Publications by authors named "Esther Matamoros"

This publication reports a facile and convenient preparation of tri--acetyl-glucopyranoses, derived from the corresponding 2-deoxyaminosugar, where the vicinal anomeric and C2 positions are decorated by azido and (thio)ureido groups, respectively. This double functionalization leads to an inherently chiral core incorporating the versatile azido and (thio)ureido linkages prone to further manipulation. The latter also provides a structural element for hydrogen-bonded donor-acceptor (HB-DA) sites, which are of immense value in organocatalytic pursuits.

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A curious and noticeable structural feature in Schiff bases from 2-aminoaldoses is the fact that imino tautomers arranged equatorially in the most stable ring conformation exhibit a counterintuitive reverse anomeric effect (RAE) in the mutarotational equilibrium, i.e., the most stable and abundant anomer is the equatorial one (β).

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In vitro cell activation through specific IgE bound to high-affinity receptors on the basophil surface is a widely used strategy for the evaluation of IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity reactions to betalactams. Cellular activation requires drug conjugation to a protein to form a large enough structure displaying a certain distance between haptens to allow the cross-linking of two IgE antibodies bound to the basophil's surface, triggering their degranulation. However, no information about the size and composition of these conjugates is available.

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The reverse anomeric effect is usually associated with the equatorial preference of nitrogen substituents at the anomeric center. Once postulated as another anomeric effect with explanations ranging from electrostatic interactions to delocalization effects, it is now firmly considered to be essentially steric in nature. Through an extensive research on aryl imines from 2-amino-2-deoxyaldoses, spanning nearly two decades, we realized that such substances often show an anomalous anomeric behavior that cannot easily be rationalized on the basis of purely steric grounds.

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This paper explores and revisits in detail the formation and characterization of sugar-based aminonitriles, whose ultimate origin can be traced to the interaction of biomolecules with cyanide. Although the synthesis and spectroscopic data of 2-amino-aldononitriles were reported long ago, there are both contradictory and confusing results among the published data. We have now addressed this concern through an exhaustive structural elucidation of acylated 2-amino- and 2-alkyl(aryl)amino-2-deoxyaldonitriles using mass spectrometry and FT-IR, FT-Raman, and NMR spectroscopies.

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The persistence in the environment and possible harmful effects of neonicotinoid insecticides have raised some concerns, which have led to the proposal of various measures for their remediation. The aim of this work was to study the elimination of five neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam (THM), imidacloprid (IMI), clothianidin (CLO), thiacloprid (THC), and acetamiprid (ACE)) using ferrate (Fe(VI)) as the oxidizing agent. Firstly, second-order rate constants for the reactions of neonicotinoids with Fe(VI) were determined at different pHs.

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A family of acylhydrazones have been prepared and characterized with the aim of investigating their potential as information storage systems. Their well-established synthetic methodologies allowed for the preparation of seven chemically stable acylhydrazones in excellent yields that have been photophysically and photochemically characterized. In addition, DFT and TD-DFT calculations have been performed to gain more insights into the structural, energetic and photophysical properties of the / isomers.

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This paper thoroughly explores the formation of Schiff bases derived from salicylaldehydes and a conformationally restricted amino alcohol (1-amino-2-indanol), as well as the generation of 1,3-oxazolidines, a key heterocyclic core present in numerous bioactive compounds. We provide enough evidences, both experimental-including crystallographic analyses and DFT-based calculations on imine/enamine tautomerism in the solid state and solution. In the course of imine formation, a pentacyclic oxazolidine-oxazine structure could be isolated with complete stereocontrol, whose configuration has been determined by merging theory and experiment.

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Polyhydroxylated phenols are components of biomass and precursors of pigments in plants. This paper reports a novel entry to xanthene dyes, involving the reaction of 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde with primary aliphatic amines. This catalyst-free synthesis exhibits a high atom economy and can be conducted under eco-friendly conditions and operational simplicity.

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Imine and enamine bonds decorate the skeleton of numerous reagents, catalysts, and organic materials. However, it is difficult to isolate at will a single tautomer, as dynamic equilibria occur easily, even in the solid state, and are sensitive to electronic and steric effect, including π-conjugation and H-bonding. Here, using as model Schiff bases generated from salicylaldehydes and TRIS in a set of linear free energy relationships (LFER), we disclose how the formation of either imines or enamines can be controlled and provide a comprehensive framework that captures the structural underpinning of this prediction.

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A one-pot procedure for preparing a series of chiral imines by direct condensation of d-glucamine with 2-hydroxyacetophenones is described. Under conventional acetylation an unexpected mixture of two different peracetylated molecules is obtained, one with an open enamine structure, and the other incorporating an N-acetyl-1,3-oxazolidine into the acyclic skeleton. Surprisingly, both molecules coexist within the crystal's unit cell, as inferred from single-crystal X-ray analysis of a 5-bromo-substituted aryl derivative.

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Tautomerism plays a pivotal role in structural stabilization and reactivity. Herein we investigate in detail, aided by DFT simulations, the case of gossypol, a naturally occurring atropisomeric dialdehyde showing promising properties as a male contraceptive and an antineoplasic agent. Its toxicity linked to reactive aldehydo groups can be reduced through amino conjugation.

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