Deconvolution of appearance potential spectra

Soft x-ray appearance potential spectra from solids carry information on the local density of unoccupied states in the surface region of the sample. The intensity of the emitted characteristic radiation is, according to a simple model, proportional to a convolution product of the transition densities of the incoming electron and the ionized core electron. In a first approximation, the two transition densities are proportional to the density of states in the unoccupied part of the conduction band. Attempts to retrieve the density of states from measured spectra must rely on deconvolution procedures. In this paper, we introduce a new simple method. It is essentially a stabilized version of the Hagstrum-Becker method which appears to work quickly and reliably. As an example, the method is applied to an ironL _III appearance potential spectru. Comparison of the results with a theoretical calculation of the density of states and with measured Bremsstrahlungsisochromats obtained by Turtle and Liefeld strongly supports the self-convolution model in this case.     

Protonation of Homoenolate Equivalents Generated by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Homoenolate equivalents are generated by Lewis basic N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts and then protonated to generate efficiently saturated esters from unsaturated aldehydes. This reactivity is extended to the generation of β-acylvinyl anions from alkynyl aldehydes. The asymmetric protonation of a homoenolate equivalent generated from a β,β-disubstituted aldehyde can be accomplished with a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene.     

Electronic configuration of high-spin imidazole-ligated iron(II) octaethylporphyrinates

The preparation and characterization of two new five-coordinate, imidazole-ligated, high-spin iron(II) octaethylporphyrinates is described. [Fe(OEP)(1,2-Me2Im)] and [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)] have been characterized by X-ray structure determinations and temperature-dependent M?ssbauer spectroscopy in zero and applied magnetic fields. The distinction between imidazole-ligated and other ligands in high-spin iron(II) porphyrinates, noted for a series of tetraarylporphyrinate derivatives (Hu, C.; Roth, A.; Ellison, M. K.; An, J.; Ellis, C. M.; Schiltz, C. E.; Scheidt, W. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 5675), is seen here as well. The sign of the quadrupole-splitting constant is again negative, which is unique to the imidazole-ligated derivatives and suggests a distinct electronic structure. The derivatives again display a remarkable temperature dependence in the quadrupole splitting, which is also seen for deoxymyoglobin and -hemoglobin. Structural features for the two new derivatives are similar to those seen earlier, although the core conformations show somewhat more doming character.     

Synthesis of tertiary beta-hydroxy amides by enolate additions to acylsilanes

The synthesis of tertiary beta-hydroxy amides from acylsilanes, acetamides, and electrophiles is described. The addition of amide enolates to acylsilanes generates beta-silyloxy homoenolate reactivity by undergoing a 1,2-Brook rearrangement. These unique nucleophiles formed in situ can then undergo smooth addition to alkyl halides, aldehydes, and ketones. Enolates derived from amides are crucial for the success of this process since ketone enolates suffer from internal return of the beta-carbanion onto the carbonyl carbon. The use of optically active amide enolates delivers beta-hydroxy amide products with good levels of diastereoselectivity (>/=10:1).     

An N-heterocyclic carbene/Lewis acid strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of spirooxindole lactones

A cooperative catalysis approach for the enantioselective formal [3+2] addition of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to isatins has been developed. Homoenolate annulations of β-aryl enals catalyzed by an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) require the addition of lithium chloride for high levels of enantioselectivity. This NHC-catalyzed annulation has been used for the total synthesis of maremycin B.