Roberto Martínez-Álvarez

Stereodivergent Synthesis of Chiral Fullerenes by [3 + 2] Cycloadditions to C60

A wide range of new dipoles and catalysts have been used in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of N-metalated azomethine ylides onto C60 yielding a full stereodivergent synthesis of pyrrolidino[60]fullerenes with complete diastereoselectivities and very high enantioselectivities. The use of less-explored chiral α-iminoamides as starting 1,3-dipoles leads to an interesting double asymmetric induction resulting in a matching/mismatching effect depending upon the absolute configuration of the stereocenter in the starting α-iminoamide. An enantioselective process was also found in the retrocycloaddition reaction as revealed by mass spectrometry analysis on quasi-enantiomeric pyrrolidino[60]fullerenes. Theoretical DFT calculations are in very good agreement with the experimental data. On the basis of this agreement, a plausible reaction mechanism is proposed.

Monitoring Mechanistic Details in the Synthesis of Pyrimidines via Real-Time, Ultrafast Multidimensional NMR Spectroscopy

Recent years have witnessed unprecedented advances in the development of fast multidimensional NMR acquisition techniques. This progress could open valuable new opportunities for the elucidation of chemical and biochemical processes. This study demonstrates one such capability, with the first real-time Two-dimensional (2D) dynamic analysis of a complex organic reaction relying on unlabeled substrates. Implementing such measurements required the development of new ultrafast 2D methods, capable of monitoring multiple spectral regions of interest as the reaction progressed. The alternate application of these acquisitions in an interleaved, excitation-optimized fashion, allowed us to extract new structural and dynamic insight concerning the reaction between aliphatic ketones and triflic anhydride in the presence of nitriles to yield alkylpyrimidines. Up to 2500 2D NMR data sets were thus collected over the course of this nearly 100 min long reaction, in an approach resembling that used in functional magnetic resonance imaging. With the aid of these new frequency-selective low-gradient strength experiments, supplemented by chemical shift calculations of the spectral coordinates observed in the 2D heteronuclear correlations, previously postulated intermediates involved in the alkylpyrimidine formation process could be confirmed, and hitherto undetected ones were revealed. The potential and limitations of the resulting methods are discussed.

New building block for C(3) symmetry molecules: synthesis of s-triazine-based redox active chromophores.

A new s-triazine-based C(3) building block, endowed with three phosphonate groups, has been prepared in a simple two-step synthesis starting from p-bromomethylbenzonitrile; the new building block easily undergoes further olefination reactions to afford in a straightforward manner tris(tetrathiafulvalene)- and tris(ferrocene)-1,3,5-triazines.

2D Ultrafast HMBC: A Valuable Tool for Monitoring Organic Reactions§

Ultrafast 2D HMBC spectroscopy permits real-time monitoring of a reaction based on the structural changes produced in a carbonyl carbon atom. This new technique was used to study the reaction of ketones, nitriles, and Tf(2)O, affording relevant information about new intermediates and kinetic data.

Ultrasound-assisted one-pot, four component synthesis of 4-aryl 3,4-dihydropyridone derivatives.

The condensation of Meldrums acid, aromatic aldehydes, alkyl acetoacetates and ammonium acetate in glacial acetic acid under ultrasound irradiation at room temperature results in the formation of 3,4-dihydropyridone derivatives (4a-p) in 85-96% yields. Compared with conventional methods, the main advantages of the present procedure are milder conditions, shorter reaction times and higher yields.

Competitive Retro-Cycloaddition Reaction in Fullerene Dimers Connected through Pyrrolidinopyrazolino Rings

Competitive retro-cycloaddition in [60]- and [70]fullerene homodimers (1a,1c) as well as [60]/[70]heterodimer (1b), linked through 2-pyrazolinopyrrolidino bridges, has been studied by means of HPLC, mass spectrometry, and theoretical calculations at the density functional theory (DFT) level by using the two-layered ONIOM approach. The results of these investigations indicate that the retro-cycloaddition reaction of pyrrolidinofullerenes is favored compared to the retro-cycloaddition reaction of 2-pyrazolinofullerenes in compounds 1a-c. Evidence of the occurrence of this process have been observed both by HPLC and MS-MALDI, these findings being in good agreement with those predicted by theoretical calculations.

