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No description available.

Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 1-methylpentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.03,10.05,9] undecane-8,11-dione, performed by using m-chloroperbenzoic acid in 1:1 molar ratio, resulted in the formation of monolactone. The corresponding dilactone, was synthesized by reacting 1-methyl-PCU-8,11-dione with m-chloroperbenzoic acid in 1:2 molar ratio. 6-Methyl-1,4,4a,8a-tetrahydro-1,4-methanonaphthalene-5,8-dione was converted into the corresponding exo-6,7-monoepoxide via treatment with 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Epoxidation of this monoepoxide by using m-chloroperbenzoic acid afforded the corresponding bis-epoxide. Ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) promoted oxidation of 1-methyl-PCU-8,11-dione afforded "methylated lactones" and a "methylated alkene."

The diversity of transition metal complexes allows for a wide range of chemical processes to be mediated by the metal, from catalysis to surface chemistry. Investigations into the structure and electronic configuration of transition metal complexes allow for tuning of desired species by modifications to the ligands and/or metals to achieve more efficient thermodynamics and kinetics for the process of interest. Transition metals, often used in catalysts for a number of important processes, require detailed descriptions of intermediates, transition states and products to fully characterize a reaction mechanism(s) in order to design more active and efficient catalysts. Computational investigations into inorganic catalysts are explored with the aim of understanding the activity of each species and how modifications of supporting ligands, co-ligands and metals vary the interaction along the reaction pathway. Reported results give important insight into the development of the most active complexes in addition to determining the least active complexes to aid experimental development. This report first investigates the mechanisms of two unique transfer reactions: 1) formation of low coordinate nickel-nitrene ((P~P)Ni=NR; P~P = 1,2-bis(dihydrophosphino)-ethane or 1,2-bis(difluoromethylphosphino)-ethane) complexes as catalysts for nitrogen atom transfer and 2) oxidation of a triphosphorus niobium complex, [(η2-P3SnPh3)Nb(OMe)3], for the transfer of the phosphorus synthon, Ph3SnP3. These reactions have utility in the synthesis of nitrogen and phosphorus containing molecules, respectively, and the results presented provide mechanistic insight into the synthesis of the organometallic intermediates. Additionally, a computational approach towards rational catalyst design was performed on the ruthenium based hydroarylation catalyst TpRu(CO)(Ph) [Tp = hydrido-tris(pyrazolyl)borate]. Targeted modifications at the Tp, metal and co-ligand (CO) sites were studied in order to tune the electronics and sterics of the catalyst. Modifications, through computational methods, provided a more cost- and time-efficient way to study the impact of modifications, which provided direct input into attractive synthetic targets. The research described heir in highlights the use of computational chemistry methodologies, specifically DFT, in collaboration with experimental results, for the accurate description of reaction geometries and factors influencing the thermodynamics and kinetics of the systems. Valuable insight is gained by treating inorganic complexes with theoretical methods and additionally provides a fast, cheap way to predict and understand the chemistry of such complex systems.

Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 1,9-dibromopentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.03,10.05,9]undecane-8,11-dione (1,9-dibromo-PCU-8,11-dione) was performed by using an excess amount of m-chloroperbenzoic acid (3 equivalents) and resulted in the formation of the corresponding monolactone. The reaction would not proceed to the dilactone stage. The structure of the reaction product was established unequivocally via single crystal X-ray diffraction. Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 1,9-dibromo-PCU-8,11-dione using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) was also performed and afforded a mixture of lactones. Only one of these lactones, which also contained an alkene functionality, could be isolated and characterized. 1,7-dibromo-PCU-8,11-dione was also reacted with CAN, yielding the mono-lactone, which has also been characterized.

