Aryl Boronic Acid Catalysed Dehydrative Substitution of Benzylic Alcohols for C−O Bond Formation

A combination of pentafluorophenylboronic acid and oxalic acid catalyses the dehydrative substitution of benzylic alcohols with a second alcohol to form new C−O bonds. This method has been applied to the intermolecular substitution of benzylic alcohols to form symmetrical ethers, intramolecular cyclisations of diols to form aryl-substituted tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives, and intermolecular crossed-etherification reactions between two different alcohols. Mechanistic control experiments have identified a potential catalytic intermediate formed between the aryl boronic acid and oxalic acid.     

Platinum(IV)-mediated nitrile-sulfimide coupling: a route to heterodiazadienes

Pt(IV)-mediated addition of the sulfimide Ph2S = NH and the mixed sulfide/sulfimides o- and p-[PhS(=NH)](PhS)-C6H4 by the S=NH group to the metal-bound nitriles in the platinum(IV) complexes [PtCl4(RCN)2] proceeds smoothly at room temperature in CH2Cl2 and results in the formation of the heterodiazadiene compounds [PtCl4[NH=C(R)N=SR'Ph]2] (R' = Ph, R = Me, Et, CH2Ph, Ph; R' = o- and p-(PhS)C6H4; R = Et). While trans-[PtCl4(RCN)2] (R = Et, CH2Ph, Ph) reacting with Ph2S=NH leads exclusively to trans-[PtCl4[NH=C(R)N=SPh2]2], cis/trans-[PtCl4(MeCN)2] leads to cis/trans mixtures of [PtCl4[NH=C(Me)N=SPh2]2] and the latter have been separated by column chromatography. Theoretical calculations at both HF/HF and MP2//HF levels for the cis and trans isomers of [PtCl4[NH=C(Me)N=SMe2]2] indicate a higher stability for the latter. Compounds trans-[PtCl4[E-NH=C(R)N=SPh2]2] (R = Me, Et) and cis-[PtCl4[E-NH=C(Me)N=SPh2][Z-NH=C(Me)N=SPh2]] have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The complexes [PtCl4[NH=C(R)N=SPh2]2] undergo hydrolysis when treated with HCl in nondried CH2Cl2 to achieve the amidines [PtCl4[NH=C(NH2)R]2] the compound with R = Et has been structurally characterized) and Ph2SO. The heterodiazadiene ligands, formed upon Pt(IV)-mediated RCN/sulfimide coupling, can be liberated from their platinum(IV) complexes [PtCl4[NH=C(R)N=SR'Ph]2] by reaction with Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2 (dppe) giving free NH=C(R)=SR'Ph and the dppe oxides, which constitutes a novel route for such rare types of heterodiazadienes whose number has also been extended. The hybrid sulfide/sulfimide species o- and p-[PhS(=NH)](PhS)C6H4 also react with the Pt(II) nitrile complex [PtCl2(MeCN)2] but the coupling--in contrast to the Pt(IV) species--gives the chelates [PtCl2[M-I=C(Me)N=S(Ph)C6H4SPh]]. The X-ray crystal structure of [PtCl2[M-I=C(Me)N=S(Ph)C6H4SPh-o]] reveals the bond parameters within the metallacycle and shows an unusual close interaction of the sulfide sulfur atom with the platinum.     

Self-Assembling Catalytic Peptide Nanomaterials Capable of Highly Efficient Peroxidase Activity

The self-assembly of short peptides gives rise to versatile nanomaterials capable of promoting efficient catalysis. We have shown that short, seven-residue peptides bind hemin to produce functional catalytic materials which display highly efficient peroxidation activity, reaching a catalytic efficiency of 3×10⁵ m ⁻¹ s⁻¹. Self-assembly is essential for catalysis as non-assembling controls show no activity. We have also observed peroxidase activity even in the absence of hemin, suggesting the potential to alter redox properties of substrates upon association with the assemblies. These results demonstrate the practical utility of self-assembled peptides in various catalytic applications and further support the evolutionary link between amyloids and modern-day enzymes.     

Thionylimido Complexes

An improved route to d-block and main group NSO complexes is presented including the synthesis of the first antimony(V) complexes, (Ar₃Sb(NSO)₂), and copper examples [CuBipy(PPh₃)NSO]. The structures of eight complexes are reported. The observed variation in M–N–S bond angles is due to the combination of orbital overlap (ligand-to-metal bonding) and the degree of ionicity of the bonding.     

A Single Thermoresponsive Diblock Copolymer Can Form Spheres,Worms or Vesicles in Aqueous Solution

It is well‐known that the self‐assembly of AB diblock copolymers in solution can produce various morphologies depending on the relative volume fraction of each block. Recently, polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) has become widely recognized as a powerful platform technology for the rational design and efficient synthesis of a wide range of block copolymer nano‐objects. In this study, PISA is used to prepare a new thermoresponsive poly(N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide)‐poly(2‐hydroxypropyl methacrylate) [PHPMAC‐PHPMA] diblock copolymer. Remarkably, TEM, rheology and SAXS studies indicate that a single copolymer composition can form well‐defined spheres (4 °C), worms (22 °C) or vesicles (50 °C) in aqueous solution. Given that the two monomer repeat units have almost identical chemical structures, this system is particularly well‐suited to theoretical analysis. Self‐consistent mean field theory suggests this rich self‐assembly behavior is the result of the greater degree of hydration of the PHPMA block at lower temperature, which is in agreement with variable temperature ¹H NMR studies.     

Bismuth(III) Flavonolates: The Impact of Structural Diversity on Antibacterial Activity,Mammalian Cell Viability and Cellular Uptake

A series of homoleptic and heteroleptic bismuth(III) flavonolate complexes derived from six flavonols of varying substitution have been synthesised and structurally characterised. The complexes were evaluated for antibacterial activity towards several problematic Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. The cell viability of COS-7 (monkey kidney) cells treated with the bismuth flavonolates was also studied to determine the effect of the complexes on mammalian cells. The heteroleptic complexes [BiPh(L)₂] (in which L=flavonolate) showed good antibacterial activity towards all of the bacteria but reduced COS-7 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. The homoleptic complexes [Bi(L)₃] exhibited activity towards the Gram-positive bacteria and showed low toxicity towards the mammalian cell line. Bismuth uptake studies in VRE and COS-7 cells treated with the bismuth flavonolate complexes indicated that Bi accumulation is influenced by both the substitution of the flavonolate ligands and the degree of substitution at the bismuth centre.     

A Carbene‐Rich but Carbonyl‐Poor [Ir6(IMe)8(CO)2H14]2+ Polyhydride Cluster as a Deactivation Product from Catalytic Glycerol Dehydrogenation

The title cluster, a deactivation product in the catalytic dehydrogenation of glycerol, was characterized by XRD, DFT calculations, HRMS, FTIR spectroscopy, and NMR spectroscopy. Experimental/computational studies located the 14 H ligands, and all ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR resonances were assigned. The structure contains an unprecedented Ir₆H₁₄ core with two CO and eight IMe ligands.     

Silver nanowires: inclusion in and extrusion from a mesoporous template

Silver nanowires both included in and extruded from a purely siliceous mesoporous support have been produced from silver ion containing precursors prepared through dry salt occlusion.