Biomimetic oxidation of pyrene and related aromatic hydrocarbons. Unexpected electron accepting abilities of pyrenequinones.

We present a mild catalytic method to oxidize PAHs and, in particular, pyrene. The pyrenediones are much better electron acceptors than benzoquinone in the gas phase and present similar accepting abilities in solution.

Ti(III)-promoted radical cyclization of epoxy enones. Total synthesis of (+)-paeonisuffrone.

The total synthesis of (+)-paeonisuffrone starting from (+)-10-hydroxycarvone is described. The key step of our synthetic strategy is a titanium-catalyzed stereoselective cyclization initiated by epoxide opening through electron transfer. This reaction stereoselectively affords the highly oxygenated pinane skeleton present in the target molecule and opens a new and effective approach to the synthesis of the complex, biologically active terpenoids isolated from the roots of the Chinese paeony (Paeonia albiflora Pallas and Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews).