An enantioselective total synthesis of the diterpenoid natural product (+)-salvileucalin B is reported. Key findings include a copper-catalyzed arene cyclopropanation reaction to provide the unusual norcaradiene core and a reversible retro-Claisen rearrangement of a highly functionalized norcaradiene intermediate.

Efficient C-H functionalization requires selectivity for specific C-H bonds. Progress has been made for directed aromatic substitution reactions to achieve ortho and meta selectivity, but a general strategy for para-selective C-H functionalization has remained elusive. Herein we introduce a previously unappreciated concept that enables nearly complete para selectivity. We propose that radicals ...

A model for studying polar-pi interactions between arenes spaced at van der Waals distances is developed on the basis of peri-diarylbiphenylenes. A set of 1,8-diarylbiphenylenes is synthesized comprising two Hammett series, one with reference to mesityl ring interactions and the other with reference to pentafluorophenyl ring interactions. X-Ray crystal structures of several derivatives are dete...

A trisphosphine ligand with a triarylbenzene backbone was employed to support mono-nickel(II) and palladium(II) complexes. Two phosphine arms coordinated to the metal center, while the third phosphine was found to form a C-P bond with dearomatization of the central arene. Deprotonation effected the rearomatization of the central ring and metal reduction from M(II) to M(0). The overall conversio...

Patterns of noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) of ruthenium and platinum are formed on p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene stabilised graphene in water. This involves hydrogen gas induced reduction of metal ions absorbed on the stabilised graphene, with TEM revealing the patterns being comprised of domains of parallel arrays of NMNPs ∼7 nm apart. The domains are orientated in three directions on eac...

A long period grating (LPG) modified with a mesoporous film infused with a functional compound, calix[4]arene, was employed for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The mesoporous film consisted of an inorganic part, of SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) along with an organic moiety of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) polycation PAH, which was finally infused with functional compound, p-sulp...

Molecules of 5-methyl-2-phenyl-6,7-dihydrobenzo[h]pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinazoline, C21H17N3, (I), are linked into chains by a combination of a C-H...pi(arene) hydrogen bond and a pi-pi stacking interaction; in the closely related 5-methyl-2-(4-methylphenyl)-6,7-dihydrobenzo[h]pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinazoline, C22H19N3, (II), there are no hydrogen bonds and the molecules are linked into centrosymmetric dim...

Two new inclusion compounds of 9,9'-spirobifluorene (SBF) incorporating benzene [(I), C25H16.C6H6] and biphenyl [(II), C25H16.C12H10], and a new polymorph of SBF [(III), C25H16] are reported. All three exhibit C-H...pi(arene) hydrogen bonds between adjacent SBF molecules. Compound (II) also contains biphenyl C-H to SBF pi-arene interactions. Collectively, hydrogen bonding gives rise to a chain ...

The title compound, C(18)H(19)NO(4), was prepared as an indole derivative with possible anti-mitotic properties. The planes of the indole and trimethoxy-phenyl rings make a dihedral angle of 45.35 (5)° with one another. In the crystal, mol-ecules related by a twofold screw axis exhibit arene C-H⋯arene-π inter-actions which are 3.035 (1) Å in length.

Seleniranium ions at low temperatures (-90 to -78 degrees C) will initiate effective Friedel-Crafts cyclization if a suitably placed arene is allowed to react even when the arene is unactivated. These intermediates generated from N-aryl-N-tosylamides undergo a novel, surprisingly efficient, detosylative cyclization to form 5- or 6-membered nitrogen heterocycles. A debenzylation route is preferr...