Mannose‐Binding Geometry of Pradimicin A

Pradimicins (PRMs) and benanomicins are the only family of non‐peptidic natural products with lectin‐like properties, that is, they recognize D ‐mannopyranoside (Man) in the presence of Ca²⁺ ions. Coupled with their unique Man binding ability, they exhibit antifungal and anti‐HIV activities through binding to Man‐containing glycans of pathogens. Notwithstanding the great potential of PRMs as the lectin mimics and therapeutic leads, their molecular basis of Man recognition has yet to be established. Their aggregate‐forming propensity has impeded conventional interaction analysis in solution, and the analytical difficulty is exacerbated by the existence of two Man binding sites in PRMs. In this work, we investigated the geometry of the primary Man binding of PRM‐A, an original member of PRMs, by the recently developed analytical strategy using the solid aggregate composed of the 1:1 complex of PRM‐A and Man. Evaluation of intermolecular distances by solid‐state NMR spectroscopy revealed that the C2–C4 region of Man is in close contact with the primary binding site of PRM‐A, while the C1 and C6 positions of Man are relatively distant. The binding geometry was further validated by co‐precipitation experiments using deoxy‐Man derivatives, leading to the proposal that PRM‐A binds not only to terminal Man residues at the non‐reducing end of glycans, but also to internal 6‐substituted Man residues. The present study provides new insights into the molecular basis of Man recognition and glycan specificity of PRM‐A.     

Stabilization of Large Adsorbates by Rotational Entropy: A Time‐Resolved Variable‐Temperature STM Study

Investigating the dynamics in an adlayer of the oligopyridine derivative 2‐phenyl‐4,6‐bis(6‐(pyridine‐2‐yl)‐4‐(pyridine‐4‐yl)pyridine‐2‐yl)pyrimidine (2,4′‐BTP) on Ag(111) by fast scanning tunneling microscopy (video‐STM), we found that rotating 2,4′‐BTP adsorbates coexist in a two‐dimensional (2D) liquid phase (β‐phase) in a dynamic equilibrium with static adsorbate molecules. Furthermore, exchange between an ordered phase (α‐phase) and β‐phase leads to fluctuations of the domain boundary on a time scale of seconds. Quantitative evaluation of the temperature‐dependent equilibrium between rotating and static adsorbates, evaluated from a large number of STM images, gains insight into energetic and entropic stabilization and underlines that the rotating adsorbate molecules are stabilized by an entropy contribution, which is compatible with that derived by using statistical mechanics. The general validity of the concept of entropic stabilization of rotating admolecules, favoring rotation already at room temperature, is tested for other typical small, mid‐size and large adsorbates.     

Self‐Assembly of Anionic Porphyrins and Alkaline or Alkaline Earth Metal Ions Mediated by Cucurbit[7,8]uril

Nanoscaled coordination polymers based on biologically prevalent ions have potential applications in drug delivery and biomedical imaging. Herein, coordination polymer nanoparticles of anionic porphyrins, including meso‐tetra(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐porphyrin (H₂TCPP^4?) and meso‐tetra(4‐sulfonatophenyl)‐porphyrin (H₂TPPS^4?), and alkaline or alkaline earth metal cations, such as K⁺ and Ca²⁺, were constructed in aqueous solution in the presence of cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) or cucurbit[8]uril (CB8). UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were applied to explore the assembly and particle formation of porphyrin anions and metal cations mediated by CBn. The particle size depends on the kinds of CBn and metal cations and their concentrations. The uptake of H₂TPPS^4? particles by tumor cells (A549 cells) was found to be more efficient than H₂TPPS^4? at 37 °C, showing the application potential of such assembled particles in biology and medicine.     

Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Dots: A Facile and General Preparation Method,Photoluminescence Investigation,and Imaging Applications

Carbon dots (Cdots) are an important probe for imaging and sensing applications because of their fluorescence property, good biocompatibility, and low toxicity. However, complex procedures and strong acid treatment are often required and Cdots suffer from low photoluminescence (PL) emission. Herein, a facile and general strategy using carbonization of precursors and then extraction with solvents is proposed for the preparation of nitrogen‐doped Cdots (N‐Cdots) with 3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐L ‐alanine (L ‐DOPA), L ‐histidine, and L ‐arginine as precursor models. After they are heated, the precursors become carbonized. Nitrogen‐doped Cdots are subsequently extracted into N,N′‐dimethylformamide (DMF) from the carbogenic solid. A core–shell structure of Cdots with a carbon core and the oxygen‐containing shell was observed. Nitrogen has different forms in N‐Cdots and oxidized N‐Cdots. The doped nitrogen and low oxidation level in N‐Cdots improve their emission significantly. The N‐Cdots show an emission with a nitrogen‐content‐dependent intensity and Cdot‐size‐dependent emission‐peak wavelength. Imaging of HeLa cells, a human cervical cancer cell line, and HepG2 cells, a human hepatocellular liver carcinoma line, was observed with high resolution using N‐Cdots as a probe and validates their use in imaging applications and their multicolor property in the living cell system.     

