Biotransformation of ferulic acid into two new dihydrotrimers by Momordica charantia peroxidase

As a result of a continuing investigation of the biotransformation of ferulic acid with H2O2/Momordica charantia peroxidase at pH 5.0 in the presence of acetone, triFA1 (1) and triFA2 (2), two new FA dehydrotrimers, have been isolated. The structures were elucidated from the spectroscopic data including 2D-NMR such as HSQC, HMBC and NOESY data. TriFA1 (1) is a unique FA dehydrotrimer possessing a 3a,9b-dihydro-1H-furo[3,4-c][1]benzopyran-3(4H)-one ring system. The possible mechanism for the formation of triFA1 was also discussed.     

Laser-induced above-band-gap transparency in GaAs

We report the observation of large (approximately 40%) laser-induced above-band-gap transparency in GaAs at room temperature. The induced transparency is present only during the pulse width of the driving midinfrared laser pulses and its spectral shape is consistent with a laser-induced blueshift of the band edge. Our simulations based on the dynamic Franz-Keldysh effect reproduce the salient features of the experimental results, demonstrating, in particular, that the amount of the band edge shift is approximately given by the ponderomotive potential.     

A novel one-pot synthesis of carbazole-1,4-quinones through Pd-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation,desilylation and oxidation processes from 3-iodo-2-propenylindoles

A novel one-pot synthesis of carbazole-1,4-quinone by consecutive Pd-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation, desilylation, and oxidation reactions is described. We propose a possible mechanism of the cyclocarbonylation reaction between 3-iodo-2-propenylindole and CO (1 atm) in the presence of a tributyl(vinyl)tin and Pd-catalyst and the resulting acylpalladium species was directly coupled with a terminal alkene to produce the carbazole-1,4-quinone. To our knowledge, this is the first example of this type of reaction. A new formal total synthesis of a carbazole-1,4-quinone alkaloid, murrayaquinone A was established using this reaction.     

2, 2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1, 1'-binaphthyl(binap) : A new atropisomeric bis(triaryl)phosphine. synthesis and its use in the rh(l)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-(acylamino)acrylic acids

Racemic 2, 2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-l, 1'-binaphthyl has been synthesized from 2, 2'-dihydroxy-l, l'-binaphthyl in two steps and resolved into optically pure (R)-(+) and (S) (-) enantiomers by the use of (+)-di-μ-chlorobis[(S)-N,N-dimethyl-α-phenylethylamine-2C,N]dipalladium. This new axially dissymmetric bis(triaryl)phosphine serves as an excellent ligand for Rh(l)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenations of α-(acylamino) acrylic acids or esters. Factors controlling the enantioselectivity and mechanistic aspects are discussed on the basis of the ³¹P-NMR measurements