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Polyyne polyrotaxanes, encapsulated cyclocarbon catenanes and other fascinating mechanically interlocked carbonrich architectures should become accessible if masked alkyne equivalents (MAEs) can be developed that are large enough to prevent unthreading of a macrocycle, and that can be cleanly unmasked under mild conditions. Here we report the synthesis of a new bulky MAE based on a t-butylbicyclo[4.3.1]decatriene. This MAE was used to synthesize a polyyne [2]rotaxane and a maskedpolyyne [3]rotaxane by Cadiot-Chodkiewicz coupling. Glaser cyclooligomerization of the [2]rotaxane gave masked cyclocarbon catenanes. The unmasking behavior of the catenanes and rotaxanes was tested by photolysis at a range of UV wavelengths. Photochemical unmasking did not proceed cleanly enough to prepare extended encapsulated polyyne polyrotaxanes. We highlight the scope and challenges involved with this approach to interlocked carbon-rich architectures.

The human 2‐oxoglutarate (2OG)‐dependent oxygenase aspartate/asparagine‐β‐hydroxylase (AspH) is a potential medicinal chemistry target for anticancer therapy. AspH is present on the cell surface of invasive cancer cells and accepts epidermal growth factor‐like domain (EGFD) substrates with a noncanonical (i. e., Cys 1–2, 3–4, 5–6) disulfide pattern. We report a concise synthesis of C‐3‐substituted derivatives of pyridine‐2,4‐dicarboxylic acid (2,4‐PDCA) as 2OG competitors for use in SAR studies on AspH inhibition. AspH inhibition was assayed by using a mass spectrometry‐based assay with a stable thioether analogue of a natural EGFD AspH substrate. Certain C‐3‐substituted 2,4‐PDCA derivatives were potent AspH inhibitors, manifesting selectivity over some, but not all, other tested human 2OG oxygenases. The results raise questions about the use of pyridine‐carboxylate‐related 2OG analogues as selective functional probes for specific 2OG oxygenases, and should aid in the development of AspH inhibitors suitable for in vivo use., Sights on a new target: A concise synthesis of C‐3‐substituted pyridine‐2,4‐dicarboxylic acid (2,4‐PDCA) derivatives is reported. The derivatives are potent inhibitors of the human 2‐oxoglutarate‐dependent oxygenase aspartate/asparagine‐β‐hydroxylase (AspH), which is a potential medicinal chemistry target for cancer therapy. This work constitutes a step towards the development of AspH inhibitors suitable for in vivo use.

A vinyl cyclopropane rearrangement embedded in an iridium‐catalyzed hydrogen borrowing reaction enabled the formation of substituted stereo‐defined cyclopentanes from Ph* methyl ketone and cyclopropyl alcohols. Mechanistic studies provide evidence for the ring‐expansion reaction being the result of a cascade based on oxidation of the cyclopropyl alcohols, followed by aldol condensation with the pentamethyl phenyl‐substituted ketone to form an enone containing the vinyl cyclopropane. Subsequent single electron transfer (SET) to this system initiates a rearrangement, and the catalytic cycle is completed by reduction of the new enone. This process allows for the efficient formation of diversely substituted cyclopentanes as well as the construction of complex bicyclic carbon skeletons containing up to four contiguous stereocentres, all with high diastereoselectivity., A vinyl cyclopropane/cyclopentene rearrangement process has been embedded in an iridium‐catalyzed hydrogen borrowing reaction, enabling the formation of substituted, stereo‐defined cyclopentanes containing up to four contiguous stereogenic centres—all from reaction of pentamethylphenyl (Ph*) methylketone and a variety of cyclopropyl alcohols.

