Heteroleptic and Homoleptic Iron(III) Complexes with a Tris(N-Heterocyclic Carbene) Borate Ligand: Synthesis,Characterization, and Catalytic Application

Heteroleptic and homoleptic iron(III) complexes supported by a tris(N-heterocyclic carbene) borate ligand have been prepared and crystallographically characterized. The strong electron-donating character of the tris(carbene) donor was revealed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements combined with quantum chemical calculations. The catalytic activity of each complex was evaluated in cyclohexane oxidation reaction using meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (=mCPBA) as an oxidant, and both complexes show high catalytic activity and selectivity with TON=∼350 and A/(K+L)=8–10. Mechanistic studies suggested that radical-chain processes are involved in the reaction due to mCPBA acting as a one-electron oxidant, concomitant with the pathway of metal-based reactive species. Moreover, it was found that the homoleptic and heteroleptic complexes differed significantly in the involvement of metal-based active species, with the homoleptic complex exhibiting more metal-based reactions.     

Enantioselective addition of terminal alkynes to aldehydes catalyzed by a Cu(I)-TRAP complex

The addition of terminal alkynes to aromatic aldehydes was carried out under mild conditions in the presence of a Cu-phosphine complex, which was prepared in situ from Cu(O-t-Bu) and TRAP chiral bisphosphine, to yield enantiomerically enriched propargyl alcohols with moderate enantioselectivities. Furthermore, according to stoichiometric reactions, the reaction presumably involves the addition of a TRAP-coordinated Cu(I) acetylide to an aldehyde.     

Internal delivery of soft chlorine and bromine atoms: stereoselective synthesis of (E)-beta-halogenovinyl(aryl)-lambda3-iodanes through domino lambda3-iodanation-1,4-halogen shift-fluorination of alkynes

4-(Difluoroiodo)toluene-induced domino lambda(3)-iodanation-1,4-halogen shift-ring enlargement-fluorination reaction of 5-halopentynes with a four-, five-, or six-membered carbocycle afforded the ring-expanded (E)-delta-fluoro-beta-halovinyl-lambda3-iodanes stereoselectively in high yields, probably via the intermediacy of five-membered halonium ions. Use of internal alkynes makes it possible to synthesize tetrasubstituted beta-halovinyl-lambda(3)-iodanes with defined stereochemistry.     

Preferential orientation of crystallites spatially confined in lamellar microdomains of polyethylene‐block‐[atactic poly(propylene)]

Synchrotron small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), wide angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS), and transmission electron microscopy were carried out for an oriented polyethylene‐block‐[atactic poly(propylene)] with a molecular weight of 1.13×10⁵ and a volume fraction of polyethylene of 0.5. Isothermal crystallization at 93°C did not destroy the pre‐formed microdomain, however, with a higher crystallization temperature, the microdomain was more heavily deformed and more crystalline lamella grew. In WAXS profiles, preferential orientation of (020) reflection peak was observed, indicating that the crystalline lamella grew in parallel with the micro domain interface.     

Efficient Method for the Elongation of the N‐Acetylglucosamine Unit by Combined Use of Chitinase and β‐Galactosidase

A novel strategy for the regio‐ and stereoselective synthesis by two enzymatic steps of oligosaccharides having an N‐acetylglucosamine unit at the nonreducing end was developed. The first step involves a chitinase‐catalyzed highly selective β‐N‐acetyllactosamination of an oligosaccharide acceptor with a 4,5‐dihydrooxazole derivative of N‐acetyllactosamine as the glycosyl donor. The usage of a transition‐state‐analogue substrate for the chitinase under basic conditions allows the reaction to proceed only in the synthetic direction while suppressing hydrolysis of the product in aqueous media. Several chitinase mutants also catalyzed the glycosylation efficiently under neutral conditions. The second step is a regioselective cleavage of the glycosidic bond between the terminal galactose unit and the adjacent N‐acetylglucosamine unit by the action of a β‐galactosidase. This constitutes a very useful method to add an N‐acetylglucosamine unit to the nonreducing end of chito‐ and cello‐oligosaccharide derivatives in a regio‐ and stereoselective manner.