Cobalt-catalyzed regioselective [3+2] annulation of ortho-formyl and acetyl substituted phenylboronic acids with alkynes

Treatment of alkynes with ortho-formyl and acetyl phenylboronic acids in the presence of a cobalt catalyst resulted in the formation of 2,3-disubstituted indenols in good yields. When aryl silyl alkynes were used, 2-aryl-3-silyl indenols were obtained regioselectively in good yields.     

On the exponential Diophantine equation $$(3pm^2-1)^x+(p(p-3)m^2+1)^y=(pm)^z$$

Let m be a positive integer, and let p be a prime with \(p \equiv 1~(\mathrm{mod}~4).\) Then we show that the exponential Diophantine equation \((3pm^2-1)^x+(p(p-3)m^2+1)^y=(pm)^z\) has only the positive integer solution \((x, y, z)=(1, 1, 2)\) under some conditions. As a corollary, we derive that the exponential Diophantine equation \((15m^2-1)^x+(10m^2+1)^y=(5m)^z\) has only the positive integer solution \((x, y, z)=(1, 1, 2).\) The proof is based on elementary methods and Baker’s method.     

Morphological studies of a hydrogen-bonded LC polymer obtained by photopolymerization in LC solvents

Anisotropic morphologies and the phase behaviour of a hydrogen-bonded LC polymer obtained by photopolymerization in two kinds of LC solvent are discussed. The hydrogen-bonded LC monomer, 4-(6-acryloyloxyhexyloxy) benzoic acid (A6OBA), was photopolymerized in 4-cyano-4′-hexyloxybiphenyl (6OCB) and in 4-cyano-4′-undecyloxybiphenyl (11OCB), which show a nematic phase and a smectic A phase, respectively. After photo-polymerization, the LC media were removed by extraction and the pure polymer was observed by scanning electron microscopy. SEM images showed that the polymer possessed fibrous morphology with a fibre diameter of a few micrometers, based on polymerization-induced phase separation. The overall geometries reflected typical LC characteristics such as schlieren and focal-conic fan textures. It was found that the hydrogen bond between benzoic acid groups in the monomer was rigid enough to fix the anisotropic phase-separated structure forming during the early stage of phase separation; however, it could not permanently maintain the fibre structure due to dissociation at elevated temperature. X-ray measurements revealed that a well developed layer structure of the hydrogen-bonded mesogen existed in the polymer obtained from the smectic phase of 11OCB, whereas a polymer layer structure could develop only partially from the nematic phase of 6OCB.     

Ammonium chiral borate salt catalyzed asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with α,β-disubstituted enals

In the presence of a catalytic amount of ammonium chiral borate salt, asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with α,β-disubstituted enals proceeded to give the corresponding 1,4-addition products with moderate enantioselectivities.     

A Novel Synthesis of α-Tellanyl α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes Using α-Tellanyl β-Alkoxyalkenyl Lithiums

Abstract

β-Ethoxy-α-phenyltellanylvinyl lithiums were successfully generated in situ from phenyltellanylacetaldehyde diethyl acetal with lithium 2,2,6,6-tetrame-thylpiperidide (LTMP) and underwent methylation or nucleophilic addition with aldehydes and ketones. The successive dehydration of the allylic alcohols with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) gave α-phenyltellanyl α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, which transformed to some useful compounds.     

Fluorine in Shark Teeth: Its Direct Atomic‐Resolution Imaging and Strengthening Function

Atomic‐resolution imaging of beam‐sensitive biominerals is extremely challenging, owing to their fairly complex structures and the damage caused by electron irradiation. Herein, we overcome these difficulties by performing aberration‐corrected electron microscopy with low‐dose imaging techniques, and report the successful direct atomic‐resolution imaging of every individual atomic column in the complex fluorapatite structure of shark tooth enameloid, which can be of paramount importance for teeth in general. We demonstrate that every individual atomic column in shark tooth enameloid can be spatially resolved, and has a complex fluorapatite structure. Furthermore, ab initio calculations show that fluorine atoms can be covalently bound to the surrounding calcium atoms, which improves understanding of their caries‐reducing effects in shark teeth.