(Z)-Selective Hydrosilylation and Hydroboration of Terminal Alkynes Enabled by Ruthenium Complexes with an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligand.

Metal-catalyzed trans-1,2-hydrosilylations and hydroborations of terminal alkynes that generate synthetically valuable (Z)-alkenylsilanes and (Z)-alkenylboranes remain challenging due to the (E)-selective nature of the reactions and the formation of the thermodynamically unfavorable (Z)-isomer. The development of new, efficient catalytic systems for the (Z)-selective hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes is thus highly desirable from a fundamental perspective as it would deepen our understanding of the metal-catalyzed (Z)-selective hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes. This personal account describes our research for developing a ruthenium complex that can efficiently catalyze the hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes, and for exploring the factors controlling (Z)-selectivity of the reactions. Our effort into the activation of B-protected boronic acids, R-B(dan) (dan=naphthalene-1,8-diaminato), that was believed not to participate in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, is also discussed.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed (Z)-Selective Hydroboration of Terminal Alkynes with Naphthalene-1,8-diaminatoborane.

The metal-catalyzed (Z)-selective hydroboration of terminal alkynes is synthetically challenging due to the usually (E)-selective nature of the hydroboration and the formation of the thermodynamically unstable (Z)-isomer. Herein, we report that N-heterocyclic-carbene-ligated ruthenium complexes catalyze the (Z)-selective hydroboration of terminal alkynes with H-B(dan) (dan = naphthalene-1,8-diaminato), which generates a diverse range of synthetically valuable (Z)-alkenylboranes. Mechanistic studies, particularly the isolation of a catalytically relevant borylruthenium complex, revealed a mechanism that involves the insertion of the alkyne into a Ru-B bond, which provides a catalytic cycle that is distinctly different from that of previously reported (Z)-selective hydroborations. The direct cross-coupling of the obtained (Z)-alkenyl-B(dan) enables the rapid synthesis of biologically active Combretastatin A-4 analogues.

Induction of micronuclei in germinating onion seed root tip cells irradiated with high energy heavy ions.

Effects of high LET charged particles on a perfect in-vivo system are an essential theme for the study of the biological effects of radiation. Germinating onion seeds are independent complete organisms and the radiation induced micronuclei in the root chip cells can be examined quantitatively and theoretically. We irradiated with three types of high energy accelerated heavy ions germinating onion seeds using a synchrotron and observed micronuclei in the root tip cells. Micronuclei induction showed characteristic dose responses of an upward convex bell shape and a steep rise near zero doses for all types of the ions. The bell curve dose responses, however, could be explained by a simple mathematical model. A parameter in the model which indicates micronuclei induction frequency and another parameter which indicates induction frequency of lethal damages (or damages delaying cell divisions) per heavy ion track were both proportional to square of the LET. Because we suspected by-stander effect concerning the dose responses rising steeply near zero doses and tapering off for higher doses, we tested acute irradiation to remove time of information transmittance between cells using a single spill (about 0.3 s) of the synchrotron beam. No difference was detected between normal multiple spill irradiations and single spill.