BODIPYs with Photoactivatable Fluorescence

The borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) chromophore is a versatile platform for the construction of photoresponsive dyes with unique properties. Specifically, its covalent connection to a photocleavable group can be exploited to engineer compounds with photoswitchable fluorescence. The resulting photoactivatable fluorophores can increase their emission intensity or shift their emission wavelengths in response to switching. Such changes permit the spatiotemporal control of fluorescence with optical stimulations and the implementation of imaging strategies that would be impossible to replicate with conventional fluorophores. Indeed, BODIPYs with photoactivatable fluorescence enable the selective highlighting of intracellular targets, the nanoscaled visualization of sub-cellular components, the real-time monitoring of dynamic events and the photochemical writing of optical barcodes.     

Formal Gold‐to‐Gold Transmetalation of an Alkynyl Group Mediated by Palladium: A Bisalkynyl Gold Complex as a Ligand to Palladium

The reaction of [Au(C?C?n‐Bu)]_n with [Pd(η³‐allyl)Cl(PPh₃)] results in a ligand and alkynyl rearrangement, and leads to the heterometallic complex [Pd(η³‐allyl){Au(C?C?n‐Bu)₂}]₂ ( 3 ) with an unprecedented bridging bisalkynyl–gold ligand coordinated to palladium. This is a formal gold‐to‐gold transmetalation that occurs through reversible alkynyl transmetalations between gold and palladium.     

Detection and reactivity of a palladium alkoxycarbene

A characterful carbene: The high electrophilicity of a genuine palladium alkoxycarbene, obtained by transmetalation, is evident in its reactivity. Nucleophilic attack on two electrophilic centers (red) is observed. Alkyl abstraction and addition to the carbene carbon by different nucleophiles occur. This palladium(II) alkoxycarbene also undergoes comproportionation with palladium(0) to give an unprecedented palladium(I) dimeric carbene (see scheme).