Sulfinamide Crossover Reaction.

This study unveils a new catalytic crossover reaction of sulfinamides. Leveraging mild acid catalysis, the reaction demonstrates a high tolerance to structural variations, yielding equimolar products across diverse sulfinamide substrates. Notably, small sulfinamide libraries can be selectively oxidized to sulfonamides, providing a new platform for ligand optimization and discovery in medicinal chemistry.

Complementary strategies for synthesis of sulfinamides from sulfur-based feedstock.

We describe a straightforward one-pot reductive protocol for the synthesis of sulfinamides from sulfonyl chlorides. This method enables the preparation of sulfinamides with a broad range of functional groups. Furthermore, we have expanded a known oxidative pathway to sulfinamides starting from thiols.

Chalcogen-based ratiometric reversible BODIPY redox sensors for the determination of enantioselective methionine sulfoxide reductase activity.

Many serious diseases are associated with degenerative changes caused by oxidative stress triggered by elevated concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells. Therefore, the development of suitable probes for monitoring such processes is of great importance. Here, we introduce a series of sulfur- and selenium-substituted BODIPY derivatives as reversible redox sensors for ROS and enzymatic redox processes.

Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Probes for Spatially Resolved Imaging of Enantioselective Sulfoxide Reductases.

A novel concept of nonhydrolytic enzyme sensing based on aggregation-induced emission is described. As a proof of principle, fluorogenic probes for methionine sulfoxide reductases have been developed. Changes in the polarity and electronic nature upon reduction of sulfoxide to sulfide are translated to the aggregation potential of the probe.

Development of a simple high-throughput assay for directed evolution of enantioselective sulfoxide reductases.

We report on the development of high-throughput fluorogenic assay that can streamline directed evolution of enantioselective sulfoxide reductases. As a model, methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) has been evolved to expand its limited substrate scope. The resulting mutant MsrA can resolve a range of new challenging racemic sulfoxides with high efficiency including the pharmaceutically relevant albendazole sulfoxide.

Regulation of mRNA translation by a photoriboswitch.

Optogenetic tools have revolutionized the study of receptor-mediated processes, but such tools are lacking for RNA-controlled systems. In particular, light-activated regulatory RNAs are needed for spatiotemporal control of gene expression. To fill this gap, we used in vitro selection to isolate a novel riboswitch that selectively binds the isoform of a stiff-stilbene (amino-SS)-a rapidly and reversibly photoisomerizing small molecule.

Enzymatic kinetic resolution of chiral sulfoxides - an enantiocomplementary approach.

A new enzymatic assay for the preparation of chiral sulfoxides that is enantiocomplementary to the known (S)-enantiomer-reducing activity of methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is described. To this end, we have utilized the enzyme DMSO reductase (DmsABC), recently discovered by us being highly upregulated in stationary phase E. coli bacteria.

Resolving oxidative damage to methionine by an unexpected membrane-associated stereoselective reductase discovered using chiral fluorescent probes.

Nonenzymatic oxidative processes in living organisms are among the inevitable consequences of respiration and environmental conditions. These oxidative processes can lead to the formation of two stereoisomers (R and S) of methionine sulfoxide, and the redox balance between methionine and methionine sulfoxide in proteins has profound implications on their function. Methionine oxidation can be reverted enzymatically by methionine sulfoxide reductases (Msrs).

Chemoenzymatic Deracemization of Chiral Sulfoxides.

The highly enantioselective enzyme methionine sulfoxide reductase A was combined with an oxaziridine-type oxidant in a biphasic setup for the deracemization of chiral sulfoxides. Remarkably, high ee values were observed with a wide range of substrates, thus providing a practical route for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure sulfoxides.

Reversal of the sense of enantioselectivity between 1- and 2-aza[6]helicenes used as chiral inducers of asymmetric autocatalysis.

Reversal of the sense of enantioselectivity was observed between 1-aza[6]helicene 2 and 2-aza[6]helicene 3 employed as chiral inducers of asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol. In the presence of (P)-(+)-1-aza[6]helicene 2, the reaction of pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde 1 with diisopropylzinc afforded, in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis, (S)-pyrimidyl alkanol 4 with high ee. Surprisingly, the reaction in the presence of (P)-(+)-2-aza[6]helicene 3 gave the opposite enantiomer of (R)-alkanol 4 with high ee.

A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Imaging of the Activity of Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase A in Cells.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is an enzyme involved in redox balance and signaling, and its aberrant activity is implicated in a number of diseases (for example, Alzheimer's disease and cancer). Since there is no simple small molecule tool to monitor MsrA activity in real time in vivo, we aimed at developing one. We have designed a BODIPY-based probe called (S)-Sulfox-1, which is equipped with a reactive sulfoxide moiety.

On the physicochemical properties of pyridohelicenes.

A comprehensive study on the physicochemical properties of a series of mono- and diaza[5]helicenes as well as mono- and diaza[6]helicenes is reported. Through the use of both computational and experimental methods, these helically chiral pyridohelicenes with the nitrogen atom(s) in various positions are characterised according to their inversion barriers, protonation constants and redox potentials. By using DFT calculations, kinetic measurements, UV/Vis titrations, cyclic voltammetry and EPR spectroscopy, a self-contained picture of their behaviour under conventional treatment by heat, acids and oxidising/reducing agents is provided.

A versatile synthesis of functionalized pentahelicenes.

A general synthetic methodology for the preparation of functionalized (hetero)helicenes has been developed. It employs the sequence of a double propargyl organometallics (Li, Mg, Ga/In) addition to a tolan-2,2'-dialdehyde-type intermediate, a cobalt-catalyzed/cobalt-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization of a triyne intermediate, and a double silica gel-assisted acetic acid elimination to receive pentahelicene, 1,14-diazapentahelicene, and 3,12-dichloro-, 3,12-dichloro-7-trimethylsilyl-, and 3,12-di-tert-butylpentahelicene. 3,12-Dichloropentahelicene undergoes a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling with aryl boronic acids (or ester) under palladium catalysis to afford 3,12-diarylpentahelicenes.

Supramolecular n/p-heterojunction photosystems with oriented multicolored antiparallel redox gradients (OMARG-SHJs).

Directional electron and hole transport is essential in photosynthesis. Applied to molecular optoelectronics such as organic solar cells, these lessons from nature call for oriented supramolecular n/p-heterojunctions (SHJs) that contain various chromophores and antiparallel redox gradients (OMARGs). In this tutorial review, we summarize recent progress made toward the construction of OMARG-SHJs.

Functional Biosupramolecular Systems.

This year, the CUSO Summer School in Organic Chemistry celebrated its 40th anniversary. With a coinciding 450th anniversary, it was organized by the University of Geneva. The focus was on large molecules and supramolecules that are synthesized from scratch, have interesting functions, and address lessons from nature.

An organometallic route to long helicenes.

Along with the recent progress in the development of advanced synthetic methods, the chemical community has witnessed an increasing interest in promising carbon-rich materials. Among them, helicenes are unique 3D aromatic systems that are inherently chiral and attractive for asymmetric catalysis, chiral recognition and material science. However, there have been only limited attempts at synthesizing long helicenes, which represent challenging targets.

Determination of acid-base dissociation constants of azahelicenes by capillary zone electrophoresis.

CZE was employed to determine acid-base dissociation constants (pK(a)) of ionogenic groups of azahelicenes in methanol (MeOH). Azahelicenes are unique 3-D aromatic systems, which consist of ortho-fused benzene/pyridine units and exhibit helical chirality. The pK(a) values of pyridinium groups of the studied azahelicenes were determined from the dependence of their effective electrophoretic mobility on pH by a nonlinear regression analysis.

Chiral superbases: the proton affinities of 1- and 2-aza[6]helicene in the gas phase.

The proton affinities (PAs) of 1- and 2-azahelicene were determined using various mass spectrometric techniques and complementary results from density functional theory. With PAs of about 1000 kJ mol(-1), the helical backbone of both compounds offer promising perspectives for future research on enantioselective reactions of these helical nitrogen bases.