El treball de tesi s'emmarca dins del camp de la bioinorgànica, disciplina que estudia les propietats estructurals i de reactivitat dels centres actius dels enzims, servint-se de models síntètics de baix pes molecular per tal d'intentar reproduïr la reactivitat presentada per l'enzim i conèixer els mecanismes de reacció a nivell molecular que tenen lloc en els processos biològics.1 Més concretament el treball posa especial èmfasi en els processos d'activació d'oxigen molecular que tenen lloc en les metaloproteïnes de Coure del Tipus 3, com són l'hemocianina i la tirosinasa, ambdues presentant un complex dinuclear de Cu(I)) en el centre actiu de la forma reduïda, capaç d'activar l'O2 cap a espècies de tipus peròxid.2 Un altre camp d'interès ha estat l'estudi dels processos d'activació d'enllaços C-H no activats en hidrocarburs, tant per la seva importàcia a nivell industrial com per comprendre els mecanismes intrínsecs d'aquesta activació a través de metalls de trancisió.3,4 Durant el treball de tesi presentat s'ha desenvolupat la síntesi de nous complexes de Coure(I), Coure(II) y Cu(III) utilitzant lligands macrocíclics de tipus triaza i hexaaza, i s'han estudiat la seves propietats estructurals així com la seva reactivitat. La reacció dels lligands triazacíclics H32m, H2Me33m i H33m amb sals de coure(II) dóna lloc a una reacció de desproporció de Cu(II) per obtenir-se en quantitats equimolars un complex organometàl·lic de Cu(III) i un complex de Cu(I). La caracterizació estructural exhaustiva dels complexes del tipus aryl-Cu(III) evidencia la formació d'un enllaç organometàl·lic entre l'àtom de Cu(III) i el carboni més próxim de l'anell aromàtic del lligand. Aquesta reacció, a més de representar una nova forma de desproporció en la química del Cu, suposa l'activació d'un enllaç C-H aromàtic a temperatura ambient que, mitjançant l'estudi cinètic d'aquesta desproporció per espectroscòpia UV-Vis, dels càlcul de l'efecte cinètic isotòpic utilitzant el lligand deuterat en el C-H de l'anell, juntament amb el recolzament teòrics dels càlculs DFT per a la optimització de geometries d'intermedis de reacció, ens permeten proposar un mecanisme de reacció pel nostre sistema, on l'activació de l'enllaç C-H aromàtic transcorre per la formació d'un enllaç de tipus agòstic C-H ? Cu(II),5 seguit de la desprotonació del C-H aromàtic per acció d'una base i posterior transferència electrònica per obtenir el complex organometàlic de Cu(III) i el complex de de Cu(I). En quant a la reactivitat d'aquests complexes organometàl·lics aryl-Cu(III) s'ha observat que una base en medi aquós causa la inestabilitat d'aquests compostos, evolucionant cap a la inserció d'un àtom d'oxigen sobre la posició activada de l'anell aromàtic, per a donar lloc a un complex dinuclear de Cu(II) amb dos grups fenoxo actuant de pont entre els àtoms metàl·lics. La reacció transcorre per un intermedi colorejat, caracteritzat com el complex ayl-Cu(III) monodesprotonat en una de les seves amines benzíliques, els quals s'observen igualment en la reacció dels correponents complexos de Cu(I) amb oxigen molecular (O2). És en els nostres sistemes en els quals es descriu per primera vegada la participació d'intermedis organometàl·lics Cu(III)-C en processos d'hidroxilació aromàtica, tals com el desenvolupat per l'enzim tirosinasa o per alguns dels seus models químics de síntesi.6,7,8 S'han estudiat les propietats magnètiques dels quatre bis(fenoxo)complexes de Cu(II) descrits, obtenint-se uns acoplaments de tipus antiferromagnètic o ferromagnètic de diversa magnitud, depenent del solapament orbitalari a l'enllaç Cu-O, a través del qual es produeix el superintercanvi. Nous complexos de Cu(I) sintetitzats amb lligands hexaazamacrocíclics han estat estudiats, i posant especial èmfasi a la seva reactivitat respecta a l'activació d'oxigen molecular (O2). S'ha observat una reactivitat diferenciada segons la concentració de complex de Cu(I) utilitzada, de manera que a altes concentracions s'obté un carbonato complex tetranuclear de Cu(II) per fixació de CO2 atmosfèric, mentre que a baixes concentracions s'observa la hidroxilació aromàtica intramolecular d'un dels anells benzílics del lligand, reacció que presumiblement transcorre per atac electrofílic d'un peroxo complex intermedi sobre el sistema ? de l'anell.6Els resultats obtinguts en aquest treball ens mostren la facilitat per activar enllaços C-H aromàtics per metalls de transició de la primera sèrie (Cu, Ni) quan aquests estan suficientment pròxims a l'enllaç C-H, en unes condicions de reacció molt suaus (1atm., temperatura ambient). Els nous complexos organometàl·lics Aryl-Cu(III) són el producte d'una nova reacció de desproporció de Cu(II), així com un posició aromàtica activada que podria ser el punt de partida per l'estudi de funcionalització selectiva d'aquests grups aromàtics. / In the present thesis the synthesis of novel Cu(I), Cu(II) and Cu(III) complexes containing triaza and hexaaza macrocyclic ligands is described, as well as the study of their structural and reactivity properties. Ligands H32m, H2Me33m and H33m react with Cu(II) salts at room temperature in CH3CN to afford an organometallic Cu(III) complex and a Cu(I) complex in equimolar amounts, constituting a new disproportionation reaction for Cu(II). An exhaustive structural characterization of Aryl-Cu(III) complexes shows the formation