Ligand Control in Co-Catalyzed Regio- and Enantioselective Hydroboration: Homoallyl Secondary Boronates via Uncommon 4,3-Hydroboration of 1,3-Dienes.

Enantiopure homoallylic boronate esters are versatile intermediates because the C-B bond in these compounds can be stereospecifically transformed into C-C, C-O, and C-N bonds. Regio- and enantioselective synthesis of these precursors from 1,3-dienes has few precedents in the literature. We have identified reaction conditions and ligands for the synthesis of nearly enantiopure (er >97:3 to >99:1) homoallylic boronate esters via a rarely seen cobalt-catalyzed [4,3]-hydroboration of 1,3-dienes. Monosubstituted or 2,4-disubstituted linear dienes undergo highly efficient regio- and enantioselective hydroboration with HBPin catalyzed by [(L*)Co]+[BARF]-, where L* is typically a chiral bis-phosphine ligand with a narrow bite angle. Several such ligands (e.g., i-PrDuPhos, QuinoxP*, Duanphos, and BenzP*) that give high enantioselectivities for the [4,3]-hydroboration product have been identified. In addition, the equally challenging problem of regioselectivity is uniquely solved with a dibenzooxaphosphole ligand, (R,R)-MeO-BIBOP. A cationic cobalt(I) complex of this ligand is a very efficient (TON >960) catalyst while also providing excellent regioselectivities (rr >98:2) and enantioselectivities (er >98:2) for a broad range of substrates. A detailed computational investigation of the reactions using Co complexes from two widely different ligands (BenzP* and MeO-BIBOP) employing the B3LYP-D3 density functional theory provides key insights into the mechanism and the origins of selectivities. The computational results are in full agreement with the experiments. For the complexes we have examined thus far, the relative stabilities of the diastereomeric diene-bound complexes [(L*)Co(η4-diene)]+ lead to the initial diastereofacial selectivity, which in turn is retained in the subsequent steps, providing exceptional enantioselectivity for the reactions.

[2,1,3]-Benzothiadiazole-Spaced Co-Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks for O2 Reduction.

Designing N-coordinated porous single-atom catalysts (SACs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a promising approach to achieve enhanced energy conversion due to maximized atom utilization and higher activity. Here, we report two Co(II)-porphyrin/ [2,1,3]-benzothiadiazole (BTD)-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs; Co@rhm-PorBTD and Co@sql-PorBTD), which are efficient SAC systems for O2 electrocatalysis (ORR). Experimental results demonstrate that these two COFs outperform the mass activity (at 0.85 V) of commercial Pt/C (20%) by 5.8 times (Co@rhm-PorBTD) and 1.3 times (Co@sql-PorBTD), respectively. The specific activities of Co@rhm-PorBTD and Co@sql-PorBTD were found to be 10 times and 2.5 times larger than that of Pt/C, respectively. These COFs also exhibit larger power density and recycling stability in Zn-air batteries compared with a Pt/C-based air cathode. A theoretical analysis demonstrates that the combination of Co-porphyrin with two different BTD ligands affords two crystalline porous electrocatalysts having different d-band center positions, which leads to reactivity differences toward alkaline ORR. The strategy, design, and electrochemical performance of these two COFs offer a pyrolysis-free bottom-up approach that avoids the creation of random atomic sites, significant metal aggregation, or unpredictable structural features.

Efficacious and sustained release of an anticancer drug mitoxantrone from new covalent organic frameworks using protein corona.

Solid porous and crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are characterized by their higher specific BET surface areas and functional pore walls, which allow the adsorption of various bioactive molecules inside the porous lattices. We have introduced a perylene-based COF, PER@PDA-COF-1, which acts as an effective porous volumetric reservoir for an anticancer drug, mitoxantrone (MXT). The drug-loaded COF (MXT-PER@PDA-COF-1) exhibited zero cellular release of MXT towards cancer cells, which can be attributed to the strong intercalation between the anthracene-dione motif of the drug and the perylene-based COF backbone. Here, we have introduced a strategy involving the serum-albumin-triggered intracellular release of mitoxantrone from MXT-PER@PDA-COF-1. The serum albumin acts as an exfoliating agent and as a colloidal stabilizer in PBS medium (pH = 7.4), rapidly forming a protein corona around the exfoliated COF crystallites and inducing the sustained release of MXT from the COF into tumorigenic cells.

