A bicycle built for two : The title reaction affords cis‐fused bicyclo[4.3.0]nonenes from readily available 1,5‐bisallenes with structurally diverse propargylic carbonates and arylboronic acids (see scheme; X=NTs, C(E1)2 with E1=CO2Bn, SO2Ph, dba=trans,trans‐dibenzylidenacetone). The reaction may involve a sequential oxidative addition, two different types of three carbopalladations, and a Suzuki‐type coupling.
The chemical information stored in equilibrium mixtures of molecular species is larger than the sum of information carried by the individual molecules. Protonation equilibria in dilute dichloromethane solution of a shape‐persistent macrocycle bearing two 2,2′‐bipyridine units and two Coumarin 2 moieties (see figure) can be exploited to mimic decoding operations.
Recycling of “green” solvents : Recycling of ionic liquids with high efficiency is of key importance on going from the laboratory‐scale to large‐scale industrial application of these solvents.
Finely tuned: Carbon nanotubes are exposed to a CF4 radio‐frequency plasma (see picture). High‐resolution photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the treatment effectively grafts fluorine atoms onto the MWCNTs, altering the valence electronic states. Fluorine surface concentration can be tuned by varying the exposure time.
Seven in one blow : The efficient formation of mixed disulfides on the thiol‐rich fusion protein A followed by subsequent intein cleavage gave the fragment B with all seven cysteines protected against oxidation. The native chemical ligation of B with synthetic glycopeptide thioesters provides glycoproteins.
Radical reactions : The ground‐state potential energy surface of the C2H5O system is investigated by ab initio methods using optimized geometries. The rate constants for the unimolecular isomerization and decomposition reactions of the three isomeric radicals (see picture) are calculated by microcanonical transition‐state theory at 200–3000 K, varying the pressures of the diluents.
Leading light : A series of zinc(II) bis‐terpyridine complexes (see picture) is investigated by means of DFT calculations combined with Bader's quantum theory of atoms in molecules. Raman spectroscopy experiments and studies of the electro‐optical properties of the complexes in solution and the solid state are also performed to examine their potential as new emissive materials in light‐emitting devices.
To be or not to be solvated is the decisive parameter that controls the photoinduced hydrogen‐atom transfer in diastereomeric ketone/phenol dyads. A kinetic solvent effect that refers to hydrogen bonding between the phenol and the solvent is suggested to be the main source of the stereoselective discrimination in the hydrogen transfer (see figure).
