Reaction of oligomethylene di(3-oxobutanoate) with 1,1-disubstituted alkenes and molecular oxygen in the presence of manganese(II and/or IE) acetate

The reactions of 1,1-disubstituted ethenes with oligomethylene di(3-oxobutanoate) in the presence of manganese(II and/or III) acetate and atmospheric oxygen yielded an ω-(3-oxobutanoyloxy)alkyl 6,6-diaryl-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,2-dioxane-4-carboxylate, oligomethylene di(6,6-diaryl-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,2-dioxane-4-carboxylate)s, ω-hydroxyalkyl 6,6-diaryl-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,2-dioxane-4-carboxylates, an ω-(3-oxobutanoyloxy)alkyl 5,5-diaryl-2-methyl-4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylate, oligomethylene di(5,5-diaryl-2-methyl-4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylate)s, ω-hydroxyalkyl 5,5-diaryl-2-methyl-4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylates, and an ohgomethylene diester bearing a substituted 1,2-dioxane ring and a substituted 4,5-dihydrofuran ring. The reaction of the 1,2-dioxan-3-ols with acid gave the corresponding compounds bearing furan rings. The reaction of 1,1,6,6-tetraaryl-1,5-hexadienes with oligomethylene di(3-oxobutanoate) in the presence of manganese(III) acetate yielded macrocyclic diesters bearing two 4,5-dihydrofuran rings.     

How is it possible to obtain buried interface information through very thick films using a hard-X-ray PEEM?

We analyze the excitation of secondary electrons by hard-X-rays in subsurface layers. By studying core-excited photoelectron lines and their plasmon satellites in photoemission spectra, we show how electrons excited by hard-X-rays can carry information from deep regions deep within the sample to the surface. It is believed that the decay of high-energy photoelectrons via plasmon-loss is strongly related to the production of secondary electrons. For high-energy electrons, however, the momentum transfer to plasmons is small compared to the electron’s initial momentum, so the lateral position on the surface from which the secondary electrons are emitted is close to that of the atom initially excited by the hard-X-rays. This explains why the spatial resolution of hard-X-ray photoelectron emission microscope (HX-PEEM) images is good even if the buried interface is covered by a film with a thickness many times the inelastic mean free path of the primary electrons. This argument explains well recent HX-PEEM results.     

Supersymmetric grand unified theory with soft breaking of intermediate mass scale

We consider a supersymmetric GUT with the soft breaking of supersymmetry at an intermediate mass scale. A realistic and natural unified model is constructed.     

Photo-induced aromatic assembly of benzocycloalka[1,2-b] furan and spiro[furan-2(3H),1′-benzocycloalkane] derivatives

The photo-induced benzannulation of benzocycloalka[1,2-b]furans produced hydrohelicene-type compounds in good yields. A similar photoreaction of the spiro[furan-2(3H),1′-benzocycloalkane]s afforded dihydrophenalene derivatives in moderate yields. Benzo[kl]xanthene was also formed by a similar photoreaction of spiro[furan-2(3H),9′-xanthene]. The reaction pathway was elucidated by the ¹H NMR spectrum of the reaction mixture and the alternative synthesis of the intermediate.     

One-pot synthesis of 2-oxa-7-azaspiro[4.4]nonane-8,9-diones using Mn(III)-based oxidation of 4-acylpyrrolidine-2,3-diones

2-Oxa-7-azaspiro[4.4]nonane-8,9-diones were newly synthesized in good yields by the Mn(III)-based reaction of a mixture of 1,1-diarylethenes and 4-acylpyrrolidine-2,3-diones. Under the stated reaction conditions, the pyrrolidinedione ring remained intact and became one of the two rings of the 2-oxa-7-azaspiro[4.4]nonanedione scaffold. The procedure was simple and the product was easily separated. The structure determination and the mechanism for the formation of the 2-oxa-7-azaspiro[4.4]nonanediones were also discussed.     

Redox-responsive conformational alteration of aromatic amides bearing N-quinonyl system

Redox-induced conformational alteration of N-aryl-N-phenylamides, in which the N-aryl group consists of a hydroquinone–p-quinone system, was examined. The reduced form bearing a dihydroxyphenyl or dimethoxyphenyl group exists mainly in the E-form, whereas the oxidized form bearing a N-benzoquinone moiety takes the Z-form both in the crystal and in solution. This redox-induced conformational alteration is associated with a marked change in optical properties. This system appears to have suitable properties for use in external redox stimulus-responsive functional switching.     

One-pot synthetic method of unsymmetrical diorganyl selenides: reaction of diphenyl diselenide with alkyl halides in the presence of lanthanum metal

A convenient synthetic method of unsymmetrical selenides has been developed. When diphenyl diselenide was allowed to react with two equimolar amounts of primary alkyl iodides and bromides in the presence of an equimolar amount of lanthanum metal, alkyl phenyl selenides were formed in moderate to good yields. For the reaction of primary alkyl chlorides and secondary alkyl iodides, the yields of the selenides were low; however, the yields were dramatically improved by the addition of TMEDA or HMPA. A reaction pathway involving the generation of a lanthanum phenylselenolate intermediate was suggested.     

Novel approach for catalytic cyclopropanation of alkenes via (2-furyl)carbene complexes from 1-benzoyl-cis-1-buten-3-yne

The reaction of conjugated ene-yne-ketones 3 with a variety of alkenes in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cr(CO)(5)(THF) at room temperature gives (2-furyl)cyclopropanes in good yields. These cyclopropanation reactions proceed via (2-furyl)carbene-chromium intermediates 4 formed in situ from ene-yne-ketones 3. Late transition metals, such as [RuCl(2)(CO)(3)](2), [RhCl(cod)](2), PdCl(2), and PtCl(2), also catalyze effectively the cyclopropanation of styrene with 3.