Room Temperature Cu-Catalyzed N-Arylation of Oxazolidinones and Amides with (Hetero)Aryl Iodides.

N,N'-Bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)oxalamide (BPMO) was found to be an apposite promoter for the Cu-catalyzed N-arylation of oxazolidinones and primary and secondary amides with (hetero)aryl iodides at room temperature. Excellent chemoselectivity reached between aryl iodides and aryl bromides, and a wide range of functional groups tolerated the reaction conditions, which led to the formation of greatly diverse N-arylation products.

Efficacious Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution from a Novel Co(II) Porphyrin/Pyrene-Based Conjugated Microporous Polymer.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is energetically challenging from the platform of making many photovoltaic devices such as metal-air batteries and water splitting systems because of its poor kinetics even when precious metals are used. Herein, a Co(II)-porphyrin/pyrene-comprised conjugated microporous polymer Co-MPPy-1 has been developed which shows efficient OER in alkaline medium. The material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, solid-state 13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, N2 volumetric adsorption/desorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy, ultra high resolution-transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and other physical studies. Co-MPPy-1 showed Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of ∼501 m2 g-1. Co-MPPy-1 achieved a current density of 1 and 10 mA/cm-2 at 340 and 420 mV, respectively. The turnover frequency calculated for the OER is 0.43 s-1. The heterogeneity of this electrocatalyst was tested by chronoamperometric measurement and 1000 cycle recyclability test with retainment of the excellent electrochemical catalytic activity. This can be attributed to the presence of high density of Co(II) porphyrin unit and efficient charge transport in the π-conductive conjugated polymeric backbone.

A conjugated microporous polymer based visual sensing platform for aminoglycoside antibiotics in water.

A donor-acceptor based conjugated microporous polymer, PER@NiP-CMOP-1, has been synthesized which can achieve highly sensitive stereo-specific "Turn ON" biosensing of an aminoglycoside up to the ppb level. The coordination-driven inhibition of photo-induced electron transfer (d-PET) for d-electrons and the rotational freezing are the key factors for the recovery of the emission.

An expeditious route to the synthesis of the enantioenriched tetracyclic core of ergot alkaloids via an organocatalytic aldol reaction.

The synthesis of the tetracyclic skeleton of ergot alkaloids has been developed via a key organocatalytic enantioselective aldol reaction using paraformaldehyde as the C1-unit in the presence of thiourea catalyst followed by a key Pd-catalyzed directed coupling accelerated by the DavePhos ligand. Utilizing the aforementioned strategy, we have synthesized a key tetracyclic intermediate in up to 95% ee with high yield.

Catalytic asymmetric formal total syntheses of (+)- and (-)-cycloclavine.

We report an expeditious catalytic asymmetric approach to clavine alkaloids via a key Heck cyclization. This reaction sets the formation of vicinal stereocenters with excellent diastereoselectivity. Utilizing the aforementioned strategy, the formal total synthesis of cycloclavine (1) has been achieved via another key late-stage ester-aminolysis of 6.

Biomimetic Total Syntheses of Clavine Alkaloids.

Biomimetic total syntheses of either enantiomers of a number of ergot alkaloids, chanoclavine I (1b), chanoclavine I aldehyde (1c), pyroclavine (1e), festuclavine (1f), pibocin A (1g), 9-deacetoxyfumigaclavine C (1h), and fumigaclavine G (1i), have been achieved from seco-agroclavine (1a). The advanced intermediate for seco-agroclavine (1a) was synthesized via a key thiourea-catalyzed intramolecular nitronate addition onto α,ß-unsaturated ester.

N,N'-Bisoxalamides Enhance the Catalytic Activity in Cu-Catalyzed Coupling of (Hetero)Aryl Bromides with Anilines and Secondary Amines.

