DFT Simulations as Valuable Tool to Support NMR Characterization of Halide Perovskites: the Case of Pure and Mixed Halide Perovskites

Solid state NMR spectroscopy is swiftly emerging as useful tool to characterize the structure, composition and dynamic properties of lead halide perovskites. On the other hand, interpretation of solid state NMR signatures is often challenging, because of the potential presence of many overlapping signals in small range of chemical shifts, hence complicating the extraction of detailed structural features. Here, we demonstrate the reliability of periodic Density Functional Theory in providing theoretical support for the NMR characterization of halide perovskite compounds, considering nuclei with spin I=1/2. For light ¹H and ¹³C nuclei, we predict NMR chemical shifts in good agreement with experiment, further highlighting the effects of motional narrowing. Accurate prediction of the NMR response of ²⁰⁷Pb nuclei is comparably more challenging, but we successfully reproduce the downshift in frequency when changing the halide composition from pure iodine to pure bromine. Furthermore, we confirm NMR as ideal tool to study mixed halide perovskite compounds, currently at the limelight for tandem solar cells and color-tunable light emission.     

Wavy graphene sheets from electrochemical sewing of corannulene

The presence of non-hexagonal rings in the honeycomb carbon arrangement of graphene produces rippled graphene layers with valuable chemical and physical properties. In principle, a bottom-up approach to introducing distortion from planarity of a graphene sheet can be achieved by careful insertion of curved polyaromatic hydrocarbons during the growth of the lattice. Corannulene, the archetype of such non-planar polyaromatic hydrocarbons, can act as an ideal wrinkling motif in 2D carbon nanostructures. Herein we report an electrochemical bottom-up method to obtain egg-box shaped nanographene structures through a polycondensation of corannulene that produces a new conducting layered material. Characterization of this new polymeric material by electrochemistry, spectroscopy, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), scanning probe microscopy, and laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry provides strong evidence that the anodic polymerization of corannulene, combined with electrochemically induced oxidative cyclodehydrogenations (Scholl reactions), leads to polycorannulene with a wavy graphene-like structure.

A bottom-up synthesis of wavy graphene structures obtained through an anodic polymerization process, combined with an electrochemically triggered oxidative cyclodehydrogenation, of the bowl-shaped polyaromatic hydrocarbon corannulene.     

The ring-closing metathesis of vinyl ethers with Grubbs'' catalyst for the synthesis of dihydropyrans

A series of acyclic vinyl ethers have been prepared and treated with Grubbs' ruthenium catalyst ((Cy₃P)₂RuCl₂=CHPh). Contrary to previous findings, it has been shown that certain vinyl ethers are excellent substrates for the ring closing metathesis with ruthenium based catalysts.     

UHPLC-DAD Characterization of Origanum vulgare L. from Atacama Desert Andean Region and Antioxidant,Antibacterial and Enzyme Inhibition Activities

The Lamiaceae family is an important source of species among medicinal plants highly valued for their biological properties and numerous uses in folk medicine. Origanum is one of the main genera that belong to this family. The purpose of the study was to determine the phenolic composition of the Origanum vulgare extract and evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and inhibitory activities of this species that grows in the Andean region of the Atacama Desert. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed to determine the main phenols. Rosmarinic acid was identified as the predominant phenolic compound in this species (76.01 mg/100 g DW), followed by protocatechuic acid, which to our knowledge, no previous study reported similar concentrations in O. vulgare. The oregano extract exhibited a content of total phenolic (3948 mg GAE/100 g DW) and total flavonoid (593 mg QE/100 g DW) with a higher DPPH antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 40.58 µg/mL), compared to the same species grown under other conditions. Furthermore, it was found to inhibit α-glucosidase activity with an IC₅₀ value (7.11 mg/mL) lower than acarbose (129.32 mg/mL). Pseudomonas syringae and Pantoea agglomerans (both MIC 0.313 mg/mL and MBC 1.25 mg/mL) were the bacteria most susceptible to oregano extract with the lowest concentration necessary to inhibit bacterial growth. These results open the door for the potential use of this plant to manage chronic diseases, and they expand the knowledge of the species cultivated in arid environmental conditions.     

An analytical model to represent crystallization kinetics in materials with metastable phase formation

The aim of this article is to propose a simple analytical model that can describe the isothermal crystallization process in materials when the formation of a stable crystalline phase is preceded by the formation of a metastable phase. This model explains deviations from the well-known Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov kinetics theory and predicts the three slopes in Avrami’s plot. The model predictions were compared with experimental results obtained from X-ray measurements in the chalcogenide glasses with composition of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (thin films) and in aqueous solutions of methylhydrazine monohydrate during isothermal phase transformations. In order to validate the proposed model to represent experimental results, a computer program was developed. This program uses experimental data from measurements of the total volume fraction at different times during isothermal transformations and fits the model parameters that best represent the kinetic behavior of the system.     

Weak Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonds with Fluorine: Detection and Implications for Enzymatic/Chemical Reactions,Chemical Properties,and Ligand/Protein Fluorine NMR Screening

It is known that strong hydrogen‐bonding interactions play an important role in many chemical and biological systems. However, weak or very weak hydrogen bonds, which are often difficult to detect and characterize, may also be relevant in many recognition and reaction processes. Fluorine serving as a hydrogen‐bond acceptor has been the subject of many controversial discussions and there are different opinions about it. It now appears that there is compelling experimental evidence for the involvement of fluorine in weak intramolecular or intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Using established NMR methods, we have previously characterized and measured the strengths of intermolecular hydrogen‐bond complexes involving the fluorine moieties CH₂F, CHF₂, and CF₃, and have compared them with the well‐known hydrogen‐bond complex formed between acetophenone and the strong hydrogen‐bond donor p‐fluorophenol. We now report evidence for the formation of hydrogen bonds involving fluorine with significantly weaker donors, namely 5‐fluoroindole and water. A simple NMR method is proposed for the simultaneous measurement of the strengths of hydrogen bonds between an acceptor and a donor or water. Important implications of these results for enzymatic/chemical reactions involving fluorine, for chemical and physical properties, and for ligand/protein ¹⁹F NMR screening are analyzed through experiments and theoretical simulations.     

Development of a syn‐Selective Mannich Reaction of Aldehydes with Propargylic Imines by Dual Catalysis: Asymmetric Synthesis of Functionalized Propargylic Amines

Direct coupling of enolizable aldehydes with C‐alkynyl imines is realized affording the corresponding propargylic Mannich adducts of syn configuration, thus complementing previous methods that gave access to the anti‐isomers. The combination of proline and a urea Brønsted base cocatalyst is key for the reactions to proceed under very mild conditions (3–10 mol % catalyst loading, dichloromethane as solvent, ?20 °C, 1.2 molar equivalents of aldehyde) and with virtually total stereocontrol (syn/anti ratio up to 99:1; ee up to 99 %). Some possibilities of further chemical elaboration of adducts are also briefly illustrated.