Catalytic constructive deoxygenation of lignin-derived phenols: new C-C bond formation processes from imidazole-sulfonates and ether cleavage reactions

Funding: UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)As part of a programme aimed at exploiting lignin as a chemical feedstock for less oxygenated fine chemicals, several catalytic C-C bond forming reactions utilising guaiacol imidazole sulfonate are demonstrated. These include the cross-coupling of a Grignard, a non-toxic cyanide source, a benzoxazole, and nitromethane. A modified Meyers reaction is used to accomplish a second constructive deoxygenation on a benzoxazole functionalised anisole.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Isomerisation versus carbonylative pathways in the hydroxy-carbonylation, methoxy-carbonylation, and amino-carbonylation of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline

The authors thank the EPSRC for funding, primarily from grant number EP/M003868/1.The reactivity of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline is significantly lower than that of mono-substituted alkenes in Pd catalysed methoxycarbonylation reactions. For example, most bulky diphosphine/ Pd catalysts, including the well-known Pd catalyst derived from 1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)xylene (DTBPX), were found to give no product at all in the methoxycarbonylation of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline. The competing pathways in methoxycarbonylation of N-methane-sulfonyl-3-pyrroline using Pd/ DTBPX were studied using DFT calculations; these show that the coordination of the alkene is unfavourable, and once coordinated, isomerisation is a lower energy pathway that ultimately leads to an alternative product. Experimentally a side product resulting from alkene isomerisation and addition of methanol is formed slowly (if CO is present), and rapidly if CO is not. A less bulky derivative of DTBPX forms the required alkene complex with much lower barriers. A study has been made of the enantioselective carbonylation of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline using water, methanol or aniline as nucleophile. This study revealed that there is a range of possible products with most of these initiated by a Pd-catalysed isomerisation of the alkene. Using less bulky members of the Pd/Phanephos family of catalysts, it is possible to produce the methoxycarbonylation product from this poorly reactive alkene with reasonably good chemoselectivity and around 80% e.e. at higher pressures of CO.PostprintPeer reviewe

A substrate mimic allows high-throughput assay of the FabA protein and consequently the identification of a novel inhibitor of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> FabA

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 223461, Senior Investigator Award WT100209MA (JHN), Swedish Science Council (GS), Wellcome Trust Strategic grant 100476/Z/12/Z (DWG) and National Institutes of Health R01GM095970 (MB). JHN & ADS are Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award holders.Eukaryotes and prokaryotes possess fatty acid synthase (FAS) biosynthetic pathway(s) that comprise iterative chain elongation, reduction, and dehydration reactions. The bacterial FASII pathway differs significantly from human FAS pathways and is a long-standing target for antibiotic development against Gram-negative bacteria due to differences from the human FAS, and several existing antibacterial agents are known to inhibit FASII enzymes. N-acetylcysteamine (NAC) fatty acid thioesters have been used as mimics of the natural acyl carrier protein (ACP) pathway intermediates to assay FASII enzymes, and we now report an assay of FabV from Pseudomonas aeruginosa using (E)-2-decenoyl-NAC. In addition, we have converted an existing UV absorbance assay for FabA, the bifunctional dehydration/epimerization enzyme and key target in the FAS II pathway, into a high throughput enzyme coupled fluorescence assay that has been employed to screen a library of diverse small molecules. With this approach, N-(4-chlorobenzyl)-3-(2-furyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-amine (N42FTA) was found to competitively inhibit (pIC50 = 5.7 ± 0.2) the processing of 3-hydroxydecanoyl-NAC by P. aeruginosa FabA. N42FTA was shown to be potent in blocking crosslinking of E. coli ACP and FabA, a direct mimic of the biological process. The co-complex structure of N42FTA with P. aeruginosa FabA protein rationalizes affinity and suggests future design opportunities. Employing NAC fatty acid mimics to developing further high throughput assays for individual enzymes in the FASII pathway should aid in the discovery of new antimicrobials.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Applications of NHCs and isothioureas as Lewis base organocatalysts

