Multi‐Electron Reactions Enabled by Anion‐Based Redox Chemistry for High‐Energy Multivalent Rechargeable Batteries

The development of multivalent metal (such as Mg and Ca) based battery systems is hindered by lack of suitable cathode chemistry that shows reversible multi‐electron redox reactions. Cationic redox centres in the classical cathodes can only afford stepwise single‐electron transfer, which are not ideal for multivalent‐ion storage. The charge imbalance during multivalent ion insertion might lead to an additional kinetic barrier for ion mobility. Therefore, multivalent battery cathodes only exhibit slope‐like voltage profiles with insertion/extraction redox of less than one electron. Taking VS₄ as a model material, reversible two‐electron redox with cationic–anionic contributions is verified in both rechargeable Mg batteries (RMBs) and rechargeable Ca batteries (RCBs). The corresponding cells exhibit high capacities of >300 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 100 mA g^?1 in both RMBs and RCBs, resulting in a high energy density of >300 Wh kg^?1 for RMBs and >500 Wh kg^?1 for RCBs. Mechanistic studies reveal a unique redox activity mainly at anionic sulfides moieties and fast Mg²⁺ ion diffusion kinetics enabled by the soft structure and flexible electron configuration of VS₄.     

Synthesis and Bioactivities of Novel N‐(4‐(2‐Aryloxythiazol‐5‐yl)but‐3‐yn‐2‐yl)benzamides

A series of novel N‐(4‐(2‐aryloxythiazol‐5‐yl)but‐3‐yn‐2‐yl)benzamide derivatives were designed and synthesized. Their structures were identified by ¹H NMR and elemental analyses. Preliminary bioassays indicated that some title compounds provided >80% control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum at 50 µg/mL and >70% herbicidal activities against B. campestris at 100 µg/mL. Their structure‐activities relationships were also discussed.     

Diastereoselective Epoxidation of Camphor N‐Enoylpyrazolidinones

Reaction of camphor N‐enoylpyrazolidinones ( 1a‐j ) with various oxidants, in particular UHP/TFAA afford chiral epoxides with a wide range of stereoselectivities (up to > 90% de).     

Activation of stable polymeric esters by using organo‐activated acyl transfer reactions

In this study, we succeeded in the in situ activation of nonactivated ester moieties embedded in polymer structures. Although poly(pentafluorophenyl methacrylate) (PPFPMA) can react with 2‐ethylhexylamine at 50 °C in the presence of proton scavenger such as NEt₃, such conditions were not suitable for poly(phenyl methacrylate) (PPhMA). Nevertheless, the combination of organo‐activating agents, namely 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) and 1,2,4‐triazole (TZ) led to a facile conversion from ester to amide for PPhMA. The reaction between PPhMA and 2‐ethylhexylamine was conducted at 120 °C in the presence of one equivalent of TZ and three equivalents of DBU and yielded >99% ester conversion to afford corresponding polymethacrylamide derivatives as confirmed by FT‐IR and ¹H NMR measurements. In addition, poly(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PTFEMA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were also allowed to react with amines in the presence of the organo‐activating agents with dramatically increased conversions (>70%). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1353–1358     

Syntheses,antitumor activities,and antiangiogenesis of exo‐3,6‐epoxy‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophthalimidoethanoyl‐ 5‐fluorouracil and its polymers

A new monomer, exo‐3,6‐epoxy‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophthalimidoethanoyl‐5‐fluorouracil (ETFU), was synthesized by the reaction of exo‐3,6‐epoxy‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophthalimidoethanoyl chloride (ETPC) and 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU). The homopolymer of ETFU and its copolymers with acrylic acid (AA) and vinyl acetate (VAc) were prepared via photopolymerizations with 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone at 25 °C for 48 h. The structures of the synthesized monomer and polymers were identified by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The ETFU contents in poly(ETFU‐co‐AA) and poly(ETFU‐co‐VAc) were 26 mol % and 26 mol %, respectively. The number‐average molecular weights of the polymers, as determined by gel permeation chromatography, ranged from 5600 to 17,000. The in vitro cytotoxicities of 5‐FU and the synthesized samples against mouse mammary carcinoma and human histiocytic lymphoma cancer cell lines increased in the following order: ETFU > 5‐FU > poly(ETFU‐co‐AA) > poly(ETFU) > poly(ETFU‐co‐VAc). The in vivo antitumor activities of the polymers against Balb/C mice bearing the sarcoma 180 tumor cells were greater than those of 5‐FU at all doses tested. The inhibitions of the samples for SV40 DNA replication and antiangiogenesis were much greater than the inhibition of the control. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4272–4281, 2000     

