Temporary shape development in shape memory nanocomposites using magnetic force

Direct mechanical force is used to create a temporary shape in shape memory polymers. This can become difficult in situations where the sample is not directly accessible such as interior in the body. In these cases it is not possible to use a direct mechanical force to deform the sample into temporary shape; therefore other alternative routes should be proposed. The magnetic force is a good candidate for inducing remote deformation. The ability of magnetic field to cause deformation in soft matters has already been revealed. To prove the hypothesis of using magnetic force to create temporary shape, magnetic field active shape memory polymeric nanocomposites were manufactured by incorporation of NdFeB ferromagnetic micro particles in a nanocomposite based on crosslinked low density polyethylene loaded with 2 wt.% of organoclay. The results indicate that as the NdFeB content increases, the reversible temporary deformation induced in the samples by the magnetic force increases. The effect of NdFeB concentration on the shape recovery progress and the possibility of heat induction in NdFeB filled samples through the application of an alternating magnetic field were also examined.     

New Approach for the Construction of the Coumarin Frame and Application in the Total Synthesis of Natural Products

A new synthetic approach is described for building the coumarin scaffold through the Lewis acid‐promoted cyclization of novel aryl 3‐(dimethylamino)prop‐2‐enoates 2a – 2f . The latter precursors were prepared via aminomethylenation of the corresponding aryl acetates 4a – 4f with the Bredereck reagent. This approach was used for the synthesis of biologically active natural compounds 1a – 1f , through a three‐step procedure starting from the corresponding phenols.     

The Reaction of (N‐Isocyanimino)triphenylphosphorane with Biacetyl in the Presence of Aromatic Carboxylic Acids: Efficient One‐Pot Three‐Component Reaction for the Synthesis of 3‐(5‐Aryl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl)‐3‐hydroxybutan‐2‐one Derivatives

Reactions of biacetyl (=butane‐2,3‐dione) with (N‐isocyanimino)triphenylphosphorane in the presence of aromatic carboxylic acids proceed smoothly at room temperature and under neutral conditions to afford 3‐(5‐aryl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl)‐3‐hydroxybutan‐2‐one derivatives in high yields.     

Synthesis of Dialkyl 2‐(Alkylamino)‐4,9‐dihydro‐9‐oxocyclohepta[b]pyran‐3,4‐dicarboxylates

Dialkyl 2‐(alkylamino)‐4,9‐dihydro‐9‐oxocyclohepta[b]pyran‐3,4‐dicarboxylates are prepared in a one‐pot three‐component reaction of alkyl isocyanide, dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylate, and α‐tropolone (=2‐hydroxycyclohepta‐2,4,6‐trienone). The reaction proceeds smoothly at room temperature and under neutral conditions to afford tropolone derivatives in high yield.     

On the Reactivity of (−)‐(R)‐Carvone and (−)‐4aα,7α,7aβ‐Nepetalactone: Synthesis of New Heterocycles

The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of 4‐chlorobenzonitrile oxide to the unsaturated system of (?)‐(R)‐carvone occurred exclusively at C(8) to give a new isoxazoline derivative. This derivative reacts with NH₂OH to yield a new heterocycle, observed for the first time. On the other hand, the addition of 4‐chlorobenzonitrile oxide to the unsaturated lactone (?)‐4aα,7α,7aβ‐nepetalactone gave, in a good yield, also a new heterocycle, again obtained for the first time. The terpenoid (?)‐(R)‐carvone and iridoid (?)‐4aα,7α,7aβ‐nepetalactone were isolated from Moroccan species Mentha viridis (L.) and Nepeta tuberosa (L.), respectively. The new heterocycles obtained were identified by combination of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods.     

Two New C20‐Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Aconitum carmichaelii

Two new C₂₀‐diterpenoid alkaloids, named aconicarchamines A and B ( 1 and 2 , resp.), were isolated from Aconitum carmichaelii. By UV, IR, MS, and 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR analyses, their structures were elucidated as 14,17‐dihydro‐14,17‐dihydroxyajabicine and 15‐O‐acetyllassiocarpine. Compound 1 is the third C₂₀‐diterpenoid alkaloid with the lycoctine skeleton bearing an exocyclic C‐atom at C(14).     

