Chemistry of renieramycins. Part 12: An improved total synthesis of (±)-renieramycin G

An improved total synthesis of (±)-renieramycin G (1g) from readily available 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-4,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (7) in 21 steps (6.3% overall yield) is described. The synthesis features the concise construction of a pentacyclic framework using the stereoselective Pictet–Spengler type cyclization reaction of lactam (25) with ethyl diethoxyacetate, followed by the base-catalyzed epimerization of the C-1 stereo center of aldehyde (30a). The results of cytotoxicity studies are also presented.     

Anti-babesial compounds from Curcuma xanthorrhiza

Anti-babesial ingredients, (12R)- and (12S)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizols, were isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhiza. The structures were established by the extensive NMR techniques. The assignments of (1)H NMR data of (12R)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizol was revised, and (12S)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizol was isolated as a pure form for the first time. The IC(50) of the active compounds were compared with that of commercial drug, diminazene aceturate (Ganaseg). IC(50) values of Ganaseg, (12R)-, and (12S)-12,13-dihydro-12,13-dihydroxyxanthorrhizols were 0.6 microg mL(-1), 8.3 microg mL(-1) and 11.6 microg mL(-1), respectively.     

Stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted alkenylboranes by palladium-catalysed reaction of alkynyltriarylborates with aryl halides

The palladium-catalysed reaction of alkynyltriarylborates with aryl halides afforded trisubstituted alkenylboranes, in which two different aryl groups were installed across the carbon-carbon double bond in a cis arrangement.     

Revised structures of gambiriins A1, A2, B1, and B2, chalcane-flavan dimers from gambir (Uncaria gambir extract)

Gambir, the aqueous extract from Uncaria gambir (Rubiaceae), has been used as an astringent medicine in Asian countries. Investigation of the constituents in the extract led to the isolation of four chalcane-flavan dimers, gambiriin A1 (6), A2 (7), B1 (8), and B2 (9), in addition to (+)-catechin (1), (+)-epicatechin (2), and dimeric proanthocyanidins, procyanidin B1 (3), procyanidin B3 (4), and gambiriin C (5). The spectroscopic and chemical data obtained in the present study indicated that their previously proposed structures 6a, 7a, 8a, and 9a should be revised to 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively.     

The features of syndiotactic polypropylene

The mechanism of stereoselectivity of propylene insertion in propylene-ethylene copolymerization on a C_S symmetrical zirconium complex i-Pr(Cp) (Flu) ZrCl₂ catalyst is discussed. Calculation results indicate that not only the β-carbon in the growing chain end of the polymer but also the substituent of the β-carbon play an important role in the selectivity of the prochiral face of the next-coming propylene monomer. The stereoregularity of propylene units connected to an ethylene unit (PPE) in propylene-ethylene copolymer was observed to be lower than that in propylene sequences (PPP) in the ¹³C NMR spectrum, which supports the calculation results. Furthermore, the structure and properties of propylene-olefin (ethylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, and 4-methyl-1-pentene) copolymers prepared with the i-Pr(Cp) (Flu) ZrCl₂ catalyst system were studied. Propylene-1-butene copolymer exhibits peculiarly lower melting point depression because 1-butene units enter into the unit cell of the crystal structure of syndiotactic polypropylene.     

Photo-initiated base-formation in a polymer matrix

It was found that amines were formed efficiently by the photolysis of O-acyloximes followed by hydrolysis in polystyrene films and the relationship between structures of O-acyloximes and yields of amines were investigated. O-phenylacetyl acetophenone oxime (PaApO), O-pivaloyl acetophenone oxime (PApO), and O-benzoyl acetophenone oxime (BApO) as monofunctional O-acyloximes and O,O′-succinyl diacetophenone oxime (SDApO) and O,O′-glutaryl diacetophenone oxime (GDApO) as bifunctional O-acyloximes were examined. The yields of amines for PaApO and SDApO under N₂ were ca. 70%, which was the highest among O-acyloximes examined in this experiment. On the other hand, the yields for PApO, BApO, and GDApO were less than 15% and it was verified that the hydrogen abstraction by imino radicals via 6-membered cyclic intermediates resulted in the lowering of yields. Although the effect of oxygen under photolysis on the yields of amine for PaApO was negligible under 50% conversion of PaApO, the yield decreased with further increase in the conversion and was 50% at 90% conversion. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structural and Physical Properties of New Conducting Cation Radical Salts with Te-Based Counteranions, Tetraiodotellurate(II) and Hexaiododitellurate(II)

