Saturated Precursors Research Articles

Dual Photochemical H-Atom Transfer & Cobalt Catalysis for the Desaturative Synthesis of Phenols from Cyclohexanones.

Phenols are integral aromatic molecules widely encountered in the structure of natural products and routinely utilised for the synthesis of high-value materials. Accessing highly substituted derivatives can often be difficult especially when their functionalization pattern does not match the intrinsic reactivity leveraged by electrophilic aromatic substitution (SEAr) chemistry. Here we provide an alternative and mechanistically distinct approach for phenol synthesis using saturated cyclohexanone precursors. This process operates at ambient temperature, under simple purple light irradiation, and features a dual catalytic manifold carrying four sequential H-atom transfer processes.

Dualkatalytisch‐Photochemische H‐Atomtransfer/Kobaltkatalysesequenz Ermöglicht Desaturative Synthese von Phenolen aus Cyclohexanonen

AbstractPhenole gehören zu den grundlegendsten aromatischen Strukturen, die nicht nur in einer Vielzahl von Naturstoffen zu finden sind, sondern auch routinemäßig für die Herstellung von wertvollen Produkten eingesetzt werden. Die Synthese hochsubstituierter Phenolderivate kann jedoch äußerst komplex sein, wenn das gewünschte Substitutionsmuster nicht durch die dirigierenden Effekte der elektrophilen aromatischen Substitution (SEAr) erreicht werden kann. In diesem Aufsatz präsentieren wir einen alternativen und mechanistisch einzigarten Ansatz zur Phenolsynthese, der saturierte Cyclohexanone als Ausgangsstoffe verwendet. Dieser bei Raumtemperatur ablaufende Prozess wird durch die Nutzung von violettem Licht ermöglicht und kennzeichnet sich durch den Einsatz einer Anthrachinon‐Kobalt‐Dualkatalyse, welcher vier aufeinanderfolgende Wasserstoffatomtransfers ermöglicht.

Synthesis of Linear Enamides and Enecarbamates via Photoredox Acceptorless Dehydrogenation

AbstractIn recent years, several methods for the direct desaturation of aliphatic compounds have been developed, facilitated by the unique combination of photoredox and transition‐metal catalysis. Hereby, alkenes with high functionalization potential can be prepared in a straightforward fashion. We adapted a previously reported system involving tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (TBADT) as hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) agent and a cobaloxime co‐catalyst for dihydrogen evolution for the dehydrogenative preparation of linear enamides and enecarbamates from saturated precursors. The substrate scope includes several natural products and drug derivatives. The reaction does not require noble metal catalysts, exhibits short reaction times compared to previous methods and is suitable for the late‐stage functionalization of drug derivatives.magnified image

Enzymatic Nitrogen Insertion into Unactivated C-H Bonds.

Selective functionalization of aliphatic C-H bonds, ubiquitous in molecular structures, could allow ready access to diverse chemical products. While enzymatic oxygenation of C-H bonds is well established, the analogous enzymatic nitrogen functionalization is still unknown; nature is reliant on preoxidized compounds for nitrogen incorporation. Likewise, synthetic methods for selective nitrogen derivatization of unbiased C-H bonds remain elusive. In this work, new-to-nature heme-containing nitrene transferases were used as starting points for the directed evolution of enzymes to selectively aminate and amidate unactivated C(sp3)-H sites. The desymmetrization of methyl- and ethylcyclohexane with divergent site selectivity is offered as demonstration. The evolved enzymes in these lineages are highly promiscuous and show activity toward a wide array of substrates, providing a foundation for further evolution of nitrene transferase function. Computational studies and kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) are consistent with a stepwise radical pathway involving an irreversible, enantiodetermining hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), followed by a lower-barrier diastereoselectivity-determining radical rebound step. In-enzyme molecular dynamics (MD) simulations reveal a predominantly hydrophobic pocket with favorable dispersion interactions with the substrate. By offering a direct path from saturated precursors, these enzymes present a new biochemical logic for accessing nitrogen-containing compounds.

