N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands with naphthyl side chains were employed for the synthesis of unsaturated, yet isolable [(NHC)Ir(cod)](+) (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene) complexes. These compounds are stabilised by an interaction of the aromatic wingtip that leads to a sideways tilt of the NHC-Ir bond. Detailed studies show how the tilting of such N-heterocyclic carbenes affects the electronic shielding properties of the carbene carbon atom and how this is reflected by significant upfield shifts in the (13) C NMR signals. When employed in the intramolecular hydroamination, these [(NHC)Ir(cod)](+) species show very high catalytic activity under mild reaction conditions. An enantiopure version of the catalyst system produces pyrrolidines with excellent enantioselectivities.

Aberrant KRAS signaling is a driver of many cancers and yet remains an elusive target for drug therapy. The nuclease hypersensitive element of the KRAS promoter has been reported to form secondary DNA structures called G-quadruplexes (G4s) which may play important roles in regulating KRAS expression, and has spurred interest in structural elucidation studies of the KRAS G-quadruplexes. Here, we report the first high-resolution crystal structure (1.6 Å) of a KRAS G-quadruplex as a 5′-head-to-head dimer with extensive poly-A π-stacking interactions observed across the dimer. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the poly-A π-stacking interactions are also maintained in the G4 monomers. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations with two G4 ligands that display high stabilization of the KRAS G4 indicated the poly-A loop was a binding site for these ligands in addition to the 5′-G-tetrad. Given sequence and structural variability in the loop regions provide the opportunity for small-molecule targeting of specific G4s, we envisage this high-resolution crystal structure for the KRAS G-quadruplex will aid in the rational design of ligands to selectively target KRAS.

Herein we report a new class of G-quadruplex stabilising ligands, multicarbazoles, which display high G-quadruplex DNA selectivity in the presence of 250 times excess duplex DNA. We report the synthesis of these compounds in moderate to high yields. Ligands in the series with optimal G-quadruplex selectivity contain an N-propylamino chain length where the amino functionalities are either pyrrolidine or piperidine.

Enantiomerically pure diarylmethylamines are important building blocks in active pharmaceutical ingredients. Herein, we report a rhodium precatalyst with a chiral disulfoxide ligand that effects the 1,2‐addition of arylboroxines to aromatic imines to give high yields and high enantioselectivities of these products. The present paper describes a system that is very simple, where the ease of synthesis of the chiral ligand is combined with low catalyst loadings and reaction conditions that do not need any additives or external base.

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Two new N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands bearing 2-morpholino and 2-piperidinyl naphthyl wingtips were synthesised (2-SIMorNap and 2-SIPipNap). Nuclear magnetic resonance studies, in conjunction with crystal structures and derivatisation of the NHC salts using a chiral counteranion, revealed that the ligand wingtips are oriented anti with respect to each other. From the free carbene, palladium, ruthenium and iridium complexes were prepared. NHC-iridium dicarbonyl complexes were made in order to extract the TEP values for these ligands. The study showed that these NHC ligands are more electron-donating than normal, aryl-substituted NHCs. The palladium complexes were tested in representative Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions and compared to the state of the art systems. Ruthenium-catalysed ring-closing metathesis with these ligands was also performed. It was found that Grubbs' 2 generation catalyst incorporating 2-SIPipNap did not initiate at room temperature and required heating for RCM to occur.

N-Heterocyclic carbene ligands derived from C 2 -symmetric diamine with naphthyl side chains are introduced as chiral monodentate ligands, and their palladium complexes (NHC)Pd(cin)Cl are prepared. These compounds exist as a mixture of diastereomers, and the palladium complexes can be successfully separated. When used in the asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura and Kumada coupling, chiral biaryls can be obtained in high yield and moderate selectivity.

DNA G-quadruplex-stabilising ligands can induce global or specific changes in chromatin accessibility and the transcriptome depending on the targeting specificity of the molecule.