Alkenes biological activity

Cycloaddition reactions with the Si(lOO) surface have been investigated for the purpose of designing microelectronics, nonlinear optical materials, sensors, and biologically active surfaces. The features of the [2+2] cycloadditions characteristic of the reactions in the pseudoexcitation band [133] predicts that [2+2] cycloadditions of electron-donating alkenes with Si(100)-2 x 1 surface could proceed with retention of configurations, in agreement with the observation [134]. Such stereospecific functionalizations of surfaces are of potential use for specific applications. 

Phosphonyl radicals have been used to functionalize the (60)-, (70)- and (76)-fullerenes [35]. Radical phosphonylation (Scheme 12) of alkenes has been developed by Motherwell et al. [36] for the preparation of fluorophosphony-lated analogs of riboses that exhibit high potential biological activity [37]. 

Aziridines are important compounds due to their versatility as synthetic intermediates. In addition, aziridine rings are present in innumerable natural products and biologically active compounds. Nitrene addition to alkenes is one of the most well established methods for the synthesis of aziridines. Photolysis or thermolysis of azides are good ways to generate nitrenes. Nitrenes can also be prepared in situ from iodosobenzene diacetate and sulfonamides or the ethoxycarbonylnitrene from the A-sulfonyloxy precursor. 

A typical second step after the insertion of CO into aryl or alkenyl-Pd(II) compounds is the addition to alkenes [148]. However, allenes can also be used (as shown in the following examples) where a it-allyl-r 3-Pd-complex is formed as an intermediate which undergoes a nucleophilic substitution. Thus, Alper and coworkers [148], as well as Grigg and coworkers [149], described a Pd-catalyzed transformation of o-iodophenols and o-iodoanilines with allenes in the presence of CO. Reaction of 6/1-310 or 6/1-311 with 6/1-312 in the presence of Pd° under a CO atmosphere (1 atm) led to the chromanones 6/1-314 and quinolones 6/1-315, respectively, via the Jt-allyl-r 3-Pd-complex 6/1-313 (Scheme 6/1.82). The enones obtained can be transformed by a Michael addition with amines, followed by reduction to give y-amino alcohols. Quinolones and chromanones are of interest due to their pronounced biological activity as antibacterials [150], antifungals [151] and neurotrophic factors [152]. 

Crozet and co-workers have used S l reactions for synthesis of new heterocycles, which are expected to be biologically active (see also Section 7.3, which discusses synthesis of alkenes). For example, 2-chloromethyl-5-nitroimidazole reacts with the anion of 2-nitropropane to give 2-isopropylidene-5-nitroimidazole. It is formed via C-alkylation of the nitronate ion followed by elimination of HN02 (Eq. 5.33).51a Other derivatives of nitroimidazoles are also good substrates for SrnI reactions.5113 0... 

Moffett and coworkers203 reported the synthesis of several 4-/3-D-ribofuranosylpyrazoles, such as 284(a-c), by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of diazoalkanes to the alkenic C-glycosyl compound 283, followed by dehydrogenation of the resulting pyrazolines. In view of the known biological activities of several nucleosides containing the... 

The use of dispersed or immobilized transition metals as catalysts for partial hydrogenation reactions of alkynes has been widely studied. Traditionally, alkyne hydrogenations for the preparation of fine chemicals and biologically active compounds were only performed with heterogeneous catalysts [80-82]. Palladium is the most selective metal catalyst for the semihydrogenation of mono-substituted acetylenes and for the transformation of alkynes to ds-alkenes. Commonly, such selectivity is due to stronger chemisorption of the triple bond on the active center. 

The broad range of alkenes undergoing asymmetric hydrogenation using ruthenium-based systems as catalysts has attracted the attention of chemists engaged in the synthesis of chiral biologically active natural products (Scheme 13)[60] and other pharmaceuticals (Scheme 14)[61]. a, (3-Unsaturated phosphoric acids and esters have also proved to be suitable substrates for Ru(II)-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation [62]. 

Many pyridine-indole compounds are biologically active. A growing number of methods for the preparation of indolylstannanes have been developed. 2-Trialkylstannylindoles, for example, have been synthesized via directed metalation followed by reaction with tin chloride [91-93]. The latest indolylstannane syntheses include Fukuyama s free radical approach to 2-trialkylstannylindoles from novel isonitrile-alkenes [94], and its extension to an isonitrile-alkyne cascade [95]. Assisted by the chelating effect of the SEM group oxygen atom, direct metalation of 1-SEM-indole and transmetalation with BujSnCl afforded 2-(tributylstannyl)-l//-indole 108, which was then coupled with 2,6-dibromopyridine to give adduct 109. 

The transition metal cross-couplings of allenes described here offer practical solutions for the modification of 1,2-dienes and access to the preparation of highly functionalized 1,3-dienes, alkynes and alkenes, which are often not easily accessible in a regio- and stereoselective manner by classical methods. Some of the prepared alkynes or functionalized allenes serve as important intermediates in syntheses of natural products, biologically active compounds, e.g. enynes and enyne-allenes, and new materials. It can be predicted that further synthetic efforts will surely be focused on new applications of allenes in transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. 

