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In the present manuscript, we easily synthesized three different types of ionic liquid supported 3-quinuclidinone organocatalysts such as [PyAmEQ][BF4] (Py-CATALYST-1), [PyAmEQ][PF6] (Py-CATALYST-2), and [PyAmEQ][NTf2] (Py-CATALYST-3). After performing the careful characterization of the above catalysts with sophisticated analytical techniques, we utilized them as a catalyst to study the passive Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. The corresponding Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts were easily isolated, followed by the simple ether extraction method. Moreover, the above protocol also promoted low catalyst loading, short reaction time, wide substrate scope, easy product, and catalyst recycling. We easily recycled the catalytic system for 5 runs with no noticeable loss in the chemical yield. Additionally, Py-CATALYST-3 was also used to prepare biologically active materials, i.e., N-((E,3S,4R)-5-benzylidene-tetrahydro-4-hydroxy-6-oxo- 2H-pyran-3-yl) palmitamide derivatives.

α3β4 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) has been recognized as an emerging biomarker for the early detection of drug addiction. Herein, α3β4 nAChR ligands were designed and synthesized to improve the binding affinity and selectivity of two lead compounds, (S)-QND8 and (S)-T2, for the development of an α3β4 nAChR tracer. The structural modification was achieved by retaining the key features and expanding the molecular structure with a benzyloxy group to increase the lipophilicity for blood-brain barrier penetration and to extend the ligand-receptor interaction. The preserved key features are a fluorine atom for radiotracer development and a p-hydroxyl motif for ligand-receptor binding affinity. Four (R)- and (S)-quinuclidine-triazole (AK1-AK4) were synthesized and the binding affinity, together with selectivity to α3β4 nAChR subtype, were determined by competitive radioligand binding assay using [3H]epibatidine as a radioligand. Among all modified compounds, AK3 showed the highest binding affinity and selectivity to α3β4 nAChR with a Ki value of 3.18 nM, comparable to (S)-QND8 and (S)-T2 and 3069-fold higher affinity to α3β4 nAChR in comparison to α7 nAChR. The α3β4 nAChR selectivity of AK3 was considerably higher than those of (S)-QND8 (11.8-fold) and (S)-T2 (294-fold). AK3 was shown to be a promising α3β4 nAChR tracer for further development as a radiotracer for drug addiction.

Guided by an interest to develop new cholinesterase-acting drugs with better biological activity and bioavailability, we have synthesized 14 quaternary quinuclidine compounds with the variation in N-alkyl chain length and incorporation of alcohol or oxime headgroup at the position 3 of the quinuclidine ring. SwissADME interface was used to determine basic physicochemical properties and to evaluate whether tested compounds interact with selected enzymes of the cytochrome P450 system, which could affect their metabolism. Most of the tested quinuclidines complied with the Lipinski's rule-of-five ensuring their drug-likeness properties. Exceptions were noticed for bisquaternary 3-hydroxy and 3- hydroxyimino compounds with C8 and C10 alkyl chains which exceed the number of rotating bonds and topological polar surface area compared to the recommended values. Furthermore, it was estimated that all compounds except 3-hydroxyimino compound with C16 alkyl chain have an ability to cross the blood brain barrier and favorable properties for gastrointestinal absorption. However, all tested quinuclidines have either negative logP value or below 1.5, indicating low lipophilicity and therefore low potential to be passively transported across biological barriers. According to computer prediction quinuclidines with a long side alkyl chain (C12 and C14) inhibit CYP2D6 that may be one of the causes of pharmacokinetics- related drug-drug interactions leading to toxic or other unwanted adverse effects. Understanding how combination of different functionalities in a molecule affects its physicochemical properties represents a good starting point for further biological research of activity and toxicity.

34 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a receptor involved in drug-seeking behavior, has been recognized as the emerging biomarker for early detection of the drug addiction. Herein, 34 nAChR ligands were designed and synthesized to improve binding affinity and selectivity of two lead compounds, (S)-QND8 and (S)-T2 for the development of an 34 nAChR tracer. Structural modification was achieved by retaining the key features and expanding the molecular structure with a benzyloxy group to increase the lipophilicity for blood brain barrier penetration and to extend the ligand-receptor interaction. The preserved key features are a fluorine atom for a radiotracer development and a p-hydroxyl motif for ligand-receptor binding affinity. Four (R)- and (S)-quinuclidine-triazole (AK1-AK4) were synthesized and the binding affinity together with selectivity to 34 nAChR subtype were determined by competitive radioligand binding assay using [3H]epibatidine as a radioligand. Among all modified compounds, AK3 showed highest binding affinity and selectivity to 34 nAChR with a Ki value of 3.17 nM, comparable to (S)-QND8 and (S)-T2 and 3109-fold higher affinity to 34 nAChR in comparison to 7 nAChR. The 34 nAChR selectivity of AK3 was tremendously higher than those of (S)-QND8 (11.8-fold) and (S)-T2 (294-fold). AK3 is the promising 34 nAChR tracer for further development as a radiotracer for drug addiction.

