Efficient synthesis of an imidazole-substituted delta-amino acid by the integration of chiral technologies

Two methods to produce (2S)-5-amino-2-(1-n-propyl-1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-pentanoic acid were investigated. Diastereoisomeric salt resolution, using the quinidine salt, gave the desired intermediate in 98% ee and 33% yield. Asymmetric hydrogenation of various substrates gave high conversions, with up to 83% ee. Integration of these two approaches via asymmetric hydrogenation of a quinidine salt substrate followed by crystallization provided the desired intermediate in 94% ee and 76% yield.     

Asymmetric enamide hydrogenation in the synthesis of N-acetylcolchinol: a key intermediate for ZD6126

A synthesis of N-acetylcolchinol, a key intermediate in the synthesis of ZD6126, was developed. The enantiodifferentiating step required the catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of an enamide. After screening a range of metal and ligand combinations it was found that (S,S)-ⁱPr-FerroTANE Ru(methallyl)₂ and [(S,S)-^tBuFerroTANE Rh(COD)]BF₄ gave both high enantioselectivity (>90% ee) and high catalyst utility (molar S/C = 1000).     

Chiral discrimination within disordered adlayers on metal surfaces

Using a novel non-linear optical technique enantiomeric excess within a translationally disordered overlayer on a metal surface has been monitored for the first time.     

1,2-Bis(2,5-diphenylphospholano)methane, a new ligand for asymmetric hydrogenation

1,2-Bis(2,5-diphenylphospholano)methane (Ph-BPM) has been prepared in good yield from 2,5-trans-diphenylphospholane-borane adduct. Rhodium and ruthenium complexes of this ligand have been prepared and their usefulness in asymmetric hydrogenation has been investigated. [Ph-BPM Rh(COD)]BF₄ showed high activity and selectivity for itaconate and dehydroamino acid hydrogenation. Ph-BPM RuCl₂(DPEN) was effective for imine hydrogenation.     

Modelling the growth rate of a tracer gradient using stochastic differential equations

We develop a model in two dimensions to characterise the growth rate of a tracer gradient mixed by a statistically homogeneous flow that varies on arbitrary timescales. The model is based on the orientation dynamics of the passive-tracer gradient with respect to the straining (compressive) direction of the flow, and involves reducing the dynamics to a set of stochastic differential equations. The statistical properties of the system emerge from solving the associated Fokker–Planck equation. Within the model framework, the tracer gradient aligns with the compressive direction when the mean effective rotation in the flow is zero. At finite values of rotation, the tracer gradient aligns with a different direction, but the mean growth rate of the gradient is positive in all cases. In a certain limiting case, namely temporally decorrelated (rapidly varying) flows, exact, analytical expressions exist for the mean growth rate. Using numerical simulations, we assess the extent to which our model applies to real mixing protocols, and map the stochastic parameters on to flow parameters.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of a 4,4-diaryl-3-butenoate; a novel approach to sertraline

The asymmetric hydrogenation of a selectively crystallised (E)-4,4-diaryl-3-butenoate with a rhodium-PhanePhos catalyst is described, providing an intermediate to the antidepressant sertraline.     

Influence of post-deposition annealing on the structural,optical and electrical properties of Li and Mg co-doped ZnO thin films deposited by sol–gel technique

Lithium (Li) and magnesium (Mg) co-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited by sol–gel method using spin coating technique. The films were deposited on glass substrates and annealed at different temperatures. The effects of annealing temperature on the structural, optical and electrical properties of the deposited films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet–Visible absorption spectra (UV–VIS), photoluminescence spectra (PL), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) and Hall measurements. XRD patterns indicated that the deposited films had a polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure with preferred (0 0 0 2) orientation. All films were found to exhibit a good transparency in the visible range. Analysis of the absorption edge revealed that the optical band gap energies of the films annealed at different temperatures varies between 3.49 eV and 3.69 eV. Room temperature PL spectra of the deposited films annealed at various temperatures consist of a near band edge emission and visible emission due to the electronic defects, which are related to deep level emissions, such as oxide antisite (O_Zn), interstitial zinc (Zn_i), interstitial oxygen (O_i) and zinc vacancy (V_Zn) which are generated during annealing process. The influence of annealing temperature on the chemical state of the dopants in the film was analysed by XPS spectra. Ion beam analysis (Rutherford back scattering) experiments were performed to evaluate the content of Li and Mg in the films. Hall measurements confirmed the p-type nature of the deposited films.     

Synthesis of d2 η-cycloheptatrienyl-η-cycloheptadienyl-zirconium and -hafnium using the metal vapours

Cocondensation of cycloheptatriene with zirconium or hafnium vapours gives, after vacuum pyrolysis of the reaction mixture the diamagnetic d² compounds [m(η-C₇H₇)(η-C₇H₉)].