Palladium‐Catalyzed Hydrocarboxylation of Alkynes with Formic Acid

A palladium‐catalyzed hydrocarboxylation of alkynes with formic acid has been developed. The method provides acrylic acid and derivatives in good yields with high regioselectivity without the need to handle toxic CO gas.     

Electron magnetic resonance studies of the intercalation ferromagnet 2, 2’-bipyridine-MnPS3 above and below Curie temperature

Electron magnetic resonance (EMR) studies of intercalation ferromagnet 2, 2’-bipyridine-MnPS₃ (T_c = 40 K) in the temperature range 300–14 K have revealed many interesting features across the (magnetic) order–disorder transition. The exchange narrowed line in the paramagnetic phase exhibited sudden reduction in its intensity concomitant with a g-shift to lower values (line shifted to higher fields) and increased line width. These changes took place in the 40–25 K range. In the 25–22 K range of temperature, the paramagnetic line disappeared and the FMR signal appeared at lower fields. It is significant that two closely lying FMR signals appeared in the magnetically ordered regime, suggesting the possibility of existence of two different Mn-sites having different g-values, in this state. This may be responsible for the reported magnetic moments values of less than 5.9 BM from bulk magnetisation studies.     

Diisobutylaluminium-promoted regioselective de-O-methylation of cyclodextrins: an expeditious entry to selectively modified cyclodextrins

Substituted cyclodextrins carrying methyl groups on the primary rim undergo highly regioselective de-O-methylation in the presence of benzyl groups, using diisobutylaluminium. This gave access to AD or AB di-6-O-demethylated derivatives, which were fully characterised by NMR, MS and chemical degradation using the hex-5-enose method. Direct functionalisation of these derivatives, for example by glycosylation, makes this method an attractive procedure for the preparation of modified cyclodextrins.     

Stochastic and deterministic simulations of a delayed genetic oscillation model: Investigating the validity of reductions

Quasi-stationary approximations are commonly used in order to simplify and reduce the number of equations of genetic circuit models. Protein/protein and protein/DNA binding reactions are considered to occur on much shorter time scale than protein production and degradation processes and often tacitly assumed at a quasi-equilibrium. Taking a biologically inspired, typical, small, abstract, negative feedback, genetic circuit model as study case, we investigate in this paper how different quasi-stationary approximations change the system behaviour both in deterministic and stochastic frameworks. We investigate the consistence between the deterministic and stochastic behaviours of our time-delayed negative feedback genetic circuit model with different implementations of quasi-stationary approximations. Quantitative and qualitative differences are observed among the various reduction schemes and with the underlying microscopic model, for biologically reasonable ranges and combinations of the microscopic model kinetic rates. The different reductions do not behave in the same way: correlations and amplitudes of the stochastic oscillations are not equally captured and the population behaviour is not always in consistence with the deterministic curves.     

双功能TiSn-Beta分子筛限域的串联Lewis酸催化烯烃生成1,2-二醇

1,2-二醇主要由环氧化合物水合产生、广泛用于防冻剂,聚酯树脂和医药等化学品中间体的生产.研究表明,具有Lewis酸性的含锡沸石分子筛在环氧化物的水合反应中表现出优异的催化性能.环氧化合物是众所周知的碳亲电体之一,主要由烯烃环氧化生成.含Ti(Ⅳ)沸石,如Ti-Beta和TS-1,是烯烃环氧化反应的高效催化剂.串联催化可以将多步反应整合为一次反应,无需分离中间体,有效缩短合成路线,提高生产效率.因此,双功能Ti和Sn分子筛有望应用于烯烃制二醇的串联催化反应中,即烯烃在Ti活性位点上发生环氧化反应,随后在Sn位点上发生水合反应,进而串联一步生成1,2-二醇.在沸石分子筛中产生孤立的多功能活性位点是将多步反应整合成串联催化反应的一种有吸引力的设计策略.本文通过简单且可规模制备的后合成路线构建了双功能TiSn-Beta分子筛,并用于烯烃串联催化制1,2-二醇反应.一方面,该反应中的过氧化氢溶液既能提供氧化剂(如H2O2)用于烯烃环氧化反应,又能提供环氧化合物水合反应的亲核试剂(如H2O);同时TiSn-Beta作为一种高效双功能催化剂,孤立的Ti和Sn活性中心可以有效地将烯烃环氧化反应和环氧化物水合反应串联在沸石微反应器中,实现烯烃一步转化为1,2-二醇.另一方面,沸石的限域效应较好地保证了烯烃环氧化和环氧化物水合的高串联速率和目标产物的高选择性,在最优的反应条件下,1,2-二醇选择性高达90%以上,收率接近70%.本文结果表明沸石分子筛是构筑多功能孤立活性位点的理想载体,为其他串联反应催化剂的设计提供了良好的借鉴.     