L'oxydation de Baeyer-Villiger (BV) par voie enzymatique est une méthode efficace pour obtenir de lactones sous forme énantiomériquement pure. Les Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygénases (BVMO) sont ainsi capables d'oxyder de nombreux substrats avec une stéréospécificité remarquable.Nous avons recherché de nouvelles enzymes dans le génome de deux souches appartenant au genre Acinetobacter, A. baylyi ADP1 et A. baumannii AYE. Six gènes ont été clonés dans E. coli. Leur profil de substrat a été étudié en utilisant des cellules entières de ce microorganisme recombinant comme biocatalyseur. Quatre enzymes ont montré une spécificité de substrat similaire, avec une préférence pour les petites cétones cycliques et pour les substituants aryliques. Une de ces enzymes a permis le Dédoublement Cinétique Parallèle Régiodivergent d'une bicyclohepténone et la désymétrisation de cyclobutanones benzyliques avec, dans chaque cas, une énantiosélectivité intéressante car conduisant à des énantiomères rarement obtenus par réaction de BV enzymatique.Dans une seconde partie, des Dédoublements Cinétiques Dynamiques, associant réaction de BV enzymatique et racémisation in situ ont été réalisés avec des cellules entières d'E. coli produisant la Cyclohexanone Monooxygenase (CHMO) issue d'A. calcoaceticus. La racémisation de cyclohexanones α-substituées, habituellement difficilement racémisables, a été assurée par l'emploi de solutions tampons à base de sels de phosphate ou de glycine. Les -caprolactones correspondantes ont été isolées sous forme d'esters méthyliques hydroxylés quasi énantiopurs avec des rendements compris entre 70 et 80%. / Enzyme-mediated Baeyer-Villiger oxidation is nowadays largely recognized as an efficient method to obtain highly optically active lactones. An increasing number of Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygenases from various sources has been found to oxidize a large range of substrates with a good to excellent stereospecificity.Firstly, in order to enlarge the scope of these biotransformations, the genome of two strains of the Acinetobacter genus, A.baylyi ADP1 and A.baumannii AYE was explored. Six genes were expressed in E. coli and the substrate profile of each enzyme was studied using whole cell biotransformations. Four enzymes showed close substrate specificity with a preference for small cyclic ketones and for arylic substituents. Interestingly, one enzyme led to a Kinetic Parallel Regiodivergent Resolution of a bicycloheptenone and desymmetrisation of benzylic cyclobutanones in an enantiocomplementary manner when compared to the most of already known enzymes.The second part of this work describes the implementation of Dynamic Kinetic Resolution processes combining enzymatic BV oxidation and in situ racemization of α-substituted cyclohexanones to afford corresponding lactones in more than 50% yield. Cyclohexanone Monooxygenase (CHMO) from another Acinetobacter strain, A. calcoaceticus, was selected and the reactions were carried out with whole cells of producing CHMO E. coli strain. The racemization of α-substituted cyclohexanones, usually slowly racemized under basic conditions, was ensured by the use of containing phosphate salts or glycine buffer solutions. Several corresponding -caprolactones were isolated after methylation as enantiopure hydroxy methyl esters in 70-80% yield.

Statistical models like Transition State Theory (TST) and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) Theory have generally been successful in predicting the rates and selectivities of chemical reactions. However, these statistical models can fail to explain experimental results of ordinary organic reactions. For these reactions, consideration of nonstatistical dynamic effects or the detailed motion and momenta of the atoms is necessary to account for the experimental observations. Dynamic effects have been found to be important in a growing number of reactions and the nature of these effects can be varied. One of the most interesting reactions investigated is the ozonolysis of vinyl ethers. Ozonolysis of a homologous series of vinyl ethers in solution exhibit experimental product ratios wherein the selectivity among cleavage pathways increases with the size of the alkyl group to an extent that is far less than RRKM theory would predict. Trajectory studies account for the observed selectivities and support a mechanism involving a competition between cleavage of the primary ozonide and intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution. A recent theoretical study from our group predicted that a highly asynchronous organocatalytic Diels-Alder (DA) reaction, which is concerted in the potential energy surface, is stepwise in the free energy surface. Kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were measured for three DA reactions. We envision that the entropic barrier may have several experimental consequences such as unusual isotope effects due to extensive recrossing. Preliminary results for the organocatalytic reaction show an intramolecular KIE close to unity that cannot be reconciled with statistical theories. This is in contrast with Lewis-acid catalyzed and thermal DA reactions, which exhibit substantial "normal" intramolecular KIEs that are in accord with TST predictions. Finally, the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cylohexanone in water was investigated. KIEs were measured for the oxidation of cyclohexanone with peracetic acid and trifluoroperacetic acid. When using peracetic acid as the oxidant, the alkyl migration was determined to be the rate-determining step based on significant intermolecular KIEs on the carbonyl and alpha-methylene carbons. A change in the rate-determining step is seen when trifluoroperacetic acid is used. Only the carbonyl carbon exhibits a significant isotope effect. Theoretical predictions provide an experimental picture of the transition states and qualitatively support these conclusions.

