The B-Alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction: Development,Mechanistic Study,and Applications in Natural Product Synthesis A list of abbreviations can be found at the end of the article

The development of new reactions that facilitate the creative and efficient synthesis of molecular structures with desirable properties continues to fascinate chemists. The test of a significant contribution is its acceptance over time by the scientific community. The B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction appears to be one such reaction. Since its disclosure by Suzuki and Miyaura in 1986, this reaction has been an attractive solution to challenging synthetic problems.     

Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis> Isomer and Crystal Structures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> Isomers of 3-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile

Abstract Details of the synthesis of the E isomer of 3-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile, and the X-ray crystal structures of both the E and Z isomers of this compound are presented. The E isomer crystallizes in the P2₁/c space group with cell parameters, a = 8.5659(17) ?, b = 16.399(3) ?, c = 11.224(2) ?, α = 90°, β = 95.27(3)°, γ = 90°and Z = 4. The Z isomer crystallizes in the Pca2₁ space group with cell parameters, a = 4.1223(8) ?, b = 19.113(4) ?, c = 19.453(4) ?, α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90° and Z = 4. Index Abstract Synthesis of E isomer and X-ray crystal structure determination of both E and Z isomers of 3-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile are presented.      

Inherent Conformational Preferences of Ac‐Gln‐Gln‐NHBn: Sidechain Hydrogen Bonding Supports a β‐Turn in the Gas Phase

Gas‐phase single‐conformation spectroscopy is used to study Ac‐Gln‐Gln‐NHBn in order to probe the interplay between sidechain hydrogen bonding and backbone conformational preferences. This small, amide‐rich peptide offers many possibilities for backbone–backbone, sidechain–backbone, and sidechain–sidechain interactions. The major conformer observed experimentally features a type‐I β‐turn with a canonical 10‐membered ring C=O—H?N hydrogen bond between backbone amide groups. In addition, the C=O group of each Gln sidechain participates in a seven‐membered ring hydrogen bond with the backbone NH of the same residue. Thus, sidechain hydrogen‐bonding potential is satisfied in a manner that is consistent with and stabilizes the β‐turn secondary structure. This turn‐forming propensity may be relevant to pathogenic amyloid formation by polyglutamine segments in human proteins.     

Pulsed-Field-Gradient Measurements of Time-Dependent Gas Diffusion

Pulsed-field-gradient NMR techniques are demonstrated for measurements of time-dependent gas diffusion. The standard PGSE technique and variants, applied to a free gas mixture of thermally polarized xenon and O₂, are found to provide a reproducible measure of the xenon diffusion coefficient (5.71 × 10⁻⁶m²s⁻¹for 1 atm of pure xenon), in excellent agreement with previous, non-NMR measurements. The utility of pulsed-field-gradient NMR techniques is demonstrated by the first measurement of time-dependent (i.e., restricted) gas diffusion inside a porous medium (a random pack of glass beads), with results that agree well with theory. Two modified NMR pulse sequences derived from the PGSE technique (named the Pulsed Gradient Echo, or PGE, and the Pulsed Gradient Multiple Spin Echo, or PGMSE) are also applied to measurements of time dependent diffusion of laser polarized xenon gas, with results in good agreement with previous measurements on thermally polarized gas. The PGMSE technique is found to be superior to the PGE method, and to standard PGSE techniques and variants, for efficiently measuring laser polarized noble gas diffusion over a wide range of diffusion times.     

Asymmetric synthesis of trisubstituted allenes: copper-catalyzed alkylation and arylation of propargylic phosphates

Asymmetric synthesis of trisubstituted allenes is accomplished by copper-catalyzed alkylation and arylation of propargylic phosphates using organoboron nucleophiles. Excellent chirality transfer and regioselectivity, together with good functional group compatibility, were observed in reactions with both alkyl boranes and arylboronic esters.     

A screened indicator of methyl orange with sulfonated copper phthalocyanine

Summary Copper phthalocyanine tetra sulfonate pottasium salt, has been found to be very useful as a screening-dye to improve methyl orange end-points.Mixtures of methyl orange and dye in varying proportions have been prepared and tested for their indicator-action. The transformation interval of the indicator is found to change as the concentration of the dye is varied in the mixture.The optimum concentration of the dye to be used with a certain amount of methyl orange is determined so as to give a mixed-indicator that functions most satisfactorily in all titrations where methyl orange is used.     

Structure‐Property Optimizations in Donor Polymers via Electronics,Substituents, and Side Chains Toward High Efficiency Solar Cells

Many advances in organic photovoltaic efficiency are not yet fully understood and new insight into structure‐property relationships is required to push this technology into broad commercial use. The aim of this article is not to comprehensively review recent work, but to provide commentary on recent successes and forecast where researchers should look to enhance the efficiency of photovoltaics. By lowering the LUMO level, utilizing electron‐withdrawing substituents advantageously, and employing appropriate side chains on donor polymers, researchers can elucidate further aspects of polymer‐PCBM interactions while ultimately developing materials that will push past 10% efficiency.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of azetidines in aqueous media

Simple azetidines are synthesized in good to excellent yields and high purity via cyclization of 3-(ammonio)propyl sulfates derived from primary amines and the cyclic sulfate of 1,3-propanediol. A feature of this methodology includes the accelerated synthesis of azetidines in water under the influence of microwave-assisted heating.     

Mechanism of Al(III)-catalyzed transamidation of unactivated secondary carboxamides

The carbon-nitrogen bond of secondary carboxamides is generally thermodynamically and kinetically unreactive; however, we recently discovered that the trisamidoaluminum(III) dimer Al2(NMe2)6 catalyzes facile transamidation between simple secondary carboxamides and primary amines under moderate conditions. The present report describes kinetic and spectroscopic studies that illuminate the mechanism of this unusual transformation. The catalytic reaction exhibits a bimolecular rate law with a first-order dependence on the Al(III) and amine concentrations. No rate dependence on the carboxamide concentration is observed. Spectroscopic studies (1H and 13C NMR, FTIR) support a catalyst resting state that consists of a mixture of tris-(kappa2-amidate)aluminum(III) complexes. These results, together with the presence of a significant kinetic isotope effect when deuterated amine substrate (RND2) is used, implicate a mechanism in which the amine undergoes preequilibrium coordination to aluminum and proton transfer to a kappa2-amidate ligand to yield an Al(kappa2-amidate)2(kappa1-carboxamide)(NHR) complex, followed by rate-limiting intramolecular delivery of the amido ligand (NHR) to the neutral Al(III)-activated kappa1-carboxamide. Noteworthy in this mechanism is the bifunctional character of Al(III), which is capable of activating both the amine nucleophile and the carboxamide electrophile in the reaction.     

XPS studies of amino acids adsorbed on titanium dioxide surfaces

Summary Adsorption of amino acids from aqueous solutions on TiO₂ surfaces as a function of pH is monitored quantitatively by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Because of the amphoteric character of the TiO₂ and the zwitterionic behaviour of the amino acids the pH of adsorption indicates what chemical groups are involved in the adsorption reaction. The results confirm the ligand exchange model: in acidic milieu the carboxylic group replaces a basic surface hydroxyl group on a Ti site and binds to this Ti. For homocysteine the resulting position of the adsorbed molecule can also be concluded by comparing peak intensities.