Kvarterne amonijeve soli koriste se kao biološki indikatori, surfaktanti i terapeutici te se često nalaze u sastavu raznih kozmetičkih proizvoda, primjerice šampona i sapuna. Osim toga, sve je češća primjena kvarternih amonijevih soli kao antiseptika te kao antimikrobnih agensa. U svrhu daljnjih bioloških istraživanja, sintetizirani su (R)- i (S)-enantiomeri kvarterne amonijeve soli 3-aminokinuklidina. Kinuklidin je biciklički spoj koji u premoštenju sadrži dušikov atom koji je radi svoje bazičnosti podložan reakciji kvaternizacije, a 3-aminokinuklidin je supstituirani kinuklidin s amino skupinom na trećem ugljikovom atomu. Za kvaternizaciju enantiomera korišten je 1-bromtetradekan. Navedeni alkil-halogenid ima atom broma koji je u reakciji kvaternizacije dobra izlazna skupina. Nastali enantiomeri su bijele krutine dobivene u dobrom iskorištenju. Čistoća novosintetiziranih kvarternih amonijevih soli je analizirana i potvrđena tehnikom tankoslojne kromatografije., Quarternary ammonium salts are used as biological indicators, surfactants and therapeutics, and they are commonly found in many cosmetic products such as shampoos and soaps. Furthermore, quarternary ammonium salts are increasingly used as antiseptics and antimicrobial agents. For the purpose of further biological research, the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of the quarternary ammonium salt 3-aminoquinuclidine were synthesized. Quinuclidine is a bicyclic compound with a bridgehead nitrogen atom that is subject to quaternization due to its basicity, and 3-aminoquinuclidine is a supstituted quinuclidine with an amino group on the third carbon atom. For the quaternization of enantiomers, 1-bromotetradecane has been used. The used alkyl halide contains a bromine atom which in a reaction of quaternization acts as a good leaving group. The products are white solids obtained in good yields. The purity of the newly synthesized quarternary ammonium salts was analysed and confirmed by thin layer chromatography.

Hydrogen-atom-transfer (HAT) is an efficient way for direct C H functionalization of inert C H bonds, therefore it has attracted great interests in recent years. So far, various HAT catalysts have been developed. Among them, quinuclidine and its derivatives show different characters toward other HAT catalysts as they tend to abstract electron-rich and hydridic hydrogens in the presence of weak and neutral C H bonds. These features enable direct C H functionalization of compounds with various groups which are unable or difficult by other methods. This review summarizes recent advance of photoinduced reactions with quinuclidine and its derivatives as HAT catalysts and exhibits powerful synthetic potential by using quinuclidine and its derivatives as HAT catalysts.

Radioactive iodine (131I) released from nuclear power plants has been a critical environmental concern for workers. The effective trapping of radioactive iodine isotopes from the off-gas stream generated from nuclear facilities is an important issue in radioactive waste treatment systems evaluation. Numerous studies on retaining methyl iodide (CH3I131) by impregnated activated carbons under the high content of moisture have been extensively studied so far. But there have been no good results on how to remove methyl iodide at high humid conditions up to now. A new challenge is to introduce other promising impregnating chemical agents that are able to uptake enough radioactive methyl iodide under high humid conditions. In order to develop a good removal efficiency to control radioiodine gas generated from a high humid process, activated carbons (ACs) impregnated with triethylene diamine (TEDA) and qinuclidine (QUID) were prepared. In addition, the removal efficiencies of the activated carbons (ACs) under humid conditions up to 95% RH were evaluated by applying the standard method specified in ASTM-D3808. Quinuclidine impregnated activated carbon showed a much higher decontamination factor above 1,000, which is enough to meet the regulation index for the iodine filters in nuclear power plants (NPPs).

