We demonstrate here, for the first time, formation of injectable dynamic covalent hydrogels at physiological pH using benzoxaborin-saccharide complexation as a reversible cross-linking method. The gels were prepared by simply mixing hyaluronic acid modified with an original boronic acid derivative, 3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e][1,2]oxaborinin-2-ol (1,2-ABORIN), and HA functionalized with 1-amino-1-deoxy-D-fructose. Dynamic rheological experiments confirmed the gel-like behavior (storage modulus (G′) > loss modulus (G″) in the frequency window explored) for the designed HA-1,2-ABORIN/HA-fructose network. Furthermore, this hydrogel exhibited excellent self-healing and injectability behaviors in aqueous conditions and was found to be responsive to pH. Additionally, fibroblast cells encapsulated in the HA network showed high viability (>80% after 7 days of cell culture), as monitored by Live/Dead staining. Taken together, this new class of boronate ester cross-linked hydrogel provides promising future for diverse biomedical applications.

Monodentate phosphoramidites have been used for the first time as chiral ligands in the Rh-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to enones, unsaturated esters, lactones, and nitro alkenes. High reaction rates and ee's up to 89% have been obtained.

The use of phosphoramidite ligands in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of potassium organotrifluoroborates to various enones in the absence of water is described. A systematic search for effective catalysts has been performed by use of high-throughput screening methods. Initially, we have screened reaction conditions, catalyst precursors, and focused ligand libraries. In the next stage we have used the monodentate ligand combination approach, and finally we have made a library of 96 different phosphoramidites by parallel synthesis in the robot (instant ligand libraries) and have tested these in the vinylation of cyclohexenone (up to 88% enantiomeric excess, ee) and 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one (up to 42% ee). Arylation of cyclohexenone by use of potassium phenyltrifluoroborate gave 3-phenylcyclohexanone with 99% ee.

The key structural parameters of boronate ester crosslinkers that govern the formation of “strong” hydrogels, i.e. featuring slow relaxation dynamics, are clearly identified.

A very fast reaction and enantioselectivities >98% have been reached in the rhodium-catalyzed arylboronic acid addition to enones using a monodentate phosphoramidite ligand. Temperature-dependent studies show that monodentate phosphoramidites form stable complexes with metals and can induce high enantioselectivities even at high temperatures in polar solvents.

By tailoring the structure of benzoxaborole (BOR), self-crosslinking hydrogels based on hyaluronic acid (HA) modified with BOR derivatives are obtained for the first time through the direct BOR-HA diol complexation at physiological pH.

The preparation of a series of new fumagillin-derived MetAP-2 inhibitors is described. The synthetic approach was designed so as to permit modification of the fumagillin backbone at sites inaccessible through semisynthesis or previously existing total syntheses. An Evans aldolization and a ring-closing metathesis allowed the preparation of a pivotal intermediate which could then be functionalized in various ways using already established or newly developed methodologies.

A new synthesis of attenol A is described. Key features of this work include a crucial silicon tether-aided coupling metathesis step and the use of iodoetherification as an efficient protection method for 1,5-ene-ols. [reaction: see text]