Kinetic study of the metalation of a polystyrene model compound by the secondary butyllithium-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene diamine complex

2.5-Diphenyl hexane, a model compound of polystyrene was metalated by a complex of secondary butyllithium and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene diamine in heptane. At various times, the lithiated dimer was quenched with deuterated methanol. The deuterated compound was examined by mass spectrometry and from the deuterium content, the degree of lithiation was determined. The effects of the concentration of styrene units, secondary butyllithium and diamine on the lithiation were studied at 20 C and ?20 C. The overall rate of metalation was first order with respect to the styrene units concentration and half-order with respect to sec. butylithium-TMEDA complex concentration. The kinetic results were explained by the presence at 20 C of the 1 4 complex (1 sec. BuLi 4 TMEDA) and at ?20 C of the 1–2 complex (1 sec. BuLi 2 TMEDA).     

High-performance size-exclusion chromatographic determination of the potency of biosynthetic human growth hormone products

A new high-performance size-exclusion chromatography method has been developed for the determination of potency of human growth hormone products. This method has been extensively validated and shown to correlate well with the hypophysectomized rat bioassay which has been used traditionally. The method is much more precise than the traditional bioassay and thus provides more reliable means of producing consistent biosynthetic human growth hormone batches.     

Studies on poly(iminomethylenes)

A variety of simple alkyl and aryl isocyanides have been polymerized using 0.5% NiCl₂ in ethanol as a catalyst. The resulting poly(iminomethylenes) have been characterized by carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy and their polystyrene-equivalent molecular weights have been determined by gel permeation chromatography. Straight chain aliphatic isocyanides having from three to ten carbon atoms in the chain form readily solyble polymers having molecular weights (M_w) in the general range 10,000 to 30,000. Neopentyl isocyanide unlike tert-butyl isocyanide forms an insoluble polymer. A number of new soluble aryl isocyanide polymers have been obtained. However, aryl isocyanides having a single alkyl substituent (CH₃, C₂H₅, CF₃) in the ortho position give only insoluble polymers, whereas aryl isocyanides having alkyl substituents in both ortho positions (e.g., 2,6-(CH₃)₂C₆H₃NC and 2,4,6-(CH₃)₃C₆H₂NC) fail to polymerize under these conditions. The highest molecular weight soluble aryl isocyanide homopolymer is obtained from 3-CH₃OC₆H₄NC(M_w = 26,000). The trimethylsilyl substituted isocyanide (CH₃)₃SiCH₂CH₂NC has been obtained from LiCH₂NC and (CH₃)SiCH₂Cl and gives a brown soluble homopolymer with a molecular weight (M_w) of 19,000.     

Simultaneous multielement atomic-absorption analysis of biological materials

A prototype multielement atomic-absorption spectrometer (SIMAAC) consisting of a continuum source and an echelle polychromator modified for wavelength modulation, has been used to determine several elements in a variety of biological materials. Analyses have been done with flame atomization as well as graphite furnace atomization. Compromise atomization conditions do not significantly limit the accuracy or precision. Analytical results for a variety of samples are reported.     

Further applications of endocyclic enamine-enone annulations : The total syntheses of rac-Sceletium alkaloid A4 and 3'-demethoxy sceletium alkaloid A4

The total synthesis of rac-sceletium alkaloid A₄1a and of its 3'-demethoxy analogue 1b via the annulation of endocyclic enamines 4a–b is presented. The Michael acceptor 5a is a useful synthon for the two-step synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted pyridines from Δ²-pyrrolines.     

A simplified synthesis of the hexamethylplatinate(IV) ion

Tetra-n-butylammonium hexachloroplatinate (IV) reacts with lithium methyl/lithium iodide in ether to give a solution containing lithium hexamethylplatinate (IV). With lithium methyl/lithium bromide in ether however, tetrabutylammonium hexamethylplatinate (IV) is precipitated together with lithium halides. Solid [Bu₄N)₂[Pt(Ch₃)₆] is stable under nitrogen at room temperature, but ether solutions of [Pt(Ch₃)₆]^2- decompose in a few minutes at room temperature in the absence of excess lithium methyl.     

Angular distributions of photoelectrons in resonantly enhanced multiphoto ionization via the 7s[1 1/2]0 1 and 8s[1 1/2]0 1 states of Xe

Photoelectron angular distributions have been measured for the three-photon resonant one-photon ionization, (3+1), of Xe via the 7s[1 1/2]⁰ ₁ and 8s[1 1/2]⁰ ₁ states. The results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions of Tang and Lambropoulos [13] for the 8s[1 1/2]⁰ ₁, but not for the 7s[1 1/2]⁰ ₁ state. Furthermore, the results are compared to those which have been obtained by Blazewicz et al. [1] for the three-photon resonant two-photon ionization, (3+2), of Xe via the 6s[1 1/2]⁰ ₁ state.     

Substituted chromans and tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]benzofurans (trapped tetrahedral intermediates) from 3-phenyl-2-benzofuranones

The previously discovered neighboring group reaction has been extended to the synthesis of chroman derivatives (i.e., 4, 5, 6) containing geminal methyls in the 2-position, a feature common to certain physiologically active natural chromans. In two instances, cyclic ortho ester by-products (8), not observed in previous work, were formed as a result of the intramolecular trapping of tetrahedral intermediates. Reasons for the incursion of this unexpected side reaction are discussed.     

Anomalous behaviour of the Landé factors and the chemical shift close to the dissociation limit of the B state of molecular iodine

Resonances in a modulated light beam have been observed on five transitions in the visible band system of I₂. Landé factors g_J and chemical shifts g₁ have been measured for levels very close to the dissociation limit of the B state.     

Electron-impact studies—LXX. Substituent effects in the negative-ion spectra of nitroaryl esters

The negative-ion mass spectra of a variety of substituted nitroaryl benzoates and aryl nitrobenzoates have been studied. Pronounced proximity effects are observed in the spectra of ortho-substituted compounds. The meta and para pairs fragment in a similar manner. Linear plots are observed for many cleavages using either the McLafferty or Harrison methods. Evidence is provided which suggests that the fragmentations of meta and para isomers may proceed by the same mechanistic pathway. The magnitude of ρ does not appear to provide precise information concerning the nature of the transition state for a particular reaction of a negative ion.