Site-selective oxidations of carbohydrates, employing acridinium photocatalysis and quinuclidine hydrogen atom transfer catalysis, are presented. Protocols have been developed for oxidations of all-equatorial carbohydrates as well as those containing cis-1,2-diols. Site-selectivity reflects the relative rates of hydrogen atom transfer from the carbohydrate C-H bonds, and can be enhanced using a phosphate hydrogen-bonding or boronic acid catalyst.

Recent experimental work reported that visible-light photoredox catalysis coupled with primary sulfonamides and electron-deficient alkenes could efficiently construct C-C bonds at the α-position of primary amine derivatives under mild conditions. Here, a systematic study was conducted to explore the non-negligible excited-state single-electron-transfer (SET) processes and the catalytic cycle. Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalysis containing different site-selective functionalization, involved as a critical process during the reaction, was computationally characterized. The superiorities of iridium-based photoredox catalysts in terms of photoabsorption properties, phosphorescence rates, and electron-transfer rates for SET processes were focused on. In addition, the function of quinuclidine in the entire photocatalytic reaction was also probed. These intrinsic properties and detailed insights into the mechanism are supposed to be helpful to the understanding of the C-C bond functionalization reaction and the future application of the iridium-based photoredox catalyst.

The title complex is a triple-stranded metallohelicate organized by the self-assembly of 5,17-difunctionalized calix[4]arenes and metal cations with octahedral coordination geometry. Due to hydrophilic triethylene glycol chains on the lower rim of the calix[4]arene, the metallohelicate can encapsulate cationic guests in water. NMR and UV-vis titration experiments reveal that the metallohelicate captures a pyridinium guest with an alanine derivative to form a host-guest complex with a host-guest ratio of 1 : 1. CD spectroscopy confirms the bias of the P- and M-helical sense of the metallohelicate by the captured guest. The metallohelicate captures two molecules of dicationic N,N'-dimethyl-DABCO and monocationic N-methyl quinuclidine, exhibiting a positive allosteric effect. 1 H NMR titration experiments indicate that the bound guests are in close proximately to the aromatic rings of the ligands. Molecular mechanics calculations based on the UV-vis and NMR observations suggest that the first guest preorganizes the conformation of the metallohelicate to facilitate access of the second guest to the cavity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: NALCN is a Na(+) leak, GPCR‐activated channel that regulates the resting membrane potential and neuronal excitability. Despite numerous possible roles for NALCN in both normal physiology and disease processes, lack of specific blockers hampers further investigation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The effect of N‐benzhydryl quinuclidine compounds on NALCN channels was demonstrated using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings in HEK293T cells overexpressing NALCN and acutely isolated nigral dopaminergic neurons that express NALCN endogenously. Src kinase activity was measured using a Src kinase assay kit, and voltage and current‐clamp recordings from nigral dopaminergic neurons were used to measure NALCN currents and membrane potentials. KEY RESULTS: N‐benzhydryl quinuclidine compounds inhibited NALCN channels without affecting TRPC channels, another important route for Na(+) leak. In HEK293T cells overexpressing NALCN, N‐benzhydryl quinuclidine compounds potently suppressed muscarinic M(3) receptor‐activated NALCN currents. Structure–function relationship studies suggest that the quinuclidine ring with a benzhydryl group imparts the ability to inhibit NALCN currents regardless of Src family kinases. Moreover, N‐benzhydryl quinuclidine compounds inhibited not only GPCR‐activated NALCN currents but also background Na(+) leak currents and hyperpolarized the membrane potential in native midbrain dopaminergic neurons that express NALCN endogenously. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that N‐benzhydryl quinuclidine compounds have a pharmacological potential to directly inhibit NALCN channels and could be a useful tool to investigate functions of NALCN channels.

The compound [(CH3)2CH-C3H17N][CoBr4] (1) based on quinuclidine derivatives was achieved by the solution synthetic method and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray structural analysis and dielectric measurement, respectively. Variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction suggested that the compound underwent the phase transition from the space group C2/c to Cc. The polarization curve was measured using the Sawyer-Tower circuit. The structural phase transitions of 1 was ascribed to the distortion of a [(CH3)2CH-C3H17N]2+ cation from this inorganic–organic hybrid material [(CH3)2CH-C3H17N][CoBr4]. The strong change in dielectric anomalies makes compound 1 a suitable candidate for promising switchable dielectric materials. This work represents a feasible strategy thought for the targeted harvesting of low temperature ferroelectrics.

