Duality respecting representations and compatible complexity measures for gammoids

We show that every gammoid has special digraph representations, such that a representation of the dual of the gammoid may be easily obtained by reversing all arcs. In an informal sense, the duality notion of a poset applied to the digraph of a special representation of a gammoid commutes with the operation of forming the dual of that gammoid. We use these special representations in order to define a complexity measure for gammoids, such that the classes of gammoids with bounded complexity are closed under duality, minors, and direct sums.     

A Supramolecular Chiral Auxiliary Approach: “Remote Control” of Stereochemistry at a Hierarchically Assembled Dimeric Helicate

Dimeric hierarchically‐assembled titanium(IV) helicates are in solvent‐dependent equilibrium with the corresponding monomers. Statistically formed mixtures of such complexes bearing chiral stereocontrolling ligands and achiral diene‐substituted ligands show high diastereoselectivity and reasonable enantioselectivity in the Diels–Alder reaction with maleimides if the reaction proceeds with the dimer but not with the monomer. Thus, solvent dependent switching between the monomer and dimer enables on/off switching of the enantioselectivity.     

Donor-Flexible Bis(pyridylidene amide) Ligands for Highly Efficient Ruthenium-Catalyzed Olefin Oxidation

An exceptionally efficient ruthenium-based catalyst for olefin oxidation has been designed by exploiting N,N′-bis(pyridylidene)oxalamide (bisPYA) as a donor-flexible ligand. The dynamic donor ability of the bisPYA ligand, imparted by variable zwitterionic and neutral resonance structure contributions, paired with the redox activity of ruthenium provided catalytic activity for Lemieux–Johnson-type oxidative cleavage of olefins to efficiently prepare ketones and aldehydes. The ruthenium bisPYA complex significantly outperforms state-of-the-art systems and displays extraordinary catalytic activity in this oxidation, reaching turnover frequencies of 650 000 h⁻¹ and turnover numbers of several millions.     

Hybrid Plasmonic–Aerogel Materials as Optical Superheaters with Engineered Resonances

Solar radiation is a versatile source of energy, convertible to different forms of power. A direct path to exploit it is the generation of heat, for applications including passive building heating, but it can also drive secondary energy-conversion steps. We present a novel concept for a hybrid material which is both strongly photo-absorbing and with superior characteristics for the insulation of heat. The combination of that two properties is rather unique, and make this material an optical superheater. To realize such a material, we are combining plasmonic nanoheaters with alumina aerogel. The aerogel has the double function of providing structural support for plasmonic nanocrystals, which serve as nanoheaters, and reducing the diffusion rate of the heat generated by them, resulting in large local temperature increases under a relatively low radiation intensity. This work includes theoretical discussion on the physical mechanisms impacting the system's balanced thermal equilibrium.     

Titanium Salalen Catalyzed Enantioselective Benzylic Hydroxylation

The titanium complex of the cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (cis-DACH) derived Berkessel-salalen ligand is a highly efficient and enantioselective catalyst for the asymmetric epoxidation of terminal olefins with hydrogen peroxide (“Berkessel-Katsuki catalyst”). We herein report that this epoxidation catalyst also effects the highly enantioselective hydroxylation of benzylic C−H bonds with hydrogen peroxide. Mechanism-based ligand optimization identified a novel nitro-salalen Ti-catalyst of the highest efficiency ever reported for asymmetric catalytic benzylic hydroxylation, with enantioselectivities of up to 98 % ee, while overoxidation to ketone is marginal. The novel nitro-salalen Ti-catalyst also shows enhanced epoxidation efficiency, as evidenced by e.g. the conversion of 1-decene to its epoxide in 90 % yield with 94 % ee, at a catalyst loading of 0.1 mol-% only.     

Carbazole Dendrimers as Solution‐Processable Thermally Activated Delayed‐Fluorescence Materials

Recently, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials have received increasing attention as effective emitters for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, most of them are usually employed as dopants in a host material. In this report, carbazole dendrimers with a triphenyl‐s‐triazine core are reported, which are the first solution‐processable, non‐doped, high‐molecular‐weight TADF materials. The dendrimers were obtained by a new and facile synthetic route using the tert‐butyldimethylsilyl moiety as a protecting group. All dendrimers showed TADF in toluene. Measurements of the temperature‐dependent luminescence lifetime revealed that spin‐coated neat films also showed TADF with moderate quantum yields. OLED devices incorporating these dendrimers as spin‐coated emitting layers gave external quantum efficiencies of up to a 3.4 %, which suggests that this device is harvesting triplet excitons. This result indicates that carbazole dendrimers with attached acceptors are potential TADF materials owing to their polarized electronic structure (with HOMO–LUMO separation).     

Solid-Phase Synthesis of an Insect Pyrokinin Analog Incorporating an Imidazoline Ring as Isosteric Replacement of a trans Peptide Bond

A facile solid-phase synthetic method for incorporating the imidazoline ring motif, a surrogate for a trans peptide bond, into bioactive peptides is reported. The example described is the synthesis of an imidazoline peptidomimetic analog of an insect pyrokinin neuropeptide via a cyclization reaction of an iminium salt generated from the preceding amino acid and 2,4-diaminopropanoic acid (Dap).     

Mesoionic Carbene Cobalt Complexes as Multipurpose Catalyst Precursors for Hydrosilylation and Dihydropyrimidinone Synthesis

Metalation of CH₂OH-substituted triazolium salts with CoCl₂ under basic conditions affords C,O-bidentate chelating carbene Co(III) complexes ( 3a , 3b ), while analogous phenyl-substituted triazolium salts produce monodentate carbene Co(II) complexes ( 3c , 3d ). The distinct substituent-induced properties of the metal centers were demonstrated by electrochemical measurements and catalytic activities in two specific processes. The complexes showed appreciable activity in the reduction of C=O bonds through hydrosilylation, with methoxybenzene-functionalized triazolylidene Co(III) complex 3a achieving a high selectivity towards aldehydes vs. ketones with turnover frequencies (TOFs) up to 200 h⁻¹. The C,O-chelate systems were also active catalysts in the Biginelli process, a one-step three-component reaction for efficient dihydropyrimidinone synthesis. Optimization of reaction conditions provides high activity with complex 3a , reaching TOFs of 800 h⁻¹, the highest activity known for cobalt NHC complexes to date.     

Total Synthesis of a Partial Structure from Arabinogalactan and Its Application for Allergy Prevention

Arabinogalactan, a microheterogeneous polysaccharide occurring in plants, is known for its allergy-protective activity, which could potentially be used for preventive allergy treatment. New treatment options are highly desirable, especially in a preventive manner, due to the constant rise of atopic diseases worldwide. The structural origin of the allergy-protective activity of arabinogalactan is, however, still unclear and isolation of the polysaccharide is not feasible for pharmaceutical applications due to a variation of the activity of the natural product and contaminations with endotoxins. Therefore, a pentasaccharide partial structure was selected for total synthesis and subsequently coupled to a carrier protein to form a neoglycoconjugate. The allergy-protective activity of arabinogalactan could be reproduced with the partial structure in subsequent in vivo experiments. This is the first example of a successful simplification of arabinogalactan with a single partial structure while retaining its allergy-preventive potential.