Provided are methods of producing carbonyl compounds (e.g., carbonyl containing compounds) and catalysts for producing carbonyl compounds. Also provided are methods of making polymers from carbonyl compounds and polymers formed from carbonyl compounds. A method may produce carbonyl compounds, such as, for example ,-disubstituted carbonyl compounds (e.g., ,-disubstituted -lactones). The polymers may be produced from ,-disubstituted -lactones, which may be produced by a method described herein.

An oxidative homocoupling method of synthesizing certain 2,2-bithiophenes from thiophenes using oxygen as the terminal oxidant is disclosed. In non-limiting examples, the method uses oxygen along with a catalytic system that includes palladium, an assistive ligand, and a non-palladium metal additive to catalyze one of the following reactions: ##STR00001## Associated catalytic systems and compositions are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst. Also disclosed are a method for preparing the zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst and a method for producing a methyl N-phenyl carbamate in high yield with high selectivity in the presence of the catalyst. The zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst can be reused due to its high reaction stability. In addition, the use of the zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst leads to a marked improvement in the production yield of a methyl N-phenyl carbamate with high selectivity.

The present invention provides a novel ligand compound, a transition metal compound and a catalyst composition including the same.

Disclosed are novel analogs of cytisine, a process for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their use in the prevention of or treatment of CNS disorders including addictive disorders.

A highly efficient, Z-selective ring-closing metathesis system for the formation of macrocycles using a stereoretentive, ruthenium-based catalyst supported by a dithiolate ligand is reported. This catalyst is demonstrated to be remarkably active as observed in initiation experiments showing complete catalyst initiation at 20 C. within 10 min. Using easily accessible diene starting materials bearing a Z-olefin moiety, macrocyclization reactions generated products with significantly higher Z-selectivity in appreciably shorter reaction times, in higher yield, and with much lower catalyst loadings than in previously reported systems. Macrocyclic lactones ranging in size from twelve-membered to seventeen-membered rings are synthesized in moderate to high yields (68-79% yield) with excellent Z-selectivity (95%-99% Z).

Disclosed is a zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst. Also disclosed are a method for preparing the zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst and a method for producing a methyl N-phenyl carbamate in high yield with high selectivity in the presence of the catalyst. The zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst can be reused due to its high reaction stability. In addition, the use of the zinc-imidazole complex mixed catalyst leads to a marked improvement in the production yield of a methyl N-phenyl carbamate with high selectivity.

Disclosed are novel analogs of cytisine, a process for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their use in the prevention of or treatment of CNS disorders including addictive disorders.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of chiral and achiral macrocyclic polydentate ligands and methods of preparing the same. Disclosed herein are also embodiments of metal coordination complexes derived from these macrocyclic polydentate ligands and methods of preparing the same. The metal coordination complexes described herein, can be used for a variety of catalytic reactions, including hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of unsaturated organic compounds, dehydrogenation of alcohols and boranes, an asymmetric Michael-type addition reaction, or an aerobic oxidative kinetic resolution of an organic compound, dehydrogenative couplings and other catalytic transformations.

An oxidative homocoupling method of synthesizing certain 2,2-bithiophenes from thiophenes using oxygen as the terminal oxidant is disclosed. In non-limiting examples, the method uses oxygen along with a catalytic system that includes palladium, an assistive ligand, and a non-palladium metal additive to catalyze one of the following reactions:

##STR00001##

Associated catalytic systems and compositions are also disclosed.