New Syntheses of Retinal and Its Acyclic Analog γ‐Retinal by an Extended Aldol Reaction with a C6 Building Block That Incorporates a C5 Unit after Decarboxylation. A Formal Route to Lycopene and β‐Carotene

Since the C₁₅ β‐end‐group aldehyde 10 ((β‐ionylidene)acetaldehyde), an excellent intermediate in the syntheses of retinoids, can be synthesized in many ways from β‐ionone, and since the corresponding acyclic C₁₅ ψ‐end‐group aldehyde 5 can easily be synthesized from citral ( 1 ) (Scheme 3), we applied the C₁₅+C₅ route to the syntheses of γ‐retinal ((all‐E)‐ 8 ) (Scheme 3) and retinal ((all‐E)‐ 13 ) (Scheme 4), and therefore, by coupling (2×C₂₀→C₄₀), to the preparation of lycopene ( 14 ) and β‐carotene ( 15 ) (Scheme 5). Our new syntheses of retinal ((all‐E)‐ 13 ) and γ‐retinal ((all‐E)‐ 8 use an extended aldol reaction with a C₆ building block that incorporates a C₅ unit after decarboxylation.     

香料紫罗兰酮的合成研究

报道用新的催化剂合成紫罗兰酮.用CH3ONa作固体碱催化剂催化柠檬醛与丙酮的Aldol缩合反应,在50～60℃反应3.5h,以95.3%的收率制得假性紫罗兰酮,然后假性紫罗兰酮在磷酸催化下进行关环反应,于温度55～65℃反应,得质量分数为97.6%的紫罗兰酮,收率81.5%,对合成条件进行了分析和讨论,对产品紫罗兰酮的IR谱图、NMR谱图进行了确认和详细的分析.     

用环境友好催化剂H-β沸石制备紫罗兰酮

用环境友好催化剂Ｈ－β沸石催化假性紫罗兰酮环化制备紫罗兰酮。考察了催化剂的用量、反应温度和时间对反应的影响,并测定了假性紫罗兰酮环化反应的速率常数和活化能（３６．４ｋＪ／ｍｏｌ）．Ｈ－β沸石能被回收、再生和重复使用,且与用新鲜Ｈ－β沸石时几乎有相同的紫罗兰酮产率。     

Synthesis,Olfactory Evaluation,and Determination of the Absolute Configuration of the 3,4‐Didehydroionone Stereoisomers

The synthesis of 3,4‐didehydroionone isomers 4 , (+)‐ 6 , and (?)‐ 6 and of 3,4‐didehydro‐7,8‐dihydroionone isomers 5 , (+)‐ 7 , and (?)‐ 7 was accomplished starting from commercially available racemic α‐ionone ( 1 ). Their preparation of the racemic forms 4 – 7 was first achieved by mean of a number of chemo‐ and regioselective reactions (Schemes 1 and 2). The enantio‐ and diastereoselective lipase‐mediated kinetic acetylation of 4‐hydroxy‐γ‐ionone ( 10a / 10b ) provided 4‐hydroxy‐γ‐ionone (+)‐ 10a /(±)‐ 10b and (+)‐4‐(acetyloxy)‐γ‐ionone ((+) 12b ) (Scheme 3). The latter compounds were used as starting materials to prepare the 3,4‐didehydro‐γ‐ionones (+)‐ and (?)‐ 6 and the 3,4‐didehydro‐7,8‐dihydro‐γ‐ionones (+)‐ and (?)‐ 7 in enantiomer‐enriched form. The absolute configuration of (+)‐ 12b was determine by chemical correlation with (+)‐(6S)‐γ‐ionone ((+)‐ 3 ) and with (?)‐(6S)‐α‐ionone ((?)‐ 1 ) therefore allowing to assign the (S)‐configuration to (+)‐ 6 and (+)‐ 7 . Olfactory evaluation of the above described 3,4‐didehydroionone isomers shows a significant difference between the enantiomers and regioisomers both in fragrance feature and in detection threshold (Table).     

Three minor new compounds from the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus led to the isolation of one new labdane diterpenoid, leojaponin D(1) and two new ionone derivatives, leojaponones A and B(2 and 3),together with seven known diterpenoids(4–10). Their structures were elucidated by extensive 1D and2 D NMR spectroscopic data and by comparison with data reported in the literature. Selected isolates were evaluated their effects on Jurkat IL2 secretion.     

Gold-mediated synthesis of α-ionone

A simple and convenient synthesis of α-ionone, an important component of flowers and fragrances, is reported. The key step in the formation of the α,β-unsaturated ketone moiety involves an NHC-Au^I catalyzed Meyer-Schuster-like rearrangement of readily prepared propargylic esters. The complex [{Au(IPr)}₂(μ-OH)][BF₄] proved to be the most efficient catalyst leading to α-ionone in 70% yield from a propargylic benzoate. This optimized procedure represents a valuable and attractive alternative to classical methods leading to α,β-unsaturated ketones, such as the Wittig or aldol reactions.     

Musk or violet? Design, synthesis and odor of seco-derivates of a musky carotol lead

By a six-step synthetic route consisting of a Li₂MnCl₄-catalyzed coupling of branched alkyl magnesium chlorides with isovaleryl and 3,3-dimethylbutanoyl chloride, Grignard reaction of the product with ethynyl magnesium bromide, dehydration and transformation into a Grignard reagent, subsequent reaction with acetaldehyde, (E)-selective hydrogenation of the alkynol triple bond with lithium aluminum hydride, and finally pyridinium chlorochromate oxidation, four sterically highly demanding target structures were synthesized diastereoselectively. These four molecular targets were designed as seco-structures to a musky carotol lead, and their olfactory profiles that merge violet like with musky notes to different extents, provide interesting insight into structure–odor correlation.