1,2-Azaborine's Distinct Electronic Structure Unlocks Two New Regioisomeric Building Blocks via Resolution Chemistry.

Two new 1,2-azaborine building blocks that enable the broad diversification of previously not readily accessible C4 and C5 ring positions of the 1,2-azaborine heterocycle are developed. 1,2-Azaborine's distinct electronic structure allowed the resolution of a mixture of C4- and C5-borylated 1,2-azaborines. The connection between the electronic structure of C4 and C5 positions of 1,2-azaborine and their distinct reactivity patterns is revealed by a combination of reactivity studies and kinetic measurements that are supported by DFT calculations. Specifically, we show that oxidation by N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMO) is selective for the C4-borylated 1,2-azaborine, and the Ir-catalyzed deborylation is selective for the C5-borylated 1,2-azaborine via kinetically controlled processes. On the other hand, ligand exchange with diethanolamine takes place selectively with the C4-borylated isomer via a thermodynamically controlled process. These results represent the first examples for chemically distinguishing a mixture of two aryl mono-Bpin-substituted isomers.

Synthesis of Spirocyclic Diphosphite-Supported Gold Metallomacrocycles via a Protodeauration/Cyclization Strategy: Mechanistic and Binding Studies.

A spirocylic diphosphite was used to generate P-metalated bimetallic complexes through protodeauration reactions involving LAuC6H4tBu (L = JohnPhos, tBuXPhos) and metallomacrocycles through protodeauration/cyclization using tBuC6H4AuP^PAuC6H4tBu precursors (P^P = flexible diphosphine). While the synthesis of the bimetallic complexes followed a stepwise process, generation of the metallomacrocycles was highly complex because of a series of reversible ligand redistribution reactions. The self-assembly was monitored, and key intermediates were identified by NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The mechanistic investigation showed that using flexible diphosphine linkers was critical to the selective synthesis of metallomacrocycles because rigid diphosphines generated intractable mixtures of linear and cyclic compounds. The X-ray structure of a 32-membered metallomacrocycle revealed that the compound crystallized in an unsymmetrical collapsed form that was held together by two supported aurophilic interactions while the flexible diphosphines were folded along opposite sides of the metallomacrocycle. The solution structure was consistent with a symmetric species, which suggested interconversion between an open and collapsed form and/or rapid twisting of a collapsed form. The 32-membered metallomacrocycle was used to bind estrogen primarily through the formation of AuP-O-···H-OR hydrogen bonds.

Correction: Synthesis by free radical polymerization and properties of BN-polystyrene and BN-poly(vinylbiphenyl).

Correction for 'Synthesis by free radical polymerization and properties of BN-polystyrene and BN-poly(vinylbiphenyl)' by Wen-Ming Wan et al., Chem. Commun., 2016, 52, 13616-13619.

A Boron Protecting Group Strategy for 1,2-Azaborines.

Upon reaction with either molecular oxygen or di-tert-butylperoxide in the presence of a simple copper(I) salt and an alcohol, a range of 1,2-azaborines readily exchange B-alkyl or B-aryl moieties for B-alkoxide fragments. This transformation allows alkyl and aryl groups to serve for the first time as removable protecting groups for the boron position of 1,2-azaborines during reactions that are not compatible with the easily modifiable B-alkoxide moiety. This reaction can be applied to synthesize a previously inaccessible BN isostere of ethylbenzene, a compound of interest in biomedical research. A sequence of epoxide ring opening using N-deprotonated 1,2-azaborines followed by an intramolecular version of the boron deprotection reaction can be applied to access the first examples of BN isosteres of dihydrobenzofurans and benzofurans, classes of compounds that are important to medicinal chemistry and natural product synthesis.

Synthesis by free radical polymerization and properties of BN-polystyrene and BN-poly(vinylbiphenyl).

Free radical polymerization of B-vinyl- and B-styryl-functionalized azaborinine monomers gives well-defined hybrid polymers that were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR and GPC analysis; their solubility, thermal characteristics, and photophysical properties are dramatically different from those of the all-carbon polystyrene analogues.

