This thesis describes the structural analysis of O-polysaccharides from the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli that is a diarrhoeal pathogen. The Escherichia coli serotypes investigated were O178, O171, O166 and O128. The methods used in these studies were nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and component analysis.
All analysed serotypes had pentasaccharide repeating units. E. coli strain O128 and O166 was shown to have the topology of four carbohydrate residues in the backbone while the 5-residue backbone is found in E. coli O178 and O171.
The biological repeating units have been determined for the analysed polysaccharides and it was shown that all of the serotypes studied had a 3-substituted N-acetylgalactosamine residue at the reducing end. From this it was deduced that the terminal end of E. coli O171 and O128 have sialic acid and blood type antigens, respectively. This should make E. coli O171 and O128 less recognizable to the immune system as a foreign invader. This can result in that E. coli O171 and O128 may evade the immune system more easily.
This thesis is focused on optimization of the catalytic properties of so-called pincer complexes. This work involved synthesis of a large variety of palladium pincer complexes, which were applied in various organic transformations. Optimization of the catalytic properties (also called fine-tuning) was directed to increase the catalytic activity as well as the chemo- and stereo-selectivity of the complexes. This could be achieved by varying the heteroatoms in the terdentate pincer ligand, by changing the electronic properties of the coordinated aryl moiety and by implementing chiral functionalities in the pincer complexes.
In the cross-coupling reaction of vinyl epoxides and aziridines with organoboronic acids the chemoselectivity of the reaction could be increased by employment of pincer complexes instead of commonly used palladium(0) catalysts. Furthermore, application of a methoxy substituent in the aromatic subunit of the complex considerably increased the activity of the pincer complex catalyst.
Fine-tuning of the stereoselectivity in electrophilic allylation reactions was achieved using a wide variety of BINOL and biphenanthrol based pincer complexes. The synthesis of these highly stable chiral palladium complexes was accomplished by using an efficient modular approach. The highest enantioselectivity (85% ee) was obtained by applying biphenanthrol based pincer complexes.
We have presented the first palladium pincer complex catalyzed condensation of sulfonimines with isocyanoacetate. Variation of the heteroatoms in the terdentate ligand of the complex strongly influenced the stereoselectivity of the catalytic transformation. The highest stereoselectivity was obtained by using phosphine based pincer complexes. We have also succeeded to isolate and fully characterize the key intermediate of this reaction.
New easily accessible 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol- (BINOL-) and biphenanthrol-based chiral pincer complex catalysts were prepared for selective (up to 85% enantiomeric excess) allylation of sulfonimines. The chiral pincer complexes were prepared by a flexible modular approach allowing an efficient tuning of the selectivity of the catalysts. By employment of the different enantiomeric forms of the catalysts, both enantiomers of the homoallylic amines could be selectively obtained. Both allyl stannanes and allyl trifluoroborates can be employed as allyl sources in the reactions. The biphenanthrol-based complexes gave higher selectivity than the substituted BINOL-based analogues, probably because of the well-shaped chiral pocket generated by employment of the biphenanthrol complexes. The enantioselective allylation of sulfonimines presented in this study has important implications for the mechanism given for the pincer complex-catalyzed allylation reactions, confirming that this process takes place without involvement of palladium(0) species.
Unsymmetric and symmetric diaryliodonium triflates are synthesized from both electron-deficient and electron-rich substrates in a fast, high yielding, and operationally simple protocol employing arenes and aryl iodides or iodine.
Symmetrical and unsymmetrical diaryliodonium triflates have been synthesized from both electron-deficient and electron-rich arenes and aryl iodides with mCPBA and triflic acid. A thorough investigation of the optimization, scope and limitations has resulted in an improved one-pot protocol that is fast, high-yielding, and operationally simple. The reaction has been extended to the direct synthesis of symmetrical iodonium salts from iodine and arenes, conveniently circumventing the need for aryl iodides.
This thesis deals with the preparation of a new half-sandwich type ruthenium(II)- catalyst for racemization of optically active secondary alcohols and the development of a highly efficient method in combination with lipases such as Candida antarctica lipase B and Pseudomonas cepacia lipase for dynamic kinetic resolution of various functionalized alcohols under mild reaction conditions.
