Lipase-catalyzed esterification in water enabled by nanomicelles. Applications to 1-pot multi-step sequences.

Esterification in an aqueous micellar medium is catalyzed by a commercially available lipase in the absence of any co-factors. The presence of only 2 wt% designer surfactant, TPGS-750-M, assists in a 100% selective enzymatic process in which only primary alcohols participate (in a 1 : 1 ratio with carboxylic acid). An unexpected finding is also disclosed where the simple additive, PhCF (1 equiv.

Nickel Nanoparticle Catalyzed Mono- and Di-Reductions of gem-Dibromocyclopropanes Under Mild, Aqueous Micellar Conditions.

Mild mono- and di-hydrodehalogenative reductions of gem-dibromocyclopropanes are described, providing an easy and green approach towards the synthesis of cyclopropanes. The methodology utilizes 0.5-5 mol % TMPhen-nickel as the catalyst, which, when activated with a hydride source such as sodium borohydride, cleanly and selectively dehalogenates dibromocyclopropanes.

Synthesis of neocryptolepines and carbocycle-fused quinolines and evaluation of their anticancer and antiplasmodial activities.

This study reported the discovery of novel compounds containing five-membered ring fused quinoline core structures as anticancer and antimalarial agents. Two libraries containing these core structures, neocryptolepines and carbocycle-fused quinolines, were prepared and evaluated. Compound 3h was found to be much more potent than other analogs against cancer cell lines with high selectivity.

Domino N-Extrusion-Cyclization of Alkynylarylketone Derivatives for the Synthesis of Indoloquinolines and Carbocycle-Fused Quinolines.

New synthetic approaches for the synthesis of indoloquinolines and carbocycle-fused quinolines have been developed employing alkynylketone substrates. These synthetic transformations involved the application of N-extrusion of azido complexes as a key step to generate carbodiimidium ion and nitrilium ion in situ, which further cyclized intramolecularly with alkyne via a domino process to provide indoloquinolines and carbocycle-fused quinolines, respectively, in moderate to good yields.

Silver-Catalyzed Cyclization of ortho-Carbonylarylacetylenols for the Synthesis of Dihydronaphthofurans.

ortho-Carbonylarylacetylenols have been employed for the synthesis of dihydronaphthofurans via AgTFA-catalyzed annulation reaction. A broad range of substrates both ortho-keto- and ortho-formylarylacetylenols could be employed in this transformation providing the desired products in good yields. However, the reaction pathways of these two substrates are different.