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Aqueous solubility is a key requirement for small-molecule drug candidates. Here, we investigated the regioisomer–physicochemical property relationships of disubstituted benzenes. We found that meta-isomers bearing non-flat substituents tend to possess the lowest melting point and the highest thermodynamic aqueous solubility among the regioisomers. The examination of pharmaceutical compounds containing a disubstituted benzene moiety supported the idea that the introduction of a non-flat substituent at the meta position of a benzene substructure would be a promising approach for medicinal chemists aiming to improve the thermodynamic aqueous solubility of drug candidates, even though it might not be universally effective.

Diatomic carbon (C2) is historically an elusive chemical species. It has long been believed that the generation of C2 requires extremely high physical energy, such as an electric carbon arc or multiple photon excitation, and so it has been the general consensus that the inherent nature of C2 in the ground state is experimentally inaccessible. Here, we present the chemical synthesis of C2 from a hypervalent alkynyl-λ3-iodane in a flask at room temperature or below, providing experimental evidence to support theoretical predictions that C2 has a singlet biradical character with a quadruple bond, thus settling a long-standing controversy between experimental and theoretical chemists, and that C2 serves as a molecular element in the bottom-up chemical synthesis of nanocarbons such as graphite, carbon nanotubes, and C60.

Shimalactones A and B are neuritogenic polyketides possessing characteristic oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane and bicyclo[4.2.0]octadiene ring systems that are produced by the marine fungus Emericella variecolor GF10. We identified a candidate biosynthetic gene cluster and conducted heterologous expression analysis. Expression of ShmA polyketide synthase in Aspergillus oryzae resulted in the production of preshimalactone. Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformants expressing ShmA and ShmB produced shimalactones A and B, thus suggesting that the double bicyclo-ring formation reactions proceed non-enzymatically from preshimalactone epoxide. DFT calculations strongly support the idea that oxabicyclo-ring formation and 8π-6π electrocyclization proceed spontaneously after opening of the preshimalactone epoxide ring through protonation. We confirmed the formation of preshimalactone epoxide in vitro, followed by its non-enzymatic conversion to shimalactones in the dark.

The concept of aromaticity is essential for chemists to understand the nature of many chemical substances. “In-plane” aromaticity is a unique type of aromaticity found in some π-conjugated systems consisting of radially oriented p-orbitals. Although in-plane aromaticity has been theoretically predicted about 40 years ago, its intrinsic properties are much less well understood than those of conventional Hückel aromatic systems with perpendicularly oriented p-orbitals because of lack of available examples of in-plane aromatic molecules. Here we demonstrate, from both theoretical and experimental aspects, that in-plane aromaticity of cycloparaphenylenes is reversed upon excitation to the lowest triplet state. In-plane non-aromatic neutral forms with a 4N-electron system and in-plane aromatic dications with a 4N+2-electron system turn out to be aromatic and anti-aromatic, respectively, indicating that Baird’s rule holds for the in-plane aromatic system. Armchair carbon nanotube fragments based on the cycloparaphenylene were also found to follow Baird’s rule from a magnetic viewpoint.

The concept of aromaticity is essential for chemists to understand the nature of many chemical substances. “In-plane” aromaticity is a unique type of aromaticity found in some π-conjugated systems consisting of radially oriented p-orbitals. Although in-plane aromaticity has been theoretically predicted about 40 years ago, its intrinsic properties are much less well understood than those of conventional Hückel aromatic systems with perpendicularly oriented p-orbitals because of lack of available examples of in-plane aromatic molecules. Here we demonstrate, from both theoretical and experimental aspects, that in-plane aromaticity of cycloparaphenylenes is reversed upon excitation to the lowest triplet state. In-plane non-aromatic neutral forms with a 4N-electron system and in-plane aromatic dications with a 4N+2-electron system turn out to be aromatic and anti-aromatic, respectively, indicating that Baird’s rule holds for the in-plane aromatic system. Armchair carbon nanotube fragments based on the cycloparaphenylene were also found to follow Baird’s rule from a magnetic viewpoint.

Cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) are hoop-shaped conjugated hydrocarbons corresponding to partial structures of fullerenes or armchair carbon nanotubes. Here, we examined the fluorescence properties of a series of [n]cycloparaphenylene dications ([n]CPP2+, n = 5–9), which have unique in-plane aromaticity. The fluorescence peak positions of the [n]CPP2+s shifted to the longer-wavelength region with increasing ring size, reaching the near-infrared region for those with n > 5. The fluorescence quantum yield of [6]CPP2+ was the highest among the [n]CPP2+s examined in this study, and the value was on the same order as that of carbon nanotubes. The Stokes shifts of [n]CPP2+s were smaller than those of neutral [n]CPPs, which do not have in-plane aromaticity. Theoretical calculations indicate that [n]CPP2+s undergo smaller structural changes upon S0–S1 transition than [n]CPPs do, and this is responsible for the difference of the Stokes shift. Furthermore, molecular orbital analysis reveals that the S0–S1 transition of ...

