Dramatic enhancement of enone epoxidation rates in nonionic microemulsions

The ability of microemulsions to dissolve polar and non-polar components with a huge internal interface can overcome the reagent incompatibilities frequently encountered in organic reactions. We investigated model epoxidation reactions of alpha,beta-unsaturated enones and alkaline hydrogen peroxide in different nonionic microemulsions, both in the presence and absence of a phase-transfer agent (PTA). The obtained reaction profiles were compared with those for the corresponding surfactant-free two-phase systems. In addition, we defined a time constant tau as a measure for the rate of turnover. The epoxidation of trans-chalcone using an n-alkyl-polyoxyethylene surfactant based microemulsion was fastest in the system with the PTA (tau=66 min) and slightly slower without the PTA (tau=77 min). It was still slower in the two-phase system with a PTA (tau=114 min) and extremely sluggish without a phase-transfer agent. With n-alkyl beta-D-glucopyranoside as the surfactant the conversion was twice as fast than in the former microemulsion systems, but the PTA did not accelerate the reaction further (tau=35 and 33 min). The epoxidation of vitamin K(3), the second model system, was extremely accelerated. It proceeded a factor of approximately 35 faster in the microemulsion (tau=1.44 min) than in the corresponding two-phase system (tau=57 min).     

Triflic acid-catalyzed additions of 2-alkoxycarbonyl allylboronates to aldehydes. Study of scope and mechanistic investigation of the reaction stereochemistry

The substrate scope and the effect of substrate on the observed inversion of stereoselectivity in the triflic acid-catalyzed allylboration reaction between 2-alkoxycarbonyl allylboronates and aldehydes are presented. A mechanistic investigation is described so as to confirm the involvement of a carbocation intermediate as the source of stereochemical inversion. This methodology allows a facile access to beta,gamma-disubstituted five-membered ring lactones with an exo-methylene at the alpha-position.     

Co-catalyst enhancement of enantioselective PTC Michael additions involving glycine imines

In this Letter we demonstrate that the use of 2,4,6-trimethylphenol (mesitol) as a co-catalyst facilitates highly enantioselective addition of benzophenone glycine imine tert-butyl ester to a range of Michael acceptors.     

Dramatic rate acceleration of the Baylis-Hillman reaction in homogeneous medium in the presence of water

[reaction: see text] In homogeneous H(2)O/solvent medium, the reaction rate of aromatic aldehydes and acrylonitrile or acrylate was greatly accelerated, which led to shorter reaction time, lower reaction temperature, and higher yield. In this reaction, Me(3)N, DMAP, DABCO, and urotropine were good catalysts. Except for low-carbon alcohols, tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane, and acetonitrile could be chosen as the solvent. Under this condition, the diastereoselective reaction of nitrobenzaldehyde and L-menthyl acrylate was realized with 88-99% de.     

Dramatic effect of homoallylic substitution on the rate of palladium-catalyzed diene cycloisomerization

Cycloisomerization of 4,4-bis(acetoxymethyl)-1,6-heptadiene (5) catalyzed by [(phen)Pd(Me)CNCH₃]⁺ [BAr₄]⁻ [Ar=3,5-C₆H₃(CF₃)₂] (2) to form predominantly 3,3-bis(acetoxymethyl)-1,5-dimethylcyclopentene (6) was ∼400 times faster than was the cycloisomerization of dimethyl diallylmalonate (1) under identical conditions. Mechanistic studies performed in conjunction with density functional theory calculations attribute the large rate acceleration of the cycloisomerization of 5 relative to the cycloisomerization of 1 to the formation of a stable oxo chelate complex as an intermediate in the cycloisomerization of 1, but not in the cycloisomerization of 5.     

Three-component cycloadditions: the first transition metal-catalyzed [5+2+1] cycloaddition reactions

Prompted by our studies of transition metal-catalyzed [4+4], [4+2], [5+2], and [6+2] cycloadditions and by the view that these two-component reactions could be intercepted by a third component of one or more atoms, a new three-component transition metal-catalyzed cycloaddition is described. This new [5+2+1] cycloaddition proceeds in good to excellent yield and with high or complete regioselectivity with a variety of carbonyl-substituted alkynes to give bicyclo[3.3.0]octenone adducts, resulting from transannular closure of the intermediate eight-membered-ring cycloadduct. Effects of concentration, temperature, pressure, and catalyst loading on the efficiency of the reaction are discussed. This process provides access to complex building blocks for synthesis based on simple, readily available components.     

