Asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement induced by a chiral carbanion whose chirality was transferred from an epoxide

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of 1-allyloxy-1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-4-siloxy-2,4-pentadienyl anion, derived from optically enriched 4,5-epoxy-1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-5-silyl-2-pentenyl allyl ether via a base-induced ring opening of the epoxide followed by Brook rearrangement, has been studied. The chirality of the epoxide was transferred to the alcohols in up to 97% ee, depending on the solvent used. The best result was obtained in 1,4-dioxane at a temperature above room temperature.     

Novel nucleophilic C?C bond‐forming tele‐reaction of imidazole ring

Reaction of 2‐(1‐chloro‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐1‐methyl‐1H‐irnidazoles with diethyl methylmalonate in the presence of NaH gave a normal S_N product, 2‐[(1,1‐diethoxycarbonylethyl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]‐1‐methyl‐1H‐imidazole (2a) , and two tele‐reaction products, 5‐(1,1‐diethoxycarbonylethyl)‐1‐methyl‐2‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐1H‐imidazole (3a) and trans‐4,5‐di‐(1,1‐diethoxycarbonylethyl)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1‐methyl‐2‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐1H‐imidazole (4a) in 5, 17 and 70% yields, respectively. The scope and mechanism of this reaction are discussed.     

Determination of pemoline in plasma, urine and tissues by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method with ultraviolet detection at 215 nm for the determination for pemoline in rat plasma, urine and tissues is described. Pemoline in the samples was extracted with methylene chloride at pH 10 and the organic phase was evaporated after adding 5-methyl-5-phenylhydantoin used as an internal standard. Pemoline and the internal standard were separated on a Kaseisorb LC C8-60-5 reversed-phase column. The limits of determination of pemoline in 0.1-0.2 ml of plasma, urine and tissue homogenates were 2, 100 and 20 ng, respectively. The method should be useful for studies of the pharmacokinetics and distribution of pemoline in small animals.     

2,2′-Bis(diarylstibano)-1,1′-binaphthyls (BINASbs); a useful chiral ligand for palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation, and the structure of a BINASbPdCl2 complex

The first attempt to use enantiopure antimony ligands 1-4 as a chiral auxiliary was successfully accomplished in a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-ene-1-yl acetate with dimethyl malonate. Under the optimized conditions, the allylation product can be obtained with up to 96% ee in 84% chemical yield by use of enantiopure C₂-symmetric 2,2′-bis[di(p-tolyl)stibano]-1,1′-binaphthyl [BINASb(p-Tol)] 4a as a chiral ligand with O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) and potassium acetate. The structure of the intermediary BINASb-PdCl₂ complex was elucidated by single crystal X-ray analysis, implying that the BINASb should work as a bidentate chiral ligand in the reaction.     

Direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of hydroxyketones: asymmetric Zn catalysis with a Et(2)Zn/linked-BINOL complex

Full details of our newly developed catalyses with asymmetric zinc complexes as mimics of class II zinc-containing aldolase are described. A Et(2)Zn/(S,S)-linked-BINOL complex was developed and successfully applied to direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions of hydroxyketones. A Et(2)Zn/(S,S)-linked-BINOL 1 = 2/1 system was initially developed, which efficiently promoted the direct aldol reaction of 2-hydroxy-2'-methoxyacetophenone (7d). Using 1 mol % of (S,S)-linked-BINOL 1 and 2 mol % of Et(2)Zn, we obtained 1,2-dihydroxyketones syn-selectively in high yield (up to 95%), good diastereomeric ratio (up to 97/3), and excellent enantiomeric excess (up to 99%). Mechanistic investigation of Et(2)Zn/(S,S)-linked-BINOL 1, including X-ray analysis, NMR analysis, cold spray ionization mass spectrometry (CSI-MS) analysis, and kinetic studies, provided new insight into the active oligomeric Zn/(S,S)-linked-BINOL 1/ketone 7d active species. On the basis of mechanistic investigations, a modified second generation Et(2)Zn/(S,S)-linked-BINOL 1 = 4/1 with molecular sieves 3A (MS 3A) system was developed as a much more effective catalyst system for the direct aldol reaction. As little as 0.1 mol % of (S,S)-linked-BINOL 1 and 0.4 mol % of Et(2)Zn promoted the direct aldol reaction smoothly, using only 1.1 equiv of 7d as a donor (substrate/ligand = 1000). This is the most efficient, in terms of catalyst loading, asymmetric catalyst for the direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction. Moreover, the Et(2)Zn/(S,S)-linked-BINOL 1 = 4/1 system was effective in the direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of 2-hydroxy-2'-methoxypropiophenone (12), which afforded a chiral tetrasubstituted carbon center (tert-alcohol) in good yield (up to 97%) and ee (up to 97%), albeit in modest syn-selectivity. Newly developed (S,S)-sulfur-linked-BINOL 2 was also effective in the direct aldol reaction of 12. The Et(2)Zn/(S,S)-sulfur-linked-BINOL 2 = 4/1 system gave aldol adducts anti-selectively in good ee (up to 93%). Transformations of the aldol adducts into synthetically versatile intermediates were also described.     

