Tandem GC/MS: A useful tool for studying end-capping reactions of oligo(styryl)lithium anions

Anionic living polymerization methods, using organometallic initiators such as butyllithium reagents, have proven useful for, inter alia, styrene polymerization and are amenable to subsequent functionalization of poly(styryl)lithium in the termination step. In this study, general methods for the selective preparation of small styrene oligomers and termination of the intermediate oligo(styryl)lithium anions were investigated. The crude reaction mixtures were analyzed directly by tandem gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Of the carbon- and silicon-based electrophiles tested, chloro(chloroalkyl)silanes, Cl-SiR₂(CH₂)_nCl in particular, were shown by GC/MS to be regioselective end-capping reagents, thus allowing subsequent transformation to the primary amine. The combined GC/MS data allow not only an estimate of the degree of functionalization, but also the identification of by-products, thus providing insight into the end-capping process that otherwise might be difficult to access. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Facts and artifacts about aromatic stability estimation

The stability of a set of 105 five-membered π-electron systems (involving aromatic, non-aromatic and anti-aromatic species) was evaluated using six isodesmic reactions of which two belong to the subclass of homodesmotic reactions, which are based on cyclic and acyclic reference systems. We demonstrate that the ‘Resonance Energies’ derived from isodesmotic schemes have obvious flaws and do not correct or cancel other contributions to the energy, such as the changes of hybridization, homoconjugation of heterosubstituted cyclopentadienes, conjugative interactions of CC or CX (X=N or P) with a π or pseudo π orbital at Y (Y=O, S, NH, PH), strain, etc. as effectively as possible. Likewise, ‘aromatic stabilization energies (ASE)’ derived from homodesmotic schemes based on the acyclic reference compounds do not give satisfactory results. We strongly recommend that only cyclic reference compounds should be used for ASE and other aromaticity evaluations. The analysis is based on ab initio optimized geometries at B3LYP/6-311+G^∗∗.     

U-4C-3CR versus U-5C-4CR and stereochemical outcomes using suitable bicyclic β-amino acid derivatives as bifunctional components in the Ugi reaction

Intramolecular Ugi reactions with bicyclic β-amino acids have been performed and the effects of the configuration and N-alkylation have been studied. We have proven that preferential ring contraction or nucleophilic attack by the solvent depend not only on the presence of N-alkylation but also on the relative disposition of the carboxyl group and the amine. Excellent results in terms of stereoselectivity have been obtained in the case of N-alkyl-3-exo-amino-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]-2-endo-carboxylic acids.     

Condensed rare-earth metal-rich tellurides. Extension of layered Sc6PdTe2-type compounds to yttrium and lutetium analogues and to Y7Te2, the limiting binary member

Six isotypic R₆ZTe₂ phases have been synthesized in Ta at elevated temperatures and characterized by single crystal X-ray refinements for R=Y, Z=Rh, Pd, Ag, Y and for R=Lu, Z=Cu, Ag. All crystallize in the Sc₆PdTe₂-type structure, Pnma, Z=4, a∼21.5 Å, b∼4.1 Å, c∼11.4 Å. The results can be viewed as the replacement of Te3 atoms in the parent isotypic Sc₂Te (or in the hypothetical Y₂Te or Lu₂Te analogues) by the above the Z, the Y example giving the new binary phase Y₇Te₂. The shorter (and stronger) metal-metal bonds concentrate in the region of metal (Z, Y) substitution, as revealed by larger integrated crystal orbital Hamilton population (ICOHP) values derived from linear muffin-tin-orbital (LMTO) calculations. Partial densities-of-states data for Y₇Te₂ reflect a similar behavior. Individual R-R bond distances are seen to deviate appreciably from the more fundamental overlap population measures for each.     

Palladium-catalyzed direct coupling reaction of propargylic alcohols with arylboronic acids

The direct coupling of propargylic alcohols with arylboronic acids has been achieved using palladium catalyst. Various propargylic alcohols and arylboronic acids can be coupled to afford the corresponding allenic and propargylic arenes, which are selectively produced depending on the substituent on the propargylic alcohol, respectively.     