Photoresponsive Peptide and Polypeptide Systems, 14. Biodegradation of Photocrosslinkable Copolypeptide Hydrogels Containing L‐Ornithine and δ‐7‐Coumaryloxyacetyl‐L‐ornithine Residues

Copoly[Orn/Orn(Cou)] containing δ‐7‐coumaryloxyacetyl‐L ‐ornithine [Orn(Cou)] and L ‐ornithine (Orn) residues was synthesized by the N‐carboxyanhydride method. When aqueous solutions of copoly[Orn/Orn(Cou)] containing 5–10 mol‐% of Orn(Cou) are irradiated, the photoinduced dimerization reaction between coumarin moieties in the side chains proceeds slowly, and after 24 h the solutions become transparent hydrogels. The gels exhibit solvent‐induced reversible expansion and contraction behavior in both water and ethanol. The biodegradation of the hydrogels by proteolytic enzymes and soil filamentous fungi is investigated using photocrosslinked copoly[Orn/Orn(Cou)] gels. The copoly[Orn⁸⁹/Orn(Cou)¹¹] gel is degradable by protease type XXIII, but not by trypsin. In the biochemical oxygen demand test, the order of the microbial biodegradation (%) was Rhizopus sp. (92%) > A. oryzae (38%) > P. caseicolum (18%) > P. citrinum (11%) > Cladosporium sp. (6%). The order for the copoly[Orn⁸⁹/Orn(Cou)¹¹] hydrogel is inverse to that for a polylysine/glutaraldehyde gel. These results suggest that the biodegradabilities of photocrosslinked hydrogels can be controlled by the monomer ratio of Orn, Orn(Cou) and lysine (Lys) in the parent copoly(amino acid)s of the photocrosslinked hydrogels.     

(Aminomethyl)pyridine Complexes for the Cobalt‐Catalyzed Anti‐Markovnikov Hydrosilylation of Alkoxy‐ or Siloxy(vinyl)silanes with Alkoxy‐ or Siloxyhydrosilanes

Cobalt‐catalyzed anti‐Markovnikov reactions that involve siloxy‐ or alkoxy(vinyl)silanes and siloxy‐ or alkoxyhydrosilanes are disclosed. More than 25 new cobalt–(aminomethyl)pyridine complexes were developed as catalysts for the hydrosilylation of industry‐relevant and challenging siloxy‐ or alkoxy‐terminated vinylsilanes. These transformations typically proceed in the presence of 0.25 mol % of the cobalt complex with 0.75 mol % of the alkylating agent to afford the desired products in up to >98 % yield with >98 % anti‐Markovnikov selectivity in 30 min. The current protocol shows a broad substrate scope, delivering more than 25 siloxanes with siloxy or alkoxy functional groups at both termini, and can also be applied to polymeric vinyl‐ and hydrosiloxanes.     

Asymmetric Hydrolytic Kinetic Resolution with Recyclable Macrocyclic CoIII–Salen Complexes: A Practical Strategy in the Preparation of (R)‐Mexiletine and (S)‐Propranolol

A chiral cobalt(III) complex ( 1 e ) was synthesized by the interaction of cobalt(II) acetate and ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate with a chiral dinuclear macrocyclic salen ligand that was derived from 1R,2R‐(?)‐1,2‐diaminocyclohexane with trigol bis‐aldehyde. A variety of epoxides and glycidyl ethers were suitable substrates for the reaction with water in the presence of chiral macrocyclic salen complex 1 e at room temperature to afford chiral epoxides and diols by hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR). Excellent yields (47 % with respect to the epoxides, 53 % with respect to the diols) and high enantioselectivity (ee>99 % for the epoxides, up to 96 % for the diols) were achieved in 2.5–16 h. The Co^III macrocyclic salen complex ( 1 e ) maintained its performance on a multigram scale and was expediently recycled a number of times. We further extended our study of chiral epoxides that were synthesized by using HKR to the synthesis of chiral drug molecules (R)‐mexiletine and (S)‐propranolol.     