Cationic Lewis acids (LAs) are gaining interest as targets for frustrated Lewis pair (FLP)-mediated catalysis. Unlike neutral boranes, which are the most prevalent LAs for FLP hydrogenations, the Lewis acidity of cations can be tuned through modulation of the counteranion; however, detailed studies on such anion effects are currently lacking in the literature. Herein, we present experimental and computational studies which probe the mechanism of H2 activation using iPr3SnOTf (1-OTf) in conjunction with a coordinating (quinuclidine; qui) and noncoordinating (2,4,6-collidine; col) base and compare its reactivity with {iPr3Sn·base}­{Al­[OC­(CF3)3]4} (base = qui/col) systems which lack a coordinating anion to investigate the active species responsible for H2 activation and hence resolve any mechanistic roles for OTf– in the iPr3SnOTf-mediated pathway.

Chalcogen-bonding interactions of SF4 with the polycyclic amines DABCO (C6H12N2) and HMTA (C6H12N4) were studied by low-temperature Raman spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, revealing the 2:1 adducts C6H12N2·2SF4 and C6H12N4·2SF4 obtained from SF4 solvent. In C6H12N2·2SF4, the sulfur in each SF4 molecule is pentacoordinate with each SF4 coordinated by a single amine group, whereas C6H12N4·2SF4 forms a one-dimensional coordination polymer with three of the four nitrogen atoms in HMTA exhibiting N---S chalcogen bonds: one terminal N---SF4 and one experimentally unprecedented bridging N---(SF4)---N moiety. Solvolysis of C6H12N2·2SF4 by HF yielded crystals of [C6H12N2H]+2F-[SF5]-·6SF4, in which SF4 acts as a chalcogen-bond donor toward N as well as F. Solvolysis of C6H12N4·2SF4 resulted in the formation of the monoprotonated HMTA salt [C6H12N4H]+[HF2]-·SF4. Excess HF also led to isolation of monoprotonated HTMA, as seen in the crystal structure of the [C6H12N4H]+[H2F3]-·HF salt. The reaction of bicyclic, monobasic quinuclidine with SF4 and HF gave [C7H13NH]+F-·3.5SF4, which contains N-H---F----SF4 interactions, as well as an interstitial, disordered SF4 molecule.

Molecular ferroelectrics are attracting tremendous interest because of their easy and environmental-friendly processing, low acoustic impedance, and mechanical flexibility. Their ferroelectric mechanism is mainly ascribed to the order-disorder transition of molecules such as spherical 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2] octane (DABCO) and quinuclidine. Here, we present two molecular ferroelectrics, [HDABCO][TFSA] and its deuterated one [DDABCO][TFSA] (TFSA = bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)ammonium), whose ferroelectricity is triggered by the proton ordering. This is the first time that the protons show a thermally fluctuated bistability with a double-well potential in DABCO-based ferroelectrics. A large deuterium isotope effect (ΔT = ∼53 K) not only proves that they are hydrogen-bonded ferroelectrics but also extends the ferroelectric working temperature range to room temperature. The superfast polarization switching of 100 kHz and ultralow coercive voltage of 1 V (far less than 5 V required for commercially available ferroelectric devices), benefiting from the low energy for proton transfer, allow [DDABCO][TFSA] a great potential for memory devices with low-voltage, high-speed operation. This work should inspire further exploration of hydrogen-bonded molecular ferroelectrics for flexible and wearable devices with the low-power information storage.

In our pursuit of developing a novel, potent, and selective cell division cycle 7 (Cdc7) inhibitor, we optimized the previously reported thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidinone analogue I showing time-dependent Cdc7 kinase inhibition and slow dissociation kinetics. These medicinal chemistry efforts led to the identification of compound 3d, which exhibited potent cellular activity, excellent kinase selectivity, and antitumor efficacy in a COLO205 xenograft mouse model. However, the issue of formaldehyde adduct formation emerged during a detailed study of 3d, which was deemed an obstacle to further development. A structure-based approach to circumvent the adduct formation culminated in the discovery of compound 11b (TAK-931) possessing a quinuclidine moiety as a preclinical candidate. In this paper, the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of this series of compounds will be presented.