of an organometallic between theCu(III) center and the carbon form the aromatic ring. This reaction represents a novel disproportionation in copper chemistry and moreover, evidenciates the activation of an aromatic C-H bond at room temperature. Throughout kinetic studies by UV-Vis spectroscopy, determination of the KIE value by using the corresponding deuterated ligand and theoretical calculations at DFT level for the optimization of intermediate geometries, we have proposed a mechanism for this disproportionation reaction: the aromatic C-H bond activation occurs through the formation of an agostic C-H ? Cu(II) interaction, followed by the deprotonation of the aromatic proton by the action of a base and final electron transfer to obtain the Cu(III) and Cu(I) final complexes. The organometallic Cu(III) synthesized are stable in protic media, but react with aqueous base to afford the insertion of an oxygen atom at the C-Cu(III) bond and finally obtain a dinuclear Cu(II) complex where two phenoxo groups are bridging between the metal centers. The reaction undergoes through the formation of a colored intermediate characterized as an Aryl-Cu(III) complex deprotonated in one of the benzylic amines. These intermediates are also observed in the reaction of the corresponding Cu(I) complexes with molecular oxygen (O2). The intermediacy of organometallic aryl-Cu(III) in aromatic hydroxylation processes such as the reactivity displayed by tyrosinase or some synthetic model systems, is first described in the present work. Magnetic properties for the four bis(phenoxo)Cu(II) complexes have alse been investigated. Different magnetic couplings are observed yielding ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic behavior of variable magnitudes, depending on orbital overlapping on the Cu-O bond, through which the superexchange occurs. Novel Cu(I) complexes containing the hexaazamacrocyclic ligand H33+33m have been studied, with special attention on the reactivity towards the O2 activation. It has been observed a differential reactivity depending on the concentration of Cu(I) complex: if high Cu(I) concentration are used the product obtained consists on a tetranuclear carbonato complex by atmospheric CO2 fixation, while if low concentrations are used the intramolecular aromatic hydroxylation is observed, reaction that is proposed to undergo through an electrophilic attack of the peroxo group to the ? system of the aromatic ring.

· S'ha preparat i caracteritzat una família de complexos de Cu(III) contenint lligands triazamacrocíclics, estudiant-se les seves propietats estructurals, espectroscòpiques i redox. Aquesta àmplia família de complexos tenen un gran interès perquè permeten descriure les propietats dels complexos de Cu en un estat d'oxidació poc habitual i a més ens han permès mesurar de manera quantitativa l'efecte Meyerstein.· Una nova família de complexos de Cu(I) amb els lligands triazamacrocíclics es sintetitzada i caracteritzada per tècniques espectroscòpiques i estructurals, demostrant que aquests complexos presenten diferents estructures a l'estat sòlid i en dissolució. Així doncs, mentre que en dissolució es demostra per RMN que es tracta d'una espècie monomèrica, la determinació estructural per difracció de raigs X d'aquests complexos de Cu(I), ens confirma la formació d'espècies polimèriques. Per altra banda, s'ha estudiat la seva reactivitat; a) la seva implicació en la formació de lligands deuterats mitjançant l'intercanvi H/D en condicions suaus i b) la formació de complexos bisfenoxo a partir de la reactivitat entre els corresponents complexos de Cu(I) i oxigen molecular. De la mateixa manera, s'ha preparat el corresponent anàleg de Ag(I) en estat sòlid, obtenint la formació d'un polímer de Ag(I), el qual presenta a l'estat sòlid una estructura en forma de ziga-zaga, diferent a l'estructura del polímer de Cu(I), que és lineal.· S'ha determinat i proposat el mecanisme que té lloc en l'activació de l'enllaç C-H i posterior reacció de transferència per tal d'estabilitzar els productes finals mitjançant una reacció de desproporció. El seguiment de la reacció té lloc mitjançant tècniques espectroscòpiques com UV-vis. Dit seguiment, ens permet determinar les diferents influències electròniques sobre la reacció de formació dels complexos organometàl·lics de Cu(III). A més a més, el seguiment de la reacció a baixa temperatura ens permet determinar espectroscòpica i teòricament la formació d'un intermedi de Cu(II), i mitjançant la determinació dels paràmetres cinètics i termodinàmics es proposa un mecanisme de reacció. Posteriorment, s'ha assajat la reactivitat d'una sal de Cu(II) amb un lligand macrocíclic que conté un grup metil en el carboni orientat cap al centre del macrocicle, implicant la formació d'un intermedi agòstic. De la determinació estructural d'aquest intermedi de CuII i del lligand protonat, s'extreuen una sèrie de conclusions molt interessants, com són la demostració estructural de l'activació de l'enllaç C-C en la primera etapa de formació i de manera anàloga poder comparar-ho amb els sistemes macrocíclics HL2-HL6, demostrant la possible formació d'un intermedi agòstic, on es produeix l'activació de l'enllaç C-H. Aquesta similitud estaria d'acord amb els sistemes HL2-HL6, els quals espectroscòpica i teòricament s'havia detectat la presència d'un intermedi de característiques similars. Degut a l'acidesa d'aquest protó, i gràcies a la presència d'una base com és el propi lligand, aquest podia ésser extret donant lloc a la formació dels corresponents organometàl·lics de Cu(III). Dita estructura també representa un dels pocs exemples d'un organometàl·lic de CuII, un estat d'oxidació poc conegut dins d'aquest camp.