Torsion pendulum automation by a single microcomputer

A new automated torsional pendulum is described. It uses a single photocell for the measurement of the period of oscillation and the logarithmic decrement. Data acquisition, data processing and temperature control are all performed by a single microcomputer. The result is that the instrument can be produced and operated more cheaply than before.The principles behind the design, the method of determining the shape factor, the calibration procedure and the software are discussed. Examples are given to illustrate the use of this instrument. A practical limitation is that the loss tangent should not exceed about 3.     

Theoretical investigation of paramagnetic NMR shifts in transition metal acetylacetonato complexes: analysis of signs, magnitudes, and the role of the covalency of ligand-metal bonding

Ligand chemical shifts are calculated and analyzed for three paramagnetic transition metal tris-acetylacetonato (acac) complexes, namely high-spin Fe(III) and Cr(III), and low-spin Ru(III), using scalar relativistic density functional theory (DFT). The signs and magnitudes of the paramagnetic NMR ligand chemical shifts are directly related to the extent of covalent acac oxygen-to-metal σ donation involving unoccupied metal valence d(σ) acceptor orbitals. The role of delocalization of metal-centered spin density over the ligand atoms plays a minor secondary role. Of particular interest is the origin of the sign and magnitude of the methyl carbon chemical shift in the acac ligands, and the role played by the DFT delocalization error when calculating such shifts. It is found that the α versus β spin balance of oxygen σ donation to metal valence d acceptor orbitals is responsible for the sign and the magnitude of the ligand methyl carbon chemical shift. A problematic case is the methyl carbon shift of Fe(acac)(3). Most functionals produce shifts in excess of 1400 ppm, whereas the experimental shift is approximately 279 ppm. Range-separated hybrid functionals that are optimally tuned for Fe(acac)(3) based on DFT energetic criteria predict a lower limit of about 2000 ppm for the methyl carbon shift of the high-spin electronic configuration. Since the experimental value is based on a very strongly broadened signal it is possibly unreliable.     

Parallel synthesis of novel heteroaromatic acromelic acid analogues from kainic acid

A range of new C-4 heteroaromatic acromelic acid analogues has been synthesized in a parallel fashion from (-)-alpha-kainic acid 1. Protection of the amine and carboxylate groups of 1 followed by ozonolysis gave methyl ketone 8. A silyl enol ether 9, generated regiospecifically from the methyl ketone 8 using "kinetic" conditions, was brominated in situ with phenyltrimethylammonium perbromide to give the key alpha-bromo ketone 10. Parallel cyclization reactions of bromo ketone 10 with thioamides and thioureas were then performed. The aromatic heterocyclic derivatives 11a-d and 19 produced were deprotected to give the new kainoid amino acids 6a-d and 25 in excellent yield. Compounds 6a and 6c show strong binding to the kainate receptor. Reaction of 10 with alternative condensing agents was also briefly investigated.     

Bis(methyltri‐o‐tolylphosphonium) octaiodide

In the crystal structure of the title compound, 2C₂₂H₂₄P⁺·I₈²⁻, the I₈²⁻ anion is located on a crystallographic inversion centre and consists of two tri‐iodide anions linked by di‐iodine at angles of 89.92 (4)° to form a planar `Z'‐shaped dianion. The octaiodides are linked via long‐range interactions [3.877 (11) Å] into infinite polyiodide ribbons. This is the first example of a structure containing an [(o‐tolyl)₃PMe]⁺ cation, and the C_Me—P—C—C_Me torsion angles of −54.0 (11), −51.3 (11) and −48.2 (11)° indicate that the configuration is exo₃.     

Complementary kinetic and thermodynamic resolution of a chiral biaryl axis

The condensation of 2′-formylbiphenyl-2-carboxylic acid 4 with (S)-valinol proceeds under kinetic control to give a major product, (4bR,7S,aS)-6,7-dihydro-7-isopropyldibenz[c,e]oxazolo[3,2-a]azepin-9(4bH)-one 6a (84%), in which the biaryl axis has the (S)-configuration. Heating 6a at 140°C with a catalytic amount of acid gives rise to an equilibrium dominated by the diastereoisomeric (4bS,7S)-lactam 6b (6a:6b ratio 27:73), in which the biaryl unit has the (R)-configuration. The structures of both lactams were established by X-ray crystallography; no other diastereoisomers were obtained.     

Synthesis of Novel Unsymmetrical and Symmetrical Diacetylenic Ketones

A convenient and efficient method for the preparation of unsymmetrical and symmetrical diacetylenic ketones bearing a carboxylate group.