Cu(I)-catalyzed direct enantioselective cross aldol-type reaction of acetonitrile

Direct catalytic enantioselective cross aldol-type reaction of an acetate surrogate was developed using Cu alkoxide-chiral phosphine complexes as catalysts. Chemoselective activation and deprotonation of the donor substrate (acetonitrile) by the soft metal alkoxide in a strongly donating solvent (HMPA) are key to success in this reaction. Useful chemical yields and promising enantioselectivities are produced using either DTBM-SEGPHOS or a tuned BIPHEP as a chiral ligand. [reaction: see text]     

Aqueous phase behavior of a 1-O-phytanyl-beta-D-xyloside/water system. Glycolipid-based bicontinuous cubic phases of crystallographic space groups Pn3m and Ia3d

Temperature- and concentration-dependent aqueous phase diagram of a novel alkylglycoside, 1-O-phytanyl-beta-D-xyloside (beta-Xyl(Phyt)), was studied using small-angle X-ray scattering, polarizing optical microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The phases found in this system include an Lc phase, an Lalpha phase, an HII phase, two inverted cubic phases of crystallographic space groups Pn3m and Ia3d, and a fluid isotropic phase, FI. The phase diagram of the beta-Xyl(Phyt)/water system is similar to that for the 1-monooleylglycerol (MO)/water system, suggesting that the phase behavior is largely determined by the overall molecular shape rather than the details of surfactant molecular structure. Moreover, the structural parameters of the beta-Xyl(Phyt) liquid crystals are also similar to those of the MO/water, due primarily to the similar molecular dimensions of two molecules. As compared to the MO/water system, however, the beta-Xyl(Phyt)/water system displays a lower value of TK ( approximately 8.(5) degrees C) and a wider temperature window for the mesophases (8.(5)-120 degrees C). Moreover, beta-Xyl(Phyt) is chemically more robust than MO, as the ether linkage is more stable against hydrolysis than the ester linkage and the phytanyl chain is fully saturated.     

Optical Multistability and Wavelength Switching of a Fabry-Perot Semiconductor Laser with Multi-Detuned Light Injections

Optical multistability of a Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser is analyzed when multi-optical inputs detuned from the cavity-resonant wavelength of a semiconductor laser are injected. Many split branches are shown to be produced in the optical output versus optical input characteristics for different detuned optical inputs. It is also shown that optical outputs can be switched in any one of the optical input wavelengths by optical input pulses, based on the optical output versus input characteristics with multi-split branches.     

Amphoteric poly(vinyl alcohol) gel as a force generator: Observation of microporous gel formation with cryo-SEM

Amphoteric PVA hydrogels were made from mixed aqueous solutions of poly(acrylic acid), poly(allylamine) hydrochloride and poly(vinyl alcohol) by repetitive freezing and thawing. The hydrogen bond induced gelation produced an elastic and tough microporous hydrogel which generated tension as high as 0.3MPa corresponding to the solvent exchange from water to acetone. In this paper we show the microscopic structure of hydrogels determined by means of cryo-SEM technique and X-ray analysis.     

Formation of cyclic organosilicon compounds via organopolysilyl anions starting from methoxymethyldisilanes. A mechanistic study

In the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium methoxide, sym-dimethoxytetramethyldisilane was converted into α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes, MeO(SiMe₂)_nOMe where n ? 3, at room temperature. On the other hand, similar treatment of the disilane in THF solution gave cyclic polysilanes, (Me₂Si)_n where n = 5–7. Decomposition of the disilane in the presence of diphenylacetylene afforded a trisilacyclopentene derivative under similar conditions. This compound was obtained also by the reaction between α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes and diphenylacetylene in the presence of sodium methoxide. These cyclic products most likely were formed via permethyl polysilyl anion intermediates derived from α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes. Also, the formation of α,ω-dimethoxypermethylpolysilanes could be elucidated in terms of the mechanism involving the base-assisted, concerted nucleophilic substitution or stepwise substitution by silyl anions, rather than the successive dimethylsilylene (Me₂Si:) insertion reaction.     

Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters using an yttrium-biphenyldiol complex

We succeeded in a catalytic asymmetric epoxidation reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters via a conjugate addition of an oxidant using 2-10 mol % of the yttirium-chiral biphenyldiol catalyst. A variety of substrates with beta-aryl and beta-alkyl substituents were epoxidized efficiently, yielding the corresponding alpha,beta-epoxy esters in up to 97% yield and 99% ee.     

Ba-catalyzed direct Mannich-type reactions of a beta,gamma-unsaturated ester providing beta-methyl aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman-type products

Barium-catalyzed direct Mannich-type reactions of a beta,gamma-unsaturated ester are described. The Ba-catalyst not only promoted the Mannich-type reactions, but also isomerized Mannich adducts to afford beta-methyl aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman-type products in 61-88% yield from various aryl, heteroaryl, and alkyl imines. Preliminary trials on enantioselective variants with a chiral biaryldiol ligand gave products in up to 80% ee.     

General and practical catalytic enantioselective Strecker reaction of ketoimines: significant improvement through catalyst tuning by protic additives

Significant improvement in enantioselectivity and catalyst activity was achieved for the catalytic enantioselective Strecker reaction. Using a catalyst (1-2.5 mol %) prepared from Gd(OⁱPr)₃ and d-glucose derived ligand 1, and in the presence of 2,6-dimethylphenol as an additive, high enantioselectivity was obtained from a wide range of ketoimines, including heteroaromatic and cyclic ketoimines. The new method was applied to an efficient catalytic asymmetric synthesis of sorbinil, a therapeutic agent for diabetic complications.     

Asymmetric Catalysis with Bis(hydroxyphenyl)diamides/Rare‐Earth Metal Complexes

A series of asymmetric catalysts composed of conformationally flexible amide‐based chiral ligands and rare‐earth metals was developed for proton‐transfer catalysis. These ligands derived from amino acids provide an intriguing chiral platform for the formation of asymmetric catalysts upon complexation with rare‐earth metals. The scope of this arsenal of catalysts was further broadened by the development of heterobimetallic catalytic systems. The cooperative function of hydrogen bonding and metal coordination resulted in intriguing substrate specificity and stereocontrol, and the dynamic nature of the catalysts led to a switch of their function. Herein, we summarize our recent exploration of this class of catalysts.