Fragmentation, directed metal oxidation

In another search for an alternative to Potier s modified Polonovski reaction of catharanthine A-oxide (45), it has now been found that anhy-drovinblastine (42) can be generated directly, in 77% yield, from a reaction of catharanthine and vindoline in 0.01 N acid, promoted by ionized ferric salts, followed by reduction with sodium borohydride (Scheme 30) (Wl). Remarkably, the cation radical 106 generated by Fe(III), in accord with other simple amine oxidations by Lindsay Smith and Mead (102), resulted in isoquinuclidine fragmentation and coupling to vindoline at 0°C, without the conformational inversion observed in the modified Polonovski reaction at that temperature (see Scheme 15). Other metal oxidants or ligand-bound Fe(lll) did not promote the coupling reaction. It will be of interest to see if the overwhelming competition of C-5-C-6 bond... 

We became fascinated by potential modifications of such cells. In your mind, try a thought experiment envision a photoelectrochemi-cal cell in which the wire connecting the semiconductor anode (perhaps a metal oxide like Ti02) and the metallic cathode (perhaps platinum, which is a good hydrogen evolution catalyst) is shrunk until the counter electrodes are in direct contact. Now fragment the electrode so it is a powder, which is depicted in Figure 1.5. 

Cholestenone. Place a mixture of 1 0 g. of purified cholesterol and 0-2 g. of cupric oxide in a test-tube clamped securely at the top, add a fragment of Dry Ice in order to displace the air by carbon dioxide, and insert a plug of cotton wool in the mouth of the tube. Heat in a metal bath at 300-315° for 15 minutes and allow to cool rotate the test-tube occasionally in order to spread the melt on the sides. Warm with a few ml. of benzene and pour the black suspension directly into the top of a previously prepared chromatographic column (1) rinse the test-tube with a little more benzene and pour the rinsings into the column. With the aid of shght suction (> 3-4 cm. of mercury), draw the solution into the alumina column stir the top 0 -5 cm. or so with a stout copper wire to... 

The catalytic cycle for hydroboration is now widely accepted and direct examples of several intermediate species have been isolated and well characterized (Scheme 3).5-7 These now include (j-borane complexes, which have in some instances been found to be catalytic precursors for hydroboration.8-10 Oxidative addition of an H—B bond to a coordinatively unsaturated metal fragment... 

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