ALBERT

Notes: 5,6-Dimethylidene-exo-2,3-epoxynorbornane (1) is reduced slowly by LiAlH4 in boiling tetrahydrofuran (THF) and furnishes a mixture of 5,6-dimethylidene-exo-2-norbornanol (2), 2,3-dimethylidene-anti-7-norbornanol (3) and principally 6-methyl-5-methylidene-anti-3-nortricyclanol (4). The yield of 4 is the highest for low initial concentrations of LiAlH4; it decreases in favour of alcohols 2 and 3 at high concentration of LiAlH4. The reduction of 1 with AlH3 in THF yields 3 as the major product, thus revealing an efficient synthesis of 7-substituted-2, 3-dimethyl-idenenorbornane derivatives. No alcohol 2could be isolated by LiEt3BH reduction of 1. LiAlD4 reduces 1 into the monodeuterated alcohols 2-d, 3-d and 4-d. The deuterium label is found in the endo-position at C (3) in 2-d, in the exo-position at C(5) in 3-d and in the methyl group of the tricyclic alcohol 4-d. Mechanistic limits for the formation of 2, 3 and 4 are discussed briefly.

Notes: The enthalpy of formation of tris(methylidene)-cyclopropane (“[3]radialene”, 1) has been determined as ΔHfO = 396 ± 12 kJ mol-1 from three fragmentation reactions of its molecular ion 1+ formed from 1 by photoionisation using synchrotron radiation. Comparative electron impact measurements using conventional mass spectrometry were also performed. A treatment of the latter data is described which leads to satisfactory agreement with the photoionization data. The experimental value of ΔHfO(1) is compared with various theoretical estimates. The strain energy of 1 is calculated to be 226.3 kJ mol-1. Linear extrapolation of this quantity from the increase of strain in passing from cyclopropane to methylidenecyclopropane yields 282.4 kJ mol-1. The discrepancy between these values, already predicted by Dewar and Baird ten years ago from theoretical calculations, is discussed on the basis of maximum overlap considerations. The enthalpy of formation of bis(methylidene)cyclopropane is predicted to be ΔHfO= 309 kJ mol-1.

Notes: Leaf-gland Pigments: 6-Novel p-Quinomethanes of the Abietane Series from Plectranthus parviflorus WILLDThe above mentioned plant accumulates in its red coloured leaf-glands a complex mixture of strongly dehydrogenated abietanols. They were separated (with difficulties) to yield 6 novel compounds. Spectroscopic and chiroptic data show them to be esters of either 11, 19-dihydroxy- or 2 α, 11-dihydroxy-abieta-5, 7, 9 (11), 13-tetraen-12-one 2a and 3a, respectively. Specifically, the 19-O-p-hydroxybenzoate (2d) parvifloron C, the 19-O-vanilloate (2c) parvifloron B, the 19-O-p-hydroxy-benzoate (2d) parvifloron C, the 19-O-3′,4′-dihydroxybenzoate (2e) parvifloron E, the 2 α-O-p-hydroxybenzoate (3b) parvifloron D, and the 2 α-O-3′,4′-dihydroxy-benzoate (3c) parvifloron F. Reduction by LiAlH4 splits the ester function and reduces the p-quinomethane to a colourless pyrocatechol derivative which, by air oxidation, regenerates the red p-quinomethane system of 2a and 3a.

Notes: A calculation of the modification of the optical absorptions of an isotropic sample by a uniform external electric field is presented. The induced orientational anisotropy, the Stark shift and the field. dependence of the transition moment are taken into account up to the second order in the field. The final expressions differ in the contributions from the transition polarizabilities from previous results.

