SAMPL6: calculation of macroscopic p<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>a</Subscript> values from ab initio quantum mechanical free energies

Macroscopic pK_a values were calculated for all compounds in the SAMPL6 blind prediction challenge, based on quantum chemical calculations with a continuum solvation model and a linear correction derived from a small training set. Microscopic pK_a values were derived from the gas-phase free energy difference between protonated and deprotonated forms together with the Conductor-like Polarizable Continuum Solvation Model and the experimental solvation free energy of the proton. pH-dependent microstate free energies were obtained from the microscopic pK_as with a maximum likelihood estimator and appropriately summed to yield macroscopic pK_a values or microstate populations as function of pH. We assessed the accuracy of three approaches to calculate the microscopic pK_as: direct use of the quantum mechanical free energy differences and correction of the direct values for short-comings in the QM solvation model with two different linear models that we independently derived from a small training set of 38 compounds with known pK_a. The predictions that were corrected with the linear models had much better accuracy [root-mean-square error (RMSE) 2.04 and 1.95 pK_a units] than the direct calculation (RMSE 3.74). Statistical measures indicate that some systematic errors remain, likely due to differences in the SAMPL6 data set and the small training set with respect to their interactions with water. Overall, the current approach provides a viable physics-based route to estimate macroscopic pK_a values for novel compounds with reasonable accuracy.     

Visible‐Light Photocatalysis: Does It Make a Difference in Organic Synthesis?

Visible‐light photocatalysis has evolved over the last decade into a widely used method in organic synthesis. Photocatalytic variants have been reported for many important transformations, such as cross‐coupling reactions, α‐amino functionalizations, cycloadditions, ATRA reactions, or fluorinations. To help chemists select photocatalytic methods for their synthesis, we compare in this Review classical and photocatalytic procedures for selected classes of reactions and highlight their advantages and limitations. In many cases, the photocatalytic reactions proceed under milder reaction conditions, typically at room temperature, and stoichiometric reagents are replaced by simple oxidants or reductants, such as air, oxygen, or amines. Does visible‐light photocatalysis make a difference in organic synthesis? The prospect of shuttling electrons back and forth to substrates and intermediates or to selectively transfer energy through a visible‐light‐absorbing photocatalyst holds the promise to improve current procedures in radical chemistry and to open up new avenues by accessing reactive species hitherto unknown, especially by merging photocatalysis with organo‐ or metal catalysis.     

Studies on the synthesis of the lasubine alkaloids

Formal syntheses of lasubine II and subcosine II have been completed by the synthesis of epi-lasubine II. The synthesis involves diastereoselective allylation of a methoxy isoxazolidine and a tandem hydrogenation process leading stereoselectively to a trisubstituted piperidine.     

Peptide‐Guided Assembly of Repeat Protein Fragments

Herein, we present the peptide‐guided assembly of complementary fragments of designed armadillo repeat proteins (dArmRPs) to create proteins that bind peptides not only with high affinity but also with good selectivity. We recently demonstrated that complementary N‐ and C‐terminal fragments of dArmRPs form high‐affinity complexes that resemble the structure of the full‐length protein, and that these complexes bind their target peptides. We now demonstrate that dArmRPs can be split such that the fragments assemble only in the presence of a templating peptide, and that fragment mixtures enrich the combination with the highest affinity for this peptide. The enriched fragment combination discriminates single amino acid variations in the target peptide with high specificity. Our results suggest novel opportunities for the generation of new peptide binders by selection from dArmRP fragment mixtures.     

LiSr2[ReN4] und LiBa2[ReN4] – isotype Nitridorhenate(VII)

LiSr₂[ReN₄] and LiBa₂[ReN₄] – isotypic Nitridorhenates(VII) The quaternary nitridorhenates(VII) LiAE₂[ReN₄] (AE = Sr, Ba) were synthesized by reaction of the metals with molecular nitrogen at 850–900 °C. The plate‐like, nearly colourless crystals were investigated by X‐ray single crystal methods and were identified as isotypic phases: LiSr₂[ReN₄] (LiBa₂[ReN₄]); monoclinic, P2₁/m; a = 614.64(8) pm (651.04(12) pm), b = 585.97(6) pm (b = 598.86(9) pm), c = 689.70(17) pm (737.43(5) pm), β = 106.375(4)° (108.535(2)°); Z = 2. Crystals of the strontium compound were systematically twinned along [001]. In the crystal structures of the quaternary compounds the alkaline earth‐ and nitride‐ ions are arranged in the motif of the InNi₂‐type structure. Strontium and barium are in a trigonal prismatic coordination by nitrogen (Sr–N: 261.0(7)–284.3(4) pm; Ba–N: 278.0(7)–303.0(6) pm). One half of the tetrahedral voids within the partial structure formed by stacking of trigonal prismatic rod layers is occupied by rhenium (formation of [Re^VIIN₄]^5–‐tetrahedra; Re–N: 181.0(6)–184.5(8) pm), lithium takes the positions of the remaining tetrahedral sites (Li–N: 2 × 198(1) pm, 224(2) pm and 228(2) pm for the strontium phase). In the barium compound the lithium positions show a larger shift from the tetrahedral centres towards a tetrahedral plane (Li–N: 2 × 195(1) pm, 213(2) pm and 304(2) pm).     

Ferrocenyl‐Functionalised Molybdenum Imido Complexes: An Approach to Redox‐Tunable Olefin Polymerisation Catalysts

[(FcdippN)₂MoCl₂(DME)] ( 1 ) was used as starting material for the synthesis of the novel ferrocenyl‐functionalised complexes [(FcdippN)₂Mo(CH₂CMe₂Ph)₂] ( 2 ), [(FcdippN)₂Mo(OTf)₂(DME)] ( 3 ), and [(FcdippN)Mo(CHCMe₂Ph)(O^tBu)₂] ( 4 ) (Fcdipp = 4‐ferrocenyl‐2,6‐diisopropylphenyl). The crystal structure of 2 was determined. Electrochemical investigations by cyclic voltammetry suggest a communication of the ferrocenyl unit and the molybdenum centre in these compounds. The monoalkylation of [(DippN)₂MoCl₂(DME)] ( 5 ) to [(DippN)₂Mo(CH₂CMe₂Ph)Cl] ( 6 ) (Dipp = 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl) was achieved.