Ya Lin Tnay

Copper-catalyzed aerobic spirocyclization of biaryl-N-H-imines via 1,4-aminooxygenation of benzene rings

A synthetic method of azaspirocyclohexadienones has been developed through copper-catalyzed aerobic spirocyclization of biaryl-N-H-imines prepared by the reaction of biarylcarbonitriles and Grignard reagents.

Hydride Reduction by a Sodium Hydride–Iodide Composite

Abstract Sodium hydride (NaH) is widely used as a Brønsted base in chemical synthesis and reacts with various Brønsted acids, whereas it rarely behaves as a reducing reagent through delivery of the hydride to polar π electrophiles. This study presents a series of reduction reactions of nitriles, amides, and imines as enabled by NaH in the presence of LiI or NaI. This remarkably simple protocol endows NaH with unprecedented and unique hydride‐donor chemical reactivity.

Understanding the Origins of Nucleophilic Hydride Reactivity of a Sodium Hydride–Iodide Composite

Sodium hydride (NaH) has been commonly used as a Brønsted base in chemical syntheses, while it has rarely been employed to add hydride (H(-) ) to unsaturated electrophiles. We previously developed a procedure to activate NaH through the addition of a soluble iodide source and found that the new NaH-NaI composite can effect even stereoselective nucleophilic hydride reductions of nitriles, imines, and carbonyl compounds. In this work, we report that mixing NaH with NaI or LiI in tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a solvent provides a new inorganic composite, which consists of NaI interspersed with activated NaH, as revealed by powder X-ray diffraction, and both solid-state NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. DFT calculations imply that this remarkably simple inorganic composite, which is comprised of NaH and NaI, gains nucleophilic hydridic character similar to covalent hydrides, resulting in unprecedented and unique hydride donor chemical reactivity.

Copper-catalyzed aerobic aliphatic C–H oxygenation with hydroperoxides

Summary We report herein Cu-catalyzed aerobic oxygenation of aliphatic C–H bonds with hydroperoxides, which proceeds by 1,5-H radical shift of putative oxygen-centered radicals (O-radicals) derived from hydroperoxides followed by trapping of the resulting carbon-centered radicals with molecular oxygen.

Copper‐Catalyzed Aerobic CC Bond Cleavage of Lactols with N‐Hydroxy Phthalimide for Synthesis of Lactones

The transformation of cyclic hemiacetals (lactols) into lactones has been achieved by Cu-catalyzed aerobic CC bond cleavage in the presence of N-hydroxy phthalimide (NHPI). The present process is composed of a multistep sequence including a) formation of exo-cyclic enol ethers by dehydration; b) addition of phthalimide N-oxyl radical to the enol ethers followed by trapping of the resulting C-radicals with molecular oxygen to form peroxy radicals; c) reductive generation of oxy radicals and subsequent β-radical fragmentation to generate lactones.

Synthesis of Fasicularin

The synthesis of a tricyclic marine alkaloid, fasicularin, was accomplished. Stereoselective synthesis of the aza-spirocyclic BC-ring precursor and ensuing construction of the A-ring with stereocontrolled installation of the C2 hexyl group feature prominently in the synthesis.

Selective deletion of PPARβ/δ in fibroblasts causes dermal fibrosis by attenuated LRG1 expression

Connective tissue diseases of the skin are characterized by excessive collagen deposition in the skin and internal organs. Fibroblasts play a pivotal role in the clinical presentation of these conditions. Nuclear receptor peroxisome-proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are therapeutic targets for dermal fibrosis, but the contribution of the different PPAR subtypes are poorly understood. Particularly, the role of fibroblast PPARβ/δ in dermal fibrosis has not been elucidated. Thus, we generated a mouse strain with selective deletion of PPARβ/δ in the fibroblast (FSPCre-Pparb/d−/−) and interrogated its epidermal and dermal transcriptome profiles. We uncovered a downregulated gene, leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein-1 (Lrg1), of previously unknown function in skin development and architecture. Our findings suggest that the regulation of Lrg1 by PPARβ/δ in fibroblasts is an important signaling conduit integrating PPARβ/δ and TGFβ1-signaling networks in skin health and disease. Thus, the FSPCre-Pparb/d−/− mouse model could serve as a novel tool in the current gunnery of animal models to better understand dermal fibrosis.

Copper-catalyzed aerobic radical C–C bond cleavage of N–H ketimines

Summary We report herein studies on copper-catalyzed aerobic radical C–C bond cleavage of N–H ketimines. Treatment of N–H ketimines having an α-sp3 hybridized carbon under Cu-catalyzed aerobic reaction conditions resulted in a radical fragmentation with C–C bond cleavage to give the corresponding carbonitrile and carbon radical intermediate. This radical process has been applied for the construction of oxaspirocyclohexadienones as well as in the electrophilic cyanation of Grignard reagents with pivalonitrile as a CN source.