· S'ha descrit la reactivitat dels nous complexos organometàl·lics de Cu(III), els quals sota medi pròtic i en condicions àcides o neutres són espècies totalment estables, però en condicions bàsiques o reductores aquestes espècies reaccionen donant lloc a la formació de noves espècies de tipus bisfenoxo, on el Cu es troba en estat d'oxidació +2. S'han caracteritzat mitjançant difracció de RX, on es s'observa l'entorn químic del Cu, la geometria del complex bisfenoxo i l'hidroxilació de l'anell aromàtic.· Finalment, s'ha descrit per primera vegada la síntesi i caracterització d'uns nous complexos organometàl·lics de Ni. Aquests són sintetitzats en base als càlculs teòrics realitzats sobre els nostres sistemes macrocíclics. Per aquests complexos hem investigat l'efecte del metall, canviant el coure per altres metalls de la primera sèrie de transició (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) i de la segona sèrie de transició (Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag). Els resultats demostren que el Ni(II), és el metall que presenta una major capacitat de l'activació de l'enllaç C-H en aquests sistemes aromàtics. Aquests compostos s'oxiden lentament cap a complexos de Ni(III). Per altra banda, l'addició d'una sal de clor sobre una solució d'un complex de Ni(II) permet aïllar el corresponent complex de Ni(III), caracteritzat per ressonància de spin electrònic / · A family of Cu(III) complexes containing triaza macrocyclic ligands has been described and their structural, spectroscopic and redox properties thoroughly investigated. This family is of interest because it allows studying the properties of Cu complexes in the very unusual oxidation state III and furthermore it allows measuring the so called Meyerstein effect in a quantitative manner.· A new family of Cu(I) complexes containing triaza macrocyclic ligands has been synthesized and characterized both in the solid state and in solution by spectroscopic and structural techniques. NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that the complexes adopt monomeric structures in solution. However, X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate a polymeric nature in the solid state. On the other hand, the reactivity of these complexes in H/D exchange reactions has been studied, demonstrating that these systems are capable of activating the C-H bond of the aromatic ring in deuterated acetone. On the other hand, the Cu(I) complexes are capable of activating O2, leading to intramolecular aromatic hydroxylation, thus generates complexes with the general formula [(CuII2(m-OLi)2]2+. Finally, we have prepared the corresponding Ag(I) compound. X ray analysis shows that the complex adopts a lineal zigzag polymeric structure.· We propose the mechanism for the activation C-H bond by a Cu(II) complex, coupled to a disproportionation reaction. The monitoring of this reaction has been performed at room and at low temperatures, determinating the different electronic influences of the ligand on the organometallic Cu(III) formation reaction. The monitoring at low temperatures allows to observe and spectroscopically characterize a Cu(II) intermediate. Determination of the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters leads us to propose a mechanism for the reaction. By replacing the H with a Me group, we have crystallography characterized the first example of a Cu(II) C-C agostic intermediate. This specie bears spectroscopic resemblance with the Cu(II) species formed in the aromatic C-H bond activation, and thus we propose it to be the analogous Cu(II) intermediate.Both Cu(I) and Cu(III) complexes are known in organocopper chemistry, but a stable Cu(II) complex is seldom reported. Furthermore, this specie constitutes the second example of a Cu(II) organometallic compound reported in the literature.· We have studied the reactivity of organocopper(III) complexes under different conditions to synthesize new bisphenoxo Cu(II) complexes. These bisphenoxo complexes have been characterized by X-ray diffraction.· A new family of Ni(II) complexes containing triaza macrocyclic ligands have been described and their structural and spectroscopic properties thoroughly investigated. In this case, the C-H bond activation is proposed to occur via acid-base reaction. Moreover, a theoretical study of the activation of the C-H bond in aromatic systems by several transition metals has been carried out. For these specific ligands we have investigated the effect of the metal, changing the copper ion by other first (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) and second transition series metals (Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag). The results demonstrate that the Ni(II) is the ion that presents the highest capacity for activating the C-H bond in the aromatic system of the ligand. On the other hand, the addition of a chloride salt to the Ni(II) complex solution allows the formation of a new and extremely rare organometallic Ni(III) complex.

No description available.

