Asymmetric alkaloid synthesis from (S)-pyroglutamic acid. I. Synthesis of (S)-5-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone

From (S)-pyroglutamic acid ( 1 ) the asymmetric synthesis of (S)-5-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone ( 5 ) in 30% yield is described.     

The reactions of iminosulfur difluorides and chlorine monofluoride

The reactions of perfluoroalkyl- and perfluoroacyl-iminosulfur difluorides with chlorine monofluoride result in the preparation of perfluoroalkyldichloroamines and a new class of compounds N,N-dichloroperfluoroamides, R_fC(O)NCl₂, via the elimination of SF₄. The amides, FC(O)NCl₂ and CF₃C(O)NCl₂, in addition to 1,2-bis-(dichloroamino)tetrafluoroethane, Cl₂NCF₂CF₂NCl₂, are reported and characterized. The reactions of CIF with other sulfur(IV) imines proceed in an analogous manner to form perfluoroalkyl-dichloroamines via the elimination of the corresponding sulfur(IV) fluoride.     

Spectrophotometric, EPR and kinetic characterisation of the >N-O* radical from 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, a key reactive species in mediated enzymatic oxidations

Characterisation of the aminoxyl (>N-O*) radical BTNO, generated from 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) by the one-electron oxidant CAN (a Ce(IV) salt), confirms BTNO as the reactive intermediate in oxidations run with the laccase/HBT system.     

Bis(imino)pyridine iron(II) alkyl cations for olefin polymerization

Treatment of the five-coordinate ferrous dialkyl complex, (iPrPDI)Fe(CH2SiMe3)2 (iPrPDI = ((2,6-CHMe2)2C6H3N=CMe)2C5H3N), with [PhMe2NH][BPh4] in the presence of diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran furnished the corresponding alkyl cations, where the donor ligand is coordinated in the basal plane of a distorted square pyramidal iron(II) alkyl cation. Performing the same reaction with the neutral Lewis acid, B(C6F5)3, induced methide abstraction from a silicon atom followed by rearrangement to afford the base free ferrous alkyl cation, [(iPrPDI)Fe(CH2SiMe2CH2SiMe3)][MeB(C6F5)3]. This complex is active for the polymerization of ethylene and yields polymers that are of higher molecular weight and narrower polydispersity than traditional methylalumoxane-activated catalysts.     

Role of rare earth cations in Y zeolite for hydrocarbon cracking

Reaction kinetics data were collected for isobutane conversion over a series of ultra stable Y (USY) zeolite catalysts with and without rare earth cations and subjected to various extents of dealumination by steaming. We conducted these reaction studies at low temperatures (523-573 K) using isobutane feed streams containing known levels of isobutylene (100-400 ppm) so that the kinetics were controlled by bimolecular hydride transfer and oligomerization/beta-scission processes with little or no participation of monomolecular initiation reactions. These experimental conditions led to stable catalyst performance with the main products of isobutane conversion being propane, n-butane, and isopentane, with smaller amounts of propylene, trans-2-butene, and cis-2-butene. The rates of formation of these products per Br?nsted acid site (as counted by pyridine adsorption) depended exponentially on Br?nsted acid site density, regardless of whether the catalyst contained rare earth cations. Kinetic modeling showed an exponential dependence of hydride transfer and oligomerization/ beta-scission reaction rates on Br?nsted acid site density which translated into composite activation energies for these reactions having a linear relationship with site density. Based on results in the literature from theoretical calculations, we suggest that increasing Br?nsted acid site density in zeolite Y leads to larger zeolite elasticity, increased stabilization of cationic transition states, and lower composite activation barriers for hydride transfer and beta-scission steps. The role of rare earth cations, therefore, is to ensure the retention of high Br?nsted acid site density under hydrothermal conditions, such as in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) regenerators, where steam would dealuminate the Y zeolite framework and reduce this site density. It is for this reason that hydride transfer reaction rates are high in the presence of rare earth cations and lead to higher yields of less olefinic gasoline during FCC.     

