Perovskites as Precursors for Ni/La2O3 Catalysts in the Dry Reforming of Methane: Synthesis by Constant pH Co‐Precipitation,Reduction Mechanism and Effect of Ru‐Doping

LaNiO₃ perovskite is an interesting precursor for Ni/La₂O₃ catalysts for the dry reforming of methane at high temperatures. Precursors have been synthesized by co‐precipitation without, with 2.5 at %, and with 5 at % Ru doping. The presence of Ru leads to a stabilization of the perovskite structure and hinders the decomposition into NiO and Ruddlesden‐Popper mixed oxides La_n+1Ni_nO_3n+1, which was observed for the Ru‐free sample upon calcination at 1000 °C (n = 3). Upon reduction in hydrogen, a mechanism involving at least two steps was observed and the first major step was identified as the partial reduction of the precursor leading to a LaNiO_2.5‐like intermediate. The second major step is the reduction to Ni metal supported on La₂O₃ independent of the Ru content of the catalyst. In the presence of Ru, indications for Ni‐Ru alloy formation and for a higher dispersion of the metallic phase were found. The catalytic activity in DRM of the catalyst containing 2.5 % Ru was superior to the catalysts with more or without Ru. Furthermore, the propensity of coke formation was reduced by the presence of Ru.     

Flow synthesis of tricyclic spiropiperidines as building blocks for the histrionicotoxin family of alkaloids

A domino cyclization reaction of the bis-unsaturated ketone 3 with hydroxylamine proceeds with good yield and high stereoselectivity, in a flow reactor system. The tricyclic spiropiperidine products 5 and 2 obtained are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of analogues of the histrionicotoxin alkaloids.     

Disarming Clostridium difficile

In this issue, Puriet al. (2010) present inhibitors that prevent the autocatalytic activation of the clostridial toxin TcdB in vivo. Their approach is likely to provide guidance for the development of novel drugs targeting virulence factors and thereby rendering bacterial pathogens innocuous.     

Photoinduced reconfiguration cycle in a molecular adsorbate layer studied by femtosecond inner-shell photoelectron spectroscopy

A time-resolved study of core-level chemical shifts in a monolayer of aromatic molecules reveals complex photoinduced reaction dynamics. The combination of electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and ultrashort pulse excitation in the extreme ultraviolet allows performing time-correlated 4d-core-level spectroscopy of iodine atoms that probe the local chemical environment in the adsorbate molecule. The selectivity of the method unveils metastable molecular configurations that appear about 50 ps after the excitation and are efficiently quenched back to the ground state.     

Towards clustered carbonyl cations [M3(CO)14]2+ (M = Ru,Os): the need for innocent deelectronation

To access the hitherto almost unknown class of clustered transition metal carbonyl cations, the trimetal dodecacarbonyls M₃(CO)₁₂ (M = Ru, Os) were reacted with the oxidant Ag⁺[WCA]⁻, but yielded the silver complexes [Ag{M₃(CO)₁₂}₂]⁺[WCA]⁻ (WCA = [Al(OR^F)₄]⁻, [F{Al(OR^F)₃}₂]⁻; R^F = –OC(CF₃)₃). Addition of further diiodine I₂ to increase the redox potential led for M = Ru non-specifically to divalent mixed iodo-Ru^II-carbonyl cations. With [NO]⁺, even the N–O bond was cleaved and led to the butterfly carbonyl complex cation [Ru₄N(CO)₁₃]⁺ in low yield. Obviously, ionization of M₃(CO)₁₂ with retention of its pseudo-binary composition including only M and CO is difficult and the inorganic reagents did react non-innocently. Yet, the radical cation of the commercially available perhalogenated anthracene derivative 9,10-dichlorooctafluoroanthracene (anthracene^Hal) is a straightforward accessible innocent deelectronator with a half-wave potential E_1/2 of 1.42 V vs. Fc^0/+. It deelectronates M₃(CO)₁₂ under a CO atmosphere and leads to the structurally characterized cluster salts [M₃(CO)₁₄]²⁺([WCA]⁻)₂ including a linear M₃ chain. The structural characterization as well as vibrational and NMR spectroscopies indicate the presence of three electronically independent sets of carbonyl ligands, which almost mimic M(CO)₅, free CO and even [M(CO)₆]²⁺ in one and the same cation.

Trimeric M₃(CO)₁₂ (M = Ru, Os) reacts with typical inorganic oxidants to unwanted side products. Yet, the 9,10-dichlorooctafluoroanthracene radical cation deelectronates these under CO pressure to give the first homotrimetallic [M₃(CO)₁₄]²⁺ salts.     

General Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterisation of a Series of Peptide‐Mimic Lysine‐Based Amino‐Functionalised Lipids

A series of novel malonic acid diamides (second generation) with two long hydrophobic alkyl chains and an alkaline polar head group was synthesised and characterised as a new class of amino‐functionalised lipids. These peptide‐mimic lipids are suitable for polynucleotide transfer. The lipids bear a novel backbone consisting of a lysine unit and a malonic acid unit. Six different head‐group structures, which vary in size and number of amino groups that can be protonated, were attached to the backbone structure. Furthermore, different alkyl chains were used to build the lipophilic part (namely tetradecyl, hexadecyl, and oleyl). Phase transitions of the new compounds in aqueous dispersions at pH 10 were analysed and discussed in terms of head group and alkyl chain variations. The shape and size of the formed aggregates of selected lipid dispersions were investigated by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy.     

Proton irradiation defects in (fluoranthene)2PF6

Electron spin resonance and electron–proton double resonance (Overhauser shift method) are used for the comparison of proton radiation damaged and as-grown (fluoranthene)₂PF₆ single crystals. Chemical modification and various consequences of the nonuniform distribution of radiation induced defects in this quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor with defect dependent Peierls transition are worked out.