Probing Basal and Prismatic Planes of Graphitic Materials for Metal Single Atom and Subnanometer Cluster Stabilization.

Supported metal single atom catalysis is a dynamic research area in catalysis science combining the advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Understanding the interactions between metal single atoms and the support constitutes a challenge facing the development of such catalysts, since these interactions are essential in optimizing the catalytic performance. For conventional carbon supports, two types of surfaces can contribute to single atom stabilization: the basal planes and the prismatic surface; both of which can be decorated by defects and surface oxygen groups. To date, most studies on carbon-supported single atom catalysts focused on nitrogen-doped carbons, which, unlike classic carbon materials, have a fairly well-defined chemical environment. Herein we report the synthesis, characterization and modeling of rhodium single atom catalysts supported on carbon materials presenting distinct concentrations of surface oxygen groups and basal/prismatic surface area. The influence of these parameters on the speciation of the Rh species, their coordination and ultimately on their catalytic performance in hydrogenation and hydroformylation reactions is analyzed. The results obtained show that catalysis itself is an interesting tool for the fine characterization of these materials, for which the detection of small quantities of metal clusters remains a challenge, even when combining several cutting-edge analytical methods.

Interrupted Intramolecular Hydroaminomethylation of N-Protected-2-vinyl Anilines: Novel Access to 3-Substitued Indoles or Indoline-2-ols.

A new synthetic alternative to the synthesis of 3-methyl indoles and 3-methyl indoline-2-ols with an excellent atomic economy is presented in this study. It is demonstrated that the intramolecular interrupted hydroaminomethylation (HAM) reaction is a powerful tool for the formation of these compounds, which exhibit wide-ranging biological activity. Several N-Protected-2-vinyl anilines were synthesized and involved in the reaction producing the corresponding 3-methylindole or 3-methyl indoline-2-ol depending on the nature of the N-protecting groups.

Recent Progress in Synthesis of Glycerol Carbonate and Evaluation of Its Plasticizing Properties.

The state of the art on the glycerol carbonate (GC) synthesis has been updated since the last published reviews in 2012, 2013, and 2016. Three types of reactions continue to be studied: glycerolysis of urea, transcarbonation of DMC, DEC, or cyclic carbonates with glycerol and reaction using CO2. Among these different routes, DMC and glycerol were selected as the raw materials for the GC synthesis in this work since the transcarbonation from these green reagents leads to high yields and selectivities, using mild conditions including a less energy consuming GC separation process. Catalytic conditions using Na2CO3 seem to be a good compromise to achieve a high yield of GC, leading to an easier purification step without GC distillation. Mild temperatures for the reaction (73-78°C) as well as a low waste amount confirmed by the E-factor calculation, are in favor of controlled costs. Plasticizing properties of synthesized GC were compared to the behaviors of a commercial plasticizer and natural dialkyl carbonates, for a colorless nail polish formulation. The resulting films subjected to mechanical and thermal stresses (DMA and Persoz pendulum) showed the high plasticizing effect of GC toward nitrocellulose based films, probably due to hydrogen bond interactions between GC and nitrocellulose. The GC efficiency gives the possibility to decrease the content of the plasticizer in the formulation. Glycerol carbonate can be thus considered as a biobased ingredient abiding by the green chemistry concepts, and safe enough to be used in an ecodesigned nail polish formulation.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of new 1,2,3-triazolylmethyl-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one derivatives.

BACKGROUND: A novel series of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives containing 1,4-benzothiazin-3-one ring (7a-9a, 7b-9b), (10a-12a, 10b-12b) and (13-15) were synthesized by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azides α-D-galactopyranoside azide F, 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-(D)-glucopyranosyl azide G and methyl-N-benzoyl-α-azidoglycinate H with compounds 4-6. FINDINGS: Initially, the reactions were conducted under thermal conditions in ethanol. The reaction leads, each time, to the formation of two regioisomers: (Schemes 2, 3) with yields of 17 to 21% for 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole-regioisomers (7b-12b) and yields ranging from 61 to 65% for the 1,4-disubstituted regioisomers (7a-12a). In order to report an unequivocal synthesis of the 1,4-regioisomers and confirm the structures of the two regioisomers obtained in thermal conditions (Huisgen reactions), the method click chemistry (Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition) has been used. CONCLUSIONS: The newly synthesized compounds using cycloaddition reactions were evaluated in vitro for their antibacterial activities against some Gram positive and Gram negative microbial strains. Among the compounds tested, the compound 8a showed excellent antibacterial activities against PA ATCC and Acin ESBL (MIC = 31.2 µg/ml).

