Polyurethane prepolymers are widely used in reactive hot melt adhesives and moisture cured coatings. NCO-terminated polyurethane of polypropylene glycol (PPG)-1000 and isophoron diisocyanate (IPDI) with an NCO/OH ratio of 1.2:1 were prepared without any catalyst or solvent. 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy was used for the structural investigation of the synthesized prepolymer. 1 H NMR spectra and dibutylamine back-titration were used to monitor the reaction of isocyanate groups with the hydroxyl function of PPG and to allow a good description of the evaluation of the urethane groups. The data on percentage conversion were crosschecked with 13 C NMR spectroscopy in the urethane zone for the methanol endcapped prepolymer. The observations show a higher reactivity of the secondary NCO group than of the primary group.

A first total synthesis of acortatarins A, B, and an enantiomer of the proposed structure of acortatarin B is described by using readily available d-sugars. This convergent total synthesis revealed the revision of the absolute configuration of acortatarin A and structural revision of acortatarin B. The key steps involved are regioselective epoxide opening with deprotonated 2,5-disubstituted pyrrole and spiroketalization.

Oligomers of a new class of sugar amino acids (SAA) using a xylofuranoic acid has been shown to generate a robust 14-helix. The design involved the use of xylofuranose with a cis arrangement between the amine and carboxyl groups to promote the adoption of a 14-helix instead of a mixed 12/10-helix observed in a sugar oligomer using a ribofuranoic acid and beta-Ala. The observation of a stable right-handed 14-helix in a cis-SAA is unprecedented.

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The oligomers of constrained cis-exo-beta-norbornene amino acid were synthesised and characterised by extensive NMR, CD, IR and MD studies. The results showed the formation of both right and left handed consecutive 6-membered hydrogen-bonded strands for [2S,3R] and [2R,3S] enantiomers, respectively.