Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from the rising sun (Far East Asia): phylogeny, systematics, and distribution.

Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) is a diverse family with around 700 species being widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. These animals fulfill key ecological functions and provide important services to humans. Unfortunately, populations have declined dramatically over the last century, rendering Unionidae one of the world's most imperiled taxonomic groups. In Far East Asia (comprising Japan, Korea, and Eastern Russia), conservation actions have been hindered by a lack of basic information on the number, identity, distribution and phylogenetic relationships of species. Available knowledge is restricted to studies on national and sub-national levels. The present study aims to resolve the diversity, biogeography and evolutionary relationships of the Far East Asian Unionidae in a globally comprehensive phylogenetic and systematic context. We reassessed the systematics of all Unionidae species in the region, including newly collected specimens from across Japan, South Korea, and Russia, based on molecular (including molecular species delineation and a COI + 28S phylogeny) and comparative morphological analyses. Biogeographical patterns were then assessed based on available species distribution data from the authors and previous reference works. We revealed that Unionidae species richness in Far East Asia is 30% higher than previously assumed, counting 43 species (41 native + 2 alien) within two Unionidae subfamilies, the Unioninae (32 + 1) and Gonideinae (9 + 1). Four of these species are new to science, i.e. Beringiana gosannensissp. nov., Beringiana fukuharaisp. nov., Buldowskia kamiyaisp. nov., and Koreosolenaia sitgyensisgen. & sp. nov. We also propose a replacement name for Nodularia sinulata, i.e. Nodularia breviconchanom. nov. and describe a new tribe (Middendorffinaiini tribe nov.) within the Unioninae subfamily. Biogeographical patterns indicate that this fauna is related to that from China south to Vietnam until the Mekong River basin. The Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and the Korean Peninsula were identified as areas of particularly high conservation value, owing to high rates of endemism, diversity and habitat loss. The genetically unique species within the genera Amuranodonta, Obovalis, Koreosolenaiagen. nov., and Middendorffinaia are of high conservation concern.

Association of Halogen Bonding and Hydrogen Bonding in Metal Acetate-Catalyzed Asymmetric Halolactonization.

Cooperative activation using halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding works in metal-catalyzed asymmetric halolactonization. The Zn3(OAc)4-3,3'-bis(aminoimino)binaphthoxide (tri-Zn) complex catalyzes both asymmetric iodolactonization and bromolactonization. Carboxylic acid substrates are converted to zinc carboxylates on the tri-Zn complex, and the N-halosuccinimide (N-bromosuccinimide [NBS] or N-iodosuccinimide [NIS]) is activated by hydrogen bonding with the diamine unit of chiral ligand. Halolactonization is significantly enhanced by the addition of catalytic I2. Density functional theory calculations revealed that a catalytic amount of I2 mediates the alkene portion of the substrates and NIS to realize highly enantioselective iodolactonization. The tri-Zn catalyst activates both sides of the carboxylic acid and alkene moiety, so that asymmetric five-membered iodolactonization of prochiral diallyl acetic acids proceeded to afford the chiral γ-butyrolactones. In the total description of the catalytic cycle, iodolactonization using the NIS-I2 complex proceeds with the regeneration of I2, which enables the catalytic use of I2. The actual iodination reagent is I2 and not NIS.

Catalytic Asymmetric Iodocyclization of N-Tosyl Alkenamides using Aminoiminophenoxy Copper Carboxylate: A Concise Synthesis of Chiral 8-Oxa-6-Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes.

A newly developed aminoiminophenoxy copper carboxylate (L7-Cu-OAc)-catalyzed asymmetric iodocyclization of N-Tosyl alkenamides gave O-cyclized products in good yields with high enantioselectivity. From the O-cyclized products, a skeletal transformation was succeeded in the synthesis of biologically important chiral 8-oxa-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes. DFT calculations suggested that the acetoxy anion of the [L7-Cu-OAc] acts as a base to generate the anion of N-Tosyl alkenamide substrates. The exchanged acetic acid reconstructs a new hydrogen-bonding network between the catalyst and the substrates to accomplish the highly efficient asymmetric O-iodocyclization of N-Tosyl alkenamides.

A trinuclear Zn3(OAc)4-3,3'-bis(aminoimino)binaphthoxide complex for highly efficient catalytic asymmetric iodolactonization.

A 3,3'-bis(aminoimino)BINOL ligand was newly designed and synthesized for the formation of a trinuclear Zn complex upon reaction with Zn(OAc)2. Using the harmony of the tri-zinc atoms, 1 mol% Zn3(OAc)4-3,3'-bis(aminoimino)binaphthoxide catalyzed asymmetric iodolactonization in up to 99.9% ee.

Double C(sp3)-H bond functionalization mediated by sequential hydride shift/cyclization process: diastereoselective construction of polyheterocycles.

Described herein are two novel types of double C(sp(3))-H bond functionalizations triggered by a sequential hydride shift/cyclization process: (1) construction of a bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane skeleton by a [1,6]- and [1,5]-hydride shift sequence and (2) sequential [1,4]- and [1,5]-hydride shift mediated construction of a linear tricyclic skeleton.