Positive discrimination : Chemo‐ and regioselective palladium‐catalyzed cycloetherification of allendiols, namely β,γ‐ and γ,δ‐allendiols, may occur by judicious choice of palladium‐catalyzed conditions owing to their potential ability to discriminate between both nucleophilic sites (see scheme).
From imines to amines through catalysis by IrI complexes of a new type of P,N ligand (see scheme): This reaction affords the corresponding optically active amines with up to 98 % ee and has also been used with perfect stereoselectivity in the asymmetric synthesis of sertraline ( 1 ), an important antidepressant chiral drug.
Crystal‐clear structures : The first crystal structures of organometallic pincer–cutinase hybrids (see figure) provide insight into the 3D structural arrangement of both the protein and the organometallic pincer moiety, and reveal different binding modes for different pincers.
A novel selective palladium catalyst system based on bidentate 2,2′‐heteroarylarylphosphines and p‐TsOH has been developed for hydroformylation reactions (see scheme). By applying optimal conditions good to excellent regioselectivity is obtained for the hydroformylation of aliphatic and aromatic olefins. It is shown that a low acid concentration is crucial for obtaining high degrees of the linear isomer.
New pH‐sensitive probe design : A peek into the structure of fluorescent proteins led to the synthesis of fluorescent imidazoles. The prepared compounds demonstrated an array of remarkable pH‐dependent optical properties including at least two types of excited‐state charge transfers (see picture).
Awakening of the Cp one : The bifunctional complex 1 facilitates the interaction with substrates bearing less electrophilic carbon atoms than ketones, epoxides, and imides. The title reaction was applicable to the reduction of Evans' asymmetric alkylation products to the chiral alcohols along with good recovery of the chiral oxazolidinone auxiliary. EWG=electron‐withdrawing group.
Building bridges : The title compound forms an unprecedented polymeric structure with bridging B–H–B three‐center two‐electron bonds in the solid state. This organoborane serves as an efficient precursor for the preparation of boron‐doped π‐conjugated polymers by hydroboration polymerization with a functionalized 1,4‐diethynylbenzene (see picture). These polymers form thin films that show intense green luminescence.
Close to the edge : Photoexcitation of alizarin coupled to the surface of mesoporous TiO2 films leads to ultrafast electron transfer to the TiO2 conduction band (see picture). Complex kinetics after photoexcitation depend on the excitation energy, and indicate a position of the alizarin excited state close to the TiO2 conduction band edge, where the density of acceptor states is reduced.
Simple, versatile and green : Diels–Alder “click” chemistry is a simple, versatile and “greener” approach in the design of a diverse range of dendritic macromolecules (see scheme).
All in one pot! Radical, radical–ionic, and radical–organometallic MCR are highly convergent processes, representing a useful pathway to molecular and structural diversity (see scheme). This concept article highlights recent developments in the field and shows the potential of the strategy for the economical elaboration of various kinds of organic substrates.
Self‐control : endo‐Sulfoxide products can be synthesized selectively by the oxidation of thia‐capped cyclodextrins using m‐chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m‐CPBA) in water. The reaction occurs by the formation of an oxidant–cyclodextrin inclusion complex. Operating in organic media preferentially leads to exo‐sulfoxide products.
From sugar to cycloadduct : The effect of the trans‐acetonide blocking group and the stereochemistry of the substituents on the regio‐ and stereoselectivity in the intramolecular nitrone–alkene cycloaddition (INAC) reaction of hept‐6‐enoses (see scheme) is reported and studied by using theoretical analysis.
The effect of carbon is subtle but sweet : The flexible C‐linkage in the newly synthesised C‐glycosyl mimetic, Manα(1,6)‐C‐ManαOPh allows OH? π bonding, both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. This interaction is absent in the O‐linked disaccharide (see figure).
Molecular architecture affects the properties of surface layers. Photosensitive silanes with branched architectures allow patterning and coupling of proteins and cells on surfaces while maintaining their biofunctional state. Attachment can be directed to the activated regions of irradiated substrates with high selectivity (see image of mouse fibroblasts).
Amino sulfonamide catalyst : A distal proton of the axially chiral amino sulfonamide (S)‐ 1 realized the opposite diastereoselectivity in Mannich and cross‐aldol reactions compared with that observed in proline‐catalyzed reactions. The reactions catalyzed by (S)‐ 1 proceeded smoothly to give the anti‐Mannich and syn‐aldol adducts in excellent enantioselectivity (see scheme).
Changing places : Intramolecular B(pin)/H exchange took place in the presence of a platinum–phosphane catalyst, giving synthetically useful cis‐β‐methyl‐substituted alkenylboronates stereoselectively (see scheme; B(pin)=4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl).
