Petr Šimůnek

Highly Enantioselective Nitroaldol Reactions Catalyzed by Copper(II) Complexes Derived from Substituted 2-(Pyridin-2-yl)imidazolidin-4-one Ligands

Ten optically pure substituted 2-(pyridin-2-yl)imidazolidin-4-ones, 1a-d, 2a-4a, and 2b-4b, were prepared and characterized. The absolute configurations of individual ligands were determined by X-ray analysis or NOESY experiments. The Cu(II) complexes of the respective ligands were studied as enantioselective catalysts of the nitroaldol (Henry) reaction of aldehydes with nitromethane, giving the corresponding substituted 2-nitroalkanols. In the case of an anti arrangement of the imidazolidin-4-one ring, the obtained result was 91-96% ee, whereas in the case of syn arrangement, a significant drop to 25-27% ee was observed.

Tautomerism and hydrogen bonding in reaction products from 4-aminopent-3-en-2-one and diazonium ions

The azo-coupling products have been prepared from 4-aminopent-3-en-2-one and 4-chloro- or 4-nitrobenzenediazonium ion. Structure of the products obtained was studied by means of multinuclear NMR spectroscopy in CDCl 3 solutions and X-ray diffraction in solid state. Both products are predominantly present as azo forms in both the solution and the solid state, the azo form content being higher in solid state. The substituent effect on azo-hydrazone tautomeric equilibrium of the substances is more significant in solution than in solid state.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of new derivatives of 2-substituted-6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazoles as cholinesterase inhibitors

A series of novel cholinesterase inhibitors based on 2-substituted 6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazole were synthesised and characterised by IR, (1)H, (13)C and (19)F NMR spectroscopy and HRMS. Purity was checked by elemental analyses. The novel carbamates were tested for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The toxicity of the most active compounds was investigated using a standard in vitro test with HepG2 cells, and the ratio between biological activity and toxicity was determined. In addition, the toxicity of the most active compounds was evaluated against MCF7 cells using the xCELLigence system. Structure-activity relationships reflecting the dependence of cholinesterase inhibitors on the lipophilicity of the compounds as well as on the Taft polar and steric substituent constants are discussed. The specific orientation of the inhibitors in the binding site of acetylcholinesterase was determined using molecular docking of the most active compound.

Structure and tautomerism of azo coupling products from N-alkylenaminones derived from acetylacetone and benzoylacetone in solid phase and in solution

A series of azo coupling products have been prepared by reaction of substituted benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborates with N-alkyl 4-aminopent-3-en-2-ones or 3-amino-1-phenylbut-2-en-1-ones. The structure and tautomerism of the reaction products were studied by means of single-crystal X-ray study and by NMR spectroscopy in deuteriochloroform solution. The azo coupling products obtained from 4-methylaminopent-3-en-2-ones (3a–i) exist in CDCl3 solution as E/Z isomer mixtures with the Z isomer strongly predominating. The major isomer is a mixture of enamino–azo and imino–hydrazo tautomers with the former predominating. The proportion of the azo form depends on substitution of the benzene ring of the diazonium salt and decreases in the order of MeO > Me > Br > NO2. The position of tautomeric equilibrium is practically unaffected by switching from 4-methylaminopent-3-en-2-ones to 3-methylamino-1-phenylbut-2-en-1-ones. In the solid phase, the azo form always predominates; substitution of diazonium salt and at N3 nitrogen does not significantly affect the position of the tautomeric equilibrium. The azo coupling products always exist in the form of a single Z isomer. All determined structures, in the solid state, consist of a mixture of the two tautomeric forms, amino–diazenyl and imino–hydrazone, in ratios ranging from 82/18 to 91/9%. The weighed superimposition of both the hydrogen-bonded N1N2–C1C2–N3H/ HN1–N2C1–C2N3 heterodienic fragments, however, do not allow to clarify the effects of the para-substituents at the N1-phenyl ring both on the N1⋯N3 hydrogen-bond distances and on the bond lengths in the heterodienic systems within the series 3a–c,f and 4a–c,e,f.

