L-proline/cholesterol and diosgenin based thiourea cooperative system for the direct asymmetric aldol reaction in the presence of water.

A series of cholesterol and based hydrophobic urea and thiourea compounds were synthesized and successfully used as a cocatalyst for L-proline catalyzed aldol reactions in the presence of water. The anticonfigured products were obtained with good yields (up to 94%), high diastereoselectivities (up to 95:5), and high enantiomeric excesses (up to 93% ee ). The successful results for catalytic efficiency of L-proline in the presence of water reveal the importance of the hydrophobic nature of cholesterol and diosgenin parts of thiourea on the reactivity and selectivity in the presence of water.

Impedance Spectroscopy of Ionic Ligand-Modulated Charge Transport of Gold Nanoparticle Films.

Assembled monolayer-protected nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique electrical properties that are determined by the coupled effects of their nano-sized electroactive inorganic cores that are capable of donating and accepting electrons and the organic shells. Core and ligand engineering for NP conductance modulation has been extensively explored; however, most studies focus on electron transport and not the interplay between the ion and electron transport processes. It is demonstrated here that electronic- and ionic-conducting properties of nanoparticle assemblies can be controlled by engineering the charge and flexibility of the ligand shell. By using impedance spectroscopy, the electronic, mixed ionic and electronic, and responsive conductance of the nanoparticle film and structure-function correlation are systematically investigated, and this correlation is used to provide a prototype volatile gas sensor based on the combined ionic and electronic conductance behavior of ionic ligand-functionalized gold NPs.

Flavin as a photo-active acceptor for efficient energy and charge transfer in a model donor-acceptor system.

A donor-acceptor dyad model system using a flavin moiety as a photo-active acceptor has been synthesized for an energy and photo-induced electron transfer study. The photophysical investigations of the dyad revealed a multi-path energy and electron transfer process with a very high transfer efficiency. The photo-activity of flavin was believed to play an important role in the process, implying the potential application of flavin as a novel acceptor molecule for photovoltaics.

Recognition-mediated assembly of quantum dot polymer conjugates with controlled morphology.

We have demonstrated a polymer mediated "bricks and mortar" method for the self-assembly of quantum dots (QDs). This strategy allows QDs to self-assemble into structured aggregates using complementary three-point hydrogen bonding. The resulting nanocomposites have distinct morphologies and inter-particle distances based on the ratio between QDs and polymer. Time resolved photoluminescence measurements showed that the optical properties of the QDs were retained after self-assembly.

Direct enantioselective aldol reactions catalyzed by a proline-thiourea host-guest complex.

Proline-thiourea host-guest complex-catalyzed direct enantioselective aldol reactions have been developed, in which the catalytic activities were evaluated in the direct asymmetric aldol reactions of various aromatic aldehydes and cyclohexanone.

Addition of trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane to acyl phosphonates: synthesis of TMS-protected 1-alkyl-1-trifluoromethyl-1-hydroxyphosphonates and 1-aryldifluoroethenyl phosphates.

Addition reactions of nucleophilic CF3TMS to acyl phosphonates were investigated. Various acyl phosphonates reacted readily with CF3TMS in the presence of K2CO3 in DMF at rt to give 1-alkyl-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-trimethylsilyloxyethylphosphonate in 70-90% yields. When benzoyl phosphonates were used as starting material, after addition of CF3, the formed alcoholate undergoes phosphonate-phosphate rearrangement to form the acyl anion, followed by elimination of F- to give 1-aryldifluoroethenyl phosphates in 87-97% yields. As a representative example, vinylphosphate 6a was converted into 2,2-difluoro-1-phenylethanone 7 with 6 N HCl/EtOH/reflux or CAN/NaOH/MeOH/0 degrees C in 82-90% yields.

Cyanide ion promoted addition of acyl phosphonates to ethyl cyanoformate: synthesis of tertiary carbinols via tandem carbon-carbon bond formations.

New cyanation/phosphonate-phosphate rearrangement/C-acylation reactions of cyanophosphate anion with cyanoformate esters are described. Phase-transfer cocatalysts facilitate cyanide-catalyzed reactions between acyl phosphonates and cyanoformates to afford protected tertiary carbinol products in good to excellent yields (74-95%). Ethyl cyanoformate is used as a cyanide source and electrophile. The scope of the reaction was investigated by using a number of benzoyl and acyl phosphonates along with ethyl cyanoformate. Representative chemoselective reduction of the product 5a afforded ethyl 3-amino-2-hydroxy-2-phenylpropanoate (13) in good yield.

Generation of acyl anion equivalents from acylphosphonates via phosphonate-phosphate rearrangement: a highly practical method for cross-benzoin reaction.

[reactions: see text] Acylphosphonates are potent acyl anion precursors that generate acyl anion equivalents under the promotion of cyanide anion via phosphonate-phosphate rearrangement. These anions readily react with aldehydes to provide cross-benzoin products. In this way it is possible to synthesize a variety of aromatic-aromatic, aromatic-aliphatic, and aliphatic-aromatic benzoins. Moreover the reaction of benzoylphosphonate with potent electrophile 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone provided the corresponding aldehyde-ketone coupling product in high yield.