Electrophilic Phosphorus Research Articles

Effect of Silyl Ether Bulk on Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer-Based Sensing of Extant Hydrogen Fluoride for G-Series Nerve Agent Detection.

Luminescence-based sensing provides a method for the rapid detection of nerve agents. Previous approaches have generally focused on sensing materials containing a nucleophilic group that can react with the electrophilic phosphorus atom found in nerve agents. Herein we report an alternative approach for the detection of phosphonofluoridate-based G-series nerve agents that utilizes the fact they contain hydrogen fluoride. We have developed silylated sensing materials based on an excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reporter compound, 2-[benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl]phenol. Thin films of differently silylated 2-[benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl]phenol were found to react with the hydrogen fluoride found in di-iso-propyl fluorophosphate (DFP), a simulant of sarin (G-series nerve agent), and turn on the ESIPT emission of the reporter compound. The use of the ESIPT emission reduced the impact of background fluorescence and improved the sensitivity of the detection. The effectiveness of the approach was dependent on the stability of the silyl protecting group used, with the least sterically hindered (trimethylsilyl) found to be too unstable to the ambient environment while the most sterically hindered, e.g., tri-iso-propylsilyl and tert-butyldiphenylsilyl were found to be insufficiently reactive to be useful in a real detection scenario. The sensing material composed of the tert-butyl dimethylsilyl protected 2-[benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl]phenol was found to have the best balance between stability under ambient conditions, and reactivity and selectivity to hydrogen fluoride. In a 3s exposure, it could detect hydrogen fluoride down to a concentration of around 23 ppm in DFP with 99% purity.

P(V)-bis(amidophenolate) ligand cooperation: stoichiometric CO-bond cleavage in aldehydes and ketones.

The cooperation between a geometrically constrained, highly electrophilic phosphorus(V) center, and an electronically rich tetradentate bis(amidophenolate) ligand enables the cleavage of the CO bond from typical aldehydes and ketones delivering iminio phosphoramidate species. The amphiphilic nature of these products, which is demonstrated through their reaction with typical Lewis acids and bases, enables their use as a mild source of silylium cations from silanes, allowing the selective reductive coupling of aldehydes to ethers under catalytic conditions.

π-Electron Fluctuation-Induced P+ /C- Ambiphilic Interaction for Intramolecular CAr -H Bond Activation.

Herein, we describe how computational mechanistic understanding has led directly to the discovery of new 2H-phosphindole for C-CAr bond activation and dearomatization reaction. We uncover an unexpected intramolecular C-H bond activation with a 2H-phosphindole derivative. This new intriguing experimental observation and further theoretical studies led to an extension of the reaction mechanism with 2H-phosphindole. Through DFT calculations, we confirm that within a five-membered ring, the polarizable PC3 unit orchestrates the formation of an electrophilic phosphorus atom (P+ ) and a nucleophilic carbon atom (C- ). This kinetically accessible ambiphilic phosphorus/carbon couple is spatially separated by geometric constraints, and their reactivity is modulated through structural resonance.

Ditopic Chemodosimeter for Selective Detection of Nerve Agent Tabun Simulant DCNP

AbstractSelective optical detection of highly toxic nerve agents and their mimics like diethyl cyanophosphate (DCNP) is of paramount importance for armed forces and first responders in order to decide the suitable medical countermeasures. The reported optical chemical sensors for DCNP suffered from poor selectivity due to their single point covalent interaction with analyte. To overcome this limitation, we herein, report a novel protocol utilizing a ditopic chemodosimeter which, in presence of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH), underwent dual interaction with reactive subunits of DCNP, viz., electrophilic phosphorus and cyanide, to induce unique changes in its fluorescence as well as colorimetric properties. Other interfering analytes could not trigger the similar optical response in the sensing probe due to the absence of electrophilic phosphorus and cyanide. A truth table was constructed to reveal that only DCNP but not other analytes could induce changes in both fluorescence as well as colorimetric properties of sensing probe. The linearity range of the proposed method was found to be 30–70 μM while chromogenic limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 99 nM which are comparable to the reported methods. Thus, use of indigenously available 2‐hydroxy‐1‐naphthaldehyde as sensing probe without requiring further chemical manipulation represented a significant improvement over the literature methods for DCNP sensing.