Laurefurenynes C–F are four natural products isolated from Laurencia species whose structures were originally determined on the basis of extensive nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. On the basis of a proposed biogenesis, involving a tricyclic oxonium ion as a key intermediate, we have reassigned the structures of these four natural products and synthesized the four reassigned structures using a biomimetic approach demonstrating that they are the actual structures of the natural products. In addition, we have developed a synthesis of the enantiomers of the natural products laurencin and deacetyllaurencin from the enantiomer of (E)-laurefucin using an unusual retrobiomimetic strategy. All of these syntheses have been enabled by the use of tricyclic oxonium ions as pivotal synthetic intermediates.

The synthesis of a boryl-substituted germanium(II) cation, [Ge{B(NDippCH)2 }(IPrMe)]+ , (Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl) featuring a supporting N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) donor, has been explored through chloride abstraction from the corresponding (boryl)(NHC)GeCl precursor. Crystallographic studies in the solid state and UV/Vis spectra in fluorobenzene solution show that this species dimerizes under such conditions to give [(IPrMe){(HCNDipp)2 B}Ge=Ge{B(NDippCH)2 }(IPrMe)]2+ (IPrMe = 1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene), which can be viewed as an imidazolium-functionalized digermene. The dimer is cleaved in the presence of donor solvents such as [D8 ]thf or [D5 ]pyridine, to give monomeric adducts of the type [Ge{B(NDippCH)2 }(IPrMe)(L)]+ . In the case of the thf adduct, the additional donor is shown to be sufficiently labile that it can act as a convenient in situ source of the monomeric complex [Ge{B(NDippCH)2 }(IPrMe)]+ for oxidative bond-activation chemistry. Thus, [Ge{B(NDippCH)2 }(IPrMe)(thf)]+ reacts with silanes and dihydrogen, leading to the formation of GeIV products, whereas the cleavage of the N-H bond in ammonia ultimately yields products containing C-H and B-N bonds. The facile reactivity observed in E-H bond activation is in line with the very small calculated HOMO-LUMO gap (132 kJ mol-1 ).

A highly convergent strategy for the synthesis of the natural product (−)‐rubriflordilactone B, and the proposed structure of (−)‐pseudo‐rubriflordilactone B, is described. Late stage coupling of diynes containing the respective natural product FG rings with a common AB ring aldehyde precedes rhodium‐catalyzed [2+2+2] alkyne cyclotrimerization to form the natural product skeleton, with the syntheses completed in just one further operation. This work resolves the uncertainty surrounding the identity of pseudo‐rubriflordilactone B and provides a robust platform for further synthetic and biological investigations., Rubri B or not Rubri B? A convergent late‐stage fragment coupling and rhodium‐catalyzed [2+2+2] alkyne cyclotrimerization strategy provides access to the natural product (−)‐rubriflordilactone B, and the proposed structure of (−)‐pseudo‐rubriflordilactone B. Thus, the uncertainty surrounding the identity of pseudo‐rubriflordilactone B is resolved, and a synthetic platform that offers broad scope for the exploration of this natural product family is established.

CREBBP (CBP/KAT3A) and its paralogue EP300 (KAT3B) are lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) that are essential for human development. They each comprise 10 domains through which they interact with >400 proteins, making them important transcriptional co-activators and key nodes in the human protein-protein interactome. The bromodomains of CREBBP and EP300 enable the binding of acetylated lysine residues from histones and a number of other important proteins, including p53, p73, E2F, and GATA1. Here, we report a work to develop a high-affinity, small-molecule ligand for the CREBBP and EP300 bromodomains [(-)-OXFBD05] that shows >100-fold selectivity over a representative member of the BET bromodomains, BRD4(1). Cellular studies using this ligand demonstrate that the inhibition of the CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain in HCT116 colon cancer cells results in lowered levels of c-Myc and a reduction in H3K18 and H3K27 acetylation. In hypoxia (

The alkylation of a variety of ketones using 1° or 2° alcohols under hydrogen borrowing catalysis is described. Initial research focused on the α-alkylation of cyclopropyl ketones with higher 1° alcohols (i.e. larger than MeOH), leading to the formation of α-branched products. Our search for additional substrates with which to explore this chemistry led us to discover that di-ortho-substituted aryl ketones were also privileged scaffolds, with Ph∗ (C6Me5) ketones being the optimal choice. Further investigations revealed that this motif was crucial for alkylation with 2° alcohols forming β-branched products, which also provided an opportunity to study diastereoselective and intramolecular hydrogen borrowing processes.

