On the Claisen Rearrangement of Allyl Ethyl Ketene Acetals Generated in situ via Benzeneselenenic Acid Eliminiation

Mixed acetals 7 of benzeneseleninylacetaldehyde, prepared by a simple 2-step procedure from mono- and bicyclic allylic alcohols 5 , undergo benzeneselenenic acid elimination to transient ketene acetals 8 which afford γ, δ-unsaturated esters 9 via the ester Claisen rearrangement (Scheme 2). Under the same conditions selenoxide 7h derived from benzyl alcohol 5h is converted back to benzyl alcohol with the concomitant formation of ethylphenylselenoacetate 12 .     

Synthesis of pyrroles from 1-dialkylamino-3-phosphoryl(or phosphanyl)allenes through 1,5-cyclization of conjugated azomethine ylide intermediates

1-Dialkylamino-1,3-diaryl-3-diphenylphosphanylallenes 3a-e are thermally converted into a-annulated 3,5-diarylpyrroles 6a-f and [a]-annulated benzo[c]azepines 7a,b,d. These transformations are likely to include conjugated azomethine ylide intermediates that can undergo either a 1,5- or a 1,7-electrocyclization. The periselectivity is markedly shifted toward 1,5-cyclization when the diphenylphosphanyl substituent is replaced by the diphenylphosphoryl group. Thus, 1-dialkylamino-3-(diphenylphosphoryl)allenes 4a-f yield pyrroles 6 exclusively and with improved yields, unless the 3-aryl substituent in the allene is too electron-rich (e.g., benzodioxol-5-yl, 4f --> 7f). The preparation and thermal transformation of aminoallenes 4 over three or four steps can be conducted as a one-pot procedure, thus providing a convenient synthesis of [a]-annulated 3,5-diarylpyrroles from enaminoketones.     

NMR determination of absolute site-specific natural isotope ratios of hydrogen in organic molecules. Analytical and mechanistic applications

It has been shown that the “internal” isotope distribution within a given molecular species at the natural abundance level is accessible by a new method, SNIF-NMR, which is based on deuterium NMR. Relative internal factors, R_i/j,have been defined which enable the isotope content of a given site, i, to be compared to that of another molecular site, j, taken as the reference. Several referencing methods intended to provide direct access to relative $\text{externals}$, T_i , and $\text{absolute}$, (D/H)_i , site-specific parameters, are now discussed from both the theoretical and the experimental points of view. In the $\text{intramolecular referencing method}$, which involves a time-consuming chemical transformation of the sample, the risk exists of more or leas systematic errors resulting from discriminating fractionation effects. However this technique offers, conversely, an interesting way of investigating kinetic isotope effects without the need for specific labelling. In spite of its lower spectral precision the $\text{external referencing method}$ has the advantage of being fast and less sensitive to systematic errois and may be used for direct rough routine determinations of the site-specific isotope contents. More precise results can be obtained, at the price of contaminating the sample, when an $\text{intermolecular reference}$ is added and signal heights are used, remembering however that the intensity parameters then have no strict physical meaning in terms of absolute isotope contents. The site-specific parameters, T_i and (D/H)_i thus accessible, provide new information on the mechanisms of the fractionation effects occurring in natural conditions and examples are considered.     

Tröger's base scaffold in racemic and chiral fashion as a spacer for bisdistamycin formation. Synthesis and DNA binding study

‘Head-to-head’ oligo-N-methylpyrrole peptide dimers linked by a methano[1,5]diazocin scaffold are presented in racemic as well as chiral fashion. Their DNA binding activities were assayed on calf thymus DNA, poly(dA-dT)₂, and poly(dC-dG)₂ by NMR and ECD spectroscopies, and fluorescence probe displacement assay. The presented dimers prefer AT sequences, but show higher affinity to poly(dC-dG)₂ than distamycin A. The (4R,9R) configuration of methanodiazocin bridge was found to be better suited for interaction with ct-DNA and poly(dA-dT)₂ than (4S,9S) configuration.     

Frequency-dependent linear response of superconducting systems

We present a density functional scheme for calculating the frequency-dependent linear response of superconductors. The central result is a set of integral equations determining the linear response of the normal and anomalous densities to external perturbations. Analytic solutions of these integral equations are obtained for homogeneous systems with separable effective interactions. For inhomogeneous superconductors, the formalism leads to a scheme for calculating the critical temperature without explicitly solving the gap equation. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure investigations on the hot-working behaviour of steel

Structure changes occurring in hot-deformation of the austenite of steel, the - phase transformation of which takes place above room temperature, cannot directly be studied with quenched specimens. However, within certain limits a microstructure characterization is possible by means of investigation of carefully selected model alloys and/or by analysis of the microstructure inheritance associated with a martensitic - transition of the hot-worked austenite. Application of both procedures is demonstrated with results which were obtained in investigations of the hot-working behaviour of low-alloy spring steel and an Fe-Ni-C model alloy.