Titanocene-catalyzed cascade cyclization of epoxypolyprenes: straightforward synthesis of terpenoids by free-radical chemistry

The titanocene-catalyzed cascade cyclization of epoxypolyenes, which are easily prepared from commercially available polyprenoids, has proven to be a useful procedure for the synthesis of C(10), C(15), C(20), and C(30) terpenoids, including monocyclic, bicyclic, and tricyclic natural products. Both theoretical and experimental evidence suggests that this cyclization takes place in a nonconcerted fashion via discrete carbon-centered radicals. Nevertheless, the termination step of the process seems to be subjected to a kind of water-dependent control, which is unusual in free-radical chemistry. The catalytic cycle is based on the use of the novel combination Me(3)SiCl/2,4,6-collidine to regenerate the titanocene catalyst. In practice this procedure has several advantages: it takes place at room temperature under mild conditions compatible with different functional groups, uses inexpensive reagents, and its end step can easily be controlled to give exocyclic double bonds by simply excluding water from the medium.     

Studies on indian medicinal plants-XLIV: Solanoforthine,a new steroidal alkaloid from solanum seaforthianum. a note on the mass spectrum of solanocapsine

The structure of solanoforthine, m.p. 208–10°, [α]_D- 26.6°, a new steroidal alkaloid isolated from Solanum seaforthianum Andr., has been established as 3β-amino-22,26-epimino-16α,23-epoxy-22αH,25βH-cholest- 5- en -23β - ol 3, based on chemical and spectroscopic evidence and by its reduction to solanocapsine 2, another steroidal alkaloid encountered in the same species. The mass spectra of2 and 3 are discussed.     

Novel application of quantum chemical investigation in terms of substituent parameters: Statistical comparison of dual and single substituent parameter treatments

The correlation analysis of Mulliken charge (Q_M) calculated by using density functional theory (B3LYP/STO-3G) calculations of 1-(4-azido-5-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydro-selenophen-2-ylmethyl)-5-substituted-1H-pyrimidine-2,4-dione, were done by using mono substituent parameter (Hammett’s model), and dual substituent parameter (Taft’s, Reynolds’, and Swain’s models). The dual substituent parameter correlations of the Q_M data gave no significant improvement over single parameter correlations, the best correlation observed with the Taft’s Model as compared with the Swain’s and Reynolds’ Models, respectively. The correlation analysis of Mulliken charge can be used successfully to demonstrate the existence or absence of the interaction between the oxygen of the carbonyl group and selenium atom.     

Enantioselective synthesis of functionalized γ-butyrolactones

Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and aminohydroxylation of (E)-dimethyl-2-alkylidene glutarates 2 were shown to afford enantio-enriched or enantiopure highly functionalized γ-butyrolactones 3 and 7.     

Single nanocrystal arrays on patterned poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer microstructures using selective wetting and drying

Single nanocrystal arrays were fabricated on sub-microwells of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) copolymer using selective wetting on the hydrophilic regions of the exposed substrate surface and subsequent drying. Templates were produced by molding a thin film of a PEG-based random copolymer on hydrophilic substrates such as glass or silicon dioxide. The polymeric microstructures provide a topographical barrier around the well, which makes it possible to create nanocrystal arrays with controlled geometrical features. The size of the nanocrystal was found to decrease with decreasing well size and also decrease with decreasing topological height. A simple empirical equation was derived to predict the size of the crystal as a function of the pattern size and height, which is in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Spectroscopic Study on Interaction of β-Cyclodextrin with Triprolidine Hydrochloride

The complexation of triprolidine hydrochloride （TRP） and β-cyclodextrin （β-CD） in deuterium oxide was investigated by 400 MHz 1^H NMR spectroscopy. The 800 MHz 2D ROESY data revealed that two 1 ：1 and one 2 ： 1 β-CD-TRP inclusion complexes were formed. Both aromatic moieties （p-tolyl and pyridyl ring） has entered into the β-CD cavity, confirming the existence of two different equilibria for 1 ： 1 inclusion complexes in which p-tolyl ring of the guest is more tightly held by the host cavity. The ROE intermolecular interactions provided the plausible structures of these 1 ： 1 and 2 ： 1 stoichiometric inclusion complexes of β-CD-triprolidine hydrochloride in solu- tion.     

