Abstract: A compound comprising a cyclopentanone, cyclopentenone, cyclohexanone or cyclohexenone group, wherein a first ring carbon atom carries an —SR substituent, R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, or aralkynyl group that, optionally, includes at least one heteroatom in its carbon skeleton, the remaining available ring carbon atoms are optionally substituted, and said compound either: —(a) is more soluble in water at a temperature of 20-40° C.; (b) is less lipophilic; and/or, (c) has a greater therapeutic index; or; (d) is less soluble in water at a temperature of 20-40° C.; (e) is more lipophilic; and/or, (f) has a greater therapeutic index; than an equivalent cyclohex-2-en-1-one or cyclopent-2-en-1-one derivative in which a hydrogen atom replaces said —SR group.

Abstract: A method of preparing prostanoid cross-conjugated dienones, via a tandem conjugate addition-Peterson olefination reaction route is described. Such compounds may be useful in medicine and other fields.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I) or (II): wherein A is hydrogen or CR1R2; Y and Z are each, independently, hydrogen or a halogen; X is —NR4R5, or R7; R1 is hydrogen, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkenyl group containing 1–4 carbon atoms; when X is —NR4R5, R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl aralkenyl, or aralkynyl group, that optionally includes at least one heteroatom in its carbon skeleton and contains 1–12 carbon atoms; when X is R7, R2 is an unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, aralkyl aralkenyl, or aralkynyl group, that optionally includes at least one heteroatom in its carbon skeleton and contains 1–12 carbon atoms; R3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl aralkenyl, or aralkynyl group, that optionally includes at least one heteroatom in its carbon skeleton and contains 1–12 carbon atoms; R4 is hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl

Abstract: A compound having a cyclopent-2-ene-1-one ring and also having a double bond directly attached to the ring (in addition to the C═O bond of the cyclopent-1-ene-1-one ring) may be useful in treating various disorders, including viral disorders, cancers, inflammatory disorders, etc.

Abstract: A process for preparing an optically-enriched chiral epoxide of formula I wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently selected from H, R, R—CO— and R—O—CO—, each R independently being substantially a hydrocarbon group of up to 20 carbon atoms, and X is an alkyl or cycloalkyl group of up to 10 carbon atoms, provided that —CO—X is not enolisable, which comprises the asymmetric epoxidation of a corresponding prochiral alkene of formula II R1R2C═CR3—CO—X  (II) by reaction with an oxidant in the presence of a chiral catalyst. Many optically-enriched epoxides (I) are novel.

Abstract: A chiral phosphorus-based ligand, in single enantiomer form, which is capable of complexing a transition metal atom and of acting as a ligand in asymmetric chemical catalysts, which comprises the partial structureR.sup.1 R.sup.2 P--O--C--X--Y--C--O--PR.sup.1 R.sup.2 (I)wherein each of X and Y is C or a heteroatom; the C--X--Y--C chain forms part of a linearly-fused bicyclic structure; and either R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently H or an organic group of up to 20 carbon atoms, including alkyl, fluoroalkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, and alkylaryloxy, or PR.sup.1 R.sup.2 is cyclic such that R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are covalently linked, optionally with additional substituents.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of lipolic acid (thioctic acid), or a derivative thereof, is one in which a 2-substituted cyclohexanone is transformed in an oxidation reaction to a lactone having formula (I), wherein X is a heteroatom substituent.

Abstract: An optically-purified enantiomer of the lactone 4-hydroxy-2-oxabicyclo-?3.3.0!oct-7-en-3-one or an acylate thereof can be obtained by biotransformation. It is a useful synthon in the preparation of an enantiomer of 3-hydroxymethyl-2-hydroxycyclopentene that can be used to prepare carbocyclic nucleosides as a desired enantiomer.

Abstract: The individual enantiomers of the compounds (Ia), (Ib), (IIa) or (IIb), optionally substituted by non-interfering substituent(s). The novel enantiomers can be obtained by biotransformation. The (Ia) or (IIa) compounds can be used for the synthesis of chiral carbocyclic nucleosides.