorable chiral species, and control the direction of the electrocyclization. Due to the presence of the rigid 1,3-dioxolane ring, the deprotonation/protonation process occurs regiospecifically with high driving force. This photo-electrocyclization is mild (room temperature and neutral solution), which results a broad reaction scope and functional group tolerance and demonstrates its synthetic potential in organic synthesis.

Divergent asymmetric reactions of α-alkenyl ketones with β,γ-alkynyl-α-imino esters enabled by chiral phosphoric acids

Divergent asymmetric synthesis provides access to a wide range of isomers from the same starting material by modifying the reaction conditions, which plays an important role in the efficient construction of a structurally diverse molecular library for structure-activity relationship studies. In this work, we present the divergent asymmetric addition of α-alkenyl ketones with β,γ-alkynyl-α-imino esters enabled by chiral phosphoric acid catalysis. Despite the challenging presence of multiple reactive sites in both components, we successfully achieved the regioselective synthesis of both α-1,2-addition α-tertiary amines and γ-1,4-addition allenes with good to high regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivities by modifying the reaction conditions. Moreover, the stereodivergent asymmetric synthesis of the four allene stereoisomers bearing contiguous central and axial chirality was achieved by adjusting the E/Z configuration of the α-alkenyl ketone substrates.

Allylboration of Ketones Catalyzed by BINOL Derivatives: Which Species Are Involved Depending on Substrate Reactivity?

Allylboration reactions of ketones catalyzed by BINOL derivatives can exhibit highly variable stereochemical courses depending on the nature and reactivity of the ketone substrate. In this Article, we put into perspective the relationship between the nature of the starting material and the active species involved in the asymmetric allyboration catalyzed by BINOL derivatives. This work, aimed at comparing different plausible mechanisms by density functional theory (DFT) at the M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level involving different types of allylboronates in the presence of the organocatalyst, leads to the confirmation of the hitherto accepted hypothesis of a reaction promoted by the transient cyclic allyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane derived from BINOLs in the case of unactivated or weakly activated ketones such as indanone. A hypothetical scenario involving dimeric boronate species as chiral catalysts was also investigated.

Inside Cover Picture

Divergent protein engineering of the natural transaminase Vf‐ω‐TA produced two effective mutants for synthesizing chiral amine precursors of Rivastigmine and Apremilast. Guided by crystal structures and focused mutagenesis, these mutants efficiently addressed challenging ketone substrates with high steric hindrance. Optimized reaction parameters achieved smooth transamination with excellent conversions and perfect stereochemical control (> 99% ee). More details are discussed in the article by Zhong et al. on pages 2335—2340.image

Synthesis, characterization, and investigation of catalytic properties of RuII complexes with Schiff bases based on 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde

Pursuing our recent interest concerning the catalytic activity of half-sandwich RuII complexes containing Schiff base ligands (L1 and L2), in this study new Schiff bases and their half-sandwich RuII complexes were prepared. The structures of these compounds were confirmed by a variety of spectral and physical methods such as microanalysis, FT-IR, electronic spectra, proton and carbon NMR, TGA and mass spectra. The catalytic activities of the RuII complexes toward the transfer hydrogenation of ketones to their corresponding alcohols were investigated using i-PrOH as a hydrogen source and solvent. The complexes showed high catalytic activities at catalyst concentrations of 0.01 mmol and were able to carry out transfer hydrogenation (TH) to a wide range of ketones in the presence of KOH. In general, Schiff bases recognition, the coordination chemistry, and the ketone substrates were found to influence the catalytic performance of these complexes.

Ketone Scope and Their Limitations in Transition Metal Catalyzed Direct Asymmetric Hydrogenative Aminations

AbstractChiral amines are valuable building blocks in the manufacture of agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, natural products, fine chemicals, functional materials among others. Compared to asymmetric hydrogenation of imines/enamides and biocatalytic/organocatalytic asymmetric reductive amination, transition metal catalyzed direct asymmetric hydrogenative amination reactions (DAHA) using molecular dihydrogen as the reductant are highly economical, atom and/or step‐efficient and thus attractive for researchers from both industry and academia. In previous reviews, catalysts/methods development, applications in synthesis of pharmaceuticals and [N] source were summarized and discussed. In this review, we summarize and discuss the ketone substrates scope upon utilizing the state‐of‐the‐art transition metal catalysts. The substrate limitations, potential applications and key mechanisms are also critically concluded.

Engineering of a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase to Improve Substrate Scope, Stereoselectivity and Regioselectivity.

Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases belong to a family of flavin-binding proteins that catalyze the Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation of ketones to produce lactones or esters, which are important intermediates in pharmaceuticals or sustainable materials. Phenylacetone monooxygenase (PAMO) from Thermobifida fusca with moderate thermostability catalyzes the oxidation of aryl ketone substrates, but is limited by high specificity and narrow substrate scope. In the present study, we applied loop optimization by loop swapping followed by focused saturation mutagenesis in order to evolve PAMO mutants capable of catalyzing the regioselective BV oxidation of cyclohexanone and cyclobutanone derivatives with formation of either normal or abnormal esters or lactones. We further modulated PAMO to increase enantioselectivity. Crystal structure studies indicate that rotation occurs in the NADP-binding domain and that the high B-factor region is predominantly distributed in the catalytic pocket residues. Computational analyses further revealed dynamic character in the catalytic pocket and reshaped hydrogen bond interaction networks, which is more favorable for substrate binding. Our study provides useful insights for studying enzyme-substrate adaptations.

Divergent Protein Engineering of Transaminase for the Synthesis of Chiral Rivastigmine and Apremilast Precursors†

Comprehensive SummaryThe implementation of divergent protein engineering on the natural transaminase Vf‐ω‐TA led to the development of two effective mutants (M2 and M8), enabling the enzymatic synthesis of chiral amine precursors of Rivastigmine and Apremilast, respectively. The evolution of the enzymes was guided by crystal structures and a focused mutagenesis strategy, allowing them to effectively address the challenging ketone substrates with significant steric hindrance. Under the optimized reaction parameters, transamination proceeded smoothly in good conversions and with perfect stereochemical control (> 99% ee). These processes utilize inexpensive α‐methylbenzylamine as an amine donor and avoid the continuous acetone removal and costly LDH/GDH/NADH systems.

Highly Selective Electrochemical Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation through Oxygen Atom Transfer from Water.

The Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of ketones is a crucial oxygen atom transfer (OAT) process used for ester production. Traditionally, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation is accomplished by thermally oxidizing the OAT from stoichiometric peroxides, which are often difficult to handle. Electrochemical methods hold promise for breaking the limitation of using water as the oxygen atom source. Nevertheless, existing demonstrations of electrochemical Baeyer-Villiger oxidation face the challenges of low selectivity. We report in this study a strategy to overcome this challenge. By employing a well-known water oxidation catalyst, Fe2O3, we achieved nearly perfect selectivity for the electrochemical Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone. Mechanistic studies suggest that it is essential to produce surface hydroperoxo intermediates (M-OOH, where M represents a metal center) that promote the nucleophilic attack on ketone substrates. By confining the reactions to the catalyst surfaces, competing reactions (e.g., dehydrogenation, carboxylic acid cation rearrangements, and hydroxylation) are greatly limited, thereby offering high selectivity. The surface-initiated nature of the reaction is confirmed by kinetic studies and spectroelectrochemical characterizations. This discovery adds nucleophilic oxidation to the toolbox of electrochemical organic synthesis.

SPTLC3 Is Essential for Complex I Activity and Contributes to Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Dysregulated metabolism of bioactive sphingolipids, including ceramides and sphingosine-1-phosphate, has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, although the specific species, disease contexts, and cellular roles are not completely understood. Sphingolipids are produced by the serine palmitoyltransferase enzyme, canonically composed of 2 subunits, SPTLC1 (serine palmitoyltransferase long chain base subunit 1) and SPTLC2 (serine palmitoyltransferase long chain base subunit 2). Noncanonical sphingolipids are produced by a more recently described subunit, SPTLC3 (serine palmitoyltransferase long chain base subunit 3). The noncanonical (d16) and canonical (d18) sphingolipidome profiles in cardiac tissues of patients with end-stage ischemic cardiomyopathy and in mice with ischemic cardiomyopathy were analyzed by targeted lipidomics. Regulation of SPTLC3 by HIF1α under ischemic conditions was determined with chromatin immunoprecipitation. Transcriptomics, lipidomics, metabolomics, echocardiography, mitochondrial electron transport chain, mitochondrial membrane fluidity, and mitochondrial membrane potential were assessed in the cSPTLC3KO transgenic mice we generated. Furthermore, morphological and functional studies were performed on cSPTLC3KO mice subjected to permanent nonreperfused myocardial infarction. Herein, we report that SPTLC3 is induced in both human and mouse models of ischemic cardiomyopathy and leads to production of atypical sphingolipids bearing 16-carbon sphingoid bases, resulting in broad changes in cell sphingolipid composition. This induction is in part attributable to transcriptional regulation by HIF1α under ischemic conditions. Furthermore, cardiomyocyte-specific depletion of SPTLC3 in mice attenuates oxidative stress, fibrosis, and hypertrophy in chronic ischemia, and mice demonstrate improved cardiac function and increased survival along with increased ketone and glucose substrate metabolism utilization. Depletion of SPTLC3 mechanistically alters the membrane environment and subunit composition of mitochondrial complex I of the electron transport chain, decreasing its activity. Our findings suggest a novel essential role for SPTLC3 in electron transport chain function and a contribution to ischemic injury by regulating complex I activity.

