Chitosan oligosaccharide based Gd-DTPA complex as a potential bimodal magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent.

A new gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) complex (Gd-DTPA-DMABA-CS11) as a potential bimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent with fluorescence was synthesized. It was synthesized by the incorporation of 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (DMABA) and chitosan oligosaccharide (CSn; n=11) with low polydispersity index to DTPA anhydride and then chelated with gadolinium chloride. The structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), (1)H NMR, elemental analysis and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).

Asymmetric phase-transfer-catalyzed conjugate addition of glycine imine to exocyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones: construction of polycyclic imines containing three stereocenters.

We developed a facile, one-pot, multistep transformation between glycine imine and exocyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones in reactions catalyzed by chiral phase-transfer catalysts (PTC). A series of polycyclic imines containing three adjacent stereocenters were obtained in good to high yields with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities. Further transformation of the imines could afford N-fused polycyclic compounds with four adjacent stereocenters.

Biomimetic catalytic enantioselective decarboxylative aldol reaction of β-ketoacids with trifluoromethyl ketones.

We disclose an organocatalyzed enantioselective decarboxylative ketone aldol reaction of β-ketoacids with trifluoromethyl ketones in the presence of biscinchona alkaloid (DHQD)(2)AQN, affording chiral tertiary alcohols in up to 98% yield and 90% ee.

A powerful synergistic effect for highly efficient diastereo- and enantioselective phase-transfer catalyzed conjugate additions.

An efficient, catalytic, diastereo- and enantioselective conjugate addition of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester to β-aryl substituted enones was realized in the presence of 1 mol% of newly desired dinuclear N-spiro-ammonium salts, affording functionalized α-amino acid derivatives in 57-98% yields with high diastereoselectivity (up to 99:1 dr) and enantioselectivity (up to 96.5:3.5 er).

Catalytic stereoselective synthesis of highly substituted indanones via tandem Nazarov cyclization and electrophilic fluorination trapping.

A new catalytic stereoselective tandem transformation via Nazarov cyclization/electrophilic fluorination has been accomplished. This sequence is efficiently catalyzed by a Cu(II) complex to afford fluorine-containing 1-indanone derivatives with two new stereocenters with high diastereoselectivity (trans/cis up to 49/1). Three examples of catalytic enantioselective tandem transformation are presented.