Asymmetric Synthesis. VII. Double Stereodifferentiation in Allylation of Ketimines Bearing Two Chiral Auxiliaries. Application to Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Allylglycine

A double asymmetric induction has been observed in allylation of the imines derived from (+)-camphor, (+)- and (-)- 2-hydroxypinan-3-ones with (+)- and (-)-menthyl glycinates. After hydrolysis of the allylated intermediates, (R)- and (S)-α-allylglycines are obtained in 3–90% optical yields.     

Novel One-Pot Synthesis of Functionalized (Z)-2-Arylvinyl Bromides

A novel and versatile one-pot synthesis of functionalized (Z)-2-arylvinyl bromides was developed. The new procedure involved microwave-induced debrominative decarboxylation of cinnamic acid dibromide with Et₃N and subsequent esterification in the presence of dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCC) and dimethyl-aminopyridine (DMAP).     

Practical and Scalable Synthesis of Ethyl (R)-Piperidine-3-acetate

A practical and scalable synthesis of ethyl (R)-piperidine-3-acetate was achieved from commercially available 3-pyridylacetic acid in 76% overall yield. The practical synthesis was demonstrated on 100-g scale. One-pot reductive N-ethylation of the pyridinium salt with acetonitrile gave an N-ethyl piperidine derivative.     

Competitive Coordination of Chloride and Fluoride Anions Towards Trivalent Lanthanide Cations (La3+ and Nd3+) in Molten Salts

Molten salt electrolysis is a vital technique to produce high-purity lanthanide metals and alloys. However, the coordination environments of lanthanides in molten salts, which heavily affect the related redox potential and electrochemical properties, have not been well elucidated. Here, the competitive coordination of chloride and fluoride anions towards lanthanide cations (La³⁺ and Nd³⁺) is explored in molten LiCl-KCl-LiF-LnCl₃ salts using electrochemical, spectroscopic, and computational approaches. Electrochemical analyses show that significant negative shifts in the reduction potential of Ln³⁺ occur when F⁻ concentration increases, indicating that the F⁻ anions interact with Ln³⁺ via substituting the coordinated Cl⁻ anions, and confirm [LnCl_xF_y]^3−x−y (y_max=3) complexes are prevailing in molten salts. Spectroscopic and computational results on solution structures further reveal the competition between Cl⁻ and F⁻ anions, which leads to the formation of four distinct Ln(III) species: [LnCl₆]³⁻, [LnCl₅F]³⁻, [LnCl₄F₂]³⁻ and [LnCl₄F₃]⁴⁻. Among them, the seven-coordinated [LnCl₄F₃]⁴⁻ complex possesses a low-symmetry structure evidenced by the pattern change of Raman spectra. After comparing the polarizing power (Z/r) among different metal cations, it was concluded that Ln−F interaction is weaker than that between transition metal and F⁻ ions.     

Preparation of PTFE Nanosphere with the Assistant of Modified Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

PTFE nanospheres have been obtained with the assistant of different multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by means of a simple preparation method. The results show that the PTFE nanospheres possess the best dispersion stability using the fluorocarbon-modified MWNTs as the assistant. The products are characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively.