Stereocontrolled synthesis of bicyclic lactone derivatives via tungsten-mediated [3 + 2] cycloaddition of epoxides with a tethered alkynyl group

In the presence of BF3*Et2O, alkynyltungsten complexes underwent [3 + 2] cycloaddition with tethered epoxides to give bicyclic -lactones efficiently. Only one diastereomeric product was formed despite the presence of three stereogenic centers. A mechanism is proposed that involves formation of a tungsten-vinylidenium species via an SN2 attack of the epoxide carbon by an alkynyltungsten group to give a tungsten-enol ether species via counterattack at the central tungsten-vinylidenium carbon by the OBF3- terminus. Most of the tungsten enol ether species were too unstable for isolation and underwent hydrolysis to give only cis-fused -bicyclic lactones. This cyclization works for both cis- and trans-epoxides and tolerates various functional groups. In the case of trans-phenyl epoxide, the reaction led to an addition product via a 6-endo attack of epoxide by the tungsten fragment. This method provides a simple enantiospecific synthesis of complex bicyclic lactones if a chiral epoxide is used in the cyclization. It is also applicable to the one-pot synthesis of bicyclic unsaturated gamma-lactones if a suitable alkynyltungsten functionality is used.     

Insect pheromones and their analogs. VIII. Synthesis of the (Z) and (E) isomers of 2-methyloctadec-7-ene and of 2-methyl-7,8-epoxyoctadecane

A highly stereospecific method for the synthesis of racemic (Z)-disparlure has been developed which is based on the reduction of 2-methyloctadec-7-yne with the aid of 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and the epoxidation of the resulting (Z)-2-methyloctadec-7-ene with p-methoxycarbonylperbenzoic acid. The¹³C NMR spectra of the (Z) and (E) isomers of 2-methyloctadec-7-ene and 2-methyl-7,8-epoxyoctadecane, which unambiguously confirm the structures of these compounds, are given. It has been established that (E)-2-methyloctadec-7-ene exhibits a moderate attractant activity while the (Z) isomer does not attract the gypsy moth. The addition of 5–25% of (E)-disparlure increases the biological activity of (Z)-disparlure.Institute of Chemistry, Bashkir Branch, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Ufa. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 630–634, September–October, 1983.     

Polysaccharides of brown algae IV. Fragmentation of the molecules of sargassan and pelvecyan

Summary It has been shown that the molecules of sargassan and pelvecyan each contain a linear high-molecular-weight fragment consisting of residues of glucuronic acid and mannose alternating with one another.Institute of Biologically Active Substances, Far Eastern Scientific Center, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 393–396, July–August, 1971.     

Mechanism of oxidation of organic substrates by the rhenium(VI) dithiolate complex in nonaqueous media as determined by EPR using the spin trap method

The mechanism of the reaction of the rhenium(VI) dithiolate complex Re^IV(TDT)₃ with some electron-donating organic reagents in nonaqueous solvents is studied by the spin trap method combined with electron paramagnetic resonance. The reaction products are stable complex rhenium(V) anions, Re^V(TDT)₃-, and short-lived radicals forming long-lived adducts with spin traps as probed by EPR. The possibility of using the radical processes for analytical purposes is discussed.     

Easy α- to β-migration of an enol moiety on a pyrrole ring

Functionalized pyrrolic enols, 2-(2,2-dicyano-1-hydroxyethenyl)-1-methylpyrroles, synthesized from 2-ethenylpyrroles by a nucleophilic SEt-OH exchange, upon heating (75-142 °C) are readily rearranged to their 3-isomers in near to quantitative yield. The inter or intramolecular auto-protonation of a pyrrole ring by the acidic enol hydroxyl to form a mesomeric pyrrolium cation or zwitterion is suggested to be a key step in the rearrangement.     

Phase-locked InGaAsP laser array with diffraction coupling

A phase-locked array of InGaAsP lasers has been fabricated for the first time. The array utilized diffraction coupling between 10 adjacent lasers to achieve phase locking. Threshold current as low as 200 mA is obtained for arrays with 250 m cavity length. Smooth single-lobe far field patterns with beam divergence as narrow as 3° have been achieved.     

Researches on furans

It is found that, unlike 2-chloromethylfuran, 2-(-chloropropyl)furan reacts with sodium cyanide in dimethylformamide to give a mixture of isomeric nitriles consisting of-(2-furyl)-butyronitrile and 5-propylpyromuconitrile. The structures of the acids obtained by hydrolysis of these nitriles, are confirmed by retrosynthesis.For Part XLII see [2].     

Complexes of Some 3d-Metal Salts with N,N-Dimethylhydrazide of 4-Nitrobenzoic Acid

The [M(HL)₂(H₂O)₂]X₂ complexes were synthesized (M = Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn; X = CH₃COO^–, Cl^–, BF₄ ^–) that incorporate bidentately coordinated molecules of N,N-dimethylhydrazide of 4-nitrobenzoic acid (HL). The latter molecules chelate the metal atom through the carbonyl O atom and the N atom of dimethylamino group. The square-planar complexes of Cu and Ni with deprotonated form of a ligand with composition ML₂ were also isolated. The synthesized complexes were studied by IR, electronic and EPR spectroscopies, and by cyclic voltammetry.     

Spatial Overlapping of Holes in Nuclear-Track Membranes with Different Angular Distributions

The results of Monte Carlo calculations on the relative number of spatially overlapping holes W _over in track membranes, depending on porosity P for possible angular distributions of ion incidence (pore orientation) are presented. The values of the relative number of overlapping pores in the bulk, W _m (m = 2, 3, ..., 10), were calculated and the relative hole overlap areas were determined. The choice of the most effective angular distributions for the manufacture of track membranes is discussed.     

Investigation of conjugated dinitrones — derivatives of pyrroline oxide

The molecular structure of three derivatives ofbis(2- R- 5,5- dimethyl- 3- oxo- 1- oxide pyrrolin- 1- ylidene- 3),where R =CH ₃ (@#@5a @#@), C ₆H₅ (@#@5b @#@), C(CH ₃)₃ (@#@5c @#@), and of the complex of 5b with copper(II)hexafluoroacetylacetonate [Cu(hfac) ₂ (@#@5b @#@)] was investigated by X- ray diffraction analysis in the framework of our studies of the possible tautomeric equilibrium conjugated dinitrone ? nitroxide biradical. The pyrroline rings of the molecules under analysis are planar (rms deviations of atoms are no more than 0.041 å), and the interplanar angles are 32.01(5), 42.84(9), and 51.45(7)? for 5a,5b,and 5c,respectively. It is established that the bond lengths of the C(2)- C(3) =C(3a)- C(2a) fragment are equalized to C(2)- C(3) 1.42 and C(3)- C(3a) 1.40 å. The N→O bond lengths of the nitrone group are within 1.250(4)- 1.282(4) å) [in Cu(hfac)₂ (5b)]. The geometrical data obtained do not permit us to make an unambiguous choice between the tautomeric structures. The magnetic susceptibility measurements of the Cu(hfac)₂ solid complex (5b) and the absence of paramagnetism in solid compounds 5 indicate that they are diamagnetic.