New synthetic routes towards various α-fluorinated aryl ketones and their enantioselective reductions using baker's yeast

Highly electrophilic dichlorofluoromethyl aryl ketones were obtained by oxidation of dichlorofluoromethyl aryl alcohols. Subsequent dechlorination of these ketones using sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate (Rongalite) and reductive dehalogenating system SnCl₂/Al led to various fluoromethyl aryl ketones and chlorofluoromethyl aryl ketones, respectively. Asymmetric reductions of these fluorinated ketones using the inexpensive baker's yeast produced the corresponding fluoromethyl aryl alcohols with different enantioselectivities.     

Stoichiometric self-assembly of isomeric, shape-persistent, supramacromolecular bowtie and butterfly structures

Two novel macromolecular constitutional isomers have been self-assembled from previously unreported terpyridine ligands in a three-component system. The terpyridine ligands were synthesized in high yields via a key Suzuki coupling. Restrictions of the possible outcomes for self-assembly ultimately provided optimum conditions for isolation of either a molecular bowtie or its isomeric butterfly motif. These isomers have been characterized by ESI-MS, TWIM-MS, (1)H NMR, and (13)C NMR. Notably, these structural isomers have remarkably different drift times in ion mobility separation, corresponding to different sizes and shapes at high charge states.     

Acid‐promoted double ring‐opening reaction of bicyclobis (γ‐butyrolactone) with alcohol and its application to polyester synthesis

Bicyclobis(γ‐butyrolactone) (BBL) bearing methyl group 1a reacted with benzyl alcohol (BnOH) in the presence of p‐toluenesulfonic acid (p‐TsOH) through the double ring‐opening of the bislactone structure to afford the corresponding adduct 2a bearing carboxyl group. The resulting carboxyl group underwent condensation with BnOH to afford the corresponding diester 3a . The second step was quite slow at ambient temperature; however, it was efficiently accelerated by elevating temperature to 120 °C or performing under reduced pressure at 80 °C to afford 3a in an excellent yield. Based on these results, the reaction of 1a with xylene‐α,α‐diol (XyD) was carried out in chlorobenzene at 120 °C to obtain the corresponding polyester bearing ketone group in the side chain. The condensation reaction in the second step was effectively promoted by simultaneous removal of water under reduced pressure. BBLs 1b and 1c bearing reactive groups, isopropenyl and chloromethyl, respectively, were also employed as monomers efficiently. Their reactions with XyD gave the corresponding reactive polyesters bearing methacryloyl and chloroacetyl moieties, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Peroxovanadium-catalyzed oxidative esterification of aldehydes

The peroxovanadium species generated from V(2)O(5) and hydrogen peroxide, which is liberated from peroxy salts such as sodium perborate (SPB) or sodium percarbonate (SPC), transform aldehydes directly into esters in an alcoholic medium. Monoesters of diols have been achieved directly in one pot from aldehydes. High catalytic turnover number combined with inexpensive, easily available reagents and innocuous side products from the reaction make it a suitable alternative for the synthesis of esters from aldehydes.