An NMR and X-ray study of the structure of the azo coupling product of 4-dimethylaminopent-3-en-2-one and benzenediazonium-tetrafluoroborate

4-Dimethylaminopent-3-en-2-one reacts with two molecules of benzenediazonium-tetrafluoroborate to give compound 1. The structure of this compound was determined by means of X-ray analysis of its crystal and 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectra of its solution in CDCl3. The molecule of this compound contains one azo group and one hydrazone group. The substance exists, both in crystal form and in solutions of concentrations above 0.1 mol l(-1), in the form of a dimer, in which the pair of molecules are bound by two hydrogen bonds N-H...N. On diluting the solution, the dimers decompose, the two forms being in an equilibrium that is rapid on the NMR time scale.

New targeting system for antimycotic drugs: β-Glucosidase sensitive Amphotericin B–star poly(ethylene glycol) conjugate

A new targeting potentially intravenous conjugate Amphotericin B (AMB)-star poly(ethylene glycol) (sPEG) (M=25,160) has been synthesized and characterized. It contains a beta-d-glucopyranoside molecular switch which is sensitive to beta-glucosidases (E.C.3.2.1.21). The beta-glucosidase-catalyzed release of AMB from the polymeric carrier was proved in vitro by means of spectrophotometry and HPLC.

Solution and solid state structure and tautomerism of azo coupled enaminone derivatives of benzoylacetone

The reaction of 4-substituted benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborates with 3-amino-1-phenylbut-2-en-1-one, 4-amino-4-phenylbut-3-en-2-one and their N-aryl derivatives 1a-1g has been used to prepare the respective azo coupling products i.e. compounds 2-5 from enaminone 1a, compounds 6-9 from enaminone 1c, compound 10 from enaminone 1d, compound 11 from enaminone 1e, compounds 12, 13 from enaminone 1f, compounds 14, 15 from enaminone 1b and compound 16 from enaminone 1g. Tautomerism of the azo coupling products prepared has been investigated in CDCl3 solutions by means of 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectra. Crystal structures of selected products have also been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction.

Structure and base catalysed cyclization of methyl (2,6-disubstituted-4-nitrophenylsulphanyl)ethanoates

Abstract The conformation of side chain –SCH2COOCH3 in title compounds in crystal agrees with the reactivity of these compounds in base catalysed ring closure in solution. In the 2,4-dinitro derivative, the side chain is oriented towards the unsubstituted ortho-position of benzene ring, in the case of the 2-methoxycarbonyl derivative towards this substituent.

A simple, enaminone-based approach to some bicyclic pyridazinium tetrafluoroborates

Summary Easily obtainable cyclic enaminones (piperidin-2-ylidenealkanones) can be transformed into substituted bicyclic pyridazinium tetrafluoroborates upon treatment with corresponding diazonium salts. The transformation can be performed either in a one-pot way or in a two-step process with the isolation of single azo-coupled enaminone as the intermediate. The former method is superior. Under the optimized conditions, a number of pyridazinium salts substituted with both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents was easily synthesized. A mechanism of the formation of the pyridazinium salts is suggested. A partial drawback is the possibility of the formation of a mixture of products when using a different diazonium salt in each step due to a reversibility of the azo coupling. This can be suppressed by using a more reactive diazonium salt before a less reactive one.

Synthesis and properties of acetamidinium salts

BackgroundAcetamidines are starting materials for synthesizing many chemical substances, such as imidazoles, pyrimidines and triazines, which are further used for biochemically active compounds as well as energetic materials. The aim of this study was to synthesise and characterise a range of acetamidinium salts in order to overcome the inconvenience connected with acetamidinium chloride, which is the only commercially available acetamidinium salt.ResultsAcetamidinium salts were synthesised and characterised by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, NMR and - in the case of energetic salts - DTA. The structures of previously unknown acetamidinium salts were established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Hygroscopicities in 90% humidity of eight acetamidinium salts were evaluated.ConclusionsThe different values of hygroscopicity are corroborated by the structures determined by X-ray analysis. The acetamidinium salts with 2D layered structures (acetamidinium nitrate, formate, oxalate and dinitromethanide) show a lack of hygroscopicity, and the compounds with 3D type of structure (acetamidinium chloride, acetate, sulphate and perchlorate) and possessing rather large cavities are quite hygroscopic.