The Photoenolization of 2-Methylacetophenone and Related Compounds

A reinvestigation of 2-methylacetophenone ( 1 ) by ns flash photolysis has provided detailed evidence for the reaction sequence of photoenolization. The triplet reaction proceeds adiabatically from the lowest excited triplet state of the ketone, ³ K (1) , to the enol excited triplet state, ³ E (1) , which decays both to enol and ketone ground state. The Z- and E-isomers of the photoenol, Z- E (1) and E- E (1) are formed in about equal yield by the triplet pathway, while direct enolization from the lowest excited singlet state of 1 yields (predominantly) the Z-isomer. Intramolecular reketonization from Z- E (1) to 1 proceeds at a rate of ca. 10⁸s^?1 in cyclohexane, but can be retarded to ca. 10⁴s^?1 in hydrogen-bond-acceptor solvents. The proposed mechanism is summarized in Scheme 1 and rationalized on the basis of a state correlation diagram, Scheme 2. 3,3,6,8-Tetramethyl-1-tetralone ( 2 ) was used as a reference compound with fixed conformational position of the carbonyl group, and some results from a brief investigation of 2,4-dimethylbenzophenone ( 3 ) are also reported.     

Novel platinum-catalysed cascade reactions: cyclisation, ring expansion and 1,2-oxygen shift reaction of a camphor-derived diyne

2,3-Bis(ethynyl)-3-hydroxy-camphorsultam was converted in one step into a novel tetracyclic cyclopentenone derivative, in an unprecedented platinum-catalysed cascade reaction. In the course of this reaction, cyclisation of the alkynes takes place, together with a ring expansion of the camphor skeleton and 1,2-migration of an oxygen atom. The structure of the unexpected product was analysed in detail by one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, and validated with the help of quantum mechanical calculations (B3LYP/6-31G^∗∗ and B3LYP/6-31+G(2df)) of the IR vibrational frequencies and the ¹H and ¹³C isotropic chemical shifts.     

Iron-Iridium Mixed-Metal Carbonyl Clusters: A Mössbauer Study of the Structure and of the Adsorption of [Fe2Ir2(CO)12]2− on MgO

¹⁹³Ir and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to investigate the structure of the [Fe₂Ir₂(CO)₁₂]^2- cluster compound and the adsorption of this cluster on hydrated MgO. Supported samples were prepared by impregnation of the magnesia with solutions of [Et₄N]₂[Fe₂Ir₂(CO)₁₂] in acetone. The Mössbauer and FT-IR spectra of the MgO-supported cluster confirm that the bimetallic carbonyl is molecularly physisorbed onto MgO without undergoing any transformation or decomposition. The easy solvent extraction of the intact cluster from the oxide surface excludes ion pairing between the cluster anion and the Mg²⁺ surface sites. Mössbauer spectra are in agreement with the refined structure of the molecular cluster and the temperature dependence of the ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra above 80 K is consistent with the low degree of interaction of the cluster with the support. This technique, therefore, appears to be promising in order to infer structural information when X-ray determination fails.     

Soft modes in semiconducting SrTiO3: II. The ferroelectric mode

The frequency, temperature and wavevector dependence of the ferroelectric soft mode in semiconducting SrTiO₃ was investigated by temperature derivative Raman spectroscopy and by inelastic neutron scattering. A tremendous shift in mode frequency with free electron and oxygen vacancy concentration, respectively, was observed.     

A comparative spectroscopic investigation of21Ne and21F by pickup reactions

The reactions²²Ne(d, t)²¹Ne and²²Ne(d, τ)²¹F have been investigated in a parallel experiment atE _d=52MeV. Energy spectra of tritons andτ particles have been measured up to excitation energies of 18MeV in both²¹Ne and²¹F nuclei. Thel values could be determined, and spectroscopic factors have been obtained by a DWBA analysis of the measured angular distributions. Together with the results from a preceding \({}^{22}Ne(\vec d, \tau ){}^{21}F\) experiment, several spins could be determined in²¹F. From a comparison of the triton andτ particle spectra,T=3/2 states in²¹Ne could be identified and on this basis the new information on spins of²¹F states could be transferred to their analog states in²¹Ne. The completeT _< andT _> parts of the (2s, 1d) strengths could be observed. The 1p strength is highly fragmented. Of theT _< part only 60% of the 1p1/2 and 40% of the lp3/2 strength could be found, but the totalT _> part of the 1p strength could be localized. The spectroscopic results for positive parity states are in qualitatively good agreement with shell model predictions.     

