Borenes and boranes : Silylaminoiminoborenes, such as depicted, were isolated after treatment of halogen triels with silylaminofluoroboranes. In addition, novel aryl‐ and silyl‐substituted diaminofluoroboranes were also prepared in order to substantiate this reaction route.
Let's make 'meri' : Metal‐free direct alkenylation of indoles was realized by acid‐mediated substitution reactions of α‐oxo ketene dithioacetals with indoles in trifluoroacetic acid/dichloromethane, selectively affording β‐indolyl mono‐ and disubstituted α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds (see scheme). Condensation of the indolyl/ketene monothioacetals and guanidine nitrate efficiently produced meridianin derivatives.
A rival to native peroxidase! An existing binding site for glutathione was combined with the catalytic residue tellurocysteine by using an auxotrophic expression system to create an engineered enzyme that functions as a glutathione peroxidase from the scaffold of a glutathione transferase (see picture). The catalytic activity of the telluroenzyme in the reduction of hydroperoxides by glutathione is comparable to that of native glutathione peroxidase.
The Midas touch : The low‐temperature transformation of methanol to methyl formate, formaldehyde, and formic acid is promoted by atomic oxygen adsorbed on metallic gold (see picture). The reactions occur with O‐containing Au nanoparticles formed on Au(111) upon oxidation with ozone at 200 K; the facile esterification to methyl formate occurs well below room temperature.
Size does matter : Whereas geminal bimetallic bis(amidophosphorano)methandiide complexes of the heavy alkali metals K and Rb are relatively stable, that of Cs, the largest and most electropositive of the alkali metals, decomposes to form a cyclic product, which cocrystallizes with benzylcesium.
Turing lead into gold : Hollow hybrid PbSx–Au nanostructures of about 10 nm in diameter were synthesized using a one‐step reaction under mild experimental conditions. The redox reaction of gold precursors with PbS nanocrystals in the presence of dodecylamine leads to the hollow feature of hybrid nanostructures (see picture).
Propelling magnetism : Supramolecular organization leads to a remarkable dodecanuclear {Cu3Dy3}2 cluster with a “double–propeller” shape (see picture). The linkages of the CuDy units, both intramolecular and supramolecular, appear to be responsible for a drastic change in the single molecule magnetic behavior.
Donor1+donor2→acceptor : The second‐order NLO molecular properties of a class of dipolar chromophores that incorporate the following design elements are investigated: 1) a substituted hydrazono moiety as a strong donor; 2) a pyrrole ring as an auxiliary donor; 3) strong acceptor groups (see figure). Their first hyperpolarisabilities show good promise for use in electro‐optical devices.
