Ian Ashworth

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles within a supramolecular gel-phase network

Gold nanoparticles with diameters of ca. 13 nm were synthesised by UV irradiation of a supramolecular organogel into which HAuCl4 and tetraoctylammonium bromide had been diffused-the gel network plays an essential role in nanoparticle stabilisation.

An asymmetric synthesis of a 4-substituted-1,4-dihydropyridine

Abstract A concise, convergent asymmetric synthesis of the 4-substituted-1,4-dihydropyridine 1 [Ohnmacht, C. J., Jr.; Trainor, D. A.; Forst, J. M.; Stein, M. M.; Harris, R. J. Patent No. 5,622, 964] has been achieved via a novel asymmetric Michael addition of an optically pure vinylogous amide to an α,β-unsaturated ketone. The overall process is three steps from readily available starting materials and provides an economical manufacturing route to the title compound, which was required as a candidate drug for the treatment of urinary incontinence.