Synthesis of angular triquinanes from 1-Alkynylbicyclo[3.2. 0]hept-2-en-7-ones. A tandem alkoxy-cope ring Expansion/Transannular ring closure reaction.

Addition of ethenyllithium reagents to the carbonyl group of dialkyl squarate-derived 1-alkynylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-7-ones (15), followed by a TBAF workup, results in a low-temperature anion-accelerated alkoxy-Cope rearrangement which proceeds by way of a strained cyclic allene intermediates (e.g.,17). This leads to the formation of angularly fused triquinanes (e.g., 20) in which each of the rings is functionally differentiated. Bicyclo[6.3. 0]undecadienones (e.g., 36) are the major products when the reactions are quenched with aqueous bicarbonate rather than TBAF. Under analogous conditions 2-alkylidene-1-alkynylbicyclo[3.2. 0]heptan-7-ones also give bicyclo[6.3.0]undecadienones by a mechanism that was established to involve a 1,5-hydrgen shift in a strained allene intermediate. The synthetic scope and mechanism of these and related transformations are discussed.

Oxy-cope rearrangements of bicyclo[3.2.0]heptenones. Synthesis of bicyclo[4.2.1]non-1(4)-en-6-ones and bicyclo[5.2. 1]dec-1(10)-en-5-ones.

6-exo-Methylbicyclo[3.2.0]hepten-7-ones and their 2-alkylidene analogues are readily prepared from dialkyl squarates. These compounds undergo facial oxy-Cope ring expansions upon treatment with vinyllithium; the former leads to bicyclo[4.2. 1]non-1(4)-en-6-ones and the latter to the first examples of bicyclo[5.2.1]dec-1(10)-en-5-ones, compounds having exceptionally strained bridgehead double bonds. The transformations are controlled by the 6-exo-methyl group in the starting material along with the substituent at position-1 (bridgehead) which force attack of the lithium reagent from the concave face of the starting material, thus allowing the cyclopentenyl or alkylidene groups to participate in the sigmatropic event.

Definitive evidence for the existence of the "sitting-atop" porphyrin complexes in nonaqueous solutions.

Definitive evidence for the intermediate in metalloporphyrin formation produced in the interaction of meso-tetraphenylporphine and [Rh(CO)2Cl]2, the "sitting-atop" complex (SAT), is given in this article. The second-order kinetics of SAT complex formation, the small rate constant for the formation reaction, and the equilibrium study indicate a one-to-one complex between the meso-tetraphenylporphine and [Rh(CO)2Cl]2. The analytical data, infrared spectrum, and especially the proton magnetic resonance lead to a formulati-n of the "sitting-atop" complex shown in Fig. 8.

Electron transfer reactions in biological systems: the reduction of ferricytochrome c by chromous ions.

Chromous ion reacts with ferricytochrome c to yield a one-to-one Cr(III)-ferrocytochrome c complex. This material, when hydrolyzed by trypsin and subjected to chromatographic procedures, yielded two fragments containing chromium. The amino-acid compositions and chemical characteristics of each of these fragments indicated that the chromium had crosslinked two segments of polypeptide chain; these were residues 40-53-Cr(III)-residues 61-72 and residues 40-53-Cr(III)-residues 61-73. Examination of a model of the ferricytochrome c molecule indicated that only two residues of the crosslinked peptides were sufficiently close to allow crosslinking to take place. These residues were tyrosine 67 and asparagine 52. Enzymatic hydrolysis of one of those fragments by aminopeptidase M supported this identification. The position of the chromic ion implies what is the path of electron transfer from the chromous ion to the ferric ion in this chemical reduction of cytochrome c, and suggests a possible path of electron transfer in biological oxidation-reduction reactions.