Dans ce mémoire sont décrites deux méthodologies impliquant la synthèse de biaryles via l’arylation directe d’espèces aromatiques non activées, catalysée par différents éléments de transition. La première partie présente les résultats obtenus dans le cadre du développement d’une méthode simple d’arylation directe du benzène catalysée au palladium. Cette méthodologie a l’avantage de procéder sans l’ajout de ligand phosphine généralement utilisé dans les systèmes catalytiques avec le palladium et par conséquent cette réaction peut évoluer à l’air libre sans nul besoin d’une atmosphère inerte. Il est proposé que le mécanisme de formation de ces motifs biarylés pourrait passer par la mise en place d’un palladium d’espèce cationique. Ces composés pourraient éventuellement s’avérer intéressants dans la synthèse de produits pharmaceutiques comportant un motif biphényle de ce type. La deuxième partie est consacrée à une méthodologie très attrayante utilisée pour la synthèse des biphényles impliquant le fer comme catalyseur. Plusieurs catalyseurs à base de rhodium, palladium et ruthénium ont démontré leur grande efficacité dans les processus de couplage direct (insertion C-H). Cette méthodologie consiste en la première méthode efficace d’utilisation d’un catalyseur de fer dans les couplages directs sp2-sp2 avec les iodures d’aryles et iodures d’hétéroaryles. Les avantages du fer, impliquent sans contredit, des coûts moindres et des impacts environnementaux bénins. Les conditions réactionnelles sont douces, la réaction peut tolérer la présence de plusieurs groupements fonctionnels et cette dernière peut même se produire à température ambiante. La transformation s’effectue généralement avec de très bons rendements et des études mécanistiques ont démontré que le processus réactionnel était radicalaire. / This thesis describes the development of two methodologies involved in the biaryls synthesis. The first part is directed towards the use of a directing group or stabilizing group for the palladium catalyzed direct arylation. In all the examples found in the literature, the moiety bearing the directing group has the proton subject to abstraction in the ortho-position leaving the halide to the other coupling partner. We thought that by designing a compound having both a directing group and a halide, at the ortho position, the direct arylation of unactivated molecule species would be possible. This reaction is performed under air and without the use of any phosphine ligand providing a low cost and practical access to the pharmaceutically useful biaryl moieties containing a versatile ester functionality for further transformations. Owing to the ubiquity of C-H bonds in organic compounds, the possibility of directly introducing a new C-C bond (or other functionalities) via a direct C-H bond transformation is a highly attractive strategy in synthesis. Several rhodium, palladium, and ruthenium catalysts have proven to be highly effective in such direct coupling processes. Herein the first general and efficient iron-catalyzed direct arylation of iodo-aryls and iodo-hetereoaryl derivatives using a cost effective and environmentally benign catalyst is described. The reaction is performed under neat conditions and can even proceed at room temperature providing 22 examples of biaryls and heteroaryls construction with moderate to excellent yield. Mechanistic studies showed that the transformation was going through an aryl radical transfer pathway.

Au cours de cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à la synthèse d’hétérocycles arylés via l’activation de liaisons sp2 C-H d’hétéroaromatiques et à la synthèse d’alcènes arylés halo-substitués catalysée par le palladium. Les produits obtenus sont considérés comme des briques moléculaires, intéressantes pour les biochimistes, ainsi que pour la préparation de matériaux. Le système catalytique Pd(MeCN)2Cl2/Li2CO3/dioxane permet l’accès direct à une grande variété de molécules arylées à partir d’hétéroarènes ou d’alcènes et de chlorures de benzènesulfonyle. Nous avons mis au point une méthode permettant l’arylation directe en position β de sélénophènes à partir de sélénophènes et de chlorures de benzènesulfonyle. Nous avons également montré que l’utilisation de chlorures de benzènesulfonyle (poly)halogénés permet de synthétiser par des réactions pallado-catalysées des hétéroarènes arylés, des stilbènes ou des cinnamates (poly)halo-substitués. / In this thesis we have been interested in the synthesis of arylated heterocycles via the activation of sp2 C-H bonds of heteroaromatics and to the synthesis of halo-substituted arylated alkenes using palladium-catalysis. The products obtained are considered to be molecular bricks which are of interest to biochemists as well as to the preparation of materials. The catalyst system Pd(MeCN)2Cl2/Li2CO3/dioxane allows the direct access to a wide variety of arylated molecules from heteroarenes or alkenes and benzenesulfonyl chlorides. We have developed a method for the direct β-arylation of selenophenes from selenophenes and benzenesulfonyl chlorides. We have also shown that the use of (poly)halogenated benzenesulfonyl chlorides makes it possible to synthesize, by Pd-catalyzed reactions, (poly)halo-substituted arylated heteroarenes, stilbenes or cinnamates.

