Photoinduced Efficient Catalytic α-Alkylation Reactions of Active Methylene and Methine Compounds with Nonactivated Alkenes.

In catalytic α-alkylation reactions of carbonyl compounds, although SN2-type substitution reactions of enolates with alkyl halides are a conventional methodology, addition reactions with alkenes are more desirable because of their atom-economical character; however, reactions with nonactivated alkenes are challenging. Here, we developed highly efficient catalytic α-alkylation reactions of active methylene and methine compounds with nonactivated alkenes such as 1-decene using an organophotocatalyst and lithium thiophenoxide as a Lewis acid/Brønsted base/hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) multifunctional catalyst under blue-light irradiation. The reaction was also performed with a higher degree of efficiency under a continuous-flow system to obtain the products in multigram scales. The present reaction system enables highly efficient and practical α-alkylation reactions of active methylene and methine compounds to be achieved.

A Serendipitous One-Pot Cyanation/Hydrolysis/Enamide Formation: Direct Access to 3-Methyleneisoindolin-1-ones.

A direct, one-pot conversion of 2'-haloacetophenones to 3-methyleneisoindolin-1-one scaffolds using CuCN as the sole reagent without the need for moisture-free or anaerobic conditions is reported. This serendipitously discovered transformation with a broad substrate scope provides a significantly different route towards these important scaffolds. The scope of the method has also been further extended towards the synthesis of three special scaffolds, which are analogous to various bio-active drugs.

Role of histopathology in diagnosis of ovarian neoplasms: Our experience in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

CONTEXT: Ovarian tumours are known to be diverse biologically, varying from non-malignant to malignant tumours having implication on course of the management and prognosis. To address the paucity of such study on ovarian neoplasm from our region of West Bengal, we planned and executed this study. The aim of the study was to analyse the distribution of various ovarian tumours and classify them according to the biological behaviour, age, laterality, and mode of the presentation. SETTING AND DESIGN: It was a retrospective study done in a tertiary care center of Kolkata, India. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective data of 4 years comprising 84 cases were included in the study from January 2016 to December 2019. All the slides were retrieved from the archives and re-evaluated and cross-checked with patients' clinical history, demographic, and macroscopic findings. RESULTS: Out of these 84 tumours, maximum cases were of surface epithelial neoplasms (69%) followed by germ cell tumours (26.1%). Age interval of 19-40 years accounted for the highest number of individuals with equal predominance of both sites of the ovary. Serous cyst adenocarcinoma was the most common malignant tumour. CONCLUSION: Histological examination remains the mainstay in the early diagnosis of ovarian tumours and facilitates timely appropriate management of patients, and hence, reduces overall mortality in women.

Development of Catalytic Enantioselective Mannich Reactions Using Esters.

Catalytic enantioselective Mannich reactions of simple nonactivated esters proceeded using a chiral potassium strong base catalyst prepared from a chiral bisoxazoline and potassium hexamethyldisilazide. Alkyl acetates, alkyl propionates, and an alkyl butyrate were employed as the simple esters, and the desired reactions proceeded smoothly to afford Mannich products in good to high yields with high enantioselectivities. One of the products was successfully employed in the asymmetric total synthesis of Maraviroc.

An Unprecedented, Lewis Acid-Mediated, Metal-Free Iodoannulation Strategy to Aromatic Iodides.

A direct transformation of ortho-alkynylated aromatic vinyl ethers to 1-iodonaphthalenes and other iodo-heterocycles under mild Lewis acidic conditions in the presence of iodide as an external nucleophile is reported. The first example of an iodoannulation strategy using a nucleophilic source of iodine, coupled with good to excellent yields, exclusive alpha regioselectivity and a broad substrate scope makes this work an attractive avenue towards the construction of aromatic iodides.