Deoxygenation of coordinated oxaphosphiranes: a new route to pc double-bond systems

Phosphaalkenes: Deoxygenation of oxaphosphirane complexes 1 and 2 by using Ti(III) complexes gave mixtures of E/Z phosphaalkene complexes 3?a,?b and 4?a,?b. Theoretical calculations of deoxygenation pathways of 1 revealed that the final products are obtained via intermediate 5 providing the final products by reaction with a second [TiCpCl(2) ] unit and C?O bond cleavage.     

Tailored Poly(2‐oxazoline) Polymer Brushes to Control Protein Adsorption and Cell Adhesion

POx bottle‐brush brushes (BBBs) are synthesized by SIPGP of 2‐isopropenyl‐2‐oxazoline and consecutive LCROP of 2‐oxazolines on 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane‐modified silicon substrates. The side chain hydrophilicity and polarity are varied. The impact of the chemical composition and architecture of the BBB upon protein (fibronectin) adsorption and endothelial cell adhesion are investigated and prove extremely low protein adsorption and cell adhesion on BBBs with hydrophilic side chains such as poly(2‐methyl‐2‐oxazoline) and poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline). The influence of the POx side chain terminal function upon adsorption and adhesion is minor but the side chain length has a significant effect on bioadsorption.

     

Dendralenes branch out: cross-conjugated oligoenes allow the rapid generation of molecular complexity

Twenty-seven years ago, H. Hopf published the only previous comprehensive review on branched oligoenes that had the title "Dendralenes: A Neglected Family of Hydrocarbons". The dendralenes are no longer neglected. Research into the synthesis, properties, and applications of dendralenes is rapidly gaining momentum and this Review summarizes important recent findings. From significant fundamental properties (the first demonstration of alternating behavior since the annulenes) through to unparalleled complexity-generating synthetic transformations, this fundamental oligoene family is coming of age. Effective synthetic approaches to cyclic and acyclic dendralene systems are analyzed and classified. The most powerful synthetic transformations of the dendralenes, diene-transmissive Diels-Alder reactions, are surveyed in detail.     

Polyglycerol-derived amphiphiles for the solubilization of single-walled carbon nanotubes in water: a structure-property study

A series of nonionic amphiphiles derived from polyglycerol dendrons were studied for their ability to solubilize and isolate single-walled carbon nanotubes. The amphiphiles possessed differently sized polar head groups, hydrophobic tail units, and various aromatic and non-aromatic groups between the head and tail groups. Absorbance analysis revealed that amphiphiles with anchor groups derived from pyrene were far inferior to those that possessed simple linear aliphatic tail groups. Absorbance and near-infrared fluorescence analyses revealed a weak dependence on the dendron size of the head group, but a strong positive trend in suspended nanotube density and fluorescence intensity for amphiphiles with longer tail units. Variations in the moieties linking the head and tail groups led to a range of effects on the suspensions, with linkers imparting flexibility and a bent shape that gave improved performance overall. This was illustrated most dramatically by a pair of benzamide-containing amphiphiles, the para isomer of which showed evidence in the fluorescence data of increased nanotube aggregate formation when compared with the meta isomer. In addition, statistical AFM was used to illustrate more directly the microscopic differences between amphiphiles that were effective at nanotube bundle disruption and those that were not.     

Electronic structures of methylated azaferrocenes and their borane adducts: photoelectron spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations

The preparation and crystal structure of a new 2,5-dimethylazaferrocene (DMAF) adduct of borane (DMAF-BH(3)) are reported. The electronic structures of 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylazaferrocene (PMAF), its borane adduct 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylazaferrocene-BH(3) (PMAF-BH(3)) and of DMAF-BH(3) have been studied by HeI-HeII UV photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and high-level DFT methods. UPS data reveal the influence of borane and methyl substitution on the electronic structures of azaferrocenes, which have been rationalized by inductive and hyperconjugative effects. UPS data also allow for the estimation of azaferrocene lone-pair stabilization upon coordination to borane, and suggest that pyridine is a slightly stronger sigma donor toward BH(3) than either azaferrocene studied. UV-Vis spectroscopic data for the radical cation of PMAF were also obtained and compared with the UPS data.     

