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.
First insights into the reaction between a Baylis–Hillman adduct and an allene moiety have been obtained from the novel domino heterocyclization/cross‐coupling reaction of α‐allenols and Baylis–Hillman acetates, which furnishes [(2,5‐dihydrofuran‐3‐yl)methyl]acrylate derivatives in moderate to good yields.
Quick access : A concise and efficient formal synthesis of platencin has been accomplished in nine steps from a commercially available starting material. The synthesis utilized only one protecting group. The base‐catalyzed Michael cyclization of precursor 1 afforded the key diketone 2 , which was converted into the desired core structure 4 via the radical intermediate 3 .
A chemically mediated microfluidic approach to the generation of particle‐coated bubbles is reported by E. Kumacheva and co‐workers in their Communication on page 5300 ff. The approach employs rapid, controllable dissolution of CO2 bubbles in a dispersion of carboxylated particles. Local increases in the acidity of the medium in the neighborhood of the bubbles lead to a change in the surface energy of the particles and their deposition on the gas–liquid interface.
A trap that closes with a “click” : The copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition can occur in different G‐quadruplex structures (see scheme). The species trapped by the click reaction can then be separated and analyzed. By using this approach, a DNA–RNA hybrid‐type G‐quadruplex structure formed by human telomeric DNA and RNA sequences was detected.
Don't cry! The attachment of ferrocene moieties on the surface of carbon nano‐onions influences the electrochemical properties of these moieties and the photophysical properties of the carbon nano‐onions (see figure). Quantum chemical calculations confirm that the spectral properties of carbon nano‐onions depend on their size and the degree of functionalisation.
Photoluminescent cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes can bind non‐covalently and non‐specifically towards various proteins and such bonding is accompanied by a dramatic increase in the intensity of photoluminescence in the visible spectral region. It can be practically applied for staining protein mixtures in 1D and 2D SDS‐PAGE, giving emissive gel images directly under UV light without any de‐staining procedures. For more information see the Communication by C.‐M. Che et al. on page 3652 ff. (SDS‐PAGE=sodium dodecyl sulfate polyarcylamide gel electrophoresis).
Suprapolymers : The synthesis of symmetrically end‐functionalized polymers in a single step has been developed by means of ring‐opening metathesis polymerization by using a bimetallic ruthenium initiator and functional chain terminators. Self‐assembly of the resulting polymers allows for the formation of supramolecular alternating block copolymers (see figure).
A fourth wheel : Two sets of bifunctional AB2C dendrimers having internal acetylene/azides and external hydroxy groups were constructed utilizing benign synthetic protocols. An in situ postfunctionalization strategy was successfully carried out to illustrate the chemoselective nature of these dendrimers. The dendrimers were also transformed into dendritic nanoparticles or utilized as dendritic crosslinkers for the fabrication hydrogels.
Down to the wire : Photobleaching dynamics show the exciton delocalization length of directly linked porphyrin arrays (see picture) to be about four or five porphyrin units at the single‐molecule level. This result provides a better understanding of how light‐signal transmission occurs in the solid state and gives a perspective for the porphyrin arrays to be used as single‐molecule photonic wires.
Sensors and sensitivity : A highly luminescent microporous metal–organic framework, [Zn2(bpdc)2(bpee)] (bpdc=4,4′‐biphenyldicarboxylate; bpee=1,2‐bipyridylethene), is capable of very fast and reversible detection of the vapors of the nitroaromatic explosive 2,4‐dinitrotoluene and the plastic explosive taggant 2,3‐dimethyl‐2,3‐dinitrobutane, through redox fluorescence quenching with unprecedented sensitivity (see spectra).
A complex rotation : The solution conformation of spermidine (SPD) was elucidated by using diastereospecifically deuterated and 13C‐labeled derivatives to diagnose the orientation of seven conformationally relevant bonds. NMR coupling constants were determined for a complex formed from spermidine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP; see figure).
Chemical scrabble : Mechanistic studies of complex organocatalytic cascade reactions are challenging owing to the presence of many species involved. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry provides details about a one‐pot quadruple organocatalytic cascade reaction, and allows detailed characterization of the reaction and its key intermediates.
To each his own : An addressable electrochemical device consisting of orthogonally arranged rows and columns of electrodes has been constructed to monitor protein expression in genetically engineered cells at the single‐cell level. The response based on redox cycling reflected the different expression levels of the enzyme from individual HeLa cells transfected with a plasmid vector including secreted alkaline phosphatase.
Two birds with one auric stone : The title system acts as a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the one‐pot tandem synthesis of imines or oximes from alcohols and the corresponding amines under mild conditions (see scheme; HAP= hydroxyapatite).
A new pick‐up line : The first uranyl‐selective DNA‐binding protein is designed using the E. coli nickel(II)‐responsive protein NikR as the template. The resulting NikR′ protein binds uranyl (see picture) with a dissociation constant Kd=53 nM and selectively binds to DNA in the presence of uranyl.