Ab initio calculation of boat benzenes in bis(2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenyl) phosphinic chloride

ab initio Calculation of the benzene skeletons of the titled compound indicated that the molecule suffers 61.4 kcal/mol higher energy than that of flat benzene rings and that the boat benzene form is even more stable than the envelope or chair form benzene.     

Nanofibrillation of dried pulp in NaOH solutions using bead milling

The drying process in typical pulp production generates strong hydrogen bonding between cellulose microfibrils in refined cell walls and increases the difficulty in obtaining uniform cellulose nanofibers. To investigate the efficacy of alkaline treatment for cellulose nanofibrillation, this study applied a bead-milling method in NaOH solutions for the nanofibrillation of dried pulps. NaOH treatments loosened the hydrogen bonding between cellulose microfibrils in dried pulps and allowed preparation of cellulose nanofibers in 8 % NaOH with a width of approximately 12–20 nm and a cellulose I crystal form. Both the nanofiber suspensions prepared in 8 and 16 % (w/w) NaOH were formed into hydrogels by neutralization because of surface entanglement and/or interdigitation between the nanofibers. When the dried pulp was fibrillated in 16 % (w/w) NaOH, the sample after neutralization had a uniquely integrated continuous network. These results can be applied to the preparation of high-strength films and fibers with cellulose I crystal forms without prior dissolution of pulps.     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Azaindoles: Chemo‐ and Enantioselective Reduction of Fused Aromatic Ring Systems Consisting of Two Heteroarenes

High enantioselectivity was achieved for the hydrogenation of azaindoles by using the chiral catalyst, which was prepared from [Ru(η³‐methallyl)₂(cod)] and a trans‐chelating bis(phosphine) ligand (PhTRAP). The dearomative reaction exclusively occurred on the five‐membered ring, thus giving the corresponding azaindolines with up to 97:3 enantiomer ratio.     

Phototaxis of Oil Droplets Comprising a Caged Fatty Acid Tightly Linked to Internal Convection

We found that novel sub‐millimeter‐sized photoactive oil droplets of oleic acid bearing a photolabile protecting group, 2‐nitrobenzyl oleate (NBO), in basic water exhibited unidirectional motion toward a UV light source. This unidirectional motion can be explained by anisotropic photolysis on a surface of the NBO droplet with low permeability for UV light. Time‐dependent changes of the movement under UV irradiation occurred in a cascade manner (still‐standing, induction, and active stages). The velocity of the UV‐irradiated droplet in the induction stage was small, but it was accelerated sixteen times by the presence of an inner convection structure, which was created by continued photolysis. This characteristic dynamics, which is derived from a supramolecular machinery system towards the external stimulus, may be similar to the phototaxis of a living cell.     

Size-selective Lewis acid catalysis in a microporous metal-organic framework with exposed Mn2+ coordination sites

Treatment of selected aldehydes and ketones with cyanotrimethylsilane in the presence of the microporous metal-organic framework Mn3[(Mn4Cl)3BTT8(CH3OH)10]2 (1, H3BTT = 1,3,5-benzenetristetrazol-5-yl) leads to rapid conversion to the corresponding cyanosilylated products. The transformation is catalyzed by coordinatively unsaturated Mn2+ ions that serve as Lewis acids and lead to conversion yields of 98 and 90% for benzaldehyde and 1-naphthaldehyde, the highest thus far for a metal-organic framework. Larger carbonyl substrates cannot diffuse through the pores of 1, and conversion yields are much lower for these, attesting to the heterogeneity of the reaction and its dependence on guest size. The Mukaiyama-aldol reaction, known to require much more active Lewis catalysts, is also catalyzed in the presence of 1, representing the first such example for a metal-organic framework. Conversion yields obtained for the reaction of selected aldehydes with silyl enolates reach 63%, on par with those obtained with zeolites. Size selectivity is demonstrated for the first time with this reaction through the use of larger silyl enolate substrates.