Improved synthesis of (R)-7-hydroxycarvone from (S)-α-pinene

A three-step synthesis of (R)-7-hydroxycarvone (1), which is anticipated to be a valuable building block for the versatile preparation of natural products, is described. Optimization of the reaction conditions for photooxygenation and migration of (S)-α-pinene 2, tetrapropylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) oxidation of the generated alcohol, and a subsequent ring-opening reaction in the presence of Cu(OTf)₂ led to the synthesis of 1 with good reproducibility. The desired product 1 was thus obtained in 46% yield over three steps.     

Nonylphenol Polyethoxylates Degraded by Three Different Wavelengths of UV and Their Genotoxic Change—Detected by Generation of γ‐H2AX

UV rays in sunlight are an important factor in the degradation of chemicals. In this study, we investigated the degradation of nonionic surfactants, nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEOs) with 10 or 70 ethylene oxide (EO) units using UVA, B and C, and their genotoxic change based on phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γ‐H2AX), a marker of DNA damage. NPEOs were degraded dependent on the energy of UV, that is, UVC having the highest energy was most effective, whereas UVA having the lowest energy caused little change. The EO side chain of NPEO(70) was broken near the benzene ring by UV, producing NPEOs with a shortened EO chain (around 10 units). The generation of γ‐H2AX reflected the pattern of degradation; shortening of the EO chain changed NPEO(70) into an inducer for γ‐H2AX, and degradation of NPEO(10) attenuated the genotoxicity. The γ‐H2AX generated by NPEO(10) and UV‐degraded NPEO(70) was independent of the cell cycle. The formation of DNA double strand breaks detected by gel electrophoresis was consistent with the results for γ‐H2AX. These results suggested that UV rays can make NPEOs harmless or genotoxic according to the degradation of the EO side chain, the effects being dependent on wavelength.     

Regioselective Alkylation of Thiazolylsulfonamides: Direct and Efficient Synthesis of 3‐Alkylthiazolidene Derivatives

Various N‐3‐alkylated thiazolidenesulfonamide derivatives were efficiently prepared by the direct endo‐selective alkylation of thiazolylsulfonamides. The effects of different bases and solvents were investigated, and the NaH–THF combination was found to be the most effective at conferring high yields and endo‐selectivity.     

Structural determination of carvone, a component of spearmint, by means of gas electron diffraction augmented by theoretical calculations

The molecular structure and conformation of carvone, a compound with a minty odor, were investigated by means of gas electron diffraction supported by theoretical calculations. Electron diffraction patterns were recorded by heating the nozzle up to 128 °C to obtain enough scattering intensity. The infrared spectrum was also measured by using an absorption cell with a path length of 10 m. The obtained molecular scattering intensities were analyzed with the aid of theoretical calculations and infrared spectroscopy. It was revealed that the experimental data are well reproduced by assuming that carvone consists of a mixture of three conformers that have the isopropenyl group in the equatorial position and mutually differ in the torsional angle around the single bond connecting the ring and the isopropenyl group. It was also found that the puckering amplitude of the ring of carvone is close to those of menthol and isomenthol, a minty compound and its nonminty isomer. The determined structural parameters (r_g and ∠_α) of the most abundant conformer of carvone are as follows: 〈r(C-C)〉=1.520(3) Å; 〈r(CC)〉=1.360(5) Å; r(CO)=1.225(5) Å; 〈r(C-H)〉=1.104(4)Å; 〈∠CC-C〉=121.1(5)°; 〈∠C-C-C〉=110.4(5)°; ∠C-CO-C=117.1(14)°; 〈∠C-C-H〉=111.1(13)°. Angle brackets denote average values and parenthesized values are the estimated limits of error (3σ) referring to the last significant digit.     

Depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) under oxidative conditions

Depolymerization of an engineering plastic, poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO), was accomplished by using 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) under oxidative conditions. The addition of an excess amount of DMP to a solution of PPO in the presence of a CuCl/pyridine catalyst yielded oligomeric products. When PPO (M(n)=1.0x10(4), M(w)/M(n)=1.2) was allowed to react with a sufficient amount of DMP, the molecular weight of the product decreased to M(n)=4.9x10(2) (M(w)/M(n)=1.5). By a prolonged reaction with the oxidant, the oligomeric product was repolymerized to produce PPO essentially identical to the starting material, making the oligomer useful as a reusable resource. During the depolymerization reaction, an intermediate phenoxyl radical was observed by ESR spectroscopy. Kinetic analysis showed that the rate of the oxidation of PPO was about 10 times higher than that of DMP. These results show that a monomeric phenoxyl radical attacks the polymeric phenoxyl to induce the redistribution via a quinone ketal intermediate, leading to the substantial decrease in the molecular weight of PPO, which is much faster than the chain growth.     