The state of conservation of painted surfaces in the presence of accelerated ageing processes monitored by use of FT-Raman spectroscopy and multivariate control charts

A new method has been developed for monitoring the degradation of paintings. Two inorganic pigments (ultramarine blue and red ochre) were blended with linseed oil and spread on canvas. Each canvas was subjected to simulated accelerated ageing in the presence of typical degradation agents (UV radiation and acidic solution). Periodically the painted surfaces were analysed by FT-Raman, to investigate the status of the surface. The data obtained were analysed by principal component analysis (PCA). Finally the Shewhart and cumulative sum control charts based on the relevant principal components (PC) and the so called scores monitoring and residuals tracking (SMART) charts were built. The method based on the use of PC to describe the process was found to enable identification of the presence of relevant modification occurring on the surface of the samples studied.Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available for this article at     

A theoretical study of the lowest electronic states of azobenzene: the role of torsion coordinate in the cis–trans photoisomerization

In the present paper we report the results of a multiconfigurational computational study on potential-energy curves of azobenzene along the NN twisting to clarify the role of this coordinate in the decay of the S₂(*) and S₁(n*) states. We have found that there is a singlet state, S₃ at the trans geometry, on the basis of the doubly excited configuration n²*², that has a deep minimum at about 90° of twisting, where it is the lowest excited singlet state. The existence of this state provides an explanation for the short lifetime of S₂(*) and for the wavelength-dependence of azobenzene photochemistry. We have characterized the S₁(n*) state by calculating its vibrational frequencies, which are found to correspond to the recently observed transient Raman spectrum. We have also computed the potential-energy curve for the triplet T₁(n*) at the density functional theory B3LYP level, which indicates that in this state the isomerization occurs along the twisting coordinate.Acknowledgement The financial support from MIUR (project Modellistica delle proprietà spettroscopiche di sistemi molecolari complessi funds ex 60% and project Dinamiche molecolari in sistemi di interesse chimico funds ex 40%), from the University of Bologna (Funds for Selected Research Topics) is gratefully acknowledged.Contribution to the Jacopo Tomasi Honorary Issue     

4-Amino-1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-3-carboxylic acid (β-TOAC), the first spin-labelled, cyclic, chiral β-amino acid resolved in an enantiomerically pure state

Amination of 3-carboxymethyl-1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone with (R)-α-methylbenzylamine, NaBH₃CN reduction of the resulting enamine and removal of the chiral auxiliary from the separated diastereoisomers, led to enantiomerically pure (3S,4S) and (3R,4R) methyl 4-amino-1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-3-carboxylates.     

Verbindungen A3M5 (A = Erdalkalimetall,M = Triel/Tetrel): Eine Fallstudie zur strukturellen und elektronischen Stabilität polarer intermetallischer Phasen

Compounds A₃M₅ (A = alkaline earth, M = triel/tetrel): A Case Study on Structural and Electronic Factors Stabilizing Polar Intermetallics Starting from the non electron precise binary compounds Ca₃Ga₅/Sr₃In₅ (Hf₃Ni₂Si₃ type) and Ba₃Al₅ at one hand and Ba₃Pb₅ (Pu₃Pd₅ type) at the other hand, a series of new ternary intermetallics of the general formula A₃M₅ (A: alkaline earth, M: triel/tetrel) has been synthesized, structurally characterized and studied by band structure calculations. The chemical substitution of M in A₃M₅ allows, via the continous variation of the radius ratio (r_A:r_M) and the valence electron number (VE/M) the detection of the geometrically and electronically determined stability ranges of the three structure types formed by the binary compounds. At values of r_A:r_M between 1.30 and 1.52 in the triel rich region of A₃M′_xM″_5?x the Hf₃Ni₂Si₃ type (orthorhombic, space group Cmcm) is formed: In Ca₃Ga₅ up to 1.8 Ga can be substituted by Al, in Sr₃In₅ similar amount of In can be replaced by either Al or Ga. The mixed trielide Sr₃Al_2.6Ga_2.4 (a = 468.4(1), b = 1132.5(1), c = 1570.0(2) pm, R1 = 0.0261) can be obtained, although both corresponding binary phases are not known. At larger values of the ratio r_A/r_M as in Ba₃Al₃Ga₂ (Ba₃Al₅ type, hexagonal, space group P6₃/mmc, a = 598.9(1), c = 1456.0(3) pm, R1 = 0.0353) layers of condensed M₅ building blocks with Al‐Al partial bonds are formed. Substituting one In position in Sr₃In₅ against Pb results in the isotypic, but electron precise Zintl compound Sr₃In₄Pb (a = 506.1(1), b = 1191.8(3), c = 1650.2(4) pm, R1 = 0.0286), where the Fermi level in shifted into a distinct minimum of the density of states. Conversely, at the tetrele rich end of the series A₃In_xPb_5?x, characterized by compounds of the Pu₃Pd₅ type (orthorhombic, space group Cmcm) with almost isolated nido clusters M₅, a minimum of the DOS can be reached, if Pb is partially substituted by In (A₃In_xPb_5?x with A = Sr/Ba: x = 0.7/0.6; a = 1084.6(2)/1118.6(2), b = 867.1(2)/904.4(1), c = 1104.8(2)/1133.9(2) pm, R1 = 0.0394/0.0434).