Nitrile oxide cycloaddition to 4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone: Solvent effect and selectivity

The facial selectivity in the nitrile oxide cycloaddition reactions of 4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone and its bulky t-butyloxy derivative is reported. A quantitative evaluation of the solvent effect on the hydrogen bonding directing ability is given, showing the presence of some syn-stereoselectivity even in good H-bond acceptor solvents. The stereoselectivities of the O-t-butyl derivative may serve as reference data for more complex systems and point to the existence of a sole steric effect on the directivity; M(II) ions did not significantly improve the selectivity. The results are also discussed in light of the potential application of these scaffolds in the nucleoside analogue synthesis

The hydrogen bond directing effect in nitrile oxide cycloadditions to allylic substituted cyclopentenes.

A quantitative evaluation of the H-bond directing effect on the stereoselectivity in the cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 2-cyclopenten-1-ol and allylic cyclopentenyl amides is reported. In apolar solvents the H-bond directing effect promotes a high syn stereoselectivity while H-bond acceptor solvents divert the reactions to the anti face of the dipolarophile. Taft's b parameter gives a good description of the solvent effect on the H-bond directing effect. The persistence of some syn stereoselectivity even in good H-bond acceptor solvents points out the existence of some residual hydrogen bond direction. The syn stereoselectivity in the presence of M(II) salts was also investigated and the results discussed in the light of the potential application of these scaffolds in nucleoside synthesis

Changes in surgicaL behaviOrs dUring the CoviD-19 pandemic. The SICE CLOUD19 Study

BACKGROUND: The spread of the SARS-CoV2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease, profoundly impacted the surgical community. Recommendations have been published to manage patients needing surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey, under the aegis of the Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery, aims to analyze how Italian surgeons have changed their practice during the pandemic.METHODS: The authors designed an online survey that was circulated for completion to the Italian departments of general surgery registered in the Italian Ministry of Health database in December 2020. Questions were divided into three sections: hospital organization, screening policies, and safety profile of the surgical operation. The investigation periods were divided into the Italian pandemic phases I (March-May 2020), II (June-September 2020), and III (October-December 2020).RESULTS: Of 447 invited departments, 226 answered the survey. Most hospitals were treating both COVID-19-positive and -negative patients. The reduction in effective beds dedicated to surgical activity was significant, affecting 59% of the responding units. 12.4% of the respondents in phase I, 2.6% in phase II, and 7.7% in phase III reported that their surgical unit had been closed. 51.4%, 23.5%, and 47.8% of the respondents had at least one colleague reassigned to non-surgical COVID-19 activities during the three phases. There has been a reduction in elective (>200 procedures: 2.1%, 20.6% and 9.9% in the three phases, respectively) and emergency (<20 procedures: 43.3%, 27.1%, 36.5% in the three phases, respectively) surgical activity. The use of laparoscopy also had a setback in phase I (25.8% performed less than 20% of elective procedures through laparoscopy). 60.6% of the respondents used a smoke evacuation device during laparoscopy in phase I, 61.6% in phase II, and 64.2% in phase III. Almost all responders (82.8% vs. 93.2% vs. 92.7%) in each analyzed period did not modify or reduce the use of high-energy devices.CONCLUSION: This survey offers three faithful snapshots of how the surgical community has reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic during its three phases. The significant reduction in surgical activity indicates that better health policies and more evidence-based guidelines are needed to make up for lost time and surgery not performed during the pandemic