Micron Particles of AlN/Al: Efficient,Novel, and Reusable Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of Bis(indolyl)methanes

The present work introduces for the first time the catalytic utility of micron particulate aluminium nitride (AlN/Al) as a novel and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes involving the electrophilic substitution of indoles on aldehydes. The catalyst is recyclable and works without any significant change in its catalytic activity.     

Lanthanum(III) Nitrate Hexahydrate: A Versatile Reagent for the Synthesis of Bis(indolyl) Methanes under Solvent‐Free Conditions

A mild and efficient synthesis of bis(indolyl) methanes by the reaction of indoles with various aldehydes at room temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of a La(NO₃)₃ · 6H₂O afforded the corresponding bis(indolyl) methanes in excellent yields under solvent‐free conditions.     

A Clean and Expedient Synthesis of Pyrido[1,4]oxazepino Spiropyrrolidines Through One-Pot,Three-Component [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction

One-pot three component synthesis of novel pyrido[1,4]-oxazepine fused spiropyrrolidines has been accomplished in good yields by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of azomethine ylide, derived from paraformaldehyde and sarcosine with (E)-4-benzylidene-hexahydro-1H-pyrido[2,1-c][1,4]-oxazepine-3(7H)-one as dipolarophiles derived from Baylis-Hillman adducts. The effect of solvent on the [3 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction is also studied.     

Efficient Method for Demethylation of Aryl Methyl Ether Using Aliquat-336

A rapid method for selective cleavage of aryl methylethers can be achieved in the presence of a protic acid and a catalytic amount of phase-transfer catalyst (Aliquat-336). Aliquat-336 accelerates the rate of reaction and affords the corresponding phenols in excellent to good yields on a wide variety of substrates.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

Palladium supported on zinc ferrite: an efficient catalyst for ligand free C–C and C–O cross coupling reactions

An efficient superparamagnetic Pd–ZnFe₂O₄ solid catalyst has been synthesized by loading Pd(0) species on zinc ferrite nanoparticles. Sonogashira cross couplings between terminal alkynes and aryl halides were achieved in the absence of any Cu co-catalyst. A Heck–Matsuda coupling reaction of structurally different aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborate substrates was preceded at 40 °C in water. Cyanation of aryl halides was successfully done using K₄[Fe(CN)₆] as the cyanide source over Pd–ZnFe₂O₄. The catalyst was also employed for Ullmann type cross coupling reactions. Excellent yield of the products, reusability, and uncomplicated work-up make this catalyst efficient for C–C and C–O coupling reactions. Good yield of products, easy separation, and negligible leaching of Pd from the catalyst surface confirm the true heterogeneity in these catalytic reactions.     

Oxazoline‐Based Organocatalyst for Enantioselective Strecker Reactions: A Protocol for the Synthesis of Levamisole

A chiral oxazoline‐based organocatalyst has been found to efficiently catalyze asymmetric Strecker reactions of various aromatic and aliphatic N‐benzhydrylimines with trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) as a cyanide source at ?20 °C to give α‐aminonitriles in high yield (96 %) with excellent chiral induction (up to 98 % ee). DFT calculations have been performed to rationalize the enantioselective formation of the product with the organocatalyst in these reactions. The organocatalyst has been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis, as well as by other analytical methods. This protocol has been extended to the synthesis of the pharmaceutically important drug molecule levamisole in high yield and with high enantioselectivity.     

The first stereoselective synthesis of dendrodolide A

The first stereoselective total synthesis of natural product, dendrodolide A (1) is described from readily available (R)-propylene oxide and 3-buten-1-ol as starting materials. The synthesis was achieved in 10 steps with an overall yield of 19.1%. The key steps involved in the synthesis are Jacobsen hydrolytic kinetic resolution, epoxide ring opening with 2-allyl-1, 3-dithiane, Yamaguchi esterification, and ring-closing metathesis (RCM).     

BF3·OEt2-catalyzed synthesis of 1-(tetrahydropyran-3-yl)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran and trans-fused hexahydropyrano[3,2-c]chromene derivatives

A novel intramolecular Prins cyclization of (E)-5-(2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl)pent-4-en-1-ol with aldehydes has been achieved using 10 mol % BF₃·Et₂O to produce 1-(tetrahydropyran-3-yl)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran derivatives in good to excellent yields with high selectivity. Similar type of coupling with salicylaldehydes provides the trans-fused hexahydropyrano[3,2-c]chromene derivatives in excellent yields.     

Cooperativity and cluster growth patterns in acetonitrile: A DFT study

Cooperativity in intermolecular interactions and cluster growth patterns of acetonitrile has been studied using M06L density functional theory. Cyclic, ladder‐type, stacked, cross‐stacked, and mixed patterns are studied. Total interaction energy (E_int) and interaction energy per monomer (E_m) show maximum stability and cooperativity in stacked clusters followed by cross‐stacked ones. As cluster size increased, magnitude of E_m showed significant increase. Compared to E_m of dimer (?2.97 kcal/mol), the increase is 2.6‐fold for 27mer . Higher stabilization in larger clusters is attributed to strong cooperativity in intermolecular C? H···N and dipolar interactions. Enhanced cooperativity in stacked structures is supported by atoms‐in‐molecule electron density (ρ) data. Sum of ρ at intermolecular bond critical points is the highest for stacked clusters. Further, area of negative‐valued molecular electrostatic potential is linearly related with E_int and showed the lowest value in stacked followed by cross‐stacked clusters, indicating maximum utilization of lone pair density and maximum cooperativity in such growth patterns. A red shift in the average C? N stretching frequencies with increase in the number of monomers and its direct correlation with E_int in stacked clusters also supported their stability. Further, two known crystal patterns of acetonitrile (α and β) with 16 monomers are optimized and compared with the most stable hexadecamer pattern and are found to show lower values for E_int and E_m compared to the latter. Based on this result, we predict the existence of a third crystal pattern for acetonitrile which will be more ordered and more stable than α and β forms. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.