Intramolecular cyclisation of α,β-epoxy-artemisia ketone

α,β-epoxy-artemisia ketone, $\text{2}$ undergoes intramolecular cyclisation by OM-DM yielding the tetrahydrofuran derivatives $\text{3}$ – $\text{6}$, while on treatment with BF₃,-etherate $\text{2}$ cyclises to the cyclopentanones $\text{8}$ and $\text{9}$. The structure of all products has been elucidated by spectral methods. The mechanism of the cyclisation reaction is discussed briefly.     

Electronic coupling effects on photoinduced electron transfer in carotene-porphyrin-fullerene triads detected by time-resolved EPR

Photoinduced charge separation and recombination in a carotenoid-porphyrin-fullerene triad C-P-C60 (Bahr et al., 2000) have been followed by time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance. The electron-transfer process has been characterized in a glass of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and in the nematic phase of two uniaxial liquid crystals (E-7 and ZLI-1167). In all the different media, the molecular triad undergoes two-step photoinduced electron transfer, with the generation of a long-lived charge-separated state (C*+-P-C60*-), and charge recombination to the triplet state, localized in the carotene moiety, mimicking different aspects of the photosynthetic electron-transfer process. The magnetic interaction parameters have been evaluated by simulation of the spin-polarized radical pair spectrum. The weak exchange interaction parameter (J = +1.7 +/- 0.1 G) provides a direct measure of the dominant electronic coupling matrix element V between the C*+-P-C60*- radical pair state and the recombination triplet state 3C-P-C60. Comparison of the estimated values of V for this triad and a structurally related triad differing only in the porphyrin bridge (octaalkylporphyrin vs tetraarylporphyrin) explains in terms of an electronic coupling effect the approximately 6-fold variation of the recombination rate induced by the modification of the porphyrin bridge as derived by kinetic experiments (Bahr et al., 2000).     

Vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy for probing the expression of chirality in mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes

Mechanically interlocked molecules can exhibit molecular chirality that arises due to the mechanical bond rather than covalent stereogenic units. Developing applications of such systems is made challenging by the absence of techniques for assigning the absolute configuration of products and methods to probe how the mechanical stereogenic unit influences the spatial arrangements of the functional groups in solution. Here we demonstrate for the first time that Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD) can be used to not only discriminate between mechanical stereoisomers but also provide detailed information on their (co)conformations. The latter is particularly important as these molecules are now under investigation in catalysis and sensing, both of which rely on the solution phase shape of the interlocked structure. Detailed analysis of the VCD spectra shows that, although many of the signals arise from coupled oscillators isolated in the covalent sub-components, intercomponent coupling between the macrocycle and axle gives rise to several VCD bands.

Through the looking glass: VCD spectroscopy provides unique insight into how a chiral mechanical bond imposes shape on rotaxanes in solution and allows their absolute configuration to be determined.     

Two germatranes with bulky substituents

In 1‐adamantyl‐2,8,9‐trioxa‐5‐aza‐1‐germabicyclo­[3.3.3]undecane or 1‐adamantylgermatrane, [Ge(C₁₀H₁₅)(C₆H₁₂NO₃)], (I), and (2,8,9‐trioxa‐5‐aza‐1‐germabicyclo­[3.3.3]undecan‐1‐yl)methyl N‐cyclo­hexyl­carbamate or [(germatran‐1‐yl)meth­yl] N‐cyclo­hexyl­carbamate, [Ge(C₆H₁₂NO₃)(C₈H₁₄NO₂)], (II), the Ge atoms are characterized by trigonal–bypiramidal configurations. The Ge⋯N distances [2.266 (3) and 2.206 (3) Å in (I) and (II), respectively] are among the longest observed in germatranes. The significant distortion of the apical N—Ge—C angle in (II) is caused by crystal packing effects.     

