Ring-opening carbonyl–olefin metathesis of norbornenes

A computational and experimental study of the hydrazine-catalyzed ring-opening carbonyl–olefin metathesis of norbornenes is described. Detailed theoretical investigation of the energetic landscape for the full reaction pathway with six different hydrazines revealed several crucial aspects for the design of next-generation hydrazine catalysts. This study indicated that a [2.2.2]-bicyclic hydrazine should offer substantially increased reactivity versus the previously reported [2.2.1]-hydrazine due to a lowered activation barrier for the rate-determining cycloreversion step, a prediction which was verified experimentally. Optimized conditions for both cycloaddition and cycloreversion steps were identified, and a brief substrate scope study for each was conducted. A complication for catalysis was found to be the slow hydrolysis of the ring-opened hydrazonium intermediates, which were shown to suffer from a competitive and irreversible cycloaddition with a second equivalent of norbornene. This problem was overcome by the strategic incorporation of a bridgehead methyl group on the norbornene ring, leading to the first demonstrated catalytic carbonyl–olefin metathesis of norbornene rings.

A computational and experimental study has uncovered a second generation hydrazine that enables the catalytic ring-opening carbonyl–olefin metathesis of norbornenes.     

Photoinduced morphism of gemini surfactant aggregates

The photochemical behaviour of an azobenzene chromophore inserted in a gemini surfactant imparts photocontrol to the resulting amphiphile assemblies, including the collapse, upon irradiation, of the multi lamellar vesicles formed in aqueous solution.     

Calculation of the electronic properties of neutral and ionized divalent-metal clusters

The electronic properties of neutral and ionized divalent-metal clusters have been studied using a microscopic theory, which takes into account the interplay between van der Waals (vdW) and covalent bonding in the neutral clusters, and the competition between hole delocalization and polarization energy in the ionized clusters. By calculating the ground-state energies of neutral and ionized Hg _n clusters, we determine the size dependence of the bond character and the ionization potentialI _p (n). For neutral Hg _n clusters we obtain a transition from van der Waals to covalent behaviour at the critical sizen _c ～10–20 atoms. Results forI _p (Hg _n ) withn≤20 are in good agreement with experiments, and suggest that small Hg _n ⁺ clusters can be viewed as consisting of a positive trimer core Hg ₃ ⁺ surrounded byn?3 polarized neutral atoms.     

Efficient synthesis of [3H]-sanglifehrin A via selective oxidation/reduction of alcohols at C31 and C35

[Reaction: see text]. Sanglifehrin A is a novel complex natural product showing strong immunosuppressive activity and remarkably high affinity for cyclophilin A. To assess its pharmacokinetic properties in vivo, an efficient synthetic route was developed to introduce a tritium label in position C35 of sangliferin A via an oxidation/reduction strategy. The synthetic approach is particularly attractive, because the C35-oxo intermediate 7 is available in good yield on large scale and the reducing agent, lithium tri-sec-butylborotritide, is readily available. An attempt to apply a similar strategy to the alcohol in position C31 led primarily to C31-epi-hydroxy sanglifehrin A under a variety of conditions.     

Nitrosation of peptide bonds. Cleavage of nitrosated peptides by pyrrolidine and α-amino esters

The reaction of several α-amino acids and peptides (containing Gly, L-Ala, L-Leu, L- or DL-Phe, and/or L- or D-Val) with air-diluted nitrogen oxides has been studied to roughly mimic the N-nitrosation of peptide bonds that the contaminated urban air might produce in pulmonary tissues. Most N-protected α-amino acids give practically quantitative yields of N-nitroso derivatives. N-Protected dipeptides afford either dinitrosated peptides, mixtures of di- and mononitrosated compounds, selectively mononitrosated products, or no reaction at all, depending mainly on steric effects. The same trends are observed for some higher peptides. The (po1y)nitrosated Peptides, which retain the chirality of the starting materials, have been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and are cleaved by pyrrolidine and amino esters under mild conditions to give (new) amides or peptides plus diazo derivatives.     

Paper-substrate room-temperature phosphorescence of phenothiazine derivatives enhanced by thallium(I) nitrate and surface-active agents

The effects of anionic, non-ionic, and cationic surfactants and thallium(I) nitrate on the paper-substrate room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of eleven phenothiazine derivatives are described. Enhancement factors within the range 1.5–10 are observed after addition of sodium dodecylsulfate, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride and thallium(I) nitrate. The influence of surfactant on phosphor characteristics as well as effects of moisture are discussed. Limits of detection were in the range 0.2–2 ng. Results are also reported for p-aminobenzoic acid, carbazole and o-terphenyl.