Stereoselective synthesis of (±) - laurene

Reduction of an unsymmetrically substituted unsaturated aldehyde by way of the corresponding tosylhydrazone is shown to proceed stereoselectively.     

The Pacific sea surface temperature

The Pacific sea surface temperature data contains two components: NL, a signal that exhibits the familiar El Niño/La Niña phenomenon and NH, a signal of one-year period. Analysis reveals: (1) The existence of an annual solar forcing FS; (2) NH is phase locked directly to FS while NL is frequently phase locked to the 2nd or 3rd subharmonic of FS. At least ten distinct subharmonic time segments of NL since 1870 are found. The beginning or end dates of these segments have a near one-to-one correspondence with the abrupt climate changes previously reported. Limited predictability is possible.     

Synthesis of the reported structure of trans-africanan-1α-ol

A trisubstituted cyclopentane chiron has been prepared by dynamic kinetic reduction of a pulegone-derived β-keto ester. This chiron served as the starting material for the synthesis of the reported structure of the tricyclic sesquiterpene trans-africanan-1α-ol. The synthetic material was not congruent with the natural product.     

Aliphatic C-H to C-C conversion: synthesis of (-)-cameroonan-7α-ol

In the course of a synthesis of the tricyclic sesquiterpene (-)-cameroonan-7α-ol from the acyclic (+)-citronellal, seven aliphatic C-H bonds were converted to C-C bonds, and three rings and four new stereogenic centers were established.