Palladium‐Catalyzed Stereoselective Intramolecular Oxidative Amidation of Alkenes in the Synthesis of 1,3‐ and 1,4‐Amino Alcohols and 1,3‐Diamines

An efficient and practical Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular oxidative allylic amidation provides facile access to derivatives of 1,3‐ and 1,4‐amino alcohols and 1,3‐diamines. The method operates under mild reaction conditions (RT) with molecular oxygen (1 atm) as the sole reoxidant of Pd. Excellent diastereoselectivities were attained with substrates bearing a secondary stereogenic center     

Ring-opening of 1,2,3,4-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetraphenylcyclotetrasilane in the presence of transition metal catalysts

Ring opening of 1,2,3,4-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetraphenylcyclotetrasilane in the presence of various transition metal catalysts has been studied. Pd and Pt compounds are most active. Compounds with bulky ligands [e.g., Pd(PPh₃)₄] lead to the formation of “dimeric” cyclooctasilanes. Compounds with less bulky groups convert monomer to dimers and mixture of oligomers and polymers. Reactions with the all-trans monomer, tttt-(MePhSi)₄, result in the formation of stereoregular dimer, presumably all-trans, tttttttt-(MePhSi)₈, in high yields. Reactions in the presence of oxygen lead to the formation of polymers with inserted oxygen atoms in the main chain. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solvent effects on free-radical polymerization, 4. Modelling of hompolymerization

A new so-called reactant-solvent complex model is proposed to describe the effect of solvent on chain propagation in homopolymerization. It takes into account complex formation of both monomer and radical with solvent by equilibria. Evaluation methods presented permit to estimate the complex equilibrium constant K which is assumed to be nearly the same for both monomer and radical complexation and the relative reactivity ratio r₁₁, for complexed monomer. Measured reaction rates as function of monomer concentration are needed for calculations.     

Exchange reactions in the living cationic polymerization of alkenes

Living cationic polymerization of alkenes is discussed in terms of rapid dynamic equilibration between carbenium ions and either covalent species or onium ions. Rates of exchange between these species have strong effect on polydispersities of the synthesized polymers. In the discussed living systems, rates of exchange are faster than rates of propagation. Propagation proceeds via classic carbocationic mechanism.     

Movement of dopants in redox reaction of electro-conductive polymers

Polypyrrole, formed in an organic solvent, shows higher density and better quality in electrical conductivity and mechanical strength than that formed in water. On electrochemical reduction in an aqueous system the laurylsulfate anion, used as dopant, sticks to the polymer. During reduction a cation moves into the polymer and on oxidation it leaves the polymer. The anion, however, leaves the polymer on reduction in an organic solvent system and cannot penetrate into the polymer on re-oxidation. The redox reaction in the aqueous system reveals a surface reaction process, while the reaction in the organic solvent system undergoes a diffusion-controlled process. This penomenon is consistant with the results of the ion concentration profile.     

Carbenium ions,onium ions,and covalent species in the cationic polymerization of alkenes

The importance of exchange reactions between various types of active species present in the cationic polymerization of alkenes is addressed. Reactivities of carbocations, corresponding ion pairs, onium ions, and covalent species are discussed for model systems and in real polymerization. The influence of various parameters on the equilibria between carbenium ions, onium ions, and covalent species is described. Rate constants of the isomerization of active sites are estimated and correlated with polydispersities. General ways to improve control of cationic polymerization of alkenes are discussed.     

Antifungal Sesquiterpenoids from Michelia formosana Leaf Essential Oil against Wood-Rotting Fungi

Michelia formosana (Kanehira) Masamune is a broad-leaved species widespread in East Asia; the wood extract and its constituents possess antifungal activity against wood-decay fungi. Antifungal activities of leaf essential oil and its constituents from M. formosana were investigated in the present study. Bioassay-guided isolation was applied to isolate the phytochemicals from leaf essential oil. 1D and 2D NMR, FTIR, and MS spectroscopic analyses were applied to elucidate the chemical structures of isolated compounds. Leaf essential oil displayed antifungal activity against wood decay fungi and was further separated into 11 fractions by column chromatography. Four sesquiterpenoids were isolated and identified from the active fractions of leaf essential oil through bioassay-guided isolation. Among these sesquiterpenoids, guaiol, bulnesol, and β-elemol have higher antifungal activity against brown-rot fungus Laetiporus sulphureus and white-rot fungus Lenzites betulina. Leaf essential oil and active compounds showed better antifungal activity against L. sulphureus than against L. betulina. The molecular structure of active sesquiterpenoids all contain the hydroxyisopropyl group. Antifungal sesquiterpenoids from M. formosana leaf essential oil show potential as natural fungicides for decay control of lignocellulosic materials.