Regioselective lithiation of II-(arene)chromium tricarbonyl complexes

Chromium tricarbonyl complexes of 3-methoxybenzyl alcohol and related compounds were selectively lithiated at the 4-position in contrast to the corresponding metal free arene compounds. The resulting 4-lithio complexes were converted to the 4-substituted arene compounds in moderate to excellent yields through the reactions with proper electrophiles and subsequent demetalation.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-methylenepyrrolizidines by tandem cyclization of N-propargylaminyl radicals

Tandem cyclization of N-propargylaminyl radicals, generated by N-chlorination of (E)-alk-4-enylamines 2a-d and 2f followed by treatment with tributyltin radical, afforded 2-methylenepyrrolizidines 3a-d and 3f in a highly stereoselective manner. A similar radical cyclization of (Z)-N-propargyl-1-methyl-5-phenylpent-4-enylamine (2e) gave pyrrolizidine 3b having the same stereochemistry as that obtained from the E isomer 2b.     

Carbon dioxide fixation by microalgae photosynthesis using actual flue gas discharged from a boiler

To mitigate CO₂ discharged from thermal power plants, studies on CO₂ fixation by the photosynthesis of microalgae using actual exhaust gas have been carried out. The results are as follows.

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reaction of phenanthridinium N-imines and N-benzoylimine with acetylenic compounds

N-Aminophenanthridinium salt reacted with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in the presence of potassium carbonate to give a 3,3a-dihydropyrazolo[1,5-f]phenanthridine but with mono-substituted acetylenes (ethyl propiolate and benzoylacetylene) it produced aromatized pyrazolo-[1,5-f]phenanthridines (XII and XIII). The reaction of the N-benzoylimine with di-substituted acetylenes (dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and methyl phenylpropiolate) and mono-substituted acetylenes (ethyl propiolate and benzoylacetylene) yielded 1,3a-dihydropyrazolo[1,5-f]phenanthridines and the aromatized products (XII and XIII), respectively.     

Photocyclization of 2-(naphth-1-yl)-3-(thien-2-yl)propenoic acid and the total assignment of the 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra of the product

Photocyclization of the substituted 2-(naphth-1-yl)-3-(thien-2-yl)propenoic acid ( 3 ) in the presence of iodine and air in a benzene-cyclohexane mixture afforded a separable mixture of three compounds, phenanthro[2,1-b]thiophene-10-carboxylic acid ( 4 ), phenanthro[2,1-b]thiothene ( 5 ), and naphtho[1,8-cde]-thieno[3,2-g][2]benzopyran ( 6 )     

Synthesis of phenaleno[1,9-bc]thiophene

The cyclization of 2-acetonylthionaphthalene, prepared from 2-mercaptonaphthalene (1) and chloro-acetone in the presence of sodium hydroxide, with polyphosphoric acid gave 1-methylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (4) in 64% overall yield from 1. By bromination with N-bromosuccinimide, 4 was converted in 40% yield into l-bromomethylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (8) . Treatment of 8 with potassium cyanide in a phase-transfer medium gave l-cyanomethylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (10) in good yield. Compound 10 was reduced to the corresponding aldehyde 11 and then cyclized with polyphosphoric acid to phenaleno[l,9-bc]thiophene (12) in 24% overall yield from 10.     

OBSERVATION OF THE PICOSECOND TIME-RESOLVED SPECTRUM OF SQUID BATHORHODOPSIN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

Difference spectra between squid rhodopsin and its bathorhodopsin at room temperature were measured ca. 150 ps and ca. 500 ps after the excitation at 347.2 nm by a double-beam picosecond time-resolved spectrometer. The spectra measured showed a red shift of the isosbestic point between squid rhodopsin and its bathorhodopsin and a lower ΔA_max/ΔA_min value compared with those measured at low temperatures by conventional spectrophotometry.     

Bis(2-bromoethyl) selenium dibromide as the selenium-introducing reagent: One-pot preparation of 2,5-bis(alkoxymethyl)tetrahydroselenophenes by the cyclization of 1,5-hexadiene

The reaction of bis(2-bromoethyl)selenium dibromide (1a) with 1,5-hexadiene (2) in methanol or ethanol affords 2,5-bis(alkoxymethyl)tetrahydroselenophene-1,1-dibromides (R = CH₃ (3b), R = C₂H₅ (3c)) via 2,5-bis(bromomethyl)tetrahydroselenophene-1,1-dibromide (3a). The reaction of 1a with 2 in 1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol or 1-butanol in the presence of sodium carbonate gave 2,5-bis(alkoxymethyl)tetrahydroselenophene (R = C₃H₇ (4a), R = (CH₃)₂CHCH₂ (4b) and R = C₄H₉ (4c)) via 3a. The ratios of the trans and cis isomers of 3a–3c are 3:2. In addition, the structure of trans-2,5-bis(methoxymethyl)tetrahydroselenophene-1,1-dibromide (trans-3b) was determined by X-ray crystallography.     

Convergent synthesis of polycyclic ethers via the intramolecular allylation of alpha-acetoxy ethers and subsequent ring-closing metathesis

The Lewis acid mediated reaction of alpha-acetoxy ethers 15-22 gave the corresponding cyclized products 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 34, and 36 in good yields with high stereoselectivities. Those cyclized products were subjected to ring-closing metathesis to afford the polycyclic ethers 38-42, 44, and 45 in good yields. The usefulness of the present methodology was demonstrated by the convergent synthesis of the CDEF ring system of brevetoxin B (1) and the CDEFG ring system of gambierol (2).     

Synthesis of pyrimidine derivatives by the reaction of ketene dithioacetals with amides

Reactions of methyl 2-cyano-3,3-bis(methylthio)acrylate ( 1a ) with carboxamides 2a-g in the presence of sodium hydride in a mixture of benzene and N,N-dimethylacetamide took place displacement with the methylthio group to give the corresponding methyl 3-N-acylamino-2-cyano-3-(methylthio)acrylates 3a-g which were readily converted to the corresponding pyrimidine derivatives at reflux in methanol in good yields. Reactions of 2-cyano-3,3-bis(methylthio)acrylonitrile ( 1b ) with the carboxamides 2a-f gave directly pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives 7a-f . Ketene dithioacetals 1a,b smoothly reacted with thioamide 2g or urea 2h,i to give the expected pyrimidine derivatives 9,10a,b . Polyfunctionalized pyrimidines, thus obtained, were also used for the synthesis of fused pyrimidine derivatives.