A series of mono- and disubstituted cationic porphyrins (1-8) were synthesized and investigated for their ability to bind and cleave DNA in the presence of light. In these porphyrins, the cationic substituents were introduced at various peripheral positions, i.e., the non-meso positions of the porphyrin system. The modes of binding of these porphyrins to DNA were investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and an unwinding assay. The intrinsic binding constants Kb of these porphyrins to calf thymus DNA was found to be in the range 10(4)-10(5) M-1. Two of the zinc(II) complexes of non-meso-substituted cationic porphyrins (5 and 8) were found to bind to DNA via intercalation, which is in contrast to the previously reported outside-binding mode for the Zn(II) complexes of meso-substituted cationic porphyrins. Except for monocationic porphyrin 1 and Ni(II) dicationic porphyrin 6, all the other porphyrins were found to be efficient photocleavers of DNA. The DNA photocleavage characteristics of this series of cationic porphyrins were found to depend on the structural characteristics of the poprhyrins such as (a) length of the side chain of the cationic substituents (2 vs 4), (b) the position of the side chain on the porphyrin ring (4 vs 7), and (c) the presence of the chelating metal in 3, 5, and 8 as compared to the nonmetallo porphyrins 2, 4, and 7, respectively.

Methylpheophorbide-a (a chlorophyll a analog) was converted into methyl 131-deoxypyropheophorbide-a 2 in excellent yield. The Ni(II) complex of 2 on hydrogenation and subsequent Vilsmeier reaction with phosphorus oxychloride and 3-(N,N-dimethylamino)acrolein produced Ni(II) methyl 20-(2-formylvinyl)-131-deoxypyropheophorbide-a 4. In contrast to other synthetic and naturally occurring isobacteriochlorins, the isobacteriochlorin obtained by acid-catalyzed cyclization of 4 was found to be unstable and oxidized to the corresponding benzochlorin. The free base benzochlorin 7, obtained by demetalation, up on DDQ/methanol treatment produced a mixture of 132-oxo- and 131-methoxy-132-oxobenzochlorins 8, 9. Surprisingly, under similar reaction conditions, an ethanolic solution of DDQ afforded 131,132-dioxobenzochlorin 13 as a major product. Vilsmeier reaction (POCl3/DMF) of Ni(II) benzochlorin 6 gave unexpected 5-formyl-132-oxobenzochlorin 15. Zn(II) complexes of the newly synthesized benzochlorins showed long wavelength absorptions in the range of 750−753 nm. Thus, compared to the respective free base analogues bathochromic shifts of 40−42 nm were observed. Despite extensive studies in benzochlorins, these are the first examples which exhibit such remarkable long wavelength absorptions in their electronic absorption spectra. The structures of novel benzochlorins were confirmed by extensive NMR [2D NMR (ROESY), 13C NMR] and X-ray crystallographic studies. On the basis of the crystal structure of oxobenzochlorin 8, the chemical reactivity of other benzochlorin analogues were examined by semiempirical molecular orbital theory. Our results are in agreement with the previous qualitative electron sextet hypothesis proposed for chlorin systems by Woodward. The fluorescence quantum yields and the singlet oxygen yields of the free base and Zn(II) benzochlorins were measured relative to tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) in benzene.

The antihypertension agent iodoazidoaryl prazosin (IAAP) has been made using a convergent route involving addition of an acylated piperazine 7 to 2-chloroquinazoline 5. IAAP has been shown to function as a multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal agent and bind to P-glycoprotein, a transmembrane transport protein. A study is also reported involving palladium-catalyzed substitution with amine heterocycles. With N,N-bis(2,6-diisopropyl)dihydroimidazolium chloride (10) as the ligand (2 mol %) for palladium(II) acetate (2 mol %) in THF at room temperature, morpholine added to 5 in 81% yield.

The Cinchona alkaloid derived chiral ammonium salt developed by Park and Jew functions as an effective catalyst for the synthesis of beta-hydroxy alpha-amino acids via asymmetric aldol reactions under homogeneous conditions. The syn diastereomers are obtained in good ee, and aryl-substituted aliphatic aldehydes are the best substrates for the reaction. These results represent the highest ee's obtained to date in direct aldol reactions of glycine equivalents catalyzed by inexpensive, readily prepared chiral ammonium salts.

[formula: see text] A first synthesis of free-base fluorinated benzochlorins by acid-catalyzed cyclization of 20-(2-trisiloxy-trifluoromethylvinyl)octaethylporphyrin++ + is achieved. Under similar reaction conditions, the purpurin-18-N-hexylimide analogues produced the corresponding fluorinated and nonfluorinated ethylidene-substituted isobacteriochlorins and fluorinated chlorin, respectively. The structure of the porphyrin based fluorinated benzochlorin was also confirmed by X-ray analysis.