Transformation of Thia[7]helicene to Aza[7]helicenes and [7]Helicene-like Compounds via Aromatic Metamorphosis.

[n]Helicenes with helically twisted structures have attracted increasing interest owing to their unique properties. Therefore, it has been an important issue to develop facile synthetic methodologies which allow access to a variety of [n]helicenes. Here we report the synthesis of [7]helicenes and [7]helicene-like compounds from the thia[7]helicene as a common starting material. Desulfurative dilithiation of the thia[7]helicene and the subsequent reaction with silicon and phosphorus electrophiles afforded the silole- and phosphole-fused [7]helicene-like compounds, respectively. The cyclopentadiene-fused [7]helicene-like compound and the pyrrole-fused aza[7]helicenes were also successfully synthesized via twofold SNAr reactions of the thia[7]helicene S,S-dioxide with the carbon and nitrogen nucleophiles, respectively. The thia[7]helicene S,S-dioxide showed a slightly red-shifted absorption spectrum than the parent thia[7]helicene, which was well demonstrated by the theoretical calculations. The substituents on the silicon atom of silole-fused [7]helicene-like compounds have little impact on the longest absorption maximum. Such little effect of the substituents on absorption properties was also observed for cyclopentadiene-fused [7]helicene-like compounds and aza[7]helicenes and was well demonstrated by the theoretical calculations. The thia[7]helicene S,S-dioxide and the silole-fused [7]helicene-like compound exhibited bright blue emission, and the cyclopentadiene-fused [7]helicene-like compound and the aza[7]helicenes showed strong violet emission. Each single enantiomer of the aza[7]helicenes showed circularly-polarized luminescence with the dissymmetry factors of 4.2~4.4 × 10−3.

Lewis Superacidic Catecholato Phosphonium Ions: Phosphorus-Ligand Cooperative C-H Bond Activation.

A series of catecholato phosphonium ions, including the first stable bis(catecholato)-substituted derivatives, are isolated and fully characterized. The cations rank among the most potent literature-known Lewis acids on the Gutmann-Beckett and ion affinity scales. In contrast to halogenated or multiply charged phosphorus cations, Lewis superacidity is imparted by structural constraints, as disclosed by energy decomposition analysis. The modular access provides a tunable scaffold while maintaining extreme affinity, demonstrated by the synthesis of a chiral Lewis superacid. The combination of electrophilic phosphorus and basic oxygen substituents leverages new reactivity modes by phosphorus-ligand cooperativity. With this, a phosphorus-mediated C-H bond activation is accomplished.

A dual-channel optical chemical sensing system for selective detection of nerve agent simulant DFP.

This paper reports a novel optical chemical sensing system for selective detection of diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), a simulant of fluorine-containing nerve agents (Sarin and Soman). Contrary to the reported methods involving only single sensing probe, this sensing system is comprised of two molecular sensing probes (1 and 2) having intrinsic affinities for reactive subunits of DFP (electrophilic phosphorus and fluoride ion). On exposure to DFP, two molecular probes react in tandem with electrophilic phosphorus and fluoride ion (by-product of the initial phosphorylation reaction) to induce a unique modulation in the optical properties of the sensing system which leads to selective detection of DFP in solution as interferents like phosphorus-containing compounds, acids, and anions were unable to induce similar optical modulation due to lack of both electrophilic phosphorus and fluorine in the same molecule. Calibration curve between the amount of DFP added and the absorption intensity revealed the colorimetric detection limit of the system to be 4.50μM which was further lowered to 2.22μM by making use of a self-immolative fluoride sensing probe 5.

The mechanism behind enhanced reactivity of unsaturated phosphorus(v) electrophiles towards thiols.

