A Photoenzymatic Strategy for Radical-Mediated Stereoselective Hydroalkylation with Diazo Compounds

Carbene insertion reactions initiated with diazo compounds have been widely used to develop unnatural enzymatic reactions. However, alternative functionalization of diazo compounds in enzymatic processes has been unexploited. Herein, we describe a photoenzymatic strategy for radical-mediated stereoselective hydroalkylation with diazo compounds. This method generates carbon-centered radicals through an ene reductase catalyzed photoinduced electron transfer process from diazo compounds, enabling the synthesis of γ-stereogenic carbonyl compounds in good yields and stereoselectivities. This study further expands the possible reaction patterns in photo-biocatalysis and offers a new approach to solving the selectivity challenges of radical-mediated reactions.     

Elucidating Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Kinetics via Intermediates by Time-Dependent Electrochemiluminescence

Facile evaluation of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics for electrocatalysts is critical for sustainable fuel-cell development and industrial H₂O₂ production. Despite great success in ORR studies using mainstream strategies, such as the membrane electrode assembly, rotation electrodes, and advanced surface-sensitive spectroscopy, the time and spatial distribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) intermediates in the diffusion layer remain unknown. Using time-dependent electrochemiluminescence (Td-ECL), we report an intermediate-oriented method for ORR kinetics analysis. Owing to multiple ultrasensitive stoichiometric reactions between ROS and the ECL emitter, except for electron transfer numbers and rate constants, the potential-dependent time and spatial distribution of ROS were successfully obtained for the first time. Such exclusively uncovered information would guide the development of electrocatalysts for fuel cells and H₂O₂ production with maximized activity and durability.     

Enhanced Interfacial Electron Transfer by Asymmetric Cu-Ov-In Sites on In2O3 for Efficient Peroxymonosulfate Activation

Enhancing the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation efficiency to generate more radicals is vital to promote the Fenton-like reaction activity, however, how to promote the PMS adsorption and accelerate the interfacial electron transfer to boost its activation kinetics remains a great challenge. Herein, we prepared Cu-doped defect-rich In₂O₃ (Cu-In₂O₃/O_v) catalysts containing asymmetric Cu−O_v−In sites for PMS activation in water purification. The intrinsic catalytic activity is that the side-on adsorption configuration of the O−O bond (Cu−O−O−In) at the Cu-O_v-In sites significantly stretches the O−O bond length. Meanwhile, the Cu-O_v-In sites increase the electron density near the Fermi energy level, promoting more and faster electron transfer to the O−O bond for generating more SO₄⋅⁻ and ⋅OH. The degradation rate constant of tetracycline achieved by Cu-In₂O₃/O_v is 31.8 times faster than In₂O₃/O_v, and it shows the possibility of membrane reactor for practical wastewater treatment.     

Heterostructures with Built-in Electric Fields for Long-lasting Chemodynamic Therapy

Sustained signal activation by hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH) has great significance, especially for tumor treatment, but remains challenging. Here, a built-in electric field (BIEF)-driven strategy was proposed for sustainable generation of ⋅OH, thereby achieving long-lasting chemodynamic therapy (LCDT). As a proof of concept, a novel Janus-like Fe@Fe₃O₄−Cu₂O heterogeneous catalyst was designed and synthesized, in which the BIEF induced the transfer of electrons in the Fe core to the surface, reducing ≡Cu²⁺ to ≡Cu⁺, thus achieving continuous Fenton-like reactions and ⋅OH release for over 18 h, which is approximately 12 times longer than that of Fe₃O₄−Cu₂O and 72 times longer than that of Cu₂O nanoparticles. In vitro and in vivo antitumor results indicated that sustained ⋅OH levels led to persistent extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signal activation and irreparable oxidative damage to tumor cells, which promoted irreversible tumor apoptosis. Importantly, this strategy provides ideas for developing long-acting nanoplatforms for various applications.     

Air-Stable Organoradical Boron Reagents

Both organic radicals and organoboron reagents have been broadly investigated, but the combination of them via direct C−H borylation as organic radical building blocks has never been achieved. Herein, a series of organoradical boron reagents, such as TTM-Bpin and TTM-BOH , were synthesized through the key step of C−H borylation of substrate TTM-H ((2,6-dichlorophenyl) bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl) radical for the first time. They are air stable enough to be stored in the solid state for several months under dark conditions, and fully investigated through single crystal analysis, EPR and DFT calculations. Furthermore, they can smoothly work in the standard Suzuki–Miyaura coupling (SMC) reaction with retention of the carbon radical center. Meanwhile, these radical species bearing different boron units display fluorescent character and are potentially applied for the collective synthesis of luminescent organic radicals, as well as other functionalized open-shell materials.     

