α-Substituent effect on olefination of ester carbonyl groups with ynolates

In the olefination reaction of ester carbonyl with ynolate, an α-hetero (N, O, S)-substituent on the substrates was found to markedly improve the yields of tetrasubstituted olefins, even though it was sterically hindered. The α-substituent effect may be due to several factors including the addition based on the polar Felkin–Anh model and restricted conformation of the initial adducts.     

The synthesis and stereoselective conjugate addition reactions of α-alkoxyorganocuprate reagents

α-Alkoxyorganocuprate reagents have been prepared from α-alkoxyorganostannanes. The cuprates undergo diastereoselective conjugate addition reactions with cyclohexenone with up to 8:92 selectivity. The effects of trimethylsilyl chloride on the chemical yields and the diastereoselectivity of the reaction are described.     

Synthesis of oligodiaminosaccharides having α-glycoside bonds and their interactions with oligonucleotide duplexes

Syntheses of the novel oligodiaminosaccharides, α-(1→4)-linked-2,6-diamino-2,6-dideoxy-D-glucopyranose oligomers, and their interactions with nucleic acid duplexes DNA-DNA, RNA-RNA, and DNA-RNA are described. Monomers to tetramers of oligodiaminoglucose derivatives having α-glycosyl bonds were successfully synthesized using a chain elongation cycle including glycosylation reactions of a 6-phthalimide glycosyl donor. UV melting experiments for a variety of nucleic acid duplexes in the absence and presence of the oligodiaminosaccharides were performed. The synthesized oligodiaminosaccharides exhibited notable thermodynamic stabilization effects on A-type RNA-RNA and DNA-RNA duplexes, whereas B-type DNA-DNA duplexes were not stabilized by the synthesized oligodiaminosaccharides. Among the oligodiaminosaccharides, the tetramer exhibited the highest ability to stabilize A-type duplexes, and the increase in T(m) values induced by the tetramer were higher than those induced by neomycin B and tobramycin, which are known aminoglycosides having ability to bind and stabilize a variety of RNA molecules. CD spectrometry experiments revealed that the oligodiaminosaccharides caused small structural changes in RNA-RNA duplexes, whereas no appreciable changes were observed in the structure of DNA-DNA duplexes. ITC (isothermal titration calorimetry) experiments demonstrated that the amount of heat generated by the interaction between RNA-RNA duplexes and the tetradiaminosaccharides was approximately double that generated by that between DNA-DNA duplexes and the tetradiaminosaccharides. These results strongly suggested the existence of an A-type nucleic acid specific-binding mode of the oligodiaminosaccharides, which bind to these duplexes and cause small structural changes.     

Merging organocatalysis with transition metal catalysis: highly stereoselective α-alkylation of aldehydes

The unprecedented cooperative systems involving a diarylprolinol silyl ether with various Lewis acids have been found to effect the highly enantioselective intermolecular α-alkylation of aldehydes. A wide variety of aldehydes and alcohols can be transformed into the desired highly functionalized aldehydes in high yields, excellent enantioselectivities, and good diastereoselectivities at room temperature under mild conditions.     

Norrish Type II photoreactivity of β-anisylalkanophenones and solvent effects on stereoselective Yang cyclization

In contary to the general notion that β-arylpropiophenones are photostable, photolysis of β-anisylketones 1 and 2 is found to result in Norrish Type II reactions; Yang cyclization affords two cyclobutanols in moderate yields (31-43%) in a highly stereoselective manner. The solvents are found to exert a dramatic influence on the relative ratios of the cyclobutanols in that the major product in a nonpolar solvent such as benzene becomes the minor one in a polar solvent such as acetonitrile or methanol.     

An improved synthesis of α-phosphonoenamines based on a modified Peterson olefination

An efficient, stereoselective method for the synthesis of α-phosphonoenamines based on a modified Peterson olefination is described. The carbanion derived from isolatable intermediate 2 reacts with aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes selectively eliminating in Peterson fashion to deliver functionally rich α-phosphonoenamines 3. The synthetic utility of these enamines is demonstrated by their hydrolysis yielding the homologous carboxylic acids in good yield.     

The reaction of carbohydrate-derived alkoxyaldehydes with methoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane: stereoselective synthesis of β-unsaturated esters

The reaction of several carbohydrate-derive alkoxyaldehydes with methoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane afford α, β-unsaturated esters with Z-stereoselectivity. The stereoselectivity depends on the substrate stucture and the nature of the solvent used.     

