Synthesis of novel acetylene-containing amino acids

Summary.  Novel synthetic procedures for the modification of non-proteinogenic acetylene-containing amino acids have been developed. The functionalization either proceeds via zinc/copper-mediated introduction of alkyl substituents, or via tungsten-catalyzed ring-closing alkyne metathesis reactions. Received March 28, 2002 Accepted October 3, 2002 Published online December 18, 2002 Acknowledgements These investigations are supported (in part) by the Netherlands Research Council for Chemical Sciences (CW) with financial aid from the Netherlands Technology Foundation (STW). Authors' address: Floris P. J. T. Rutjes, Prof. Dr., Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, NL-6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands, E-mail: rutjes@sci.kun.nl  2, selected data: ¹H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 5.32 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 4.44–4.40 (m, 1H), 3.76 (s, 3H), 2.75–2.73 (d, J = 5.0 Hz, 2H), 1.44 (s, 9H); ¹³C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 171.0, 155.0, 80.3, 74.6, 52.6, 51.9, 41.7, 28.3, 24.0; mp = 55°C.  Typical procedure for 5: zinc dust (116 mg, 1.408 mmol) was weighed into a 20 mL flask, which was repeatedly evacuated (with heating using a heat gun) and flushed with argon. Dry DMF (0.5 mL, distilled from CaH₂) and 1,2-dibromoethane (9.2 μL, 0.106 mmol) were added and the flask was heated at 80°C for 40 min. The reaction mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature, trimethylsilyl chloride (4 μL, 0.035 mmol) was added and the resulting mixture was stirred vigorously for a further 30 min under argon. Iodocyclohexane (69 μl, 0.528 mmol) was added and stirred at room temperature for 3 h more after which stirring was ceased to settle the zinc. CuCN (41 mg, 0.458 mmol) and LiCl (40 mg, 0.915 mmol) were heated to 150°C for 2 h and cooled to room temperature. Addition of DMF (1 mL) formed a soluble CuCN·2LiCl complex within 5 min. After cooling the Cu-complex to −15°C, the organozinc reagent was added dropwise followed by the bromoacetylene 2 (116 mg, 0.352 mmol). The mixture was allowed to stir overnight at room temperature. Water was added and the suspension was extracted using heptane, washed with brine, dried (MgSO₄) and concentrated. Purification using flash column chromatography (10% EtOAc in heptane) yielded 5 (100 mg, 81%) as a colorless oil. 5: IR ν 3355, 2929, 2852, 2359, 2337, 1749, 1717, 1498, 1447, 1365, 1251, 1181, 1060; ¹H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 5.28 (d, J = 7.7 Hz, 1H), 4.43–4.38 (m, 1H), 3.73 (s, 3H), 2.69–2.63 (m, 2H), 2.13 (m, 1H), 1.73–1.22 (m, 10H), 1.43 (s, 9H); ¹³C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 171.4, 155.0, 88.1, 79.9, 73.8, 52.3, 32.7, 32.7, 28.8, 28.2, 25.8, 24.6, 23.1; HRMS (EI): calculated for C₁₇H₂₇NO₄ 309.1940, found 309.1937.  A solution of the tungsten catalyst (7 mg, 10 mol%) in C₆H₅Cl (2 mL) was treated with a solution of 14 (49.0 mg, 0.120 mmol) in C₆H₅Cl (5.0 mL) under an argon atmosphere and the resulting mixture was heated at 80°C for 3 h. Evaporation followed by flash column chromatography (80% EtOAc in heptane) afforded 15 (21.0 mg, 50%; 64% after correction for starting material) and 14 (16 mg, 33%) as colorless oils. 15: [α]_D =–14.6 (c = 1, CH₂Cl₂); IR ν 3313, 2931, 2865, 2249, 1744, 1667, 1520, 1366, 1170; ¹H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.14 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 1H), 6.08 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 4.78 (q, J = 6.8 Hz, 1H), 4.27 (q, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 3.73 (s, 3H), 2.17–2.15 (m, 4H), 2.07–1.96 (m, 2H), 1.79–1.52 (m, 4H), 1.45 (s, 9H), 0.89–0.83 (m, 2H); ¹³C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 173.2, 171.8, 155.8, 80.4, 80.2, 79.3, 53.8, 52.5, 51.2, 32.8 (2×), 28.1, 24.6, 24.2, 18.3 (2×); HRMS (EI): calculated for C₁₈H₂₈N₂O₅     

Simultaneous butyrate oxidation by Syntrophomonas wolfei and catalytic olefin reduction in absence of interspecies hydrogen transfer

Methanogenesis by a Syntrophomonas wolfei/ Methanospirillum hungatei coculture was inhibited in presence of ethylene and the hydrogenation catalyst Pd-BaSO₄. However, butyrate oxidation by S. wolfei continued and ethylene was reduced to ethane. Per mol of butyrate oxidized, 2.4 mol acetate was produced and 0.8 mol ethylene was reduced. Acetylene, propylene and butene were less effective as H₂ acceptors than ethylene, and addition of bromoethanesulfonic acid was necessary to inhibit methanogenesis in the presence of the two longer-chain olefins. Other hydrogenation catalysts were less effective in the order Pd-charcoal < PE-asbestos < Pd-PEI beads < Pt-Al₂O₃, Pd-CaCO₃. Optimal ethylene hydrogenation was achieved with still incubation in presence of 7.2 mg Pd-BaSO₄ and 0.7 g sand per ml medium. The higher catabolic rate of S. wolfei in presence of the methanogen indicated that the biological H₂ removal mechanism was more efficient than the catalytic olefin reduction.Abbreviations BES bromoethane sulfonic acid - VFA volatile fatty acid     

Rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of 2(5H)-furanones from terminal alkynes and non-substituted alkynes under water-gas shift reaction conditions

Rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of 2(5H)-furanones from alkynes under water-gas shift reaction conditions was studied. By improving the reaction conditions for internal alkynes reported previously, the reaction could be extended to terminal alkynes. Terminal alkynes are selectively converted into 3- and 4-substituted 2(5H)-furanones (2 and 3). When acetylene itself is used, 2(5H)-furanone (2n) is obtained in a good yield. Examination of reaction solutions by IR spectroscopy and some other experimental findings suggest that the active species would be an alkyne-coordinated monomeric rhodium anion. A new reaction path is proposed.     

Molecular-level insights into furfural hydrogenation intermediates over single-atomic Cu catalysts on magnesia and silica nanoclusters

This paper addresses the geometrical, charge, topological, and thermochemical data for the adsorption of the relevant furan species during hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol over Cu/SiO₂ and Cu/MgO catalysts. The calculations indicated that the binding of Cu to magnesia was stronger than that on silica. The results also indicated that the formation of an alkoxide intermediate is more favoured than that of a hydroxyalkyl species. The binding energetic data were in general agreement with the geometrical parameters, electron densities, and molecular orbital energy levels. The QTAIM data revealed the closed-shell interactions between Cu and O atoms on both of the catalysts. Finally, the analysis of the partial charges on the atoms revealed that the Cu atom acquires a positive charge upon interaction with the carbonyl group owing to a π-back-donation from Cu to the C?=?O bond.     

Synthesis of non proteinogenic dipeptides by asymmetric hydrogenation

Summary N-Boc protected non-proteinogenic dipeptides with D,L-and L,L-configuration were prepared by catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of the corresponding dehydrophenylalanyl-(L)-phenylalanine derivatives. The configuration of the new stereogenic centre depends first of all on the catalyst configuration and is less influenced by the substrate configuration. Diastereomeric excesses in the range of 80–96% de could be increased up to 99% by recrystallization. Analytical data of selected new compounds are given.Abbreviations PINDOPHOS 2,3-O,N-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1-(4-indolyloxy)-2-hydroxy-3-isopropylamino propane - PROPRAPHOS 2,3-O,N-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1-(naphthoxy)-2-hydroxy-3-isopropylamino propane - BDPB 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane     

Probing the nature of H2 activation in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation

Despite many years of intensive study, the natures of turnover-limiting and enantio-determining steps in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral enamides are poorly understood. An intriguing set of studies involving isotopic labeling distributions in catalytic enamide hydrogenation reactions were reported by Brown and Parker (Organometallics, 1 (1982) 950–956) more than a decade ago. In this paper we report the results of studies re-examining the application of isotopic probes to the catalytic hydrogenation enamides. These results provide some insights into the nature of the H₂ activation step in enamide hydrogenation.     

Selective addressing of heteroditopic ligands by iron(II) and platinum(II)

The heteroditopic ligand 4′-(4,7,10-trioxadec-1-yn-10-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, 2, contains an N,N′,N″-donor metal-binding domain that recognizes iron(II), and a terminal alkyne site that selectively couples to platinum(II). This selectivity has been used to investigate routes to the formation of heterometallic systems. The single crystal structures of ligand 2 and the complex [Fe(2)₂][PF₆]₂ are reported.     

Novel and Efficient Transfer Hydrogenolysis of Protected Peptides Using Recyclable Polymer-Supported Hydrogen Donor

Palladium catalyzed transfer hydrogenolysis of protected peptides using a recyclable polymer-supported formate as hydrogen donor affords pure hydrogenolyzed products without the need for any chromatographic purification steps and provides a facile method for the clean and efficient removal of some of the commonly used protecting groups in peptide synthesis.     

Reaction of [Pt3(μ-CO)3(PBu3)3] with activated olefins and alkynes: the X-ray-structure of [Pt(CO)(PBu3)(CF3CCCF3)]

The reactions of the triangulo-cluster [Pt₃(μ-CO)₃(P^tBu₃)₃] with activated olefins and alkynes have been examined under various conditions. At low temperature, cluster fragmentation occurs yielding the Pt(0) complexes [Pt(CO)(P^tBu₃)(olefin)] (olefin = maleic anhydride and maleimide), while di(tert-butyl)acetylenedicarboxilate reacts quantitatively giving the dinuclear Pt(0) complex [Pt₂(CO)₂(P^tBu₃)₂(μ-η²:η²-^tBuO₂CCCCO₂^tBu)]. At higher temperature and in the presence of alkyne in large excess, the latter dimer converts quantitatively to the monomers [Pt(CO)(P^tBu₃)(alkyne)] (alkyne = CF₃CCCF₃ and ^tBuO₂CCCCO₂^tBu). The stereochemistry of these complexes has been established by NMR and IR measurements. The structure of [Pt(CO)(P^tBu₃)(CF₃CCCF₃)] was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.