Rotaxane Synthesis by an End-Capping Strategy via Swelling Axle-Phenols

A method for rotaxane synthesis by enlargement of the size of the terminal phenol group of the axle component by aromatic bromination has been developed. This method may be regarded as an end-capping strategy involving the swelling of the phenol group at the axle terminal. The advantages of the present strategy include: ready availability of axle components with a variety of swelling precursors, wide product scope (19 examples given including a [3]rotaxane), mild conditions for the swelling process, rich potential for the derivatization of the brominated rotaxanes, and possible release of the axle component by degradative dethreading of the thermally stable brominated rotaxanes under the basic conditions.     

Heterocycles. XXVI. A total synthesis of optically pure (+)-catechin pentaacetate

A total synthesis of optically pure (+)-catechin pentaacetate has been established using the (-)-chalcon epoxide (100% ee) derived from 3,4,2′,4′,6′-pentakis(methoxymethoxy)chalcon as the starting material. The optical purity of the product is confirmed by ¹H nmr analysis in the presence of a shift reagent.     

Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Alkynylation of α-Acyloxyketones by C(sp3)−O Bond Cleavage

Palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative alkynylation of α-acyloxyketones triggered by C(sp³)−O bond cleavage is disclosed. The decarboxylation strategy featuring a neutral reaction condition enabled an unprecedent catalytic alkynylation of a ketone enolate. The reaction was applied to a variety of substrates, giving desired products in good yields. We successfully obtained X-ray crystallography of a new palladium–enolate intermediate that was synthesized by a reaction of [Pd(cod)(CH₂TMS)₂] with XPhos and α-acyloxyketone at room temperature, indicating facile C(sp³)−O bond disconnection.     

Dependence of the Reactivities of Titanium Enolates on How They Are Generated: Diastereoselective Coupling of Phenylacetic Acid Esters Using Titanium Tetrachloride

Oxidative coupling of phenylacetic acid esters was easily achieved by treating the esters with TiCl(4) and then adding Et(3)N to the resulting solution. The products consisted of dl- and meso-2,3-diphenylsuccinic acid esters with the Claisen condensation product, and the ratio of these products depended on the reaction conditions. Reaction conditions suitable for high dl selectivity were determined, and a dimer of titanium enolate was postulated as an intermediate responsible for the high dl selectivity. The selectivities were compared with those in known oxidative couplings in which titanium enolate intermediates are prepared through lithium enolates and silyl enol ethers. The results suggest that the reactivities of titanium enolates intermediates depend on how they are generated.     

Isomorphic electron orbitals for vibronic flexibility in a cyclopropenyl radical molecular device

Summary The vibronic character of this molecular device has been studied using isomorphic electron orbitals. The leading role of the softest vibrational mode for the electron transport process is stressed by the quantum mechanical treatment of the rearrangement operator. The theory was used to investigate the possible function of the soliton valve, which has been suggested as a switching tip. The electronic flexibility of the cyclopropenyl radical with respect to molecular vibrations, which is important for the function of the molecular device, is well characterized by the hardness and softness of the electron structure in terms of the orbital energy-occupation number correlation diagram.     

Single-step preparation of topological gels using vinyl-modified β-cyclodextrin as a figure-of-six cross-linker

Herein, we have proposed a single-step preparation of topological gels using vinyl-modified β-cyclodextrin (V-β-CyD) and isoprene. Copolymerization of V-β-CyD and isoprene in an aqueous solution resulted in gelation due to V-β-CyD acting as a novel type of copolymer chain cross-linker. The vinyl moiety of V-β-CyD becomes a part of the copolymer, while the β-CyD moiety of V-β-CyD simultaneously incorporates the isoprene component of the copolymer. V-β-CyD is capable of two different modes of cross-linking at each end, i.e., chemically bonding and mechanically interlocking. Due to the shape of the cross-linking point, we refer to it as figure-of-six cross-linking. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that the gel contained V-β-CyD and isoprene in an approximately 1:0.3 stoichiometry. The relatively high content of β-CyD was reflected in the character of the gel; the gel swelled in dimethylformamide which is a good solvent of β-CyD. A fluorometric analysis using 6-(p-toluidino)-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid showed that the appended β-CyD was able to accommodate guest molecules. Introduction of an additional vinyl monomer into the gel was also successful. Addition of 4-vinylphenylboronic acid to the preparation procedure yielded a sugar-responsive gel that swelled in the presence of d-fructose.     

A quantum chemical study of interchain hopping model of negatively charged solitons in polyacetylene

Phonon-assisted interchain hopping of negatively charged solitons in polyacetylene has been studied using a local chemical reaction model CH + CH₄ → CH₄ + CH. Quantum chemical characteristics of the electron transfer process have been analyzed in terms of the dynamic electron density and the mutual polarization moment. The CH stretching vibrational motion of CH₄, which is a local model of the sp³ defect, has been found to play a significant role for the electron transfer. The excitation of the corresponding vibrational mode of the sp³ defect would promote the interchain hopping of the charged soliton. The electron transfer process has also been studied in terms of the “regional” density functional theory. It has been shown that the driving force of the electron transfer is represented by the regional chemical potentials.     

Variable Lebesgue norm estimates for BMO functions. II

The paper concerns characterization of BMO in terms of Banach function spaces. In particular, we are interested in characterizing BMO by using the variable Lebesgue norm.