C-C Bond Cleavage-Induced C- to N-Acyl Transfer for Synthesis of Amides.

A new approach for the preparation of amides was developed using C-C bond cleavage that initiates C- to N-acyl transfer, employing activated ketones as acylation reagents and amine nucleophiles. The reaction was operational under the coupling reagent system that is commonly utilized for peptide bond formations. The method enables practical preparation of amides using linear and cyclic ketone substrates under mild conditions.

Engineering diaryl alcohol dehydrogenase KpADH reveals importance of retaining hydration shell in organic solvent tolerance.

Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) are synthetically important biocatalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral alcohols. The catalytic performance of ADHs in the presence of organic solvents is often important since most prochiral ketones are highly hydrophobic. Here, the organic solvent tolerance of KpADH from Kluyveromyces polyspora was semi-rationally evolved. Using tolerant variants obtained, meticulous experiments and computational studies were conducted to explore properties including stability, activity and kinetics in the presence of various organic solvents. Compared with WT, variant V231D exhibited 1.9-fold improvement in ethanol tolerance, while S237G showed a 6-fold increase in catalytic efficiency, a higher , as well as 15% higher tolerance in 7.5% (v/v) ethanol. Based on 3 × 100 ns MD simulations, the increased tolerance of V231D and S237G against ethanol may be ascribed to their enhanced ability in retaining water molecules and repelling ethanol molecules. Moreover, 6.3-fold decreased KM value of V231D toward hydrophilic ketone substrate confirmed its capability of retaining hydration shell. Our results suggest that retaining hydration shell surrounding KpADH is critical for its tolerance to organic solvents, as well as catalytic performance. This study provides useful guidance for engineering organic solvent tolerance of KpADH and other ADHs.

Cordyceps fungus-mediated enantioselective synthesis of chiral alcohol and enhanced biocatalytic efficiency in cyclodextrin/surfactant-buffer system

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral alcohols by biocatalysts holds promising prospect. In this study, a medicinal Cordyceps fungus, namely Tolypocladium inflatum, was adopted as a novel biocatalyst for the synthesis of chiral alcohols. Among the assessed prochiral ketone substrates, T. inflatum exhibited the best catalytic activity towards 1-(4-bromophenyl)−2,2,2-trifluoroethanone (BPFO), yielding a valuable pharmaceutical intermediate (S)−1-(4-bromophenyl)−2,2,2-trifluoroethanol ((S)-BPFL) with >99.9 % enantiomeric excesses (ee). For more efficient biosynthesis of (S)-BPFL, cyclodextrins or surfactants were introduced to the reaction system as additives to strengthen this bioprocess. Among which methyl β-cyclodextrin (MCD) improved cell membrane permeability and alleviated product inhibition, while Triton X-100 enhanced BPFO solubility. Furthermore, synergistic promotion for BPFO bioreduction by MCD and Triton X-100 was observed. Under the optimal reaction conditions, 50 mM BPFO was converted into (S)-BPFL with 89.1 % yield and >99.9 % ee in 12 h, showing 16-fold increase of space-time yield in the developed MCD/Triton X-100-buffer system compared to neat buffer solution. This study illustrated the potential of the enantioselective preparation of chiral alcohols mediated by Cordyceps fungus. Additionally, the biocatalytic efficiency was significantly improved in the constructed synergistic reaction system, and the underlying mechanism was also explored.

