Synthesis of an Azasteroid Using an Acyl Iminium Ion-Initiated Tandem Cyclization

An acyl iminium ion-initiated tandem cyclization gave an unexpected dienone product, a seco-azasteroid (2). The factors governing the formation of 2 were investigated in an attempt to optimize its formation. The reaction was applied to a more elaborate system, resulting in the synthesis of the full steroid skeleton of 13-azaandrosta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (3), which contains the unusual substitution of a chlorine atom for the axial 19-methyl.     

Approximate solutions of the Bloch-McConnell equations for two-site chemical exchange.

Approximate formulas for the transverse-relaxation rate constant and resonance frequency have been derived for nuclear spins subject to two-site chemical exchange. The new results are more accurate than previous approximations when chemical exchange does not approach the fast-exchange limit or when site populations are not highly asymmetric. Results are derived from an effective average evolution operator that contains contributions from both exact eigenvalues of the Bloch-McConnell equations. These expressions are useful for interpretation of chemical exchange processes in NMR spectroscopy.     

Electrospray mass spectrometry of methanol and water solutions suppression of electric discharge with SF6 gas

An equation by D. P. H. Smith predicts the capillary voltage required for the onset of electrospray (ES). For different solvents the voltage increases with the square root of the surface tension. Water requires a potential that is 1.8 times higher than that for methanol. This is verified experimentally. The higher potential required for water leads to ES in the presence of corona electric discharge. For low total ES plus corona currents, the electrosprayed analyte ion intensity is not adversely affected by the presence of discharge. At high total currents, there is a large decrease of analyte sensitivity. The sensitivity decrease is probably due to adverse space charge effect at high currents. The discharge can be suppressed by adding sulfur hexafluoride to the ambient gas. Both sensitivity and signal stability are improved. However, the sensitivity still remains lower by a factor of ≈ 4 relative to that observed with methanol. This is attributed to lower efficiency of gas-phase ion formation from charged water, relative to methanol, droplets.     

Probes for narcotic receptor mediated phenomena. Part 31: Synthesis of rac-(3R,6aS,11aS)-2-methyl-1,3,4,5,6,11a-hexahydro-2H-3,6a-methanobenzofuro[2,3-c]azocine-10-ol, and azocine-8-ol, the ortho-c and the para-c oxide-bridged phenylmorphan isomers

Two of the 12 possible oxide-bridged phenylmorphans, were synthesized, rac-(3R,6aS,11aS)-2-methyl-1,3,4,5,6,11a-hexahydro-2H-3,6a-methanobenzofuro[2,3-c]azocine-10-ol (7) (the ortho-c compound), and rac-(3R,6aS,11aS)-2-methyl-1,3,4,5,6,11a-hexahydro-2H-3,6a-methanobenzofuro[2,3-c]azocine-8-ol (8) (the para-c compound). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies indicated that the dihedral angle between the least squares planes through the phenyl ring and the atoms C₁, C_11a, C₁₂, and C₃ in the piperidine ring in both 7·CHCl₃ and 8·HBr was 6.9°. The C₁₂-C_6a-C_6b-C_10a torsion angle was found to be 139.3° for both compounds. The angular relationship between the phenolic ring and the piperidine ring in phenylmorphans that interact with specific opioid receptors as agonists or antagonists is of considerable theoretical interest.     

REMGa3Ge and RE3Ni3Ga8Ge3 (M = Ni, Co; RE = rare-earth element): new intermetallics synthesized in liquid gallium. X-ray, electron, and neutron structure determination and magnetism

New quaternary intermetallic phases REMGa(3)Ge (1) (RE = Y, Sm, Tb, Gd, Er, Tm; M = Ni, Co) and RE(3)Ni(3)Ga(8)Ge(3) (2) (RE = Sm, Gd) were obtained from exploratory reactions involving rare-earth elements (RE), transition metal (M), Ge, and excess liquid Ga the reactive solvent. The crystal structures were solved with single-crystal X-ray and electron diffraction. The crystals of 1 and 2 are tetragonal. Single-crystal X-ray data: YNiGa(3)Ge, a = 4.1748(10) A, c = 23.710(8) A, V = 413.24(2) A(3), I4/mmm, Z = 4; Gd(3)Ni(3)Ga(8)Ge(3), a = 4.1809(18) A, c = 17.035(11) A, V = 297.8(3) A(3), P4/mmm, Z = 1. Both compounds feature square nets of Ga atoms. The distribution of Ga and Ge atoms in the REMGa(3)Ge was determined with neutron diffraction. The neutron experiments revealed that in 1 the Ge atoms are specifically located at the 4e crystallographic site, while Ga atoms are at 4d and 8g. The crystal structures of these compounds are related and could be derived from the consecutive stacking of disordered [MGa](2) puckered layers, monatomic RE-Ge planes and [MGa(4)Ge(2)] slabs. Complex superstructures with modulations occurring in the ab-plane and believed to be associated with the square nets of Ga atoms were found by electron diffraction. The magnetic measurements show antiferromagnetic ordering of the moments located on the RE atoms at low temperature, and Curie-Weiss behavior at higher temperatures with the values of mu(eff) close to those expected for RE(3+) free ions.     

