Graphite oxide (GO) and its derivatives have been studied using 13C and 1H NMR. NMR spectra of GO derivatives confirm the assignment of the 70 ppm line to C−OH groups and allow us to propose a new structural model for GO. Thus we assign the 60 ppm line to epoxide groups (1,2-ethers) and not to 1,3-ethers, as suggested earlier, and the 130 ppm line to aromatic entities and conjugated double bonds. GO contains two kinds of regions:  aromatic regions with unoxidized benzene rings and regions with aliphatic six-membered rings. The relative size of the two regions depends on the degree of oxidation. The carbon grid is nearly flat; only the carbons attached to OH groups have a slightly distorted tetrahedral configuration, resulting in some wrinkling of the layers. The formation of phenol (or aromatic diol) groups during deoxygenation indicates that the epoxide and the C−OH groups are very close to one another. The distribution of functional groups in every oxidized aromatic ring need not be identical, and both ...

Structure of Graphite Oxide Revisited

Synthetic Principles for Bandgap Control in Linear pi-Conjugated Systems.

2.5. Stabilization of IL Emulsions by Nanoparticles 2623 3. Hydrogenations in ILs 2623 3.1. Hydrogenation on IL-Stabilized Nanoparticles 2623 3.1.1. Hydrogenation of 1,3-Butadiene 2623 3.1.2. Hydrogenation of Alkenes and Arenes 2624 3.1.3. Hydrogenation of Ketones 2624 3.2. Homogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation in ILs 2624 3.3. Hydrogenation of Functionalized ILs 2625 3.3.1. Selective Hydrogenation of Polymers 2625 3.4. Asymmetric Hydrogenations 2626 3.4.1. Enantioselective Hydrogenation 2626 3.5. Role of the ILs Purity in Hydrogenation Reactions 2628

Catalysis in ionic liquids

The increasing demand to produce enantiomerically pure pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, flavors, and other fine chemicals has advanced the field of asymmetric catalytic technologies.1,2 Among all asymmetric catalytic methods, asymmetric hydrogenation utilizing molecular hydrogen to reduce prochiral olefins, ketones, and imines, have become one of the most efficient methods for constructing chiral compounds.3 The development of homogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation was initiated by Knowles4a and Horner4b in the late 1960s, after the discovery of Wilkinson’s homogeneous hydrogenation catalyst [RhCl(PPh3)3]. By replacing triphenylphosphine of the Wilkinson’s catalystwithresolvedchiralmonophosphines,6Knowles and Horner reported the earliest examples of enantioselective hydrogenation, albeit with poor enantioselectivity. Further exploration by Knowles with an improved monophosphine CAMP provided 88% ee in hydrogenation of dehydroamino acids.7 Later, two breakthroughs were made in asymmetric hydrogenation by Kagan and Knowles, respectively. Kagan reported the first bisphosphine ligand, DIOP, for Rhcatalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.8 The successful application of DIOP resulted in several significant directions for ligand design in asymmetric hydrogenation. Chelating bisphosphorus ligands could lead to superior enantioselectivity compared to monodentate phosphines. Additionally, P-chiral phosphorus ligands were not necessary for achieving high enantioselectivity, and ligands with backbone chirality could also provide excellent ee’s in asymmetric hydrogenation. Furthermore, C2 symmetry was an important structural feature for developing new efficient chiral ligands. Kagan’s seminal work immediately led to the rapid development of chiral bisphosphorus ligands. Knowles made his significant discovery of a C2-symmetric chelating bisphosphine ligand, DIPAMP.9 Due to its high catalytic efficiency in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of dehydroamino acids, DIPAMP was quickly employed in the industrial production of L-DOPA.10 The success of practical synthesis of L-DOPA via asymmetric hydrogenation constituted a milestone work and for this work Knowles was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2001.3k This work has enlightened chemists to realize * Corresponding author. 3029 Chem. Rev. 2003, 103, 3029−3069

New Chiral Phosphorus Ligands for Enantioselective Hydrogenation

Asymmetric 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions

The structure of a new type stable carbonium ion by X-ray determination of two analogous salts, [C24H18N]+BF4−, [C16H12N]+ClO4−

An X-ray structural analysis of the title charge-transfer complex revealed an unusual cage-like network formed by S––NC interactions of bis[1,2,5]thiadiazolotetracyanoquinodimethane (BTDA)(1) in which benzene was tightly included; the stabilization observed may be attributed to this inclusion behaviour.

Crystal structure of benzene–bis[1,2,5]thiadiazolotetracyanoquinodimethane (BTDA) complex: a weak charge-transfer complex stabilized by inclusion behaviour

The bridged, pentacyclic intermediate 2 for atisine (1) was synthesized in a naturally occurring enantiomeric form from dimethyl cyclohexanone-2,6-dicarboxylate (6). The synthesis is composed of the following key steps: (1) formation of the azabicyclo [3.3.1] nonane by a double Mannich reaction, (2) enantioselective conversion by a lipase-catalyzed acylation, (3) stereoselective hydroboration in the presence of BF 3 .Et 2 O, and (4) construction of the bicyclo [2.2.2] octane ring system by an intramolecular double Michael reaction

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Atisine via Intramolecular Double Michael Reaction.

The reaction proceeds with 1,3-butadiynes, 1-decyne or (tert-butylthio)ethyne (X) in the presence of RhH(PPh3)4 and an appropriate phosphine ligand.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Carbothiolation Reaction of 1-Alkylthio-1-alkynes.

Reaction of 3,3-disubstituted bornane-2-thiones with Br2, ICl, or Cl2 afforded the corresponding 10-bromobornane-2-thiones, 10-iodobornane-2-thiones, or the products originated from skeletal rearrangement of 10-chlorobornane-2-thiones, respectively.

Chizuko Kabuto

Papers

The structure of a new type stable carbonium ion by X-ray determination of two analogous salts, [C24H18N]+BF4−, [C16H12N]+ClO4−

Crystal structure of benzene–bis[1,2,5]thiadiazolotetracyanoquinodimethane (BTDA) complex: a weak charge-transfer complex stabilized by inclusion behaviour

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Atisine via Intramolecular Double Michael Reaction.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Carbothiolation Reaction of 1-Alkylthio-1-alkynes.

Regioselective Monohalogenation of 3,3‐Disubstituted Bornane‐2‐thiones via Thione—Dihalogen Complexes.