Chemoselective Staudinger-phosphite reaction of symmetrical glycosyl-phosphites with azido-peptides and polygycerols

In this paper we present the synthesis of glyco-phosphoramidate conjugates as easily accessible analogs of glyco-phosphorous esters via the Staudinger-phosphite reaction. This protocol takes advantage of synthetically accessible symmetrical carbohydrate phosphites in good overall yields, in which ethylene or propylene linkers can be introduced between phosphorous and galactose or lactose moieties. The phosphites were finally applied for the chemoselective reaction with azido-peptides and polyazido(poly)glycerols.     

Dispersion energy enforced dimerization of a cyclic disilylated plumbylene

By reaction of 1,4-dipotassio-1,1,4,4-tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)tetramethyltetrasilane with PbBr(2) in the presence of triethylphosphine a base adduct of a cyclic disilylated plumbylene could be obtained. Phosphine abstraction with B(C(6)F(5))(3) led to formation of a base-free plumbylene dimer, which features an unexpected single donor-acceptor PbPb bond. The results of density functional computations at the M06-2X and B3LYP level of theory indicate that the dominating interactions which hold the plumbylene subunits together and which define its actual molecular structure are attracting van der Waals forces between the two large and polarizable plumbylene subunits.     

Doped semimetal clusters: ternary, intermetalloid anions [Ln@Sn7Bi7]4- and [Ln@Sn4Bi9]4- (Ln = La, Ce) with adjustable magnetic properties

Two K([2.2.2]crypt) salts of lanthanide-doped semimetal clusters were prepared, both of which contain at the same time two types of ternary intermetalloid anions, [Ln@Sn(7)Bi(7)](4-) and [Ln@Sn(4)Bi(9)](4-), in 0.70:0.30 (Ln = La) or 0.39:0.61 (Ln = Ce) ratios. The cluster shells represent nondeltahedral, fullerane-type arrangements of 14 or 13 main group metal atoms that embed the Ln(3+) cations. The assignment of formal +III oxidation states for the Ln sites was confirmed by means of magnetic measurements that reveal a diamagnetic La(III) compound and a paramagnetic Ce(III) analogue. Whereas the cluster anions with a 14-atomic main-group metal cage represent the second examples in addition to a related Eu(II) cluster published just recently, the 13-atomic cages exhibit a yet unprecedented enneahedral topology. In contrast to the larger cages, which accord to the Zintl-Klemm-Busmann electron number-structure correlation, the smaller clusters require a more profound interpretation of the bonding situation. Quantum chemical investigations served to shed light on these unusual complexes and showed significant narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO gap upon incorporation of Ce(3+) within the semimetal cages.     

Controlled synthesis of cell-laden microgels by radical-free gelation in droplet microfluidics

Micrometer-sized hydrogel particles that contain living cells can be fabricated with exquisite control through the use of droplet-based microfluidics and bioinert polymers such as polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and hyperbranched polyglycerol (hPG). However, in existing techniques, the microgel gelation is often achieved through harmful reactions with free radicals. This is detrimental for the viability of the encapsulated cells. To overcome this limitation, we present a technique that combines droplet microfluidic templating with bio-orthogonal thiol-ene click reactions to fabricate monodisperse, cell-laden microgel particles. The gelation of these microgels is achieved via the nucleophilic Michael addition of dithiolated PEG macro-cross-linkers to acrylated hPG building blocks and does not require any initiator. We systematically vary the microgel properties through the use of PEG linkers with different molecular weights along with different concentrations of macromonomers to investigate the influence of these parameters on the viability and proliferation of encapsulated yeast cells. We also demonstrate the encapsulation of mammalian cells including fibroblasts and lymphoblasts.