Structures and EPR spectra of binary sulfur-nitrogen radicals from DFT calculations

The scattered electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic data for binary sulfur-nitrogen (S,N) radicals have been compiled and critically assessed.Many of these are inorganic rings or cages.For each species, possible equilibrium structures in the gas phase and the EPR hyperfine coupling (hfc) constants have been calculated with DFT using the B3LYP functional and basis sets of triple-ζ (or better) quality.Good agreement is obtained between calculated and measured values for the well characterized [S₃N₂]⁺, a planar π-radical for which the s-component of the orbitals is likely to be reasonably independent of minor geometrical changes between gas-phase and condensed-phase states.The cage compounds [S₄N₄]⁻ and [S₄N₅]⁻², for which reliable experimental EPR spectra have been reported, show larger variation between calculated and measured hfc, as a consequence of the dependence of the s orbital content of the molecular orbitals on small structural changes.The very large disagreements between the DFT calculated and experimentally claimed hfc constants for [NS], [SNS] and [S₄N₄]⁻³ in condensed phases lead us to question their assignment.Among binary S,N radicals, ³³S hfc data has only been reported for [S₃N₂]⁺ (through isotopic enrichment).These values were essential for the correct identification of the EPR spectra of this important radical, which previously was misassigned to other species.Our results suggest that ³³S data will be equally important for the correct identification of the EPR spectra of other binary S,N species, many of which are cyclic systems, e.g.[S₃N₃], [S₄N₃] and[S₄N₅].     

Metal-free decarboxylative acylation of isoquinolines using α-keto acids in water

An efficient method for acylation of isoquinolines has been developed using α-ketoacids under metal- and additive-free conditions in water. The protocol involves C(sp²)H functionalization of isoquinolines providing an easy access to C1-benzoylated isoquinolines, which constitute the core structure of a number of biological active compounds and serve as key intermediate in the synthesis of many alkaloids.     

Emission spectroscopy of atmospheric pressure plasmas for bio-medical and environmental applications

The paper demonstrates several ways of use of the UV-vis optical emission spectroscopy of medium resolution for the diagnostics of atmospheric pressure air and nitrogen plasmas relevant to bio-medical and environmental applications. Plasmas generated by DC discharges (streamer corona, transient spark, and glow discharge), AC microdischarges in porous ceramics, and microwave plasma were investigated. Molecular (OH, NO, CN) and atomic (H, O, N) radicals, and other active species, e.g. N₂ (C, B, A), (B), were identified. The composition of the emission spectra gives insight in the ongoing plasma chemistry. Rotational, i.e. gas, and vibrational temperatures were evaluated by fitting experimental with simulated spectra. Streamer corona, transient spark and microdischarges generate cold, strongly non-equilibrium plasmas (300-550 K), glow discharge plasma is hotter, yet non-equilibrium (1900 K), and microwave plasma is very hot and thermal (∼3000-4000 K). Electronic excitation temperature and OH radical concentration were estimated in the glow discharge assuming the chemical equilibrium and Boltzmann distribution (9800 K, 3 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³). Optical emission also provided the measurement of the active plasma size of the glow discharge, and enabled calculating its electron number density (10¹² cm⁻³).     