贫燃/富燃循环气氛下原位活化Pd负载钙钛矿催化剂促进NOx还原消除

稀燃发动机通过提高空燃比来改善燃油经济性,减少CO2排放.但由于空燃比较高,稀燃发动机尾气中的NO_x无法通过传统的三效催化技术有效消除.为了解决这一问题,适用于稀燃条件的NO_x储存还原(NSR)技术得到了开发和应用.传统的NSR催化剂以贵金属Pt作为其氧化还原活性中心.Pt基催化剂具有较高的NO_x消除活性,然而热稳定性差,高温下易团聚失活.据报道,Pd具有比Pt更好的热稳定性和抗硫性,且能够在更低的温度下活化还原剂,促进NO_x还原.但De-NO_x反应中的活性Pd物种至今仍无定论,这对设计高效的Pd基NSR催化剂提出了挑战.本文设计制备了具有高活性的Pd负载型钙钛矿催化剂(Pd-La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃).其中钙钛矿组分的加入提高了Pd基催化剂的NO氧化能力和热稳定性,并提供了可用于NO_x储存的碱性位点.通过调节金属-载体相互作用,使Pd催化剂在NSR反应气氛下发生了自活化现象,活化后催化剂的NO_x消除活性由56.1%提高到90.1%,同时副产物N2O的选择性降低.XRD、XAFS和XPS等表征结果显示,在反应气氛下催化剂中的Pd²⁺被部分还原为高活性的Pd0物种.相较于Pd²⁺,Pd0表现出更强的活化C3H6的性能,从而提高了催化剂在富燃阶段的NO_x还原效率.结合XPS、CO化学吸附和动力学的实验结果,计算得出Pd0位点的NO_x还原速率是Pd²⁺位点的8倍,从实验现象和动力学计算两个角度分别证明Pd0物种具有更优异的NO_x还原活性.然而,Pd0物种的生成需要适当强度的金属-载体相互作用.通过与传统的Pd/BaO/Al₂O₃催化剂进行对比研究,发现金属-载体相互作用过强时,在富燃阶段Pd2+物种难以被还原,且还原得到的Pd0物种并不稳定,会在随后的贫燃阶段被快速重新氧化为Pd²⁺.强相互作用虽然可以降低Pd物种粒径,提高Pd的分散度,但由于无法产生高活性的Pd0物种,催化剂的NO_x消除性能显著降低.此外,相较于传统的Pd/BaO/Al₂O₃和Pt/BaO/Al₂O₃催化剂,Pd负载型钙钛矿催化剂具有更为优异的NO氧化能力,且储存位碱性适中,因而表现出更强的抗H₂O、CO₂和SO₂的性能,具有良好的应用前景.本文的结果说明了金属-载体相互作用对催化剂活性的显著影响,同时也为理解和设计应用于动态氧化/还原气氛的金属催化剂提供了新的思路.     

Metal-free boron-doped carbon microspheres as excellent cathode catalyst for rechargeable Li–O<Subscript>2</Subscript> battery

Rechargeable Li–O₂ batteries are attracting more and more interest due to their high energy density. Meanwhile, the replacement of high-cost and scarce precious-metal catalysts has attracted more and more attention. Currently, many academic researchers have paid attention to find highly efficient metal-free catalysts as air cathode material. Herein, the boron-doped carbon microspheres (B-CMs) were prepared through a novel and facile static calcination method and showed high electrocatalytic activity as a cathode material. The battery with a B-CM cathode delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 13,757.2 mAh g^?1 and outstanding coulombic efficiency of 90.1 % at 100 mA g^?1. In addition, stable cyclability (151 cycles with stable discharge voltage of ~2.60 V with a cutoff capacity of 1000 mAh g^?1 at 200 mA g^?1) has been exhibited. These performances are due to three main points: boron carbide compound changed the surface area of the CMs and formed the mesopore architectures as well as the large surface area of 683.738 m² g^?1; the reduce of boron atom can slow down the oxidation of the CMs during the cyclings; and finally, the electron-deficient boron atom introduction greatly facilitated Li⁺ diffusion and electrolyte immersion and enhanced the oxygen reduction and evolution reaction kinetics.     

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) of a Cubic Metal Cluster with Multicentered MnIMnI Bonds

MOFs with both multicentered metal–metal bonds and low‐oxidation‐state (LOS) metal ions have been underexplored hitherto. Here we report the first cubic [Mn^I₈] cluster‐based MOF ( 1 ) with multicentered Mn^I? Mn^I bonds and +1 oxidation state of manganese (Mn^I or Mn(I)), as is supported by single‐crystal structure determination, XPS analyses, and quantum chemical studies. Compound 1 possesses the shortest Mn^I? Mn^I bond of 2.372 Å. Theoretical studies with density functional theory (DFT) reveal extensive electron delocalization over the [Mn^I₈] cube. The 48 electrons in the [Mn^I₈] cube fully occupy half of the 3d‐based and the lowest 4s‐based bonding orbitals, with six electrons lying at the nonbonding 3d‐orbitals. This bonding feature renders so‐called cubic aromaticity. Magnetic properties measurements show that 1 is an antiferromagnet. This work is expected to inspire further investigation of cubic metal–metal bonding, MOF materials with LOS metals, and metalloaromatic theory.     

Enantioselective Construction of Spiroindolines with Three Contiguous Stereogenic Centers and Chiral Tryptamine Derivatives via Reactive Spiroindolenine Intermediates

The highly efficient synthesis of the enantioenriched spiroindolines by iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic dearomatization and reduction is presented. Spiroindolines containing three contiguous stereogenic centers were obtained with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivity. In addition, a chiral tryptamine derivative could be easily accessed in good yield with excellent ee value through an unprecedented dearomatization/retro‐Mannich/hydrolysis cascade reaction of an indole derivative.     

Self‐Template‐Directed Synthesis of Porous Perovskite Nanowires at Room Temperature for High‐Performance Visible‐Light Photodetectors

The unique optoelectronic properties and promising photovoltaic applications of organolead halide perovskites have driven the exploration of facile strategies to synthesize organometal halide perovskites and corresponding hybrid materials and devices. Currently, the preparation of CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskite nanowires, especially those with porous features, is still a great challenge. An efficient self‐template‐directed synthesis of high‐quality porous CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskite nanowires in solution at room temperature using the Pb‐containing precursor nanowires as both the sacrificial template and the Pb²⁺ source in the presence of CH₃NH₃Br and HBr is now presented. The initial formation of CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskite layers on the surface of the precursor nanowires and the following dissolution of the organic component of the latter led to the formation of mesopores and the preservation of the 1D morphology. Furthermore, the perovskite nanowires are potential materials for visible‐light photodetectors with high sensitivity and stability.