Auxiliary controlled singlet-oxygen ene reactions of cyclohexenes

The photooxygenation of homochiral cyclohexene ketals, which are easily available from 2-cyclohexenone and l-tartrates, affords hydroperoxides and after reduction the corresponding allylic alcohols in good yields and high regioselectivities. This can be rationalized by electronic repulsions in a perepoxide intermediate and provides evidence for unfavorable 1,3 diaxial interactions with a dioxolane oxygen atom. Only low stereoselectivities were observed, due to the flexibility of the cyclohexene ring. However, the diastereomers could be separated and after cleavage of the auxiliary, 4-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one was isolated in enantiomerically pure form, which can serve as a building block for natural product synthesis.     

Influence of trans-cis photoisomerizations of solubilized compounds on transition temperatures in the system cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-water: Light-induced phase transitions

Transition temperatures (TN1) from the nematic lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase to the isotropic phase were measured for the system cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) water in the presence of small amounts of 3-stilbene carboxylic acid (3SC), 4-stilbene carboxylic acid (4SC) and Δ2/2'-bi-(2H-l,4-benzothiazine) (BT). TNI, increases as a function of trans-3SC or trans-4SC concentration, ranging from 01 to 08 wt %, by up to 12°C. A further increase in TNI between 2 and 5°C can be achieved by photochemically converting the solubilized trans stilbene derivatives to the cis isomers. Irradiation of a trans-3SC containing sample at a temperature just above TNl leads to a light-induced phase transition to the lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase. Solubilization of trans-BT causes a slight decrease of TNI while photoisomerization to cis-BT increases T_NI by 1°C.