Phosphine-catalysed transformations of ortho- and para-quinone methides

Organocatalytic methodologies for the derivatization of o-QM, p-QM and the analogous aza-QM have been recently developed and involve different catalytic systems such as phosphoric acids, thioureas, squaramides, NHC carbenes or chiral ammonium salts. Besides, phosphines, commonly used as ligands in metal-catalysed reactions, can be also used as organocatalysts. In this case, they are mainly involved as nucleophilic catalysts in reactions such as the Rauhut-Currier (RC) reaction. In this review, an analysis of the recent developments in racemic and enantioselective phosphine-catalysed transformations of o-QM, p-QM and aza-o-QM has been carried out.

Catalytic Access to 4-(sec-Alkyl)Anilines via 1,6-Conjugate Addition of Grignard Reagents to in Situ Generated aza-p-Quinone Methides

The synthesis of aniline derivatives, common building blocks in many pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dyes or polymers, has been limited to reactions based on benzene-toluene-xylene derivatives (BTX) due to their ample availability. Despite the large number of existing methodologies, the synthesis of chiral 4-(sec-alkyl)anilines has not been accomplished so far. In this work, a tandem strategy based on the generation of a reactive aza-p-quinone methide (aza-p-QM) intermediate followed by Cu(I)-catalyzed addition of Grignard reagents has been developed.

Copper-Catalyzed Addition of Grignard Reagents to in situ Generated Indole-Derived Vinylogous Imines

Chiral indole derivatives are ubiquitous motifs in pharmaceuticals and alkaloids. Herein, the first protocol for catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to various sulfonyl indoles, offering a straightforward approach for the synthesis of chiral 3‐sec‐alkyl‐substituted indoles in high yields and enantiomeric ratios is presented. This methodology makes use of a chiral catalyst based on copper phosphoramidite complexes and in situ formation of vinylogous imine intermediates.

Chiral Triazoles in Anion-Binding Catalysis: New Entry to Enantioselective Reissert-Type Reactions

Easily accessible and tunable chiral triazoles have been introduced as a novel class of C-H bond-based H-donors for anion-binding organocatalysis. They have proven to be effective catalysts for the dearomatization reaction of different N-heteroarenes. Although this dearomatization approach represents a powerful strategy to build chiral heterocycles, to date only a few catalytic methods to this end exist. In this work, the organocatalyzed enantioselective Reissert-type dearomatization of isoquinoline derivatives employing a number of structurally diverse chiral triazoles as anion-binding catalysts was realized. The here presented method was employed to synthesize a number of chiral 1,2-dihydroisoquinoline substrates with an enantioselectivity up to 86:14 e.r. Moreover, a thorough study of the determining parameters affecting the activity of this type of anion- binding catalysts was carried out.

Highly Enantioselective Nucleophilic Dearomatization of Pyridines by Anion-Binding Catalysis

The asymmetric dearomatization of N-heterocycles is an important synthetic method to gain bioactive and synthetically valuable chiral heterocycles. However, the catalytic enantio- and regioselective dearomatization of the simplest six-membered-ring N-heteroarenes, the pyridines, is still very challenging. The first anion-binding-catalyzed, highly enantioselective nucleophilic dearomatization of pyridines with triazole-based H-bond donor catalysts is presented. Contrary to other more common NH-based H-bond donors, this type of organocatalyst shows a prominent higher C2-regioselectivity and is able to promote high enantioinductions via formation of a close chiral anion-pair complex with a preformed N-acyl pyridinium ionic intermediate. This method offers a straightforward and useful synthetic approach to chiral N-heterocycles from abundant and readily available pyridines.

NA+/H+ Exchanger 1-and Aquaporin-1-Dependent Hyperosmolarity Changes Decrease Nitric Oxide Production and Induce VCAM-1 Expression in Endothelial Cells Exposed to High Glucose

Since diabetic hyperglycaemia causes hyperosmolarity, we investigated the contribution of hyperosmolarity in the proinflammatory endothelial effects of hyperglycemia, and sought to unravel the mechanisms involved. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were incubated for short-term (1–3 days) or long-term (1–2 weeks) exposures to 5.5 mmol/L glucose (normoglycemia, basal), high glucose (25 and 45 mmol/L, HG), or a hyperosmolar control (mannitol 25 and 45 mmol/L, HM), in the presence or absence of the aquaporin-1 (AQP1) inihibitor dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), the Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE-1) inihibitor cariporide (CA), the protein kinase C (PKC) inihibitor calphostin C or the PKCβ isoform inhibitor LY379196 (LY). Both short- and long-term exposures to HG and HM decreased the expression of the active, phosphorylated form of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (Ser1146-eNOS) and, in parallel, increased vascular cell adhesion molecule(VCAM)-1 protein at immunoblotting. After 24 h incubation with HG/HM, we observed a significant similar and concentration-dependent enhancement of AQP1 expression. DMSO and CA inhibited hyperosmolarity-induced VCAM-1 expressions, while increasing nitrite levels and Ser1146-eNOS expression. Gene silencing by small interfering RNA reduced the expression of AQP1, and suppressed HG- and HM-stimulated VCAM-1 expression. Calphostin C and LY blunted hyperosmolarity-induced VCAM-1 expression, while increasing the expression of Ser1146-eNOS and nitrite production. Thus HG decreases eNOS activation and induces total VCAM-1 expression in HAEC through a hyperosmolar mechanism. These effects are mediated by activation of the water channels AQP1 and NHE-1, and a PKCβ-mediated intracellular signaling pathway. Targeting osmosignaling pathways may represent a novel strategy to reduce vascular effects of hyperglycemia.