Mark S. Mashuta

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Stable Organogold(I) Compounds. Evidence for the Mechanism of Gold-Catalyzed Cyclizations

The vast majority of homogeneous Au-catalyzed reactions have exploited the propensity of Au to activate unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds as electrophiles. It is generally assumed that a nucleophile attacks a gold-activated carbon-carbon multiple bond to give an alkenyl Au intermediate, notwithstanding the fact that these intermediates are hitherto unknown. We have obtained room temperature stable gamma-lactone gold(I) complexes through the reaction of cationic Au(I) reagents with allenoates, under mild conditions. The reactions of one such complex with electrophiles yielded the expected products of Au-catalyzed cyclizations. These results furnish experimental evidence for the mechanism of Au-catalyzed cyclizations.

A Highly Efficient and Broadly Applicable Cationic Gold Catalyst

Gold catalysts capable of promoting reactions at low-level loadings under mild conditions are the exception rather than the norm. We examined reactions where the regeneration of cationic gold catalyst (e.g., protodeauration) was the turnover limiting stage. By manipulating electron density on the substituents around phosphorus and introducing steric handles we designed a phosphine ligand that contains two electron-rich ortho-biphenyl groups and a cyclohexyl substituent. This ligand formed a gold complex that catalyzed common types of gold-catalyzed reactions including intra- and intermolecular XH (X=C, N, O) additions to alkynes and cycloisomerizations, with high turnover numbers at room temperature or slightly elevated temperatures (≤50 °C). Our new ligand can be prepared in one step from commercially available starting materials.

Synthesis and characterization of ruthenium, rhenium and titanium formate, acetate and trifluoroacetate complexes. Correlation of IR spectral properties and bonding types

Abstract New formate ( 1 – 3 ; 4b , 6 and 7 ), acetate ( 8 , 9) and trifluoroacetate ( 12 , 13 and 15 ) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and by IR and 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopies. New data or new synthetic procedures are provided for several known complexes ( 4a , 5 , 19 , 11 and 14 ). X-ray structural data for cis -Ru(bpy) 2 (CO)(OCHO)(PO 2 F 2 ) ( 4b ) clearly identify the η 1 -bound formate ligand bound to an octahedral ruthenium center and the data for fac -Re(CO) 3 (PPh 3 (OCOMe) ( 9 ) show an η 2 -bound acetate ligand bound to an octahedral rhenium center. Infrared spectral data for four types of formate complexes, three bonding types of acetates and the two known types of trifluoroacetate ligands are discussed. Comparisons of the v OCO bands for the carboxylate ligands in all of the complexes show that these bands are useful in identifying the bonding type of each carboxylate ligand.

Gold‐Catalyzed Annulations of 2‐Alkynyl Benzaldehydes with Vinyl Ethers: Synthesis of Dihydronaphthalene, Isochromene, and Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane Derivatives

With the suitable selection of a gold catalyst as well as the appropriate control of the reaction conditions, various new gold-catalyzed cyclizations of 2-alkynyl benzaldehyde with acyclic or cyclic vinyl ethers have been developed. Acetal-tethered dihydronaphthalene and isochromenes were obtained from the reactions of 2-alkynyl benzaldehydes with acyclic vinyl ethers under mild conditions. And, more interestingly, the gold-catalyzed reactions of 2-alkynyl benzaldehyde with a cyclic vinyl ether afforded the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivative involving two molecules of cyclic vinyl ethers. These products contain interesting substructures that have been found in many biologically active molecules and natural products. In addition, a gold-catalyzed homo-dimerization of 2-phenylethynyl benzaldehyde 1a was observed when the reaction was carried out in the absence of vinyl ether, affording a set of separable diastereomeric products. Plausible mechanisms for these transformations are discussed; a gold-containing benzopyrylium was regarded as the crucial intermediate by which a number of these new transformations took place.

Metal-stabilized thiyl radicals as scaffolds for reversible alkene addition via C-S bond formation/cleavage.

The one-electron oxidation of metal thiolates results in an increased oxidation state of the metal ion or the formation of a sulfur-based, thiyl radical in limiting extremes. For complexes with highly covalent M-S bonds, the unpaired electron may be delocalized over the metal and the sulfur, yielding a metal-stabilized thiyl radical. Oxidation of the metal thiolate precursors [Ru(DPPBT)(3)](-), [Ru-1](-), and Re(DPPBT)(3), Re-1 (DPPBT = diphenylphosphinobenzenethiolate), generates metal-stabilized thiyl radicals that react with alkenes to yield dithioether-metal products. Alkene addition to [Ru-1](+) and [Re-1](+) is symmetry-allowed due to the meridional arrangement of the DPPBT chelates. Combined bulk electrolysis and cyclic voltammetry experiments reveal the addition of alkenes to [Ru-1](+) as an irreversible process with experimentally determined rate constants ranging from 4.6(5) × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) for electron-rich alkenes to 2.7(2) × 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) for electron-poor alkenes. Rate constants for cyclic alkenes range from 4(2) × 10(7) to 2.9(3) × 10(3) M(-1) s(-1). Chemical oxidation of [Ru-1](-) by ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate (FcPF(6)) in the presence of m-methylstyrene or p-methylstyrene yields the dithioether complexes [Ru-1·m-methylstyrene](+) and [Ru-1·p-methylstyrene](+), respectively. Each complex was crystallized and the structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. (31)P NMR of the samples reveals a major and minor product, each displaying a second-order spectrum. The oxidized intermediate [Re-1](+) binds alkenes reversibly with equilibrium binding constants that vary with the complex charge from 1.9 × 10(-11) M(-1) for n = 0 to 4.0 M(-1) for n = +1 to 2.5 × 10(9) M(-1) for n = +2. The three binding regimes are separated by 240 mV. Crystalline samples of [Re-1·C(2)H(4)](2+) are obtained upon chemical oxidation of Re-1 with silver hexafluorophosphate (AgPF(6)) in the presence of ethylene. Strategies for the addition of alkenes to other metal-stabilized thiyl radicals are suggested.

