Fast detection of cellular thiols in aqueous medium was achieved using a newly developed fluorescence probe (see picture). Based on this probe, a high‐throughput fluorescence assay for glutathione reductase was developed.
Going through the phases : The title reaction was found to proceed by an initial base‐mediated isomerization to allenyl esters and subsequent phase transfer catalyzed alkylation at the α position of the ester (see scheme).
Modified porphyrins : New, mild conditions are described for the conversion of free‐base octaethylporphyrin (OEP) into the corresponding monooxypyriporphyrin. The same conditions can be used to convert the monooxypyriporphyrin into the unprecedented bis(oxypyri)porphyrin (see figure).
Caught on the hop : In multistep electron transfer (ET) reactions through peptides, aliphatic amino acids can also act as relay stations. With cysteine, the reaction occurs as a proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) with water used as a mediator for the proton transfer (see picture).
The true ground state of 1 is a matter of debate, but for clarity and convenience the allene resonance form 1 a , is the most appropriate. The arguments for aromaticity made by Christl and Engels are shown to be incorrect.
Constructing α‐stereogenic amides and ketones : The highly regioselective and enantioselective conjugate addition of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds to 1,4‐dicarbonyl but‐2‐enes has been developed with the chiral bicyclic guanidine as catalyst (ee values up to 97 %; see scheme).
Breaking the molecular symmetry by protonation of germylene 1 is the key step in the synthesis of the germyliumylidene 2 , which is stabilized by an intramolecular interaction with a distant imido group.
Spinning wheels : The presented highly resolved multifrequency continuous wave EPR spectra (e.g., see figure) of the heterooctametalic “wheels” Cr7M provide rare examples of high nuclearity polymetallic systems where detailed information on the spin‐Hamiltonian parameters of the ground and excited spin states is observed.
One catalyst fits all! One catalyst is active for a wide set of benzylating reactions (see scheme). A tandem process allows the use of aldehydes and ketones as benzylating agents.