Two-dimensional liquid chromatography requires orthogonal columns and/or separation principles in the first and second separation dimension. It is sometimes not straightforward to achieve. Chiral columns could expand the toolbox for 2D-LC, but are rarely exploited for this purpose, not least due to missing understanding of retention principles under non-chiral application conditions. To gain more insight, in this study Chiralpak ZWIX(+) and ZWIX(−), based on zwitterionic quinine and quinidine carbamate selectors, were carefully characterized by molecular dynamics simulations, lipophilicity/hydrophilicity measurements of selectors, pH-dependent ζ-potential determinations, and chromatographic characterization in RPLC and HILIC modes combined with unsupervised principal component analysis to extract classification of these columns in comparison to a number of commercial benchmarks (RP, HILIC and mixed-mode columns). The results showed that these chiral columns can be classified as mixed-mode chromatography phases with balanced lipophilic-hydrophilic surface character, excess of negative net charge due to sulfonic acid groups (in spite of weakly basic quinuclidine and quinoline rings), and multimodal applicability (RP, HILIC and polar organic elution modes). Orthogonality mapping in comparison to a number of modern HILIC and mixed-mode columns revealed that Poroshell HILIC-Z (with a zwitterionic ligand on 2.7 μm core-shell particles) can be beneficially combined as second dimension with the ZWIX column for comprehensive LC × LC. The online hyphenation of this 2D-LC system with complementary detection modalities including UV (DAD for chromophoric substances), charged aerosol detection (for universal detection and calibration of non-volatile analytes) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS/MS for identification) provided an advanced method for comprehensive impurity profiling, applicable for instance for amino acid pharmaceutical products.

Isosorbide bis(methyl carbonate) (IBMC) is a scarcely studied green chemical with potential applications in the manufacturing of non-isocyanate polyurethanes and bisphenol A-free polycarbonates. Its synthesis by transesterification of isosorbide with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is very negatively influenced by the presence of small amounts of acidic impurities in isosorbide when heterogeneous inorganic carbonates such as potassium and cesium carbonates are used as catalysts. In this paper it is shown that the problem can be solved by using homogeneous catalysts consisting of nitrogenated bases and superbases having a suitable dual nucleophilic–basic character and able to form a highly reactive acyl intermediate with the electrophilic reactant DMC. Cycloaliphatic secondary and tertiary amines, guanidines and amidines covering a nucleophilicity parameter (N) range between 13.58 and 20.58 in either acetonitrile or dichloromethane, and a pKa range in acetonitrile between 15.68 and 26.02 have been tested in batchwise mode. Highly active catalysts leading to hydroxyl conversions of 84–93% require a minimum N of 16 and a pKa ranging from 18.0 to 26.0. Within this pKa range, N must increase by about 0.5–0.6 units per each unit the pKa falls to keep the catalytic activity, indicating that nucleophilicity has approximately twice as much influence as basicity on the catalytic activity. One guanidine (TBD), one amidine (DBN) and three cycloaliphatic secondary amines (N-methylpyrrolidine, quinuclidine and DABCO) have been found to be excellent catalysts at 5 mol% vs. ISO. The side reaction leading to oligomer formation is not avoided, with oligomers, mainly the dimer, affording 6 wt% of the crude product independently of hydroxyl-conversion and catalyst type. This paper is a part of the research carried out within the VIPRISCAR project which has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 790440. The JU receives support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Bio Based Industries Consortium. Thanks are due to research teams involved in VIPRISCAR project for valuable discussion during project meetings: Dr Stefaan De Wildeman et al. (B4Plastics, Belgium), Dr Yaying Chen et al. (Exergy, UK), Dr Daniel Klein et al. (Jowat SE, Germany), Mrs Elena Benedetti et al. (AEP Polymers, Italy), Dr Erasmo Cadena et al. (Vertech Group, France), Dr Jos´e-Mar´ıa Cuevas (Gaiker IK4, Spain) and Dr Sandra Medel (Leitat, Spain). Thanks are also due to Mr Robert Kirschbaum (SakuragiConsult) and Mr Alan Patrick Giles (Rawlings Giles), members of the VIPRISCAR's Advisory Board for valuable advices about market issues. Special acknowledgment is due to Dr Soraya Prieto (Tecnalia) for smooth project management.