N,N'-Bis(furan-2-ylmethyl)oxalamide (BFMO), an inexpensive and conveniently available bidentate ligand, is very effective for promoting Cu-catalyzed N-arylation of anilines and cyclic secondary amines. The method enables coupling of a broad range of (hetero)aryl bromides with various (hetero)aryl amines and cyclic secondary amines at 0.5-5 mol % catalyst loadings at relatively low temperatures. For coupling with more sterically hindered acyclic secondary amines, using N,N'-bis(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)oxalamide (BTMPO) as a ligand gives the better results. Additionally, high selectivity is achieved in CuI/BFMO-catalyzed direct monoarylation of piperazine with (hetero)aryl bromides to afford pharmaceutically important building blocks.

A new strongly paramagnetic cerium-containing microporous MOF for CO2 fixation under ambient conditions.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) bearing multicarboxylate linkers are in great demand for designing robust heterogeneous catalysts. A new microporous Ce(iii)-based metal organic framework (Ce2NDC3) has been synthesized under solvothermal conditions, which showed strong paramagnetism and a CO2 uptake capacity of 1.64 mmol g-1 (7.23 weight%) at 273 K. The Ce2NDC3 showed high catalytic activity in CO2 fixation for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates with a maximum yield of 92% at ambient temperature and pressure. This rare earth metal-based MOF has been well characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, UHR-TEM, FESEM, FTIR, 13C MAS NMR and TGA. Here, we have carried out magnetic analysis, which revealed that the Ce(iii) in this MOF exhibited 2F5/2 magnetism in the ground state. The Ce2NDC3 catalyst showed high recycling efficiency in CO2 fixation reactions, together with retention of the MOF structure after several rounds of reuse. Presumably, the presence of acidic Ce(iii) metal ions and microporosity in the coordinated polymer network is responsible for the high catalytic activity.

Total Syntheses of Pyroclavine, Festuclavine, Lysergol, and Isolysergol via a Catalytic Asymmetric Nitro-Michael Reaction.

A catalytic enantioselective construction of vicinal stereocenters is reported. The reaction takes advantage of thiourea-catalyzed intramolecular nitronate addition onto α,ß-unsaturated ester to afford exceptional levels of enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee) with moderate diastereoselectivity (up to 4:1). Using this method, a cross-conjugated ester was synthesized in few steps, from which a 6-endo-trig cyclisation led to the formation of all required functionalities for total syntheses of ergot alkaloids. The strategy not only offers first total syntheses of ergot alkaloids, festuclavine (1 c), and pyroclavine (1 e), and but also an efficient and general approach to other congeners such as, lysergol (1 b), and isolysergol (1 d).

Electrochemical Stimuli-Driven Facile Metal-Free Hydrogen Evolution from Pyrene-Porphyrin-Based Crystalline Covalent Organic Framework.

A [2 + 2] Schiff base type condensation between 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)porphyrin (TAP) and 1,3,6,8-tetrakis (4-formylphenyl) pyrene (TFFPy) under solvothermal condition yields a crystalline, quasi-two-dimensional covalent organic framework (SB-PORPy-COF). The porphyrin and pyrene units are alternatively occupied in the vertex of 3D triclinic crystal having permanent microporosity with moderately high surface area (∼869 m2 g-1) and promising chemical stability. The AA stacking of the monolayers give a pyrene bridged conducting channel. SB-PORPy-COF has been exploited for metal free hydrogen production to understand the electrochemical behavior using the imine based docking site in acidic media. SB-PORPy-COF has shown the onset potential of 50 mV and the Tafel slope of 116 mV dec-1. We expect that the addendum of the imine based COF would not only enrich the structural variety but also help to understand the electrochemical behavior of these class of materials.

Discovery of N-(Naphthalen-1-yl)-N'-alkyl Oxalamide Ligands Enables Cu-Catalyzed Aryl Amination with High Turnovers.

A class of N-(naphthalen-1-yl)-N'-alkyl oxalamides have been proven to be powerful ligands, making a coupling reaction of (hetero)aryl iodides with primary amines proceed at 50 °C with only 0.01 mol % of Cu2O and ligand as well as a coupling reaction of (hetero)aryl bromides with primary amines and ammonia at 80 °C with only 0.1 mol % of Cu2O and ligand. A wide range of coupling partners work well under these conditions, thereby providing an easy to operate method for preparing (hetero)aryl amines.

Selected Copper-Based Reactions for C-N, C-O, C-S, and C-C Bond Formation.

Metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions belong to the most important transformations in organic synthesis. Copper catalysis has received great attention owing to the low toxicity and low cost of copper. However, traditional Ullmann-type couplings suffer from limited substrate scopes and harsh reaction conditions. The introduction of several bidentate ligands, such as amino acids, diamines, 1,3-diketones, and oxalic diamides, over the past two decades has totally changed this situation as these ligands enable the copper-catalyzed coupling of aryl halides and nucleophiles at both low reaction temperatures and catalyst loadings. The reaction scope has also been greatly expanded, rendering this copper-based cross-coupling attractive for both academia and industry. In this Review, we have summarized the latest progress in the development of useful reaction conditions for the coupling of (hetero)aryl halides with different nucleophiles. Additionally, recent advances in copper-catalyzed coupling reactions with aryl boronates and the copper-based trifluoromethylation of aromatic electrophiles will be discussed.

Synthesis of 2-oxindoles via 'transition-metal-free' intramolecular dehydrogenative coupling (IDC) of sp(2) C-H and sp(3) C-H bonds.

The synthesis of a variety of 2-oxindoles bearing an all-carbon quaternary center at the pseudo benzylic position has been achieved via a 'transition-metal-free' intramolecular dehydrogenative coupling (IDC). The construction of 2-oxindole moieties was carried out through formation of carbon-carbon bonds using KOt-Bu-catalyzed one pot C-alkylation of ß-N-arylamido esters with alkyl halides followed by a dehydrogenative coupling. Experimental evidences indicated toward a radical-mediated path for this reaction.

Unified Approach to the Spiro(pyrrolidinyl-oxindole) and Hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole Alkaloids: Total Syntheses of Pseudophrynamines 270 and 272A.

The first enantioselective total syntheses of architecturally interesting prenylated pyrroloindole alkaloids, (-)-pseudophrynamines 272A (3d) and 270 (3b), have been achieved starting from enantioenriched 2-oxindoles having all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. A common strategy involving a thio-urea catalyzed aldol reaction is employed for the total synthesis of both spiro(pyrrolidinyl-oxindole) and hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole alkaloids.

Zn(ii) assisted synthesis of porous salen as an efficient heterogeneous scaffold for capture and conversion of CO2.

We have designed a unique strategy to obtain a zinc-salen functionalized porous polymer (Zn@SBMMP) with high zinc content (15.3 wt%) by an easy one-step, cost effective and scalable process, which shows unprecedented catalytic efficiency in the CO2 fixation reaction via cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides. We hypothesize that a high density of Zn-Schiff base/salen units present in the porous polymer network is responsible for the exceptionally high catalytic performance of Zn@SBMMP.

A new hypercrosslinked supermicroporous polymer, with scope for sulfonation, and its catalytic potential for the efficient synthesis of biodiesel at room temperature.

We have designed a new hypercrosslinked supermicroporous polymer (HMP-1) with a BET surface area of 913 m(2) g(-1) by FeCl3 via a catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction between carbazole and α,α'-dibromo-p-xylene. Upon sulfonation HMP-1 yielded a very efficient solid acid catalyst for the production of biodiesels via esterification/transesterification of free fatty acids (FFA)/esters at room temperature.

Porous polyurea network showing aggregation induced white light emission, applications as biosensor and scaffold for drug delivery.

We have designed a urea functionalized novel nanoporous material, POP-PU, which showsaggregation induced white light emission in the presence of suitable polar solvents. This nanomaterial has been explored as a pseudowhite light emitter where the polymeric luminogen moiety can interact with the suitable polar solvent, leading to charge transfer. Thus, solvent assisted rotational freezing of nonrigid polymeric nanoparticles gives radiative emission and the whole solution emits white light with color temperature of 8533 K. This nanoporous material also holds the pockets (donor-donor-acceptor array) for specific biomolecular interaction. Among three pyrimidine based nucleotide bases, only cytosine can amplify the PL emission intensity of POP-PU and the other two bases cannot, suggesting its future potential as a biosensor. Further, this urea functionalized porous organic nanomaterial can be utilized as an efficient drug-delivery vehicle for liver cancer diagnostics and therapy based on the specific biomolecular interaction at its surface.