Vinyl- and ethynyl phosphorus(v) electrophiles are a versatile class of thiol-reactive reagents suitable for cysteine-selective peptide and protein modifications, especially for the generation of antibody conjugates. Herein we investigated the reactivity of various P(v) reagents towards thiol addition. Complementing previous studies, we observed that the heteroatoms X (X = S, O, NH) as well as the vinyl- vs. ethynyl-substituent bound to phosphorus greatly influence the overall reactivity. These experimentally observed trends, as well as the high Z-selectivity for thiol additions to ethynyl derivatives, were further elucidated using DFT calculations. Hyperconjugation was a key means of stabilizing the intermediate generated upon the thiol addition, thus determining both the reactivity and stereoselectivity of unsaturated P(v) electrophiles. Specifically, the energetically low-lying σ antibonding orbital of the P–S bond more readily stabilizes the electron density from the lone pair (LP) of the generated carbanion, rendering the phosphonothiolates more reactive compared to the derivatives bearing oxygen and nitrogen. Our studies provide a detailed mechanistic picture for designing P(v)-based electrophiles with fine-tuned reactivity profiles.

A Potent Host Defense Peptide Triggers DNA Damage and Is Active against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens.

Gram-negative bacteria are some of the biggest threats to public health due to a large prevalence of antibiotic resistance. The difficulty in treating bacterial infections, stemming from their double membrane structure combined with efflux pumps in the outer membrane, has resulted in a much greater need for antimicrobials with activity against these pathogens. Tunicate host defense peptide (HDP), Clavanin A, is capable of not only inhibiting Gram-negative growth but also potentiating activity in the presence of Zn(II). Here, we provide evidence that the improvements of Clavanin A activity in the presence of Zn(II) are due to its novel mechanism of action. We employed E.coli TD172 (ΔrecA::kan) and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay to show in cellulae that DNA damage occurs upon treatment with Clavanin A. In vitro assays demonstrated that Zn(II) ions are required for the nuclease activity of the peptide. The quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations were used to investigate the mechanism of DNA damage. In the rate-determining step of the proposed mechanism, due to its Lewis acidity, the Zn(II) ion activates the scissile P-O bond of DNA and creates a hydroxyl nucleophile from a water molecule. A subsequent attack by this group to the electrophilic phosphorus cleaves the scissile phosphoester bond. Additionally, we utilized bacterial cytological profiling (BCP), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy in the presence of lipid vesicles, and surface plasmon resonance combined with electrical impedance spectroscopy in order to address the apparent discrepancies between our results and the previous studies regarding the mechanism of action of Clavanin A. Finally, our approach may lead to the identification of additional Clavanin A like HDPs and promote the development of antimicrobial peptide based therapeutics.

Stereochemistry of the Menthyl Grignard Reagent: Generation, Composition, Dynamics, and Reactions with Electrophiles.

Menthyl Grignard reagent 1 from either menthyl chloride (2) or neomenthyl chloride (3) consists of menthylmagnesium chloride (1a), neomenthylmagnesium chloride (1b), trans- p-menthane (4), 2-menthene (8), 3-menthene (9), and Wurtz coupling products including symmetrical bimenthyl 13. The diastereomeric ratio 1a/1b was determined in situ by 13C NMR or after D2O quenching by 2H NMR analysis. Hydrolysis of the C-Mg bond proceeds with retention of configuration at C-1. The kinetic ratio 1a/1b from Grignard reagent generation (dr 59:41 at 50 °C in THF) is close to the thermodynamic ratio (56:44 at 50 °C in THF). Carboxylation of 1 at -78 °C separates diastereomers 1a/b to give the anion of menthanecarboxylic acid (19) from 1a, which combines with unreactive 1b to give neomenthylmagnesium menthanecarboxylate (1bI). The kinetics of epimerization for the menthyl/neomenthylmagnesium system was analyzed (Δ H⧧ = 98.5 kJ/mol, Δ S⧧ = -113 J/mol·K for 1bI → 1aI). Reactions of 1 with phosphorus electrophiles proceed stereoconvergently at C-1 of 1a/b to give predominantly menthyl-configured substitution products: PCl3 and 2 equiv of 1 give Men2PCl (6), which hydrolyzes to dimenthylphosphine P-oxide (7), whereas Ph2PCl with 1 equiv of 1 gave P-menthyldiphenylphosphine oxide (27) after workup in air.

