Igor Picek

Tandem β-Elimination/Hetero-Michael Addition Rearrangement of an N-Alkylated Pyridinium Oxime to an O-Alkylated Pyridine Oxime Ether: An Experimental and Computational Study

A novel OH(-)-promoted tandem reaction involving C(β)-N(+)(pyridinium) cleavage and ether C(β)-O(oxime) bond formation in aqueous media has been presented. The study fully elucidates the fascinating reaction behavior of N-benzoylethylpyridinium-4-oxime chloride in aqueous media under mild reaction conditions. The reaction journey begins with the exclusive β-elimination and formation of pyridine-4-oxime and phenyl vinyl ketone and ends with the formation of O-alkylated pyridine oxime ether. A combination of experimental and computational studies enabled the introduction of a new type of rearrangement process that involves a unique tandem reaction sequence. We showed that (E)-O-benzoylethylpyridine-4-oxime is formed in aqueous solution by a base-induced tandem β-elimination/hetero-Michael addition rearrangement of (E)-N-benzoylethylpyridinium-4-oximate, the novel synthetic route to this engaging target class of compounds. The complete mechanistic picture of this rearrangement process was presented and discussed in terms of the E1cb reaction scheme within the rate-limiting β-elimination step.

Spectroscopic Studies of Methimazole Reactivity toward the Aquapentacyanoferrate (II) Ion in Aqueous Solutions

Methimazole (2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole, MMI) and its pentacyanoferrate (II) complex have been charac- terized by means of UV/Vis, Raman, and NMR spectroscopy. The reaction of MMI with aquapentacyanoferrate (II), (Fe(CN)5(H2O)) 3� , in buffered aqueous solutions yielded the (Fe(CN)5(MMI)) 3� complex. It was found that only thione tautomer of MMI coordinates to the iron (II). The exceptionally stabile and inert complex was produced.

Aquabromo(6-carboxypyridine-2-carboxylato- O , N , O ')mercury(II)

The title compound, [HgBr(C7H4NO4)(H2O)], was obtained by the reaction of an aqueous solution of mercury(II) bromide and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (picolinic acid, dipicH(2)). The shortest bond distances to Hg are Hg-Br 2.412 (1) A and Hg-N 2.208 (5) A; the corresponding N-Hg-Br angle of 169.6 (1) degrees corresponds to a slightly distorted linear coordination. There are also four longer Hg-O interactions, three from dipicH(-) [2.425 (4) and 2.599 (4) A within the asymmetric unit, and 2.837 (4) A from a symmetry-related molecule] and one from the bonded water molecule [2.634 (4) A]. The effective coordination of Hg can thus be described as 2+4. The molecules are connected to form double-layer chains parallel to the y axis by strong O-H.O hydrogen bonds between carboxylic acid groups of neighbouring molecules, and by weaker hydrogen bonds involving both H atoms of the water molecule and the O atoms of the carboxylic acid groups.