Kinetic stabilization of the [1.1]paracyclophane system: isolation and X-ray structural analysis of a [1.1]paracyclophane derivative and its interconversion with the transannular adduct

Intentionally designed kinetic stabilization of the [1.1]paracyclophane skeleton has been achieved by multiple substitution of the aromatic rings with trimethylsilylmethyl and N,N-dimethyl-carbamoyl groups, which serve to shield the proximate bridgehead carbon atoms sterically from access by other reagents. The bis(Dewar benzene) precursor (1a) has been prepared in essentially the same manner as previous derivatives--starting from the photocycloaddition of 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-2-butyne to octa-hydroindacene-1,5-dione--except for a few critical modifications described in the text. Substituted [1.1]paracyclophane (2a), photochemically generated from the precursor, is indefinitely stable at 50 degrees C and suffers decomposition only by 8 % after 2 h at 100 degrees C in degassed n-decane, demonstrating its greatly improved kinetic stability compared to previous [1.1]paracyclophanes. Since 2a undergoes efficient photochemical transformation into the transannular addition product 3a, irradiation of la tends to produce a mixture of products consisting mainly of 3a. Compound 3a, however, reverts thermally to 2a in a process of half life 40 min at 55 degrees C; the activation parameters for this process are deltaH(not equal to)= 21.1 +/- 0.8 kcalmol(-1) and deltaS(not equal to) = -10.5 +/- 2.6 cal K(-1)mol(-1). Thus, on heating 3a in benzene and cooling the resultant solution, 2a is obtained as orange-red crystals. X-ray crystallographic analysis of 2a reveals benzene rings bent to the highest degree ever reported for a paracyclophane, with their face-to-face arrangement in unusually close proximity. The shortest nonbonding interatomic distance is 2.376 A; less than the sum of the van der Waals radii by more than 1.0A. The generation of related substituted [1.1]paracyclophanes and their kinetic stabilities are also reported.     

Novel [2 + 2] photocycloaddition-induced rearrangement of bichromophoric naphthalene-tethered resorcinol ethers

The first examples of sequential photocycloaddition-rearrangement reactions of naphthalene-tethered resorcinol ethers are described. Bichromophoric aromatic compounds with naphthalene and resorcinol ether moieties were irradiated in the presence/absence of a small amount of acid to give the corresponding cycloaddition-rearrangement products. From the determination of quantum yields, steady-state fluorescence spectral studies, and fluorescence lifetime measurements, the mechanism of this novel photoinduced multistep reaction was elucidated to involve the initial intramolecular exciplex formation, followed by the intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition between the two aromatic rings and the subsequent acid-catalyzed skeletal rearrangement of the resulting cyclobutane derivative leading to the final products.     

New highly strained bridgehead imines, 2-azaadamant-1-ene and 4-azaprotoadamant-3-ene

An azaanalog of adamantene, 2-azaadamant-1-ene ($\text{1}$) and 4-azaprotoadamant-3-ene ($\text{7}$) were generated in the nonstatistical ratio via photolysis of 3-azidonoradamantane ($\text{2}$). The highly strained $\text{1}$ and $\text{7}$ could not be isolable but were trapped by MeOH. Acidolysis of $\text{2}$ was also reported, and discussed in comparison with the photolysis.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering from crystal violet adsorbed on a silver electrode

SERS from crystal violet (CV) on a Ag electrode was investigated under preresonance and resonance conditions. The excitation profile of the chemisorbed species is like that of dissolved molecules but intensities are ≈ 1000 times larger. The Raman enhancement is ≈ 10⁸ and exhibits a specific potential dependence even in the absence of adsorption-desorption process. At potentials where reduction of CV occurs leuco crystal violet was detected.     

Novel ring transformation reactions of xanthine derivatives

The novel ring transformation reactions were found in the reactions of 1,3,7,9-tetra-alkyl-8,9-dihydroxanthines and acetylenic compounds. The reaction of the dihydroxanthine with DMAD gave a propellane type compound and with methyl propiolate afforded the similar type compound and a pyrimido[4,5-b]diazepine derivative. The mechanism of these reactions was also discussed.     

Gas separation membranes plasma-polymerized from perfluoromethylcyclohexane/methane mixture

Plasma-polymerizations of perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PFMCH)/methane (CH₄) mixture were investigated by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and ESCA; and gas transport characteristics of the plasma-films formed were studied. The addition of CH₄ molecules to PFMCH accelerated defluorination to form plasma-polymers poor in fluorocarbon units. The surface energy of the plasma-polymers increased with increasing the CH₄ concentration. The oxygen and nitrogen permeation coefficients (P_O2 and P_N2) and the P_O2/P_N2 ratio for the polymer films formed from the PFMCH/CH₄ mixture depended on the CH₄ concentration. The small CH₄ addition was effective in improvement of the P_O2 value and of the P_O2/P_N2 ratio, but the much addition was ineffective. The oxygen transport through the plasma-polymers was discussed.     

Cyclic dithio-carbenium ion salts and their conversion to ketene dithioacetals

1,2-Ethanedithiol and 1,3-propanedithiol were treated with perchloric acid in acetic anhydride to give 2-methyl-1,3-dithiolan-2-yl and 2-methyl-1,3-dithian-2-yl perchlorates, respectively, which were converted to ketene dithioacetals by deprotonation with tertiary amines.     

A highly regio- and stereoselective synthesis of internal olefins via an elimination of trimethylstannyl group

Internal reaction of secondary alkyltin(IV) compounds having thionium ion gave internal trans olefins with high yield and regio- and stereoselectivity via 1,5- or 1,6-transfer of a hydride β to the trialkylstannyl group.     

Kinetics of transient end-to-end contact of single-stranded DNAs

The formation of the pyrene (Py) dimer radical cation (Py(2)(*+)) was used to measure the kinetics of the intrastrand end-to-end contact rates of single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) in the 10 nanoseconds to the tens of microseconds time range. ssDNAs labeled with Py at both ends with the lengths of 3, 6, and 9 mer were synthesized, and the two-photon ionization method was employed to generate a Py(*+), which enables the measurements of the end-to-end contact rates from 10 ns. The formation rate of Py(2)(*+) depended on the length and the sequence of the ssDNAs, and about 1 order of magnitude faster rates were observed for the T-rich ssDNAs compared to those for the corresponding length of A-rich ssDNAs, showing that ssDNA made from adenines is much more rigid than that composed of thymidines. As for the T-rich ssDNAs, the formation of Py(2)(*+) attributed to the misfolded structures was also observed, which is consistent with the configurational diffusion model suggested by Ansari and co-workers.