Frank Henry Westheimer. 15 January 1912—14 April 2007

Frank H. Westheimer integrated physical and organic chemistry to become an important contributor to the field that came to be called ‘physical organic chemistry’. He then went on to apply physical organic chemistry to the study of biological transformations. He identified fundamental classes of chemical reactions, studied in detail how they occurred in a relevant non-biological format and then investigated corresponding enzymatic reactions. These included oxidation–reduction, decarboxylation and phosphate transfer reactions. In the process, he made fundamental observations in the field of bio-organic chemistry he had helped to create. This line of research led to conceptual advances relevant to the ability of enzymes to distinguish enantiotopic and diastereotopic centres in their substrates, the perturbation of p K a values in enzymatic active sites as a source of catalytic power, and the broad range of transition state structures available for reactions at electrophilic phosphorus. These studies prompted similar work across many classes of enzymatic reactions. These experiments also benefitted from Westheimer's guidance in the application of kinetic isotope effects to probe reaction transition states, his invention of molecular mechanics to understand molecular dynamics, his widely cast studies on how organic reactivity depends on the molecular environment and his demonstration that photochemistry could be used to probe structure in complex biological systems.

Steric Control in Reactions of N‐Heterocyclic Phosphorus Electrophiles with Pentacarbonyl Manganate(–I)

Metathesis of Na[Mn(CO)5] with N‐tBu and N‐Mes substituted, electrophilic N‐heterocyclic phosphane derivatives afforded in the first case an ionic N‐heterocyclic phosphenium (NHP) metalate and in the second case a covalent phosphenium complex. The products were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic data and the NHP complex as well by a single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study. A DFT study allows relating the different outcome of the reactions studied with the energetics of the decarbonylation of the appropriate NHP metalates. Closer evaluation reveals steric factors as the key to explaining the observed behavior, and indicates that their impact displays close parallels to NHC chemistry.

Regio- and Stereoselective Hydrophosphorylation of Ynamides for the Synthesis of β-Aminovinylphosphine Oxides.

A metal-free hydrophosphorylation of ynamides with diaryl phosphine oxides has been developed. A highly E-selective and β-regioselective hydrophosphorylation protocol has been established as a general method for the synthesis of diversely hydrophosphinylated products employing an in situ generated electrophilic phosphorus species. Deuterium incorporation experiments suggest that the amino phosphirenium intermediate undergoes a concerted ring-opening hydrolysis upon treatment with H2O to exclusively furnish β-aminovinylphosphine oxides.

Phosphorylation of Isocyanates and Aldehydes Mediated by Multifunctional N-Phosphine Oxide-substituted Imidazolylidenes

Abstract The direct syntheses of imidic-phosphinic mixed anhydrides and phosphinates were accomplished via phosphorylation of isocyanates or aldehydes with N-phosphine oxide-substituted imidazolylidenes (PoxIms) that are equipped with both nucleophilic carbene and electrophilic phosphorus moieties. In addition, the catalytic cyclotrimerization of phenyl isocyanate took place by employing a PoxIm having bis-N-phosphine oxide groups. The results presented in the current study demonstrate that judiciously designed multifunctional carbenes represent a promising potential for the phosphorylation of heterocumulenes and carbonyl compounds.

Metal-Free Electrophilic Phosphination/Cyclization of Alkynes.

A metal-free electrophilic phosphination reaction has been developed. Electrophilic phosphorus species generated in situ from secondary phosphine oxides and Tf2O smoothly couple with alkynes possessing pendant nucleophiles to afford the corresponding phosphinated cyclization products in good yield. Preliminary NMR studies show that phosphirenium species may be involved as intermediates of the cyclization reactions.

P-N Cooperative Borane Activation and Catalytic Hydroboration by a Distorted Phosphorous Triamide Platform.

