Catalytic Cleavage of Ether CO Bonds by Pincer Iridium Complexes

The development of efficient catalytic methods to cleave the relatively unreactive C? O bonds of ethers remains an important challenge in catalysis. Building on our group’s recent work, we report the dehydroaryloxylation of aryl alkyl ethers using pincer iridium catalysts. This method represents a rare fully atom‐economical method for ether C? O bond cleavage.     

Step-edge induced anisotropic domain-wall propagation

We report the observation of anisotropic domain-wall propagation in ultrathin magnetic films with perpendicular anisotropy. A controlled density of step edges was introduced which allowed us to quantify its influence on the domain-wall pinning. For a sawtooth arrangement of the step edges the corresponding wall movement resulted in triangular shaped domains. All aspects of this anisotropic domain-wall evolution could be reproduced by a simulation based on a modified Ginzburg-Landau-type soft-spin model.     

Identification and quantification of anticarcinogens in garlic extract and licorice root extract powder

Nine organosulfur compounds present in an aged garlic extract and two isoflavonoids and one triterpenoid present in a licorice root extract powder have been identified and quantified. Quantification involved solvent extraction and gas chromatographic – mass spectrometric analysis (garlic extract) or hydrolysis, solvent extraction, and liquid chromatographic analysis (licorice root extract powder). Although the garlic extract proved to be unstable and the concentration of the organosulfur compounds varied with time, one analysis of the extract gave the following results: methyl disulfide (0.607 μg/g), methyl trisulfide (0.181 μg/g), allyl sulfide (2.02 μg/g), allyl disulfide (0.784 μg/g), allyl trisulfide (0.795 μg/g), allyl methyl sulfide (1.64 μg/g), allyl methyl disulfide (0.411 μg/g), allyl methyl trisulfide (0.695 μg/g), and ethyl 2-propenesulfinate (11.4 μg/g). The analysis of the licorice root extract powder gave the following results: formononetin (1.92 mg/g), isoliquiritigenin (9.61 mg/g), and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (43.9 mg/g). Methods were successfully developed to quantify the same compounds in the serum of test animals which had consumed feed spiked with garlic extract or licorice root extract powder. Only the 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid could be detected in the sera of such animals, however. An effort was also made to determine serum levels of prostaglandin E2 to correlate its inhibition with levels of the dietary components, but the prostaglandin E2 levels were too low to measure.     

Scaling properties of magnetic domain walls in Pt/Co/Pt trilayers on MgO (1 1 1)

We present a scaling analysis of the time evolution of domain walls in ultrathin magnetic films that are subject to different forms of uncorrelated and correlated disorder caused by the microstructure of the underlying template. The study is performed on ultrafine modulated Pt/Co/Pt trilayers grown on as-supplied and structured MgO (1 1 1) substrates employing polar Kerr microscopy for the imaging of the magnetic domains.     

CH Bond Functionalization through Intramolecular Hydride Transfer

Known for over a century, reactions that involve intramolecular hydride‐transfer events have experienced a recent resurgence. Undoubtedly responsible for the increased interest in this research area is the realization that hydride shifts represent an attractive avenue for C? H bond functionalization. The redox‐neutral nature of these complexity‐enhancing transformations makes them ideal for sustainable reaction development. This Review summarizes recent progress in this field while highlighting key historical contributions.     

Redox-neutral indole annulation cascades

Aminobenzaldehydes react with indoles in an unprecedented cascade reaction. This acid-catalyzed redox-neutral annulation proceeds via a condensation/1,5-hydride shift/ring-closure sequence. Polycyclic azepinoindoles and related compounds are obtained in a single step with good to excellent yields.     

Catalytic Cleavage of Ether C?O Bonds by Pincer Iridium Complexes

The development of efficient catalytic methods to cleave the relatively unreactive C O bonds of ethers remains an important challenge in catalysis. Building on our group’s recent work, we report the dehydroaryloxylation of aryl alkyl ethers using pincer iridium catalysts. This method represents a rare fully atom‐economical method for ether C O bond cleavage.