Regioregular synthesis of azaborine oligomers and a polymer with a syn†conformation stabilized by N-H⋠⋠⋠π interactions.

The regioregular synthesis of the first azaborine oligomers and a corresponding conjugated polymer was accomplished by Suzuki-Miyaura coupling methods. An almost perfectly coplanar syn arrangement of the heterocycles was deduced from an X-ray crystal structure of the dimer, which also suggested that NH⋅⋅⋅π interactions play an important role. Computational studies further supported these experimental observations and indicated that the electronic structure of the longer azaborine oligomers and polymer resembles that of poly(cyclohexadiene) more than poly(p-phenylene). A comparison of the absorption and emission properties of the polymer with those of the oligomers revealed dramatic bathochromic shifts upon chain elongation, thus suggesting highly effective extension of conjugation.

Late-Stage Functionalization of 1,2-Dihydro-1,2-azaborines via Regioselective Iridium-Catalyzed C-H Borylation: The Development of a New N,N-Bidentate Ligand Scaffold.

The first general late-stage functionalization of monocyclic 1,2-azaborines at the C(6) position is described. Ir-catalyzed C-H borylation occurs regioselectively at the C(6) position of B-substituted 1,2-azaborines and is compatible with a range of substitution patterns at boron (e.g., hydride, alkoxide, alkyl, and aryl substituents). Subsequent Suzuki cross coupling with aryl- and heteroaryl bromides furnishes 1,2-azaborine-based biaryl compounds including 6-[pyrid-2-yl]-1,2-azaborines that represent novel κ(2)-N,N-bidentate ligands. The 6-[pyrid-2-yl]-B-Me-1,2-azaborine ligand has been demonstrated to form an emissive coordination complex with dimesitylboron that exhibits bathochromically shifted absorption and emission maxima and a higher photoluminescence quantum yield compared to its carbonaceous analogue.

Protecting group-free synthesis of 1,2-azaborines: a simple approach to the construction of BN-benzenoids.

The protecting group-free synthesis of a versatile 1,2-azaborine synthon 5 is described. Previously inaccessible 1,2-azaborine derivatives, including the BN isostere of phenyl phenylacetate and BN1 triphenylmethane were prepared from 5 and characterized. The structural investigation of BN phenyl phenylacetate revealed the presence of a unique NH-carbonyl hydrogen bond that is not present in the corresponding carbonaceous analogue. The methyne CH in BN triphenylmethane was found to be less acidic than the corresponding proton in triphenylmethane. The gram-quantity synthesis of the parent 1,2-azaborine 4 was demonstrated, which enabled the characterization of its boiling point, density, refractive index, and its polarity on the ET(30) scale.

Structural characterization and computer-aided optimization of a small-molecule inhibitor of the Arp2/3 complex, a key regulator of the actin cytoskeleton.

CK-666 (1) is a recently discovered small-molecule inhibitor of the actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex, a key actin cytoskeleton regulator with roles in bacterial pathogenesis and cancer cell motility. Although 1 is commercially available, the crystal structure of Arp2/3 complex with 1 bound has not been reported, making its mechanism of action uncertain. Furthermore, its relatively low potency increases its potential for off-target effects in vivo, complicating interpretation of its influence in cell biological studies and precluding its clinical use. Herein we report the crystal structure of 1 bound to Arp2/3 complex, which reveals that 1 binds between the Arp2 and Arp3 subunits to stabilize the inactive conformation of the complex. Based on the crystal structure, we used computational docking and free-energy perturbation calculations of monosubstituted derivatives of 1 to guide optimization efforts. Biochemical assays of ten newly synthesized compounds led to the identification of compound 2, which exhibits a threefold increase in inhibitory activity in vitro relative to 1. In addition, our computational analyses unveiled a surface groove at the interface of the Arp2 and Arp3 subunits that can be exploited for additional structure-based optimization.