Synthesis of methoxy-substituted phenols by peracid oxidation of the aromatic ring

[reaction: see text] A novel benign protocol for the preparation of hydroxy-methoxybenzene derivatives is disclosed. By utilizing this protocol, activated aromatic compounds such as 1,3-dimethoxy-2-methyl-benzene and 1-(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone are smoothly converted to the corresponding monohydroxylated compound. The reaction can be considered to be a normal aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction, and the regioselectivity for the reaction thus follows the similar rules as for electrophilic substitutions. The protocol is composed by benign reagents, namely, hydogenperoxide, acetic acid, and p-toluene sulfonic acid, which lead to the production of ethaneperoxoic acid in situ. The ethaneperoxoic acid operates as the hydroxylating reagent. The hydroxylation reaction is completed within a short period and requires moreover only mild experimental conditions, which make this novel protocol a green, cheap, and rapid process leading to hydroxy-methoxybenzene derivatives. The proposed reaction mechanism is supported by density functional theory and NMR spectroscopy experiments. The mechanism is constituted by two discrete steps: (a) addition of OH+ to the most nucleophilic carbon atom of the aromatic ring, which is the rate-determining step, and (b) the loss of the proton from the aromatic ring.     

Elliptic difference equations and interior regularity

Summary Letu be a solution of an elliptic differential equation and letu _h be a solution of a corresponding elliptic difference equation. It is proved that ifu _h converges tou at a certain rate as the mesh-widthh tends to zero, then the appropriate difference quotient ofu h converges to the corresponding derivative ofu at the same rate whenh tends to zero.     

An asymmetric iodolactonization reaction catalyzed by a zinc bis-proline–phenol complex

The intramolecular zinc bis-proline-phenol complex 2a was found to promote enantioselective iodolactonization reactions of both electron-rich and electron-poor 5-aryl-5-hexenoic acids affording δ-iodolactones in good chemical yields with up to 82% enantiomeric excess. The reactions were found to be insensitive to air and moisture, providing an experimentally simple protocol for synthetically useful compounds.     

The Janus face of high trans-effect carbenes in olefin metathesis: gateway to both productivity and decomposition

Ruthenium–cyclic(alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) catalysts, used at ppm levels, can enable dramatically higher productivities in olefin metathesis than their N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) predecessors. A key reason is the reduced susceptibility of the metallacyclobutane (MCB) intermediate to decomposition via β-H elimination. The factors responsible for promoting or inhibiting β-H elimination are explored via density functional theory (DFT) calculations, in metathesis of ethylene or styrene (a representative 1-olefin) by Ru–CAAC and Ru–NHC catalysts. Natural bond orbital analysis of the frontier orbitals confirms the greater strength of the orbital interactions for the CAAC species, and the consequent increase in the carbene trans influence and trans effect. The higher trans effect of the CAAC ligands inhibits β-H elimination by destabilizing the transition state (TS) for decomposition, in which an agostic MCB C_β–H bond is positioned trans to the carbene. Unproductive cycling with ethylene is also curbed, because ethylene is trans to the carbene ligand in the square pyramidal TS for ethylene metathesis. In contrast, metathesis of styrene proceeds via a ‘late’ TS with approximately trigonal bipyramidal geometry, in which carbene trans effects are reduced. Importantly, however, the positive impact of a strong trans-effect ligand in limiting β-H elimination is offset by its potent accelerating effect on bimolecular coupling, a major competing means of catalyst decomposition. These two decomposition pathways, known for decades to limit productivity in olefin metathesis, are revealed as distinct, antinomic, responses to a single underlying phenomenon. Reconciling these opposing effects emerges as a clear priority for design of robust, high-performing catalysts.

In ruthenium catalysts for olefin metathesis, carbene ligands of high trans influence/effect suppress decomposition via β-H elimination, but increase susceptibility to bimolecular decomposition.     

Evidence for correlation effects: −√T behaviour in the low temperature electrical resistance of disordered metals

It is found that the electrical resistance for several metal-metalloid amorphous alloys decreases with increasing temperature as ?√T from about 20 mK to several K. The form and magnitude of this temperature dependence is in agreement with recent predictions from interaction theories.