Mg/K2S2O8‐promoted direct carboxylation of saturated hydrocarbons with CO

Saturated hydrocarbons react with carbon monoxide in the presence of magnesium powder and potassium peroxodisulfate in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to afford the corresponding carboxylic acids as major products and alkyl trifluoroacetates as minor products in high yields. The use of equimolar amounts of magnesium (5 mmol) and K₂S₂O₈(5 mmol) is best for this reaction. Cyclohexane is carboxylated most effectively at 80 °C for 30 h using 50 atm CO, 3 ml of TFA and 1 mmol of cyclohexane, giving 80% conversion (95% conversion yield) based on cyclohexane. The reactivity of various saturated hydrocarbons has been determined by competitive reactions of equimolar amounts of cyclohexane (5 mmol) and another hydrocarbon (5 mmol). The order of decreasing reactivity obtained is cycloheptane > cyclohexane > cyclopentane > n‐propane > methane. Copyright ­© 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Scandium‐Catalyzed Self‐Assisted Polar Co‐monomer Enchainment in Ethylene Polymerization

Direct coordinative copolymerization of ethylene with functionalized co‐monomers is a long‐sought‐after approach to introducing polyolefin functionality. However, functional‐group Lewis basicity typically depresses catalytic activity and co‐monomer incorporation. Finding alternatives to intensively studied group 4 d⁰ and late‐transition‐metal catalysts is crucial to addressing this long‐standing challenge. Shown herein is that mono‐ and binuclear organoscandium complexes with a borate cocatalyst are active for ethylene + amino olefin [AO; H₂C=CH(CH₂)_nNR₂] copolymerizations in the absence of a Lewis‐acidic masking reagent. Both activity (up to 4.2×10² kg mol⁻¹⋅h^−1> atm^−1>) and AO incorporation (up to 12 % at 0.2 m [AO]) are appreciable. Linker‐length‐dependent (n) AO incorporation and mechanistic probes support an unusual functional‐group‐assisted enchainment mechanism. Furthermore, the binuclear catalysts exhibit enhanced AO tolerance and enhanced long chain AO incorporation.     

Broadly Applicable Z‐ and Diastereoselective Ring‐Opening/Cross‐Metathesis Catalyzed by a Dithiolate Ru Complex

A broadly applicable Ru‐catalyzed protocol for Z‐selective ring‐opening/cross‐metathesis (ROCM) is disclosed. In addition to reactions relating to terminal alkenes of different sizes, the first examples of Z‐selective ROCM processes involving heteroaryl olefins, 1,3‐dienes, and O‐ and S‐substituted alkenes as well as allylic and homoallylic alcohols are reported. Z‐Selective transformations with an α‐substituted allylic alcohol are shown to afford congested Z alkenes with high diastereoselectivity. Transformations are performed in the presence of 2.0–5.0 mol % of a recently disclosed Ru‐based dithiolate complex that can be easily prepared in a single step from commercially available starting materials. Typically, transformations proceed at ambient temperature and are complete within eight hours; products are obtained in up to 97 % yield, >98:2 Z/E, and >98:2 diastereomeric ratio. The present investigations reveal a mechanistically significant attribute of the Ru‐based dithiolates that arises from electrostatic interactions with anionic S‐based ligands.     

Competitive heavy metal removal by poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propane sulfonic acid‐co‐itaconic acid)

The competitive removal of Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cd²⁺ ions from aqueous solutions by the copolymer of 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and itaconic acid (IA), P(AMPS‐co‐IA), was investigated. Homopolymer of AMPS (PAMPS) was also used to remove these ions from their aqueous solution. In the preparation of AMPS–IA copolymer, the molar percentages of AMPS and IA were 80 and 20, respectively. In order to observe the changes in the structures of polymers due to metal adsorption, FTIR spectra by attenuated total reflectancetechnique and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures of the polymers were taken both before and after adsorption experiments. Total metal ion removal capacities of PAMPS and P(AMPS‐co‐IA) were 1.685 and 1.722 mmol Me²⁺/g_polymer, respectively. Experimental data were evaluated to determine the kinetic characteristics of the adsorption process. Competitive adsorption of Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cd²⁺ ions onto both PAMPS and P(AMPS‐co‐IA) was found to fit pseudo‐second‐order type kinetics. In addition, the removal orders in the competitive adsorption of these metal ions onto PAMPS and P(AMPS‐co‐IA) were found to be Cd²⁺ > Pb²⁺ > Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Cu²⁺, respectively. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thiiranation of 2′‐adamantylidene‐9‐benzonorbornenylidene using 4,4′‐oligothiodimorpholine and brønsted acid

