Nickel (o)-catalyzed Cycloaddition of Ethoxyethyne with Carbon Dioxide to 4,5-diethoxy-α-pyrone

Ni(O)-phosphine(L) complexes (L=tri-n-alkylphosphines and bis(diphenylphosphino)butane) catalyzed the cycloaddition of ethoxyethyne and carbon dioxide to afford 4,5-diethoxy-α-pyrone regioselectively.     

An arrayed-window microfluidic device for observation of mixed nanoparticles with an X-ray free-electron laser

Optical Review - A microfluidic device was developed for coherent diffraction imaging using an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL-CDI). Liquid samples, which are separately packed in reservoirs of the...     

“Click” Incorporation of Radical/Ionic Sites into a Reactive Block Copolymer: A Facile and On‐Demand Domain Functionalization Approach toward Organic Resistive Memory

Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization yields reactive block copolymers bearing the pentafluorophenyl ester (PFPA) group, and subsequent Click amidation using 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxyl‐ and imidazolium‐functionalized primary amines produces the corresponding functional block copolymers, leading to installation of statistical radical‐ and ionic sites into the PFPA segment. The monolayered thin film devices fabricated using the obtained block copolymers exhibit repeatable switching of electric conductivity (on/off ratio > 10³) under a bias voltage, which reveals that the coexistence of radicals and ions in the same spherical domain of the copolymer layer is a prerequisite for repeatable switching memory.

     

Facile synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol using selenium‐catalyzed carbonylation with carbon monoxide

The commercial production of glycerol has increased considerably for several years, because of its rising inevitable formation as a by‐product of biodiesel. For the effective utilization of glycerol, a new synthesis of glycerol carbonate (4‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐oxo‐1,3‐dioxolane) that is used as solvents and raw material of plastics from glycerol was explored. By combined the selenium‐catalyzed carbonylation of slightly excess of glycerol with carbon monoxide and potassium carbonate under 0.1 MPa at 20°C for 4 h in DMF with the oxidation of resulting selenocarbonate salt with molecular oxygen (0.1 MPa, 20 °C) for 2 h, glycerol carbonate was obtained in good yields (83–84%). However, sodium hydride to form sodium alkoxide in situ lowered the yield of glycerol carbonate. Use of triethylamine, 1‐methylpyrrolidine, and DBU as bases gave poor results. Furthermore, styrene carbonate was obtained in excellent yield (90%) under similar reaction conditions. The catalytic synthesis of glycerol carbonate was also brought about in the mixed gas atmosphere (carbon monoxide:oxygen = 3:1, 0.1 MPa, 20°C). Glycerol carbonate and styrene carbonate were obtained in reasonable yields (197% and 119%, based on selenium used). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:541–545, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20640     

Role of B(C6F5)3 in activating the nickel-methyl complex (η-C5H5)Ni(CH3)(PPh3) to initiate the vinyl polymerization of norbornene

The Ni-methyl complex (η⁵-C₅H₅)Ni(CH₃)(PPh₃) (1) reacted with B(C₆F₅)₃ to give an unstable contact ion-pair complex with a μ-methyl bridge between the Ni and B atoms. Formation of the B-CH₃ bond was confirmed by the reaction of this complex with PPh₃ to give [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ni(PPh₃)₂][B(CH₃)(C₆F₅)₃] which was structurally characterized. Spontaneous decomposition of the contact ion-pair complex yielded (η⁵-C₅H₅)Ni(C₆F₅)(PPh₃) which is very stable and does not show any reactions with norbornene with or without added B(C₆F₅)₃. ¹⁹F NMR study showed that the polynorbornene obtained by the catalysis of 1/B(C₆F₅)₃ system has the C₆F₅ end-group. A series of reactions, which includes CH₃/C₆F₅ exchange between the Ni and B centers with concomitant dissociation of PPh₃ to accept coordination of a norbornene monomer, is proposed as the route to active species that can initiate vinyl polymerization of norbornene.     

Catalytic asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-diamide derivatives through enantioselective N-allylation with a chiral pi-allyl Pd catalyst: improvement and reversal of the enantioselectivity

In the presence of the Trost ligands-Pd catalysts, N-monoallylation of bis(2,4,6-triisopropylbenzne)sulfonylamides derived from meso-1,2-diamines proceeds with good to excellent enantioselectivity (85-96% ee) to give asymmetric desymmetrization products. Under the same conditions, in the reaction with meso-bistolunesulfonylamide derivatives, reversal of the enantioselectivity is observed.     

Stereochemical diversity in asymmetric cyclization via memory of chirality

An enantiodivergent asymmetric cyclization of N-Boc-N-omega-bromoalkyl-alpha-amino acid derivatives has been developed. With potassium amide bases in DMF, cyclization proceeds with retention of configuration, while inversion of configuration was observed with lithium amide bases in THF. Chirality of the parent amino acids was preserved during enolate formation and cyclization to give aza-cyclic amino acids in up to 98% ee with retention of configuration or inversion of configuration, depending on the reaction conditions. Thus, both enantiomers of cyclic amino acids with a tetrasubstituted stereocenter were prepared in high enantiomeric purity from readily available l-alpha-amino acids. This protocol is also applicable to a spirocyclization and an intramolecular conjugate addition of alpha-amino acid derivatives, giving either of the enantiomers of a diazaspiro compound and a tetrahydroisoquinoline derivative, respectively, in up to 99% ee.     

84% catalyst activity of water-assisted growth of single walled carbon nanotube forest characterization by a statistical and macroscopic approach

We propose a statistical and macroscopic analysis to estimate the catalyst activity of water-assisted growth (super-growth) of single-walled nanotubes (SWNT) and to characterize SWNT forests. The catalyst activity was estimated to be 84% (+/-6%), the highest ever reported. The SWNT forest was found to be a very sparse material where SWNTs represent only 3.6% of the total volume. This structural sparseness is believed to play a critical role in achieving highly efficient growth.