Search

An enantioselective conjugate addition of ethylene sulfonyl fluorides to 3-amido-2-oxindoles has been developed. Quinine-derived squaramides were identified as efficient catalysts. A series of spirocyclic oxindole sultams were prepared with excellent yields and enantioselectivities. A reaction mechanism via bifunctional activation was proposed.

A series of (3-benzyl-5-hydroxyphenyl)carbamates were evaluated as new antibacterial agents. Several compounds showed potent inhibitory activity against sensitive and drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. The compounds are ineffective against all tested Gram-negative bacteria. The structure of the ester group exerted a profound effect on antibacterial activity. 4,4-Dimethylcyclohexanyl carbamate 6h exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against the standard and clinically isolated Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecalis (minimum inhibitory concentration = 4-8 µg/ml) strains. The preliminary experimental evidence indicated that these carbamates target the bacterial cell wall and share a similar mechanism of action with vancomycin.

An enantioselective conjugate addition of ethylene sulfonyl fluorides to 3-amido-2-oxindoles has been developed. Quinine-derived squaramides were identified as efficient catalysts. A series of spirocyclic oxindole sultams were prepared with excellent yields and enantioselectivities. A reaction mechanism via bifunctional activation was proposed.

It is known that hexagonal circle packings can be used to approximate the Riemann mappings. Here, the convergence of the hexagonal circle packings is generalized to that of circle packings with bounded degree. We shall show that the first two derivatives of the bounded degree circle packings converge to the Riemann mapping function's first two derivatives, respectively; moreover we give the explicit estimates for the rates of convergence. §Dedicated to Professor Jian-Ke Lu on the ocassion of his 85th birthday.