Palladium-triethylborane-triggered direct and regioselective conversion of allylic alcohols to allyl phenyl sulfones

A combination of Pd(OAc)2 (5 mol %), PPh3 (10 mol %), and Et3B (200 mol %) promotes the formation of allyl phenyl sulfones from the allylic alcohols directly with excellent yields under mild conditions. The activation of an alcohol group is not necessary which is achieved in situ. The conjugated dienols also were equally effective for the said transformation.     

Millimeterwave spectra of some superionic conductors

Using a quasi-optical continuously tunable spectrometer in the frequency range of 40–90 GHz (=7.5-3.3 mm) the absorption spectra of the superionic conductors Na-alumina, Ag-alumina,-AgI and CuTeBr have been measured at various temperatures. In the measured spectral range all the materials showed a monotonic increase in the absorption as a function of frequency. These results are discussed in the light of existing theoretical models.Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow     

Formal synthesis of fumonisin B1, a potent sphingolipid biosynthesis inhibitor

The formal total synthesis of the important toxin fumonisin B₁ is achieved from simple raw materials in a convergent manner. The key functionalities are derived from MacMillan α-hydroxylation, sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and ring-closing metathesis.     

Formal synthesis of (+)-didemniserinolipid B

The formal synthesis of (+)-didemniserinolipid B is achieved using Weinreb reaction, Yadav’s chiral propargyl alcohol protocol and hydrolytic ketal formation as the key steps.     

Crystal structure of N-m-tolyl phthalimide

N-m-tolyl phthalimide, C₁₅NO₂H₁₁ crystallizes in the space group Cc with unit cell dimensions,a=8·54(1),b=19·89(2),c = 7·59(1)A, β=114·53(1)° andZ=4.V=1173(2)A³,D _m =1·35(1),D _c = 1·344 mg.m⁻³,M _r =237 λCoK_a=1·7903A. The structure was solved byMULTAN and refined to an R-factor of 0·116 for 632 counter reflections. The molecules are held together by van der Waal’s forces. The angle between the tolyl plane and the plane through the phthalimide group is 53·4(4)°. Contribution No. 607.