This thesis titled, “Nature of Local Interactions at cisPro-Aro Peptide Sequences in Proteins: Evidences for van der Waals type Interactions. Design and Synthesis of Novel Covalent Surrogates for the Peptide Hydrogen Bond”, describes two important studies. The first is to gain a thorough understanding of the nature of interactions that govern cisPro stability at Pro-Aro sequences, which described in the first four chapters. The final chapter describes the synthesis of novel 4-carbon covalent surrogates for the peptide H-bonding interaction. Chapter 1: Local Interactions Governing cisPro Stability: Refining the Model Peptides Chapter 1 Section A: Understanding the role of inter-side chain CH•••Aro interaction in cis-trans isomerization at Pro-Aro and Aro-Pro Sequences. This chapter is divided into two sections. In the first section an exhaustive overview of earlier investigations into the nature of local interactions at Xaa-cisPro-Aro and Aro-cisPro-Xaa peptide sequences, by various groups, are discussed. Most studies have found evidence for the close assemblage between side chains of residues flanking cisPro motifs, when at least one of them is an aromatic group. An electronic C-H•••π nature has been proposed for these assemblies and they are proposed to influence the cisPro stability. We highlight those features in these studies that indicate that these interactions are not always electronically tunable, are insensitive to presence of strong chaotropes in the solvent and occur at protein sequences lacking Pro or cisPro; all of which contradict the electronic C-H•••π model for these inter-side chain assemblages and their perceived influence on cisPro stability. Chapter 1 Section B: Investigation of the Nature of H Xaa•••Aro interaction at Xaa-Pro-Pro-Phe-sequences In Section B, we design and synthesize Pro-Aro containing short peptide models to investigate the nature of local C-H•••Aro interactions in them. We synthesize a series of homologous Pro-Pro-Aro containing peptides (modeled based on earlier studies) and investigate the relative populations of its four Xaa-Pro rotamers using extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques including TOCSY, HSQC and ROESY. We find several drawbacks that make this a relatively deficient model. Firstly, their relative populations of the rotamers (the most important data for current investigation) cannot be determined with high fidelity as they are dependent on the solvent polarity, solute concentration and chemical shift degeneracy of crucial NMR signals for the rotamers. Importantly, the populations of a few rotamers are influenced by strong 13-membered ring backbone H-bonds. Notably, some of the cisPro rotamers do not even contain the inter-side chain assembly, whose nature is under investigation. Design of novel models – unconstrained by H-bonds We design the Acyl-Pro-Pro-Aro-OMe peptides that lack the possibility of forming the 13-membered ring H-bonded structures. Thorough 1D and 2D NMR analyses of these models reveal that strong Type VI β-turn type 10-membered ring H-bonds are formed in the rotamers of these models – hence precluding their applications for current study. Interestingly, the relative rotamer populations are strongly influenced by solvent polarity and are entirely different from those of the corresponding C-terminal amide models. We further discover that the Pro-Pro-Aro motif is not essential to express the inter-side chain interactions – Ala-Pro-Aro are sufficient. Formation of the 10-membered H-bonding interactions, however, are not precluded. Chapter 2: Design and Synthesis of Acyl-Pro-Phe-OMe: Novel models to investigate the role of HαXaa•••Aro interactions on Xaa-cisPro-Aro stability. Chapter 2 Section A: Design, Synthesis and Conformational Analysis of Ibu-Pro-Phe-OMe Chapter 2 is divided into two sections. In Section A, we replace the amino acid at the N-terminal of the putative Pro residue with simple isosteric isobutyryl group, the resulting minimalist dipeptide model shows the exclusive influence of desired inter-side chain interactions in the cisPro rotamer. Solvent polarity and temperature coefficient studies reveal that absence of any intramolecular H-bonding or Oπ* interactions in it. 1D and 2D NMR analyses clearly indicate the close proximity between the side chains of Ibu and Phe exclusively in the cisPro rotamer. The Kc/t value decreases upon mutation of Phe to Ala. All these features favor the Ibu-Pro-Phe-OMe as an ideal minimalistic model for investigating the nature of Ibu•••Ph assemblages in the cisPro rotamer. Chapter 2 Section B: Investigation of CH•••Aro /Alp•••Alp interactions in Ibu-cisPro-Xaa-OMe In Section B, the 1D and 2D NMR analyses of the complete set of the aliphatic and aromatic analogues Ibu-Pro-Xaa-OMe were investigated. DMSO-d6 was found to be the best solvent for mimicking both the folded and the unfolded local environments of these short peptide sequences. The HαIbu•••Aro assemblage is observed in Aro analogues, but cannot be electronically tuned. The aliphatic analogues also surprisingly contain the HαIbu•••Alp interactions! The Kc/t values (cisPro %) increase in the aliphatic analogues too, where the aliphatic side chain is long. Increase in cisPro stability is not due to ring current effects or intramolecular H-bonds or Oπ* interactions. It seems to be due to van der Waals type interactions between the involved side chains, either of which need not be aromatic in nature. Chapter 3: Nature of Inter-Side Chain Interactions at Acyl-cisPro-Aro Sequences: Evidence for van der Waals Interactions Chapter 3 Section A: Investigation of nature of inter-side chain interactions in R-CO-cisPro-Phe-OMe Chapter 3 has two sections. Section A describes the systematic design and synthesis of Acyl-Pro-Phe-OMe homologues where first the steric bulk and hence the surface area of the aliphatic side chain of the acyl group is varied. Interaction of the phenyl ring of Phe seems to occur with the Cα-Cβ σ-bond of the acyl group. Branching at either Cα or Cβ seems to destabilize the cisPro rotamer. Aliphatic•••Aromatic interactions overwhelm the cisPro rotamer population to be greater than that of transPro. In the analogues where the acidity of the acyl Cα-H bond is increased, the Kc/t does not increase correspondingly. The Δδ(trans-cis) ppm shifts of HαAcyl protons are dependent exclusively on its acidity rather than on the Kc/t values. In carbamyl-Pro, which entirely lack the HαAcyl proton, the Kc/t values are significantly high and improve as the aliphatic surface on the alkoxy group increases. Introduction of benzyloxy carbamyl group at Pro renders almost the same