RSC Advances Blog

Functionalized allylamines are useful synthetic targets and important intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals such as cinnarizine (for the treatment of vertigo), flunarizine (for chronic migraine relief) and naftifine (antifungal for athlete’s foot treatment). The traditional synthesis of these compounds is atom-inefficient and requires the use of protecting groups and purification steps, so new and “greener” methods are still sought after.

In this work, Joseph Schmidt and co-workers from the University of Toleda, USA, have reported the synthesis of several allylamine compounds using a 100% atom economic hydroamination route. Their palladium complex catalyst [(3IP^tBu)Pd(allyl)]OTf could efficiently catalyse the reaction of allenes with alkyl amines at room temperature to produce the target compounds in good to excellent yields. Using p-fluorophenylallene as a starting material allowed for the selective isolation of either the branched or linear hydroamination product in high yield by adjusting the catalyst loading and reaction time.

To find out more, read the full article for free until the 16th October.

Palladium catalyzed intermolecular hydroamination of 1-substituted allenes: an atom-economical method for the synthesis of N-allylamines, John F. Beck, Danielle C. Samblanet and Joseph A. R. Schmidt, RSC Advances, 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c3ra43870h

The field of polymorphism is an area of growing importance, and the discussions around it and related terms are still on-going in the area of crystal engineering.

Here, Katharina Fromm and colleagues from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland look at the historical development of the definition of polymorphism.  This systematic review provides discussion of polymorphism as it relates to different classes of compounds: elements, inorganic compounds and organic and organometallic compounds with chosen examples. 

Look out for the three schematic flow diagrams included in the conclusions as useful tools for determining polymorphism for each class of compounds.

Read this article for free until 20th September 2013:

Polymorphism, what it is and how to identify it: a systematic review
Jean-Pierre Brog, Claire-Lise Chanez, Aurelien Crochet and Katharina M. Fromm
RSC Adv., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3RA41559G

Researchers in Austria have made these three-dimensional hydrogel scaffolds in the shape of tiny frogs. The frogs help demonstrate the efficacy of new water-soluble photoinitiators, developed by Robert Liska from Vienna University of Technology and colleagues, for fabricating micrometre-sized hydrogels quickly in complex, predesigned shapes.

Click here to see the frogs featured on the Chemistry World Facebook page!

Read the full article for free until the 30th August 2013:

Initiation efficiency and cytotoxicity of novel water-soluble two-photon photoinitiators for direct 3D microfabrication of hydrogels, Zhiquan Li, Jan Torgersen, Aliasghar Ajami, Severin Mühleder, Xiaohua Qin, Wolfgang Husinsky, Wolfgang Holnthoner, Aleksandr Ovsianikov, Jürgen Stampfl and Robert Liska, RSC Adv., 2013, Advance Article  DOI: 10.1039/C3RA42918K