Molecules capable of mediating charge transport over several nanometers with minimal decay in conductance have fundamental and technological implications. Polymethine cyanine dyes are fascinating molecular wires because up to a critical length, they have no bond-length alternation (BLA) and their electronic structure resembles a one-dimensional free-electron gas. Beyond this threshold, they undergo a symmetry-breaking Peierls transition, which increases the HOMO–LUMO gap. We have investigated cationic cyanines with central polymethine chains of 5–13 carbon atoms (Cy3+–Cy11+). The absorption spectra and crystal structures show that symmetry breaking is sensitive to the polarity of the medium and the size of the counterion. X-ray crystallography reveals thatCy9·PF6andCy11·B(C6F5)4are Peierls distorted, with high BLA at one end of the π-system, away from the partially delocalized positive charge. This pattern of BLA distribution resembles that of solitons in polyacetylene. The single-molecule conductance is essentially independent of molecular length for the polymethine salts ofCy3+–Cy11+with the large B(C6F5)4–counterion, but with the PF6–counterion, the conductance decreases for the longer molecules,Cy7+–Cy11+, because this smaller anion polarizes the π-system, inducing a symmetry-breaking transition. At higher bias (0.9 V), the conductance of the shorter chains,Cy3+–Cy7+, increases with length (negative attenuation factor, β = −1.6 nm–1), but the conductance still drops inCy9+andCy11+with the small polarizing PF6–counteranion.

Cyclo[18]carbon (C18, a molecular carbon allotrope) can be synthesized by dehalogenation of a bromocyclocarbon precursor, C18Br6, in 64% yield, by atomic manipulation on a sodium chloride bilayer on Cu(111) at 5 K, and imaged by high-resolution atomic force microscopy. This method of generating C18gives a higher yield than that reported previously from the cyclocarbon oxide C24O6. The experimental images of C18were compared with simulated images for four theoretical model geometries, including possible bond-angle alternation:D18hcumulene,D9hpolyyne,D9hcumulene, andC9hpolyyne. Cumulenic structures, with (D9h) and without (D18h) bond-angle alternation, can be excluded. Polyynic structures, with (C9h) and without (D9h) bond-angle alternation, both show a good agreement with the experiment and are challenging to differentiate.

Ammonium salts are used as phase-transfer catalysts for fluorination with alkali metal fluorides. We now demonstrate that these organic salts, specifically azetidinium triflates, are suitable substrates for enantioselective ring opening with CsF and a chiral bis-urea catalyst. This process, which highlights the ability of hydrogen bonding phase-transfer catalysts to couple two ionic reactants, affords enantioenriched γ-fluoroamines in high yields. Mechanistic studies underline the role of the catalyst for phase-transfer, and computed transition state structures account for the enantioconvergence observed for mixtures of achiral azetidinium diastereomers. The N-substituents in the electrophile influence the reactivity, but the configuration at nitrogen is unimportant for the enantioselectivity.