Technical Procedures for the Syntheses of Carotenoids and Related Compounds from 6-Oxo-isophorone: Syntheses of (3R,3′R)-Zeaxanthin. Part I

Starting from the readily available, optically active (4R)-4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone ( 1 ), a new technical synthesis of (3R,3′R)-zeaxanthin is described. According to a 2(C₉ + C₆) + C₁₀ = C₄₀ construction scheme, the ketone 1 was first transformed with (E)-3-methylpent-2-en-4-yn-1-ol ( 5 ) into a C₁₅-intermediate which, by a three-step sequence, could be converted into the known olefinic C₁₅-Wittig salt 4 . Optimized conditions for the final Wittig reaction of 4 with the C₁₀-dialdehyde 3 are discussed. Based on 1 , the overall yield of the entire technical process is ca. 40%.     

Crystal packing of two 5‐substituted 2‐methyl‐4‐nitro‐1H‐imidazoles

Infinite chains connected by N—H...N hydrogen bonding form the primary packing motif in two closely related 4‐nitroimidazole derivatives, viz. 5‐bromo‐2‐methyl‐4‐nitro‐1H‐imidazole, C₄H₄BrN₃O₂, (I), and 2‐methyl‐4‐nitro‐1H‐imidazole‐5‐carbonitrile, C₅H₄N₄O₂, (II). These chains are almost identical, even though in (II) there are two symmetry‐independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The differences appear in the interactions between the chains; in (I), there are strong C—Br...O halogen bonds, which connect the chains into a two‐dimensional grid, while in (II), the cyano group does not participate in specific interactions and the chains are only loosely connected into a three‐dimensional structure.     

Ph[PhC(O)NH]2P=NC(O)Ph: a new mesomeric stabilized azaylide. Synthesis, crystal structure and IR spectroscopic results

The structure of Ph[PhC(O)NH]₂P=NC(O)Ph (2) in solid state and in solution is discussed on the basis of a crystal structure analysis and IR and Raman spectra. In crystalline state 2 forms dimers which are associated via two pairs of bifurcated (N–H)₂O=C hydrogen bonds. The spectroscopic data are in good agreement with the crystallographic results with respect to the hydrogen bonding and they suggest that 2 also in solution is associated.     

Neue Metalloxide mit Tetraeder-Doppel als Baugruppe: Rb6[Tl2O6] und Cs6[In2O6]

New Metal Oxides with Doubles of Tetrahedra as Building Units: Rb₆[Tl₂O₆] and Cs₆[In₂O₆] We prepared the hitherto unknown Rb₆[Tl₂O₆] and Cs₆[In₂O₆] by heating mixtures of Tl₂O₃ and RbO_0.60 (Rb:Tl = 3.5:1) as well as In₂O₃ and CsO_0.53 (Cs:In = 3.5:1) as single crystals [closed Ag-cylinder, 650°C, 14 d]. The single crystals of Rb₆[Tl₂O₆] are yellow, those of Cs₆[In₂O₆] pale yellow, all transparent and rude. The new type of structure was elucidated by 4-circle-diffractometer (PW 1100) data. Rb₆[Tl₂O₆]: P2₁/a; a = 1145,7(3), b = 713,3(1), c = 783,9(2) pm, β = 93,73° (2), Z = 2; Ag–Kα, 2100 out of 2531 I₀(hkl), R = 9,6% and R_w = 8,9%. Cs₆[In₂O₆]: P2₁/a; a = 1178,5(4), b = 730,7(2), c = 816,3(2) pm, β = 95,38° (3), Z = 2; Mo–Kα, 1584 out of 2032 I₀(hkl), R = 9,25%, and R_w = 8,44%. The Madelung Part of Lattice Energy, MAPLE, is calculated and discussed.     

Dielectronic recombination of lithium-like Ar15+

Dielectronic recombination (DR) of Ar¹⁵⁺(1s ²2s) ions was studied in a single-pass merged-beams experiment at the UNILAC (universal linear accelerator) of GSI. Absolute recombination rates and cross sections were measured for electron-ion center-of-mass energies from 0 to 580 eV. A number of Rydberg states formed by DR with 2s → 2p (Δn=0) and 2s → 3? (Δn=1) core excitations and even individual terms in the 1s ²3?3?′ configuration could be resolved. Theoretical calculations of DR cross sections are in good overall agreement with the data. In the calculations for Δn=0 transitions, effects of electric fields have to be included to reproduce the magnitude of the measured DR rates at the limit of the 2 _{p 1/2}? and 2 _{p 3/2}? Rydberg series. Discrepancies between theory and experiment are observed at the series limits of the (1s ²3?n?′) Rydberg series.