Reducing lipid bilayer stress by monounsaturated fatty acids protects renal proximal tubules in diabetes.

In diabetic patients, dyslipidemia frequently contributes to organ damage such as diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Dyslipidemia is associated with both excessive deposition of triacylglycerol (TAG) in lipid droplets (LDs) and lipotoxicity. Yet, it is unclear how these two effects correlate with each other in the kidney and how they are influenced by dietary patterns. By using a diabetes mouse model, we find here that high-fat diet enriched in the monounsaturated oleic acid (OA) caused more lipid storage in LDs in renal proximal tubular cells (PTCs) but less tubular damage than a corresponding butter diet with the saturated palmitic acid (PA). This effect was particularly evident in S2/S3 but not S1 segments of the proximal tubule. Combining transcriptomics, lipidomics, and functional studies, we identify endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as the main cause of PA-induced PTC injury. Mechanistically, ER stress is caused by elevated levels of saturated TAG precursors, reduced LD formation, and, consequently, higher membrane order in the ER. Simultaneous addition of OA rescues the cytotoxic effects by normalizing membrane order and increasing both TAG and LD formation. Our study thus emphasizes the importance of monounsaturated fatty acids for the dietary management of DKD by preventing lipid bilayer stress in the ER and promoting TAG and LD formation in PTCs.

A Desaturative Approach for Aromatic Aldehyde Synthesis via Synergistic Enamine, Photoredox and Cobalt Triple Catalysis

AbstractAromatic aldehydes are fundamental intermediates that are widely utilised for the synthesis of important materials across the broad spectrum of chemical industries. Accessing highly substituted derivatives can often be difficult as their functionalizations are generally performed via electrophilic aromatic substitution, SEAr. Here we provide an alternative and mechanistically distinct approach whereby aromatic aldehydes are assembled from saturated precursors via a desaturative process. This novel strategy harnesses the high‐fidelity of Diels–Alder cycloadditions to quickly construct multi‐substituted cyclohexenecarbaldehyde cores which undergo desaturation via the synergistic interplay of enamine, photoredox and cobalt triple catalysis.

A Desaturative Approach for Aromatic Aldehyde Synthesis via Synergistic Enamine, Photoredox and Cobalt Triple Catalysis.

Aromatic aldehydes are fundamental intermediates that are widely utilised for the synthesis of important materials across the broad spectrum of chemical industries. Accessing highly substituted derivatives can often be difficult as their functionalizations are generally performed via electrophilic aromatic substitution, SEAr. Here we provide an alternative and mechanistically distinct approach whereby aromatic aldehydes are assembled from saturated precursors via a desaturative process. This novel strategy harnesses the high‐fidelity of Diels–Alder cycloadditions to quickly construct multi‐substituted cyclohexenecarbaldehyde cores which undergo desaturation via the synergistic interplay of enamine, photoredox and cobalt triple catalysis.

The effects of diagenetic aromatization on the carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of higher plant di- and triterpenoids: Evidence from buried wood

The widely distributed aromatic di- and triterpenoids from higher plants occurring in sediments are formed by diagenetic microbial processes affecting their precursor plant lipids. These compounds and their stable isotopic composition (δ13C and δ2H) have the potential to be used for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies. In the present study, the isotopic composition of di- and triterpenoids aromatized to different extents has been measured to specifically examine the isotopic effects associated with the aromatization reaction. To overcome the possibility of multiple higher plant sources, as is generally the case with sedimentary lipids, the δ13C and δ2H values of aromatized di- and triterpenoids from lipid extracts recovered from conifer and angiosperm buried wood have been determined, allowing an unambiguous substrate/product relationship along the aromatization pathway to be assured. The results show that the δ13C compositions of both di- and triterpenes do not seem to be significantly affected by progressive aromatization, whereas the situation is different for δ2H values. In the case of diterpenoids related to abietic acid, a significant increase of the δ2H values by up to 86‰ with ongoing aromatization was measured. This is in contrast to what is expected for dehydrogenated compounds which should be globally more 2H-depleted than their precursor molecules (e.g., biosynthesized unsaturated fatty acids vs. their saturated precursors). This 2H enrichment of aromatized diterpenoids could indicate that they represent only minor residual intermediates, the majority having been further degraded by processes favoring the degradation of the 1H-containing substrates and having a moderately pronounced 12C/13C selectivity. With triterpenoids, preservation of the δ2H values was observed whatever the nature and extent of the aromatization process considered, which may be related to enzymatic reactions showing a limited influence on the hydrogen stable isotopic composition of the aromatized compounds.

Atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of organics: effect of the presence and position of double bonds on polymerization mechanisms, plasma stability and coating chemistry

Oxygen rich organic coatings are synthesized in a dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure. The critical effect of the precursor structure on the final chemical and physical properties of the synthesized coatings and the plasma characteristics are reported. A correlation is proposed between the electrical, optical emission spectroscopy and atmospheric mass spectrometry (MS) measurements of the plasma phase with the chemical properties of the synthesized films. It is shown that the addition of a precursor in an argon plasma leads to a stabilization of the discharge, critically dependent on the precursor structure itself. Different polymerization pathways are evidenced for the saturated and unsaturated precursors by the monitoring of some specific fragments by MS. The polymerized coatings are also characterized with X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. The presented results not only evidence a stronger preservation of the precursor structure with double bonds in the plasma phase but also reveal the essential role of the distance separating the unsaturation and a function of interest.

Iridium-Catalyzed, β-Selective C(sp3)-H Silylation of Aliphatic Amines To Form Silapyrrolidines and 1,2-Amino Alcohols.

The functionalization of unactivated C(sp3)-H bonds of aliphatic amines catalyzed by transition-metal complexes is important because amine-based functionality is present in a majority of biologically active molecules and commercial pharmaceuticals. However, such reactions are underdeveloped and challenging to achieve in general because the basicity and reducing properties of alkylamines tends to interfere with potential reagents and catalysts. The functionalization of C-H bonds β to the nitrogen of aliphatic amines to form prevalent 1,2-amino functionalized structures is particularly challenging because the C-H bond β to nitrogen is stronger than the C-H bond α to nitrogen, and the nitrogen in the amine or its derivatives usually directs a catalyst to react at more distal γ- and δ-C-H bonds to form 5- or 6-membered metallacyclic intermediate. The enantioselective functionalization of a C-H bond at any position in amines also has been vexing and is currently limited to reactions of specific, sterically hindered, cyclic structures. We report iridium-catalyzed, β-selective silylations of unactivated C(sp3)-H bonds of aliphatic amines to form silapyrrolidines that are both silicon-containing analogs of common saturated nitrogen heterocycles and precursors to 1,2-amino alcohols by Tamao-Fleming oxidation. These silylations of amines are accomplished by introducing a simple methylene linker between the heteroatom and silicon that has not been used previously for the silylation of C-H bonds. The reactions occur with high enantioselectivity when catalyzed by complexes of new chiral, pyridyl imidazoline ligands, and the rates of reactions with catalysts of these highly basic ligands are particularly fast, occuring in some cases at or even below room temperature.

Defining Plasma Polymerization: New Insight Into What We Should Be Measuring

External parameters (RF power and precursor flow rate) are typically quoted to define plasma polymerization experiments. Utilizing a parallel-plate electrode reactor with variable geometry, it is shown that these parameters cannot be transferred to reactors with different geometries in order to reproduce plasma polymer films using four precursors. Measurements of ion flux and power coupling efficiency confirm that intrinsic plasma properties vary greatly with reactor geometry at constant applied RF power. It is further demonstrated that controlling intrinsic parameters, in this case the ion flux, offers a more widely applicable method of defining plasma polymerization processes, particularly for saturated and allylic precursors.

Synthesis of Various Saturated and Unsaturated N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Precursors by Triflic Anhydride Mediated Intramolecular Cyclization

Closing the circle: A versatile and modular method yields various saturated and unsaturated N-heterocyclic carbene precursors from a Tf2O-mediated intramolecular cyclization reaction. A resultant sterically demanding oxazolium salt could be used not only as good intermediate for directly preparing N,N′-disubstituted imidazolium salts in one step, but also as a precursor of sterically demanding oxazol-2-ylidene. As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors. Such materials are peer reviewed and may be re-organized for online delivery, but are not copy-edited or typeset. Technical support issues arising from supporting information (other than missing files) should be addressed to the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

ChemInform Abstract: Dehydrogenative Aromatization of Saturated Aromatic Compounds by Graphite Oxide and Molecular Sieves.

Graphite oxide (GO) has attracted much attention of material and catalysis chemists recently. Here we describe a combination of GO and molecular sieves for the dehydrogenative aromatization. GO prepared through improved Hummers method showed high oxidative activity in this reaction. Partially or fully saturated aromatic compounds were converted to their corresponding dehydrogenated aromatic products with fair to excellent conversions and selectivities. As both GO and molecular sieves are easily available, cheap, lowly toxic and have good tolerance to various functional groups, this reaction provides a facile approach toward aromatic compounds from their saturated precursors.

ChemInform Abstract: General Palladium‐Catalyzed Aerobic Dehydrogenation to Generate Double Bonds.

Abstractα,β‐Unsaturated aldehydes, ketones, esters, and azobenzenes are prepared from the corresponding saturated precursors under mild conditions using air or O2 as oxidant.

Dehydrogenative Aromatization of Saturated Aromatic Compounds by Graphite Oxide and Molecular Sieves

AbstractGraphite oxide (GO) has attracted much attention of material and catalysis chemists recently. Here we describe a combination of GO and molecular sieves for the dehydrogenative aromatization. GO prepared through improved Hummers method showed high oxidative activity in this reaction. Partially or fully saturated aromatic compounds were converted to their corresponding dehydrogenated aromatic products with fair to excellent conversions and selectivities. As both GO and molecular sieves are easily available, cheap, lowly toxic and have good tolerance to various functional groups, this reaction provides a facile approach toward aromatic compounds from their saturated precursors.

Plasma polymerization of amine-containing thin films and the studies on the deposition kinetics

Plasma-polymerized thin films prepared from amine-containing saturated (propylamine) and unsaturated (allylamine and propargylamine) precursors were investigated in terms of the deposition rate, polymerization kinetics and thin film morphology as function of the applied power. Moreover, a mathematical model was established to correlate the physicochemical properties to the deposition kinetics under plasma polymerizations. It was found that the thin film deposition rate was primarily dictated by the amine bond dissociation energy (NH 2 BDE) of precursors. On the other hand, surface chemistry (N/C ratio, surface imine and amine contents) guided the growth of L-929 fibroblast cells on the prepared amine-functionalized surfaces. A close relationship among the deposition kinetics, the physicochemical and biological properties of the deposited amine-containing plasma polymers was presented.

The metabolic syndrome of ω3-depleted rats. I. Liver data

Second-generation rats depleted in long-chain polyunsaturated omega3 fatty acids were recently proposed as a novel animal model for the metabolic syndrome. In the present study, a dietary deprivation of omega3 acids for 3-7 months was found sufficient to provoke in 6-week-old normal rats the same alteration of the fatty acid content and profile of liver phospholipids and triglycerides as that otherwise prevailing in the second-generation omega3-depleted rats, with emphasis on a severe decrease in their omega3 fatty acid content, alterations in the relative contribution of and ratio between selected long-chain polyunsaturated omega6 fatty acids, saturated and monodesaturated fatty acids and precursors of nervonic acid, and liver steatosis. When the omega3-depleted rats were exposed, after the first 7 months of the present experiments and for 2-4 weeks to a diet supplemented with 5% (w/w) flaxseed oil, most of these hepatic variables returned towards or beyond control values. In both the omega3-depleted rats and control animals, however, the eventual exposure to the flaxseed oil-enriched diet failed to suppress liver steatosis and, on the contrary, provoked a further increase in liver triglyceride content. It is proposed, therefore, that the present approach represents a simple and realistic animal model to study the consequences of omega3-depletion. Moreover, the results suggest that to oppose such consequences, e.g. liver steatosis, it may be necessary to combine the dietary supply of omega3 acids with a suitable control of food intake, in both qualitative and quantitative terms.