On leaving 4,4′‐dithiodimorpholine 6 powder undisturbed at room temperature over 10 years, it led to the formation of 4,4′‐tetrathiodimorpholine 7 . Reactions of 2′‐adamantylidene‐9‐benzonorbornenyidene 1 with 6, 7 , and 4,4′‐thiodimorpholine 8 and a Brønsted acid in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature proceeded to afford the corresponding thiiranes, 2 and 3 . The order of reactivity of 4,4′‐oligothiodimorpholines combined with a Brønsted acid is 7 > 6 > 8 . The thiirane 3 was transformed to 1 and 2 under the reaction conditions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 20:12–18, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20505     

N‐Confused Phlorin‐Prodigiosin Chimera: meso‐Aryl Oxidation and π‐Extension Triggered by Peripheral Coordination

An N‐confused phlorin isomer bearing a dipyrrin moiety at the α‐position of the confused pyrrole ring ( 1 ) was synthesized. Pd^II and B^III coordination at the peripheral prodigiosin‐like moiety of 1 afforded the corresponding complexes 2 and 3 . Reflux of 2 in triethylamine (TEA) converted the meso‐phenyl into the Pd^II‐coordinating phenoxy group to afford 4 . Under the same reaction conditions, TEA was linked to the α‐position of the dipyrrin unit in 3 as an N,N‐diethylaminovinyl group to afford 5 . Furthermore, peripheral coordination of B^III in 3 and 5 improved the planarity of the phlorin macrocycle and thus facilitated the coordination of Ag^III at the inner cavity to afford 3‐Ag and 5‐Ag , respectively. These results provide an effective approach for developing unique porphyrinoids through peripheral coordination.     

Monodisperse Poly(lactide‐co‐glycolic acid)‐Based Nanocarriers for Gene Transfection

This contribution describes a simple, aerosol‐based method for fabricating monodisperse particles containing mixtures of poly(lactide‐co‐glycolic acid) [PLGA], protamine sulfate (Prot), and poly(l‐ lysine) [PLL] as nanocarriers for gene transfection. Aqueous solutions of PLGA, Prot, and PLL were collison‐atomized, and the resulting aerosolized droplets were dried “on the fly” to form solid particles, which then were electrostatically size‐classified into 50, 100, and 200 nm mobility diameter samples. Measurements of cell viability and transfection reveal that the fabricated nanocarriers have a lower cytotoxicity (>85% in cell viability) and a higher transfection efficiency [>8.7 × 10⁵ in relative light units (RLU) mg⁻¹] than does 25 kDa polyethyleneimine (≈50% and 6.8 × 10⁵ RLU mg⁻¹).     

Hyperbranched polymers as scaffolds for multifunctional reversible addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer agents: A route to polystyrene‐core‐polyesters and polystyrene‐block‐poly(butyl acrylate)‐core‐polyesters

Polydisperse hyperbranched polyesters were modified for use as novel multifunctional reversible addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) agents. The polyester‐core‐based RAFT agents were subsequently employed to synthesize star polymers of n‐butyl acrylate and styrene with low polydispersity (polydispersity index < 1.3) in a living free‐radical process. Although the polyester‐core‐based RAFT agent mediated polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate displayed a linear evolution of the number‐average molecular weight (M_n) up to high monomer conversions (>70%) and molecular weights [M_n > 140,000 g mol^?1, linear poly(methyl methacrylate) equivalents)], the corresponding styrene‐based system reached a maximum molecular weight at low conversions (≈30%, M_n = 45,500 g mol^?1, linear polystyrene equivalents). The resulting star polymers were subsequently used as platforms for the preparation of star block copolymers of styrene and n‐butyl acrylate with a polyester core with low polydispersities (polydispersity index < 1.25). The generated polystyrene‐based star polymers were successfully cast into highly regular honeycomb‐structured microarrays. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3847–3861, 2003     

Simple HPLC‐UV for the quantification of a new leishmanicidal candidate (E)‐1‐4(trifluoromethyl) benzylidene)‐5‐(2‐4‐dichlorozoyl) carbonylhydrazine (LASSBio‐1736) in rat plasma for pharmacokinetics assessment

