Total synthesis of (+)-aspidospermidine: a new strategy for the enantiospecific synthesis of aspidosperma alkaloids

A new strategy was developed for the enantiospecific synthesis of aspidosperma alkaloids. The key steps involve a novel ketene-lactonization reaction of a chiral vinyl sulfoxide to efficiently set up the quaternary carbon center, and a tandem Michael addition-alkylation reaction sequence to form the polycyclic core structure. This new strategy was employed in the total synthesis of natural product (+)-aspidospermidine.     

Dissociation behavior of doubly-charged tryptic peptides: correlation of gas-phase cleavage abundance with ramachandran plots

Analysis of fragmentation patterns from 5654 unique doubly charged tryptic peptides is obtained. Great variability of average relative abundance of bond cleavage is found between different amino acid combinations. There exist similarities as well as differences between b and y ions. Strong enhancement or suppression of cleavage gives insight into possible chemical interactions at reactive conformations formed by preferred phi-psi angles.     

Electrochemical and kinetic study of oxygen in a perfluorotributylamine emulsion

Oxygen can be determined in a perfluorotributylamine emulsion used as a blood substitute by coulometry and polarography. The oxygen uptake of the emulsion (4.3 × 10^?3 mol l^?1 or 11 ml-% at 25°C and P_O2 = 760 mm Hg) is about three times greater than that of water. The adsorption of surfactant on a dropping mercury electrode changes the electrochemical parameters E_{$\text{1}\text{2}$}, α and k₃. The marked difference between the diffusion coefficients of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide (ratio 2.6) seems to be proceed from the ejection of oxygen molecules from the perfluorotributylamine droplets and from the insolubility of hydrogen peroxide molecules in the droplets. The constant rate of oxygen release by these droplets was estimated to be 10⁴ s^?1 by a stopped-flow spectrophotometric method. This constant rate seems to be linked with the particle diameter (0.2 μm) and the diffusion coefficient in the perfluorotributylamine droplets (1.6 × 10^?6 cm² s^?1).     

Chemistry of the phenoxathiins and isosterically related heterocycles. XXIII . 1-azathianthrene: First reported synthesis of a monoazathianthrene and the investigation of the 13C-NMR spectrum using two-dimensional NMR techniques

The reaction of the dianion of 3-mercaptopyridin-2(1H)-thione with 2-chloronitrobenzene in N,N-dimethylformamide leads to the formation of 1-azathianthrene, the first reported mono-aza analog of the thianthrene ring system. A partial assignment of the ¹³C-nmr spectrum of the title compound is reported, the assignment based on chemical shift arguments, spin-lattice (T₁) relaxation times and ¹H-¹³C spin coupling constants. Amplitude modulated two-dimensional Fourier transform (AM2DFT) techniques were employed for the acquisition of the heteronuclear spin-coupling constants.     

Synthesis of 2-methyl-D-erythritol via epoxy ester-orthoester rearrangement

The biomimetic epoxy ester[bond]orthoester rearrangement has been applied to a new synthesis of 2-methyl-D-erythritol, a branched five-carbon sugar of importance to the deoxyxylulose pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis. The intermediate orthoacetate is one of the few [2.2.1]-orthoesters to have been reported. Labeling studies with O-18 indicated that this reaction proceeds exclusively via a 5-exo cyclization. NMR analysis of chiral esters indicated an ee of 87% for the starting epoxide and an ee of 86% for the product. This route represents a rapid and convenient method for the synthesis of 2-methyl-D-erythritol and is expected to be useful for generating isotopically labeled intermediates for biochemical studies.     

Cycloarsanes (AsCF3)n (n = 4, 5) – Precursors for the Highly Reactive Diarsene F3CAs=AsCF3

Tetrakis(trifluoromethyl) cyclotetraarsane (F₃CAs)₄ ( 2 ) was used to repeat the UV initiated [4+2]‐cycloaddition reaction of the diarsene F₃CAs=AsCF₃ ( 1 ) with cyclohexa‐1,3‐diene (CHD) and to isolate single crystals of the cycloadduct 4 for a X‐ray diffraction analysis. 4 crystallizes in the space group and contains the diarsene group in its E‐configuration. 2 was also applied for [2+2]‐cycloaddition reactions of 1 with tBuC≡P and MeC≡CNⁱPr₂, but in contrast to positive results with (F₃CP)₄ the products were too labile for isolation. However, 2 was successfully used at room temperature as precursor for coordinating 1 as π‐donor ligand to the Pd(PPh₃)₂ complex fragment yielding η²‐bis(trifluoromethyl)diarsene‐bis(triphenylphosphane)‐palladium(0) 5 , which was characterized by X‐ray diffraction of single crystals and by spectroscopic investigations (NMR, IR, MS). Attempts to prove the existence of the diarsene 1 , generated by different methods, by spectroscopic studies very probably failed due to its extreme reactivity, not allowing the necessary concentrations for detection. Quantum chemical calculations of the stability of 1 with respect to dimerization, the stability of the [2+2]‐cycloadduct with 1‐di(isopropyl)aminopropyne and the energy difference between 4 and the 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐butadiene cycloadduct of 1 were performed to understand the considerable differences between 1 and the related diphosphene F₃CP=PCF₃.     

Functionalization of the 4(5)methyl group of imidazoles: A novel synthesis of substituted imidazoles

Acyl vinyl phosphonium salts react with amidines to form imidazolyl phosphonium salts. These imidazolyl salts can be readily converted to multifunctional imidazoles with quantitative recovery of triphenyl phosphine.     

Reactivity in Cleavage of Dimethoxybenzenes by Sodium in Liquid Ammonia

The sodium/liquid ammonia cleavage of the dimethoxybenzenes and related substances, reported in large part by Birch in 1947, has been re-examined with use of improved techniques. Remarkable patterns of reactivity (e.g., ortho > meta > para) that he described are confirmed and extended. They are agreeably rationalized by means of a simple, approximate adaptation from MO theory.     

An efficient synthesis of 6-formyl-1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid and some carbonyl derivatives of it and its 6-acetyl homologue

Starting with 1,1-dimethoxy-2-propanone ( 1 ), 6-formyl-1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid ( 5a ) has been prepared in large quantities by a highly efficient, 4-step synthesis. This compound, along with its one carbon homologue, 6-acetyl-1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid ( 5b ) has been reacted with several carbonyl derivative forming reagents to provide a series of side chains for β-lactams. Among these carbonyl derivatives are styrylamides which were prepared from Wittig and Horner-Emmons reagents. The preparation of the phosphonium salts and phosphonate esters is also described.     

Suppressed Blinking in Single Quantum Dots (QDs) Immobilized Near Silver Island Films (SIFs)

In this report, we use single-molecule spectroscopic method to study emission behaviors of streptavidin conjugated quantum dots immobilized on biotinylated-BSA (bovine serum albumin) monolayer near non-continuous rough silver nanostructure. We observed greatly reduced blinking and enhanced emission fluorescence of quantum dots next to silver island films.