Kc/t values as that of ethyloxy carbamate. All these data contradict the C-H•••π interaction model and strongly support a van der Waals type interaction between the Acyl (preceding cisPro) group’s Xα-Yβ σ-bond and the Aro or Alp side chains (succeeding cisPro). Chapter 3 Section B: Evidence for the Van der Waals nature of Inter Side Chain (Acyl•••S.C.Aro/Alp) interactions- Determination of Interactions energies In Section B, a thorough investigation of both aliphatic•••aliphatic and aliphatic•••aromatic interactions on the background of homologous Acyl-Pro-Aro/Alp-OMe peptide models is undertaken. These models uniquely allow the delineation of contribution of the van der Waals interactions and the ring current effects to the cis/trans isomerization in these peptides. We see that the energy of the van der Waals component of these aliphatic•••aliphatic and aliphatic…aromatic interactions increase linearly with increase in Kc/t, in both DMSO-d6 and D2O. On other hand, energy from the ring current effects largely remains invariant. The Acyl•••Aro/Alp interactions are not hydrophobic and are facilitated by conformational effects. Chapter 4: Crystallographic evidence for van der Waals interaction-mediated stabilization of cisPro conformers Chapter 4 Section A: Systematic crystallization and crystal structure analyses of homologous Xaa-cisPro-Alp and Xaa-cisPro-Aro rotamers: Evidence for van der Waals interactions Chapter 4 has two sections, both of which present crystallographic evidence for the van der Waals nature of the Xaa•••Aro interactions at Xaa-cisPro-Aro sequences. Section A describes the unique crystal structures of five of the Acyl-Pro-Alp-OMe analogues that have been synthesized in the current study. All of them remarkably crystallize with two features: 1) the Acyl-Pro peptide bond adopts the cisPro rotamer in all; and 2) the aliphatic side chains of the acyl group and the Alp side chain are involved in van der Waals type interactions. The cisPro rotamers of even the bulkiest motifs, namely Ibu-Pro-Val-OMe, Piv-Pro-Ile-OMe and Piv-Pro-Leu-OMe crystallize, stabilized by van der Waals packing between aliphatic groups of the acyl and the Leu/Ile/Val side chains. Where the side chains are not long enough to make sub-van der Waals contacts with each other, their acyl C′-Cα σ-bond rotations are restricted due to Oσ* interactions involving the charge on the acyl carbonyl O. Where this occurs, the short space between the acyl and Alp side chains are filled in by aliphatic groups from neighbouring molecules at sub van der Waals distances. The Pro, Alp and χ1(Alp) dihedral angles are restricted to narrow range of values, irrespective of the length of Alp side chain, indicating that this backbone conformation is a conformational minimum when i+3i backbone H-bond is removed, with Pro at the i+1st position. This is further substantiated in Piv-Pro-Gly-OMe, which crystallizes in trans-Pro form, but still adopts similar backbone dihedral angles in spite of lacking any Alp side chain for interactions with the acyl group. Three of the Acyl-Pro-Aro-OMe models also crystallize in cisPro rotamer forms – both exhibit van der Waals type contacts between the Acyl group and backbone of Phe, rather than the aromatic ring of Phe. The phenyl ring of Phe may or may not form intramolecular Ph•••Pro inter-side chain contacts – which is not a pre-requisite for cisPro stabilization. No C-H••• interactions are observed anywhere in these peptides – van der Waals type contacts alone predominate in all cases. There are no abnormal distortions in bond angles or lengths even in the most sterically hindered cases, signifying that the conformations of these cisPro rotamers involving aliphatic•••aliphatic type contacts are natural minima. Chapter 4 Section B: Mining the PDB for Statistical Evidence of van der Waals interactions Section B of chapter 4 describes the data mining and statistical analyses of Xaa-cisPro-Phe, Xaa-cisPro-Val and Xaa-cisProLeu sequences in the PDB. The PEARL program was used to mine the PDB data. The overall frequency of 5.3% for appearance of cisPro among all Xaa-Pro peptide bonds, improves when Xaa is Phe or Tyr. However, several anomalies highlight the need for refining the analyses set to only those sequences where the side chains of Xaa and Aro/Alp face each other. In this refined set, clearly, inter side chain Xaa•••Alp/Aro contacts take precedence over even Aro•••Pro interactions at Aro-cisPro sequences (where Xaa is Aro). The Phe and the Leu side chains induce similar conformational effects on the preceding Xaa-Pro backbone. So does Val. Strong aliphatic•••aliphatic inter side chain contacts at van der Waals distances are observed to flank cisPro in several proteins. Substitution at the Cα of Xaa governs the proximity of the approaching side chain of Alp / Aro residue. The Cα-H of Xaa steers away from the Aro side chain at Xaa-Pro-Phe sequences, as the Aro group gets closer to it – implying the absence of ordered C-H••• contacts between them. There is consistent parallel alignment between Cα-Cβ -bond of Xaa and the C -C bond of the approaching side chain of Alp or Aro group – clearly highlighting the presence of van der Waals type interactions between them. All these evidences clearly point towards the van der Waals nature of local interactions at cisPro-Aro/Alp peptide sequences. Chapter 5: A novel 4-carbon covalent surrogate model for peptide H-Bond Chapter 5 describes the design and synthesis of novel 4-carbon covalent surrogates for the peptide H-bond (HBS). These surrogates would allow the unique constraining of two peptide strands in their extended conformations. The covalent HBS contain four orthogonal functional groups for independent extension at all of the four ends – similar to an endogenous inter-strand peptide H-bond. The synthesis of the surrogate is achieved by directly using natural chiral amino acid derivatives, beginning from amino alcohols obtained from reduction of desired amino acids. Suitably N-protected alcohols undergo oxidation to aldehyde followed by Grignard addition of allyl magnesium bromide, TBDMS protection of the homoallylic alcohol and reductive ozonolysis of the olefin to get a primary alcohol which is subject to Fukuyama-Mitsunobu reaction with desire protected peptide. The residue preferences that produce strongest inter-strand H-bonds were explored. The designed 4-carbon covalent HBS was incorporated using this methodology in a Gramicidin-S analogue, its first structural mimic containing only a single turn motif. This HBS model will have wide applications for constraining peptides in a number of secondary structures.

