Formation of High‐Valent Iron–Oxo Species in Superoxide Reductase: Characterization by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy

Superoxide reductase (SOR), a non‐heme mononuclear iron protein that is involved in superoxide detoxification in microorganisms, can be used as an unprecedented model to study the mechanisms of O₂ activation and of the formation of high‐valent iron–oxo species in metalloenzymes. By using resonance Raman spectroscopy, it was shown that the mutation of two residues in the second coordination sphere of the SOR iron active site, K₄₈ and I₁₁₈, led to the formation of a high‐valent iron–oxo species when the mutant proteins were reacted with H₂O₂. These data demonstrate that these residues in the second coordination sphere tightly control the evolution and the cleavage of the O? O bond of the ferric iron hydroperoxide intermediate that is formed in the SOR active site.     

Highly Fluorinated Tris(indazolyl)borate Silylamido Complexes of the Heavier Alkaline Earth Metals: Synthesis,Characterization, and Efficient Catalytic Intramolecular Hydroamination

Heteroleptic silylamido complexes of the heavier alkaline earth elements calcium and strontium containing the highly fluorinated 3‐phenyl hydrotris(indazolyl)borate {F₁₂‐Tp^{4Bo, 3Ph}}^? ligand have been synthesized by using salt metathesis reactions. The homoleptic precursors [Ae{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂] (Ae=Ca, Sr) were treated with [Tl(F₁₂‐Tp^{4Bo, 3Ph})] in pentane to form the corresponding heteroleptic complexes [(F₁₂‐Tp^{4Bo, 3Ph})Ae{N(SiMe₃)₂}] (Ae=Ca ( 1 ); Sr ( 3 )). Compounds 1 and 3 are inert towards intermolecular redistribution. The molecular structures of 1 and 3 have been determined by using X‐ray diffraction. Compound 3 exhibits a Sr ??? MeSi agostic distortion. The synthesis of the homoleptic THF‐free compound [Ca{N(SiMe₂H)₂}₂] ( 4 ) by transamination reaction between [Ca{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂] and HN(SiMe₂H)₂ is also reported. This precursor constitutes a convenient starting material for the subsequent preparation of the THF‐free complex [(F₁₂‐Tp^{4Bo, 3Ph})Ca{N(SiMe₂H)₂}] ( 5 ). Compound 5 is stabilized in the solid state by a Ca???β‐Si?H agostic interaction. Complexes 1 and 3 have been used as precatalysts for the intramolecular hydroamination of 2,2‐dimethylpent‐4‐en‐1‐amine. Compound 1 is highly active, converting completely 200 equivalents of aminoalkene in 16 min with 0.50 mol % catalyst loading at 25 °C.     

Fluorescence Microscopy Visualization of Contacts Between Objects

The area of contact between two objects was detected by using the strong enhancement of the fluorescence of rigidochromic probe molecules attached to one of the surfaces. Confinement of the molecules suppresses nonradiative decay and turns on the fluorescence. The approach is demonstrated by imaging of the contact area of a plastic sphere in contact with a flat glass surface. Our results agree excellently with the prediction of Hertz’s classical theory based on elastic deformation.     

Heterobi‐ and ‐trimetallic Ion Pairs of Zirconocene‐Based Isoselective Olefin Polymerization Catalysts with AlMe3

The reactivity towards AlMe₃ of discrete cationic ansa‐zirconocenes 2 a,b that are ubiquitously used in isoselective propylene polymerization and based on [{Ph(H)C(3,6‐tBu₂‐Flu)(3‐tBu‐5‐Et‐Cp)}ZrMe₂)] {Cp‐Flu} and rac‐[{Me₂Si‐(2‐Me‐4‐Ph‐Ind)₂}ZrMe₂] {SBI} was scrutinized. The first example of a structurally characterized Group 4 metallocene AlMe₃ adduct ( 3 b ) is reported. In the presence of excess AlMe₃, the {SBI}‐based AlMe₃ adduct 3 b undergoes a slow decomposition via C? H activation in a bridging methyl unit to yield a new species ( 4 b ) with a trimetallic {Zr(μ‐CH₂)(μ‐Me)AlMe(μ‐Me)AlMe₂} core. EXSY NMR data for the process 2 b ? 3 b → 4 b suggest very rapid and reversible binding of an additional AlMe₃ molecule onto AlMe₃ adduct 3 b . The resulting heterotrimetallic species intermediates exchange of methyl groups between different metal centers and slowly undergoes the C? H activation reaction towards 4 b .     

Highly Effective and Green Catalytic Approach Toward α,ω‐Dihydroxy‐Telechelic Poly(trimethylenecarbonate)

α,ω‐Dihydroxy‐telechelic poly(trimethylenecarbonate), HO‐PTMC‐OH, is synthesized from the controlled “immortal” ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate under mild conditions (bulk, 60 °C), using ZnEt₂ or, more efficiently, [(BDI)Zn(N(SiMe₃)₂)] (BDI = CH(CMeNC₆H₃‐2,6‐iPr₂)₂) as catalyst precursor, in the presence of a diol HO‐R‐OH (R = (CH₂)₂ or CH₂C₆H₄CH₂; 0.5–10 equiv. vs Zn) acting both as co‐initiator and chain transfer agent. Alternatively, HO‐PTMC‐OH is prepared upon hydrogenolysis of HO‐PTMC‐OCH₂Ph, initially prepared from the ROP of TMC using the [(BDI)Zn(N(SiMe₃)₂)]/PhCH₂OH system, under smooth operating conditions using Pd/charcoal. Well‐defined dihydroxy‐functionalized PTMCs of molar mass ranging from = 2 000 to 109 500 g · mol⁻¹ were thus quantitatively obtained and fully characterized by NMR, MALDI‐TOF‐MS and SEC analyses. The versatility of this “immortal” ROP allows the preparation of alike α,ω‐functional polyester such as linear HO‐poly(lactide)‐OH, as well as star polymers such as the glycerol‐based PTM‐OH₃.