Base-catalysed F-labelling of trifluoromethyl ketones. Application to the synthesis of F-labelled neutrophil elastase inhibitors.

A new method for the fluorine-18 labelling of trifluoromethyl ketones has been developed. This method is based on the conversion of a-COCF functional group to a difluoro enol silyl ether followed by halogenation and fluorine-18 labelling. The utility of this new method was demonstrated by the synthesis of fluorine-18 labelled neutrophil elastase inhibitors, which are potentially useful for detection of inflammatory disorders.

Trifluoromethylthiolation, Trifluoromethylation, and Arylation Reactions of Difluoro Enol Silyl Ethers.

This study reports a new application area of difluoro enol silyl ethers, which can be easily obtained from trifluoromethyl ketones. The main focus has been directed to the electrophilic fluoroalkylation and arylation methods. The trifluoromethylthiolation of difluoro enol silyl ethers can be used for the construction of a novel trifluoromethylthio-α,α-difluoroketone (-COCFSCF) functionality.

Rhodium-mediated F-oxyfluorination of diazoketones using a fluorine-18-containing hypervalent iodine reagent.

Geminal F-oxyfluorination of diazoketones was performed in the presence of rhodium mediators. The reactions were performed using a hypervalent iodine-based [F]fluoro-benziodoxole reagent. By this methodology various α-[F]fluoro ethers were obtained in high radiochemical yield (up to 98%) and molar activity (216 GBq μmol).

Iron Catalysis for Room-Temperature Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols to Carboxylic Acids.

Oxidation from alcohols to carboxylic acids, a class of essential chemicals in daily life, academic laboratories, and industry, is a fundamental reaction, usually using at least a stoichiometric amount of an expensive and toxic oxidant. Here, an efficient and practical sustainable oxidation technology of alcohols to carboxylic acids using pure O2 or even O2 in air as the oxidant has been developed: utilizing a catalytic amount each of Fe(NO3)3·9H2O/TEMPO/MCl, a series of carboxylic acids were obtained from alcohols (also aldehydes) in high yields at room temperature. A 55 g-scale reaction was demonstrated using air.

General CuBr2-catalyzed highly enantioselective approach for optically active allenols from terminal alkynols.

Here, we show a CuBr2-catalyzed approach for a highly enantioselective synthesis (93-99% ee) of allenols from aldehydes and terminal alkynols with the absolute configuration being controlled by applying readily available (R)- or (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol.

Mussel-inspired gold hollow superparticles for photothermal therapy.

Gold hollow superparticles are prepared taking advantage of the dopamine chemistry. The plasmon coupling of the gold nanoparticles makes the superparticles an effective photothermal conversion agent in the photothermal therapy of cancer. Moreover, the mussel-inspired assembly approach could be extremely useful for the transfer of nanomaterial science to realistic technologies.