In this study, a sensitive HPLC‐UV assay was developed and validated for the determination of LASSBio‐1736 in rat plasma with sodium diclofenac as internal standard (IS). Liquid–liquid extraction using acetonitrile was employed to extract LASSBio‐1736 and IS from 100 μL of plasma previously basified with NaOH 0.1 M. Chromatographic separation was carried on Waters Spherisorb^®S5 ODS2 C₁₈ column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using an isocratic mobile phase composed by water with triethylamine 0.3% (pH 4), methanol and acetonitrile grade (45:15:40, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Both LASSBio‐1736 and IS were eluted at 4.2 and 5 min, respectively, with a total run time of 8 min only. The lower limit of quantification was 0.2 μg/mL and linearity between 0.2 and 4 μg/mL was obtained, with an R² > 0.99. The accuracy of the method was >90.5%. The relative standard deviations intra and interday were <6.19 and <7.83%, respectively. The method showed the sensitivity, linearity, precision, accuracy and selectivity required to quantify LASSBio‐1736 in preclinical pharmacokinetic studies according to the criteria established by the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetic Study of the Ce(III)‐, Mn(II)‐, or Ferroin‐Catalyzed Belousov‐Zhabotinsky Reaction with Allylmalonic Acid

In a stirred batch experiment and under aerobic conditions, ferroin (Fe(phen)₃²⁺) behaves differently from Ce(III) or Mn(II) ion as a catalyst for the Belousov‐Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction with allylmalonic acid (AMA). The effects of bromate ion, AMA, metal‐ion catalyst, and sulfuric acid on the oscillating pattern were investigated. The kinetics of the reaction of AMA with Ce(IV), Mn(III), or Fe(phen)₃³⁺ ion was studied under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The order of reactivity of metal ions toward reaction with AMA is Fe(phen)₃³⁺ > Mn(III) > Ce(IV) under aerobic conditions whereas it is Mn(III) > Ce(IV) > Fe(phen)₃³⁺ under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, the order of reactivity of RCH(CO₂H)₂ (R = H (MA), Me (MeMA), Et (EtMA), allyl (AMA), n‐Bu (BuMA), Ph (PhMA), and Br (BrMA)) is PhMA > MA > BrMA > AMA > MeMA > EtMA > BuMA toward reaction with Ce(IV) ion and it is MA > PhMA > BrMA > MeMA > AMA > EtMA > BuMA toward reaction with Mn(III) ion. Under aerobic conditions, the order of reactivity of RCH(CO₂H)₂ toward reaction with Fe(phen)₃³⁺ ion is PhMA > BrMA > (MeMA, AMA) > (BuMA, EtMA) > MA. The experiment results are rationalized.     

Scope and Mechanism on Iridium‐f‐Amphamide Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones

A series of novel and easily accessed ferrocene‐based amino‐phosphine‐sulfonamide (f‐Amphamide) ligands have been developed and applied in Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of aryl ketones, affording the corresponding chiral secondary alcohols with excellent results (up to >99% conversion, >99% ee and TON up to 200 000). DFT calculations suggest an activating model involving an alkali cation Li⁺.     

Synthesis and properties of the polythiourethanes obtained by the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic thiourethanes

The cationic ring‐opening polymerization of a five‐membered thiourethane [3‐benzyl‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione (BOT)] with boron trifluoride etherate afforded the corresponding polythiourethane with a narrow molecular weight distribution in an excellent yield. The molecular weight of the polymers could be controlled by the feed ratio of the monomer to the initiator. A kinetic study of the polymerization revealed that the polymerization rate of BOT (1.3 × 10^?2 L mol^?1 min^?1) was two times larger than that of the six‐membered thiourethane [3‐benzyltetrahydro‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione (BTOT); 6.8 × 10^?3 L mol^?1 min^?1], and the monomer conversion obeyed the first‐order kinetic equation. These observations, along with the successful results in the two‐stage polymerization, supported the idea that this polymerization proceeded in a controlled manner. Block copolymerizations of BOT with BTOT were also carried out to afford the corresponding di‐ and triblock copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions. The order of the 5% weight loss temperatures was as follows: poly(3‐benzyltetrahydro‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione) [poly(BTOT)] > poly(BTOT₅₄‐b‐BOT₄₆) > poly(3‐benzyl‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione) [poly(BOT)]. This indicated that an increase in the BTOT unit content raised the decomposition temperature. The order of the refractive indices was poly(BOT) > poly(BTOT₅₄‐b‐BOT₄₆) > poly(BTOT₅₄‐b‐BOT₄₆‐b‐BTOT₅₀) > poly(BTOT); this was in accord with the order of the sulfur content in the polymer chain. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4795–4803, 2006