Challenges of pheromone-based mating disruption of Cydia strobilella and Dioryctria abietella in spruce seed orchards.

Seed orchards function as the primary source of high-quality seeds for reforestation in many European countries, but their seed yields can be severely reduced due to seed- and cone-feeding insects. We evaluated various parameters of pheromone-based mating disruption for control of the moths Cydia strobilella and Dioryctria abietella, which are major pests in European Picea abies seed orchards. We applied different types of pheromone dispensers (rubber septa or wax droplets) at different densities and heights, and with different amounts of active components, covering whole orchards or part of an orchard. The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated by analysing male captures in pheromone-baited assessment traps, and presence of larvae in cones. A dramatic decrease (94-100%) in capture of males in traps occurred in all pheromone-treated plots compared to control plots for both moth species. In contrast, a subsequent reduction in larval numbers in cones was only achieved when wax droplets were used as the dispensing formulation at high density and at the highest pheromone dose tested, and only in half of the trials for each pest species. Electrophysiological recordings using antennae of male C. strobilella indicated elevated pheromone concentrations in a treated plot versus a control plot. Our results show that mating disruption has potential to reduce cone damage in spruce seed orchards caused by C. strobilella and D. abietella, but optimisation of the technique is required to achieve consistent and efficient population suppression of these pests.

Chemical Modification of Polyisobutylene Succinimide Dispersants and Characterization of Their Associative Properties.

The secondary amines found in b-PIBSI dispersants prepared by attaching two polyisobutylene chains to a polyamine core via two succinimide moieties were reacted with ethylene carbonate (EC). The reaction generated urethane bonds on the polyamine core to yield the modified b-PIBSI dispersants (Mb-PIBSI). Five dispersants were prepared by reacting 2 molar equivalent (meq) of polyisobutylene terminated at one end with a succinic anhydride moiety (PIBSA) with 1 meq of hexamethylenediamine (HMDA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), and pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA) to yield the corresponding b-PIBSI dispersants. Characterization of the level of secondary amine modification for the Mb-PIBSI dispersants with traditional techniques such as FTIR and (1)H NMR spectroscopies was greatly complicated by interactions between the carbonyls of the succinimide groups and unreacted secondary amines of the Mb-PIBSI dispersants. Therefore, an alternative procedure was developed based on fluorescence quenching of the succinimides by secondary amines and urethane groups. The procedure took advantage of the fact that the succinimide fluorescence of the Mb-PIBSI dispersants was quenched much more efficiently by secondary amines than by the urethane groups that resulted from the EC modification of the amines. While EC modification did not proceed for b-PIBSI-DETA and b-PIBSI-TETA certainly due to steric hindrance, 60 and 70% of the secondary amines found in the longer polyamine core of b-PIBSI-TEPA and b-PIBSI-PEHA had reacted with EC as determined by the fluorescence quenching analysis. Furthermore, the ability of the Mb-PIBSI dispersants to adsorb at the surface of carbon black particles used as mimic of the carbonaceous particles typically found in engine oils was compared to that of their unmodified analogues.

Characterization of the chemical composition of polyisobutylene-based oil-soluble dispersants by fluorescence.

A novel methodology based on fluorescence quenching measurements is introduced to determine quantitatively the amine content of polyisobutylene succinimide (PIBSI) dispersants used as engine oil-additives. To this end, a series of five PIBSI dispersants were prepared by reacting 2 mol equiv of polyisobutylene succinic anhydride (PIBSA) with 1 mol equiv of hexamethylenediamine (HMDA), diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, and pentaethylenehexamine to yield the corresponding b-PIBSI dispersants. After having demonstrated that the presence of hydrogen bonds between the polyamine linker and the succinimide carbonyls of the dispersants prevents the quantitative analysis of the (1)H NMR and FTIR spectra of the dispersants to determine their chemical composition, alternative procedures based on gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and fluorescence quenching were implemented to estimate the amine content of the b-PIBSI dispersants. Taking advantage of the doubling in size that occurs when 2 mol of PIBSA are reacted with 1 mol of HMDA, a combination of GPC and FTIR was employed to follow how the chemical composition and molecular weight distribution of the polymers produced evolved with the reaction of PIBSA and HMDA mixed at different molar ratios. These experiments provided the PIBSA-to-HMDA molar ratio yielding the largest b-PIBSI dispersants and this molar ratio was then selected to prepare the four other dispersants. Having prepared five b-PIBSI dispersants with well-defined secondary amine content, the fluorescence of the succinimide groups was found to decrease with increasing number of secondary amines present in the polyamine linker. This result suggests that fluorescence quenching provides a valid method to determine the chemical composition of b-PIBSI dispersants which is otherwise difficult to characterize by standard (1)H NMR and FTIR spectroscopies.

Binaphthol-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate arylboration of enones.

Conjugate addition of arylboronates to α,ß-unsaturated ketones may be catalyzed by chiral binaphthols with enantioselectivities of up to 99:1. Best results were observed with 3,3'-dichloro-BINOL. This chemistry was applied to syntheses of intermediates for syntheses of (+)-indatraline and (+)-tolterodine.

The use of phosphine ligands to control the regiochemistry of Pd-catalyzed hydrostannations of 1-alkynes: synthesis of (E)-1-tributylstannyl-1-alkenes.

The regiochemistry of palladium-catalyzed hydrostannations of terminal alkynes is dramatically influenced by ligand effects. Use of phosphines such as Cy3P, t-Bu2PCH2t-Bu, and t-Bu3P provides (E)-1-tributylstannyl-1-alkenes with regioselectivities up to >99:<1 for substrates where the commonly used Ph3P shows much lower regioselectivities.