Tandem Hydroaminomethylation Reaction to Synthesize Amines from Alkenes.

In the context of atom economy and low environmental impact, synthesis of amines by an efficient catalytic process is of great importance to produce these building blocks for fine chemical industry. The one-pot hydroaminomethylation of alkenes is a tandem reaction which involves three successive steps under CO/H2 pressure to perform the catalyzed hydroformylation of the alkene into the corresponding aldehyde followed by its condensation with a N-H function and the catalyzed hydrogenation of the imine/enamine intermediate into the corresponding saturated amine. Rhodium and more recently ruthenium complexes have been designed to combine high conversions of the reactants and chemoselectivity in the expected amines with high regioselectivity in either the linear or the branched amine. The coordination sphere of the metal according to the presence of ligands, temperature, CO/H2 partial pressures, and nature of the solvent is essential for complying with these selectivity requirements. The rate of the hydroformylation step needs to be fast with regard to the hydrogenation step. The role of amines in the coordination sphere and water, presumably in the second sphere, on the mechanism requires some more studies. Similarly, the enantioselective synthesis of amine is not yet achieved directly and interrupted processes or use of asymmetric organo-catalyzed reductive amination are efficient synthetic ways for producing chiral amines. The separation of the catalyst from the organic products by biphasic or (semi-) heterogeneized systems and its recycling have been demonstrated in many cases. The present review provides a report of the state of the art in this autotandem hydroaminomethylation catalysis and should open prospects in the design of less expensive and abundant metal complexes for reaching at low cost similar and even superior performances.

Novel phospholyl(diphenylphosphino)methane-ruthenium complexes: unexpected non-assisted cis to trans isomerization of [RuCl2(κ(2)-P-P')2].

Using the unsymmetrical P-P' phospholyl(phosphino)methane ligand, complex cis-[RuCl(2)(κ(2)-P-P')(2)] is easily prepared from [RuCl(2)(DMSO)(4)]. The two phosphole-phosphorus atoms lie in the trans position to the two cis-chloro ligands. This complex slowly isomerizes spontaneously at 20 °C to the trans-[RuCl(2)(κ(2)-P-P')(2)] diastereoisomer where the two phosphole moieties are mutually trans, as well as the two chloro ligands and the two Ph(2)P moieties. DFT calculations show that this non-classical cis-trans isomerisation process requires a 3 kcal mol(-1) energy and involves the decoordination of a phosphole arm.

Interplay between cationic and neutral species in the rhodium-catalyzed hydroaminomethylation reaction.

The reactivity of [Rh(CO)(2){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}]BF(4) (2) toward amine, CO and/or H(2) was examined by high-pressure NMR and IR spectroscopy. The two cationic pentacoordinated species [Rh(CO)(3) {(R,R)-Ph-BPE}]BF(4) (4) and [Rh(CO)(2)(NHC(5)H(10)){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}]BF(4) (8) were identified. The transformation of 2 into the neutral complex [RhH(CO)(2){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}] (3) under hydroaminomethylation conditions (CO/H(2), amine) was investigated. The full mechanisms related to the formation of 3, 4 and 8 starting from 2 are supported by DFT calculations. In particular, the pathway from 2 to 3 revealed the deprotonation by the amine of the dihydride species [Rh(H)(2)(CO)(2){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}]BF(4) (6), resulting from the oxidative addition of H(2) on 2.

Interception of a Rh(I)-Rh(III) dinuclear trihydride complex revealing the dihydrogen activation by [Rh(CO)2{(R,R)-Ph-BPE}].

