Preparation of (mono)sulfonates: Suitable precursors for unnatural sulfonolipids

Aiming at the preparation of the novel unnatural, non-isosteric sulfonolipids bearing one, two and three acyl groups 8, 9 and 10, their precursors hydroxyl-containing sulfonates have been prepared from a variety of hydroxyl-containing halogenides and epoxides using the Strecker reaction. Thus, the sulfonates 16 and 22 were prepared pure, while the sulfonate 27 could only be prepared as a by-product using 1,4-dibromo-2,3-butanediol 26 and in low yields. For these reactions, probable pathways leading to the isolated or spectroscopically identified products are proposed. Conclusions about the relative nucleophilicity of SO32- compared to AsO33 - (as well as HO- which is present in their aqueous solutions) were drawn based on the yields of the corresponding arsonic acids and sodium sulfonates. The IR (KBr) and 1H NMR (D2O) spectra of sulfonates (and in some cases of their sulfonic acids) are analyzed and discussed.

Preferential Sites for Adsorption of CO on Au6 Clusters Using Density Functional Theory Based Reactivity Descriptors

Nanoarchitectonics of neutral Au6 cluster upon addition and removal of one electron have been studied using density functional based reactivity descriptors. We studied the response of various sites of cationic, neutral and anionic Au6 clusters towards impending electrophilic and nucleophilic attacks using DFT based local reactivity descriptors, viz, Fukui function for nucleophilic attack f+. Fukui function for electrophilic attack f−, relative nucleophilicity f+/f− and relative electrophilicity f+/f−. Based on these parameters different types of unique atoms have been identified for each cluster. Reactivity predictions for the unique atoms of the minimum energy planar triangular Au6 structure have been verified by using CO as a probe molecule. It has been found adsorption of CO molecules on gold cluster brings about structural changes in the cluster and that the CO molecule prefers the apex site for adsorption onto the triangular Au6 cluster as compared to the mid site.

Pd-Catalyzed C–N Coupling Reactions Facilitated by Organic Bases: Mechanistic Investigation Leads to Enhanced Reactivity in the Arylation of Weakly Binding Amines

The ability to use soluble organic amine bases in Pd-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling reactions has provided a long-awaited solution to the many issues associated with employing traditional, heterogeneous reaction conditions. However, little is known about the precise function of these bases in the catalytic cycle and about the effect of variations in base structure on catalyst reactivity. We used ¹⁹F NMR to analyze the kinetic behavior of C–N coupling reactions facilitated by different organic bases. In the case of aniline coupling reactions employing DBU, the resting state was a DBU-bound oxidative addition complex, LPd(DBU)(Ar)X, and the reaction was found to be inhibited by base. In general, however, depending on the binding properties of the chosen organic base, increased concentration of the base can have a positive or negative influence on the reaction rate. We propose a model in which the turnover-limiting step of the catalytic cycle depends on the relative nucleophilicity of the base compared to that of the amine. This hypothesis guided the discovery of new reaction conditions for the coupling of weakly binding amines, including secondary aryl amines, which were unreactive nucleophiles in our original protocol.

Pd-Catalyzed C–N Coupling Reactions Facilitated by Organic Bases: Mechanistic Investigation Leads to Enhanced Reactivity in the Arylation of Weakly Binding Amines

The ability to use soluble organic amine bases in Pd-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling reactions has provided a long-awaited solution to the many issues associated with employing traditional, heterogeneous reaction conditions. However, little is known about the precise function of these bases in the catalytic cycle and about the effect of variations in base structure on catalyst reactivity. We used ¹⁹F NMR to analyze the kinetic behavior of C–N coupling reactions facilitated by different organic bases. In the case of aniline coupling reactions employing DBU, the resting state was a DBU-bound oxidative addition complex, LPd(DBU)(Ar)X, and the reaction was found to be inhibited by base. In general, however, depending on the binding properties of the chosen organic base, increased concentration of the base can have a positive or negative influence on the reaction rate. We propose a model in which the turnover-limiting step of the catalytic cycle depends on the relative nucleophilicity of the base compared to that of the amine. This hypothesis guided the discovery of new reaction conditions for the coupling of weakly binding amines, including secondary aryl amines, which were unreactive nucleophiles in our original protocol.

Synthesis of α-Thiooximes by Addition of Thiols to N,N-Bis(oxy)-enamines: A Comparative Study of S-, N-, and O-Nucleo­philes in Michael Reaction with Nitrosoalkene Species

Nucleophilic addition of thiols to N,N-bis(oxy)enamines (nitrosoalkene acetals) produce valuable α-thiooximes in a highly efficient manner. The reaction was found to be solvent-dependent, likely because of distinct mechanisms operating in nonpolar and basic solvents (involving either Brønsted acid or Lewis base catalysis). By performing a series of competition experiments, the relative reactivity of S-, N-, and O-nucleophiles in reaction with N,N-bis(oxy)enamines was determined for the first time. Interestingly, the relative nucleophilicity was found to be highly dependent on the solvent, which allows regioselective control of these reactions by using an appropriate medium.