Harnessing [1,4], [1,5], and [1,6] Anionic Fries-type Rearrangements by Reaction-Time Control in Flow

A series of anionic Fries-type rearrangements of carbamoyl-substituted aryllithium intermediates were controlled by using flow microreactor systems. For the [1,4] and [1,5] rearrangements, the aryllithium intermediate formed before carbamoyl migration and the lithium alkoxide formed after carbamoyl migration can be selectively subjected to subsequent reactions with electrophiles by precisely controlling the residence time and temperature (−25 to −50 °C). In contrast, the [1,6] rearrangement is rather slow even at −25 °C. The absence of crossover products indicates the intramolecular nature of the carbamoyl group migration.     

Control of Metal–Organic Framework Crystallization by Metastable Intermediate Pre‐equilibrium Species

There is an increasing amount of interest in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for a variety of applications, from gas sensing and separations to electronics and catalysis. However, the mechanisms by which they crystallize remain poorly understood. Herein, an important new insight into MOF formation is reported. It is shown that, prior to network assembly, crystallization intermediates in the canonical ZIF‐8 system exist in a dynamic pre‐equilibrium, which depends on the reactant concentrations and the progress of reaction. Concentration can, therefore, be used as a synthetic handle to directly control particle size, with potential implications for industrial scale‐up and gas sorption applications. These findings enable the rationalization of apparent contradictions between previous studies of ZIF‐8 and opens up new opportunities for the control of crystallization in network solids more generally.     

Direct Observation of Primary C−H Bond Oxidation by an Oxido‐Iron(IV) Porphyrin π‐Radical Cation Complex in a Fluorinated Carbon Solvent

Oxido‐iron(IV) porphyrin π‐radical cation species are involved in a variety of heme‐containing enzymes and have characteristic oxidation states consisting of a high‐valent iron center and a π‐conjugated macrocyclic ligand. However, the short lifetime of the complex has hampered detailed reactivity studies. Reported herein is a remarkable increase in the lifetime (80 s at 10 °C) of Fe^IV(TMP^+.)(O)(Cl) ( 2 ; TMP=5,10,15,20‐tetramesitylporphyrin dianion), produced by the oxidation of Fe^III(TMP)(Cl) ( 1 ) by ozone in α,α,α‐trifluorotoluene (TFT). The lifetime is 720 times longer compared to that of the currently most stable species reported to date. The increase in the lifetime improves the reaction efficiency of 2 toward inert alkane substrates, and allowed observation of the reaction of 2 with a primary C?H bond (BDE_C‐H=ca. 100 kcal mol^?1) directly. Activation parameters for cyclohexane hydroxylation were also obtained.     

Direct Detection of a Chemical Equilibrium between a Localized Singlet Diradical and Its σ‐Bonded Species by Time‐Resolved UV/Vis and IR Spectroscopy

Localized singlet diradicals are key intermediates in bond homolyses. The singlet diradicals are energetically much less stable than the σ‐bonded species. In general, only one‐way reactions from diradicals to σ‐bonded species are observed. In this study, a thermal equilibrium between a singlet 1,2‐diazacyclopentane‐3,5‐diyl diradical and the corresponding σ‐bonded species was directly observed. The singlet diradical was more stable than the σ‐bonded species. The solvent effect clarified key features, such as the zwitterionic character of the singlet diradical. The effect of the nitrogen atoms is discussed in detail.     

Novel synthesis of some new pyrimido[1,6‐a]pyrimidine and pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine derivatives

An easy and efficient route for synthesis of some pyrimido[1,6‐a]pyrimidine and pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine derivatives was described through the reaction of sodium salts of formyl ketones with 6‐aminothiouracil and 5‐aminopyrazole derivatives, respectively. The characterization of the reaction products was confirmed by using elemental analysis and spectral data. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

Short Synthesis of Enantiopure Thieno[2,3‐f]triazolo[1,5‐a][1,4]diazepines and Thieno[2,3‐f][1,4]diazepin‐5‐ones

Starting from 2‐carboxy‐3‐thenylazide 1 and enantiopure amines 2 as the chiral building blocks, we developed a two‐step synthesis of the title compounds involving an intramolecular azide cycloaddition as the key step.     

