The evolution of floral signals in relation to range overlap in a clade of California Jewelflowers (Streptanthus s.l.).

Because of their function as reproductive signals in plants, floral traits experience distinct selective pressures related to their role in speciation, reinforcement, and prolonged coexistence with close relatives. However, few studies have investigated whether population-level processes translate into detectable signatures at the macroevolutionary scale. Here, we ask whether patterns of floral trait evolution and range overlap across a clade of California Jewelflowers reflect processes hypothesized to shape floral signal differentiation at the population level. We found a pattern of divergence in floral scent composition across the clade such that close relatives had highly disparate floral scents given their age. Accounting for range overlap with close relatives explained additional variation in floral scent over time, with sympatric species pairs having diverged more than allopatric species pairs given their age. However, three other floral traits (flower size, scent complexity and flower color) did not fit these patterns, failing to deviate from a null Brownian motion model of evolution. Together, our results suggest that selection for divergence among close relatives in the composition of floral scents may play a key, sustained role in mediating speciation and coexistence dynamics across this group, and that signatures of these dynamics may persist at the macroevolutionary scale.

Palladium catalysis for the synthesis of hydrophobic C-6 and C-2 aryl 2'-deoxynucleosides. Comparison of C-C versus C-N bond formation as well as C-6 versus C-2 reactivity.

Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of haloaromatic compounds with arylboronic acids provides a simple entry to biaryl systems. Despite its ease, to date, there are no detailed investigations of this procedure for deoxynucleoside modification. As shown in this study, a wide variety of C-6 arylpurine 2'-deoxyriboside (C-6 aryl 2'-deoxynebularine analogues) and C-2 aryl 2'-deoxyinosine analogues can be conveniently prepared via the Pd-mediated cross-coupling of arylboronic acids with the C-6 halonucleosides, 6-bromo- or 6-chloro-9[2-deoxy-3,5-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl]purine (1 and 2), and the C-2 halonucleoside, 2-bromo-O(6)-benzyl-3',5'-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-2'-deoxyinosine (3). Although bromonucleoside 1 proved to be a good substrate for the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings, we have noted that for several C-6 arylations, the chloronucleoside 2 provides superior coupling yields. Also described in this study is a detailed evaluation of catalytic systems that led to optimal product recoveries. Finally, a comparison of the C-C and C-N bond-forming reactions of deoxynucleosides is also reported. On the basis of this comparison, we provide evidence that C-N bond formation at the C-6 position, leading to N-aryl 2'-deoxyadenosine analogues, is more sensitive to the ligand used, whereas C-C bond-forming reactions at the same position are not. In contrast to the ligand dependency exhibited in C-N bond formation at the C-6 position, comparable reactions at the C-2 position of purine deoxynucleosides proceed with less sensitivity to the ligand used.