THE CONFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS AND PHOTOISOMERIZATION OF RETINOCHROME ANALOGS WITH POLYENALS

Abstract— 3, 7-Dimethyl-2, 4, 6, 8, 10-dodecapentaenal was synthesized for reconstitution of the retinochrome analog. Its opsin shift was 1000 cm ¹ smaller than that of native retinochrome, whose chromophore contains the same number of double bonds. The conformational change from 6-s-trans to 6-s-cis , as figured in a retinal molecule, plays an important role in the formation of the retinochrome analog, based on the estimation of opsin shifts for retinal analogs locked in the 6-s conformation. Thus the conformation of the 6–7 single bond in the native retinochrome was suggested to be 6 -cis . Analysis of the circular dichroic spectra of retinochrome analogs revealed that the 6-s conformation is independent of the appearance of the β-band. The stereoselectivity in the photoisomerization of the retinal analogs by a retinochrome template depends on the hydrophobic binding in the region of the β-ionone ring.     

Homogeneous palladium catalyst suppressing Pd black formation in air oxidation of alcohols

In homogeneous catalyst systems, there is the persistent problem that metal aggregation and precipitation cause catalyst decomposition and considerable loss of catalytic activity. Pd black formation is a typical example. Pd catalysts are known to easily aggregate and form Pd black, although they realize a wide variety of useful reactions in organic synthesis. In order to overcome this intrinsic problem of homogeneous Pd catalysis, we explored a new class of Pd catalyst by adopting aerobic oxidation of alcohols as a probe reaction. Herein we report a new catalyst system that suppresses the Pd black formation even under air and with a high substrate to catalyst molar ratio (S/C: more than 1000) in oxidation of alcohols. The novel pyridine derivatives having a 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylphenyl substituent and its higher dendritic unit at the 3-position of the pyridine ring were found to be excellent ligands with Pd(OAc)2 in the palladium-catalyzed air (balloon) oxidation of alcohols in toluene at 80 degrees C. Comparison with structurally related pyridine ligands revealed that introduction of the 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylphenyl substituent at the 3-position of pyridine ring effectively suppresses the Pd black formation, maintaining the catalytic activity for a long time to give aldehydes or ketones as products in high yields.     

Unique Reactivity of a Diphenyldisilane Unit Incorporated into the Bicyclic Ring System: Generation of a Disilanyllithium via Silicon-Phenyl Bond Cleavage with Lithium

A bicyclic diphenyldisilane bearing two tetramethylene tethers reacts with lithium to form predominantly the disilanyllithium as a result of Si-C_Ph bond fission, while the pentamethylene homolog undergoes ordinary Si-Si bond cleavage to afford the expected phenylsilyllithium. The compressed Si-Si bond incorporated in the bicyclic ring system may be kinetically stabilized (compression effect), resulting in the unusual Si-C bond fission. When the reaction is carried out in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane, a Calas-type reaction takes place on the phenyl rings. This result suggests that electron transfer to the phenyl group is the primary process in these bicyclic disilanes, followed by Si-Si or Si-C bond cleavage to afford the corresponding silyllithium species.     

Electron spin resonance study of ethylene–acrolein copolymer irradiated with ultraviolet light

When ethylene–acrolein copolymer was irradiated at ?196°C with ultraviolet light, a sharp singlet spectrum with a g value of about 2.001 was predominant. This spectrum is attributed to acyl radicals, which are produced by dissociation of a hydrogen atom from an aldehyde group. At the same time it is supposed that dissociation of formyl groups also took place to give alkyl radicals, CO, and H₂. The alkyl radicals reacted with CO molecules to give acyl radicals at ?78°C under vacuum. Peroxy radicals were produced when the sample irradiated at ?196°C in the presence of air was treated at ?78°C. The sample irradiated at ?196°C was warmed to near 0°C and an apparent singlet spectrum with a g value of about 2.004 was observed. This spectrum was tentatively assigned as due to free radicals of the type      

Palladium-catalyzed reaction of allyl carbamates; allylation of carbonucleophiles,and protection-deprotection of amines

Allylation of carbonucleophiles with allylic carbamates under neutral conditions has been studied. The C-allylation of carbonucleophile is competitive with the N-allylation of amines, and the structure of amines is crucial for the selectivity. Bulky secondary amines gave the best results. Also a new method of protection-deprotection of amines as carbamates has been developed. Smooth deprotection is possible by the palladium-catalyzed reaction of allyl carbamates with formic acid. This method is particulary useful for primary amines, including optically active amino acids.     

