Direct polyesterification with thionyl chloride in pyridine improved by a modification of monomer sequences in copolymers

The direct polyesterification with thionyl chloride (SOCl₂) in pyridine was further investigated. Copolycondensations of dicarboxylic acids, bisphenols, and hydroxybenzoic acids were significantly affected by the reaction temperatures and combinations of monomers which could change relative rates of alcoholyses of the activated dicarboxylic acids and the hydroxyacids consequently to vary monomer sequences in the copolymers resulted. The sequences were tried to be varied more directly by stepwise reactions of monomers in copolycondensations of dicarboxylic acids, bisphenols, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHB), as well as PHB and m-hydroxybenzoic acid (MHB). The reactions proceeded smoothly and satisfactorily when carried out by initial reaction of dicarboxylic acids and PHB followed by bisphenols likely to favor sequential to random distributions of monomers. Reverse addition of PHB and bisphenols, and then dicarboxylic acids resulted in rapid precipitation due to some oligomerization of PHB at an earlier stage of reaction, and largely retarded the reaction. This was also the case for the copolycondensation of PHB and MHB. Copolymers of high inherent viscosities with up to 65 mol % PHB could be obtained by initial reaction of MHB followed by PHB.     

Cerium chloride-promoted nucleophilic addition of grignard reagents to ketones an efficient method for the synthesis of tertiary alcohols

In the presence of anhydrous cerium(III) chloride, Grignard reagents react with Ketones to afford addition products in high yields, even though the substrates are susceptible to abnormal reactions with Grignard reagents alone.     

Syntheses and electrochemical behaviour of novel dmit or dmio (dithiolato) cobalt(iii) complexes with a η5-cyclopentadienyl or η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ring

Four novel cobalt(III) complexes with a cyclopentadienyl or pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ring and dmit or dmio ligands were synthesized, and their electrochemical behaviour was investigated. All these complexes exhibited three one-electron transfer steps: one reduction and two oxidation steps. In addition, a novel organosulphur compound was afforded by electrochemical oxidation of dmit cobalt complex. Thus, these complexes may have considerable synthetic potential as precursors for electron reservoirs and organosulphur compounds.     

Synthesis and antileukemic activity of (+-)-20-deoxyaminocamptothecin analogues

The camptothecin analogues (+-)-7-ethyl-10-methoxy-20-deoxyaminocamptothecin (2) and (+-)-7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-20-deoxyaminocamptothecin.HCl (3) were synthesized from indolizine compound 4 via Friedl?nder condensation to construct a pentacyclic ring system, and were tested in a P388 mouse antileukemia assay. Compounds 2 and 3 were more active and less toxic than (+)-camptothecin (1), and therefore had higher therapeutic ratios.