Optical Resolution and Structure Determination of New Indolizidine Alkaloids from Elaeocarpus sphaericus

Two new indolizidine alkaloids, (±)‐3‐oxoisoelaeocarpine ( 1 ) and (±)‐elaeocarpine N‐oxide ( 2 ), along with three known alkaloids, (±)‐isoelaeocarpine ( 3 ), (±)‐elaeocarpine ( 4 ), and (?)‐isoelaeocarpiline ( 5 ), were isolated from an EtOH extract of the branches and leaves of Elaeocarpus sphaericus. The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Furthermore, enantiomers of compounds 1 and 3 were separated on a chiral CD‐Ph column, and their absolute configurations were determined by TD‐DFT (=time‐dependent density‐functional theory) quantum‐chemical calculations of their electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra.     

The Rearrangement of 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐[(E)‐2‐phenylethenyl]cyclopropane to 3,4,4‐Triphenylcyclopent‐1‐ene: a DFT Analysis

A computational study on the rearrangement of 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐[(E)‐2‐phenylethenyl]cyclopropane ( 1 ) is presented, using density functional theory (DFT), (U)B3LYP with the 6‐31G* basis set (DFT1) and (U)M05‐2X with the 6‐311+G** basis set (DFT2). In agreement with a biradical character of the transition structure (TS) or intermediate, the potential‐energy hypersurface is lowered by the influence of three conjugated Ph groups. Surprisingly, two conformations of the geminal diphenyl group (different twist angles) induce two different minimum‐energy pathways for the rearrangement. Independent of the functional used, the first hypersurface harbors true biradical intermediates, whereas the second energy surface is a flat, slightly ascending slope from the starting material to the TS. The functional (U)M05‐2X with the basis set 6‐311+G** provides realistic energies which seem to be close to experiment. The activation energy for racemization of enantiomers of 1 is lower than that of rearrangement by 2.5 kcal mol^?1, in agreement with experiment.     

Novel Cyanoglucosides from the Leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla

Four non‐cyanogenic cyanoglucosides including hydranitrilosides A₁, A₂, B₁, and B₂ ( 1 – 4 , resp.), together with a new phenolic glucoside, 3‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid 3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 5 ), were isolated from the leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla. Their structures were determined on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence.     

Stereo‐Inversion in the (4R)‐γ‐Decanolactone Synthesis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: (2E,4S)‐4‐Hydroxydec‐2‐enoic Acid Acts as a Key Intermediate

Methyl (2E,4R)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate, methyl (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate, and ethyl (±)‐(2E)‐4‐hydroxy[4‐²H]dec‐2‐enoate were chemically synthesized and incubated in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Initial C‐chain elongation of these substrates to C₁₂ and, to a lesser extent, C₁₄ fatty acids was observed, followed by γ‐decanolactone formation. Metabolic conversion of methyl (2E,4R)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate and methyl (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate both led to (4R)‐γ‐decanolactone with >99% ee and 80% ee, respectively. Biotransformation of ethyl (±)‐(2E)‐4‐hydroxy(4‐²H)dec‐2‐enoate yielded (4R)‐γ‐[²H]decanolactone with 61% of the ²H label maintained and in 90% ee indicating a stereoinversion pathway. Electron‐impact mass spectrometry analysis (Fig. 4) of 4‐hydroxydecanoic acid indicated a partial C(4)→C(2) ²H shift. The formation of erythro‐3,4‐dihydroxydecanoic acid and erythro‐3‐hydroxy‐γ‐decanolactone from methyl (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate supports a net inversion to (4R)‐γ‐decanolactone via 4‐oxodecanoic acid. As postulated in a previous work, (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoic acid was shown to be a key intermediate during (4R)‐γ‐decanolactone formation via degradation of (3S,4S)‐dihydroxy fatty acids and precursors by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.