Unique asymmetric catalysis of cis-beta metal complexes of salen and its related Schiff-base ligands

Complexes of chiral salen and its related tetradentate Schiff-base ligands adopt three different configurations, trans, cis-alpha and cis-beta. Of these complexes, trans-complexes have been widely used as catalysts for various asymmetric reactions. However, recent studies have disclosed that cis-beta metallosalen and its related complexes show unique asymmetric catalyses that cannot be achieved by trans-metallosalen complexes. The present article summarizes generation of cis-beta metallosalen and its related complexes, their structural features, and their application to asymmetric syntheses.     

Transesterification of various alcohols with vinyl acetate under mild conditions catalyzed by diethylzinc using N-substituted diethanolamine as a ligand

Commercially available, inexpensive N-phenyldiethanolamine (6) is an efficient ligand for zinc-catalyzed transesterification. The use of 6/Et₂Zn for reactions between various alcohols and vinyl acetate at room temperature produced the desired products in good yields.     

Ultrasonic effects on electroorganic processes. Part 25. Stereoselectivity control in cathodic debromination of stilbenedibromides

Ultrasonic effects on the cathodic debromination of stilbenedibromides on a platinum cathode was examined. Current efficiency and stereoselectivity for trans-stilbene, which was formed along with cis-stilbene in the cathodic debromination of stilbenedibromides, were significantly increased under ultrasonication with an intensity over the ultrasonic cavitation threshold. This ultrasonic effect is rationalized as due to mass transport promotion in the electrode-electrolytic solution interface. A mechanism for the ultrasonic effect is discussed in detail on the basis of the reaction pathway of the debromination of stilbenedibromides.     

One-dimensional excitons in inorganic–organic self-organized quantum-wire crystals [NHC(I)=NH]PbI and [CHSC(=NH)NH]PbI

Optical properties of lead-iodide-based one-dimensional perovskite-type crystals [NH₂C(I)=NH₂]₃PbI₅ and [CH₃SC(=NH₂)NH₂]₃PbI₅ have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The electronic and excitonic structures are studied based on group theoretical consideration and first-principle band calculation. Strong one-dimensional anisotropy of the optical absorption spectra, large Stokes shifts (1.0 eV) and huge exchange energies (70 meV) indicate that the excitons in these crystals are one-dimensional Frenkel excitons.     

Divergent oxidative rearrangements in solution and in a zeolite: distal vs proximal bond cleavage of methylenecyclopropanes

Irradiation of 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA) or p-chloranil in the presence of E-1-benzylidene-2-phenylcyclopropane (E-5) in CH(2)Cl(2) causes E-5 to undergo methylenecyclopropane rearrangement. An adduct, Z-7, between DCA and 5 firmly supports the involvement of a bifunctional trimethylenemethane radical cation. In contrast, incorporation of E-5 into HZSM-5 produces trans,trans-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene radical cation sequestered in the HZSM-5 interior, tt-8(.+)@HZSM-5, identified by ESR and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. In addition, low yields of tt-8, its cis,trans-isomer (ct-8), and 1-phenyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (9) were isolated from the supernatant solution. The sharp contrast between the photoinduced electron-transfer reaction with photosensitizers in solution and the spontaneous reaction with redox-active acidic zeolite offers the prospect of further zeolite-induced regiodivergent reactions in a range of additional substrates.     

Catalyst-transfer polycondensation. mechanism of Ni-catalyzed chain-growth polymerization leading to well-defined poly(3-hexylthiophene)

We studied the mechanism of the chain-growth polymerization of 2-bromo-5-chloromagnesio-3-hexylthiophene (1) with Ni(dppp)Cl2 [dppp = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane], in which head-to-tail poly(3-hexylthiophene) (HT-P3HT) with a low polydispersity is obtained and the M(n) is controlled by the feed ratio of the monomer to the Ni catalyst. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra showed that the HT-P3HT uniformly had a hydrogen atom at one end of each molecule and a bromine atom at the other. The reaction of the polymer with aryl Grignard reagent gave HT-P3HT with aryl groups at both ends, which indicates that the H-end was derived from the propagating Ni complex. The degree of polymerization and the absolute molecular weight of the polymer could be evaluated from the 1H NMR spectra of the Ar/Ar-ended HT-P3HT, and it was found that one Ni catalyst molecule forms one polymer chain. Furthermore, by reaction of 1 with 50 mol % Ni(dppp)Cl2, the chain initiator was found to be a bithiophene-Ni complex, formed by a coupling reaction of 1 followed by insertion of the Ni(0) catalyst into the C-Br bond of the dimer. On the basis of these results, we propose that this chain-growth polymerization involves the coupling reaction of 1 with the polymer via the Ni catalyst, which is transferred intramolecularly to the terminal C-Br bond of the elongated molecule. We call this mechanism "catalyst-transfer polycondensation".     

Structure study and luminescence thermochromism in hexanuclear 6-methyl-2-pyridinethiolato copper(I) crystals

The structure of hexanuclear 6-methyl-2-pyridinethiolato copper(I) [Cu6(6-mpyt)(6)] crystals has been studied by the X-ray diffraction analysis. These crystals show highly efficient luminescence whose color changes drastically from red to green-blue with lowering temperature from room temperature (RT) to liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT). This is a new example of luminescence thermochromism for hexanuclear copper(I) cluster compounds. Two relaxed luminescence bands appear predominantly: one (CC-band), red luminescence appearing in the lower-energy region around 1.8 eV at higher temperature, is assigned to the transition between intramolecular orbitals (MO) of a Cu cluster center (CC), and the other (CT-band), green-blue luminescence appearing at the higher energy side of 2.6 eV than the CC-band at lower temperature, is assigned to a charge transfer (CT) transition from the CC-MO to a ligand MO. Additionally, the CT band can be deconvoluted to two subbands CT(L) and CT(H). The intensities of the CC- and the CT-bands change complementarily with temperature via a thermal activation process, giving the thermochromism. All of these band shapes can be fitted by a Gaussian function, and their widths are fairly large obeying the hyperbolic cotangent law. These features reflect our system to be a strong electron-lattice coupling one. The relaxation process of the photoexcited states is discussed in terms of a configuration coordinate model.     

Stereoselective synthesis of new selenium-containing heterocycles by cyclocarbonylation of aminoalkynes with carbon monoxide and selenium

The reaction of 3-aminoalkynes 2 with carbon monoxide and selenium yielded 5-alkylideneselenazolin-2-ones 3 stereoselectively via cycloaddition of in situ generated carbamoselenoates to the carbon-carbon triple bond. 4-Aminoalkyne 7 also afforded the corresponding six-membered selenium-containing heterocycle with the aid of CuI.     

Do larger firms have more interfirm relationships?

In this study, we investigate interfirm networks by employing a unique data set containing information on more than 800,000 Japanese firms, about half of all corporate firms currently operating in Japan. First, we find that the number of relationships, measured by the indegree, has a fat-tail distribution, implying that there exist “hub” firms with a large number of relationships. Moreover, the indegree distribution for those hub firms also exhibits a fat tail, suggesting the existence of “super-hub” firms. Second, we find that larger firms tend to have more counterparts, but the relationship between firms’ size and the number of their counterparts is not necessarily proportional; firms that already have a large number of counterparts tend to grow without proportionately expanding it.