LIPSS pattern induced by polymer surface instability for myoblast cell guidance

The presented study highlights the efficiency of employing a KrF excimer laser to create diverse types of periodic nanostructures (LIPSS – laser induced periodic surface structures) on polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates. LIPSS structures are very important both in tissue engineering and find also strong application in the field of sensor construction, and SERS analysis. By exposing the polymer films below their ablation threshold to laser fluence ranging from 4 to 16 mJ·cm−2 at 6,000 pulses, we studied both single-phase exposure at beam incidence angles of 0° and 45°, and two-phase exposure. Atomic force microscopy analysis revealed that the laser-treated samples contained distinctive periodic patterns such as waves, globules, and pod-like structures each exhibiting unique surface roughness. Moreover, using analytical methods like EDS and XPS shed light on the changes in the atomic composition, specifically focusing on the C and O elements, as a result of laser exposure. Notably, in almost all cases, we observed an increase in oxygen percentage on the sample surfaces. This increase not only led to a decrease in the contact angle with water but also lowered the zeta potential value, thus showing that the modified samples have enhanced hydrophilicity of the surface and altered electrostatic properties. Last but not least, the samples were assessed for biocompatibility; we studied the interaction of the prepared replicates with mouse myoblasts (C2C12). The impact of globular/dot structures on the cell growth in comparison to pristine or linear LIPSS-patterned surfaces was determined. The linear pattern (LIPSS) induced the myoblast cell alignment along the pattern direction, while dot/globular pattern even enhanced the cytocompatibility compared to LIPSS samples. Through this comprehensive analysis, the research underscores the multifaceted implications of employing KrF excimer laser-induced nanostructures, ranging from surface morphology alterations to biocompatibility enhancements, thus, opening new avenues for advanced material engineering.

Quinoline-derived NNP-manganese complex catalyzed α-alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols.

An air-stable quinoline-derived NNP ligand chelated Mn catalyst was developed for the efficient α-alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols via a hydrogen auto-transfer methodology. The sole by-product formed is water, rendering the protocol atom efficient. A wide range of ketone and alcohol substrates were employed, providing the α-alkylated ketones with isolated yields up to 94%. This system was also efficient for the green synthesis of quinoline derivatives while using (2-aminophenyl)methanol as an alkylating reagent.

Iodine catalyzed oxidative C(CO)–C(methyl) bond cleavage in methyl ketones: Application to the synthesis of β-Carboline-3-esters

A novel synthesis of substituted β-carboline-3-esters was achieved by the molecular iodine catalyzed reaction of tryptophan methyl ester hydrochlorides with methyl ketones through oxidative C(CO) − C(methyl) bond cleavage. The products in these reactions are similar to those produced in regular Pictet-Spengler reactions of tryptophan methyl esters with analogous aldehyde substrates. Studies revealed that, reaction involves iminium formation, cyclization and followed by iodine catalyzed C(CO) − C(alkyl) bond cleavage of methyl group of ketone substrate to the final compound.

Chemoselective Reduction of Barbiturates by Photochemically Excited Flavin Catalysts

AbstractPhotocatalytic reductive cyclizations are powerful methods for obtaining structurally complex molecules. Achieving noninherent reactivity in substrates with more than one potential site of reduction is a difficult challenge. We disclose the use of flavin catalysis for the chemoselective reductive cyclization of barbiturates with additional reactive functional groups. Our method provides orthogonal selectivity in comparison to the well-established reductant samarium(II) iodide, which preferentially reduces substrate ketone groups. Flavin catalysis first leads to barbiturate reduction and allows a complete change of chemoselectivity in barbiturates with appended ketones. Additionally, flavin photocatalysis enables the reductive cyclization of substrates with appended oxime ethers in >99% yield, which is not possible with SmI2.

Neutral Nazarov reaction using protic solvents as activators

Abstract Herein, we report a neutral Nazarov reaction using protic solvents instead of strong acids as activators. The key to the success of this reaction lies in the rational design of the divinyl ketone substrates. In particular, the introduction of electron-donating groups (EDGs) at the β- and β′-positions of the carbonyl group in the divinyl ketone increases the Lewis basicity dramatically, an EDG at α-position promotes the cyclization, and the presence of a phenoxy group at β-position enables the irreversible elimination of phenol from the cyclized intermediate, thus shifting the reversible cyclization to the product side. This phenol-releasing reaction can be applied to clip chemistry to target acidic biological environments.

Carbodiimide and Isocyanate Hydroboration by a Cyclic Carbodiphosphorane Catalyst.

We report hydroboration of carbodiimide and isocyanate substrates catalyzed by a cyclic carbodiphosphorane catalyst. The cyclic carbodiphosphorane outperformed the other Lewis basic carbon species tested, including other zerovalent carbon compounds, phosphorus ylides, an N-heterocyclic carbene, and an N-heterocyclic olefin. Hydroborations of seven carbodiimides and nine isocyanates were performed at room temperature to form N-boryl formamidine and N-boryl formamide products. Intermolecular competition experiments demonstrated the selective hydroboration of alkyl isocyanates over carbodiimide and ketone substrates. DFT calculations support a proposed mechanism involving activation of pinacolborane by the carbodiphosphorane catalyst, followed by hydride transfer and B-N bond formation.