Preparative isolation of (+)-beta-eudesmol fromAmyris balsamifera

Summary Optically pure (+)-beta-eudesmol is a possible starting material for the synthesis of several termite defense compounds. A two step procedure for the isolation of gram quantities of (+)-beta-eudesmol from commercially availableAmyris balsamifera oil (syn. West Indian sandalwood oil), containing 8% beta-eudesmol, was developed. Step one consisted of an efficient vacuum distillation of the total oil. Step two was a medium pressure LC separation with an AgNO₃ impregnated silica gel stationary phase. Several other separation procedures failed due to the presence of many closely related sesquiterpene alcohols (75% of the oil).     

Synthesis of 1-Bromosubstituted Analogs of cis-Deltamethrinic and cis-Permethrinic Acids

In the synthesis of 1-bromosubstituted analogs of cis-deltamethrinic and cis-permethrinic acids, main components of pyrethroids, the key stage is an intramolecular 1,4-O,C-acyl transfer in reactions of 1-acyloxymethyl-2,2-dibromocyclopropanes with methyllithium.     

Convenient synthesis of non-conjugated alkynyl ketones from keto aldehydes by a chemoselective one-pot nonaflation—base catalyzed elimination sequence

Keto aldehydes were selectively converted to non-conjugated alkynyl ketones possessing an unsubstituted alkyne terminus using one-pot nonaflation—base catalyzed elimination reaction sequences. Consecutive one-pot nonaflation of keto aldehydes with perfluorobutane-1-sulfonyl fluoride and elimination of the nonaflyl group using the P₁ phosphazene base resulted in the formation of a terminal CC triple bond with the keto group remaining intact. Careful optimization of the reaction conditions enabled a highly chemoselective conversion of the aldehyde function in the presence of unprotected keto groups exploiting a minor difference in acidity of their α-hydrogen atoms. Scope and limitations of the protocol as well as possible implementation of these substrates in Sonogashira coupling were explored.     

Generation and stereoselective transformations of 3-phenylcyclopropene

A convenient and inexpensive approach to the generation of 3-phenylcyclopropenes is described. Reaction of these compounds with a range of dienophiles and dipolarophiles led to the stereoselective formation of [4+2]- and [3+2]-cycloadducts, which were exclusively exo-3-phenyl-cis-1,2-disubstituted cyclopropanes. Efficient trapping of 1-lithio-3-phenylcyclopropene with different electrophiles is also discussed. Ab initio calculations suggest that the lowest energy conformation of 3-phenylcyclopropene has the plane of the benzene ring perpendicular to the cyclopropene π-bond but with a low rotation barrier.     

Investigation of the reaction of copper(I) with 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline at trace level by thermal lensing

The stability constants for copper(I) chelate with 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline are determined by thermal lensing, and the advantages over spectrophotometric determination of stability constants are shown. Changes in the photometric reaction when moving from the microgram to the nanogram level of reactants are discussed. The conditions for the thermal-lens determination of copper are optimized. The limit of detection of copper is 3x10(-8) mol dm(-3), and the linear calibration range 1x10(-7)-1x10(-5) mol dm(-3).     

New Chiral Zwitterionic Phosphorus Heterocycles: Synthesis,Structure, Properties and Application as Chiral Solvating Agents

A family of new chiral zwitterionic phosphorus‐containing heterocycles (zPHC) have been derived from methylene‐bridged bis(imidazolines). These structures were unambiguously determined, including single‐crystal XRD analysis for two compounds. The stability, acid/base and electronic properties of these dipolar phosphorus heterocycles were subsequently investigated. zPHCs can be successfully employed as a new class of chiral solvating agents for the enantiodifferentiation of chiral carboxylic and sulfonic acids by NMR spectroscopy. The stoichiometry and binding constants for the donor–acceptor complexes formed were established by NMR titration methods.