Synthesis and sulfur oxygenation of a (N3S)Ni complex related to nickel-containing superoxide dismutase.

A nickel(II) thiolate complex incorporating three N-donor types (amino, amido, and imidazole) has been synthesized and characterized. The (N(3)S)Ni complex, [N-{2-[(2-mercapto-2-methylpropyl)amino]ethyl}-1-methylimidazole-2-carboxamido]nickel(II) (1), is stable in the presence of O(2) but readily forms the sulfinato (RSO(2)(-)) derivative 2 upon the addition of H(2)O(2). Electrochemical investigations of 1 reveal an irreversible sulfur-based oxidation at +0.17 V vs Fc(+)/Fc (200 mV/s) that shifts to +0.81 V upon oxidation to 2. Density functional theory investigations of 1 reveal a highest occupied molecular orbital that is predominantly sulfur-based, consistent with the observed sulfur-based oxidation and O(2) stability.

Proposed Ligand-Centered Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution and Hydrogen Oxidation at a Noninnocent Mononuclear Metal–Thiolate

The noninnocent coordinatively saturated mononuclear metal-thiolate complex ReL3 (L = diphenylphosphinobenzenethiolate) serves as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution or hydrogen oxidation dependent on the presence of acid or base and the applied potential. ReL3 reduces acids to H2 in dichloromethane with an overpotential of 380 mV and a turnover frequency of 32 ± 3 s(-1). The rate law displays a second-order dependence on acid concentration and a first-order dependence on catalyst concentration with an overall third-order rate constant (k) of 184 ± 2 M(-2) s(-1). Reactions with deuterated acid display a kinetic isotope effect of 9 ± 1. In the presence of base, ReL3 oxidizes H2 with a turnover frequency of 4 ± 1 s(-1). The X-ray crystal structure of the monoprotonated species [Re(LH)L2](+), an intermediate in both catalytic H2 evolution and oxidation, has been determined. A ligand-centered mechanism, which does not require metal hydride intermediates, is suggested based on similarities to the redox-regulated, ligand-centered binding of ethylene to ReL3.

Physangulidines A, B, and C: Three New Antiproliferative Withanolides from Physalis angulata L.

Bioassay-directed fractionation of the whole plant of Physalis angulata L. afforded three new antiproliferative withanolides with an unusual carbon framework: physangulidines A (1), B (2), and C (3). Structures of the three isomeric withanolides were determined by a combination of HRMS, NMR spectroscopic, and X-ray crystallographic methods. Each has shown significant antiproliferative activity against DU145 prostate cancer cells. Physangulidine A (1) was further tested against a wide range of additional cancer cell lines and found to exhibit significant antiproliferative activity.

Gold-catalyzed addition of N-hydroxy heterocycles to alkynes and subsequent 3,3-sigmatropic rearrangement.

Gold-catalyzed intermolecular addition of hydroxybenzotriazole derivatives to alkynes at room temperature, gives vinyl ethers 3 in high yields and with excellent regioselectivity. Unlike many other vinyl ethers, 3 can easily be purified by regular silica-gel chromatography. On heating, 3,3-sigmatropic rearrangement of 3 gives access to highly functionalized benzotriazoles. This two-step sequence represents an efficient oxygen transfer protocol which incorporates a nucleophilic oxygen atom into an alkyne group. Reaction of 3 with an electrophilic fluorinating reagent (Selectfluor) gives a fluorinated ketone regioselectively and in high yield.

Asymmetric oxygenation of a ruthenium dithiolate mimics the mixed sulfenato/sulfinato donor sets of nitrile hydratase and thiocyanate hydrolase.

The dithiolate complex (bmmp-TASN)RuPPh(3) reacts with O(2) under limiting conditions to yield the mixed sulfenato/sulfinato product (bmmp-O(3)-TASN)RuPPh(3) in 82% yield. Isotopic labeling studies confirm O(2) as the sole source of O atoms in the product complex. X-ray crystallographic studies reveal decreases in the Ru-S bond distances of 0.026(1) and 0.151(1) A for the sulfenato and sulfinato donors, respectively, and a 0.088(1) A increase in the Ru-PPh(3) bond distance upon oxygenation.