锆对铂重整催化剂性能的影响规律

以正庚烷的转化为探针反应 ,研究了添加元素锆对铂重整催化剂性能的影响规律。结果表明 ,在 4 50℃和连续流动条件下 ,Pt/γ -Al2 O3催化剂中引入锆不仅能够提高铂催化剂的稳定性和芳构化产率、抑制氢解和异构化 ,而且能使铂催化剂保持初活性。锆含量在 0 .56%左右 ,其调变作用最为显著。     

Monolayer films of PS-b-PEO diblock copolymers at the air/water- and an oil/water-interface

 Amphiphilic diblock copolymers consisting of a hydrophobic polystyrene block (PS) and a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) block (PEO) with block sizes of 1000 or 3000 g/mol for both blocks were studied at the air/water and toluene/water interface. Measurements of the film pressure π of spread monolayers at the water surface reveal two limiting regimes of the π−a _m isotherms, in which the mean molecular area a _m is determined either by the size of the hydrophilic or the hydrophobic blocks of the PS-PEO molecules. The interfacial activity of the block copolymers at the toluene/water interface was studied by measuring the interfacial tension σ over a wide range of concentrations. Pronounced differences in the temperature dependence of the interfacial tension were observed, depending mostly on the block length of the hydrophilic PEO block. From the temperature dependence of σ it is inferred that for the block copolymers with the PEO block size of 3000 g/mol the phase inversion temperature (PIT) is well above 60 °C while for those with a PEO block size of 1000 g/mol the PIT is below or near 25 °C in the toluene/water system. Received: 5 February 1998 Accepted: 16 February 1998     

Tuning single nucleotide discrimination in polymerase chain reactions (PCRs): synthesis of primer probes bearing polar 4'-C-modifications and their application in allele-specific PCR

There are many methods available for the detection of nucleotide variations in genetic material. Most of these methods are applied after amplification of the target genome sequence by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Many efforts are currently underway to develop techniques that can detect single nucleotide variations in genes either by means of, or without the need for, PCR. Allele-specific PCR (asPCR), which reports nucleotide variations based on either the presence or absence of a PCR-amplified DNA product, has the potential to combine target amplification and analysis in one single step. The principle of asPCR is based on the formation of matched or mismatched primer-target complexes by using allele-specific primer probes. PCR amplification by a DNA polymerase from matched 3'-primer termini proceeds, whereas a mismatch should obviate amplification. Given the recent advancements in real-time PCR, this technique should, in principle, allow single nucleotide variations to be detected online. However, this method is hampered by low selectivity, which necessitates tedious and costly manipulations. Recently, we reported that the selectivity of asPCR can be significantly increased through the employment of chemically modified primer probes. Here we report further significant advances in this area. We describe the synthesis of various primer probes that bear polar 4'-C-modified nucleotide residues at their 3' termini, and their evaluation in real-time asPCR. We found that primer probes bearing a 4'-C-methoxymethylene modification have superior properties in the discrimination of single nucleotide variations by PCR.     

Pericyclic and Heteroelectrocyclic Mechanisms for the Cyclization of 1,3,5-Hexatrien-1-one and Its 6-Aza Analog

The cyclization of 1,3,5-hexatrien-1-one, 1, and the Z- and E-isomers of 1-aza-1,3-butadienylketene 3 were studied using the semiempirical AM1 and PM3 methods. Cyclizations of compounds 1 and Z-3 are shown to occur via a mono-rotation mechanism with barriers of 15.49 and 32.85 kcal/mol respectively. The reactions proceed via non-planar transition states which result from rotation of the methylene group for compound 1 and the imino group for compound Z-3. Cyclization of E-3 proceeds via a non-rotatory mechanism through a planar transition state. The activation barrier is 4.83 kcal/mol (AM1). The electronic structures of the initial and final states, and of some intermediate structures, including the transition states for the cyclization of compounds 1 and 3, were analyzed by the natural orbital method using HF/6-31G*//AM1 calculations. Energetic, structural, and orbital criteria indicate the heteroelectric mechanism for the cyclization of compound E-3 and the pericyclic mechanism for the cyclization of compounds 1 and Z-3.     

A highly enantioselective one-pot synthesis of homoallylic alcohols via tandem asymmetric allyl transfer/olefin cross metathesis

A highly enantioselective one-pot synthesis of linear homoallylic alcohols with terminal ester functionality has been achieved. The reactions were controlled by ordered addition of reagents and catalysts, ensuring complete consumption of aldehyde. The synthetic utility of this strategy has been demonstrated in a short synthesis of a low boiling point intermediate for grahamimycin A.