The structural isomers formed by the homogeneous rhodium-catalyzed isomerization of several vegetable oils have been elucidated. A detailed study of the isomerization of the model compound methyl linoleate has been performed to correlate the distribution of conjugated isomers, the reaction kinetics, and the mechanism of the reaction. It has been shown that [RhCl(C8H8)2]2 is a highly efficient a...

All four stereoisomers (7-10) of ethyl undeca-2,4-dienoate were prepared in ≥ 98% isomeric purity by Pd-catalyzed alkenylation (Negishi coupling) using ethyl (E)- and (Z)-β-bromoacrylates. Although the stereoisomeric purity of the 2Z,4E-isomer (8) prepared by Suzuki coupling using conventional alkoxide and carbonate bases was ≤ 95%, as reported earlier, the use of CsF or (n)Bu(4)NF as a promote...

An equilibrated mixture of pentene isomers was produced by dehydroisomerization of n-pentane on catalysts consisting of Pt clusters within [Fe]ZSM-5 channels. These catalysts showed high isomerization rates, excellent stability even without added H2, and isopentene selectivities above 60%. Metal sites on Pt clusters dehydrogenate n-alkanes and n-alkenes formed undergo skeletal rearrangements wi...

The synthesis of the first members of a new class of cyclic peptide-containing hemicryptophanes is described. Synthesis was achieved through attachment of veratryl groups to the L-tyrosine side chains of a cyclic hexapeptide, c(YG)3, followed by intramolecular cyclodehydration to generate the CTV unit. The diastereomeric P- and M-hemicryptophanes were generated in a 2 : 1 ratio and were separat...

N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists that are highly selective for specific NMDA receptor 2 (NR2) subunits have several potential therapeutic applications; however, to date, only NR2B-selective antagonists have been described. Whereas most glutamate binding site antagonists display a common pattern of NR2 selectivity, NR2A > NR2B > NR2C > NR2D (high to low affinity), (2S*,3R*)-1-(ph...

The desymmetrisation of 1,4-difuran-2-ylbutane-1,4-diol by Sharpless asymmetric oxidation gave the corresponding desymmetrised product in > 96% ee. However, the product existed as a mixture of two interconverting isomers, both of which were mixtures of anomers. The product could be trapped in high yield with a range of reagents to give stable adducts with embedded pyran-3-one, 1,6-dioxaspiro[4....

Bicyclodihydrosiloles were readily prepared from optically active enyne compounds by a radical cascade reaction triggered by tris(trimethylsilyl)silane ((Me3Si)3SiH). The reaction was initiated by the addition of a silyl radical to an α,β-unsaturated ester, forming an α-carbonyl radical that underwent radical cyclization to a terminal alkyne unit. The resulting vinyl radical attacked the silico...

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions between 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes and chiral non-racemic nitrones to give 3-substituted-5-diazenyl isoxazolidines were studied both experimentally and theoretically. Whereas cyclic nitrones provide complete selectivity for the cycloaddition reaction (only one isomer is obtained), acyclic nitrones derived from D-glyceraldehyde and D-galactose lead to 1 : 1 mixtur...

We present evidence that under circumstances of low pH and organic-free surfaces an ordinary estuarine sediment can exhibit strong optical isomer selectivity in its absorption of a number of amino acids. This selectivity can also be seen to a lesser degree in the minerals quartz, montmorillonite, and kaolin. Adsorption reactions were performed with racemic amino acid mixtures, and after equilib...

The polyhedral borane ion [n-B20H18]2- reacts with liquid ammonia in the presence of a suitable base to produce an apical-equatorial (ae) isomer of the [B20H17NH3]3- ion, [1-(2'-B10H9)-2-NH3B10H8]3-. The structure of this product has been confirmed by 11B NMR spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography. This species undergoes acid-catalyzed rearrangement to an apical-apical (a2) isomer, [1-(1'-B10H9...