Visible‐Light‐Mediated Selective Arylation of Cysteine in Batch and Flow

A mild visible‐light‐mediated strategy for cysteine arylation is presented. The method relies on the use of eosin Y as a metal‐free photocatalyst and aryldiazonium salts as arylating agents. The reaction can be significantly accelerated in a microflow reactor, whilst allowing the in situ formation of the required diazonium salts. The batch and flow protocol described herein can be applied to obtain a broad series of arylated cysteine derivatives and arylated cysteine‐containing dipeptides. Moreover, the method was applied to the chemoselective arylation of a model peptide in biocompatible reaction conditions (room temperature, phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) buffer) within a short reaction time.     

Real‐Time Intracellular Measurements of ROS and RNS in Living Cells with Single Core–Shell Nanowire Electrodes

Nanoelectrodes allow precise and quantitative measurements of important biological processes at the single living‐cell level in real time. Cylindrical nanowire electrodes (NWEs) required for intracellular measurements create a great challenge for achieving excellent electrochemical and mechanical performances. Herein, we present a facile and robust solution to this problem based on a unique SiC‐core–shell design to produce cylindrical NWEs with superior mechanical toughness provided by the SiC nano‐core and an excellent electrochemical performance provided by the ultrathin carbon shell that can be used as such or platinized. The use of such NWEs for biological applications is illustrated by the first quantitative measurements of ROS/RNS in individual phagolysosomes of living macrophages. As the shell material can be varied to meet any specific detection purpose, this work opens up new opportunities to monitor quantitatively biological functions occurring inside cells and their organelles.     

Azulene–Naphthalene‐Type Rearrangements in Benz[a]azulene and Cyclohepta[b]indole

Flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of benz[a]azulene yields phenanthrene and 2‐ethynylbiphenyl. FVP of cyclohepta[b]indole similarly yields phenanthridine and 2‐cyanobiphenyl. The reversibility of the reactions is demonstrated by FVP of 2‐ethynylbiphenyl and 2‐isocyanobiphenyl. All the observed reactions are in accord with the norcaradiene–vinylidene mechanism of the azulene–naphthalene rearrangement, whereas other proposed mechanisms are ruled out.     

Study of 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition and Ring Contraction of New 1,4‐Phenylene‐bis[1,5]benzothiazepine Derivatives

Some 1,4‐phenylene‐bis[1,2,4]oxadiazolo‐[5,4‐d][1,5]benzothiazepine derivatives ( 4a , 4b , 4c ) were synthesized by 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition reaction of benzohydroximinoyl chloride with 1,4‐phenylene‐bis(4‐aryl)‐2,3‐dihydro[1,5]benzothiazepine ( 2a , 2b , 2c ); meanwhile, compounds 2a , 2b , 2c also occurred ring contraction under acylating condition to obtain bis[2‐aryl‐2′‐(β‐1,4‐phenylenevinyl)‐3‐acetyl]‐2,3‐dihydro[1,5]benzothiazoles ( 3a , 3b , 3c ). The structures of some novel compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H‐NMR, elemental, and X‐ray crystallographic analysis.     

Reaction‐Diffusion Systems in Intracellular Molecular Transport and Control

Chemical reactions make cells work only if the participating chemicals are delivered to desired locations in a timely and precise fashion. Most research to date has focused on active‐transport mechanisms, although passive diffusion is often equally rapid and energetically less costly. Capitalizing on these advantages, cells have developed sophisticated reaction‐diffusion (RD) systems that control a wide range of cellular functions—from chemotaxis and cell division, through signaling cascades and oscillations, to cell motility. These apparently diverse systems share many common features and are “wired” according to “generic” motifs such as nonlinear kinetics, autocatalysis, and feedback loops. Understanding the operation of these complex (bio)chemical systems requires the analysis of pertinent transport‐kinetic equations or, at least on a qualitative level, of the characteristic times of the constituent subprocesses. Therefore, in reviewing the manifestations of cellular RD, we also describe basic theory of reaction‐diffusion phenomena.