Identification of hydroxymethylpyrazines using mass spectrometry

Pyrazines are well‐known natural products that are present in bacterial odours and food flavouring agents and are used as insect pheromones. Recently, a number of hydroxymethylpyrazines have been identified as thynnine wasp pheromones and orchid semiochemicals that are essential for pollination in sexually deceptive plants. These compounds are present in low amounts in complex blends, making GC–MS (including high‐resolution techniques) the method of choice for their structure elucidation. We report the EI mass spectra for 14 representative compounds and have found that based on characteristic fragmentations, it is possible to distinguish between different positional isomers of hydroxymethylpyrazines. The presence or absence of either [M ? 17]⁺, [M ? 18]^+· or [M ? 19]⁺ fragment species provides characteristic information to allow the distinction between the different isomers. Considering the importance of pyrazines as a group of bioactive natural products, and the recent findings of biological activity for hydroxymethylpyrazines, our results presented here will aid the identification of these compounds in other biological systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Acceleration of Acetal Hydrolysis by Remote Alkoxy Groups: Evidence for Electrostatic Effects on the Formation of Oxocarbenium Ions

In contrast to observations with carbohydrates, experiments with 4‐alkoxy‐substituted acetals indicate that an alkoxy group can accelerate acetal hydrolysis by up to 20‐fold compared to substrates without an alkoxy group. The acceleration of ionization in more flexible acetals can be up to 200‐fold when compensated for inductive effects.     

Metal‐Catalyzed “On‐Demand” Production of Carbonyl Sulfide from Carbon Monoxide and Elemental Sulfur

The group 6 molybdenum(II) cyclopentadienyl amidinate (CPAM) bis(carbonyl) complex [Cp*Mo{N(iPr)C(Ph)N(iPr)}(CO)₂] (Cp*=η⁵‐C₅Me₅) serves as a precatalyst for the high‐yielding photocatalytic production of COS from CO and S₈ under near‐ambient conditions (e.g., 10 psi, 25 °C). Further documented is the isolation and structural characterization of several key transition‐metal intermediates which collectively support a novel molybdenum(IV)‐based catalytic cycle as being operative. Finally, in the presence of an excess amount of a primary amine, it is demonstrated that this catalytic system can be successfully used for the “on‐demand” generation and utilization of COS as a chemical reagent for the synthesis of ureas.     

Synthesis and characterization of nano Ag end capped L-cysteine bridged diblock copolymer

The target of the present investigation is synthesis and characterization of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer with antibacterial property. Ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) was carried out under inert atmosphere by using L-cysteine as a bridging agent in the presence of stannous octoate (SO) as a catalyst. The nano silver end capped diblock copolymer was synthesized by in situ method. Thus obtained nano silver end capped L-cysteine bridged diblock copolymer was characterized by various analytical methods like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and zeta potential. The antimicrobial property of the nano silver end capped diblock copolymer against e-coli was tested.     

Pulsed Plasma Assisted Growth of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes at Low Temperature on Mo Substrate

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - Aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are synthesized at temperatures of 350, 400 and 450 °C using pulsed plasma enhanced...     

Direct Photoredox‐Catalyzed Reductive Difluoromethylation of Electron‐Deficient Alkenes

Photoredox‐catalyzed reductive difluoromethylation of electron‐deficient alkenes was achieved in one step under tin‐free, mild and neutral conditions. This protocol affords a facile method to introduce RCF₂ (R=H, Ph, Me, and CH₂N₃) groups at sites β to electron‐withdrawing groups. It was found that TTMS (tris(trimethylsilyl)silane) served nicely as both the H‐atom donor and the electron donor in the catalytic cycle. Experimental and DFT computational results provided evidence that RCF₂ (R=H, Ph, Me) radicals are nucleophilic in nature.     

Cooperative Bond Activation and Catalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at a Group 13 Metal Center

A single‐component ambiphilic system capable of the cooperative activation of protic, hydridic and apolar H? X bonds across a Group 13 metal/activated β‐diketiminato (Nacnac) ligand framework is reported. The hydride complex derived from the activation of H₂ is shown to be a competent catalyst for the highly selective reduction of CO₂ to a methanol derivative. To our knowledge, this process represents the first example of a reduction process of this type catalyzed by a molecular gallium complex.