This article reports preparation, structure, and conducting property of several cation radical salts of organic donors tetramethyltetrathiafulvalene (TMTTF), ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene (EDT-TTF), bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (ET), bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene (BETS) and hexamethylenetetraselenafulvalene (HMTSF) with two novel planar Te-based dianions, TeI₄²⁻ and Te₂I₆²⁻. (ET)₅Te₂I₆ 1 and (BETS)₅Te₂I₆ 2 are isostructural. In these Te₂I₆²⁻ salts, intermolecular short I···I contacts form a supramolecular corrugated anion sheet. Donor arrangement is similar to the θ-type. With lowering temperature, the resistivity of 1 shows a gradual increase followed by a sharp upturn at 110 K. 2 is metallic down to 120 K and shows a gradual increase of the resistivity followed by a clear transition to an insulating state around 60 K. Crystal structure of (ET)₄TeI₄ 3 is based on the “herring bone” arrangement of ET molecules similar to the α-type. 3 shows a semiconductive behavior around room temperature followed by a transition to an insulating state at 210 K. (EDT-TTF)₄TeI₄ 4, a semiconductor, exhibits a unique two-dimensional arrangement of dimerized EDT-TTF molecules.     

Synthesis of New Lithium Ionic Conductor Thio-LISICON—Lithium Silicon Sulfides System

The new lithium ionic conductors, thio-LISICON (LIthium SuperIonic CONductor), were found in the ternary Li₂S-SiS₂-Al₂S₃ and Li₂S-SiS₂-P₂S₅ systems. Their structures of new materials, Li_4+xSi_1−xAl_xS₄ and Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄ were determined by X-ray Rietveld analysis, and the electric and electrochemical properties were studied by electronic conductivity, ac conductivity and cyclic voltammogram measurements. The structure of the host material, Li₄SiS₄ is related to the γ-Li₃PO₄-type structure, and when the Li⁺ interstitials or Li⁺ vacancies were created by the partial substitutions of Al³⁺ or P⁵⁺ for Si⁴⁺, large increases in conductivity occur. The solid solution member x=0.6 in Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄ showed high conductivity of 6.4×10^-4 S cm⁻¹ at 27°C with negligible electronic conductivity. The new solid solution, Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄, also has high electrochemical stability up to ∼5 V vs Li at room temperature. All-solid-state lithium cells were investigated using the Li_3.4Si_0.4P_0.6S₄ electrolyte, LiCoO₂ cathode and In anode.     

Surface abundance change in vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation of CO2 and H2O mixture ices

Photodissociation of amorphous ice films of carbon dioxide and water co-adsorbed at 90 K was carried out at 157 nm using oxygen-16 and -18 isotopomers with a time-of-flight photofragment mass spectrometer. O((3)P(J)) atoms, OH (v = 0) radicals, and CO (v = 0,1) molecules were detected as photofragments. CO is produced directly from the photodissociation of CO(2). Two different adsorption states of CO(2), i.e., physisorbed CO(2) on the surface of amorphous solid water and trapped CO(2) in the pores of the film, are clearly distinguished by the translational and internal energy distributions of the CO molecules. The O atom and OH radical are produced from the photodissociation of H(2)O. Since the absorption cross section of CO(2) is smaller than that of H(2)O at 157 nm, the CO(2) surface abundance is relatively increased after prolonged photoirradiation of the mixed ice film, resulting in the formation of a heterogeneously layered structure in the mixed ice at low temperatures. Astrophysical implications are discussed.