New synthesis of a chiral steroid cd-ring synthon by means of enantioselective double Michael addition

A new synthetic method of (+)-(1R)-acetyl-(7aR)-methyl-4-hydroinden-5-one (2) by highly enantioselective double Michael addition involving alkenylcopper-phosphine complex, 3-trimethylsilylbutenone and 2-methyl-2-cyclo-pentenone is presented.     

2-Alkoxy-3-substituted-4-quinolinols from the thermal reactions of N-phenylketenimines bearing ester groups

Several ketenimines bearing ester groups were prepared and their thermal reactions gave 2-alkoxy-3-substituted-4-quinolinols VIa-e via presumed iminoketene intermediates. Subsequent oxidation of 2-alkoxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-4-quinolinols VIc and VId provided pyranoquinolines VIIIa and VIIIb.     

Definitive evidence for the contribution of biradical character in a closed-shell molecule, derivative of 1,4-bis-(4,5-diphenylimidazol-2-ylidene)cyclohexa-2,5-diene

This study provides conclusive proof that the thermally excited open-shell state with biradical character is contributing to the ground state of a closed-shell molecule, tF-BDPI-2Y, where four hydrogen atoms at the central phenylene ring are substituted with four fluorine atoms of 1,4-bis-(4,5-diphenylimidazol-2-ylidene)cyclohexa-2,5-diene (BDPI-2Y). A small increase in the population of biradical species of tF-BDPI-2Y results in the formation of the dimer form by the radical recombination reaction. Controlling the equilibrium between a closed-shell diamagnetic-quinoid state and an open-shell paramagnetic-biradical state will provide significant progress in the field of pi-conjugated delocalized biradical chemistry.     

Solvent effects on the synthesis of ion-exchange membranes by radiation-induced graft polymerization of methyl α,β,β-trifluoroacrylate

Methyl α,β,β-trifluoroacrylate (MTFA) was grafted onto polyethylene (PE) film and fluorine-containing films to make ion-exchange membranes. In the case of PE the grafting yield was not influenced by the presence of trifluorotrichloroethane (Freon 113) in the reaction mixture, while the presence of methanol decreased the grafting yield. The transversal distribution of graft chains in the film observed by electron-probe x-ray microanalysis showed that when the grafting was carried out in the presence of Freon the amount of graft chains in the central part of PE film was much larger than that at the film surface and that the grafts obtained in the absence of Freon were located mainly at the film surface. The electric resistance of the graft PE film obtained in the presence of Freon decreased more than that of the one obtained in the absence of Freon. The weight loss of the graft films in H₂O₂ solution was negligibly small.     

Alternating copolymerization through the complexes of conjugated vinyl monomers–alkylaluminum halides

A vinyl monomer that has the nitrile or carbonyl group conjugated to the C?C double bond, such as acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate, forms a complex with an alkylaluminum halide, and the complex reacts spontaneously with a hydrocarbon monomer such as styrene, propylene, or ethylene, giving a high molecular weight copolymer. The copolymers always contain the two monomer units in 1:1 ratio. Thus styrene, copolymerized with methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate in the presence of ethylaluminum sesquichloride in homogeneous toluene solution, gives such an equimolar copolymer regardless of the initial monomer compositions. The NMR spectra of these copolymers are distinctly different from those of the equimolar copolymers obtained with azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator and have simpler and well separated patterns. The copolymers and the corresponding radical copolymers appear to be amorphous, judged by their x-ray diffraction patterns and their differential thermal analyses. Their infrared spectra resemble each other very closely. Hence, the difference in the NMR spectra may be ascribed to the matter of the sequence distribution. The infrared spectrum of ethylene–methyl acrylate copolymer shows no absorption near 720 cm.^?1 due to the methylene sequence arising from ethylene–ethylene linkage. These experimental data lead to the inference that the equimolar copolymers obtained in this work may have an alternating sequence.     

Fairly marked enantioselectivity for the hydrolysis of amino acid esters by chemically modified enzymes

The hydrolysis (deacylation) of enantiomeric substrates by the chemically modified enzymes decanoyl-alpha-chymotrypsin and decanoyl-trypsin was studied. Reaction activity for decanoyl-alpha-chymotrypsin was lower than that for the native enzyme, although intriguingly the enantioselectivity was markedly enhanced as compared with the native enzyme. In particular, the apparently complete enantioselective catalysis was attained for the hydrolytic cleavage of p-nitrophenyl N-dodecanoyl-D(L)-phenylalaninates. The enhancement of enantioselectivity, however, was not observed for decanoyl-trypsin. These results suggest that the chemically modified alpha-chymotrypsin by addition of hydrophobic groups has promoted enantioselectivity for the hydrolysis of hydrophobic esters.     

Stereoselective reduction of α-alkoxy acetylenic ketones with zinc borohydride and K-selectride.

Reduction of α-benzyloxy acetylenic ketones with zinc borohydride afforded the erythro-acetylenic vicinal diols in 95% stereoselectivity, while reduction with K-selectride gave the isomeric threo-diols in 90% stereoselectivity.     

Palladium-catalyzed addition reaction of polyhaloalkanes to olefins

Pd(OAc)₂ combined with phosphines catalyzes homolytic cleavage of the C—Cl bond of CCl₄ and CCl₃CO₂CH₃ leading to facile addition to olefins under mild conditions. BrCCl₃ also reacts with olefins to give 1,1,1-trichloro-3-bromoalkanes. The reaction is accelerated under CO atmosphere, and the presence of bases such as NaOAc or K₂CO₃ is essential to attain high yields of the adducts.     

Palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction using 2-(sulfonylmethyl)- or 2-(cyanomethyl)allyl carbonate

Reaction of ethyl 2-(sulfonylmethyl)- or 2-(cyanomethyl)allyl carbonate with α,β-unsaturated esters or ketones in the presence of PD₂(dba)₃·.CHCl₃-dppe catalyst gave highly functionalized cyclopentanes regio-selectively in good yields.     

Electron spin resonance and phosphorescence of 4-phenylpyridine, 4,4′-bipyridine and their protonated cations in the triplet states

ESR and phosphorescence of phosphorescent triplet states of 4-phenylpyridine, 4,4′-bipyridine and their singly pretonated cations have been studied in methanol-water (4: 1 by volume) and in stretched poly(vinyl alcohol) films at 77 K. The stretched-film method is useful for ESR assignments of aromatic bases whose triplet states are influenced by pH.