Selective enhancement effects of silver salts on the transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of gem-difluorinated heterocyclics using 2,2-difluorohomopropargyl amides

The addition of silver salts had an effect on the catalyst activity in the Pd(0)-catalyzed cyclization-coupling tandem reaction, as well as in the Rh(I)-catalyzed Pauson-Khand reaction. The cationic palladium complex generated from Pd(PPh₃)₄ (2.5 mol%) with AgSbF₆ (1.5 equiv.) activates the triple bond of 2,2-difluoropropargylic amides to give the 4,5-disubstituted 3,3-difluoro-γ-lactams, through a sequential 5-endo-dig cyclization and cross-coupling reaction. The γ-lactam was transformed into ring-opened monofluorovinylic compounds after silica-gel chromatography. Pauson-Khand reaction of fluorinated 1,7-enyne amides using catalytic amounts of [Rh(COD)₂]₂ (5 mol%) and AgOTf (20 mol%) gave the corresponding gem-difluorinated bicyclic lactam.     

Highly diastereo- and regioselective transition metal-catalyzed additions of metal hydrides and bimetallic species to cyclopropenes: easy access to multisubstituted cyclopropanes

The first highly efficient, diastereo- and regioselective transition metal-catalyzed addition of metal hydrides (stannanes, silanes, and germanes) and bimetallic species (ditins and silyltins) to cyclopropenes has been developed. It was shown that the addition across the double bond of cyclopropenes is generally controlled by steric factors and proceeds from the least hindered face. This methodology represents a powerful and atom-economic approach toward a wide variety of highly substituted stereodefined cyclopropylmetals, useful building blocks unavailable by other methods.     

Dramatic enhancement of CO2 uptake by poly(ethyleneimine) using zirconosilicate supports

The CO(2) adsorption characteristics of prototypical poly(ethyleneimine)/silica composite adsorbents can be drastically enhanced by altering the acid/base properties of the oxide support via incorporation of Zr into the silica support. Introduction of an optimal amount of Zr resulted in a significant improvement in the CO(2) capacity and amine efficiency under dilute (simulated flue gas) and ultradilute (simulated ambient air) conditions. Adsorption experiments combined with detailed characterization by thermogravimetric analysis, temperature-programmed desorption, and in situ FT-IR spectroscopy clearly demonstrate a stabilizing effect of amphoteric Zr sites that enhances the adsorbent capacity, regenerability, and stability over continued recycling. It is suggested that the important role of the surface properties of the oxide support in these polymer/oxide composite adsorbents has been largely overlooked and that the properties may be even further enhanced in the future by tuning the acid/base properties of the support.     

Diastereocontrol in asymmetric allyl-allyl cross-coupling: stereocontrolled reaction of prochiral allylboronates with prochiral allyl chlorides

Palladium-catalyzed allyl-allyl cross-coupling was investigated with substituted prochiral allylic boronates. These reactions deliver products bearing adjacent stereocenters, and the issue of diastereocontrol is therefore paramount. Under appropriately modified conditions, this allyl-allyl coupling strategy was found to apply to a range of substrates, generally occurring with high enantioselectivity (92:8 to >99:1 er) and good diastereoselection (4:1 to 14:1 dr).     

Sequence dependence of methylation rate enhancement in meta-phenyleneethynylene foldamers

The methylation rates of a meta-phenyleneethynylene (mPE) oligomer with a terminally-attached 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) residue are reported for a series of linear and branched methyl sulfonates; these data show that selective methylation is enhanced by locating the DMAP unit at the midpoint of the sequence, allowing the foldamer cavity to function as a reactive sieve.     

Kinetics of the metal-catalyzed condensations of phenols and polyflavonoid tannins with formaldehyde

The rate constants and free energies of activation of Zn²⁺ -accelerated and Cr³⁺ -retarded condensations of resorcinolic A rings of polyflavonoid wattle tannins, as well as of the model compounds resorcinol and catechol with formaldehyde, were determined. A quantitative indication of the effect of strong metallic ion catalysts on phenol/aldehyde reactions was obtained. Second-order kinetics have been found to fit these metallic ion-catalyzed reactions. The dependence of the tannin/formaldehyde reaction on the concentration of Zn²⁺ and Cr³⁺ under acid and alkaline reaction conditions has been investigated and the respective catalytic coefficients determined. In the presence of the metallic ions used the reaction proved to be considerably less sensitive to variations of OH-concentration, hence of pH.     

Protein association with circular DNA: rate enhancement by nonspecific binding

An analytical solution for the nonspecific-binding-facilitated diffusion-controlled rate of association of a protein with a specific site on a circular DNA is derived. Nonspecific binding is modeled by a short-range attractive surface potential. The protein undergoes diffusion in the bulk solution and in the surface layer. The association rate for a circular DNA is compared to the counterpart for a linear DNA, in which the ends of the surface layer are treated as reflecting. As expected, when the DNA length is long, the shape of the DNA does not affect the association rate. For a shorter length, the association rate for the linear DNA is modestly higher than the circular counterpart. The higher rate of the linear DNA is possibly due to its more open shape, which affords it a higher ability to draw the protein from the bulk to its surface. The analytical solution is verified by Brownian dynamics simulations.