Visualizing Microglia with a Fluorescence Turn‐On Ugt1a7c Substrate

Microglia, the brain‐resident macrophage, are involved in brain development and contribute to the progression of neural disorders. Despite the importance of microglia, imaging of live microglia at a cellular resolution has been limited to transgenic mice. Efforts have therefore been dedicated to developing new methods for microglia detection and imaging. Using a thorough structure–activity relationships study, we developed CDr20, a high‐performance fluorogenic chemical probe that enables the visualization of microglia both in vitro and in vivo. Using a genome‐scale CRISPR‐Cas9 knockout screen, the UDP‐glucuronosyltransferase Ugt1a7c was identified as the target of CDr20. The glucuronidation of CDr20 by Ugt1a7c in microglia produces fluorescence.     

Protecting‐Group‐Controlled Enzymatic Glycosylation of Oligo‐N‐Acetyllactosamine Derivatives

We describe a chemoenzymatic strategy that can give a library of differentially fucosylated and sialylated oligosaccharides starting from a single chemically synthesized tri‐N‐acetyllactosamine derivative. The common precursor could easily be converted into 6 different hexasaccharides in which the glucosamine moieties are either acetylated (GlcNAc) or modified as a free amine (GlcNH₂) or Boc (GlcNHBoc). Fucosylation of the resulting compounds by a recombinant fucosyl transferase resulted in only modification of the natural GlcNAc moieties, providing access to 6 selectively mono‐ and bis‐fucosylated oligosaccharides. Conversion of the GlcNH₂ or GlcNHBoc moieties into the natural GlcNAc, followed by sialylation by sialyl transferases gave 12 differently fucosylated and sialylated compounds. The oligosaccharides were printed as a microarray that was probed by several glycan‐binding proteins, demonstrating that complex patterns of fucosylation can modulate glycan recognition.     

Synergy between Plasmonic and Electrocatalytic Activation of Methanol Oxidation on Palladium–Silver Alloy Nanotubes

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation of noble metal nanoparticles has been shown to accelerate and drive photochemical reactions. Here, LSPR excitation is shown to enhance the electrocatalysis of a fuel‐cell‐relevant reaction. The electrocatalyst consists of Pd_xAg alloy nanotubes (NTs), which combine the catalytic activity of Pd toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and the visible‐light plasmonic response of Ag. The alloy electrocatalyst exhibits enhanced MOR activity under LSPR excitation with significantly higher current densities and a shift to more positive potentials. The modulation of MOR activity is ascribed primarily to hot holes generated by LSPR excitation of the Pd_xAg NTs.     

A Redox‐Confused Bismuth(I/III) Triamide with a T‐Shaped Planar Ground State

Reaction of a tethered triamine ligand with Bi(NMe₂)₃ gives a Bi triamide, for which a Bi^I electronic structure is shown to be most appropriate. The T‐shaped geometry at bismuth provides the first structural model for edge inversion in bismuthines and the only example of a planar geometry for pnictogen triamides. Analogous phosphorus compounds exhibit a distorted pyramidal geometry because of different Bi?N and P?N bond polarities. Although considerable Bi^I character is indicated for the title Bi triamide, it exhibits reactivity similar to Bi^III electrophiles, and expresses either a vacant or a filled p orbital at Bi, as evidenced by coordination of either pyridine N‐oxide or W(CO)₅. The product of the former shows evidence of coordination‐induced oxidation state change at bismuth.     

Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation with Deconjugated Carbonyl Compounds: Direct Vinylogous Umpolung Strategy

An atom‐economic and highly efficient vinylogous umpolung strategy is developed for deconjugated carbonyl compounds, which generate electron‐deficient π‐allylpalladium complexes with Pd(OAc)₂ under ligand‐free conditions. In cooperation with a chiral‐phosphonium‐based phase‐transfer catalyst, the asymmetric direct oxidative allylic alkylations of 3‐substituted oxindoles are furnished under O₂ atmosphere. The γ‐ or even remote ?‐regioselective alkylation products, with substantial substituents, are delivered with excellent enantioselectivity, and can be further used to access diverse chiral spirocyclic architectures effectively. The Mukaiyama dienol silyl ether can be utilized similarly, indicating that the current active π‐allylpalladium species results from tautomerization of the Pd^II‐dienolate intermediate.     

Catalytic Kinetic Resolution by Enantioselective Aromatization: Conversion of Racemic Intermediates of the Barton–Zard Reaction into Enantioenriched 3‐Arylpyrroles

Racemic 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrroles, hypothetical intermediates of the Barton–Zard reaction, were synthesized in a highly diastereoselective manner and fully characterized for the first time. Kinetic resolution of the dihydropyrroles with a quinine‐derived thiourea afforded the (+)‐3‐arylpyrrole products and recovered (+)‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrroles with high efficiency (s‐factor up to 153). The resolved (+)‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrroles underwent subsequent aromatization with a quinidine‐derived thiourea catalyst to afford (?)‐3‐arylpyrroles with excellent central‐to‐axial chirality transfer. In contrast to the well‐accepted Barton–Zard mechanism, the aromatization of the 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrroles in the presence of a bifunctional catalyst is believed to proceed by an unprecedented sequence involving syn elimination of HNO₂ and aromatization.     

Inexpensive Hole‐Transporting Materials Derived from Tröger's Base Afford Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

The synthesis of three enamine hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) based on Tröger's base scaffold are reported. These compounds are obtained in a three‐step facile synthesis from commercially available materials without the need of expensive catalysts, inert conditions or time‐consuming purification steps. The best performing material, HTM3, demonstrated 18.62 % PCE in PSCs, rivaling spiro‐OMeTAD in efficiency, and showing markedly superior long‐term stability in non‐encapsulated devices. In dopant‐free PSCs, HTM3 outperformed spiro‐OMeTAD by a factror of 1.6. The high glass‐transition temperature (T_g=176 °C) of HTM3 also suggests promising perspectives in device applications.     

Synthetic Haptens and Monoclonal Antibodies to the Cyanotoxin Anatoxin‐a

Early warning systems for monitoring toxic events may benefit from the availability of monoclonal antibodies enabling the sensitive and specific detection of anatoxin‐a, a cyanotoxin involved in numerous cases of animal poisoning resulting from toxic algal blooms in freshwaters. Through the synthesis of three functionalized derivatives of anatoxin‐a, we have succeeded in generating the first‐ever reported immunoreagents (bioconjugates and antibodies) suitable for the development of immunoanalytical approaches aimed at rapid and onsite detection of this harmful cyanotoxin.