Notes: The photoelectron spectrum of tris (methylidene)-cyclopropane 1 (“[3]radialene”) is reported and the electronic states of 1+ assigned. Jahn-teller activity in the degenerate states of 1+is discussed. Differences in the Franck-Condon profile of the first PE band and the Rydberg series in the Vacuum-UV./UV. absorption spectrum indicate for the Rydberg series (n=3) a 1A″2-species, which supports earlier tentative proposals. The high intensity absorption in the 5.5 eV-6 eV energy range of the latter spectrum recorded earlier are definitely due to impurities. The vibrational fine structure of a weak band system around 5.5 eV in our spectrum suggests for this transition S0→S2(1A′1), which is dipole forbidden but borrows intensity from S1(1E′) trough vibronic coupling via an e′-mode. From vapor pressure measurements ε(λmax=289 nm) = 9390± 1170 for gaseous 1 was found.

Notes: IR. and Raman spectra of LnONO3 (50-4,000 cm-1, Ln=La, Gd, Eu, and Dy) are reported and discussed. The low frequency region of the spectra reflects the cubic structure of these compounds. The dimensions of the cubic unit cells determined by X-Ray powder diagrams are: 12.81 ± 0.05 Å for EuONO3, 12.69 ± 0.05 Å for GdONO3, and 12.67 ± 0.05 Å for DyONO3. The vibrational frequencies of the nitrato group are consistent with a bidentate nitrate of C2v symmetry. The synthesis of anhydrous Ln (NO3)3 (Ln=La, Gd, Eu, and Dy) by dehydration of the corresponding penta- or hexahydrates is described. The IR. and Raman spectra (50-4,000 cm-1) are analysed. Splitting of the bands point to a complex structure of these compounds. All six vibrational modes of the nitrato group are observed and the data are again consistent with bidentate NO-3 moieties. Finally, an analytical control of the purity of Ln (NO3)3 is suggested.

Notes: Synthesis of 3-Dimethylamino-3a,4,5, 7a-tetrahydro-1H-isoindol-1-ones by Intramolecular Diels-Alder ReactionThermolysis of N2-acylamidines, the acyl group of which derives from an α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated carboxylic acid (2, 5-7), yields 3-dimethylamino-3a,4,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-isoindol-1-ones (3,8-10, Schemes 1 and 3) in 63-78%. Only the thermodynamically controlled cis-fused ring system is formed. The starting materials are readily available by the reaction of 3-dimethylamino2H-azirines (1 and 4) and carboxylic acid chlorides.

Notes: Reactions of Aziridino-nitrenes: Synthesis of Polycyclic Bisaziridines and 1,2-Bisaziridino-diazenesVorgetragen in der Versammlung der Schweizerischen Chemischen Gesellschaft in Bern am 7.Oktober 1977.7-Amino-7-azabicyclo[4.1.0]-3-heptene (11b), cis-9-amino-9-azabicyclo[6.1.0]-nonane (12b), cis-9-amino-9-azabicyclo[6.1.0]-(4Z)-nonene (13b), as well as exo- and endo-3-amino-3-azatricyclo[3.2.1.02,4]-6-octene (14b and 15b) were synthesized by addition of oxidatively generated phthalimido-nitrene (6) to 1,4-hexadiene, (Z)-cyclooctene, (1Z,5Z)-cyclooctadiene, and bicyclo[2.2.1]heptadiene, respectively, followed by hydrazinolysis of the corresponding N-phthalimido-aziridines 11a-15a.Lead tetraacetate oxidation of the two unsaturated N-amino-aziridines 11b and 15b at -70° yielded diazapolycyclic structures by intramolecular addition of the intermediate aziridino-nitrenes 11c and 15c to the δ, ε-situated C, C-double bond; the products obtained in good yields were 1,5-diazatetracyclo [3.3.0.02,8. O4,6]-octane (16) and 3,7-diazapentacyclo [3.3.1.02,4.03,7.06.8] nonane (17), respectively Oxydation of the unsaturated N-amino-aziridine 13b under the same conditions did not cause intramolecular addition of the nitrene 13c to the ε, ζ-situated C, C-double bond; instead 1,2-bis (cis-9-azabicyclo [6.1.0]-(4Z)-nonen-9-yl)-diazene (20) was obtained in low yield and (1Z, 5Z)-cyclooctadiene as the main product. Both products can be rationalized as derived from the intermediate nitrene 13c with 13b and the olefine as the result of a fragmentation of 13c under extrusion of N2. As. expected, oxidation of the saturated N-amino-aziridine 12b led to the 1,2-bisaziridino-diazene 21 and (Z)-cyclooctene in a ratio of 4:6. Surprisingly, oxidation of 7-amino-7-azabicyclo [4.1.0]-heptane (10b) produced only fragmentation of the corresponding nitrene 10c to cyclohexene. Finally, oxidation of the exo-N-amino-aziridine 14b yielded a complex not yet resolved product mixture in low overall yield. Attempts to add the oxidatively generated aziridino-nitrene 12c to cyclohexene, methyl acrylate, and dimethylsulfoxide were without success.Heating the 1,2-bisaziridino-diazenes 20 and 21 at their respective m.p. temperatures caused thermal fragmentation to occur with evolution of nitrogen. The bisaziridines 26 and 28 as well as the aziridines 27 and 29, respectively, were isolated. These products could be the result of a radical pathway, whereas a small amount of (Z)-cyclooctene, also generated in the thermolysis of 21, might be formed by a competing cheletropic pathway.The 1H-NMR-spectra of the derivatives of cis-9-azabicyclo[6.1.0]nonane, namely of 12a, 12b, 21, 28 and 29, showed signals for some of the aliphatic protons which were separated from the others at relatively low field (around 2.5-1.8 ppm). These signals accounted for 4 (with 12b for 2) protons in each of the cis-9-azabicyclo[6.1.0]nonane subunits, i.e. more than the 2 expected for the aziridine methine protons. The additional signals must be assigned to methylene protons (2 or even 4 of them) probably situated on the other side of the eight membered ring and deshielded by the motion-average proximity to the aziridine nitrogen atom.