Le développement de plans synthétiques de molécules de complexité variable qui utilise des réactifs aisés d’accès et qui sont économes en atomes et en étapes est constamment au cœur des préoccupations du chimiste organicien pour accroître la diversité moléculaire de façon efficace et éco-responsable. La catalyse par les métaux de transition a permis de faire des progrès considérables dans la construction et la fonctionnalisation combinées d’hétérocycles d’intérêt à valeur ajoutée dans les sciences des produits naturels et les industries pharmaceutiques et phytosanitaires. Le principe synthétique consiste en l’enchaînement de processus standards élémentaires de transformations chimiques en un seul pot au sein de la sphère catalytique métallique. Un axe de progrès contemporain repose en particulier sur l’incorporation de processus de métallation catalytique de liaisons C-CO2H et C-H. Les travaux de thèse s’inscrivent dans ce jeune domaine de recherche initié au cours de la dernière décennie par plusieurs équipes de recherche dont celle de Jieping Zhu de l’école polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne compte parmi les pionnières et les plus actives. Ils ont visé notamment à implémenter consécutivement aux processus standards de carbopalladation intramoléculaire d’ortho-halogéno allénamides de Grigg de construction d’hétérocycles azotés très variés, d’une part des réactions d’allylation directe de la liaison C-H d’hétérocycles et d’énamides et d’autre part d’allylation décarboxylante d’acides propioliques. Après avoir évalué la réactivité des complexes pi-allypalladium conjugués à un atome d’azote dans la réaction, l’allylation directe de la laison C-H d’oxadiazoles et de 1,3-diazoles à fort caractère acide ainsi que des énamides, des séquences originales de construction et d’hétéroarylation combinées pallado-catalysées d’isoquinolinones et d’indoles ont été établies. Un protocole séquencé conduit en un seul pot et basé sur la génération in situ des allénamides, qui ne sont plus isolées, suivie de la réaction de construction et d’hétéroarylation combinées pallado-catalysée a ensuite été mis au point. Il a été exploité pour la préparation d’indoles, 1(2H)-isoquinoléïnones, isoquinoléïnes mais également des hétérocycles de taille supérieure, benzo-(2H)-azépine et benzo-(2H)-azocine intégrant des oxadiazoles et oxa(thia)zoles. Une première étude d’extension du concept synthétique a finalement été ciblée sur la construction et la propargylation combinée de la large gamme d’hétérocycles azotés obtenus précédemment en utilisant les acides propioliques comme partenaire de couplage. / The design of efficient and eco-friendly atom and step-economical synthetic plans of molecules using highly available starting materials is one of major objectives of organic chemist. Transition metal catalysis has allowed a bold step to build and functionalize consecutively, through a one-pot reaction, major nitrogen-containing heterocycles which are broadly present into numerous natural products, pharmaceutics and agrochemicals. The catalysis is based upon tandem inner-sphere elemental chemical transformations and one of major current challenge is to implement catalytic metallation of C-CO2H and C-H bonds. Involved in this young field of research initiated since the past decade from sevaral groups including pioneering and high active Jieping Zhu team of the Polytechnic School of Lausanne, the present study has been directed towards the design of innovative palladium-catalyzed domino Grigg nitrogen-containing heterocycles building through ortho-halogeno allenamides intramolecular carbopalladation process followed by direct C-H allylation of heterocycles and enamides or direct decarboxylative allylation of propiolic acids. After demonstrating the reactivity of nitrogen-conjugated pi-allypalladium complex in direct C-H allylation of acidic heterocycles, first palladium-catalyzed tandem build and heteroarylation of 1(2H)-isoquinoleinone and indole from ortho-halogeno allenamides was first envisaged. Efforts were next directed to the setting up of a one-pot protocol including in situ generation of allenamide followed by palladium-catalyzed domino building and functionalization of heterocycles. It was then hugely evaluated to the preparation of indole, 1(2H)-isoquinoleinones, isoquinolins as well as high-membred ring heterocycles such as benzo-(2H)-azepine and benzo-(2H)-azocine embedding with oxadiazoles and oxa(thia)zoles. An first extended synthetic concept towards the palladium-catalyzed tandem build and propargylation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles using sevral propiolic acids as coupling partners.

We describe an iron-catalyzed asymmetric oxidative C−C coupling of diarylamines which proceeds at room temperature with air as final oxidant. Using hexadecafluorophthalocyanine-iron(II) as catalyst in the presence of catalytic amounts of an axially chiral biaryl phosphoric acid, the resulting chiral 2,2′-diamino-1,1′-biaryls are obtained in up to 90 % ee as confirmed by chiral HPLC. A detailed mechanism has been proposed with a radical cation-chiral phosphate ion pair as key intermediate leading to the observed asymmetric induction.

