Facile Diels-Alder reactions with pyridines promoted by tungsten.

The isoquinuclidine (2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) core is found in numerous molecules of biological and medicinal importance, including the widely investigated Iboga alkaloids and their related bisindole Cantharanthus alkaloids (Sundberg, R. J.; Smith, S. Q. Alkaloids (San Diego, CA, United States) 2002, 59, 281-386). A diverse range of synthetic methods for the stereoselective construction of this architecture is required for the efficient development of related pharmaceuticals. Here, we report a fundamentally new methodology that constructs the isoquinuclidine core directly from pyridines, using a pi-basic tungsten complex to disrupt the aromatic stabilization of these otherwise inert heterocycles. By this approach, common pyridines are found to undergo stereoselective Diels-Alder reactions with electron-deficient alkenes under mild reaction conditions, thus providing access to a broad range of functionalized isoquinuclidines. Further, by using the common terpene alpha-pinene, a single enantiomer of the tungsten fragment can be isolated and used to provide access to enantio-enriched isoquinuclidines from pyridines.

Methanol addition to dihapto-coordinated rhenium complexes of furan.

The complexes [TpRe(CO)(L)(4,5-eta(2)-furan)], present as diastereomeric mixtures (L = (t)BuNC (1A, 1B), PMe(3) (2A, 2B), pyridine (3A, 3B), or 1-methylimidazole (4A, 4B)), undergo acid-catalyzed methanol addition in CH(2)Cl(2) at -40 degrees C, resulting in the syntheses of dihapto-coordinated 2-methoxy-2,3-dihydrofuran complexes. In all cases, two diastereomers resulted, one in which the oxygen of the dihydrofuran is oriented toward the L ligand (5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A), and one in which the oxygen is oriented away from the L ligand (5B, 6B, 7B, and 8B). In all cases, the methoxy group adds stereoselectively, anti to the metal fragment. In addition, the (t)BuNC complex 1 yields a dihapto-coordinated vinyl ether (5C) that results from ring opening of the protonated furan ligand. In no case does the diastereomeric ratio of products correlate with that of the starting material.

Interfacial and intrafacial linkage isomerizations of rhenium complexes with aromatic molecules.

The mechanisms for the interconversion of facial diastereomers of a variety of TpRe(CO)(L)(eta(2)-L(Ar)) complexes [L = (t)BuNC, pyridine (py), PMe(3), or 1-methylimidazole (MeIm); L(Ar) = benzene, anisole, naphthalene, 1-methylpyrrole, furan, or thiophene; Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate] have been investigated by (1)H NMR spin saturation experiments. In addition, the rates and free energies of activation for these processes were calculated from spin saturation experiments and T(1) measurements. The operative mechanisms for interconversion of the pi diastereomers were found to be nondissociative, undergoing either an interfacial or intrafacial linkage isomerization. A comparison of the kinetic parameters for isomerization of related eta(2)-olefin complexes of the [TpRe(CO)(PMe(3))] and [CpRe(NO)(PPh(3))](+) fragments is also presented.

A proposed mechanism for p-aminoclonidine allergenicity based on its relative oxidative lability.

p-Aminoclonidine (apraclonidine) is a selective alpha 2 adrenergic agonist used to reduce intraocular pressure in the treatment of glaucoma. Use of apraclonidine is frequently associated with severe local allergic effects which warrant discontinuation of the drug in affected patients. We have assessed the oxidative lability of apraclonidine relative to a panel of adrenergic agonists and/or known allergens; amodiaquine, epinephrine, clonidine, and brimonidine. These compounds were compared by their electrochemical potentials as well as their oxidative lability in the presence of several oxidative enzyme systems (i.e., horseradish peroxidase, lactoperoxidase, myeloperoxidase, and diamine oxidase). The half-lives for enzymatic oxidation of these compounds were found to parallel the electrochemical oxidation potentials in the order: amodiaquine approximately epinephrine < apraclonidine << clonidine approximately brimonidine. The production of a reactive electrophilic intermediate of apraclonidine was demonstrated through the formation of two glutathione apraclonidine adducts from the horseradish peroxidase/H2O2-mediated oxidation of apraclonidine in the presence of glutathione. A mechanism for apraclonidine allergenicity in vivo is proposed wherein apraclonidine is bioactivated through oxidation to the bis-iminoquinone followed by protein conjugation to form an apraclonidine-protein hapten that elicits the immune response.