A platinum–beryllium adduct (see structure) was prepared by the reaction of [Pt(PCy3)2] and BeCl2. Treatment with methyllithium resulted in ligand substitution at the beryllium center. Both complexes were structurally characterized and display unprecedented two‐center two‐electron bonds between a transition metal and beryllium.
The smallest catalyst : A new strategy to control chemical synthesis by exposure to low‐energy electrons relies on the electrostatic attraction caused by the soft ionization of one of the reaction partners. This approach was used to induce a reaction between C2H4 and NH3 yielding aminoethane. The reaction resembles a hydroamination except that the electron beam replaces the catalyst used in the organic synthesis.
A viable storage system for hydrogen based on selective formic acid decomposition into H2 and CO2 has been developed (see scheme). Continuous generation of H2 of very high purity, over a wide range of pressures and under mild conditions was achieved.
The time is ripe : A general theoretical framework based on force‐transformed potential energy surfaces rationalizes the intriguing results of recent experiments in the emerging field of covalent mechanochemistry.
The odd couple : A dimeric magnesium(I) complex acts as a facile and selective two‐center/two‐electron reductant towards a series of unsaturated substrates (see scheme; Ar=2,6‐iPr2C6H3, Ad=1‐adamantyl). The novel reduced or reductively coupled products obtained from these reductions suggest that magnesium(I) compounds may find wide use in organic and organometallic syntheses.
Film studies : Epitaxial films of BaZrN2 (see TEM image) and BaHfN2 are grown by polymer‐assisted deposition on SrTiO3 (STO) substrates. The films are phase‐pure, allowing the intrinsic physical properties of the ternary nitrides to be studied. From 5 to 300 K, the films exhibit metallic‐like resistivity–temperature behavior, with large residual resistivity ratios.
Rings around a ring : The synthesis, characterization, material properties and biological studies of novel hexakis porphyrinato cyclotriphosphazene systems (see scheme) and their metal derivatives are described.
Colorful clusters : Silver nanoclusters consisting of only a few atoms exhibit large chemical‐environment‐responsive shifts of their optical absorption and emission bands, that is, large solvatochromism (see picture). The photophysical characteristics and electrochemiluminescence of the Ag clusters give them remarkable advantages over larger nanoparticles in applications such as molecular sensing.
In the spotlight : A hybrid myoglobin, containing a single‐stranded DNA anchor and a redox‐active ruthenium moiety tethered to the heme center can be used as a photocatalyst. The catalyst can be selectively immobilized on a surface‐bound complementary DNA molecule and thus readily recycled from complex reaction mixtures. This principle may be applied to a range of heme‐dependent enzymes allowing the generation of novel light‐triggered photocatalysts.
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.