Notes: On the Carotenoids Flavoxanthin and Chrysanthemaxanthin: 1H-NMR., 13C-NMR. and Mass Spectra, Absolute Configuration, Survey of Published DataVery pure flavoxanthin (1) and chrysanthemaxanthin (2) have been reisolated from flower heads of Taraxacum officinale. Both compounds were characterized by chromatographic, chemical and chiroptical data and extensive NMR. measurements. Examination of many published data on 1 and 2 led to the conclusion that flavoxanthin has often been mistaken for chrysanthemaxanthin and vice versa.Chemical degradation of 1 and 2 to (-)-loliolide (5) coupled with NMR. evidence (ASIS, spin-decoupling, NOE) allowed the assignment of the absolute configurations of 1 and 2. Thus (+)-flavoxanthin is (3S,5R,8R, 3′R,6′R)-5, 8-epoxy-5, 8-dihydro-β, ε-carotene-3, 3′-diol and (+)-chrysanthemaxanthin its C(8)-epimer.

Notes: Synthesis and Chirality of (5S,6R)-5,6-Epoxy-5,6-dihydro-β,β-carotene and (5R,6R)-5,6-Dihydro-β,β-carotene-5,6-diol, a Compound with Unexpected Solubility CharacteristicsWittig-condensation of azafrinal (1e) with the phosphorane derived from 7 leads to a (1:3)-mixture of (E)-9′- and (Z)-9′-β,β-carotene-diol 3, from which pure and optically active 3 ((5R,6R)-5,6-dihydro-β,β-carotene-5,6-diol) has been isolated as bright violet leaflets, m.p. 168°. Due to the trans-configuration of the diol moiety and to severe steric hindrance, hydrogen bonding is reduced to such an extent, that 3 behaves much more as a hydrocarbon than as a diol. There is good evidence that the so-called ‘β-oxycarotin’ obtained by Kuhn & Brockmann [15] by chromic acid oxidation of β, β-carotene is the corresponding racemic cis-diol. 3 has been converted into (5S, 6R)-5,6-epoxy-5.6-dihydro-β,β-carotene (4), m.p. 156°. This transformation establishes for the first time the chirality of a caroteneepoxide (without other O-functions).Full spectral and chiroptical data including a complete assignement of 13C-chemical shifts for azafrin methyl ester and 3 are presented.