Investigation of the asymmetric ionic Diels-Alder reaction for the synthesis of cis-decalins

The ionic Diels-Alder reaction, whereby an alpha,beta-unsaturated acetal in combination with a Lewis or Bronsted acid forms an equilibrium concentration of an activated dienophile, has been developed to provide an enantioselective synthesis of cis-decalins. Cyclohex-2-enone type chiral acetals of (2R,3R)-butane-2,3-diol have been screened against Lewis and Br?nsted acids with a variety of dienes and are efficient for the synthesis of a limited subset of cis-decalin structures. Diastereoselectivities of 73% and 82% have been found for the asymmetric ionic Diels-Alder reaction between the chiral acetal derivatives of cyclohex-2-enone (6) and 2-methylcyclohex-2-enone (18) with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene (7). Terminal substituents on the diene partner in general render the system unreactive. However a synthetically useful cis-decalin 31, derived from the reaction of 2-methylcyclohex-2-enone and Z-3-t-butyldimethyl-silyloxypenta-1,3-diene has been prepared in enantiomerically pure form in 74% isolated yield using this asymmetric ionic Diels-Alder protocol.     

Aggregate, Polymer and Cluster Formation from Metal-Imino Carboxylate Complexes

Reaction of tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) andthe sodium salt of an -ketocarboxylic acid, typically sodium pyruvate, affordsin the presence of a lanthanide ion aseries of complexes and aggregates includingmononuclear, cyclic tetranuclear and polymerspecies of [L¹]^3- ([L¹]^3-=N[CH₂CH₂N=C(CH₃)COO^-]³).The aggregation of these and related d-block elementcomplexes with Na⁺ ions leadsto the formation of polymeric materials, and thefactors influencing the formation and controlof these various aggregation states are discussed.Metal cations also template the aggregationof the fragment [Ni(L²)] ([L²]^2- =CH₂[CH₂N = C(CH₃)COO^-]₂)to give, in high yield, the polynuclearaggregates {[Ni(L²)]₆M}^x+(M = Nd, Pr, Ce, La, x = 3; M = Sr, Ba, x = 2). The structures of{[Ni(L²)]₆M}^x+ show aninterstitial twelve co-ordinate, icosahedralcation M^x+ encapsulated by six [Ni(L²)]fragments. In the presence ofNa⁺, aggregation of [Ni(L²)] fragments affords {[Ni(L²)]₉Na₄(H₂O)(MeOH)(ClO₄)}³⁺ thestructure of whichshows four Na⁺ ions templating the formation ofa distorted tricapped trigonal prismatic[Ni(L²)]₉ cage. Thus, control overconstruction of various polynuclear cages viaself-assembly at octahedral junctions can beachieved using main group, transition metaland lanthanide ion templates.     

The molecular structure of 1,1-dimethyl-3-phenylpyrazolium-5-oxide

The molecular structure of 1,1-dimethyl-3-phenylpyrazolium-5-oxide has been determined by a single crystal x-ray diffraction study. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁/a, with unit cell dimensions a = 12.630 (5) Å, b = 6.644 (1) Å, c = 12.486 (5) Å, β = 99.17 (2)°. The final R value was 0.049 for 2930 reflections. The bond lengths and angles suggest that a significant contribution to the structure is made by a resonance form in which one of the ring bonds does not exist. No close intermolecular approaches were found.     

Fullerenols revisited as stable radical anions

The first exhaustive purification and characterization of the much-studied "fullerenols", prepared by reaction of C(60) in toluene with an oxygenated, aqueous NaOH solution using tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as a phase transfer catalyst, has been performed. The resulting fullerenol is not simply polyhydroxylated C(60) but rather is a structurally and electronically complex C(60) radical anion with a molecular formula of Na(+)(n)[C(60)O(x)(OH)(y)](n)(-) (where n = 2-3, x = 7-9, and y = 12-15) for three different, but identical, preparations. Surprisingly, Na(+)-fullerenol is paramagnetic, exhibiting mu(B) values in aqueous solution of 1.9-2.1 B.M. at 0.5 T and 300 K and R(1) proton relaxivities of 0.55-0.77 mM(-1)s(-1) at 20 MHz and 40 degrees C, values both slightly higher than those expected for a pure S = 1/2 spin system. ESR studies (ESE-FS and 2D nutation) of frozen aqueous solutions at 1.5 and 5.0 K establish that Na(+)-fullerenol is mainly S = 1/2 with a minor, but significant, component of S = 1. Thus, this is the first report to characterize these widely studied, water-soluble fullerenols as stable radical anions. The stability of the S = 1/2 Na(+)-fullerenol radical is likely due to a highly derivatized C(60) surface that protects a cyclopentadienyl radical center on the fullerene.     

Structural evolution of (Ca0.35Sr0.65)TiO3 perovskite at high pressures

Lattice parameters of a synthetic powder sample of Ca_0.35Sr_0.65TiO₃ perovskite have been determined by the method of Le Bail refinement, using synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns collected at pressures up to 15.5 GPa with a membrane-driven diamond anvil cell. At ambient conditions, diffraction data were consistent with the I4/mcm structure reported previously in the literature for the same composition. Diffraction data collected at high pressures were consistent with tetragonal (or, at least, pseudo-tetragonal) lattice geometry, and no evidence was found for the development of any of the orthorhombic structures identified in other studies of (Ca, Sr)TiO₃ perovskites. Additional weak reflections, which could not be accounted for by the normal I4/mcm perovskite structure, were detected in diffraction patterns collected at pressures of 0.9-2.5 GPa, and above ∼13.5 GPa, however. Small anomalies in the evolution of unit cell volume and tetragonal strain were observed near 3 GPa, coinciding approximately with breaks in slope with increasing pressure of bulk and shear moduli for a sample with the same composition which had previously been reported. The anomalies could be due either to new tetragonal↔tetragonal/pseudo-tetragonal phase transitions or to subtle changes in compression mechanism of the tetragonal perovskite structure.     

Spectrophotometric determination of zinc in copper-base alloys with TAN

TAN reacts with zinc(II) forming a red complex with composition 1:2 Zn(II)-TAN and absorption maximum at 582 nm. Zinc can be determined with this reagent in the presence of Triton X-100, in the pH range 6.20-8.00 with a molar absorptivity of 4.5×10⁴ l/mol/cm Beer's Law was obeyed up to least 1.55 g/ml. Copper interference was eliminated with a mixture of thiosulfate and ascorbic acid and nickel separated by precipitation with dimethylglyoxime. The proposed method was used for zinc determination in several copper-base alloys and the results of analysis in comparison with certified values indicated that the procedure was accurate and precise. A derivative procedure is also proposed, allowing zinc determination with high sensitivity (5-400 ng/ml).