Stereoselective synthesis of stannyl enones via palladium-catalyzed and free radical hydrostannation of alkynyl ketones with trineophyltin hydride.

A study on the addition of trineophyltin hydride (1) to alkynones under free radical (AIBN and Et3B) and palladium-catalyzed [(PPh3)2PdCl2] conditions is reported. The results obtained indicate that the addition of 1 to eight ynones catalyzed by bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(II) chloride led in all cases to addition products in very high yields (80-96%). These additions take place with excellent regio- and stereochemistry, leading to the alpha adducts as major products in seven out of the eight cases studied. Also the E adducts, resulting from a syn attack, were the only (seven cases) or the predominant (one case) products. The radical hydrostannations initiated by AIBN of ynones 2-5 with 1 led to addition products in good yields (60-88%); with the more hindered ketones 6 and 7-9 the yields obtained were lower. The radical additions initiated by triethylboron to ynones 2-6 follow a similar pattern but with lower yields; no addition products in the hydrostannation of ynones 7-9 were detected. The new acyl-substituted vinylstannanes, owing to their greater stability compared with that of their tributyl- and trimethylstannyl analogues, can be purified by column chromatography using neutral alumina (in all cases) or silica gel 60 (in most cases) as adsorbents. Full 1H, 13C, and 119Sn NMR data are given.

Incidence at birth and natural history of cryptorchidism: a study of 10,730 consecutive male infants.

Of the 10,730 neonates born in the period 1978-1997 and examined for cryptorchidism (C) at birth, 1387 were pre-term (gestational age <37 wk), and 9343 were full-term. At birth, a total of 737 neonates (6.9%) were cryptorchid, 487 had bilateral C and 250 unilateral C. The C rate of pre-terms was 10 times higher than that of the full-terms (30.1 and 3.4%, respectively). Comparing the two studied decades, a significant decrease of C rate was found in the second decade in full-term neonates. The rates of C at birth were significantly elevated for low birth weight, babies born from mothers with an age <20 or >35 yr, newborns from mothers with A Rh positive and B Rh positive blood group. Of the 737 cryptorchid newborns at birth, 613 (83%) were re-examined after 12 months from the expected date of delivery, and those born in the period 1988-1997 were also re-evaluated at 6 months of life. Late spontaneous descent occurred in 464 cases (75.7%), while 149 (24.3%) were still cryptorchid. The incidence of C at 12 months from the expected date of delivery, after survival curve calculation, in term and pre-term infants, was 1.53 and 7.31%, respectively, in the period 1978-1987, and 1.22 and 3.13% respectively, in the 2nd decade (1988-1997). In the groups also examined at 6 months of life, spontaneous descent occurred almost completely within the first 6 months of life in term infants, but not in pre-terms. No evidence of seasonal cyclicity was found. Medical and/or surgical treatment was generally started within 2-4 yr of age earlier in the second decade of the study. In conclusion, the main risk factor for C at birth and at 12 months of life seems to be pre-term birth and low birth weight. If this is associated itself to a higher risk of infertility too, it remains to be defined.