Listeriosis is a serious disease caused by food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium is found in soil and surface water samples, but can also be found in dairy products, meat and seafood. Membrane-active antimicrobials such as quaternary ammonium salts (QASs), represent an important class of bacteriostatic and biocidal amphiphilic agents that are widely used in daily life. Given the widespread use of QASs, there have been reports of L. monocyogenes isolates resistant to these compounds. Here, we present the synthesis of a new series of quaternary amidoquinuclidine salts with potent antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes. The antibacterial activity was determined for bacteria in the form of suspension and biofilm in the low micromolar range. The newly synthesized 3- aminoquinuclidines (C10, C12, C14, and C16) were quaternized with allyl or methyl substituents. We found that regardless of the type of substituent, the derivatives with longer alkyl chains had minimal inhibitory concentrations against L. monocytogenes that were almost identical to those of the standards (BAB, CPC, and cefotaxime). The identified candidates had low toxicity to healthy human cell lines with potent genotoxic activity against bacterial cells. In addition to the mechanism of action, we demonstrated that these agents target the cell membrane and cause membrane perforation and cell death. Parallel artificial membrane permeability assays mimicking human skin showed that candidates with longer alkyl chains did not penetrate the membrane, highlighting their potential application as disinfectants against this and other highly pathogenic bacteria.

Oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) are considered a suitable nanotechnological approach to improve the eye-related bioavailability of lipophilic drugs. The potential of cationic NEs is prominent due to the electrostatic interaction that occurs between the positively charged droplets with the negatively charged mucins present in the tear film. This interaction offers prolonged NEs residence at the ocular surface, increasing the drug absorption. Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is one of the first pharmacologic strategies applied as an intravitreal injection in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Newly synthesized quaternary derivatives of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and quinuclidine surfactants have been screened with the purpose to select the best compound to formulate long-term stable NEs that combine the best physicochemical properties for the loading of TA intended for ocular administration., This work was funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCTES), European Social Fund (FSE) of EU, for the scholar ship SFRH/BD/130555/2017 granted to A. R. Fernandes, and for the projects UIDB/04469/2020 (CEB strategic fund) and UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB), co-funded by European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) and FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Quaternary derivatives of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and of quinuclidine surfactants were used to develop oil-in-water nanoemulsions with the purpose of selecting the best long-term stable nanoemulsion for the ocular administration of triamcinolone acetonide (TA). The combination of the best physicochemical properties (i.e., mean droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, osmolality, viscoelastic properties, surface tension) was considered, together with the cell viability assays in ARPE-19 and HMC3 cell lines. Surfactants with cationic properties have been used to tailor the nanoemulsions surface for site-specific delivery of drugs to the ocular structure for the delivery of TA. They are tailored for the eye because they have cationic properties that interact with the anionic surface of the eye., Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCTES), European Social Fund (FSE) of the EU, for the scholarship SFRH/BD/130555/2017 granted to A. R. Fernandes, and for the projects UIDB/04469/2020 (CEB strategic fund) and UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB), co-funded by European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) and FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020, info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Unprecedented catalyst-controlled divergent cyclizations of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates have been established using either Cs2CO3 or quinuclidine as the catalyst. 1,2-Dihydroquinolines and 4H-3,1-benzoxazines were efficiently synthesized via SN2' and SN2'-SN2' processes, respectively. DFT calculations have led to a deeper understanding of these reaction modes and chemoselectivity.

A novel radical 1,4/5-amino shift from the oxygen center of alkene-tethered diphenyl ketoxime ethers to the carbon center to achieve high value-added fluoroalkyl-containing primary β(γ)-amino-ketones is reported. Mechanism studies reveal that the migration is triggered by the alkene addition of fluoroalkyl radical derived from the electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex of Togni's reagent II or fluoroalkyl iodides and quinuclidine, and involves a unique 5(6)-exo-trig cyclization of the carbon-centered radical onto the N-atom of ketoxime ethers followed by a cascade sequence of N-O bond cleavage and dehydrogenation. Notably, besides Togni's reagent II and fluoroalkyl iodides, this protocol is also compatible with other radical precursors to provide various functionalized primary aminoketones.

An arguable expectation in halogen chemistry is that an amine will react oxidatively with an N-halosuccinimide (NXS) to form an N-halogenated species bearing a covalent N−X bond. While likely for NCS under most conditions, we find this expectation simply not true for NIS and largely inaccurate for NBS. Herein, we disclose evidence through systematic NMR and X-ray studies that non-covalent halogen bonded amine complexes of NIS predominate over covalent N-halogenated species, even with primary and secondary amines. For example, during the catalytic electrophilic halocyclization of gem-disubstituted alkenes by cinchona-like amines, the quinuclidine complexes of NIS and NBS display lower reactivity than their parent N-halosuccinamides and require the presence of an appropriate Brønsted acid. Specifically, a Brønsted acid and quinuclidine jointly catalyze the halo-cycloetherification of γ-alkenyl alcohols with NIS or NBS, while only quinuclidine acts as a catalyst in the halolactonization of γ-alkenoic acids. Although our evidence confirms a transient N-halogenated quaternary ammonium salt as the halonium species, it is important to note that NIS predominantly forms ‘off-cycle’ halogen bonded amine complexes in solution.

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is the most commonly utilized technique in controlled radical polymerization. However, the identification of more active catalysts could further increase its scope, both for polymerization and small-molecule synthesis more generally. To this end, a series of novel ligands were designed on the basis of two strategies: replacing nitrogen-based ligands with their phosphorus equivalents and rigidifying the ligand cap of nitrogen-based ligands so as to enforce short Cu-cap distances. Each ligand was assessed using accurate computational chemistry, which was used to compute the thermodynamics and, in selected cases, kinetics of an ATRP reaction with a model methyl methacrylate propagating radical. In principle, the use of phosphorus ligand caps was found to be a powerful strategy for increasing catalyst activity. Unfortunately, in practice, speciation issues sacrificed much of their advantage. In contrast, cap rigidification increases the activity of nitrogen-based ligands, well beyond existing ATRP ligands such as TPMANMe2. The effectiveness of these ligands was further demonstrated for hard-to-activate initiating systems based on ethylene, vinyl chloride, and vinyl acetate polymerization. Several of these improved ligands are synthetically accessible, with rigid piperidine or quinuclidine analogues of TPMANMe2 possessing improved thermodynamic and kinetic activity by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude.

Activated carbons (ACs) impregnated with triethylenediamine (TEDA) and quinuclidine (QD) are prepared for the removal of methyl iodide (CH3I) gas in the event of nuclear accidents. The effect of the tertiary amine loading (1, 5, and 10 wt.%) on the adsorption capability of the ACs is evaluated under dry and humid (RH 75%) conditions. Experimental evaluation of the 'breakthrough' combined with rigorous first-principles calculations enables us to identify the fundamental mechanism underlying the superior adsorption capability of QD to TEDA for real application, especially under humid conditions. The adsorption of CH3I by the impregnated ACs under dry conditions strongly depends on the physical properties (porosity) of the adsorbent. On the other hand, the chemical properties and the tertiary amine loading play dominant roles in CH3I adsorption at 75% RH. In particular, this study suggests a novel mechanism of the protonation reaction, rather than the already known alkylation of tertiary amines, to capture CH3I chemically under humid conditions. The molecular-level behavior of amines and water is a key factor for the enhanced adsorption of methyl iodide. The adsorbents developed herein can be applied to the efficient removal of radioactive methyl iodide in severe accidents.

Planar pyridyl N-oxides are encapsulated in mono-metallic PdII /PtII -cages based on a tetra-pyridyl calix[4]pyrrole ligand. The exchange dynamics of the cage complexes are slow on both the NMR chemical shift and EXSY timescales, but encapsulation of the guests by the cages is fast on the human timescale. A "French doors" mechanism, involving the rotation of the meso-phenyl walls of the cages, allows the passage of the planar guests. The encapsulation of quinuclidine N-oxide, a sterically more demanding guest, is slower than pyridyl N-oxides in the PdII -cage, and does not take place in the PtII counterpart. A modification of the encapsulation mechanism for the quinuclidine N-oxide is postulated that requires the partial dissociation of the PdII -cage. The substrate binding selectivity featured by the cages is related to their different guest uptake/release mechanisms.

A catalytic asymmetric strategy for the total synthesis of quinuclidine natural products, which includes the completed enantioselective synthesis of the classical targets quinine and quinidine is d ...

Theoretical calculations were performed to investigate the mechanism and enantioselectivity of cinchonine-thiourea-catalyzed intramolecular hetero-Diels-Alder cycloaddition of ethynylphenol derivatives to afford axial chirality naphthalenylpyran products via a vinylidene ortho-quinone methide (VQM) intermediate. The results show that this transformation occurs through a reaction pathway involving the deprotonation of the naphthol moiety by the quinuclidine base, intramolecular proton transfer in ammonium naphthalenolate, and [4+2] cycloaddition. It is found that the axial chirality of the VQM intermediate is generated by the protonation step, which affects the enantioselectivity of the reaction. The enantioselectivity for the generation of the VQM intermediate is controlled by steric repulsion with the cinchonine framework, which provides an R-axial chirality VQM as the major intermediate. Moreover, the enantioselectivity for the axial chirality of the naphthopyran product is controlled by the cycloaddition step, in which an extra hydrogen bond between the naphthalenol and cinchonine moieties leads to a favorable configuration for the generation of the S-axial chirality naphthopyran product. The calculated enantioselectivity and enantiomeric excesses coincide with experimental observations.

