One-pot preparation of chiral beta-amino esters by rhodium-catalyzed three-components coupling reaction

Chiral beta-amino esters are synthesized in one-pot from three components, amines, aldehydes, and ethyl bromoacetate, under the rhodium-catalyzed Reformatsky-type reaction condition, where complete diastereoselection is achieved in the nucleophilic addition step of ethyl bromoacetate to the imines prepared in     

Furanodictine A and B: amino sugar analogues produced by cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum showing neuronal differentiation activity

We investigated the constituents of Dictyostelium discoideum to clarify the diversity of secondary metabolites of Dictyostelium cellular slime molds and to explore biologically active substances that could be useful in the development of novel drugs. From a methanol extract of the multicellular fruit body of D. discoideum, we isolated two novel amino sugar analogues, furanodictine A (1) and B (2). They are the first 3,6-anhydrosugars to be isolated from natural sources. Their relative structures were elucidated by spectral means, and the absolute configurations were confirmed by asymmetric syntheses of 1 and 2. These furanodictines potently induce neuronal differentiation of rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells.     

Origin of attraction and directionality of the pi/pi interaction: model chemistry calculations of benzene dimer interaction.

A model chemistry for the evaluation of intermolecular interaction between aromatic molecules (AIMI Model) has been developed. The CCSD(T) interaction energy at the basis set limit has been estimated from the MP2 interaction energy near the basis set limit and the CCSD(T) correction term obtained by using a medium size basis set. The calculated interaction energies of the parallel, T-shaped,and slipped-parallel benzene dimers are -1.48, -2.46, and -2.48 kcal/mol, respectively. The substantial attractive interaction in benzene dimer, even where the molecules are well separated, shows that the major source of attraction is not short-range interactions such as charge-transfer but long-range interactions such as electrostatic and dispersion. The inclusion of electron correlation increases attraction significantly. The dispersion interaction is found to be the major source of attraction in the benzene dimer. The orientation dependence of the dimer interaction is mainly controlled by long-range interactions. Although electrostatic interaction is considerably weaker than dispersion interaction, it is highly orientation dependent. Dispersion and electrostatic interactions are both important for the directionality of the benzene dimer interaction.     

Total Synthesis of Indole and Dihydroindole Alkaloids. XVIII. Isomers and analogues of vinblastine

The synthesis and conformational analysis of (3′R)-3-hydroxyleurosidine ( 5 ), (3′S)-3-hydroxyleurosidine ( 10 ), (3′S)-3-acetoxy-4′-deoxyleurosidine ( 15 ), (3′R)-3-acetoxy-4′-deoxyleurosidine ( 23 ), (3′R)-3-acetoxy-4′-deoxyvinblastine ( 16 ), (3′S)-3-acetoxy-4′-deoxyleurosidine ( 28 ) is discussed.     

Determination of rare earth elements in seawater by on-line column preconcentration inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A home made column of commercially available iminodiacetate resin, Muromac A-1 (50–100 mesh) was used to concentrate rare earth elements (REEs) (15 elements: Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) in seawater. An automated low pressure flow analysis method with on-line column preconcentration/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is described for the determination of REEs in seawater. Sample solutions (adjusted to pH of 3.0) passed through the column. After washing the column with water, the adsorbed elements were subsequently eluted into the plasma with 0.7 M nitric acid. Calibration curves were accomplished by means of purified artificial seawater with a sample loading time of 120 s. Detection limits (DLs) of the on-line column preconcentration/ICP-MS by eight replicate operations were between 0.040 and 0.251 pg ml⁻¹ for REEs in the artificial seawater. The precision was less than 8.9% for REEs and one sample can be processed in 7 min using a 7 ml of sample. The proposed method was applied to determine REEs in coastal seawater of Hiroshima Bay, Japan.     

Transition metal-catalyzed olefin arylation via C–H bond activation of arenes

In this article, two kinds of our transition metal-catalyzed olefin arylations are summarized and discussed. The first one is Ir-catalyzed novel anti-Markovnikov hydroarylation of olefins with benzene. Using this reaction catalyzed by [Ir(μ-acac-O,O′,C₃)(acac-O,O′)(acac-C₃)]₂ (acac = acetylacetonato), 1, straight-chain alkylarenes, which were not obtainable by the conventional Friedel-Crafts aromatic alkylation with olefins, were able to be successfully synthesized directly from arenes and olefins with the higher selectivity than that of branched alkylarenes. This is the first efficient catalyst which shows the desirable high regioselectivity. The reaction of benzene with propylene gave n-propylbenzene and cumene in 61% and 39% selectivities, respectively, and the reaction of benzene and styrene afforded 1,2-diphenylethane in 98% selectivity. The reaction of alkylarene and olefin showed meta and para orientations. A wide range of olefins and arenes can be employed for the synthesis of alkylarenes. The mechanism of the reaction involves C–H bond activation of benzene by Ir center to form Ir–phenyl species. The second reaction is Rh-catalyzed oxidative arylation of ethylene with benzene to directly produce styrene, namely one-step synthesis of styrene. The reaction of benzene with ethylene catalyzed by Rh(ppy)₂(OAc) (ppyH = 2-phenylpyridine, OAc = acetate), 3 with Cu oxidizing agent gave styrene and vinyl acetate in 77% and 23% selectivities, respectively, in contrast to those by Pd(OAc)₂, 47% of styrene and 53% of vinyl acetate. The mechanism of the reaction involves Rh-mediated C–H bond activation of benzene, which appears to be a rate-determining step. Furthermore, Rh complexes in a Rh(I) oxidation state at the beginning of the reaction work as catalysts for the reaction by addition of acacH and O₂ without any oxidizing agent, like Cu salt.