Experimental and theoretical studies of Diels-Alder dimerization of 1,2,3,4,5-pentachlorocyclopentadiene and of Diels-Alder cycloaddition of polychlorinated cyclopentadienes to norbornadiene

Diels-Alder cyclodimerization of 1,2,3,4,5-pentachlorocyclopentadiene (1) affords 2a as the exclusive reaction product. Diels-Alder cycloaddition of 1 to norbornadiene also proceeds stereoselectively to produce a single [4+2] cycloadduct, 4c. The structures of 2a and 4c were established unequivocally via application of single crystal X-ray crystallographic techniques. The origins of the observed diastereofacial selectivity in each of these cycloaddition processes have been investigated by application of semiempirical (AM1 Hamiltonian) and ab initio (Hartree-Fock 3-21G*) calculations. The computational results thereby obtained, which are based upon consideration of the kinetically favored transition state for each of the two cycloaddition reactions studied, are consistent with experiment. These semiempirical and ab initio methods also have been used to investigate the mechanisms of the Diels-Alder reactions that have been used to prepare aldrin and isodrin (7 and 8, respectively). The results thereby obtained suggest that isodrin formation via Diels-Alder cycloaddition of cyclopentadiene to 1,2,3,4,7,7-hexachloronorbornadiene proceeds with kinetic control of product stereochemistry.     

Shortcut method for evaluation and design of a hybrid process for enantioseparations

Hybrid processes for enantioseparations have a considerable potential for reducing investment and operational costs. An example is the combination of simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography and selective crystallisation. However, the design of integrated processes is a difficult task. A shortcut method is presented that can serve as a tool for design and estimation of the potential of such processes. The approach requires only limited experimental data and thus allows for systematic parameter studies. The method is based on the determination of the purity-performance characteristic of the SMB process and rigorous application of mass balances. The use of relative mass fluxes allows derivation of simple algebraic expressions for essential process parameters. The significant potential of combining SMB and crystallisation is demonstrated for the example of the separation of mandelic acid enantiomers.     

General and efficient insertion of carbons carrying benzotriazole

Anions formed from the lithiation of 1-(1-benzotriazolylalkyl)benzotriazoles (1, 6) and 1-(1-methylthioalkyl)benzotriazoles (10 and 10a) with n-BuLi underwent additions to cyclic and acyclic ketones giving intermediates 3a-f, 7b-f, and 11b-d, respectively, in excellent yields. Thermal rearrangements of intermediates 3a,b,d-f and 7b-d,f in the presence of zinc bromide provided one-carbon chain-extended or ring-expanded alpha-benzotriazolyl ketones 4a,b,d-f and 8b-d,f in moderate yields with excellent regioselectivity. By contrast, intermediates 11b-d on treatment with zinc bromide loose a molecule of benzotriazole followed by intramolecular cyclization of the resulting intermediates 12b-d to provide the 2,3- and 1,2,3-substituted indenes 13b-d in good yields.     

Reactivity and reaction pathways of electrochemically generated 17-electron tricarbonyl steroid chromium cations

Electrochemical oxidation of α- and β-diastereomers of a range of steroid hormone receptor marker chromium tricarbonyl complexes, (steroid)Cr(CO)₃, have been examined at platinum electrodes in dichloromethane. Data confirm the general nature of previously published conclusions on the oxidation of (arene)Cr(CO)₃ complexes (arene = benzene or steroid). That is, with 0.1 M Bu₄NPF₆ as the electrolyte, and in the absence of nucleophiles, a reversible oneelectron process, (steroid)Cr(CO)₃ ? [(steroid)Cr(CO)₃]⁺ + e^?, is observed, followed by an irreversible one-electron process at considerably more positive potentials. The reversible half-wave potentials (approximately E°-values) calculated for the [(steroid)Cr(CO)₃]⁺/(steroid)Cr(CO)₃ redox couple are shown to be dependent on whether the α- or β-diastereomer is oxidized. Similarly the rate of nucleophilic attack on the 17-electron cation [(steroid)Cr(CO)₃]⁺ by nucleophiles such as ClO, PPh₃ and bis(diphenylphosphine)methane confirms a previous observation that the stereochemistry of this class of compound is important with respect to redox, kinetic and hormone receptor properties. The nature of the electrochemical data obtained on the (arene)Cr(CO)₃ complexes in the presence of nucleophiles suggests that reactions associated with the nucleophilic attack on the 17-electron cations are complex and that a range of reaction pathways occur simultaneously. Electrochemical studies on the oxidation of (benzene)Cr(CO)₂PPh₃ and (oestradiol)Cr(CO)₂PPh₃ confirm some aspects of the proposed mechanisms, although it is clear that a great deal still has to be learned concerning mechanistic aspects of nucleophilic attack on these 17-electron complexes.     

