In the presence of phenylsilane and 5 mol % cobalt(II) bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate), aryl-substituted monoenone monoaldehydes and bis(enones) undergo reductive cyclization to afford syn-aldol and anti-Michael products, respectively. For both aldol and Michael cycloreductions, five- and six-membered ring formation occurs in good yield with high levels of diastereoselectivity. Cycloreduction of monoenone monoaldehyde 1a in the presence of d(3)-phenylsilane reveals incorporation of a single deuterium at the enone beta-position as an equimolar mixture of epimers, inferring rapid isomerization of the kinetically formed cobalt enolate prior to cyclization. The deuterated product was characterized by single-crystal neutron diffraction analysis. For bis(enone) substrates, modulation of the silane source enables partitioning of the competitive Michael cycloreduction and [2 + 2] cycloaddition manifolds. A study of para-substituted acetophenone-derived bis(enones) reveals that substrate electronic features also direct partitioning of cycloreduction and cycloaddition manifolds. Further mechanistic insight is obtained through examination of the effects of enone geometry on product stereochemistry and electrochemical studies involving cathodic reduction of bis(enone) substrates. The collective experiments reveal competitive enone reduction pathways. Enone hydrometalation produces metallo-enolates en route to aldol and Michael cycloreduction products, that is, products derived from coupling at the alpha-position of the enone. Electron-transfer-mediated enone reduction produces metallo-oxy-pi-allyls en route to [2 + 2] cycloadducts and, under Ni catalysis, homoaldol cycloreduction products, that is, products derived from coupling at the beta-position of the enone. The convergent outcome of the metal-catalyzed and electrochemically induced transformations suggests the proposed oxy-pi-allyl intermediates embody character consistent with the mesomeric metal-complexed anion radicals.

A nonlinear optical chromophore for photorefractive applications containing a 2-dicyanomethylen- 3-cyano-2,5-dihydrofuran acceptor group is presented. When doped into a plasticized composite of poly(n-vinylcarbazole), large gain coefficients (Γ) are observed with photorefractive speed similar to the best composites reported in the literature while maintaining low sample absorption (∼15 cm−1).

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[reaction: see text] The anion radicals of certain bis(enones), generated by cathodic reduction, are observed to participate in intramolecular cyclobutanation, yielding bicyclo[3.2.0]heptane derivatives through an anion radical chain mechanism. Evidence for stepwise cycloaddition involving distonic anion radical intermediates is presented. In addition to the novel anion radical cyclobutanations, an unprecedented intramolecular anion radical Diels-Alder product is observed. Parallel trends in substrate scope vis-à-vis the Co-catalyzed bis(enone) cyclobutanation are discussed.

The preparation and evaluation of a new class of photoresponsive polymers are described on the basis of a process called quantum amplified isomerization (QAI). The QAI process utilizes photoinitiated, cation radical isomerization chemistry in a polymeric medium. Two classes of materials are described: one where the QAI reactant is molecularly doped in the polymer matrix and another where the reactant is part of a functionalized polymer. Quantum yield experiments demonstrate that the isomerization reaction can proceed by a chain process with modest efficiencies. Photochemical conversion experiments show that high extents of conversion of the QAI reactants are possible. The rate and extent of conversion are strongly correlated to the glass transition temperature of the polymer. For molecularly doped polymers, hypotheses to explain the high conversions based on diffusion or phase separation of the reactants were tested and excluded. Models are discussed to rationalize experimental factors that affect the quantum yields and the photochemical conversions.