ETC and Thermal Ligand Substitution in PhCCo3(CO)9 with 2,3-Bis(diphenylphosphino)-N-phenylmaleimide(bppm). X-Ray Diffraction Structure of Co3(CO)6[μ2,η2, η1-C(Ph)(O)](μ2-PPh2)

The reactivity of the bidentate ligand 2,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)-N-phenylmaleimide (bppm) with the tetrahedrane cluster PhCCo₃(CO)₉ under thermolysis and ETC conditions has been studied and found to ultimately give Co₃(CO)₆[μ₂,η²,η¹-C(Ph) ${\text{C}}{\text{ = }}{\text{ = }}{\text{C(PPh}}_{\text{2}} {\text{)C(O)NPhC}}$ (O)](μ₂-PPh₂) as the final product. The intermediate cluster compound PhCCo₃(CO)₇(bppm), which was observed by IR and ³¹P NMR spectroscopies, readily and rapidly transforms into the product cluster under the reactions conditions. The solid-state structure of Co₃(CO)₆[μ₂,η²,η¹-C(Ph)fptt(O)](μ₂-PPh$_{2})$ was unequivocally determined by X-ray crystallography. Co₃(CO)₆[μ₂, η², η¹-C(Ph)Õ(O)](μ₂-PPh₂) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, a = 11.825(5) Å, b = 31.20(1) Å, c = 11.831(5) Å, β = 108.720(7)°, V = 4134(7) ų, Z = 4, d _calc = 1.567 Mg/m³; R = 0.0350, R _w = 0.0817 for 4747 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I). The X-ray structure confirms the coupling of the benzylidyne ligand with the bppm ligand in Co₃(CO)₆[μ₂,η²,η¹-C(Ph)Õ(O)](μ₂-PPh₂). The course of the thermolysis reaction is identical to those reactions carried out with the related diphosphine ligands bma and bpcd. The utility of electron-transfer catalysis (ETC) in the preparation of PhCCo₃(CO)₇(bppm) is discussed relative to the reduction potential of the bppm ligand and the tricobalt cluster PhCCo₃(CO)₉.     

A convergent approach towards the synthesis of the 2-alkyl-substituted tetrahydroquinoline alkaloid (−)-cuspareine

A convergent approach towards the synthesis of the 2-alkyl-substituted tetrahydroquinoline alkaloid (?)-cuspareine via enantiospecific construction of the (R)-benzyl 2-formyl-3,4-dihydroquinoline-1(2H)-carboxylate. We have achieved an efficient enantiospecific synthesis of (?)-cuspareine starting from known key starting materials. The reactions employed for individual transformations are simple and high yielding, and the strategy could potentially be easily extended.     

Studies towards iodine-catalyzed dehydrative-cycloisomerization of pent-4-yne-1,2-diols to di- and tri-substituted furans

An efficient and single-step iodine catalyzed and metal-free synthesis of di and tri-substituted 2-methylfuran derivatives were achieved from 1-popargyl-1,2-diols. Stereospecific synthesis of starting 1,2-diols was achieved by indium mediated Barbier type propargylation on corresponding keto-alcohols or by sodium borohydride mediated reduction of 2-hydroxy-2-propargyl ketones. The furan synthesis proceeded through iodine mediated 5-exo-trig cyclization, dehydration and reductive deiodination. The method was applied to the synthesis of 2-methylfuran fused to phenanthrene, pyrene and acenaphthylene rings.     

An approximate max-flow min-cut relation for undirected multicommodity flow,with applications

In this paper, we prove the first approximate max-flow min-cut theorem for undirected multicommodity flow. We show that for a feasible flow to exist in a multicommodity problem, it is sufficient that every cut's capacity exceeds its demand by a factor ofO(logClogD), whereC is the sum of all finite capacities andD is the sum of demands. Moreover, our theorem yields an algorithm for finding a cut that is approximately minimumrelative to the flow that must cross it. We use this result to obtain an approximation algorithm for T. C. Hu's generalization of the multiway-cut problem. This algorithm can in turn be applied to obtain approximation algorithms for minimum deletion of clauses of a 2-CNF formula, via minimization, and other problems. We also generalize the theorem to hypergraph networks; using this generalization, we can handle CNF clauses with an arbitrary number of literals per clause.Most of the results in this paper were presented in preliminary form in Approximation through multicommodity flow,Proceedings, 31th Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science (1990), pp. 726–737.Research supported by the National Science Foundation under NSF grant CDA 8722809, by the Office of Naval and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under contract N00014-83-K-0146, and ARPA Order No. 6320, Amendament 1.Research supported by NSF grant CCR-9012357 and by an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award.     

Novel and efficient supramolecular synthesis of pyrroles in the presence of β-cyclodextrin in water

A simple and efficient synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles was achieved in water medium via multi-component strategy, using amine,DMAD/DEAD as well as phenacyl bromide catalyzed by β-CD.Utilizing this protocol various pyrrole derivatives were synthesized in good to excellent yields.     

Approximation Algorithms for Steiner and Directed Multicuts

In this paper we consider theSteiner multicutproblem. This is a generalization of the minimum multicut problem where instead of separating nodepairs, the goal is to find a minimum weight set of edges that separates all givensetsof nodes. A set is considered separated if it is not contained in a single connected component. We show anO(log³(kt)) approximation algorithm for the Steiner multicut problem, wherekis the number of sets andtis the maximum cardinality of a set. This improves theO(t log k) bound that easily follows from the previously known multicut results. We also consider an extension of multicuts to directed case, namely the problem of finding a minimum-weight set of edges whose removal ensures that none of the strongly connected components includes one of the prespecifiedknode pairs. In this paper we describe anO(log² k) approximation algorithm for this directed multicut problem. Ifk ? n, this represents an improvement over theO(log n log log n) approximation algorithm that is implied by the technique of Seymour.     

Numerical investigation of coexisting high and low amplitude responses and safe basin erosion for a coupled linear oscillator and nonlinear absorber system

Over the last half century, numerous nonlinear variants of the tuned mass damper have been developed in order to improve attenuation characteristics. In the present study, the performance of a linear oscillator and an absorber with a strongly nonlinear cubic stiffness is evaluated by using numerical methods. This configuration has been of recent interest due to its capability of wide-band energy absorption. However, high amplitude solutions, which would amplify the response of the system, have been shown to often coexist with the low amplitude solutions. The present research is focused on numerically determining the relative strength of the coexisting solutions. Erosion profiles are presented, quantifying the integrity of the system, i.e. the likelihood of converging to a safe, low amplitude response, and providing an indication of the structural safety of a practical absorber system. The results indicate that the high amplitude solutions not only exist but significantly influence the response of the system within the range of expected operating conditions, particularly at excitation frequencies lower than the natural frequency of the linear oscillator. The erosion profiles indicate a 20–40% increase in system integrity for the case of zero damping compared to a small amount of damping, no significant integrity change when adding a small linear stiffness component to the nonlinear absorber, and no significant change in integrity between the midpoint and extreme of the bi-stable range. Additional higher-period solutions are also discovered and evidence of a chaotic response is presented.     

Electron transfer initiated heterogenerative cascade cyclizations: polyether synthesis under nonacidic conditions

[reaction: see text] Single-electron oxidation has been employed to initiate heterogenerative cascade cyclization reactions that form polyether compounds under essentially neutral conditions. The reactions proceed through mesolytic benzylic carbon-carbon bond cleavages of homobenzylic ether-derived radical cations followed by intramolecular epoxonium ion formation, leading to further cyclizations. Both oligotetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran structures can be prepared by altering substrate topography.