Densities,Ultrasonic Speeds,Viscosities and Refractive Indices of Binary Mixtures of Benzene with Benzyl Alcohol,Benzonitrile, Benzoyl Chloride and Chlorobenzene at 303.15 K

Densities,ρ, ultrasonic speeds, u, viscosities,η, and refractive indices, n, of pure benzene, benzyl alcohol (BA), benzonitrile (BN), benzoyl chloride (BC), chlorobenzene (CB) and their thirty six binary mixtures, with benzene as common component, were measured at 303.15 K over the entire mole fraction range. From these experimental data the values of deviations in ultrasonic speed, △u, isentropic compressibility, △k_s,excess acoustic impedance, Z^E, deviation in viscosity, Dh, and excess Gibbs free energy of activation of viscous flow, G^*E, and partial molar isentropic compressibility, Kφ,2⁰ of BA, BN, BC and CB in benzene were computed. The variation of these derived functions with composition of the mixtures suggested the increased cohesion (molecular order) in the solution and that interaction (A-B)＞(A-A) or (B-B).Moreover, theoretical prediction of ultrasonic speed, viscosity and refractive index of all the four binary mixtures was made on the basis of empirical and semi-empirical relations by using the experimental values of the pure components. Comparison of theoretical results with the experimental values was made in order to assess the suitability of these relations in reproducing the experimental values of u, η and n. Also, molecular radii of pure liquids and the average molecular radii of binary mixtures were evaluated using the corresponding refractive indices of pure liquids and binary mixtures. The average molecular radii of binary mixtures were found to be additive with respect to mole fraction of the pure component.     

Ion exchangers as catalysts. II. Catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide with resin-ethylenediamine-copper(II) complex ions

Summary The slow decomposition of H₂O₂ in the presence of Dowex-50 W resin in the form of an ethylenediaminecopper(II) complex ion in water is accompanied by an induction period. The reaction is first order with respect to [H₂O₂] and the rate constant (perg of dry resin) was deduced. Autocatalytic behaviour was found for the H₂O₂ decomposition with 2% crosslinked divinylbenzene. The induction period disappeared and the reaction rate increased when the decomposition was carried out with a resin in the form of a peroxo-copper complex, which proves that the formation of an intermediate (active species) retards the reaction rate. The precursor of the active species, formed during the induction period, was not the amine-copper(II) complex ion but a product of the latter with H₂O₂. It proved impossible to carry out the decomposition in acid or buffer solutions, in which the resin is regenerated.     

The thermal dissociation of some metal cupferrate chelates

The thermal dissociation of the cupferron complexes with Cu(II), Ni, Co(II), Zn, Cd, Mn(II), Hg(II), Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Al, Fe(III). Ce(III), La, and Nd was studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and by pyrolysis into a mass spectrometer. The DTA curves consisted mainly of endothermic peaks although some contained exothermic peaks as well. The mass spectrometer showed that cupferron decomposes slightly above room temperature, giving off N₂, NO, N₂O, NH₃ and H₂O. A mechanism for the thermal dissociation of the coppcr(II) cupferrate is proposed.     

Comparison of analytical techniques to quantify malondialdehyde in milk powders

Several analytical methods were compared to quantify malondialdehyde (MDA) in milk powders. Modified thiobarbituric acid (TBA) methods, using either visible spectrophotometry (direct absorbance reading or after third derivative transformation of the spectrum) or HPLC, required derivatisation at elevated temperature, which appeared to catalyse artefactual MDA formation and thus overestimate the MDA content. In contrast to the TBA derivatisation method, the measurement of MDA as the dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative by HPLC or as the phenylhydrazone product by GC-MS with a deuterated internal standard resulted in lower estimates in the ranges of 2-17- and 3-30-fold, respectively; apparently due to the milder derivatisation conditions. The estimates of MDA determined by both HPLC-UV and GC-MS techniques result in lower values which are similar in magnitude even though the GC-MS technique is more sensitive.