Secondary alkene insertion and precision chain-walking: a new route to semicrystalline "polyethylene" from α-olefins by combining two rare catalytic events.

While traditional polymerization of linear α-olefins (LAOs) typically provides amorphous, low T(g) polymers, chain-straightening polymerization represents a route to semicrystalline materials. A series of α-diimine nickel catalysts were tested for the polymerization of various LAOs. Although known systems yielded amorphous or low-melting polymers, the "sandwich" α-diimines 3-6 yielded semicrystalline "polyethylene" comprised primarily of unbranched repeat units via a combination of uncommon regioselective 2,1-insertion and precision chain-walking events.

Cationic cyclizations and rearrangements promoted by a heterogeneous gold catalyst.

A heterogeneous gold catalyst with remarkable activity for promoting the electrophilic reactions of aryl vinyl ketones and aryl dienyl ketones is described. The catalyst is easy to prepare, is robust, and can be recycled. Low loadings are effective for different types of cationic reactions, including Nazarov cyclizations, lactonizations, and [1,2] shifts.

Beyond the Divinyl Ketone: Innovations in the Generation and Nazarov Cyclization of Pentadienyl Cation Intermediates.

The requirement for new strategies for synthesizing five-membered carbocycles has driven an expansion in the study of the Nazarov cyclization. This renewed interest in the reaction has led to the discovery of several interesting new methods for generating the pentadienyl cation intermediate central to the cyclization. Methods reviewed include carbon-heteroatom ionization, functionalization of a double bond, nucleophilic addition, or electrocyclic ring opening. Additional variations employ unconventional substrates to produce novel pentacycles, such as the iso- and imino-Nazarov. Herein, we provide an overview of these unconventional, yet highly useful versions of the Nazarov cyclization.

Divergent reaction pathways of a cationic intermediate: rearrangement and cyclization of 2-substituted furyl and benzofuryl enones catalyzed by iridium(III).

In contrast to 2-substituted pyrrole enones, furyl and benzofuryl enones do not undergo the Nazarov electrocyclization. Instead, these furyl and benzofuryl enones exhibit unusual rearrangement sequences in the presence of catalytic amounts of [IrBr(CO)(DIM)((R)-(+)-BINAP)](SbF(6))(2) (1; DIM = diethylisopropylidene malonate) and AgSbF(6) (1:1). A 1,2-H shift followed by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation leads to synthetically valuable cyclohexanones with furanylic quaternary centers. The electrophilicity of 1 is essential for this rearrangement.

Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic properties of new electrophilic iridium(III) complexes containing the (R)-(+)-2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl ligand.

The oxidative addition of MeI to the Ir(I) square-planar complex IrI(CO)((R)-(+)-BINAP) where (R)-(+)-BINAP = (R)-(+)-2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl)) results in the formation of two diastereomers in a 2:1 ratio of the Ir(III) oxidative addition product IrI(2)(CO)(Me)((R)-(+)-BINAP) (4a and 4b) in a 85% overall yield. Upon iodide abstraction from the diastereomeric mixture with 2 equiv of AgSbF(6) in the presence of diethyl isopropylidene malonate (DIM), two diastereomers of the dicationic complex [Ir(CO)(Me)(DIM)((R)-(+)-BINAP)][SbF(6)](2) (5) are formed in a 90% yield with a ratio of 9:1. One diastereomer of the diiodide complex 4 and one diastereomer of the dicationic complex 5 have been characterized by X-ray diffraction. An anion exchange reaction of 5 with NaBAr(4)(f-) (BAr(4)(f-) = B(3,5-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3))(4)) affords [Ir(CO)(Me)(DIM)((R)-(+)-BINAP)][BAr(4)(f)](2) (6) in quantitative yield. Both 5 and 6 are active Lewis acid catalysts for the polarized Nazarov cyclization and the Diels-Alder reaction. In the Nazarov cyclization, when NaBAr(4)(f) is added as a cofactor for the reaction catalyzed by 5 or 6, the resultant oxyallyl cation intermediate from the 4pi conrotation undergoes a Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement to afford spirocyclic cyclopentenones in modest to good yields.

alpha-Synuclein budding yeast model: toxicity enhanced by impaired proteasome and oxidative stress.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that results from the selective loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Misfolding and aggregation of the protein alpha-synuclein, oxidative damage, and proteasomal impairment are all hypotheses for the molecular cause of this selective neurotoxicity. Here, we describe a Saccharomyces cerevisiae model to evaluate the misfolding, aggregation, and toxicity-inducing ability of wild-type alpha-synuclein and three mutants (A30P, A53T, and A30P/A53T), and we compare regulation of these properties by dysfunctional proteasomes and by oxidative stress. We found prominent localization of wild-type and A53T alpha-synuclein near the plasma membrane, supporting known in vitro lipid-binding ability. In contrast, A30P was mostly cytoplasmic, whereas A30P/A53T displayed both types of fluorescence. Surprisingly, alpha-synuclein was not toxic to several yeast strains tested. When yeast mutants for the proteasomal barrel (doa3-1) were evaluated, delayed alpha-synuclein synthesis and membrane association were observed; yeast mutant for the proteasomal cap (sen3-1) exhibited increased accumulation and aggregation of alpha-synuclein. Both sen3-1and doa3-1 mutants exhibited synthetic lethality with alpha-synuclein. When yeasts were challenged with an oxidant (hydrogen peroxide), alpha-synuclein was extremely lethal to cells that lacked manganese superoxide dismutase Mn-SOD (sod2Delta) but not to cells that lacked copper, zinc superoxide dismutase Cu,Zn-SOD (sod1Delta). Despite the toxicity, sod2Delta cells never displayed intracellular aggregates of alpha-synuclein. We suggest that the toxic alpha-synuclein species in yeast are smaller than the visible aggregates, and toxicity might involve alpha-synuclein membrane association. Thus, yeasts have emerged effective organisms for characterizing factors and mechanisms that regulate alpha-synuclein toxicity.