Anionic polymerization of N,N‐dialkyl‐2‐methylenebut‐3‐enamide: Effect of alkyl substituents on polymerization behavior

Anionic polymerizations of three 1,3‐butadiene derivatives containing different N,N‐dialkyl amide functions, N,N‐diisopropylamide (DiPA), piperidineamide (PiA), and cis‐2,6‐dimethylpiperidineamide (DMPA) were performed under various conditions, and their polymerization behavior was compared with that of N,N‐diethylamide analogue (DEA), which was previously reported. When polymerization of DiPA was performed at ?78 °C with potassium counter ion, only trace amounts of oligomers were formed, whereas polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution were obtained in moderate yield when DiPA was polymerized at 0 °C in the presence of LiCl. Decrease in molecular weight and broadening of molecular weight distribution were observed when polymerization was performed at a higher temperature of 20 °C, presumably because of the effect of ceiling temperature. In the case of DMPA, no polymer was formed at 0 °C and polymers with relatively broad molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.2) were obtained at 20 °C. The polymerization rate of PiA was much faster than that of the other monomers, and poly(PiA) was obtained in high yield even at ?78 °C in 24 h. The microstructure of the resulting polymers were exclusively 1,4‐ for poly(DMPA), whereas 20–30% of the 1,2‐structure was contained in poly(DiPA) and poly(PiA). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3714–3721, 2010     

Short communication: An alternative and effective catalyst for the silastannation of arylacetylenes with Me3SiSnBu3 at room temperature

The palladium‐catalyzed silastannation of acetylenes with tributyl(trimethylsilyl)stannane in the presence of triethylphosphite is reported for the first time. The reaction occurs at room temperature to give (Z)‐silyl(stannyl)ethenes in high yields. The protodemetallation of the resulting adducts with HCl–tetraethylammonium chloride is described first, which demonstrates that the reaction is governed only by the stability of a carbonium ion arising from the protonation to (Z)‐silyl(stannyl)ethenes rather than the hard and soft acid and base principle, i.e. the β‐cation stabilization effect (σ–π stabilization one) of a stannyl group in the carbonium ion is rather significant. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Total Synthesis of cis‐Clavicipitic Acid from Asparagine via Ir‐Catalyzed CH bond Activation as a Key Step

4‐Substituted tryptophan derivatives and the total synthesis of cis‐clavicipitic acid were achieved in reactions in which Ir‐catalyzed C?H bond activation was a key step. The starting material for these reactions is asparagine, which is a cheap natural amino acid. The reductive amination step from the 4‐substituted tryptophan derivative gave cis‐clavicipitic acid with perfect diastereoselectivity.     

Cobalt oxide supported gold nanoparticles as a stable and readily-prepared precursor for the in situ generation of cobalt carbonyl like species

A treatment of cobalt oxide supported gold nanoparticles (Au/Co₃O₄) under syngas atmosphere effectively generated a cobalt carbonyl-like active species in the reaction vessel. The preparation of Au/Co₃O₄ was quite simple and the in situ generated cobalt species could be used as a stable and easy handling alternative for dicobalt octacarbonyl without bothersome purification prior to use. The reactions, which are sensitive to the purity of the dicobalt octacarbonyl, such as the alkoxycarbonylation of epoxides and the Pauson-Khand reaction, smoothly progressed with Au/Co₃O₄.     

Synthesis of the C22-C37 segment of prorocentin

The synthesis of the C22-C37 segment of prorocentin, isolated from the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum lima, was achieved. Because the relative stereochemical relationship between C26 and other stereocenters (C28/C31/C32 established as R*/R*/R*) in the C22-C37 region of natural prorocentin has not yet been determined, both epimers at C26 of the C22-C37 segment were selectively constructed. The synthesis was based on a 5-exo epoxide ring opening reaction to form an oxolane (E-ring), Brown asymmetric methallylation to install the C26-stereocenter, acryloylation of the resulting alcohol, and ring-closing olefin metathesis to establish the Z-olefin at C23/C24.     

Macroscopic single‐domain graphene sheet on Ni(111)

We observed in situ growth of a single graphene sheet on Ni(111) by low‐energy electron microscopy. The sheet was grown epitaxially beyond the steps on the substrate. The crystalline shapes of graphene islands were clearly seen; the straight edges of the island are crossed at either 60 or 120°, and the linear edges shifted perpendicular to the edge keeping the equilibrium shape. Graphene islands were united to form a single sheet without any grain boundaries and any wrinkles. The Ni substrate of several centimeters in size was covered with a single‐domain graphene sheet. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Redox-controlled, reversible rearrangement of a tris(2-pyridylthio)methyl ligand on nickel to an isomer with an “N,S-confused” 2-pyridylthiolate arm

Interchange between the nickel +2 and +3 oxidation states precisely controls the reversible rearrangement of the tris(2-pyridylthio)methanide (tptm) ligand in the organometallic nickel(II) complex [{Ni(μ-Br)-(tptm)}(2)] (2). Oxidation of 2 first gives the corresponding Ni(III) complex [{Ni(μ-Br)(tptm)}(2)][PF(6)](2) (4). However, in solution the tptm ligand in 4 slowly undergoes a rearrangement, in which the N and S atoms of one of the pyridylthiolate arms exchange Ni and C bonding partners, thereby resulting in an "N,S-confused" isomer of tptm in the product, [NiBr(bpttpm)]PF(6) (5; bpttpm= bis(2-pyridylthio)(2-thiopyridinium)-methyl). Reduction of 5 reverses this ligand rearrangement and 2 is reformed quantitatively. The individual steps involved in these unusual ligand rearrangements were investigated by a number of methods, including voltammetric analysis, and a mechanism for this process is proposed. X-ray crystal structure determinations of the key compounds 2, 4 and 5 have been obtained.     

Dynamic behaviour attributed to chiral carbohydrate substituents of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands in square planar nickel complexes

Nickel complexes having acetylated glucopyranosyl group incorporated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands with methyl or benzyl groups as an N-substituent exhibit two kinds of dynamic behaviours in solution (1)H NMR spectroscopy. One of the dynamic behaviours is attributed to the anti- and syn-rotamers, which occur by the rotation of the unsymmetrical NHC ligands around the axes of the Ni-C bonds. The other is attributed to the diastereomers of the syn-rotamers, which occur by opposite rotation of the imidazolylidene rings and the chiral carbohydrate group incorporated into the NHC ligands. Crystallographic analysis of the nickel complex having the NHC ligand with acetylated glucopyranosyl and benzyl groups as N-substituents showed CH-π interaction between the glucopyranosyl unit of each NHC ligand and the phenyl ring of the other NHC ligand in the complex in the solid state.     

Ir(I)-catalyzed enantioselective secondary sp3 C-H bond activation of 2-(alkylamino)pyridines with alkenes

A cationic Ir(I)-tolBINAP complex catalyzed an enantioselective C-C bond formation initiated by secondary sp(3) C-H bond cleavage adjacent to a nitrogen atom. The reaction of 2-(alkylamino)pyridines with various alkenes gave chiral amines in good yields with high enantiomeric excesses.