Bulky photolabile masked alkyne equivalents (MAEs) are needed for the synthesis of polyyne polyrotaxanes, as insulated molecular wires and as stabilized forms of the linear polymeric allotrope of carbon, carbyne. We have synthesized a novel MAE based on phenanthrene and compared it with an indane-based MAE. Photochemical unmasking of model compounds was studied at different wavelengths (250 and 350 nm), and key products were identified by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. UV irradiation at 250 nm leads to unmasking of both MAEs. Irradiation of the phenanthrene system at 350 nm results in quantitative dimerization via [2 + 2] cycloaddition to form a [3]-ladderane; irradiation of this ladderane at 250 nm generates a dihydrotriphenylene, which can be oxidized easily to a triphenylene. Irradiation of the indane-based MAE at 350 nm in the presence of traces of oxygen forms an endoperoxide and a bisepoxide. Both MAEs have been incorporated into rotaxanes via copper-mediated active metal template Glaser or Cadiot–Chodkiewicz coupling. The identity of the rotaxanes was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The phenanthrene rotaxane decomposes during attempted photochemical unmasking, whereas photolysis of the indane rotaxane results in unmasking of the polyyne thread to form a rotaxane with a chain of 16 sp-hybridized carbon atoms. This approach opens avenues toward the synthesis of encapsulated carbon allotropes.

H-bond to deliver fluoride Simple fluoride salts are theoretically convenient reagents for carbon-fluorine bond formation. In practice, they are often insoluble in the solvents that dissolve their reaction partners. Pupo et al. developed urea-based catalysts that make fluoride soluble through hydrogen bonding. Moreover, their chiral substituents bias the reaction toward one of two mirror image products of C–F bond formation. This strategy should be applicable to the asymmetric addition of other salts, too. Science , this issue p. 638

Electron-deficient heavy chalcogen atoms contain Lewis acidic σ-holes which are able to form attractive supramolecular interactions, known as chalcogen bonding (ChB), with Lewis bases. However, their potential in solution-phase anion binding applications is only just beginning to be realized in simple acyclic systems. Herein, we explore the 5-(methylchalcogeno)-1,2,3-triazole (chalcogen = Se, Te) motif as a novel ChB donor for anion binding. Other than being chemically robust enough to be incorporated into macrocyclic structures, thereby significantly expanding the scope and complexity of ChB host systems, we also demonstrate, by 1H NMR and DFT calculations, that the chalcogen atoms oriented within the macrocycle cavity are able to chelate copper(I) endotopically. Exploiting this property, the first examples of mechanically interlocked [2]rotaxanes containing ChB-donor groups are prepared via an active metal template strategy. Solution-phase 1H NMR and molecular modeling studies provide compelling evidence for the dominant influence of ChB in anion binding by these interlocked host systems. In addition, unprecedented charge-assisted ChB-mediated anion binding was also studied in aqueous solvent mixtures, which revealed considerable differences in anion recognition behavior in comparison with chalcogen-free host analogues. Moreover, DFT calculations and molecular dynamics simulations in aqueous solvent mixtures indicate that the selectivity is determined by the different hydrophilic characters of the anions allied to the hydration of the binding units in the presence of the anions. Exploiting the NMR-active nuclei of the ChB-donor chalcogen atoms, heteronuclear 77Se and 125Te NMR were used to directly study how anion recognition influences the local electronic environment of the chalcogen atoms in the mechanically bonded rotaxane binding sites in organic and aqueous solvent mixtures.

A general route which provides direct access to pyroglutamates from tetramates, making use of Suzuki coupling on an enol mesylate, followed by reduction, is reported. This work permits direct scaffold hopping from tetramate to substituted pyroglutamates. Some compounds in the library showed modest antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria.

