Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a thermosetting resin from renewable oils, the method comprising supplying renewable oil molecules containing strained ring alkene moieties; reacting the alkene moieties with cyclic alkenes to create a polymer; and repeating the above two steps until the resin having desired characteristics are obtained. Also provided is a thermoset resin comprising functionalized renewable oil polymerized with a co-monomer.

Abstract: The invention provides core-shell hybrid latexes wherein the core comprises poly(acrylate)polymers and the shell comprises vegetable oil-based waterborne polyurethanes, and the latexes lack surfactants. Surfactant-free core-shell hybrid latexes with waterborne vegetable oil-based polyurethanes as the shell and poly(acrylate) as the core have been successfully prepared by seeded emulsion polymerization. The crosslink densities of the polymers obtained can be controlled by using modified vegetable oil polyols with various hydroxyl numbers or by adding a multifunctional vinyl crosslinker to the poly(acrylate) core.

Abstract: Biological oils, conjugated biological oils, and metathesized or cometathesized biological oils are polymerized or co-polymerized with comonomers, which include styrene and divinylbenzene, norbornadiene and dicyclopentadiene, using a BF3.OEt2 initiator to provide plastics from renewable resources. The compositions are thermosetting polymers having damping and shape memory characteristics. These compositions can become industrial products of an unlimited variety.

Abstract: Biological oils, conjugated biological oils, and metathesized or cometathesized biological oils are polymerized or co-polymerized faith divinylbenzene, norboradiene and dicyclopentadiene using a BF3.OEt2 initiator to provide plastics from renewable resources. The products are thermosetting polymers having highly crosslinked structures, room temperature modulus of about 109 Pa, and excellent thermal stability, making the products useful for applications where current biodegradable plastics are not useable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of synthesizing compounds of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are independently H or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl--O--;R.sub.2 is R.sub.5 C(O)-- where R.sub.5 is (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl or H; andR.sub.4 is H, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl or (C.sub.5 -C.sub.7)aryl optionally substituted with (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl or halo.

Abstract: A method is provided for the regioselective, palladium catalyzed carbo- or heteroannulation of internal alkynes by aryl iodides containing o-substituted side chains to yield aromatic carbocyclic and heterocyclic ring systems.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to prepare epibatidine or an analog thereof comprising reacting a bicyclic olefin or diene, such as an azanorbornene, with an aryl or heteroaryl halide or triflate in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(O) and a formate salt.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing allylic alcohols by the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of vinylic epoxides and aryl halides, vinylic halides or vinylic triflates.

Abstract: A method is provided for preparing benzoprostacyclins by the palladium-catalyzed tandem alkene insertion into a 1,4-bisoxy-substituted cyclopent-2-ene intermediate.

Abstract: A method is provided for preparing benzoprostacyclins by the free-radical-catalyzed tandem alkene insertion into a 1,4-bisoxy-substituted cyclopent-2-ene intermediate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the alpha,omega-arylation/alkylation of a non-conjugated diene in one step by reacting the diene with an aryl iodide or an aryl bromide and a carbon nucleophile in the presence of an amount of a Pd(O) complex effective to catalyze the reaction.

Abstract: o-Iodoaryl allyl ethers undergo facile palladium-promoted cyclization to benzofurans.

Abstract: Synthesis of vinyl lactones by means of palladium catalyzed coupling of vinylic halides or triflates and certain unsaturated carboxylic acids.

Abstract: A direct coupling reaction which goes in high yields to couple an aryl halide with a cycloalkene.

Abstract: Propargylic halides, preferably the bromide and iodide, react with metallic mercury in a finely divided state, in the presence of sunlight to form the corresponding allenic or propargylic organomercuric halides in high yield.

Abstract: New interphenylene prostaglandin (PGH) analogs are prepared by a method which involves reacting a bicyclic olefin, an acetylene compound and a benzylic halide together, in the presence of a palladium(O) catalyst in a single-step synthesis. By this technique a large number of new interphenylene PGH analogs can be prepared, which are useful as inhibitors of arachidonic acid induced platelet aggregation.

Abstract: Arenes, such as benzoic acid and substituted benzoic acids, are readily thallated by thallium(III) compounds such as the trifluoroacetate and subsequently reacted with palladium chloride and simple olefins, dienes, allylic halides, vinyl halides, vinyl esters, or unsaturated cyclopropanes or unsaturated cyclobutanes to give isocoumarins.

Abstract: Functionally substituted arenes selected from the group consisting of p-tolylacetic acid, N-methylbenzamide, benzamide and acetanilide which are thallated provide an organothallium salt which undergoes subsequent palladium promoted olefination to provide oxygen and/or nitrogen heterocycles such as ethers lactones, isoquinolones, indoles and isocarbostyrils.

Abstract: (Pi-allyl)palladium compounds are prepared by organopalladium addition to alkenyl- or methylenecyclopropanes or alkenyl- or methylenecyclobutanes. The reaction is conducted in the presence of a palladium salt and involves a novel ring-opening process and a subsequent rearrangement to provide a regioselective route to (pi-allyl)palladium compounds.

Abstract: New organopalladium reactions involving the addition of thienylpalladium compounds to strained bicyclic alkenes, and subsequent chain extension reactions employing the chemistry of organopalladium compounds are disclosed. By these techniques a large number of bicyclic prostaglandin analogs are prepared, which are useful as inhibitors of arachidonic acid induced blood platelet aggregation, and are specific inhibitors of thromboxane synthetase.