Synthesis of water soluble fulleropyrrolidines bearing biologically active arylpiperazines

Abstract New water soluble fulleropyrrolidines endowed with biologically active arylpiperazines have been synthesized by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of in situ generated azomethyne ylides to C60. The substitution pattern on the pyrrolidine and piperazine rings ensures their solubility in a H2O/DMSO (9:1) solvents mixture. The mass spectrometry study reveals a different fragmentation pathway for the fulleropyrrolidines depending upon the substituent on the pyrrolidine nitrogen atom, affording in all cases to differently substituted methanofullerenes. Preliminary biological tests reveal a moderate activity in vitro experiments.

Mass Spectrometry Studies of the Retro-Cycloaddition Reaction of Pyrrolidino and 2-Pyrazolinofullerene Derivatives Under Negative ESI Conditions

Substituted pyrrolidino- and 3-alkyl-2-pyrazolinofullerenes ionize under ESI and MALDI mass spectrometry conditions and negative mode of detection undergoing mass spectral fragmentations, which can be easily correlated with the reported results for the thermal and electrochemical retro-cycloaddition reactions of these compounds. 2-Pyrazolinofullerenes lead directly to a [60]fullerene product ion formed through a retro-cycloaddition process regardless of the substituents attached at the carbon and nitrogen atoms of the heterocyclic ring. These results are different from whose reported for the thermal and electrochemical processes. In contrast, pyrrolidinofullerenes undergo different fragmentative reactions depending upon the substituents (hydrogen, alkyl, or acyl) attached at the nitrogen atom of the heterocyclic ring leading eventually to the pristine C60 in the last step of the fragmentation pathway.

An overview of the retro‐Diels‐Alder reaction in semiunsaturated heterocyclic rings: mass spectra of new substituted 1,4,5,6,7,8‐hexahydroquinolines and their oxo‐analogues 5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro‐4H‐chromenes

Electron impact ionization (EI), chemical ionization (CI), electrospray ionization (ESI) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) were used to investigate a number of relatively large and structurally related new heterocycles such as substituted 1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinolines and their oxa-analogues 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromenes. In the EI spectra the hexahydroquinolines undergo the loss of the substituent attached at the C4 position, while the 4H-chromenes undergo a retro-Diels-Alder reaction (RDA) after elimination of the C4 substituent. Under chemical ionization conditions the RDA reaction is observed only for the 4H-chromenes. The ESI-MS/MS spectra reveal results similar to the EI and CI spectra, since the 4H-chromenes undergo RDA reactions while the hexahydroquinolines form a very stable even-electron pyridium ion derived from the loss of the C4 substituent.

Diastereoselective Synthesis of C60/Steroid Conjugates

The design and synthesis of fullerene-steroid hybrids by using Pratos protocol has afforded new fullerene derivatives endowed with epiandrosterone, an important naturally occurring steroid hormone. Since the formation of the pyrrolidine ring resulting from the 1,3-dipolar cyloaddition reaction takes place with generation of a new stereogenic center on the C2 of the five-membered ring, the reaction proceeds with formation of a diastereomeric mixture [compounds 6 and 7 in 70:30 ratio, 8 and 9 in 26:74 ratio (HPLC)] in which the formation of the major diasteroisomers 6 and 9 is consistent with an electrophilic attack of [60]fullerene on the Re face of the azomethine ylide directed by the steroidic unit. The chiroptical properties of these conjugates reveal typical Cotton effects in CD spectra that have been used to assign the absolute configuration of the new fulleropyrrolidines. The electrochemical study of the new compounds reveals the presence of four quasi-reversible reduction waves which are cathodically shifted in comparison with the parent C60, thus ascertaining the proposed structures.