We designed, synthesized, and characterized two types of dimeric forms of monocarba-closo-dodecaborate, namely, a "dumbbell"-shaped dianion having a C-C bond and a "clackers"-shaped monoanion having an iodonium linker. The unique architectures of these anionic molecules were established by X-ray analysis. Spectroscopic analysis, DFT calculations, and reactivity experiments revealed high anionic and chemical stability of both anions, which are crucial properties for weakly coordinating anions.

Because of its hyper-leaving ability, as well as its strong oxidizing ability, diaryl(triflato)-λ3-iodane transfers one of the aryl groups to iodoarenes simply upon gentle heating (>85 °C) in nonpolar solvents. We have performed an in-depth mechanistic study of this unusual aryl transfer reaction. A combination of experimental (product analysis, kinetic study, and substituent effects) and density functional theoretical approaches revealed that the reaction proceeds through a concerted bimolecular transition state, in which ipso-carbon binds loosely to both iodine centers. We also evaluated electronic effects on the thermodynamic stability of diaryl-λ3-iodanes.

Hitoyol A (1), an unprecedented norsesquiterpenoid with an exo-tricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]decane skeleton, was isolated from the culture broth of Basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea along with a novel skeletal hitoyol B (2) containing 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione. Their structures and absolute configurations were analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electronic circular dichroism spectroscopic methods. Compound 1 is possibly biosynthesized through decarboxylation-induced cyclization of lagopodin B, a known cuparene-type sesquiterpenoid. Compound 2 showed weak antimalarial activity with an IC50 of 59 μM.

We show that ring-walking behavior on the π-face of conjugated polymers is catalyst-dependent, and this significantly affects the composition of the products in catalyst-transfer condensation polymerization (CTCP). Systematic mechanistic study by means of density functional calculations combined with experimental verification revealed that the activation energy of the ring-walking process on the π-face and the stability of the oxidative addition state (C–M–X) are key determinants of catalyst mobility. Our findings offer a rational basis for designing innovative catalysts and monomers for CTCP.

Diatomic carbon (C2) is historically an elusive chemical species. It has long been believed that the generation of C2 requires extremely high physical energy, such as an electric carbon arc or multiple photon excitation, and so it has been the general consensus that the inherent nature of C2 in the ground state is experimentally inaccessible. Here, we present the chemical synthesis of C2 from a hypervalent alkynyl-λ3-iodane in a flask at room temperature or below, providing experimental evidence to support theoretical predictions that C2 has a singlet biradical character with a quadruple bond, thus settling a long-standing controversy between experimental and theoretical chemists, and that C2 serves as a molecular element in the bottom-up chemical synthesis of nanocarbons such as graphite, carbon nanotubes, and C60., Diatomic carbon (C2) is historically an elusive chemical species, considered to require high physical energy for its generation. Here, the authors describe the first room-temperature chemical synthesis of C2 and present experimental evidence for its singlet biradical (quadruple bonding) character and role as a molecular element of nanocarbons.

Diatomic carbon (C2) is historically an elusive chemical species. It has long been believed that the generation of C2 requires extremely high “physical” energy, such as an electric carbon arc or multiple photon excitation, and so it has been the general consensus that the inherent nature of C2 in the ground state is experimentally inaccessible. Here, we present the first “chemical” synthesis of C2 in a flask at room temperature or below, providing the first experimental evidence to support theoretical predictions that (1) C2 has a singlet biradical character with a quadruple bond, thus settling a long-standing controversy between experimental and theoretical chemists, and that (2) C2 serves as a molecular element in the formation of sp2-carbon allotropes such as graphite, carbon nanotubes and C60.

Because of its hyper-leaving ability, as well as its strong oxidizing ability, diaryl(triflato)-λ

Terpene cyclization is orchestrated by terpene cyclases, which are involved in the biosynthesis of various cyclic natural products, but understanding the origin and mechanism of the selectivity of terpene cyclization is challenging. In this work, we describe an in-depth mechanistic study on cyclooctatin biosynthesis by means of theoretical calculations combined with experimental methods. We show that the main framework of cyclooctatin is formed through domino-type carbocation transportation along the terpene chain, which we call a “cation-stitching cascade”, including multiple hydrogen-shifts and a ring rearrangement that elegantly determine the stereoselectivity.

Crystalline peptide Ni(ii)-macrocycles (BF4(-) salt) exhibited moderate CO2 gas adsorption (ca. 6-7 CO2 molecules per macrocycle) into very narrow cavities (narrowest part2 Å), accompanied by the expansion of the cavities. The BF4(-) salt demonstrated selective uptake of CO2 gas in preference to CH4 and N2 gases.