Cadinane‐Type Sesquiterpenoids,Strobilols E – K,from the Liquid Culture of Strobilurus ohshimae

New cadinane sequiterpenoids, strobilols E–K ( 5 – 11 , resp.) have been isolated from a liquid culture of Strobilurus ohshimae. Their structures have been established on the basis of spectral analyses.     

Synthesis, stability, and complexation behavior of isolable salen-type N2S2 and N2SO ligands based on thiol and oxime functionalities

The new salen-type N(2)S(2) tetradentate ligands, H(2)L(1) and H(2)L(2), which have a donor set comprising oxime and thiol groups, were synthesized. These ligands are obtained as isolable colorless crystals, whereas the imine analogues are too unstable to be isolated. The unsymmetrical N(2)SO ligands, H(2)L(3) and H(2)L(4), were also obtained as stable compounds. When ligands H(2)L(1)-H(2)L(4) are heated above the melting points, they mainly decompose via cleavage of the N-O bonds of a thiosalicylaldoxime moiety to give 1,2-benzisothiazole derivatives. The complexation of the N(2)S(2) ligands (H(2)L(1) and H(2)L(2)) with nickel(II) acetate afforded square-planar mononuclear complexes [Ni(L(1))] and [Ni(L(2))], respectively. In contrast, the complexation of the N(2)SO ligand H(2)L(3) with nickel(II) acetate resulted in cleavage of the N-O bond, giving a tetranuclear complex having a cubane-type Ni(4)O(4) core. The N-O bonds of H(2)L(1)-H(2)L(4) are more readily cleaved when the ligands are allowed to react with copper(II) acetate. In these cases, the alkoxo-bridged dinuclear complexes having a Cu-O-Cu-O four-membered ring are obtained. On the other hand, mononuclear complexes can be obtained by complexation of the ligands (H(2)L(1) or H(2)L(3)) with palladium(II) acetate without N-O bond cleavage.     

Architecture of brush-on-brush copolymers by photoinduced ATRP approach

We established a preparation method of brush-on-brush copolymers by grafting from photoinduced ATRP of multifunctional polystyrene having N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DC) pendant groups with stearyl methacrylate (STM). We studied the solution properties of brush-on-brush copolymers from the view point of crowding effect of PSTM brush side chains. It was speculated from angular dependence on dynamic light scattering (DLS) that the brush-on-brush copolymer (BB1:PSTM brushes were grafted at regular intervals of 1/4 styrene units on the backbone) with large aspect ratio took a geometrical anisotropic conformation such as a cylinder due to crowding of brush side chains. In fact, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) photograph of such brush-on-brush showed a rigid rod-like morphology.     

Optical resolution of (+/-)-1,2-Bis(2-methylphenyl)ethylene-1,2-diamine as a chiral framework for 2-iminoimidazolidine with 2-methylphenyl pendant and the guanidine-catalyzed asymmetric michael reaction of tert-butyl diphenyliminoacetate and ethyl acrylate

(+/-)-1,2-Bis(2-methylphenyl)ethylene-1,2-diamine, prepared from benzil and ammonium acetate, was optically resolved as a chiral framework for 2-(1-benzyl-2-hydroxyethyl)imino-1,3-dimethylimidazolidine with 2-methylphenyl pendants at the 4,5-positions. Catalysis ability of the 1,3-dimethyl-4,5-bis(2-methylphenyl)imidazolidine and the related 1,3-dibenzyl-4,5-diphenylimidazolidine was examined in the asymmetric Michael reaction of t-butyl diphenyliminoacetate and ethyl acrylate.     

Asymmetric imino aza-enamine reaction catalyzed by axially chiral dicarboxylic acid: use of arylaldehyde N,N-dialkylhydrazones as acyl anion equivalent

Synthetic utility of arylaldehyde N,N-dialkylhydrazones as a practical acyl anion equivalent could be exploited for the first time in the asymmetric imino aza-enamine reaction catalyzed by axially chiral carboxylic acid.     

Regiocontrolled copolymerization of methyl acrylate with carbon monoxide

An alternating copolymer of methyl acrylate with carbon monoxide has been synthesized for the first time via coordination polymerization using palladium complexes of phosphine-sulfonic acid as catalysts. The highly controlled head-to-tail structure of the copolymer was confirmed by NMR spectra. Subsequent insertion of carbon monoxide and methyl acrylate to methylpalladium species provided gamma-ketoalkylpalladium 2. The present system apparently conquered the difficulty in coordination-insertion of CO to 2.     

Efficient anchorage of Pt clusters on N-doped carbon nanotubes and their catalytic activity

We report an efficient method for anchoring Pt clusters (e.g., 6 nm in size) on the surfaces of N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs-CN_x) using a relatively simple method consisting of a hydrothermal treatment of Na₂[PtCl₆] · 6H₂O and N-doped nanotubes dispersed in acetic acid. The catalytic properties of this material were evaluated finding that the conversion of cinnamaldehyde using Pt-coated MWNTs-CN_x could increase up to 6 times with respect to that obtained for uncoated MWNTs-CN_x and pure carbon CNTs. Therefore, we envisage this material could be either used as an efficient catalyst or as a sensor.     

RCAI-61, the 6′-O-methylated analog of KRN7000: its synthesis and potent bioactivity for mouse lymphocytes to produce interferon-γ in vivo

RCAI-61, the 6′-O-methylated analog of KRN7000, and six other analogs with modified 6′-position of the galactose moiety of KRN7000 were synthesized to examine their bioactivity for mouse lymphocytes. Methyl α-d-galactopyranoside was the starting material for RCAI-58, 61, 64, 83, 85, and 86, while RCAI-87 was prepared from methyl β-l-arabinopyranoside. Bioassay showed RCAI-61 to be a much more potent stimulant of mouse lymphocytes than KRN7000 and RCAI-56 to induce the production of a large amount of IFN-γ in vivo.     

Cationic Rhodium(I) Tetrafluoroborate Catalyzed Intramolecular Carbofluorination of Alkenes via Acyl Fluoride C−F Bond Activation**

The C−F bond of acyl fluorides can be cleaved and added across tethered alkenes in the presence of a cationic rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate catalyst. This 1,2-carbofluorination reaction offers a powerful method for the synthesis of tertiary alkyl fluoride derivatives with an atom economy of 100 %. Mechanistic studies indicate that the concerted action of a rhodium cation and a tetrafluoroborate anion is key for the success of this catalytic cleavage and formation of C−F bonds in a controlled manner.