New cationic aryldiazo,aryldiimine and arylhydrazine complexes of platinum

The preparation of some new cationic aryldiazo complexes of platinum of formula trans-[Pt(N₂Ar)(PEt₃)₂L]⁺, where N₂Ar = N₂C₆H₄F-m or -p and L = NH₃, Py, Et₃P or EtNC, is described. Protonation of these complexes gives the corresponding aryldiimide complexes trans-[Pt(NHNAr)(PEt₃)₂L]⁺, and reduction of the protonated complexes with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst gives the arylhydrazine complexes trans-[Pt(NH₂NHAr)(PEt₃)₂L]⁺. Some of the spectroscopic properties of these new complexes are reported and discussed.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a New Mixed Orthovanadate-Pyrovanadate Series: MBa2V3O11 or MBa2V2PO11 with M = Bi, In, or a Rare Earth

A new series of vanadates with the general formula M Ba₂V₃O₁₁, where M may be Bi, In, or a rare earth, has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction. The general formula may be rewritten as M Ba₂(VO₄)(V₂O₇) to emphasize that there is one orthovanadate group and one pyrovanadate group in each formula unit. Up to one-third of the vanadium may be replaced by phosphorous, leading to the general formula M Ba₂V₂PO₁₁. However, phosphorous shows no preference between the ortho and pyro groups. Both M Ba₂V₃O₁₁ and M Ba₂V₂PO₁₁ crystallize in the monoclinic system with the space group P2₁/_c and Z = 4. The cell parameters from single crystal X-ray data of BiBa₂V₃O₁₁ are a = 12.332(4) Å, b = 7.750(4) Å, c = 11.279(4) Å, β = 103.22(3)°, V = 1049(1) ų; and for BiBa₂PO₁₁ are a = 12.266(2) Å, b = 7.615(2) Å, c = 11.312(2) Å, β = 103.32(2)°, V = 1028.2(2) ų. The Bi atom coordinates to six oxygen atoms forming a distorted octahedron, and the edge sharing of BiO₆ octahedra results in a BiO₄ chain along the b axis. There are two types of Ba atoms with coordination numbers of 10 and 11. There are three types of tetrahedral (T) atoms in these structures. The nonequivalent T atoms of the pyro group give T-O-T angles of 167 and 171° in BiBa₂V₃O₁₁ and BiBa₂V₂PO₁₁, respectively. Isostructural M Ba₂V₃O₁₁ compounds were prepared in which M is In, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, or Lu.     

Bench Scale Studies of the Soil Aeration Process for Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

An alternative to traditional hydrocarbon bioremediation is to pump air through unsaturated soils to create aerobic conditions and induce biodegradation. This study examines the effects of moisture and nutrient augmentation on biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in aerated soils. Findings indicate that forced aeration, coupled with additions of nutrients and moisture, stimulate hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms and present a feasible approach to bioremediation management.     

Varieties of spiral wave behavior: An experimentalist's approach to the theory of excitable media

Spiral waves in diverse excitable media exhibit strikingly variegated behavior. Mechanistic interpretations of excitability in laboratory systems are commonly tested by comparing the wavelength, period, and meander patterns of the model's spiral waves with laboratory observations, but models seem seldom to be rejected by such tests. The reason may be that almost any excitable medium behaves in many respects like almost any other, if its parameters are properly adjusted within a reasonable range. What generalizations can be made about "excitable media" in the absence of more specifications? It would be useful to distinguish such generic features from idiosyncrasies of specific models. The range of behavioral flexibility of the FitzHugh-Nagumo excitable medium is explored by varying two of its parameters and comparing the results with other excitable media to suggest a generic pattern of parameter dependence. The results exhibit the remarkable diversity of rotor behavior in a single model and provide a database for quantitative testing of mathematical generalizations.