Transition metal carbene chemistry 2: kinetic studies on the nucleophilic substitution reactions of (CO)5MC(SCH3)CH3 (M = Cr and W) with morpholine in aqueous acetonitrile

Kinetic studies of the aminolysis of [methyl(thiomethyl)carbene]pentacarbonyl chromium(0),(CO)₅CrC(CH₃)(SCH₃) (1-Cr(S)) and [methyl(thiomethyl)carbene]pentacarbonyltungsten(0), (CO)₅WC(CH₃)(SCH₃) (1-W(S)), with morpholine, a secondary amine, in 50% acetonitrile-50% H₂O (v/v at 25 °C) is reported. The second-order rate constant (k_A in m⁻¹ s⁻¹) increases with amine concentration, giving a linear dependence with an intercept on the rate axis and a tendency towards leveling off at higher amine concentration. The reaction was found to undergo general base catalysis. The mechanism proposed is very similar to those for ester reactions, involving a nucleophilic addition of amine to the substrate to yield a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate in the first step, followed by deprotonation to form in the second step, which, in the third step, converted to product by H₂O and/or conjugate acid of the base (BH⁺), assisted MeS⁻ expulsion. The reactivity (k₁) of 1-W(S) was found to be higher than that of 1-Cr(S), whereas, comparable , water catalyzed and , BH⁺ catalyzed, leaving group departure were found for both the carbenes complexes. All these observations have been explained successfully.     

Synthesis and photoluminescence of single crystals europium ion-doped BaF2 cubic nanorods

In this work, we used the hydrothermal method to synthesize Eu³⁺ ion-doped cubic BaF₂ nanorods, which is a luminescent material. The clubbed structures were well crystallized and exhibited face-centred cubic structures, as indicated by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The luminescent properties were studied, and local symmetry surrounding Eu³⁺ ions and electronic transition processes included. The results indicated that Eu³⁺ occupied only one C_4ν site in nanorods.     

A novel class of amide-derived air-stable P,O-ligands for Suzuki cross-coupling at low catalyst loading

The benzamide-derived P,O-ligands efficiently promoted the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid at 0.01 mol % of Pd loading at 60-80 °C to form biaryls in excellent yields. A sterically hindered arylboronic acid gave a quantitative yield of the coupling product at 110 °C with 1 mol % Pd.     

Additions- und SubstitutionsReaktionen an Tetrafluor- und Tetrachlordiboran(4)

Addition and Substitution Reactions at Tetrafluoro- and Tetrachlorodiborane(4) From equimolar mixtures of B₂F₄ and Me_nN(SiMe₃)_3-n (n = 0–3) the mono-addition products 1–4 are formed at low temperatures. By elimination of Me₃SiF the adduct 2 gives the dimeric monosubstituted diborane 8 , which slowly decomposes at room temperature to the aminoborane 6 and (BF)_n. The course of the reactions was studied by means of ¹¹B and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and by measuring the vapor pressures. According to the ¹¹B and ³¹P NMR spectra the reaction of B₂Cl₄ with PCl₅ or [Me₄N]Cl in liquid hydrogen chloride at 0°C does not yield [PCl₄]₂⁺[B₂Cl₆]^2? or [Me₄N]₂⁺[B₂Cl₆]^2? but gives [PCl₄]⁺[BCl₄]^?, PCl₃ and BCl₃ or [Me₄N]⁺[BCl₄]^? and BCl₃ besides (BCl)_n.     

Synthesis of polycyclic pyrazoles through formation of the first fused heterocyclic o-quinodimethane intermediate

1-Benzoyl-4,6-dibromo-3-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydrocyclopenta[c]pyrazole (2) was used as a precursor for o-quinodimethane 3, which was trapped by in situ reactions with dienophiles to give bridged pyrazole derivatives.     

Biochemical reaction engineering for redox reactions

Redox reactions are still a challenge for biochemical engineers. A personal view for the development of this field is given. Cofactor regeneration was an obstacle for quite some time. The first technical breakthrough was achieved with the system formate/formate dehydrogenase for the regeneration of NADH2. In cases where the same enzyme could be used for chiral reduction as well as for cofactor regeneration, isopropanol as a hydrogen source proved to be beneficial. The coproduct (acetone) can be removed by pervaporation. Whole-cell reductions (often yeast reductions) can also be used. By proper biochemical reaction engineering, it is possible to apply these systems in a continuous way. By cloning a formate dehydrogenase and an oxidoreductase "designer bug" can be obtained where formate is used instead of glucose as the hydrogen source. Complex sequences of redox reactions can be established by pathway engineering with a focus on gene overexpression or with a focus on establishing non-natural pathways. The success of pathway engineering can be controlled by measuring cytosolic metabolite concentrations. The optimal exploitation of such systems calls for the integrated cooperation of classical and molecular biochemical engineering.     

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.