Padé approximation for the polynomial representation of the correlation energy density functional

Polynomials in the one-third power of the density were recently proposed to represent approximately the correlation energy density functional [S. Liu and R.G. Parr, Phys. Rev. A 53 (1996) 2211]. Studied in the present work is a Padé-approximant in that same variable which overcomes weaknesses in the polynomial form. Numerical results for atoms and molecules show that Padé forms fairly reproduce the experimental values, and are comparable in accuracy with other commonly used local functionals for the correlation energy.     

Formal hydride transfer mechanism for photoreduction of 3-phenylquinoxalin-2-ones by amines. Association Of 3-phenylquinoxalin-2-one with aliphatic amines

The photophysical and photochemical behavior of 1-methyl-3-phenylquinoxalin-2-one (MeNQ) and 3-phenylquinoxalin-2-one (HNQ) in the presence of amines is reported. While HNQ fluorescence shows an auxochromic effect and a bathochromic shift with added amines, explained by association of HNQ with amine in the ground state and emission from both excited species HNQ and [HNQ-amine], both MeNQ and HNQ are photoreduced efficiently on irradiation in the presence of amines, leading to the semireduced quinoxalin-2-ones, MeNQH(-) and HNQH(-), respectively, via an electron-proton-electron transfer, with unit quantum yields at high amine concentrations. The semireduced quinoxalin-2-ones XNQH(-) (X = H, Me) revert almost quantitatively to the parent XNQ in a dark thermal reaction with an activation free energy for MeNQH(-) of 17.4 and 25.9 kcal/mol in acetonitrile and benzene, respectively. Kinetic and spectroscopic (UV and NMR) evidence supports the proposed reaction mechanism for the reversible photoreduction.     

Stereocontrolled formation of highly substituted cis-decalins via INOC annulation. An access to the branimycin core

Quinic acid was used as a chiral scaffold for elaborating the highly substituted cis-decalin core system of branimycin via an Eschenmoser-Ireland rearrangement-INOC annulation sequence.     

Alkaloidosteroids from the starfish Lethasterias nanimensis chelifera

New ionic compounds containing an alkaloidal cation and a steroidal anion have been isolated by reverse-phase liquid chromatography from the extracts of the starfish Lethasterias nanimensis chelifera. Their structures have been elucidated by NMR and mass spectroscopy as 1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolinium salts of 3-O-sulfoasterone 1, 3-O-sulfoisoasterone 2 and 3-O-sulfothornasterol A 3. In addition, the alkaloid 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCA) 4 was found in this starfish.     

Olefin epoxidation by peroxo complexes of cr, mo, and W. A comparative density functional study

The epoxidation of olefins by peroxo complexes of Cr(VI), Mo(VI) and W(VI) was investigated using the B3LYP hybrid density functional method. For the mono- and bisperoxo model complexes with the structures (NH(3))(L)M(O)(2)(-)(n)()(eta(2)-O(2))(1+)(n)() (n = 0, 1; L = none, NH(3); M = Cr, Mo, W) and ethylene as model olefin, two reaction mechanism were considered, direct oxygen transfer and a two-step insertion into the metal-peroxo bond. The calculations reveal that direct attack of the nucleophilic olefin on an electrophilic peroxo oxygen center via a transition state of spiro structure is preferred as significantly higher activation barriers were calculated for the insertion mechanism than for the direct mechanism. W complexes are the most active in the series investigated with the calculated activation barriers of direct oxygen transfer to ethylene decreasing in the order Cr > Mo > W. Barriers of bisperoxo species are lower than those of the corresponding monoperoxo species. Coordination of a second NH(3) base ligand to the mono-coordinated species, (NH(3))M(O)(2)(eta(2)-O(2)) and (NH(3))MO(eta(2)-O(2))(2), results in a significant increase of the activation barrier which deactivates the complex. Finally, based on a molecular orbital analysis, we discuss factors that govern the activity of the metal peroxo group M(eta(2)-O(2)), in particular the role of metal center.