Larvae of the tenebrionid beetle Hypophloeus versipellis were shown to possess an unpaired defensive gland reservoir with an opening situated at the anterior border of the ninth tergite [ 126]. The secretion contains methyl- 1,4-ben-zoquinone 7, ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone 8, ethylhydroquinone, and acetophenone as well as 6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone 177,6-ethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone 178, and 6-propyl-1,4-naphthoquinones 179. Several alkenes (probably 1-alkenes) like 1-tridecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-pentadecene (main constituent), 1-hexa-decene, and 1-heptadecene may function as solvents for the solid biologically active compounds. 

One of the most efficient procedures for the synthesis of cyclopropanes is the reaction of alkenes with electrophilic carbene complexes. In this process up to three stereogenic centers can be generated in one step. Cyclopropanes are a key structural element encountered in many natural products with interesting biological activity. Further, by virtue of the ability of cyclopropanes to undergo ring-opening reactions these compounds can be valuable synthetic intermediates. 

Polyamino acids are easy to prepare by nucleophUe-initiated polymerisation of amino acid JV-carboxyanhydrides. Polymers such as poly-(L)-leucine act as robust catalysts for the epoxi-dation of a wide range of electron-poor alkenes, such as y-substituted a,Ji-unsaturated ketones. The optically active epoxides so formed may be transformed into heterocyclic compounds, polyhydroxylated materials and biologically active compounds such as dUtiazem and taxol side chain. 

First, the simplest of the alkenes, ethylene, or ethene, C2H4, is critically important for the ripening of frnit. This simple molecule is formed directly by fruit-forming plants. It is also used commercially to ripen fruit picked early during its storage and transport. It seems remarkable that such a simple molecule has such profound biological activity. 

Scheme 10.8 outlines the application of rhodium-catalyzed allyhc amination to the preparation of (il)-homophenylalanine (J )-38, a component of numerous biologically active agents [36]. The enantiospecific rhodium-catalyzed allylic amination of (l )-35 with the lithium anion of N-benzyl-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide furmshed aUylamine (R)-36 in 87% yield (2° 1° = 55 1 >99% cee) [37]. The N-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide was employed to facilitate its removal under mild reaction conditions. Hence, oxidative cleavage of the alkene (R)-36 followed by deprotection furnished the amino ester R)-37 [37, 38]. Hydrogenation of the hydrochloride salt of (l )-37 followed by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the ester afforded (i )-homophenylalanine (R)-3S in 97% overall yield. 

The reduction of an unsymmetrical ketone creates a new stereo center. Because of the importance of hydroxy groups both in synthesis and in relation to the properties of molecules, including biological activity, there has been a great deal of effort directed toward enantioselective reduction of ketones. One approach is to use chiral borohydride reagents.92 Boranes derived from chiral alkenes can be converted to borohydrides, and there has been much study of the enantioselectivity of these reagents. Several of the reagents are commercially available. 

K. Fujimoto, R. Doi, R. Hosotani, M. Wada, J.-U. Lee, T. Koshiba, T. Ibuka, H. Habashita, K. Nakai, N. Fujii, M. Imamura, Effects of structural modulation on biological activity of bombesin analogues with ( )-alkene bond. Life Sci. 60 (1997) 29-34. 

Preparation of nonracemic epoxides has been extensively studied in recent years since these compounds represent useful building blocks in stereoselective synthesis, and the epoxide functionality constitutes the essential framework of various namrally occurring and biologically active compounds. The enantiomericaUy enriched a-fluorotropinone was anchored onto amorphous KG-60 silica (Figure 6.6) this supported chiral catalyst (KG-60-FT ) promoted the stereoselective epoxidation of several trans- and trisubstituted alkenes with ees up to 80% and was perfectly reusable with the same performance for at least three catalytic cycles. 

Huffman et alJ161 have also incorporated a /ram-alkene y-turn mimetic into a series of enkephalin analogues 14 (Scheme 9) with complete loss of biological activity and into an HIV-1 protease inhibitor replacing the -Asn-Tyr-Pro- sequence in 15 corresponding to the P2-Pi-P( positions of the peptide substrate giving 16[39-401 (Scheme 10). 

A vincinal amino alcohol grouping is present in a fair number of natural products which possess useful biological activity, such as antibiotics122. Such a functionality has been produced from alkenes via osmium-mediated aminohydroxylation (equation 22)123. The reaction proceeds in 40-97% yield and is enantioselective if chiral osmium-Cinchona alkaloid complexes are used to mediate the reaction. 

Medium-sized lactones have become significant targets of synthesis due to their regular occurrence as biologically active natural products701-703. Various synthetic methods utilizing the alkene moiety have been developed recently for the preparation of these compounds. Medium-sized lactones have also been very successfully prepared, with... 

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