Studies on the syntheses of heterocyclic compounds. CLXXIV. An approach to the synthesis of oxyacanthine and berbamine

Schotten-Baumann reaction of the amine (X) with 4-benzyloxy-3,4′-oxydiphenylacetyl chloride (XI) gave two amides, (XIIa) and (XIIb), which were cyclized to give the corresponding 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines, respectively. Methylation of the above 3,4-dihydro-isoquinolines, followed by hydrolysis, afforded the compounds having the same composition as berbamine (Ia) and oxyacanthine (Ib), whose structures are under examination.     

Semiconducting organic polymer from polyacrylamide–Cu++ chelate and iodine

Semiconducting organic polymer was obtained by the modification of polyacrylamide (PAAm)–Cu⁺⁺ chelate with iodine in acetone. Favorable conditions for preparing the chelate effective for the conduction were investigated. Surface resistivities were affected by the amounts of cupric salts and iodine, satisfactory results being given by about 25 wt % of the salts based on PAAm and more than 1 wt % of iodine on the chelate. The conductivity was also varied with the degree of neutralization of the chelate in solution, and optimal values were obtained by addition of about an equimolar amount of potassium hydroxide to cupric salts. Effective structures of the polymer chelate in solution were assumed on the basis of the visible and the NMR spectra and potentiometric titration.     

A study of corrosion on a rotating iron disk electrode

Corrosion of iron in slightly acidified sodium sulphate solutions (mainly pH 4.5) in the open air was studied with a rotating disk electrode method at room temperature.Microscopic observations of corroded iron disk surfaces in the pH 4.5 solution revealed that iron initially corrodes locally with the formation of round pits of 10–30 μm in diameter and of(0.6–1.3) × 10³ in number per apparent square centimetre followed by the U-shaped brown protective wall formation of precipitates (rust) outside the pits. Each protective wall is formed along the lines of flow of the solution adjacent to the iron surface and each pit is located near the upstream end of the wall. Steady state of corrosion sets in when the parts of surface area surrounded by the wall are completely covered with a microscopically non-porous rust film.The amount of iron in the rust film and the total amount of corrosion of iron including that in the film increase parabolically with the increase in the time of immersion. The amount of iron in the film increases in proportion to the total amount of corrosion independently of the speed of rotation of the disk electrode even in the steady state.The fraction of area of iron surface not covered with the film decreases with time and reaches a certain fixed value in the steady state: the value is smaller at higher rotational speed. The corrosion rate is proportional to the uncovered area, as the corrosion is near the steady state. The pH of the bulk solution increases as corrosion progresses.The corrosion rate of iron can be well interpreted by assuming that the rate is controlled by the diffusion of oxygen from the bulk solution to the surface of iron and that the rust film on iron impedes the diffusion of oxygen.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of tertiary amines

The sensitization effect of tertiary amines on the photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate was studied. N,N-Dimethylbenzylamine, triethylamine, and N,N-dimethylaniline increased the rate of polymerization in this order, but pyridine did not show any effect. A free-radical mechanism was confirmed by the tacticity of polymer, the retarding effect of hydroquinone, and the copolymer composition with styrene. On the basis of the detailed kinetics of the sensitized polymerization and the ultraviolet spectra of the reaction mixtures, a sensitization mechanism is proposed, in which the excited monomer and the amine form a complex and generate an initiating radical.     

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by tri-n-butylborane–organic halide systems

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by tri-n-butylborane (TBB) was studied in the presence of various organic halides (R′X). It was found that R′X accelerated the polymerization of MMA. Aliphatic halides were more effective than aromatic halides. Cocatalytic effects of butyl halides decreased in the order: n -BuI > n -BuBr > n -BuCl; n -BuBr ? sec-BuBr > i-BuBr > tert-BuBr. In the polymerization of MMA by TBB- n -BuI, the initial rate of polymerization was found to be proportional to the concentration of MMA and to the square root of the concentration of TBB-n-BuI. The apparent activation energy was 5.3 kcal/mole. From this and other results, it was assumed that the polymerization of MMA by this initiator system proceeds by a radical mechanism via a weak complex between TBB and R′X; alkyl radicals are formed by the interaction of R′X with TBB. The TBB–R′X system can initiate the polymerization of MMA and AN, but is ineffective in the polymerization of styrene.     

Studies on the syntheses of heterocyclie compounds. Part DXXVII.. the absolute configuration of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-phenylisoquinolines

The absolute configuraiton at the C₁-position of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-phenylisoquinolines can be deduced from the CD curves of either the free base or its methiodide. Furthermore, the absolute con figuration of (⁺)-2-amino-1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol (V) was revised and found to have R-configuration at the C₁ -position.     

Replacement of the phosphorodiester linkages of RNA with guanidinium linkages: the solid-phase synthesis of ribonucleic guanidine

[reaction: see text] Replacement of the negatively charged phosphodiester linkages of RNA with positively charged guanidinium linkages provides the polycationic ribonucleic guanidine (RNG). RNG is anticipated to bind strongly to target DNA/RNA through the specific interactions of nucleobases and the attractive electrostatic interactions of backbones. Preparation of building blocks and the solid-phase synthesis of RNG are reported. Both trimeric and pentameric uridyl RNG have been synthesized.