ALBERT

Notes: A novel lectin (SML-2) consisting of 138 amino acids was isolated from cyst merozoites of Sarcocystis muris and sequenced by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry. All 12 cysteinyl residues are involved in disulfide bridges, four of which are attributed to a characteristic pattern of cysteines as found in the so-called PAN-module superfamily. Crystals of SML-2 diffracting to 2.1 Å resolution at a synchrotron were grown by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. They belong to the space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 53.6, b = 128.8, c = 158.2 Å and eight molecules in the asymmetric unit. SML-2 cocrystallized with Au galactose results in two different crystal forms. The first form is isomorphous with the native crystals and the second form adopts space group C2221, with unit-cell parameters a = 74.7, b = 82.0, c = 131.0 Å, and diffracts to 2.4 Å at a rotating-anode X-ray generator.

Notes: The structures of the norbornenyl and norbornyl sulfones exo-5, endo-5 and endo-6 have been determined experimentally, by X-ray analysis, and theoretically by ab initio calculations (HF/6-31+G*). X-ray crystal structure analyses of the lithiated allylic norbornenyl and norbornyl sulfones endo-3/ent-endo-3·2diglyme and endo-4/ent-endo-4·2diglyme revealed dimeric O-Li contact ion pairs devoid of C-Li bonds. The anions of endo-3/ent-endo-3·2diglyme and endo-4/ent-endo-4·2diglyme adopt both the endo conformation (C2-S) and are characterized by in the exo direction pyramidalized anionic C atoms. The degree of pyramidalization of the C2 atom of 3 is higher than that of 4. Ab initio optimizations (HF/6-31+G*) of the structures of the anions of methylenenorbornene I and methylenenorbornane II resulted in local minima featuring non-planar C2 atoms which are pyramidalized in the exo direction in both cases, but to different degrees. In both cases cryoscopy of 3 and 4 in THF at -108.5 °C revealed approximately 1:1 mixtures of monomers and dimers. The sulfones exo-5, endo-5, exo-6 and endo-6 as well as the lithiosulfones 3 and 4 were studied by NMR spectroscopy. 1H-NMR (400 MHz), 13C-NMR (100 MHz) and 6Li-NMR (44 MHz) spectroscopy of 3 and 4 at -100 °C in [D]8THF revealed in each case only one set of signals, independent of the configuration of the starting sulfones. This indicates in both cases that attainment of both the monomer-dimer and the endo/exo equilibria of 3 and 4 is fast on the NMR time scale. According to 6Li{1H}- and 1H{1H}-NOE experiments of 3 and 4 the monomeric and dimeric species endo-3 and endo-4, having endo anions, seem to be preferred in THF solution. Ab initio calculations of the anions of 3 and 4 resulted in structures endo-3(-Li+), exo-3(-Li+), endo-4(-Li+) and exo-4(-Li+) (HF/6-31+G*), whose atomic point charges were calculated by the method of Kollman et al. The C2 atoms of endo-3(-Li+) and endo-4(-Li+) are pyramidalized in the exo direction whereas the C2 atoms of exo-3(-Li+) and exo-4(-Li+) are pyramidalized in the endo direction. According to the calculations, the endo anions are more stable than the exo anions. There is good agreement between the optimized structures of the free anions and the experimentally determined structures of the anions of the contact ion pairs in the crystal. Reactions of 3 and 4 with DX, MeI, EtI, nPrI and nHeI occurred at the C2 atom under the selective formation of the corresponding endosulfones endo-8a-e and endo-9a-e, respectively, in all cases. Thus, an earlier report on the selective formation of the exosulfone exo-9b in the reaction of 4 with MeI has to be revised. Product ratios were independent of the configuration of the starting sulfones and varied with the nature of the electrophile. Selectivities were highest in the case of the norbornyl species 4. Reaction of 3 with PhCHO occurred at the α position (C2) to afford the alcohols endo-8f and exo-8f (88:12) as single diastereomers and at higher temperatures at the γ position (C8), whereas reaction of 4 with PhCHO took place at the γ position even at low temperatures. Methylation of endo-5 and exo-5 at -105 °C by both the stepwise method and by the in situ method gave different ratios of exo- and endo-methylation products. The selectivities of reaction of 3 and 4 with electrophiles have been rationalized by the Curtin-Hammett/Winstein-Holness concepts. It is proposed that endo-3 (endo-4) and exo-3 (exo-4) are conformationally labile on the time scale defined by the rate of their reactions with electrophiles, and are attacked by electrophiles with high selectivities from the exo and the endo face, respectively, because of the shielding by the phenyl group and the direction of the pyramidalization of the anionic C atom. Preferential formation of the endosulfones is thus ascribed to exo attack of electrophiles on endo-3 (endo-4) being faster than endo attack on exo-3 (exo-4) because of Houk's staggering effect. Methylation of 3 and 4 by the in situ method showed 3, whose C2 atom is stronger pyramidalized, to be more reactive than 4. The base-catalyzed H/D exchange of sulfones endo-5, exo-5, endo-6 and exo-6 with NaOCD3 in CD3OD proceeded in all cases with a high degree of retention of configuration.

Notes: Treatment of Ti(NtBu)Cl2(py)2 (1, py = pyridine) with bulky heteroallylic ligands in a 1:1 molar ratio affords the monosubstituted derivatives [PhC(NSiMe3)2]Ti(NtBu)Cl(py)2 (2), [MeOC6H4C(NSiMe3)2]Ti(NtBu)Cl(py) (3), and [Ph2P(NSiMe3)2]Ti(NtBu)Cl(py) (4). Similarly, 2:1 reactions afforded the disubstitution products [PhC(NiPr)2]2Ti(NtBu)(py) (6) and [Ph2P(NSiMe3)2]2Ti(NtBu) (7). The bis(pyridine) adduct Ph2P(NSiMe3)2Li(py)2 (5) was isolated as a by-product during the preparation of 4. The molecular structures of 7 has been established by X-ray crystallography.

Notes: The synthesis and X-ray analysis of chiral dilithiomethane analogues derived from sulfoximines are presented. The structures of the sulfoximine-stabilised mono- and dilithio salts have been compared and allow a rationalization of the second lithiation. Organophosphorus-based dilithiomethane derivatives are also structurally described. The gas-phase structures of N,S,S-trimethylsulfoximine 19 and of its mono- and dilithiated isomers 20-21 were calculated by ab initio methods employing different levels of theory. For an application in asymmetric synthesis, the dilithiation of (N-methyl)-S-ethyl-S-phenylsulfoximine (11) afforded a chiral dinucleophile that undergoes highly regio- and stereoselective alkylation reactions with electrophiles. The transmetallation of a chiral dilithiomethane reagent such as 14 with ClTi(OiPr)3 followed by addition of an aldehyde, constitutes a simple one-pot process for the formation of (E)-alkenylsulfoximines with excellent diastereoselectivity.