C−H Bond Activation Reactions with Ligand Adducts of a β-Diiminate Iridium Dihydride

Addition of neutral ligands to the trigonal prismatic iridium tetrahydride (iPrBDI)IrH4 (BDI = ArNC(Me)CH(Me)CNAr, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) induces reductive elimination of dihydrogen to afford (iPrBDI)IrH2(L) (L = phosphine, tetrahydrothiophene, cyclohexene) compounds. A combination of solution NMR data and infrared spectroscopic studies have established that the phosphine dihydride compounds and the cyclohexene adduct are best described as classical iridium(III) dihydride or “stretched dihydrogen” complexes. The corresponding tetrahydrothiophene adduct exhibits spectroscopic features and reactivity patterns consistent with increased iridium(I) dihydrogen character. In complexes containing large cone angle phosphines such as PCy3 and PiPr3, ligand dissociation is facile and isotopic exchange in arene substrates is observed. The experimental data support an Ir(III)−Ir(V) oxidative addition−reductive elimination sequence for C−H bond activation, in contrast to more traditional coordinatively saturated precursors, where Ir(I)−Ir(III) couples are preferred.

LXR-mediated activation of macrophage stearoyl-CoA desaturase generates unsaturated fatty acids that destabilize ABCA1

Abnormal HDL metabolism among patients with diabetes and insulin resistance may contribute to their increased risk of atherosclerosis. ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates the transport of cholesterol and phospholipids from cells to HDL apolipoproteins and thus modulates HDL levels and atherogenesis. Because fatty acids are increased in diabetes, we examined their effects on ABCA1 activity in cultured macrophages. cAMP analogs and ligands for the liver X receptor/retinoid X receptor (LXR/RXR) system can induce Abca1 transcription in murine macrophages. When induced by cAMP, unsaturated but not saturated long-chain fatty acids inhibit apolipoprotein-mediated lipid efflux by destabilizing ABCA1 protein. Here, we show that the saturated fatty acids palmitate and stearate also destabilize ABCA1 when Abca1 is induced by LXR/RXR ligands instead of cAMP. This was associated with increased palmitate and stearate desaturation by stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), another gene product induced by LXR/RXR ligands. The SCD inhibitors conjugated linoleic acid and troglitazone nearly abolished ABCA1 destabilization by palmitate and stearate but not by linoleate. These results suggest that LXR/RXR ligands generate ABCA1-destabilizing monounsaturated fatty acids from their saturated precursors by activating SCD. Thus, with cholesterol-loaded macrophages exposed to saturated fatty acids, activated LXR/RXR may counteract the enhanced ABCA1 transcription by reducing the ABCA1 protein content.

Regulation of fatty acid desaturation in Bacillus subtilis

The Des pathway of Bacillus subtilis regulates the expression of the acyl-lipid desaturase, Des, thereby controlling the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids from saturated phospholipid precursors. Activation of this pathway takes place when cells are shifted to low growth temperature or when they are grown in minimal media in the absence of isoleucine supplies. The master switch for the Des pathway is a two-component regulatory system composed of a membrane-associated kinase, DesK, and a soluble transcriptional regulator, DesR, which stringently controls transcription of the des gene. We propose that both, a decrease in membrane fluidity at constant temperature and a temperature downshift induce des by the same mechanism, involving the ability of DesK to sense a decrease in membrane fluidity.