Intramolecular trans‐Dicarbofunctionalization of Alkynes by a Formal anti‐Carbopalladation/Stille Cascade

An intramolecular Pd‐catalyzed trans‐dicarbofunctionalization of internal alkynes using aryl bromides and aryl stannanes is presented. Tetrasubstituted double bonds embedded in an oligocyclic ring system are obtained in a regio‐ and diastereoselective fashion. The transformation features a broad substrate scope and functional‐group tolerance.     

Probing Absolute Electronic Energy Levels in Hg‐Doped CdTe Semiconductor Nanocrystals by Electrochemistry and Density Functional Theory

The absolute electronic energy levels in Hg‐doped CdTe semiconductor nanocrystals (CdHgTe NCs) with varying sizes/volumes and Hg contents are determined by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements and density functional theory (DFT) ‐based calculations. The electrochemical measurements demonstrate several distinct characteristic features in the form of oxidation and reduction peaks in the voltammograms, where the peak positions are dependent on the volume of CdHgTe NCs as well as on their composition. The estimated absolute electronic energy levels for three different volumes, namely 22, 119 and 187 nm³ with 2.7±0.3 % of Hg content, show strong volume dependence. The volume‐dependent shift in the characteristic reduction and oxidation peak potential scan can be attributed to the alteration in the energetic band positions owing to the quantum confinement effect. Moreover, the composition (Cd/Hg=98.3/1.7 and 97.0/3.0) ‐dependent alteration in the electronic energy levels of CdHgTe NCs for two different samples with similar volumes (ca. 124±5 nm³) are shown. Thus obtained electronic energy level values of CdHgTe NCs as a function of volume and composition demonstrate good congruence with the corresponding absorption and emission spectral data, as well as with DFT‐based calculations. DFT calculations reveal that incorporation of Hg into CdTe NCs mostly affects the energy levels of conduction band edge, whereas the valence band edge remains almost unaltered.     

Analysis of eleven iridoid glycosides by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) and screening of plant samples by partial filling (MECC)-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

Of ammonium, lithium and sodium salts of dodecyl sulfate studied as surfactants in the separation of iridoid glycosides by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC), the last one gave the best results. Eleven neutral iridoid glycosides were separated by MECC with sodium dodecyl sulfate as surfactant, and the water–micelle partition coefficients of the compounds were calculated. The separation system was coupled via a coaxial sheath flow electrospray interface to a mass spectrometer, and the partial filling technique was used in the on-line analysis. Seven plant species belonging to five genera (Plantago, Veronica, Melampyrum, Succisa and Valeriana) were screened for the iridoid glycosides by the new method that was developed. The findings confirmed those of an earlier study on five of the iridoid glycosides. Some new iridoid glycosides were found in Plantago lanceolata, Veronica spicata and V. chamaedrys.     

Intramolecular Formal anti‐Carbopalladation/Heck Reaction: Facile Domino Access to Carbo‐ and Heterooligocyclic Dienes

An intramolecular domino process consisting of a formal anti‐carbopalladation followed by Heck reaction is realized. Complex oligo(hetero)cyclic scaffolds are efficiently obtained in one synthetic step from easily obtainable enyne precursors. In contrast to common syn‐carbopalladation reactions of alkyne units, the carbopalladation employed here is designed to afford an anti‐arrangement of the two new substituents across the emerging double bond. A prerequisite is that the residues next to the alkyne should lack any β‐hydrogen atoms. The method paves the way to tri‐ and tetrasubstituted double‐bond systems that have not been accessible by conventional Pd catalysis.     

Enantio- and Diastereoselective Aldol-Reaction of 2,6-Dimethylphenyl Propionate Using Titanium-Carbohydrate Complexes

Chloro(cyclopentadienyl)bis(1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D -glucofuranos-3-O-yl)titanium ( 1 ) is used for the transmetallation of Li-enolates obtained from propionyl derivatives. While such Ti-enolates of ketones and hydrazones appear to be unreactive, the (E)enolate 13 of 2,6-dimethylphenyl propionate ( 11 ) adds to the re-side of aldehydes, affording various syn-aldols 14 with high dia- and enantioselectivity (92–97% ds, 91–97% ee, cf. Scheme 2 and Table 1). Racemic syn-aldols (±)- 14 are obtained analogously from the achiral bis(2-propyloxy)-Ti-enolate 15 (Scheme 2 and Table 2). In contrast to the unstable Li-enolate 10 , the Ti-enolates 13 and 15 isomerize at ?30°, presumably to the thermodynamically more stable (Z)-enolates (Scheme 4), While the diastereoselectivity of the achiral enolate 15 is lost upon this equilibration, the chiral (Z)-enolate 27 quite unexpectedly affords anti-aldols 12 of high optical purity (94–98% ec) and, in most cases, with acceptable-to-good diastereoselectivity (82–90% ds). Notable exceptions are branched unsaturated and aromatic aldehydes which form a greater proportion of synepimers of moderate optical purity (Scheme 5 and Table 3). Consistent with these findings, re-facial-and ami -selective aldol-addition is also exhibited by the (Z)-configurated Ti-enolate 22 of N-propionyl-oxazolidi-none 19 (Scheme 3).