Cumulenes are sometimes described as “metallic” because an infinitely long cumulene would have the band structure of a metal. Herein, we report the single-molecule conductance of a series of cumulenes and cumulene analogues, where the number of consecutive C=C bonds in the core is n = 1, 2, 3, and 5. The [n]cumulenes with n = 3 and 5 have almost the same conductance, and they are both more conductive than the alkene (n = 1). This is remarkable because molecular conductance normally falls exponentially with length. The conductance of the allene (n = 2) is much lower, because of its twisted geometry. Computational simulations predict a similar trend to the experimental results and indicate that the low conductance of the allene is a general feature of [n] cumulenes where n is even. The lack of length dependence in the conductance of [3] and [5]cumulenes is attributed to the strong decrease in the HOMO–LUMO gap with increasing length, We thank the EPSRC (grants EP/M016110/1, EP/M014452/1, EP/M014169/1, and EP/M029522/1) and the ERC (grant 320969) for support, and the EPSRC UK National Mass Spectrometry Facility at Swansea University for MALDI spectra. H.S. and S.S. acknowledge the Leverhulme Trust for Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships no. ECF‐2017‐186 and ECF‐2018‐375. H.S. acknowledges the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship no. MR/S015329/1. IMDEA Nanociencia acknowledges support from the “Severo Ochoa” Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (MINECO, Grant SEV‐2016‐0686). N.A. and C.J.L. acknowledge EC H2020 FET Open project 767187 “QuIET”. N.A. and G.R.‐B. were funded by Spanish MINECO (grants MAT2014‐57915‐R, MAT2017‐88693‐R, and MDM‐2014‐0377) and Comunidad de Madrid (grant NANOFRONTMAG‐CM, S2013/MIT‐2850)

A novel open-framework germanate, |NC2H8∥N2C6H18|[Ge7O14.5F2]·4H2O denoted SU-65 (SU = Stockholm University), with 24-ring channels and a very low framework density of 8.9 Ge atoms per 1000 A3 was synthesized under hydro-solvothermal conditions. The framework of SU-65 is built of 5-connected Ge7 clusters decorating the fee net and is a framework orientation isomer to ASU-16. Half of the 8- and 12-rings in ASU-16 are instead 10-rings in SU-65 due to the different orientations of half of the clusters in the crystal structure. Flexibility of the frameworks is also influenced by the orientation of the clusters. The unique unit cell angle in SU-65 changes upon heating, unlike ASU-16 which only undergoes changes in unit cell lengths. SU-65 undergoes significant structural changes at 180 °C in a vacuum, forming SU-65ht. The crystal structure of SU-65ht was investigated by rotation electron diffraction, X-ray powder diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. Through these techniques it was deduced that SU-65ht has s...

Pd-catalyzed α-arylation of methyl-OBO-ketone (OBO = 4-methyl-2,6,7-trioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-yl) gives rise to arylated OBO-protected pyruvates. By appropriate prefunctionalization of the aryl ring or by subsequent functionalization at the α-carbonyl position of the arylated OBO-ketones, useful diketo OBO-protected carboxylates can be generated. Cyclization, aromatization, and OBO deprotection of these intermediates, using two distinct routes, gives access to valuable α-acyl heteroaromatic compounds.

The reduction of C(6)-acyl bicyclic tetramic acids has been achieved with complete diastereoselectivity via catalytic hydrogenation using PtO2. The resulting pyroglutamates had potent antibacterial and anticancer properties and will allow the preparation of simple mimics of pyroglutamate-containing natural products.

Extended triisopropylsilyl end-capped polyynes have been prepared from the corresponding tetracobalt complexes by removing the complexed dicobalt tetracarbonyldiphenylphosphinomethane (Co2(CO)4dppm) moieties. Unmasking of this 'masked alkyne equivalent' was achieved under mild conditions with elemental iodine at room temperature, making it possible to obtain fragile polyynes with up to 20 contiguous sp-hybridized carbon atoms. The Co2(CO)4dppm moiety has a strong geometric and steric effect on the polyyne, but does not have a marked electronic effect on the terminal alkyne, as indicated by NMR and IR spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations and X-ray crystallography. An unusual 'alkyne hopping' migration of the dicobalt group was noticed, as a minor side reaction during copper-catalyzed Eglinton coupling.