Formation and Properties of Self‐Assembly‐Driven Fluorescent Nanoparticle Sensors

Fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) are obtained in water by self‐assembly from a polymeric ionic liquid, fluorescent carboxylate moiety, and a surfactant through two main supramolecular interactions, that is, ionic bonds and hydrophobic/hydrophilic interactions. The hydrophobicity of the surfactant is tunable and a highly hydrophobic surfactant increases the fluorescence intensity and stability of the FNPs. The fluorescence of the FNPs is sensitive to a quenching effect by various ions with high selectivity, and consequently, they may be used as sensors. The self‐assembly approach used to generate the FNPs is considerably simpler than other methods based on more challenging synthetic methods and the flexibility of the approach should allow a wide and diverse range of FNPs to be prepared with specific sensor applications.     

Supramolecular Approaches towards Ordered Polymer Materials

Controlled organization of polymer chains into ordered structures is highly important to tune or enhance the properties of the polymeric materials. A supramolecular approach using host–guest chemistry has allowed rational design of chain assemblies with many functional properties. Nanoporous materials with ordered channel structures are particularly useful for attaining precise assemblies of polymer chains through nanoconfinement.     

Silver‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling of Propargylic Alcohols with Isocyanides: An Atom‐Economical Synthesis of 2,3‐Allenamides

Cross‐coupling reactions between propargylic alcohols and isocyanides, by means of silver catalysis, have been described. This new reaction is both atom and step efficient and is applicable to a broad scope of substrates, allowing the synthesis of a range of synthetically valuable 2,3‐allenamides in moderate to excellent yields.     

On the Reaction Mechanism of the Complete Intermolecular O2 Transfer between Mononuclear Nickel and Manganese Complexes with Macrocyclic Ligands

The recently described intermolecular O₂ transfer between the side‐on Ni‐O₂ complex [(12‐TMC)Ni‐O₂]⁺ and the manganese complex [(14‐TMC)Mn]²⁺, where 12‐TMC and 14‐TMC are 12‐ and 14‐membered macrocyclic ligands, 12‐TMC=1,4,7,10‐tetramethyl‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane and 14‐TMC=1,4,8,11‐tetramethyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane, is studied by means of DFT methods. B3LYP calculations including long‐range corrections and solvent effects are performed to elucidate the mechanism. The potential energy surfaces (PESs) compatible with different electronic states of the reactants have been analyzed. The calculations confirm a two‐step reaction, with a first rate‐determining bimolecular step and predict the exothermic character of the global process. The relative stability of the products and the reverse barrier are in line with the fact that no reverse reaction is experimentally observed. An intermediate with a μ‐η¹:η¹‐O₂ coordination and two transition states are identified on the triplet PES, slightly below the corresponding stationary points of the quintet PES, suggesting an intersystem crossing before the first transition state. The calculated activation parameters and the relative energies of the two transition sates and the products are in very good agreement with the experimental data. The calculations suggest that a superoxide anion is transferred during the reaction.     

Versatile Iridicycle Catalysts for Highly Efficient and Chemoselective Transfer Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds in Water

Cyclometalated iridium complexes are shown to be highly efficient and chemoselective catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of a wide range of carbonyl groups with formic acid in water. Examples include α‐substituted ketones (α‐ether, α‐halo, α‐hydroxy, α‐amino, α‐nitrile or α‐ester), α‐keto esters, β‐keto esters and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes. The reduction was carried out at substrate/catalyst ratios of up to 50 000 at pH 4.5 and required no organic solvent. The protocol provides a practical, easy and efficient way for the synthesis of β‐functionalised secondary alcohols, such as β‐hydroxyethers, β‐hydroxyamines and β‐hydroxyhalo compounds, which are valuable intermediates in pharmaceutical, fine chemical, perfume and agrochemical synthesis.     

High-Pressure Synthesis of Fully Occupied Tetragonal and Cubic Tungsten Bronze Oxides

A high-pressure reaction yielded the fully occupied tetragonal tungsten bronze K₃W₅O₁₅ (K_0.6WO₃). The terminal phase shows an unusual transport property featuring slightly negative temperature-dependence in resistivity (dρ/dT<0) and a large Wilson ratio of R_W=3.2. Such anomalous metallic behavior possibly arises from the low-dimensional electronic structure with a van Hove singularity at the Fermi level and/or from enhanced magnetic fluctuations by geometrical frustration of the tungsten sublattice. The asymmetric nature of the tetragonal tungsten bronze K_xWO₃-K_0.6−yBa_yWO₃ phase diagram implies that superconductivity for x≤0.45 originates from the lattice instability because of potassium deficiency. A cubic perovskite KWO₃ phase was also identified as a line phase—in marked contrast to Na_xWO₃ and Li_xWO₃ with varying quantities of x (<1). This study presents a versatile method by which the solubility limit of tungsten bronze oxides can be extended.