Activation and Coordination of Ammonia at [Cp*Ir(H)2]: NMR and Matrix Isolation Studies

¹H NMR exchange spectroscopy of a reaction mixture of [Cp*Ir(H)₄] ( 1 ; Cp*=1,2,3,4,5‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) and ammonia suggests an exchange of hydrogen atoms between the hydrido ligands and ammonia. Treatment of 1 with ND₃ led to an H/D exchange between ND₃ and the hydrido ligands of 1 . Subsequent studies showed that photolysis of 1 isolated in frozen argon matrices leads to the formation of the iridium compounds [Cp*Ir(H)₂] ( 2 ) and [Cp*Ir(H)₃] ( 4 ), as it was confirmed by IR spectroscopy. In the presence of water the aqua complex [Cp*Ir(H)₂(OH₂)] ( 3 ) was generated simultaneously. Accordingly, photolysis of 1 in an argon matrix doped with ammonia gave rise to the ammine complex [Cp*Ir(H)₂(NH₃)] ( 5 ). IR assignments were supported by calculations of the gas‐phase IR spectra of 1 – 5 by DFT methods.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Acylation of Aryl Diazoesters with ortho‐Bromobenzaldehydes

In this work, we describe a palladium‐catalyzed intermolecular O acylation of α‐diazoesters with ortho‐bromobenzaldehydes. The C(sp²)?H bond activation of the aldehyde is enabled by migratory insertion of a palladium carbene intermediate. The diazoesters act as modular three‐atom units to build up key seven‐membered palladacycles, which are transformed into a variety of isocoumarin derivatives upon reductive elimination. Mechanistic experiments and DFT calculations provide insight into the reaction pathway.     

The Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Solution: From Theory,Single Crystal Models,to Practical Electrocatalysts

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a fundamental process in electrocatalysis and plays an important role in energy conversion for the development of hydrogen‐based energy sources. However, the considerably slow rate of the HER in alkaline conditions has hindered advances in water splitting techniques for high‐purity hydrogen production. Differing from well documented acidic HER, the mechanistic aspects of alkaline HER are yet to be settled. A critical appraisal of alkaline HER electrocatalysis is presented, with a special emphasis on the connection between fundamental surface electrochemistry on single‐crystal models and the derived molecular design principle for real‐world electrocatalysts. By presenting some typical examples across theoretical calculations, surface characterization, and electrochemical experiments, we try to address some key ongoing debates to deliver a better understanding of alkaline HER at the atomic level.     

Near‐Infrared Fluorescent Molecular Probe for Sensitive Imaging of Keloid

Early detection of skin diseases is imperative for their effective treatment. However, fluorescence molecular probes that allow this are rare. The first activatable near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescent molecular probe is reported for sensitive imaging of keloid cells, skin cells from abnormal scar fibrous lesions. As keloid cells have high expression levels of fibroblast activation protein‐alpha (FAPα), the probe (FNP1) is designed to have a caged NIR dye and a FAPα‐cleavable peptide substrate linked by a self‐immolative segment. FNP1 can quickly and specifically turn on its fluorescence at 710 nm by 45‐fold in the presence of FAPα, allowing it to effectively recognize keloid cells from normal skin cells. Integration of FNP1 with a simple microneedle‐assisted topical application enables sensitive detection of keloid cells in metabolically‐active human skin tissue with a theoretical limit of detection down to 20 000 cells.     

Diverged Plant Terpene Synthases Reroute the Carbocation Cyclization Path towards the Formation of Unprecedented 6/11/5 and 6/6/7/5 Sesterterpene Scaffolds

Sesterterpenoids are a relatively rare class of plant terpenes. Sesterterpene synthase (STS)‐mediated cyclization of the linear C₂₅ isoprenoid precursor geranylfarnesyl diphosphate (GFPP) defines sesterterpene scaffolds. So far only a very limited number of STSs have been characterized. The discovery of three new plant STSs is reported that produce a suite of sesterterpenes with unprecedented 6/11/5 and 6/6/7/5 fused ring systems when transiently co‐expressed with a GFPP synthase in Nicotiana benthamiana. Structural elucidation, feeding experiments, and quantum chemical calculations suggest that these STSs catalyze an unusual cyclization path involving reprotonation, intramolecular 1,6 proton transfer, and concerted but asynchronous bicyclization events. The cyclization is diverted from those catalyzed by the characterized plant STSs by forming unified 15/5 bicyclic sesterterpene intermediates. Mutagenesis further revealed a conserved amino acid residue implicated in reprotonation.     

Catalytic Gas‐Phase Production of Lactide from Renewable Alkyl Lactates

A new route to lactide, which is a key building block of the bioplastic polylactic acid, is proposed involving a continuous catalytic gas‐phase transesterification of renewable alkyl lactates in a scalable fixed‐bed setup. Supported TiO₂/SiO₂ catalysts are highly selective to lactide, with only minimal lactide racemization. The solvent‐free process allows for easy product separation and recycling of unconverted alkyl lactates and recyclable lactyl intermediates. The catalytic activity of TiO₂/SiO₂ catalysts was strongly correlated to their optical properties by DR UV/Vis spectroscopy. Catalysts with high band‐gap energy of the supported TiO₂ phase, indicative of a high surface spreading of isolated Ti centers, show the highest turnover frequency per Ti site.     

Chiral Bifunctional Phosphine‐Carboxylate Ligands for Palladium(0)‐Catalyzed Enantioselective C−H Arylation

Previous enantioselective Pd⁰‐catalyzed C?H activation reactions proceeding via the concerted metalation‐deprotonation mechanism employed either a chiral ancillary ligand, a chiral base, or a bimolecular mixture thereof. This study describes the development of new chiral bifunctional ligands based on a binaphthyl scaffold which incorporates both a phosphine and a carboxylic acid moiety. The optimal ligand provided high yields and enantioselectivities for a desymmetrizing C(sp²)?H arylation leading to 5,6‐dihydrophenanthridines, whereas the corresponding monofunctional ligands showed low enantioselectivities. The bifunctional system proved applicable to a range of substituted dihydrophenanthridines, and allowed the parallel kinetic resolution of racemic substrates.     

Catalytic Desymmetrizing Dehydrogenation of 4‐Substituted Cyclohexanones through Enamine Oxidation

A desymmetrizing dehydrogenation process catalyzed by a chiral primary amine is described herein. The reaction proceeds through the oxidation of a ketone enamine by IBX and enables the highly enantioselective desymmetrization of 4‐substituted cyclohexanones with the generation of chiral 4‐substituted cyclohexenones containing a remote γ‐stereocenter.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Arylative Desymmetrization of Prochiral Cyclopentenes with Diaryliodonium Salts

A copper‐catalyzed enantioselective arylative desymmetrization of prochiral cyclopentenes with diaryliodonium salts was developed. In the presence of a catalytic amount of a chiral copper–bisoxazoline complex, which was generated in situ, the reaction of 4‐substituted or 4,4‐disubstituted cyclopent‐1‐enes with diaryliodonium hexafluoroarsenates afforded the chiral arylated products in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity. A cyclohexyl‐containing Box ligand was essential for the high enantioselectivity. Transformation of the enantiomerically enriched adducts into other chiral building blocks is also documented.