Seeing is sensing : Calsequestrin (CSQ) functionalized gold nanoparticles undergo calcium‐dependent CSQ polymerization, which results in a clear color change (see picture) together with precipitation. The sensing system is specific for Ca2+ ions and the differences between normal and disease‐associated abnormal (hypercalcemia) Ca2+ ion levels in serum can be distinguished with the naked eye.
Better the second time around : The title compounds were synthesized by using a one‐pot double methylene transfer catalyzed by a heterobimetallic La/Li complex. Chiral amplification in the second step was the key to obtaining oxetanes in high enantiomeric excess (see scheme).
ReacTiO 2 ns for rings : Gold nanoparticles supported on TiO2 are used as a novel heterogeneous catalyst for the isomerization of epoxides to allylic alcohols by a concerted mechanism (see scheme). The reaction proceeds in high yields and the product selectivity is often remarkable.
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).
Shape‐controlled catalysis : High‐quality Pt–Cu nanocubes with an average size of about 8 nm (see picture, scale bar=20 nm) were synthesized from a high‐temperature organic solution system in the presence of various capping ligands. These cubic Pt–Cu nanocrystals terminated with {100} facets demonstrated a superior catalytic activity towards methanol oxidation compared to similar sized Pt–Cu and Pt nanospheres.
No protection? A unique, albeit fairly specialized, example of what promises to be a useful retrosynthetic consideration for those designing complex π‐molecular systems, namely, using conformation as a protecting group to shield a given reactive site in lieu of protecting‐group manipulation, is described (see scheme).
Osmabenzenes can be easily synthesized from two η2‐coordinated olefin osmacycles in the presence of benzonitrile by means of facile hydrogen‐transfer conversions (see graphic). Mechanisms for the formation of osmabenzenes are proposed based on DFT calculations.
Cutting the corner : An excellent agreement has been obtained between experimental and computed coulombic coupling matrix elements for donor–spacer–acceptor systems, which consist of a boron dipyrromethane donor and acceptor in various stages of protonation. This correlation occurs in spite of reservations about the validity of Förster theory being applied to intramolecular electronic energy transfer (ET) over short (e.g., 20 Å) distances (see picture).
My favorite subject at school was Chemistry. I chose chemistry as a career because I love the fact we can “Just Do It” without over‐thinking. This and more about Wenbin Lin can be found on page 4472.
Particle vs tube : The present paper systematically investigates a range of fundamental geometrical and structural features of TiO2 nanotube layers and their effect on the dye‐sensitized solar cell conversion efficiency, to deduce the most promising strategies for improvement. It is found that the performance of the cells strongly depends on the morphology and crystalline structure of the nanotubes.
Back from obscurity : The practical synthesis of the first six members of the fundamental class of acyclic branched oligoalkenes has been achieved. The syntheses allow access to the target compounds on multigram scales in good yields. Members of the family with even numbers of double bonds are significantly more stable than those with odd numbers (see picture), and exhibit different chemical reactivities in Diels–Alder reactions.
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).
Go for the gold! The structural evolution of peptide binding and assembly on a Au(111) surface is dynamic and involves surface diffusion and multiple stages of molecular thin‐film topology development (see schematic depiction and corresponding AFM images). The new fundamental observations may form the basis of peptide‐based novel hybrid molecular technologies of the future.
Modeling magnetism: The antiferromagnetic ground state of the C60/Si(001)‐c(4×4) surface is predicted by means of density functional theory calculations. Two adjacent dangling bonds (DBs) generated by the adsorption of C60 are antiferromagnetically coupled with each other. This study demonstrates that magnetic Si surfaces can be prepared by engineering single Si DBs with unpaired electrons.
Most proteins in proteomics are identified from tandem mass spectra of doubly protonated tryptic peptides. Statistical studies indicate that these spectra fall into two distinct classes. IR spectroscopy experiments and DFT calculations performed on model b2 ions show that peptides producing Class I spectra form protonated oxazolone ions (see figure) and not protonated diketopiperazines as proposed elsewhere.
Driven round the twist by DNA : One‐dimensional helical J‐aggregates are formed by the self‐assembly of thymidylic acid appended anthracene dye (shown in red and yellow) in the presence of complementary single‐stranded oligoadenylic acid (shown in green and blue) in an aqueous solution.
