A computational study to determine the role of σ-hole in Br/OH substituted nido-carborane and its binding capabilities

A detailed investigation of the σ-hole on the halogen atom present in the nido-heteroboranes is made by employing quantum mechanical methods. The bromide and the hydroxyl groups are incorporated in the exo-substituents of the nido-boranes. The potential of the bromide σ-hole was compared to that of electrostatic potential of hydroxyl group counterpart. The presence of a carbon atom vertex, in a different position of a system, influences the σ-hole and hence its binding abilities. Bromide substituted nido-carboranes have less potential and hence weaker binding ability compared to their closo-counterparts. Binding affinity with aliphatic is found to be more compared to that of aromatic system. The presence of solvent dampened the electrostatic interactions. Apart from the neutral system, the binding capabilities of charged nido-heteroboranes were also studied. The results of this study will be further useful for several applications viz., crystal engineering, drug designing (Pharmaceuticals), medicine, material science, energy storage devices, etc.

Asymmetric synthesis of (+)-allo-quercitol and (+)-talo-quercitol via free radical cycloisomerization of an enantiomerically pure alkyne-tethered aldehyde derived from a carbohydrate

We describe for the first time the free radical cyclization of enantiomerically pure alkyne-tethered aldehydes obtained from a carbohydrate (6, 7). The synthesis of compounds 6 and 7 obtained from a derivative of D-ribose is reported. These radical precursors have been submitted to cyclization with tributyltin hydride plus azobisisobutyronitrile to yield, after ring closure, two carbocycles, respectively. These carbocycles have been obtained as mixtures of E and Z vinyltin isomers, but with excellent diastereoselection at the new stereocenter formed during the ring closure. After protodestannylation, only one diastereomer was detected and isolated. The absolute configuration at the new stereocenter formed during the carbocyclization has been established by detailed (1)H NMR analysis. The specific transformation of 7-methoxymethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-4-methylene-5-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy-(3aR,5S,7S,7aS)-perhydrobenzo[d][1,3]dioxole into optically pure (+)-allo-quercitol and (+)-talo-quercitol is described. From these results, we conclude that under an appropriate choice of radical precursors and conditions, the synthesis of highly functionalized cyclohexane derivatives of biological interest is now available.