The crystal structures of three quinuclidine-based compounds, namely (1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-ylidene)hydrazine monohydrate, C7H13N3·H2O (1), 1,2-bis(1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-ylidene)hydrazine, C14H22N4 (2), and 1,2-bis(1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-ylidene)hydrazine dichloride, C14H24N4 2+·2Cl− (3), are reported. In the crystal structure of 1, the quinuclidine-substituted hydrazine and water molecules are linked through N—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming a two-dimensional array. The compound crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group P21/c. Compound 2 was refined in the space group Pccn and exhibits no hydrogen bonding. However, its hydrochloride form 3 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group Pc. It shows a three-dimensional network structure via intermolecular hydrogen bonding (N—H...C and N/C—H...Cl). Compound 3, with its acentric structure, shows strong second harmonic activity.

Asymmetric construction of quinuclidine derivatives has been realized by an iridium-catalyzed allylic dearomatization reaction. The catalytic system, derived from [Ir(cod)Cl] 2 and the Feringa ligand, tolerates a broad range of substrates. A large array of quinuclidine derivatives can be obtained under mild conditions in good to excellent yields (68%–96%), diastereoselectivity (up to >20/1 dr), and enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee). These products feature versatile functional group diversity and can undergo diverse transformations. A model that accounts for the origin of the stereoselectivity has been proposed based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

We designed and synthesized cinchona alkaloid derivates PMI-BnCPD, 1 and PMI-dHQD, 2, in which a fluorescent perylene monoimide unit is linked to the quinuclidine fragment. The latter acts as an electron donor, quenching the perylene imide fluorescence in polar solvents. In the organocatalytic application of these compounds, the electron donor is deactivated by binding to an electrophile, e.g. H+. We show that this restores the fluorescence, allowing the compounds to signal the electrophile binding step that occurs in many catalytic reactions. In order to demonstrate that charge transfer is indeed the fluorescence quenching mechanism, we detected the charge separated state by means of transient absorption spectroscopy. Incidentally, the excited state absorption bands of the locally excited and charge transfer states are very similar. The activity of the fluorophore labeled organocatalyst 1 in a fluorogenic Michael addition reaction is demonstrated.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are amphiphilic molecules displaying a broad-spectrum of antibacterial activity. QACs are commonly used antiseptics in industrial, home and hospital settings. Given the emergence of the QAC-resistant bacteria, there is an urgent need to design new QACs with good antimicrobial activity, able to escape the host resistance mechanism. Therefore, a series of QACs derived from quinuclidine-3-ol and an alkyl chain of variable length (QOH-C3 to -C14), was designed and synthesized. The antimicrobial potential of the new monoquaternary QACs was surveyed against seventeen strains of emerging food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, including clinical multidrug-resistant ESKAPE isolates. The QOH-C14 proved to have the strongest antimicrobial activity. It was highly active against all pathogens tested, particularly against the Gram-positive bacteria with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.06 to 3.9 μg/mL, and fungi exerting the MIC90 between 0.12 and 3.9 μg/mL. The potency of QOH-C14, confirmed that alkyl chains are an important part of the structure with their lengths playing a critical role in bioactivity of these compounds. The atomic force microscopy images show the disruption of a cell membrane upon the treatment with QOH-C14. These results were additionally confirmed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. A relatively low toxicity toward healthy human cells underline that QOH-C14 has a potential as new QAC antimicrobial candidate.

A practical enantioselective total synthesis of the unnatural (+)-quinine and (−)-9-epi-quinine enantiomers, which are important organocatalysts, is reported. The key transformation is a successive organocatalytic formal aza [3 + 3] cycloaddition/Strecker-type cyanation reaction to form an optically active tetrasubstituted piperidine derivative. This organocatalytic reaction proceeded in high yield and gave excellent enantiomeric excess with only 0.5 mol% catalyst loading. In addition, an imidate group, derived from a cyano group, was incorporated in the strategy for site-selective modification of the C4-alkyl chiral piperidine ring of quinine. Furthermore, an efficient coupling between the quinuclidine precursor and dihydroquinoline unit was achieved on a gram scale. The 15-step (LLS) synthetic protocol provided both (+)-quinine and (−)-9-epi-quinine, each with 16% overall yield.