Poly[3-methyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-iminium[µ3-cyanido-tri-µ2-cyanido-κ9C:N-tricuprate(I)]]

The unexpected formation of an oxazole ring has occurred during synthesis of a copper(I) cyanide network polymer as part of our ongoing studies of the structural chemistry of these networks. Crystals of the title compound were formed during the synthesis of a previously reported CuCN network solid containing protonated N-methylethanolamine and have been characterized by single crystal X-ray structure analysis. The structure shows well-defined oxazole-2-iminium cations sitting in continuous channels along the short a-axis of the crystal in a new three-dimensional copper(I) cyanide polymeric network. Evidently, a reaction has occurred between the cyanide ion and the protonated N-methylethanolamine base.

Unveiling the Ionic Diels–Alder Reactions within the Molecular Electron Density Theory

The ionic Diels–Alder (I-DA) reactions of a series of six iminium cations with cyclopentadiene have been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT). The superelectrophilic character of iminium cations, ω > 8.20 eV, accounts for the high reactivity of these species participating in I-DA reactions. The activation energies are found to be between 13 and 20 kcal·mol−1 lower in energy than those associated with the corresponding Diels–Alder (DA) reactions of neutral imines. These reactions are low endo selective as a consequence of the cationic character of the TSs, but highly regioselective. Solvents have poor effects on the relative energies, and an unappreciable effect on the geometries. In acetonitrile, the activation energies increase slightly as a consequence of the better solvation of the iminium cations than the cationic TSs. Electron localization function (ELF) topological analysis of the bonding changes along the I-DA reactions shows that they are very similar to those in polar DA reactions. The present MEDT study establishes that the global electron density transfer (GEDT) taking place at the TSs of I-DA reactions, and not steric (Pauli) repulsions such as have been recently proposed, are responsible for the features of these types of DA reactions.

Unveiling the Ionic Diels-Alder Reactions within the Molecular Electron Density Theory

The ionic Diels-Alder (I-DA) reactions of a series of six iminium cations with cyclopentadiene have been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT). The superelectrophilic character of iminium cations,  > 8.20 eV, accounts for the high reactivity of these species participating in I-DA reactions. The activation energies are found between 13 and 20 kcal·mol-1 lower in energy than those associated to the corresponding Diels-Alder (DA) reactions of neutral imines. These reactions are low endo selective as a consequence of the cationic character of the TSs, but highly regioselective. Solvents have poor effects on the relative energies, and an unappreciable effect in the geometries. In dichloromethane the activation energies increase slightly as a consequence of the better solvation of the iminium cations than the cationic TSs. ELF topological analysis of the bonding changes along the I-DA reactions shows that they are very similar to those in polar DA reactions. The present MEDT study makes it possible establishing that the global electron density transfer (GEDT) taking place at the TSs of I-DA reactions, and not steric (Pauli) repulsions such as have been recently proposed, are responsible for the features of these type of DA reactions.

Synthesis of a two-dimensional organic–inorganic bismuth iodide metalate through in situ formation of iminium cations

A new layered organic–inorganic iodido bismuthate is prepared from an in situ condensation reaction of acetone and dimethylammonium iodide.

Substituent Effects on Carbon Acidity in Aqueous Solution and at Enzyme Active Sites

Methods are described for the determination of pK as for weak carbon acids in water. The application of these methods to the determination of the pK as for a variety of carbon acids including nitriles, imidazolium cations, amino acids, peptides and their derivatives and, α-iminium cations is presented. The substituent effects on the acidity of these different classes of carbon acids are discussed, and the relevance of these results to catalysis of the deprotonation of amino acids by enzymes and by pyridoxal 5′-phosphate is reviewed. The procedure for estimating the pK a of uridine 5′-phosphate for C-6 deprotonation at the active site of orotidine 5′-phosphate decarboxylase is described, and the effect of a 5-F substituent on carbon acidity of the enzyme-bound substrate is discussed.1 Introduction2 The Carbon Acidity of Ethyl Thioacetate3 The Carbon Acidity of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives4 The Carbon Acidity of Imidazolium Cations5 The α-Carbon Acidity of Amino Acids, Peptides and Their Derivatives6 Electrophilic Catalysis of Deprotonation of Amino Acids: The α-Carbon Acidity of Iminium Cations7 pK as for Carbon Acids at Enzyme Active Sites8 Concluding Remarks

(3R,4S)-3-Methyl-4-phenyl-2-[(R)-1-phenylethyl]-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2-ium tetrafluoridoborate

The title salt, C24H24N+·BF4−, is one of two possible diastereoisomers having a different configuration of the asymmetric centre in the α-phenylethyl substituent, whose absolute configuration was established to beR. The two phenyl substituents of the cation have a cofacial orientation, albeit with a long centroid–centroid separation of 4.129 (3) Å. The crystal structure exhibits numerous C—H...F contacts between counter-ions, with the tetrafluoridoborate anion surrounded by five iminium cations.

RuO4-mediated oxidation of N-benzylated tertiary amines. 3. Behavior of 1,4-dibenzylpiperazine and its oxygenated derivatives

Abstract1,4-Dibenzylpiperazine (1),-2-piperazinone (7),-2,6-piperazinedione (9), and 1-benzoyl-4-benzylpiperazine (30) were oxidized by RuO4 (generated in situ) by attack at their endocyclic and exocyclic (i.e., benzylic) aminic N-α-C-H bonds to afford various oxygenated derivatives, including acyclic diformamides, benzaldehyde, and benzoic acid. The reaction outcome was complicated by (i) the hydrolysis of diformamides, occurred during the work-up, and (ii) the reaction of benzaldehyde with the hydrolysis-derived amines giving imidazolidines and/or Schiff bases. Benzoic acid resulted from benzaldehyde only. Compounds 7, 30, and 1-benzylpiperazine, but not 9, were transiently formed during the oxidation of 1. In the same reaction conditions, 1,4-dibenzyl-2,3-(or 2,5)-piperazinedione, 1,4-dibenzyl-2,3,6-piperazinetrione, 4-benzyol-1-benzyl-2-piperazinone, and 1,4-dibenzoylpiperazine were inert. The proposed oxidation mechanism involves the formation of endocyclic and exocyclic iminium cations, as well as of cyclic enamines. The latter intermediates probably result by base-induced deprotonation of the iminium cations, provided an N +−β-proton is available. In the case of 1, the cations were trapped with NaCN as the corresponding α-aminonitriles. The statistically corrected regioselectivity (endocyclic/exocyclic) of the RuO4-induced oxidation reaction of 1, 7, and 30 was 1.2–1.3.