Bifurcated, modular syntheses of chiral annulet triazacyclononanes

Three chiral 2,6-disubstituted tri-N-methyl azamacrocycles have been prepared by modular methods. These macrocycles were accessed from three chiral 1,4,7-triazaheptanes intermediates that were prepared by two independent routes. The first of these routes involved the benzylamine opening of chiral tosyl aziridines followed by debenzylation but was problematic on solubility grounds. A second, more effective, route was developed which avoided debenzylation by using ammonia in the nucleophilic opening of chiral tosyl aziridines.     

Pyrylium Mediated Transformations of Primary Amino Groups into Other Functional Groups. New Synthetic Methods (41)

The first pyrylium salt was isolated some 80 years ago, yet up to the 1950s only moderate interest was taken in the preparation, properties and uses of such salts. However, the past thirty years has seen a phenomenal growth in the literature pertinent to this area of chemistry: the importance of pyrylium salts as intermediates has been realized. They are readily prepared by a variety of generally applicable routes, and they are highly reactive towards nucleophiles. Together, this enables the convenient synthesis of a great variety of acyclic and heterocyclic compounds. We have used highly substituted pyrylium salts for the two-step conversion of the amino group in alkylamines RNH₂ into numerous other functionalities. In the first step, the pyrylium salts are converted with the amines into N-substituted pyridinium salts, which, in the second step, react with Nu^? to give the desired products RNu. In some cases the R moiety is also changed, e.g. by elimination. Studies of the reactions of these pyridinium salts have allowed interesting insights into the mechanisms of nucleophilic substitution, in addition to rendering aliphatic amines important synthetic intermediates. Thus, the method complements the diazotization procedure for the transformation of arylamines.     

Ultraviolet protection factors for clothing: an intercomparison of measurement systems

In recent years the need to standardize measurement protocols for quantifying the degree of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) protection provided by clothing has led to the introduction of a number of standards around the world. To date, these standards have specified spectral measurements of UVR transmission by clothing and fabrics. Development of a standard test method has become an important part of the testing process, and this article presents results from an intercomparison involving 10 independent testing laboratories and 11 different UVR transmission measurement instruments. In addition to comparing the measured ultraviolet protection factors (UPF), this intercomparison also incorporates detailed scan results from all 10 laboratories and highlights differences in performance of the various instruments in different wavelength regions. Careful examination of these differences can indicate where changes to the systems could be made to allow improvements both in equipment performance and in agreement of the final results. The variability in the measurements of UPF in this study suggest that the protection categories in standards may need to be broadened.     

A characterization of special laguerre planes and extended dual affine planes

A special Laguerre plane is a nondegenerate transversal 3-design such that the residue of each point is a dual affine plane. A special Laguerre plane is equivalent to an optimal code with three information digits and maximal length. An extended dual affine plane is an incidence structure (whose objects will be called points and blocks) such that the residue of each point is a dual affine plane, and each pair of points is in at least one block. Finite extended dual affine planes exist only of order 2, 4, and (dubiously) 10. We show that any finite incidence structure having the residue of each point a dual affine plane either is a transversal 3-design or has a block through each pair of points. Hence theorem: If a finite nondegenerate connected incidence structure has the residue of each point a dual affine plane, then is either an extended dual affine plane or a special Laguerre plane. This research was partially supported by NSF Grant MCS-8102361.     

Neural network studies : Part 3. Prediction of partition coefficients

In a previous paper (N. Bodor, A. Harget and M.-J. Huang, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 113 (1991) 9480) we demonstrated the utility of a neural network approach in the estimation of the aqueous solubility of organic compounds. This approach has now been extended to the prediction of partition coefficients. A training set of AM1 calculated properties and experimental values for 302 compounds was used and, after training, the neural network was tested for its ability to predict the partition coefficients of 21 compounds not included in the training set. We also tested six more compounds with molecular properties out of the training set property range. A comparison was made with the results obtained from a previous study which had used a regression analysis approach (N. Bodor and M.-J. Huang, J. Pharm. Sci., 81 (1992) 272). The neural network results compared favorably with those given by the regression analysis approach, both for the training set and for the new compounds.