自旋催化剂-量子触发化学反应

当初始态和过渡态之间存在能量差时,通常会考虑用催化的方法来增加反应速率,即经由能量更低过渡态的反应路径,或增加反应物初始态能量,如改变溶剂或在特殊表面吸附分子。然而,对于某些类型的反应,如H2和O2反应生成水, NO的氧化等,仅仅采用这些方法还不够,因为反应物和产物具有不同的自旋态,而自旋守恒定律一般会禁止该过程的发生。即使克服了能垒,该体系也不能转化成稳定的产物,且不改变其电子自旋多重态。但在特殊的非热力学条件下,该类反应仍可发生。这通常指自旋不守恒的过程。改变体系电子自旋最直接的方法是与原子核自旋有作用的电子自旋翻转。它可由自旋-轨道耦合来实现,因此,其实现的几率取决于元素的原子数。从3d金属开始,发生这种情况的可能性甚至更大。这是由于与d轨道耦合的效率更高所致,所以采用自旋交叉就能方便地解释自旋禁止反应发生的原因。然而,轻原子发生自旋翻转的可能性很低,因此,当面对无金属化学时,我们应该考虑自旋禁止反应发生的第二个方法—自旋催化。通过帮助克服自旋禁止的物质以促进化学反应,或通过顺磁催化剂诱导自旋解耦以降低活化能垒,这类现象就可定义为自旋催化。简而言之,为了得到想要的和热力学更有利的自旋态,一个反应粒子可以与自旋催化剂交换磁矩;该自旋催化剂需有拟自旋-简并基态或低激发态。因此,体系整个的自旋仍守恒,但可发生反应。值得强调的是,自旋“催化剂”指的是分子状态和固体状态,通常后者应用于工业中则方便得多。自旋催化是作为自旋化学的范例来研究的,或在外磁场中化学诱导动态核极化和反应,主要是指采用EPR光谱研究以液相为主的过程。本文简略介绍了自旋催化的理论。实际上,自旋催化与常规催化之间并不相互抵触—相同的材料既可作为自旋催化剂,也可用作常规催化剂,都起着降低反应能垒和提供自旋交换的自由基中心的作用。另外,许多现代材料包含着常规催化剂和自旋催化剂的特性。有些发生在多核磁性金属中心上的过程可能本身就包含着常规催化(活化底物)、自旋交叉(与d金属相互作用)和自旋催化(金属-氧簇合物中低能的铁磁-反铁磁转化)效应。气相自旋催化在实际应用中产生的主要问题是在稀释的体系中三粒子碰撞几率低,常规催化在这方面则有很多优势。我们首先列出固体成为自旋催化剂的条件：(1)活性中心中至少2个自旋态的能量差要小于反应温度下热运动的能量,这样无需额外的能量活化催化剂;(2)较大的比表面积以提供更多的自旋中心用于相互作用;(3)最好能够自旋导电,在此情况下反应无需三粒子碰撞即可发生。这是因为自由基可通过催化剂的电子系统交换自旋,使得自旋-自旋相互作用的几率迅速增加,从而有利于自旋催化反应的进行。另外,如果固体或载体具有自旋导电性,则无需外加电场或磁场,即有可能遥控催化中心的电荷和自旋态,从而避免使用外电场或磁场。实际上,许多反应过程本身就包含着自旋催化,它还可使反应过程的许多不足变成优势,如对于不需要的链式自由基反应;通过引入自旋捕获剂使得自旋禁止反应成为有用的自旋催化;磁性粒子的浓度以及外加磁场和电场均可导致自旋催化/禁止反应。由于均相自旋催化的研究较早,在此不再赘述。本文详细介绍了多相体系中的自旋催化的应用,如燃烧、温和氧化、环化、开环、非极性小分子的活化和不稳定自由基的耦合等。可能用作自旋催化剂的材料有：含有不同顺磁性的金属离子的磁性氧化物或多核磁性簇合物;嫁接在一些载体上的多核络合物或过渡金属(低温催化);带有非整数氧化价态的导电金属;各种具有半金属性和导电性的碳材料。研究自旋催化反应的一个突出问题就是这些过程大部分是自由基式的,趋于非线性区域,因而很难预测,也没有一个便利的工具用以描述,甚至预测自旋催化反应,但也许这些研究的特点就是不可预测性。自旋催化除了可调变反应的进行,我们还可从中获得一个独特的调节手段：通过外加磁场或电场触发基元过程,在非热力学上控制反应的进行。该手段在控制化学反应方面具有明显优势,因为现在大都是通过调节温度、压力和流量等参数来实现对化学反应的控制,且滞后严重。同时,通过添加外加磁场可立刻改变反应速率。另外,通过降温可精细控制基元反应,从而开辟了一种抑制副反应的方法,因而也使得反应的随机性降低。     

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of irradiated tetramethyl-4-piperidion

The electron paramagnetic resonance of single crystals of tetramethyl-4-piperidion (TMP; C₉H₁₉NO) has been observed and analysed for different orientations of the crystal in the magnetic field, after being damaged at 300 K by γ-irradiation. The crystals have been investigated between 100 and 450 K. The spectra were found to be temperature dependent. The irradiation of TMP by γ-rays produces radicals at the nitrogen atoms in the molecule. The principal values of the hyperfine coupling tensor of the unpaired electron and the principal values of the g-tensor were determined. The results were found to be in good agreement with the existing literature data and theoretical predictions.