Large ring 1,3-bridged 2-azetidinones: experimental and theoretical studies

The relationship between angular strain and (re)activity of bicyclic 2-azetidinones is still an open question of major concern in the field of penicillin antibiotics. Our study deals with original 13-membered-ring 1,3-bridged 2-azetidinones related to the carbapenem family, and featuring a "planar amide" instead of the "twisted amide" typical of penam derivatives. The bicycles 11 and 12 were obtained from acetoxy-azetidinone 7, via the key-intermediate 10, by using the RCM (ring closing metathesis) strategy. Theoretical predictions and experimental results of hydrolysis showed that the large bicycle 12, endowed with high conformational flexibility, is more reactive than the bicycle 11, including a C=C bond of E configuration, and the monocyclic 2-azetidinone precursor 10. The processing of 2-azetidinones 10-12 in the active site of serine enzymes has been computed by ab initio methods, considering three models. Due to geometrical parameters of the enzymic cavity (nucleophilic attack from the alpha-face), precursor 10 was predicted more active than 11 and 12 in the acylation step by Ser-OH. Indeed, bicycles 11 and 12 are modest inhibitors of PBP2a, while 10 is a good to excellent inhibitor of PBP2a and R39 bacterial enzymes. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved

Recension d’ouvrage : Pour une éthique ouverte à l’inattendu. Libérer la face lumineuse de l’incertitude. Avec Guy Bourgeault

The synthesis and the separation of the four stereoisomers of 2,4,6,8,10-pentamethylundecane (PMU) are described together with their characterization by Raman spectroscopy. In parallel, theoretical calculations of the Raman and vibrational Raman optical activity (VROA) spectra are reported and analyzed in relation with the recorded spectra. A very good agreement is found between the experimental and theoretical spectra. The Raman spectra are also shown to be less affected by the change of configuration than the VROA spectra. Nevertheless, by studying the overlap between the theoretical Raman spectra, we show clear relationships between the spectral fingerprints and the structures displaying a mixture of the TGTGTGTG conformation of the (4R,6s,8S)-PMU (isotactic compound) with the TTTTTTTT conformation of the (4R,6r,8S)-PMU (syndiotactic compound). Then, the fingerprints of the VROA spectra of the five conformers of the (4R,8R)-PMU have been related to the fingerprints of the regular (TG)(N) isotactic compound as a function of the torsion angles. Since the (TT)(N) syndiotactic compound has no VROA signatures, the VROA spectroscopy is very sensitive to the helical structures, as demonstrated here

Base-mediated generation of ketenimines from ynamides: direct access to azetidinimines by an imino staudinger synthesis

Ynamides were used as precursors for the in situ generation of highly reactive ketenimines which could be trapped with imines in a [2+2] cycloaddition. This imino Staudinger synthesis led to a variety of imino-analogs of β-lactams, namely azetidinimines (20 examples), that could be further functionalized through a broad range of transformations

Self-assembly of Microcapsules via Colloidal Bond Hybridization and Anisotropy

Particles with directional interactions are promising building blocks for new functional materials and may serve as models for biological structures. Mutually attractive nanoparticles that are deformable due to flexible surface groups, for example, may spontaneously order themselves into strings, sheets and large vesicles. Furthermore, anisotropic colloids with attractive patches can self-assemble into open lattices and colloidal equivalents of molecules and micelles. However, model systems that combine mutual attraction, anisotropy, and deformability have---to the best of our knowledge---not been realized. Here, we synthesize colloidal particles that combine these three characteristics and obtain self-assembled microcapsules. We propose that mutual attraction and deformability induce directional interactions via colloidal bond hybridization. Our particles contain both mutually attractive and repulsive surface groups that are flexible. Analogous to the simplest chemical bond, where two isotropic orbitals hybridize into the molecular orbital of H2, these flexible groups redistribute upon binding. Via colloidal bond hybridization, isotropic spheres self-assemble into planar monolayers, while anisotropic snowman-like particles self-assemble into hollow monolayer microcapsules. A modest change of the building blocks thus results in a significant leap in the complexity of the self-assembled structures. In other words, these relatively simple building blocks self-assemble into dramatically more complex structures than similar particles that are isotropic or non-deformable

Spin Transition Sensors Based on β-Amino-Acid 1,2,4-Triazole Derivative

A β-aminoacid ester was successfully derivatized to yield to 4H-1,2-4-triazol-4-yl-propionate (βAlatrz) which served as a neutral bidentate ligand in the 1D coordination polymer [Fe(βAlatrz)3](CF3SO3)2·0.5H2O (1·0.5H2O). The temperature dependence of the high-spin molar fraction derived from 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy recorded on cooling below room temperature reveals an exceptionally abrupt single step transition between high-spin and low-spin states with a hysteresis loop of width 4 K (Tc↑ = 232 K and Tc↓ = 228 K) in agreement with magnetic susceptibility measurements. The material presents striking reversible thermochromism from white, at room temperature, to pink on quench cooling to liquid nitrogen, and acts as an alert towards temperature variations. The phase transition is of first order, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, with transition temperatures matching the ones determined by SQUID and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The freshly prepared sample of 1·0.5H2O, dried in air, was subjected to annealing at 390 K, and the obtained white compound [Fe(βAlatrz)3](CF3SO3)2 (1) was found to exhibit a similar spin transition curve however much temperature was increased by (Tc↑ = 252 K and Tc↓ = 248 K). The removal of lattice water molecules from 1·0.5H2O is not accompanied by a change of the morphology and of the space group, and the chain character is preserved. However, an internal pressure effect stabilizing the low-spin state is evidenced