α-Oxohydrazones as imine component in the synthesis of 4-functionalized azetidinones by the Staudinger reaction

1-(Methyl-p-tolyl-amino)-3-phenoxy-2-azetidinones 4-COX and 4-R substituted (COX: X=Me, Et, Ph, NMe₂, NEt₂, OBu^t; R=Me, Et, Ph) were smoothly prepared from the corresponding α-(methyl-p-tolyl)hydrazonylated ketones, amides and esters via [2+2] cycloaddition with phenoxyketene. The reaction was generally high-yielding and diastereoselective, leading to β-lactams with a cis relationship between the PhO and the COX moieties, except for R=Ph, where an opposite stereoselectivity was instead observed. The azetidinones represent interesting intermediates which couple protection at N(1) and functionalization at position 4 of the ring. Deprotection of N(1) can be easily attained by oxidative N-N cleavage with magnesium monoperoxyphthalate.     

Tele-substitution reactions in the naphthalene series : The behaviour of 1,4 - dimethyl - 2 - nitro - 3 - phenylsulphonyl - and 2,3 - bisphenylsulphonyl - 1,4 - dimethyl - naphthalene towards sodium arenethiolates and secondary aliphatic amines

1,4 - Dimethyl - 2 - nitro - 3 - phenylsulphonylnaphthalene (2) reacts with sodium benzenethiolate in DMSO at 120° to give 1 - methyl - 2 - nitro - 4 - phenylthiomethylnaphthalene (4) [tele-substitution product (TSP) of the phenylsulphonyl group] and 1,4 - dimethyl - 3 - phenylsulphonyl - 2 - phenylthionaphthalene (5) [normal substitution product (NSP) of the nitro group]. The analogous reactions of 2 with sodium 2,4,6- trimethylbenzenethiolate and of 2,3 - bisphenylsulphonyl -1,4 - dimethylnaphthalene (3) with sodium benzenethiolate or aliphatic amines give only TSPs of the phenylsulphonyl group. In the case of the reaction of 2 with aliphatic amines both the possible TSPs (tele-substitution of the phenylsulphonyl or of the nitro group) were isolated in 9:1 relative yield. All the data show that the phenylsulphonyl is a leaving group far better than the nitro in such tele-substitution processes. The mechanism previously proposed to account for the formation of TSPs from 1,4-dimethyl - 2,3 - dinitronaphthalene is strongly supported by the obtained results.     

Particle tunneling and scattering in a three-dimensional potential with a barrier

The particle tunneling through a 3-D rectangular potential barrier has been studied. The simplest model for multiple internal reflections has been assumed. The explicit expression for all the transmission and reflection probability amplitudes have been derived, as well as the tunneling and reflection phase times.      

The first kinetic evidence for acid catalysis in a monocyclic rearrangement of heterocycles: conversion of the Z-phenylhydrazone of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole into N,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-ylurea

The title reaction has been studied in dioxane/water in a large (0.1-14.9) pS+ range, evidencing, together with an uncatalyzed process at intermediate (3.5-8.0) pS+ values, the occurrence of a catalyzed pathway both in the acidic (pS+ 0.1-3.5) and in the basic region (pS+ 8.0-14.9): specific-acid catalysis and general-base catalysis, respectively, have been found to take place by means of kinetic investigations at different buffer concentrations. Mechanisms for the three pathways have been advanced on the grounds of structural features. In a comparison with previous data particular attention has been paid to the acid-catalyzed pathway, herein observed for the first time in an azole-to-azole interconversion. The mechanistic hypotheses seem well supported by ab initio calculations.     

On the basic transcendental functions appearing in the dielectric tensor of a weakly relativistic Maxwellian plasma

Summary It is shown how to deduce in a straightforward way the class of transcendental functions which appear in the elements of the dielectric tensor of a weakly relativistic thermal plasma. The deduction is made directly from the second form of Trubnikov integrals and is valid for arbitrarily large values of the wave perpendicular refractive index.

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Riassunto Si mostra come sia possibile dedurre in modo molto diretto la famiglia di trascendenti che appare negli elementi della matrice dielettrica di un plasma debolmente relativistico in condizioni di equilibrio termico. Il procedimento parte direttamente dalla così detta seconda forma degli integrali di Trubnikov ed è valido per valori arbitrariamente grandi dell’indice di rifrazione perpendicolare al campo magnetico nel quale è immerso il plasma.

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Резюме Мы показываем, как вывести непосредственным образом класс трансцендентных функций, которые появляются в элементах диэлектрического тензора для слабо релятивистской плазмы в условиях теплового равновесия. Вывод проводится непосредственно из второй формы интегралов Трубникова и справедлив для произвольно больших величин показателя преломления для волны, перпендикулярной магнитному полю, в которое помещена плазма.

     

Densely Functionalized 2-Methylideneazetidines: Evaluation as Antibacterials

Twenty-two novel, variously substituted nitroazetidines were designed as both sulfonamide and urethane vinylogs possibly endowed with antimicrobial activity. The compounds under study were obtained following a general procedure recently developed, starting from 4-nitropentadienoates deriving from a common β-nitrothiophenic precursor. While being devoid of any activity against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria, most of the title compounds performed as potent antibacterial agents on Gram-positive bacteria (E. faecalis and three strains of S. aureus), with the most potent congener being the 1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-3-nitro-4-(p-tolyl)azetidine 22, which displayed potency close to that of norfloxacin, the reference antibiotic (minimum inhibitory concentration values 4 and 1–2 μg/mL, respectively). Since 22 combines a relatively efficient activity against Gram-positive bacteria and a cytotoxicity on eucharyotic cells only at 4-times higher concentrations (inhibiting concentration on 50% of the cultured eukaryotic cells: 36 ± 10 μM, MIC: 8.6 μM), it may be considered as a promising hit compound for the development of a new series of antibacterials selectively active on Gram-positive pathogens. The relatively concise synthetic route described herein, based on widely available starting materials, could feed further structure–activity relationship studies, thus allowing for the fine investigation and optimization of the toxico-pharmacological profile.