The fiveway junction : The synthesis of ligands with five symmetrically diverging binding sites is described and their assembly into large spherical structures (such as that shown here) investigated.
Super powers! Uranium(VI) ions can be extracted from aqueous solutions into supercritical CO2 (sc‐CO2) via an ionic liquid phase that contained tri‐n‐butyl phosphate (TBP) as a complexing agent (see figure). This process has potential applications in the nuclear industry for removing actinides from nuclear waste.
Cobalt and battery charge : Porous Co3O4 with a hexagonal sheetlike structure has been synthesized through precursor Co(OH)2 hexagonal nanosheets (see figure). The as‐prepared nanosheets exhibit excellent Li‐battery performance with a good cycle life and high capacity (1450 mAh g?1).
Diaminations are a girl's best friend : New reactions in the field of transition‐metal‐catalyzed diamination of olefins provide a powerful tool for the elaboration of more complex molecules bearing the 1,2‐diamine moiety. An overview of these methods, including asymmetric versions, is given.
One‐nucleotide differences in microRNAs (miRNAs) can be discriminated in an assay based on a branched rolling‐circle amplification (BRCA) reaction and fluorescence quantification. With the proposed method miRNA can be detected at concentrations as low as 10 fM , and the miRNA in a total RNA sample of a few nanograms can be determined.
Deep‐sea Diels–Alder : The asymmetric organocatalytic Diels–Alder reaction of cyclohexenones with aromatic nitroolefins can be carried out in seawater and brine. The reaction proceeds by an in situ enamine activation involving a one‐step concerted addition pathway (see scheme).
Rhodium silylenes , which are generated by double Si–H activation at the metal, are involved in a low‐activation‐barrier mechanism of the hydrosilylation of ketones with R2SiH2. A DFT‐based study of reaction mechanisms accounts for the experimental observations, notably the rate enhancement for R2SiH2 over R3SiH and an inverse kinetic isotope effect.
The first highly enantioselective allylic–allylic alkylation of α,α‐dicyanoalkenes and Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates by dual catalysis of (DHQD)2AQN and (S)‐BINOL has been investigated. Excellent stereoselectivities have been achieved for a broad spectrum of substrates (d.r. > 99:1, up to 99 % ee). The multifunctional allylic products could be efficiently converted to a range of complex chiral cyclic frameworks. EWG=electron‐withdrawing group, (DHQD)2AQN=hydroquinidine (anthraquinone‐1,4‐diyl) diether, (S)‐BINOL =(S)‐(?)‐1,1′‐bi‐2‐naphthol.