Die vorliegende Dissertation präsentiert eine detaillierte quantenchemische Untersuchung der H-Abstraktion von Methan durch MgO und Li dotiertes MgO. Motiviert wurde die durch das UniCat-Excellenz-Cluster, welches sich zum Ziel gesetzt hat, die oxidative Kupplung von Methan (OCM) im Detail zu verstehen. Basierend auf der Hypothese, dass Li+O•– Spezies für den H-Abstraktion Schritt verantwortlich sind, wurden kleine kationische MgO- und Li dotierte MgO-Cluster (die O•– Sites modellieren) untersucht. Zur Erstellung von möglichst realen Gasphasen-Modell-Systemen, wurde die globalen Minima der Gasphasencluster mittels eines genetischen Algorithmus bestimmt. Zum Vergleich wurden auch die Strukturen von neutralen MgO-Cluster bestimmt, um eventuelle strukturelle Unterschiede zu erkennen. Anschließend wurden die optimierten Cluster in Bezug auf ihre Eignung zur C-H-Bindungsaktivierung von Methan untersucht. Die Verwendung von kleinen Cluster-Größen ermöglicht es, die Reaktion im Detail zu studieren und verschiedene Methoden der Berechnung zu vergleichen. Die Ergebnisse für die kleinen Cluster wurden anschließend mit realistischeren Modellen verglichen, die eine genauere Beschreibung der Li dotierten Oberflächen ermöglichen, wie zum Beispiel non-embedded und embedded-Cluster und slab Modelle. Unerwartete Ergebnisse für die Betrachtung der Li+O•– Spezies haben zur Untersuchung von zusätzliche Arten von Defekten in MgO (wie niedrig koordinierten O2-Seiten, O-Leerstellen mit unterschiedlicher Ladung und Verunreinigungen) geführt, die als aktive Zentren in OCM fungieren können. Insbesondere wurden morphologische Defekte und verschiedene Arten von F Zentren untersucht. Die Aktivierung von Methan an defekten MgO-Oberflächen wurde innerhalb eines Cluster-Ansatzes untersucht und durch periodische Berechnungen mittels periodic slab models verifiziert. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit vorhandenen experimentellen Daten verglichen. / This work presents a detailed quantum chemical (mostly DFT) study of H abstraction from methane by MgO and Li doped MgO. It is motivated by the UniCat effort to understand the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). Based on the hypothesis that an Li+O•– species is responsible for the H abstraction step in OCM small cationic MgO and Li doped MgO clusters (which model O•– sites) were investigated. Because we were interested in real gas phase model systems the global minimum structures of (MgO)n+ and LiO(MgO)n-1 clusters were first determined (by means of genetic algorithm) and then used in subsequent reactivity studies. To check if there are any structural differences between neutral and cationic MgO clusters the neutral species were studied as well. After structure determination, the activation of methane by the O•– radical sites was investigated. The small cluster sizes enabled to study the reaction in detail and to compare different methods of calculations. The results were verified by comparison with more realistic models that mimic Li doped MgO surface, like non-embedded and embedded clusters and slab models. However, unexpected results for the Li+O•– sites led to the consideration of additional types of sites in MgO that may be active for OCM – such as low-coordinated O2- sites, O vacancies with different charge and impurity defects. In particular morphological defects and different types of F centers were investigated. Methane activation by defective MgO surface was studied by a cluster approach and then followed by periodic calculations on periodic slab models. The results were compared to existing experimental data.

Hochvalente Metal-oxo-, -peroxo- und -nitrenzentren später Übergangsmetalle werden als reaktive Intermediate vieler technologisch interessanter und biologischer Transformationsreaktionen wie die Oxidation von Kohlenwasserstoffen, Hydroxylierung, Aminierung, Aziridierung und Sauerstoffreduktion angenommen. Die Isolierung und Charakterisierung solcher Intermediate, wenngleich sie sich schwierig gestaltet, kann wichtige Informationen zum Mechanismus solcher Reaktionen liefern und kann somit zu einer gezielten Optimierung und Herstellung von verbesserten Katalysatoren genutzt werden. In dieser Arbeit wurden drei unterschiedliche Intermediate – Eisenoxo , Kobaltperoxo- und Kupfernitrenkomplexe – näher untersucht. Es konnte in dieser Arbeit gezeigt werden, dass die Reaktivität der hier untersuchten hoch-valenten reaktiven Intermediate maßgeblich abhängig vom Ligandsystem, dem Zentralmetall und dem verwendeten Oxidationsmittel sind. / High-valent metal-oxo, -peroxo and -nitrene cores of late transition metals have been proposed as reactive intermediates in transformations that are both technologically attractive and fundamental for the functioning of biological systems, like the activation of C−H bonds in hydrocarbons and the reduction of dioxygen. The isolation and characterization of such species, despite being challenging, provides valuable information about the mechanisms of the reactions performed and can help in the design of improved catalysts. In this work, three different kinds of intermediates were studied, namely iron-oxo, cobalt-peroxo and copper-nitrenes. Several new reactive species were isolated and spectroscopically characterized, and their reactivity was thoroughly investigated. It was shown that the reactivity patterns of the high-valent reactive intermediates here studied depend greatly on subtle changes in the ligand system, the metal center and the oxidant employed.