Clays as selective catalysts in organic synthesis

Suitably modified smectite clays can be very selective catalysts for a wide range of organic reactions. While it has long been known that such materials can act as Bronsted and Lewis acids, it has been shown recently that they are also effective Diels-Alder catalysts. A selection of illustrative reactions is given which emphasises their wide range of use, their selectivity, and the ease of work-up after reaction. In each case, mechanistic information is presented, e.g., on the site of reaction (whether interlayer or surface), rate determining steps, etc. The regiochemical consequences of the restricted reaction space are stressed.Based on material presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Inclusion Phenomena and the Third International Symposium on Cyclodextrins, Lancaster, U.K., 20–25 July 1986.     

The determination of oxygen in silicon by alpha and helium-3 activation analysis

A non-destructive analytical method for oxygen in silicon by both helium-3 and α-particle activation analysis was applied to different samples, containing 0.05–10 p.p.m. of oxygen. The accuracy and precision of the method were studied. For concentrations above 1 p.p.m., the average coefficient of variation is about 6% for α-activation and 13% for helium-3 activation. For concentrations of about 60 p.p.b., the corresponding figure is about 20%. The results of both methods, which agree within 8%, are compared to infrared analysis. The determination limit of the method is 4 p.p.b. for helium-3 activation and 22 p.p.b. for α-activation.     

Interferences in the determination of trace elements in high-purity tin

Reactor neutron activation analysis of antimony, indium and cadmium in high-purity tin is interfered with by nuclear reactions on the tin matrix. For a number of interfering reactions the cross-sections were determined. The following results were obtained:¹²²Sn(n,γ)^123mSn:σ_th=0.145 barn, I=0.79 barn;¹²²Sn(n,γ)¹¹³Sn:σ_th=0.52, I=25.4 barn;¹¹²Sn(n, 2n)¹¹¹Sn: microbarn;¹¹⁸Sn(n, α)¹¹⁵Cd: microbarn; and¹¹⁴Sn(n, p)^114m1In: microbarn.     

Stable Hydrogen-Bonded Spherical Capsules Formed from Self-Assembly of Pyrogallol[4]arenes

The self-assemblies of two pyrogallol[4]arenes held together by 48 intermolecular hydrogen bonds stably associate in the form of spherical hexameric capsules. The molecular structures of two hexameric capsules with large interior space were analyzed by single crystal X-ray crystallography.     

Synthesis of C2-symmetric trans-2,6-diarylpiperidinones via aryl cuprate addition: an unexpected stereochemical outcome

An efficient procedure for the preparation of trans-2,6-diaryl piperidinones has been developed. Addition of aryl Grignard reagents to 2-aryl dihydropyridones under catalytic copper promoted conditions generates the trans isomer exclusively, an unprecedented stereochemical event. The X-ray structures of both starting material and product have been solved and shed light on the steric constraints and substrate geometry leading to the observed product. The reaction conditions tolerate a variety of aromatic nucleophiles to generate C₂-symmetric products in good overall yields.     

Cluster Chemsitry. 96. Penta- and hexa-nuclear ruthenium cluster complexes derived from reactions of cyclopentadienes with Ru5(μ5-C2PPh2)(μ-PPh2)(CO)13

The reactions between Ru₅( ₅-C₂PPh₂)(gm-PPh₂(CO)₁₃ (1) and cyclopentadienes afforded the hexanuclear clusters Ru₆( ₆-C)( ₃-PPh₂)₂(CO)₁₀(-C₅ R ₅) [R ₅ = H₅ (2), H₄Me (3), Me₅ (4)] which contain an encapsulated carbide and a face-capping ₃-CH group, formed by cleavage of CC and CP bonds of the C₂PPh₂ moiety in1. In the reaction with cyclopentadiene, the unusual ligand C₁₃H₁₂O, formed by combination of C₂, CO and two molecules of C₅H₆ (or one molecule of dicyclopentadien), was characterized in the complex Ru₅( ₄-PPh) ( ₄-C₁₃H₁₂O)(-PPh₂(CO)₁₁(-C₅H₅) (5). In the reaction with pentamethylcyclopentadiene, the vinylidene complex Ru₅( ₃-CCHPh)( ₄-PPh)( ₄-PPh) (-PPh₂)(CO)₉(-C₅Me₅) (6) was also formed.     

Determination of trace impurities in tin by neutron activation analysis

A method was developed for the determination of 15 trace elements in tin. High-purity tin samples (99.9999% and 99.999%) as well as tin of technical quality were analysed. Reactor neutron activation of the tin samples was followed by distillation of the matrix activities from a HBr−H₂SO₄ medium and Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectrometry of the distillation residue. The sensitivity of the method is generally high. For the high-purity samples the detection limits vary from 0.02 ppb (scandium) to 200 ppb (iron) for irradiation of 1 g of tin for 1 week at a thermal flux of 5·10¹²n·cm⁻². ·sec⁻¹. To decontaminate the surface of the tin samples, pre- and post-irradiation etching procedures were applied. The efficiency of these etching techniques was studied.     

Automorphism groups of finite distributive lattices with a given sublattice of fixed points

For a latticeL, aL is a fixed point ofL if and only iff(a)=a for every automorphismf ofL. Let Aut (L) andS (L) denote the group of automorphisms ofL and the sublattice of fixed points ofL, respectively. It is shown that ifG is a finite group other thanZ ₂ ² ,Z ₂ ³ ,Z ₂ ⁴ ,Z ₃ ² or the quaternion group of order 8 andL is a finite automorphism free distributive lattice that is not near Boolean then there is a finite distributive latticeL such that Aut (L)G andS(L)L.The support of the National Research Council of Canada is gratefully acknowledged.     

Synthesis and electronic characterization of bipyridine dithiolate rhodium(III) complexes

Five new mixed diimine 1,1'-dithiolate or dithiocarbamate ligand complexes of the form [Rh(bpy)2(SS)][PF6]n, where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and SS = various substituted dialkyldithiocarbamates or 1,1'-dithiolates, were synthesized from cis-[Rh(bpy)2(OTf)2][OTf]. The triflate ligands are easily displaced by other ligands and allow these syntheses to proceed in high yields (80-90% overall) under relatively mild reaction conditions and to give high purity products. Electrochemistry shows irreversible two-electron reduction of Rh(III) to Rh(I) and a concomitant loss of one bipyridine ligand; this is followed by reversible one-electron reduction of the remaining 2,2'-bipyridine ligand. The electronic characterizations of these complexes are consistent with significant delocalization of the sulfur electron density onto the empty metal d orbitals. The 1,1'-dithiolate ligands induce larger red shifts in the absorption and emission spectra than the dithiocarbamates as the 1,1'-dithiolates have a more extensive conjugation system.