The αPROX assay: fluorescence screening of the inhibitory effects of hydrophilic antioxidants on protein oxidation

We report on a new and convenient high-throughput fluorescence technique for determining antioxidant capacities of hydrophilic food samples. The new method is called αPROX (anti protein oxidation) and is based on an equimolar complex of diphenylhexatriene propionic acid (DPHPA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous buffer at pH 7.4. DPHPA is a reporter fluorophore that becomes nonfluorescent upon free radical-induced oxidation. In a typical assay, the DPHPA/BSA complex is challenged with peroxyl radicals and shows almost the same susceptibility to oxidation as unlabeled BSA. The progress of protein oxidation and its inhibition by antioxidants at physiological pH is determined from the time-dependent decrease in DPHPA fluorescence intensity. The αPROX method was compared to other techniques frequently used to measure antioxidant capacities. In this article, representative results are provided for the inhibitory effects of pure food components, fruit juices, wines, and various polar plant extracts on protein oxidation.      

Carbonyl olefination with a-stannyl ester enolates: A new synthesis of α,β-unsaturated esters

The reaction of α-stannyl ester enolates with carbonyl compounds is described. α,β-Unsaturated esters are obtained in good yields. A reaction mec     

Simple synthesis and separation of the diastereomers of α-thio analogs of ribo- and deoxyribo- di- and triphosphates

Nucleoside 5′-0-(1-thiodi-) and triphosphates can be obtained in yields of up to 45% directly from the nucleosides. Their diastereomers can be separated by preparative reversed phase chromatography.     

Study of pre-equilibrium effects on α-induced reactions on copper

A stack of natural copper was bombarded with -particles. Cumulative cross-sections for⁶⁵Ga,⁶⁶Ga and⁶⁵Zn production, and the excitation functions for⁶⁸Ga and⁶⁷Ga production, were measured using high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. The data are compared with the theoretical result provided by equilibrium and pre-equilibrium reaction model, for this purpose we used the code ALICE of Blann. The overall agreement with theory is good. Besides, we present the experimental data obtained by other authors.     

The α-Effect and Competing Mechanisms: The Gas-Phase Reactions of Microsolvated Anions with Methyl Formate

The enhanced reactivity of α-nucleophiles, which contain an electron lone pair adjacent to the reactive site, has been demonstrated in solution and in the gas phase and, recently, for the gas-phase S_N2 reactions of the microsolvated HOO^–(H₂O) ion with methyl chloride. In the present work, we continue to explore the significance of microsolvation on the α-effect as we compare the gas-phase reactivity of the microsolvated α-nucleophile HOO^–(H₂O) with that of microsolvated normal alkoxy nucleophiles, RO^–(H₂O), in reactions with methyl formate, where three competing reactions are possible. The results reveal enhanced reactivity of HOO^–(H₂O) towards methyl formate, and clearly demonstrate the presence of an overall α-effect for the reactions of the microsolvated α-nucleophile. The association of the nucleophiles with a single water molecule significantly lowers the degree of proton abstraction and increases the S_N2 and B_AC2 reactivity compared with the unsolvated analogs. HOO^–(H₂O) reacts with methyl formate exclusively via the B_AC2 channel. While microsolvation lowers the overall reaction efficiency, it enhances the B_AC2 reaction efficiency for all anions compared with the unsolvated analogs. This may be explained by participation of the solvent water molecule in the B_AC2 reaction in a way that continuously stabilizes the negative charge throughout the reaction.

The effects of α-cellulose extraction and blue-stain fungus on retrospective studies of carbon and oxygen isotope variation in live and dead trees

Tree‐ring carbon and oxygen isotope ratios from live and recently dead trees may reveal important mechanisms of tree mortality. However, wood decay in dead trees may alter the δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values of whole wood obscuring the isotopic signal associated with factors leading up to and including physiological death. We examined whole sapwood and α‐cellulose from live and dead specimens of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), one‐seed juniper (Juniperous monosperma), piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and white fir (Abies concolor), including those with fungal growth and beetle frass in the wood, to determine if α‐cellulose extraction is necessary for the accurate interpretation of isotopic compositions in the dead trees. We found that the offset between the δ¹³C or δ¹⁸O values of α‐cellulose and whole wood was the same for both live and dead trees across a large range of inter‐annual and regional climate differences. The method of α‐cellulose extraction, whether Leavitt‐Danzer or Standard Brendel modified for small samples, imparts significant differences in the δ¹³C (up to 0.4‰) and δ¹⁸O (up to 1.2‰) of α‐cellulose, as reported by other studies. There was no effect of beetle frass or blue‐stain fungus (Ophiostoma) on the δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O of whole wood or α‐cellulose. The relationships between whole wood and α‐cellulose δ¹³C for ponderosa, piñon and juniper yielded slopes of ~1, while the relationship between δ¹⁸O of whole wood and α‐cellulose was less clear. We conclude that there are few analytical or sampling obstacles to retrospective studies of isotopic patterns of tree mortality in forests of the western United States. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and stereoselective oxidation of α-thio-β-chloropropenyloxazolidin-2-ones

The investigation of the stereoselective reaction of α-thiopropanoyloxazolidin-2-ones with NCS to yield α-thio-β-chloropropenyloxazolidin-2-ones is described. Diastereoselective sulfur oxidation of the resulting α-thio-β-chloropropenyloxazolidin-2-ones shows modest diastereocontrol. However, via a combination of diastereoselective oxidation and subsequent kinetic resolution in the sulfoxide oxidation, diastereoselectivities of up to 94% de have been achieved.     

Thermodynamic study on salt effects on complex formation of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins with p-aminobenzoic acid

The aim of this work was to gain a deeper understanding of salt effects in the inclusion complex formation of cyclodextrins. For this purpose, thermodynamic study of complex formation of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins with p-aminobenzoic acid was carried out in water and solutions of KCl, KBr, KH₂PO₄ and K₂SO₄ (0.2 mol/kg). Stability constants were calculated from the binding isotherms obtained on the basis of ¹H NMR measurements. Enthalpy and entropy of complex formation were estimated from the van’t Hoff plots. It was found that effects of KCl, KH₂PO₄ and K₂SO₄ are insignificant, while the influence of KBr on complex formation of cyclodextrins with p-aminobenzoic acid is more pronounced and results in a decrease of the stability constants. Specific action of Br⁻ is caused by the ability of these anions to penetrate into macrocyclic cavity. Coexistence of two complexation equilibria in KBr solution is accompanied by significant solvent reorganization originated from more intensive dehydration of the interacting species. This results in an increase of the enthalpy and entropy of complex formation. Manifestation of Br⁻ effect was found to be the same in the binding of p-aminobenzoic acid with α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of hydrazones with α-oxo-ketenes: a three-component stereoselective entry to pyrazolidinones and an original class of spirooxindoles

Stereodefined monocyclic, spirobicyclic, and bis-spirotricyclic pyrazolidin-3-ones can be prepared efficiently by a three-component reaction involving a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine imines obtained from hydrazones with α-oxo-ketene dipolarophiles generated in situ. The reaction allows the creation of four covalent bonds and two contiguous chiral quaternary centers with excellent diastereoselectivity in a single catalyst/additive-free, highly atom-economical transformation. From a fundamental point of view, the reaction introduces α-oxo-ketenes as effective dipolarophiles in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions.     

The reaction of α-stannylmethyllithium with esters

Ketonic compounds were prepared from esters using α-stannylmethyllithium as the reagent.     

The Reaction of α,α-Dichlorobenzyltrimethylsilane with Aldehydes and Ketones

The reaction of α,α-dichlorobenzyltrimethylsilane with carbonyl compounds in the presence of fluoride ion fails to give reasonable yields of the α,α-dichlorobenzyl adducts except when carried out in the presence of zinc iodide and in HMPA as solvent. Under these conditions moderate yields of the adducts can be obtained with cyclohexanone, cyclohexenone, benzaldhyde and trans cinnamaldehyde. These reactions were compared with those of α,α-dichlorobenzyllithium.     

The transmission of resonance effects through a methylene group—spectroscopic studies on some α-substituted-acetonitriles and p-toluonitriles

Frequencies and integrated intensities are recorded for the ν_CN mode of a representative selection of α-substituted acetonitriles, α-substituted-p-toluonitriles and β-substituted propiononit-riles. The frequencies of the acetonitriles are confirmed to show an important substituent resonance effect. These results together with carbon-13 data on both series are used to consider the possibility of resonance effects being felt at a probe separated from the substituent by a methylene group.