Selective skeletal editing of polycyclic arenes using organophotoredox dearomative functionalization

Reactions that lead to destruction of aromatic ring systems often require harsh conditions and, thus, take place with poor selectivities. Selective partial dearomatization of fused arenes is even more challenging but it can be a strategic approach to creating versatile, complex polycyclic frameworks. Herein we describe a general organophotoredox approach for the chemo- and regioselective dearomatization of structurally diverse polycyclic aromatics, including quinolines, isoquinolines, quinoxalines, naphthalenes, anthracenes and phenanthrenes. The success of the new method for chemoselective oxidative rupture of aromatic moieties relies on precise manipulation of the electronic nature of the fused polycyclic arenes. Experimental and computational results show that the key to overcoming the intrinsic thermodynamic and kinetic unfavorability of the dearomatization process is an ultimate hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) step, which enables dearomatization to predominate over the otherwise favorable aromatization pathway. We show that this strategy can be applied to rapid synthesis of biologically valued targets and late-stage skeletal remodeling en route to complex structures.

Radical Scavenging Activity and Pharmacokinetic Properties of Coumarin–Hydroxybenzohydrazide Hybrids

Free radicals often interact with vital proteins, violating their structure and inhibiting their activity. In previous studies, synthesis, characterisation, and the antioxidative properties of the five different coumarin derivatives have been investigated. In the tests of potential toxicity, all compounds exhibited low toxicity with significant antioxidative potential at the same time. In this paper, the radical scavenging activity of the abovementioned coumarin derivatives towards ten different radical species was investigated. It was found that all investigated compounds show good radical scavenging ability, with results that are in correlation with the results published in the previous study. Three additional mechanisms of radical scavenging activity were investigated. It was found that all three mechanisms are thermodynamically plausible and in competition. Interestingly, it was found that products of the Double Hydrogen Atom Transfer (DHAT) mechanism, a biradical species in triplet spin state, are in some cases more stable than singlet spin state analogues. This unexpected trend can be explained by spin delocalisation over the hydrazide bridge and phenolic part of the molecule with a low probability of spin pairing. Besides radical-scavenging activity, the pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness of the coumarin hybrids were investigated. It was found that they exhibit good membrane and skin permeability and potential interactions with P-450 enzymes. Furthermore, it was found that investigated compounds satisfy all criteria of the drug-likeness tests, suggesting they possess a good preference for being used as potential drugs.

Photoinduced C-H monofluoroalkenylation with gem-difluoroalkenes through hydrogen atom transfer in batch and flow

Direct monofluoroalkenylation of C-H bonds are straightforward approaches for accessing multisubstituted monofluoroalkenes. However, general methods for the monofluoroalkenylation of C(sp3)-H bonds remain challenges. Here we report the development of a...

Theoretical Investigations of State Specific Hydrogen Atom Transfer in 8-Formyl-7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin

Excited state intramolecular hydrogen transfer (ESIHT) reaction of 8-formyl-7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin (FC) in its pure and hydrated state FC-(H2O)4 (FCH) has been studied by implementing state specific time dependent density functional theory (SS-TDDFT) along with the effective fragment potential (EFP1) method for solvation with discrete water molecules. The intramolecular hydrogen bond formed between hydroxyl hydrogen (H18) and formyl oxygen (O15) and intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed due to microsolvation were explored. The studies of electrostatic potential, natural charge analysis, difference electron density map and UV-Vis spectra of both FC and FCH molecules establish the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) states of the molecules. The vertical excitation from S0 to S1 state causes the transfer of hydroxyl hydrogen to formyl oxygen and from S1 to S3 causes the transfer of the hydrogen atom back to hydroxyl oxygen. Potential energy surface scans along intramolecular hydrogen bonding at the ground and excited states confirm the state specific ESIHT reaction in both FC and FCH molecules.

Structure-antioxidant Activity Relationships of Dendrocandin Analogues Determined Using Density Functional Theory

Quantum-chemical calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6–311++G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6–31G(d,p) level were employed to study the relationship between the antioxidant properties and chemical structures of six dendrocandin (DDCD) analogues in the gas phase and two solvents (methanol and water). The hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), electron-transfer-proton-transfer (ET-PT), and sequential proton-loss-electron-transfer (SPLET) mechanisms are explored. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), reactivity indices (η, μ, ω, ω+, and ω–), and molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs) were also evaluated. The results suggest that the D ring plays an important role in mediating the antioxidant activity of DDCDs. For all the studied compounds, indicating that HAT was identified as the most favorable mechanism, whereas the SPLET mechanism was the most thermodynamically favorable pathway in polar solvents. The results of our study should aid in the development of new or modified antioxidant compounds.

SOMOphilic Alkynylation of Unreactive Alkenes Enabled by Iron-Catalyzed Hydrogen Atom Transfer

We report an efficient and practical iron-catalyzed hydrogen atom transfer protocol for assembling acetylenic motifs into functional alkenes. Diversities of internal alkynes could be obtained from readily available alkenes and acetylenic sulfones with excellent Markovnikov selectivity. An iron hydride hydrogen atom transfer catalytic cycle was described to clarify the mechanism of this reaction.

DABCO-promoted photocatalytic C–H functionalization of aldehydes

Herein we present a direct application of DABCO, an inexpensive and broadly accessible organic base, as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) abstractor in a photocatalytic strategy for aldehyde C–H activation. The acyl radicals generated in this step were arylated with aryl bromides through a well stablished nickel cross-coupling methodology, leading to a variety of interesting aryl ketones in good yields. We also performed computational calculations to shine light in the HAT step energetics and determined an optimized geometry for the transition state, showing that the hydrogen atom transfer between aldehydes and DABCO is a mildly endergonic, yet sufficiently fast step. The same calculations were performed with quinuclidine, for comparison of both catalysts and the differences are discussed.

Convergent Total Synthesis of (+)-Calcipotriol: A Scalable, Modular Approach to Vitamin D Analogs

Vitamin D is a group of seco-steroids with diverse bioactivities. An enormous amount of effort was expended by medicinal chemists to search for Vitamin D analogs that could exhibit pro-differentiating and antiproliferative effects on normal and cancer cells as well as immunomodulatory effects without causing hypercalcemia. A convergent approach for the total synthesis of calcipotriol (brand name: Dovonex), a proven Vitamin D analog used for the treatment of psoriasis, and medicinally relevant synthetic analogs is described. Given the rich synthetic history of the Vitamin D family, a complete novel approach towards both the A-ring and CD-ring is reported. From a retrosynthetic standpoint, hidden symmetry within the decorated A-ring is disclosed, which allowed for scalable quantities of this advanced intermediate. In addition, a radical retrosynthetic approach is described, which highlights an electrochemical reductive coupling as well as an intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT)-Giese addition to establish the 6,5-trans-carbon skeleton found in the Vitamin D family. Lastly, a late-stage decarboxylative cross-coupling approach allowed for the facile preparation of various C20-arylated derivatives which show promising biological activity in an early bioassay.