This thesis details investigations into two modes of organocatalytic enolate generation and reactivity. The first is the addition of chiral NHCs to a ketene to form an azolium enolate. Investigations into three different electrophiles within this system will be discussed. The second catalytic system investigated is the formation of a C1-ammonium enolate through the addition of chiral isothioureas to activated carboxylic acids. Studies on one electrophile within this system will be discussed. Chapter 2 investigates the use of bespoke C₂-symmetric NHCs in the asymmetric Staudinger reaction: the formal [2+2] cycloaddition between ketenes and imines. A chiral relay mechanism was proposed and experimentally validated with β-lactams prepared in good yields (up to 85%) and moderate enantioselectivity (up to 61% ee). Chapter 3 describes the asymmetric formal [4+2] cycloaddition between alkylarylketenes and γ-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylates. A substrate dependant switch in diastereoselectivity was observed with γ-aryl α-ketocarboxylates giving preferentially the syn-dihydropyranones (up to 70:30 dr syn:anti, up to 98% ee syn) and γ-alkyl α-ketocarboxylates giving preferentially the anti-dihydropyranones (up to 18:82 dr syn:anti, up to 75% ee anti, 97% ee syn). Chapter 4 illustrates the extension of the methodology described in Chapter 3 to include γ-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketophosphonates. Once more, a substrate dependant switch in diastereoselectivity was observed with γ-aryl α-ketophosphonates giving preferentially the syn-dihydropyranone-phosphonates (up to 72:28 dr syn:anti, up to 98% ee syn) and γ-methyl α-ketophosphonate giving preferentially the anti-dihydropyranone-phosphonates (20:80 dr syn:anti, 71% ee anti, 90% ee syn). Within this system it is also possible to generate the alkylarylketenes in situ with no loss in stereoselectivity but with typically improved yield when compared with the corresponding two-step procedure. Chapter 5 describes the activation of arylacetic acids via the formation of a mixed anhydride followed by C1-ammonium enolate generation with a chiral isothiourea. Asymmetric Michael addition and lactonisation with γ-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketophosphonates gave the corresponding anti-dihydropyranone-phosphonates (up to 89:11 dr anti:syn, up to 97% ee anti). More conveniently however, in situ ring opening with MeOH gave di-esters with excellent stereocontrol (up to >98:<2 dr anti:syn, up to 99% ee anti) and which can be readily derivatised

Catalytic constructive deoxygenation of lignin-derived phenols: new C-C bond formation processes from imidazole-sulfonates and ether cleavage reactions

As part of a programme aimed at exploiting lignin as a chemical feedstock for less oxygenated fine chemicals, several catalytic C-C bond forming reactions utilising guaiacol imidazole sulfonate are demonstrated. These include the cross-coupling of a Grignard, a non-toxic cyanide source, a benzoxazole, and nitromethane. A modified Meyers reaction is used to accomplish a second constructive deoxygenation on a benzoxazole functionalised anisole

Isomerisation <i>versus</i> carbonylative pathways in the hydroxy-carbonylation, methoxy-carbonylation, and amino-carbonylation of <i>N</i>-tosyl-3-pyrroline

The reactivity of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline is significantly lower than that of mono-substituted alkenes in Pd catalysed methoxycarbonylation reactions. For example, most bulky diphosphine/ Pd catalysts, including the well-known Pd catalyst derived from 1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)xylene (DTBPX), were found to give no product at all in the methoxycarbonylation of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline. The competing pathways in methoxycarbonylation of N-methane-sulfonyl-3-pyrroline using Pd/ DTBPX were studied using DFT calculations; these show that the coordination of the alkene is unfavourable, and once coordinated, isomerisation is a lower energy pathway that ultimately leads to an alternative product. Experimentally a side product resulting from alkene isomerisation and addition of methanol is formed slowly (if CO is present), and rapidly if CO is not. A less bulky derivative of DTBPX forms the required alkene complex with much lower barriers. A study has been made of the enantioselective carbonylation of N-tosyl-3-pyrroline using water, methanol or aniline as nucleophile. This study revealed that there is a range of possible products with most of these initiated by a Pd-catalysed isomerisation of the alkene. Using less bulky members of the Pd/Phanephos family of catalysts, it is possible to produce the methoxycarbonylation product from this poorly reactive alkene with reasonably good chemoselectivity and around 80% e.e. at higher pressures of CO

NHC-mediated enantioselective formal [4 + 2] cycloadditions of alkylarylketenes and β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylic esters and amides

Chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) promote the asymmetric formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition of alkylarylketenes with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylic esters and amides. Divergent diastereoselectivity is observed in this process, with γ-aryl-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylic esters and amides giving preferentially syn-dihydropyranones (up to 68:32 dr syn:anti, up to 98% ee), while γ-alkyl-derivatives generate anti-dihydropyranones (up to 18:82 dr syn:anti, up to 75% ee). © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013

NHC-mediated enantioselective formal [4 + 2] cycloadditions of alkylarylketenes and β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylic esters and amides

Chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) promote the asymmetric formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition of alkylarylketenes with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylic esters and amides. Divergent diastereoselectivity is observed in this process, with γ-aryl-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylic esters and amides giving preferentially syn-dihydropyranones (up to 68:32 dr syn:anti, up to 98% ee), while γ-alkyl-derivatives generate anti-dihydropyranones (up to 18:82 dr syn:anti, up to 75% ee). © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013