The center of it all : An antitumor‐active trinuclear platinum complex forms unprecedented interstrand cross‐linked triadducts with 18‐mer DNA duplexes (see figure; complex in yellow with the platinum centers in red) and behaves differently from its dinuclear analogue.
Skillfully attached! meso–meso‐Linked diporphyrins can be efficiently and selectively functionalized with multiple unsaturated carboxylic acid groups through iridium and rhodium catalyses. This post‐modification strategy allows fine‐tuning of energy levels of each porphyrin unit.
Bromide is best : The first [2]rotaxane incorporating the triazolium anion‐binding motif is prepared using bromide anion templation. Preliminary anion‐binding investigations reveal that the rotaxane exhibits the rare selectivity preference for bromide over chloride ions.
It makes sense : Conjugated polymer nanoparticles doped with a platinum porphyrin dye exhibit bright phosphorescence that is highly sensitive to the concentration of molecular oxygen. The small size, extraordinary brightness, excellent sensitivity, and ratiometric emission, together with the demonstration of single‐particle sensing and cellular uptake, indicate the potential of the nanoparticle sensors for quantitative mapping of local molecular oxygen concentration.
En route to molecular electronics : As extended, conjugated oligomers are desirable for molecular electronics, their electrical conductance should display a low attenuation factor. Zinc‐complexed oligo(ethynyleneporphyrindiylethynylene)s have been prepared that are distinguished by ultralow attenuation factors in single‐molecule conductance.
Cores and effect : Water‐dispersible core–shell structures and heterostructures incorporating gold nanocrystals of different shapes (polyhedra, cubes, and rods) and a variety of transition metal sulfide semiconductors (ZnS, CdS, NiS, Ag2S, and CuS) are synthesized using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide‐encapsulated gold nanocrystals and metal thiobenzoates as starting materials.
Direct and enantioselective : Diphenylprolinol silyl ether was found to catalyze the direct, asymmetric Michael reaction of 4‐substituted 2‐aryl‐2‐oxazoline‐5‐one and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes, affording the chiral α,α‐disubstituted α‐amino acid derivatives with excellent enantioselectivity.
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.
Secondary, but second to none : The use of secondary alkyl halides in transition‐metal‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions (see scheme) has advanced significantly over the last five years. Selected examples of these transformations are examined, including mechanistic and stereochemical aspects.
Ge, whiz! A detailed study of the synthesis, structure, redox chemistry, and bonding properties of pentagerma[1.1.1]propellane ( 1 , see picture) examines fundamental aspects of the interactions between the bridgehead germanium atoms. DFT and CASSCF calculations unravel the biradicaloid characteristics of 1 , and preliminary reactivity studies indicate that 1 features some radical‐type behavior.
A labor of love : The synthesis of an active pure enzyme (RNase) glycoform by the native chemical ligation of a (glyco)peptide and peptide thioester fragments required numerous painstaking steps: the strategy was optimized, active inteins accessed, redox conditions fine‐tuned, and glycoamino acid building blocks synthesized.
Music of the spheres : Infinite coordination polymerization of Zn2+ ions and a multitopic ligand produces metal–organic micro‐ and nanospheres that can be used as functional matrices. The spheres can encapsulate combinations of active substances, such as organic dyes, magnetic nanoparticles, or luminescent quantum dots (see image), which results in spheres that are luminescent in the blue, green, and red regions of the spectrum.