A practical one-pot synthesis of vinylstannanes from ketones.

Treatment of ketones with Bu3SnLi followed by addition of MsCl/Et3N to the resulting alkoxide provides vinylstannanes. Cyclic vinylstannanes are particularly amenable to this procedure and isolated yields of 81-83% could be consistently attained. Traces of Bu3SnH in crude reaction products could be removed by stirring in CHCl3 with a catalytic amount of AIBN followed by filtration through silica gel.

Asymmetric allylboration of cyclic imines and applications to alkaloid synthesis.

Treatment of cyclic imines with 3,3'-disubstituted binaphthol modified allylboronates provides the expected allylated products in good yields and with high stereoselectivities (91-99% ee). The products may be readily transformed into various alkaloids.

Asymmetric synthesis of propargylamides via 3,3'-disubstituted binaphthol-modified alkynylboronates.

[reaction: see text] Alkynylboronates derived from 3,3'-disubstituted-2,2'-binaphthols react with various N-acylimines to give the expected chiral propargylamides with up to 99% ee. This new methodology was applied to the first enantioselective synthesis of the antitubulin agent (-)-N-acetylcolchinol.

Ligand-catalyzed asymmetric alkynylboration of enones: a new paradigm for asymmetric synthesis using organoboranes.

Asymmetric conjugate alkynylation of enones may be effected using a B-1-alkynyldiisopropylboronate and catalytic amounts of binaphthol ligands. The high enantioselectivities observed are comparable to those obtained using stoichiometric amounts of binaphthol-modified boronate reagents, suggesting that this is a ligand-accelerated process. This is the first demonstration that catalytic amounts of chiral diols can be used with boronates to effect high levels of stereochemical control.

Stille coupling of stereochemically defined alpha-sulfonamidoorganostannanes.

Addition of tributylstannylmetallics to (R)-tert-butanesulfonimine derivatives of arylaldehydes provides alpha-sulfinamidostannanes with high (>98% de) diastereoselectivities. Oxidation of these compounds with m-CPBA gives alpha-sulfonamidostannanes which undergo Pd/Cu-catalyzed Stille-type couplings with benzoyl chloride. Best yields are achieved using the electron-rich tris(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)phosphine as the ligand. Inversion of configuration at the benzylic carbon is observed.

Asymmetric allylboration of aldehydes and ketones using 3,3'-disubstitutedbinaphthol-modified boronates.

Allylboronates derived from 3,3'-disubstituted 2,2'-binaphthols react with aldehydes and ketones to give the expected allylated products with up to >99:1 er. Highest selectivities were observed for aromatic ketones. The bis(trifluoromethyl) derivative is particularly outstanding in terms of reactivity, selectivity, and robustness. [reaction: see text]

Addition of Bu3SnLi to tert-butanesulfinimines as an efficient route to chiral, nonracemic alpha-aminoorganostannanes.

[reaction: see text]. Addition of Bu3SnLi to tert-butanesulfinimines proceeds with high diastereoselectivities to provide the expected adducts in excellent yields and typically with dr = >99:1. These adducts are readily converted to enantiomerically enriched N-Boc-protected alpha-aminoorganostannanes with complete retention of configuration.

Enantioselective reduction of trifluoromethyl ketones with chiral organomagnesium amides (COMAs).

Chiral organomagnesium amides (COMAs), readily prepared from dialkylmagnesiums and chiral secondary amines, can reduce trifluoromethyl ketones to form secondary alcohols with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98:2 er) and chemical yields (typically >95% conversion, >85% isolated yields). These MPV-type reductions use an achiral hydride source, and the chiral amine is readily recovered. [reaction: see text]

Enantioselective alkylation of aldehydes with chiral organomagnesium amides (COMAs).

[reaction: see text] Dialkylmagnesiums react with chiral secondary amines to form chiral organomagnesium amides (COMAs). These reagents alkylate aldehydes to form secondary alcohols with enantioselectivities up to 91:9 er.

Chemistry of N-Boc-N-tert-butylthiomethyl-protected alpha-aminoorganostannanes: diastereoselective synthesis of primary beta-amino alcohols from alpha-aminoorganostannanes.

Reaction of N-Boc-N-tert-butylthiomethyl-protected alpha-aminoorganostannanes with n-BuLi generates the corresponding alpha-aminoorganolithiums. Reactions of these organolithiums with aromatic aldehydes provides N-protected beta-amino alcohols with diastereoselectivities up to >99:1 anti/syn; with aliphatic aldehydes, diastereoselectivities were typically 1:1. Diastereoselectivities varied depending on the amount of aldehyde used. The N-protected beta-amino alcohols could be deprotected to primary amines by treatment with NaH to generate oxazolidinones followed by basic hydrolysis. Alternatively, treatment of the protected amino alcohols with acid furnished cyclic acetals that could be deprotected to primary amines with BF(3).OEt(2) and HS(CH(2))(3)SH. Transmetalation of enantiomerically enriched organostannanes with n-BuLi at -95 degrees C provided organolithiums that, although less configurationally stable than N-Boc-N-methyl-protected alpha-aminoorganolithiums, could be trapped with aldehydes with near-complete retention of configuration.

Diastereoselective reactions of delta-oxy-substituted allylic acetates with organocopper reagents.

S(N)2' (gamma) substitutions of delta-substituted allylic acetates with Grignard reagents and copper catalysts proceed with high diastereoselectivities. With benzyloxy, methoxymethoxy, and tert-butyldimethylsiloxy groups, reactions favor the anti-isomer with selectivities up to anti:syn = >99:1. With a hydroxyl group, selectivities are reversed and the syn-isomer is favored with selectivities up to anti:syn = <1:99.