Reaction of [Rh(CO)(2){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}][BF(4)] 1 under 7 bar H(2) provides the dihydride [Rh(H)(2)(CO)(2){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}][BF(4)] 3, which reacts with the neutral hydride [Rh(H)(CO){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}] 2 arising from 3 in THF. The resulting complex is the dimeric monocationic Rh((I))-Rh((III)) complex [Rh(H)(2)(CO)(2){(R,R)-Ph-BPE}][BF(4)] 4.

Probing the stereo-electronic properties of cationic rhodium complexes bearing chiral diphosphine ligands by 103Rh NMR.

(103)Rh NMR represents a powerful tool to assess the global electronic and steric contribution of diphosphine ligands on [Rh(COD)(diphosphine)](+) complexes. In the case of DIOP, BINAP and MeDUPHOS, this approach proved to be more informative than classical CO-stretching frequency measurements. After validation, this method has been extended to a set of seven diphosphines. (103)Rh NMR measurements on [Rh(COD)(diphosphine)]PF(6) lead to the following order of donor properties: dppe > MeBPE > MeDUPHOS > dppb > DIOP > BINAP > Tol-BINAP. This trend has been validated by DFT in the case of DIOP, BINAP and MeDUPHOS. In conjunction, (31)P NMR chemical shift has been shown to reflect the ring constraints of the Rh-diphosphine scaffold. This contribution is a step towards a mechanistic investigation of the catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated substrates by (103)Rh NMR and DFT.

New enantiopure palladium(II) complexes from a stereodynamic 2,2'-biphosphole ligand.

Two enantiopure palladium(II) complexes, viz. [1,1'-(butane-1,3-diyl)-3,3',4,4'-tetramethyl-5,5'-diphenyl-2,2'-biphosphole]dichloridopalladium(II) dichloromethane solvate [systematic name: dichlorido(1,2,5,10,11-pentamethyl-3,9-diphenylperhydrodicyclopenta[a,c][1,4]diphosphepine-kappa(2)P,P')palladium(II) dichloromethane solvate], [PdCl2(C28H30P2)] x CH2Cl2, have been synthesized from stereodynamic diphosphines derived from 2,2'-biphosphole through a metal kinetic dynamic resolution. In both structures, the coordination around the metal atom is square planar, with a cis arrangement of the ligands that drastically reduces the dihedral angle between the two phosphole rings compared with the free ligand. The structural determination of both enantiomers unambiguously establishes the absolute configuration of both central and axial elements of chirality of the 2,2'-biphosphole framework and indicates that the original carbon chirality of the backbone controls the chiralities of the 2,2'-biphosphole framework.

Dichlorido[(S,R(S))-1-diphenylphosphino-2-(ethylsulfanylmethyl)ferrocene]palladium(II).

The reaction of enantiomerically pure planar chiral ferrocene phosphine thioether with bis(acetonitrile)dichloridopalladium yields the title square-planar mononuclear palladium complex as an enantiomerically pure single diastereoisomer, [PdFe(C5H5)(C20H20PS)Cl2]. The planar chirality of the ligand is retained in the complex and fully controls the central chirality on the S atom. The absolute configuration, viz. S for the planar chirality and R for the S atom, is unequivocally determined by refinement of the Flack parameter.

Modifications of the chemical structure of terpenes in antiplasmodial and antifungal drug research.

Pure natural monoterpenes were evaluated in vitro for their antiplasmodial activities against Plasmodium falciparum. Chemically modified terpenes were also tested to see whether the introduction of an alkyne, a cyclopropane, a diene, or a cyclopentenone moiety had an influence on the biological activity. The IC(50) obtained on a chloroquine-resistant strain of Plasmodium (FcM29-Cameroon) showed moderate activity, but with the alkyne and the cyclopentenone derivatives showing a promising enhancement of activity compared with the parent molecules. On the contrary, no antifungal activity was found in vitro using Candida albicans. Given the observed antiplasmodial activity of some of these modified monoterpenes, new monoterpene derivatives could be the basis for new antimalarial drugs to be researched.