Ce travail traite de l’exploration de la biodiversité des Baeyer-Villiger MonoOxygénases (BVMOs) : des enzymes utilisées en biocatalyse pour la production de lactones optiquement pures à partir de cétones. Pour mettre à bien cet objectif nous avons réalisé, en association avec le Génoscope d’Evry, une sélection de plusieurs centaines d’enzymes couvrant une forte diversité génétique. Après clonage et criblage à haut débit sur plus de vingt substrats différents nous avons obtenus plus de 90 nouvelles BVMOs. Avec ce résultat nous avons triplé le nombre de BVMOs connues dans la littérature. Dans un second temps nous avons étudié l’activité de certaines de ces nouvelles enzymes sur les cétones α,β-insaturées (ou enone), Ces substrats sont peu étudiés en biocatalyse et, lors de la réaction chimique, aboutissent à la formation de nombreux sous-produits. Deux enzymes d’O.batsensis et de P. lavamentivorans se sont révélées être actives aboutissant à la production d’ene-lactone et d’enol-lactone respectivement. La conversion de certaines enones chirales a abouti à des lactones présentant un fort excès énantiomérique.Nous avons ensuite étudié la régio-sélectivité de 35 enzymes issues du criblage sur une série de cétones aliphatiques acycliques. Alors que la formation de l’ester méthylique est très rare, nous avons obtenu des résultats très variés pour la formation de l’ester éthylique allant jusqu’à 80%. Le travail de thèse s’est terminé par le développement d’une cascade enzymatique sur la production d’ester à partir d’alcool secondaire. La cascade implique deux enzymes : une Alcool Déshydrogénase et une BVMO. La cascade est à la fois fonctionnelle et est très efficace. / -

Neste trabalho foi avaliada a seletividade (quimio ou enantiosseletividade) de quatro enzimas Baeyer-Villiger mono-oxigenases (BVMOs: PAMO, PAMO M446G, HAPMO e CHMO) frente a substratos contendo boro ou selênio. Inicialmente uma série de boro-acetofenonas foram submetidas à bio-oxidação catalisada por estas BVMOs. A enzima CHMO mostrou quimiosseletividade para transformação da ligação C-B em detrimento da reação de Baeyer-Villiger. Enquanto PAMO e PAMO M446G catalisaram a oxidação de ambas as funções em substratos 4-substituídos e a seletiva transformação de C-B no caso de substratos 3-substituídos. A enzima HAPMO levou a reação de Baeyer-Villiger e a transformação da ligação C-B em todos os casos. Quando alquenos contendo boro foram utilizados como substratos, somente aqueles que continham uma porção fenila em sua estrutura foram oxidados por BVMOs. Em nenhum dos casos foi observada reação de epoxidação e todas as enzimas levaram a transformação da ligação C-B em C-O. Compostos quirais contendo boro foram submetidos a reações com as BVMOs na tentativa de transformação enantiosseletiva. PAMO e PAMO M446G foram as melhores enzimas levando, na maioria dos casos, a satisfatória oxidação dos substratos. Entretanto, somente um composto pôde ser oxidado com boa enantiosseletividade (e.e 82-91%). Compostos quirais contendo o átomo de selênio também foram alvos de estudo com BVMOs. Novamente a enzima PAMO se mostrou a melhor opção dentre as enzimas testadas e somente quando R2 e R1 = Ph houve boa enantiosseletividade na oxidação (e.e 97 %). / In this work we evaluated the selectivity (chemo or enantioselectivity) of four Baeyer-Villiger mono-oxigenases (BVMOS: PAMO, M446G PAMO, HAPMO and CHMO) in the presence of boron-containing or selenium-containing compounds. Initially, a series of boron-acetophenones were submitted to oxidation reactions mediated by BVMOs. The enzyme CHMO was chemoselective leading only to C-B bond transformation instead Baeyer-Villiger reaction. However, PAMO and PAMO M446G mediated both oxidations in 4-substituted substrates, and only the C-B transformation in 3-substituted substrates. The enzyme HAPMO leading to Baeyer- Villiger reaction and C-B transformation in all cases. When boron-containing alkenes were the substrates, only compounds with phenyl moiety in the structure were oxidized by BVMOs. It was observed only the C-B transformation and none of the epoxidation reaction. Chiral boron compounds were submitted to BVMOS mediated reactions in an attempt of enantioselective transformation. PAMO and M446G PAMO showed the best results leading, in most cases, to a satisfactory oxidation. However, only one compound was oxidized with great enantioselectivity (82-91% ee). Selenium-containing chiral compounds were also tested in reactions mediated by BVMOs. Again, PAMO showed the best results among BVMOs tested, but only when R2 e R1 = Ph the reaction occurred with great enantiosselectivity (97 % ee).