A 500 MHz NMR study of the reaction between 1-tetralone oxime and PdCl42−in CD3OD shows resonances attributable to a potential agostic intermediate prior to the formation of the insoluble cyclopalladated product which itself was characterised by X-ray crystallography. Calculated structural, spectroscopic, QTAIM, NBO and NCI analysis results obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculations give a full description of the putative agostic intermediate [PdCl2(1-tetralone oxime)] (1) which is shown to include a previously unrecognised π-electron density donation from the aromatic ring to the metal in close proximity to the agostic carbon atom. Changing the (N)–OH donor to (N)–OMe does not effect the magnitude of these interactions. (N)–OH and (N)–OMe acetophenone imines in which the aromatic ring has the potential to rotate show similar agostic and π-electron donation to the alicyclic ring counterparts. 1-Tetralone which coordinates to the metal by a Pd–O bond that is much weaker than the Pd–N complexes has a slightly stronger agostic component and slightly weaker π-electron donation than the oxime counterpart.

Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction we characterise the 235\,K incommensurate phase transition in the hybrid molecular framework tetraethylammonium silver(I) dicyanoargentate, [NEt$_4$]Ag$_3$(CN)$_4$. We demonstrate the transition to involve spontaneous resolution of chiral [NEt$_4$]$^+$ conformations, giving rise to a state in which molecular chirality is incommensurately modulated throughout the crystal lattice. We refer to this state as an incommensurate chirality density wave (XDW) phase, which represents a fundamentally new type of chiral symmetry breaking in the solid state. Drawing on parallels to the incommensurate ferroelectric transition of NaNO$_2$ we suggest the XDW state arises through coupling between acoustic (shear) and molecular rotoinversion modes. Such coupling is symmetry-forbidden at the Brillouin zone centre but symmetry-allowed for small but finite modulation vectors $\mathbf q=[0,0,q_z]^\ast$. The importance of long-wavelength chirality modulations in the physics of this hybrid framework may have implications for the generation of mesoscale chiral textures, as required for advanced photonic materials., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

An investigation of the formation of fused- and spiro-β-lactone annulate to γ-lactams has shown that the fused systems are formed preferentially, under standard conditions, but that spiro systems are accessible only when the formation of the fused system is blocked and require careful optimisation of reaction conditions. These systems display both weak antibacterial activity and proteasome inhibition.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that for ligand directed aromatic ring C–H bond activation, the agostic donation can share the same antibonding acceptor orbitals as a previously unrecognised π-donation from the aromatic ring of the ligand. The recognition of carbon based orbitals assisting the agostic interaction has significant implication for C–H bond activation chemistry.

A highly diastereoselective annulation strategy for the synthesis of alicyclic ketones from diols and pentamethylacetophenone is described. This process is mediated by a commercially available iridium(III) catalyst, and provides efficient access to a wide range of cyclopentane and cyclohexane products with high levels of stereoselectivity. The origins of diastereoselectivity in the annulation reaction have been explored by a series of control experiments, which provides an explanation for how each stereocentre around the newly forged ring is controlled.

Fused polyheterocyclic derivatives are available by annulation of a tetramate scaffold, and been shown to have antibacterial activity against a Gram-negative, but not a Gram-positive, bacterial strain. While the activity is not potent, these systems are structurally novel showing, in particular, a high level of polarity, and offer potential for the optimization of antibacterial activity.

A new method for the stereoselective metal-free syn-dihydroxylation of electron-rich olefins is reported, involving reaction with TEMPO/IBX in trifluoroethanol (TFE) or hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and the addition of a suitable nucleophile. Orthogonally protected syn 1,2-diols were obtained with high levels of diastereocontrol, and these products were selectively deprotected and selectively functionalized into synthetically useful compounds.

For the collidine analogues of Barluenga's Reagent (IPy2BF4) reported, a flat cation is necessary for the generation of a modulated phase, in keeping with the “Ratchet Model” theory [Kim et al., Crystal Growth & Design, 2014, 14, 6294]. Attempts to study “diffuse modulation” in Br(Coll)2ClO4 have shown that these non-Bragg features disappear very rapidly on exposure to synchrotron radiation, an effect thought to be caused by the radiation damage disrupting the lattice vibrations that cause the modulation.