Studies of the stoichiometric and catalytic reactivity of a geometrically constrained phosphorous triamide 1 with pinacolborane (HBpin) are reported. The addition of HBpin to phosphorous triamide 1 results in cleavage of the B-H bond of pinacolborane through addition across the electrophilic phosphorus and nucleophilic N-methylanilide sites in a cooperative fashion. The kinetics of this process of were investigated by NMR spectroscopy, with the determined overall second-order empirical rate law given by ν = -k[1][HBpin], where k = 4.76 × 10-5 M-1 s-1 at 25 °C. The B-H bond activation process produces P-hydrido-1,3,2-diazaphospholene intermediate 2, which exhibits hydridic reactivity capable of reacting with imines to give phosphorous triamide intermediates, as confirmed by independent synthesis. These phosphorous triamide intermediates are typically short lived, evolving with elimination of the N-borylamine product of imine hydroboration with regeneration of the deformed phosphorous triamide 1. The kinetics of this latter process are shown to be first-order, indicative of a unimolecular mechanism. Consequently, catalytic hydroboration of a variety of imine substrates can be realized with 1 as the catalyst and HBpin as the terminal reagent. A mechanistic proposal implicating a P-N cooperative mechanism for catalysis that incorporates the various independently verified stoichiometric steps is presented, and a comparison to related phosphorus-based systems is offered.

Strategic Utilization of Multifunctional Carbene for Direct Synthesis of Carboxylic-Phosphinic Mixed Anhydride from CO2.

Direct synthesis of carboxylic–phosphinic mixed anhydrides has been achieved by treating carbon dioxide with N‐phosphine oxide‐substituted imidazolylidenes (PoxIms) that contain both nucleophilic carbene and electrophilic phosphorus moieties. This novel mixed anhydride was efficiently derivatized into an ester, an amide, and an unsymmetrical ketone via transformation into its corresponding imidazolium salt followed by a dual substitution reaction. The presented work used well‐designed multifunctional carbene reagents to establish a novel utility for carbon dioxide in organic synthesis.

Strategic Utilization of Multifunctional Carbene for Direct Synthesis of Carboxylic–Phosphinic Mixed Anhydride from CO2

AbstractDirect synthesis of carboxylic–phosphinic mixed anhydrides has been achieved by treating carbon dioxide with N‐phosphine oxide‐substituted imidazolylidenes (PoxIms) that contain both nucleophilic carbene and electrophilic phosphorus moieties. This novel mixed anhydride was efficiently derivatized into an ester, an amide, and an unsymmetrical ketone via transformation into its corresponding imidazolium salt followed by a dual substitution reaction. The presented work used well‐designed multifunctional carbene reagents to establish a novel utility for carbon dioxide in organic synthesis.

A Practical Synthesis of Rhodium Precatalysts for Enantioselective Hydrogenative Transformations

Herein is described a practical method of preparing enantiopure rhodium(I) complexes that can be used as efficient catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized alkenes, the hydrogenative kinetic resolution of vinyl sulfoxides, and the desymmetrization of meso-dienes. All these rhodium precatalysts incorporate enantiopure phosphine–phosphite (P–OP) ligands as stereochemical directors of the hydrogenative transformations. The synthetic route starts with the ring-opening of an enantiopure Sharpless epoxy ether with a phosphorus nucleophile followed by isolation of the borane-protected phosphino alcohol derivative by crystallization. The subsequent cleavage of this borane complex, the O-phosphorylation of the resulting phosphino alcohol with the corresponding phosphorus electrophiles (chlorophosphite derivatives), and finally the complexation of the in situ generated P–OP ligands with [Rh(nbd)2]BF4, followed by crystallization, rendered the target precatalysts.

Hydrophosphination of CO2 and subsequent formate transfer in the 1,3,2-diazaphospholene-catalyzed N-formylation of amines.

Hydrophosphination of CO2 with 1,3,2-Diazaphospholene (NHP-H; 1) afforded phosphorus formate (NHP-OCOH; 2) through the formation of a bond between the electrophilic phosphorus atom in 1 and the oxygen atom from CO2 , along with hydride transfer to the carbon atom of CO2 . Transfer of the formate from 2 to Ph2 SiH2 produced Ph2 Si(OCHO)2 (3) in a reaction that could be carried out in a catalytic manner by using 5 mol % of 1. These elementary reactions were applied to the metal-free catalytic N-formylation of amine derivatives with CO2 in one pot under ambient conditions.