Some partially fluorinated cyclic and acyclic compounds of sulphur (II) and (IV) and partially fluorinated cyclic compounds of phosphorus (III) and (V)

Sulfinyl fluoride and N-(F-isoprophyl)iminosulfur difluoride form the compounds, O$\text{SN(CH}{}_3\text{)CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_2\text{N}$(CH₃) and i-C₃F₇N$\text{SN(CH}{}_3\text{CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_2\text{N}$(CH₃ with symdimethylethylenediamine (1). In contrast, CF₃C(O)NSF₂ and (R_f)₂SF₂ (R_f = CF₃, i-C₃F₇ form only acyclic compounds, CF₃C(O)N(CH₃)CH₂CH₂N(CH₃)C(O)CF₃ and R_fSN(CH₃)CH₂CH₂N(CH₃)SR_f with (1). With PF₃, PF₅ and OPF₃, cyclic compounds $\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_2\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)P}$F, $\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_2\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)P}$F₃, and $\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_2\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)P}$-(O)F result. When the latter two compounds are reacted further with LiNC(CF₃)₂, N(CH₃)CH₂CH₂N(CH₃)PF₂NC(CF₃)₂ and $\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_2\text{N(CH}{}_3\text{)P}$(O)NC(CF₃)₂) form.     

Stereoselective syntheses of 4-hydroxy 4-substituted glutamic acids

The 4-hydroxy 4-substituted glutamic acid moiety is a common substructure of biologically important natural products such as monatin [(2S,4S)-2], lycoperdic acid (3), and dysiherbaine (4). To develop methodology for syntheses of these natural products, cycloadditions of nitrone 5 with 2-substituted 2-propen-1-ols 6 and 2-substituted acrylates 8 were investigated. Reactions of nitrone 5 with alcohols 6 in the presence of MgBr2OEt2 gave cycloadducts 7 in a highly stereoselective manner, whereas noncatalyzed reactions of 5 with acrylates 8 afforded adducts 9. Using the former reaction, syntheses of monatin [(2S,4S)-2], monatin derivative 18, and lycoperdic acid (3) were accomplished. The C4-epimer of monatin [(2S,4R)-2)] was also synthesized by employing the latter cycloaddition.     

Cu(I)-catalyzed direct enantioselective cross aldol-type reaction of acetonitrile

Direct catalytic enantioselective cross aldol-type reaction of an acetate surrogate was developed using Cu alkoxide-chiral phosphine complexes as catalysts. Chemoselective activation and deprotonation of the donor substrate (acetonitrile) by the soft metal alkoxide in a strongly donating solvent (HMPA) are key to success in this reaction. Useful chemical yields and promising enantioselectivities are produced using either DTBM-SEGPHOS or a tuned BIPHEP as a chiral ligand. [reaction: see text]     

Ion-exchange selectivity and chromatographic separation of trivalent metals on titanium antimonate

Summary The ion exchange selectivity of trivalent metal ions has been determined on titanium antimonate cation exchanger prepared by coprecipitation of antimony to titanium at different mole ratios. The selectivity sequence Al³⁺<Cr³⁺<Ga³⁺<In³⁺<Fe³⁺ was found for trivalent metal ions at an initial concentration of 10^–4 mol dm^–3 in nitric acid media. A high separation factor ^Ga/Al = Kd^Ga/Kd^Al, 4.8×10³, was observed for the Ga³⁺–Al³⁺ pair on titanium antimonate with an antimony to titanium ratio of 0.34. The effective separation of Ga³⁺ and In³⁺ from Al³⁺ was achieved using a 3 cm×0.5 cm i.d. column containing titanium antimonate with an antimony to titanium ratio of 0.34.     

Emission spectrographic determination of trace elements in atmospheric particulate matter

Air containing particulate material was passed continuously for one month through a low-volume air sampler equipped with a cyclone to exclude particulates greater than 10 μm in diameter. The samples and filters were ashed in a low-temperature plasma and, after addition of In₂O₃ support, palladium internal standard and graphite buffer, the ashes were analyzed by a.c. are emission spectrometry. Standard samples were prepared from a commercial standard containing 49 elements. The procedure allows the determination of 14 trace metals (Ag, Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, Ti, V, Zn) with relative standard deviations of 1.4–15.1%. The procedure has been applied successfully to monthly determinations of the average atmospheric concentrations of these elements in Kobe City for the past three years.