Synthesis and Odor Evaluation of Stereoisomers of Imine Derivatives in Roasted Spotted Shrimp

All possible stereoisomers of imine derivatives 1 – 4 , which have the characteristic roast odor of seafood, were synthesized. As a result of odor evaluation of all isomers, we found that each isomer has a different and characteristic odor of roasted seafood.     

Effects of added metal ions on the interaction between polyvinylpyrrolidone and azo dyes carrying hydroxyl groups

The extent of binding of chrome violet, which is a monoazo dye and involves two hydroxyl groups in o and o′ positions to azo group, by polyvinylpyrrolidone is markedly enhanced in the presence of Co²⁺ ion. The amount of binding in the presence of 1 × 10^?4 mol/L of Co²⁺ ion increases by a factor of about 10 compared to that in the absence of the metal ion. Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions do not perceptively influence the binding affinity of the dye. Cu²⁺ ion, in contrast, suppresses the binding. To investigate further the action of added metal ions, a cobalt–complex dye was prepared and its binding property for the polymer was compared to that of chrome violet in the presence of metal ions. Some possible mechanisms for the enhancement of chrome violet binding by the addition of Co²⁺ ion are described.     

Binding of methyl orange and its homologs by powdered nylon 612: Peculiar temperature dependence on the binding

The ability of powdered Nylon 612 to bind methyl orange, ethyl orange, propyl orange, and butyl orange was investigated at 5, 15, 25 and 35°C in an aqueous solution. The amount of binding of the dye is much higher with this polyamide than with powdered Nylon 66 reported previously,¹ although the former polymer has fewer amide end groups. The Van't Hoff plots of the first binding constant for the binding of butyl orange and propyl orange by powdered Nylon 612 exhibit a bell-shaped curve, whereas the plots for methyl orange and ethyl orange do not. Maximal binding occurs at approximately 15°C for propyl orange and at about 25°C for butyl orange. This is the first instance where the peculiar temperature dependence of the binding constant has been found in the binding of propyl orange, whose hydrophobicity is less than that of butyl orange. These tendencies can be accounted for in terms of increased hydrophobic of butyl orange. These tendencies can be accounted for in terms of increased hydrophobic domains in powdered Nylon 612 and enhanced hydrophobic contributions in the binding process.     

Radical copolymerization of N-alkylmaleimides with isobutene and the properties of the resulting alternating copolymers

Radical copolymerization of N-methylmaleimide (MeMI) as well as other N-alkylmaleimides (RMI) and isobutene (IB) was carried out with 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) as an initiator at 60°C. The initial rate of the copolymerization (R_p) was dependent on the monomer composition and was maximum at the 40 mol % of MeMI in the feed. A solvent effect on the R_p and the monomer reactivity ratio was observed in this copolymerization system, i.e., copolymerization in chloroform produced a higher R_p and an alternating tendency compared with those in dioxane (r_MeMI = 0.14, r_1B = 0 in chloroform and r_MeMI = 0.47, r_1B = 0 in dioxane). The alternating copolymer of RMI and IB shows a high glass transition temperature (T_g) and excellent thermal stability, e.g., the T_g and the thermal decomposition temperature (T_d) were 152 and 363°C, respectively, for the alternating copolymer of MeMI and IB. Both the T_g and T_d increased as the concentration of the MeMI unit in the copolymers increased. Colorless transparent sheets were obtained from press molding the alternating copolymers. They showed excellent mechanical and optical properties. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Syntheses and radical polymerizations of novel optically active vinyl and isopropenyl carbamates having L-leucine structures

Syntheses and radical polymerizations of vinyl and isopropenyl carbamates having L -leucine methyl ester structures, N-vinyloxycarbonyl-L -leucine methyl ester (VOC-L-M) and N-isopropenyloxycarbonyl-L -leucine methyl ester (IOC-L-M), were carried out. VOC-L-M and IOC-L-M were prepared by the reactions of L -leucine methyl ester with vinyl and isopropenyl chloroformates in the presence of sodium hydrogen carbonate. The radical polymerization of VOC-L-M with AIBN (1 mol %) in bulk, chlorobenzene, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide afforded the corresponding polymer (poly(VOC-L-M)) with M _n 7,400–19,000. Meanwhile, IOC-L-M afforded no polymer with AIBN at 60°C but afforded a polymer having low molecular weight with BPO at 80°C. The glass transition temperatures of poly(VOC-L-M) and poly(IOC-L-M) were 53 and 65°C, respectively. The 10% weight loss temperatures of poly(VOC-L-M) and poly(IOC-L-M) under nitrogen were 255 and 173, respectively. The copolymerization parameters of VOC-L-M (M₁) and vinyl acetate (M₂) were evaluated as r₁ = 0.92 and r₂ = 0.63. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.