Macrocycles in the construction of acyclic stereochemistry

The conformations of macrocyclic intermediates provide a useful medium through which distant chiral centers may control chemical reactions. In this paper, we show that macrocycles made by cyclization of simple acyclic starting materials with an auxiliary spacer may be used to prepare stereochemically complex acyclic products.     

Photometric titrations with indicators

Various types of photometric titration curves are discussed. If a metal M is titrated conipleximetrically using a metal indicator and the absorbance is plotted vs. the titrant consumed, the inflection point appears at a pM value defined by the equation 3 pM_infl = pM_trans + 2 pM_eqThis expression is valid when M combines in a 1 : 1 ratio with the complexing agent and the indicator and when the indicator concentration is small compared to the total metal concentration.The difference between the pM values at the inflection and equivalence points can be calculated from the equation ΔpM = pM_infl — pM_eq = $\text{1}\text{3}$(pM_trans — pM_eq) = $\text{1}\text{6}$log(C_MK²_MI/K_MY)If the inflection point is taken as the equivalence point, the error arising can be calculated from ΔpM, or more simply, read from a diagram.If transmittance, instead of absorbancc, is plotted as a function of the titrant volume, the inflection point depends on the added amount of indicator. However, at high transmittance values, i.e., at low indicator concentrations, the inflection point of a transmittance curve occurs practically at the same volume of added titrant as the inflection point of an absorbance curve. Rules are given for applying an indicator correction for the amount of metal bound to the indicator at the end-point.The derived equations and discussions can also be applied to acid-base titrations.     

An unbounded systematic search of conformational space

A new method for searching internal coordinate conformational space systematically via a continuous-process procedure is described. Unlike previous systematic search methods, the new scheme generates torsionally remote conformers early in the search. It is also unbounded in that the extent of the search need not be specified at the outset. The search begins at low resolution (120° in torsion angle space) and then goes to higher and higher resolution as all points in space at a given resolution have been searched. The search may run without end or be terminated when new conformers cease to be found or when all space at some maximum allowable resolution has been explored. Conformational searches on several medium- and large-ring molecules using the new method are described and the results are compared with those from certain previously described search methods. It is found that the new method is significantly more efficient than previous procedures at finding all low energy conformers of organic molecules.     

Automated system for simultaneous analysis of delta(13)C, delta(18)O and CO(2) concentrations in small air samples

In this paper we present an automated system for simultaneous measurement of CO(2) concentration, delta(13)C and delta(18)O from small (<1 mL) air samples in a short period of time (approximately 1 hour). This system combines continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) and gas chromatography (GC) with an inlet system similar to conventional dual-inlet methods permitting several measurement cycles of standard and sample air. Analogous to the dual-inlet method, the precision of this system increases with the number of replicate cycles measured. The standard error of the mean for a measurement with this system is 0.7 ppm for the CO(2) concentration and 0.05 per thousand for the delta(13)C and delta(18)O with four replicate cycles and 0.4 ppm and 0.03 per thousand respectively with nine replicate cycles. The mean offset of our measurements from NOAA/CMDL analyzed air samples was 0.08 ppm for the CO(2) concentration, 0.01 per thousand for delta(13)C and 0.00 per thousand for delta(18)O. A specific list of the parts and operation of the system is detailed as well as some of the applications for micrometeorological and ecophysiological applications.     

Reduction of Aryl Thiocyanates with SmI(2) and Pd-Catalyzed Coupling with Aryl Halides as a Route to Mixed Aryl Sulfides

A series of aryl iodides, with a range of substituents, has been successfully coupled using 10 mol % Pd catalyst with samarium thiolates, derived from the corresponding aryl thiocyanates upon reductive cleavage with SmI(2). Reactions proceed in THF at 65 degrees C in yields ranging from good to excellent and are compatible with both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents, except NO(2). The reactions may also be conducted with aryl bromides although with somewhat lower yields.     

The Generation of (Samarium) Thiolates from Aryl Thiocyanates and Their Reaction with Epoxides: A Route to β-Hydroxy Sulfides

This investigation describes the reduction of an aryl thiocyanate with samarium(II) iodide, followed by reaction with various epoxides, to produce β-hydroxy sulfides. This method of ring opening of epoxides provides a substantial improvement in reaction time and convenience over existing methods while maintaining good regioselectivity and excellent yield.     

THE REACTION OF O-SILYLATED α-KETOLS WITH TRIMETHYLSILYL CYANIDE

Abstract

The reactions of a series of O-silylated α-ketols with trimethylsilyl cyanide have been investigated. Formation of the expected 0-trimethylsilyl cyanohydrins as major products has been shown to be accompanied by the hitherto unsuspected formation of a disiloxane by a proposed intramolecular S_N2 displacement mechanism. The latter reaction is, surprisingly, independent of the substitution pattern in the silylated ketol. Formation of the side-product, however, increases in all cases with increasing dilution. The α,β-epoxynitrile 9, a second side-product expected, along with the observed disiloxane, by our proposed mechanism was synthesized by an unambiguous route. A control experiment showed the epoxynitrile to be completely destroyed under the usual conditions of reaction with trimethylsilyl cyanide. ¹³C NMR data have been obtained for most of the compounds in this study.     

A Versatile Synthetic Route to Substituted Thianthrenes

2,7-Dinitrothianthrene has been prepared by the base-catalyzed cyclization of 2-chloro-5-nitrobenzenethiol and proves to be a versatile starting point for the preparation of several 2,7-disubstituted thianthrenes, both symmetrically and unsymmetrically substituted.