It was shown that the RuCl(CO)2(η5-C5Ph5) complex can racemize optically active aliphatic and aromatic secondary alcohols at room temperature in rather short times. Different parameters, such as the nature of the catalyst, catalyst loading and solvent effect were studied. After the optimization steps, the Ru-catalyzed racemization of (S)-1-phenylethanol in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase B was also investigated. The compatibility of the metal- and enzyme-catalyzed reactions led to a highly efficient coupled catalytic system for transformation of racemic alcohols to their enantiomerically pure acetates. This protocol was applied for a wide range of secondary alcohols. It was shown that in the case of allylic alcohols the obtained enantiopure allylic acetates are useful compounds for synthesis of α-methyl carboxylic acids such as (R)-Flurbiprofen and acyloin acetates. Highly selective dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation of 3,5-piperidine diol to deliver various 3,5-dioxygenated piperidines is also described.
Dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of various fluorinated aryl alcohols by a combination of lipase-catalyzed enzymatic resolution with in situ ruthenium-catalyzed alcohol racemization is described. (R)-Selective Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was employed for transesterification of different fluoroaryl alcohols in DKR reactions delivering the corresponding acetates in high yield (97%) with excellent enantiomeric excess (98%).
Dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of a series of sterically hindered allylic alcohols has been conducted with Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) and ruthenium catalyst 1. The optically pure allylic acetates obtained were subjected to oxidative cleavage to give the corresponding acylated acyloins in high yields without loss of chiral information.
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The photophysical behavior of a new fluorescein derivative has been explored by using absorption and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The influence of ionic strength, as well as total buffer concentration, on both the absorbance and fluorescence has been investigated. The apparent acidity constant of the dye determined by absorbance is almost independent of the added buffer and salt concentrations. A semiempirical model is proposed to rationalize the variations in the apparent pK(a) values. The excited-state proton-exchange reaction around the physiological pH becomes reversible upon addition of phosphate buffer, inducing a pH-dependent change of the steady-state fluorescence and decay times. Fluorescence decay traces, collected as a function of total buffer concentration and pH, were analyzed by global compartmental analysis, yielding the following values of the rate constants describing excited-state dynamics: k(01) = 1.29 x 10(10) s(-1), k(02) = 4.21 x 10(8) s(-1), k(21)approximate to 3 x 10(6) M-1 s(-1), k(12)(B) = 6.40 x 10(8) M-1 s(-1), and k(21)(B) = 2.61 x 10(7) M-1 s(- 1). The decay rate constant values of k(01), k(21), and k(21)(B), along with the low molar absorption coefficient of the neutral form, mean that coupled decays are practically monoexponential at buffer concentrations higher than 0.02 M and any pH. Thus, the pH and buffer concentration can modulate the main lifetime of the dye.
The ability of a primary amine containing acyclic beta(3)-amino acids to catalyze direct asymmetric anti-selective Mannich-type reactions is presented. The reactions are generally highly diastereo- and enantioselective to give the corresponding Mannich products with up to >19:1 dr (anti/syn) and 88-99% ee.
In this thesis, studies of the nature of different transition metal-hydride complexes are described. The first part deals with the enantioswitchable behaviour of rhodium complexes derived from amino acids, applied in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones. We found that the use of amino acid thio amide ligands resulted in the formation of the R-configured product, whereas the use of the corresponding hydroxamic acid- or hydrazide ligands selectively gave the S-alcohol.
Structure/activity investigations revealed that the stereochemical outcome of the catalytic reaction depends on the ligand mode of coordination.
In the second part, an Fe hydrogenase active site model complex with a labile amine ligand has been synthesized and studied. The aim of this study was to find a complex that efficiently catalyzes the reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen under mild conditions. We found that the amine ligand functions as a mimic of the loosely bound ligand which is part of the active site in the hydrogenase.
Further, an Fe hydrogenase active site model complex has been coupled to a photosensitizer with the aim of achieving light induced hydrogen production. The redox properties of the produced complex are such that no electron transfer from the photosensitizer part to the Fe moiety occurs.
In the last part of this thesis, the development of a protocol for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones to secondary alcohols without the involvement of transition metal catalysts is described. A variety of ketones were efficiently reduced in 2-propanol using catalytic amounts of alkali alkoxide under microwave irradiation.
A range of ketones was efficiently reduced in the presence of catalytic amounts of lithium isopropoxide in 2-propanol under microwave heating, with alcohol products being formed in yields up to 99 %.
The ability of amino acids and amino acid derivatives to mediate various organocatalytic asymmetric transformations has been investigated and applied in the development of various reactions. This work describes the development of a direct catalytic asymmetric α-aminomethylation of ketones and aldehydes, a catalytic asymmetric aziridination, hydrophosphination and amination of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes.