Strategy for the Construction of Diverse Poly‐NHC‐Derived Assemblies and Their Photoinduced Transformations

A series of supramolecular assemblies of types [Ag₈( L )₄](PF₆)₈ and [Ag₄( L )₂](PF₆)₄, obtained from the tetraphenylethylene (TPE) bridged tetrakis(1,2,4‐triazolium) salts H₄‐L(PF₆)₄ and Ag^I ions, is described. The assembly type obtained dependends on the N‐wingtip substituents of H₄‐L(PF₆)₄. Changes in the lengths of the N4‐wingtip substituents enables controlled formation of assemblies with either [Ag₄( L )₂](PF₆)₄ or [Ag₈( L )₄](PF₆)₈ stoichiometry. The molecular structures of selected [Ag₈( L )₄](PF₆)₈ and [Ag₄( L )₂](PF₆)₄ assemblies were determined by X‐ray diffraction analyses. While H₄‐ L (PF₆)₄ does not exhibit fluorescence in solution, their tetra‐NHC (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) assemblies do upon NHC–metal coordination. Upon irradiation, all assemblies undergo a light‐induced, supramolecule‐to‐supramolecule structural transformation by an oxidative photocyclization involving phenyl groups of the TPE core, resulting in a significant change of the luminescence properties.     

Understanding the Origin of Highly Selective CO2 Electroreduction to CO on Ni,N‐doped Carbon Catalysts

Ni,N‐doped carbon catalysts have shown promising catalytic performance for CO₂ electroreduction (CO₂R) to CO; this activity has often been attributed to the presence of nitrogen‐coordinated, single Ni atom active sites. However, experimentally confirming Ni?N bonding and correlating CO₂ reduction (CO₂R) activity to these species has remained a fundamental challenge. We synthesized polyacrylonitrile‐derived Ni,N‐doped carbon electrocatalysts (Ni‐PACN) with a range of pyrolysis temperatures and Ni loadings and correlated their electrochemical activity with extensive physiochemical characterization to rigorously address the origin of activity in these materials. We found that the CO₂R to CO partial current density increased with increased Ni content before plateauing at 2 wt % which suggests a dispersed Ni active site. These dispersed active sites were investigated by hard and soft X‐ray spectroscopy, which revealed that pyrrolic nitrogen ligands selectively bind Ni atoms in a distorted square‐planar geometry that strongly resembles the active sites of molecular metal–porphyrin catalysts.     

MRI of hepatic lymphoma

Thirteen patients with biopsy proven hepatic lymphoma (2 Hodgkin, 11 Non-Hodgkin) and a control group of 15 patients with hepatic metastases were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by MRI. Focal hepatic lymphoma was most reliably detected (eight of eight patients) and appeared hypointense relative to liver on T₁ weighted (CNR − 7.4 ± 2.3) and hyperintense on T₂ weighted (CNR + 8.4 ± 2.9) images. The mean T₁ and T₂ relaxation times of focal hepatic lymphoma (T₁ = 832 ± 234 msec, T₂ = 84 ± 16 ms) differed significantly from adjacent non-tumorous liver (T₁ = 420 ± 121 ms, T₂ = 51 ± 9 ms; p < 0.05), however CNR values and relaxation times were similar to those of hepatic metastases. Diffuse hepatic lymphoma (microscopic periportal infiltration) was undetectable by MRI in three patients by either morphologic features or quantitative criteria. A mixed pattern of hepatic lymphoma (focal lesions and diffuse infiltration) showed focal areas of slightly decreased signal intensity on T₁ weighted images (CNR = −1.7 ± 0.4) while T₂ weighted images revealed multiple regions of focal hyperintensity (CNR = +13.3 ± 8.4) superimposed on a diffusely hyperintense liver. Our experience demonstrates that either T₁ or T₂ weighted techniques are useful in detecting focal and that T₂ weighted techniques are useful in detecting mixed hepatic lymphoma. Conventional image derived relaxation time measurements and quantitative parameters were of no additional diagnostic value.     

Intermolecular alkyl/aryl exchange of 2-iminothiazoles with isothiocyanates and isocyanates: scopes and limitations

2-Iminothiazole, an isoform of 2-aminothiazole, is a scaffold of synthetic and medicinal significance. We have reported an efficient method by which alkyl group of 2-alkyliminothiazoles is changed into other alkyl groups by isothiocyanates. In this article, a detailed mechanistic aspect, and the scopes and limitations were disclosed. All the reactions were carried out in toluene at 105 °C without any additive. The reaction is a reversible process and the equilibrium is determined by the reactivity of both reactants, in which the more electron-withdrawing alkyl or aryl groups at the 2-imino group or isothiocyanate showed higher reactivities. With this simple method, we effectively altered the alkyl group attached on the imine nitrogen. A synthetic problem in 2-iminothiazole chemistry, synthesis of amino acid-derived 2-iminothiazole was solved in a very simple manner. Using suitably designed 2-iminothiazole substrate, the electrophilic reactivity of various isothiocyanates could be empirically compared by this exchange reaction. Moreover, successful exchange reaction using isocyanates instead of isothiocyanates broadened the utility of this reaction.     

Total Syntheses of the Chlorinated β‐Carboline Alkaloids Bauerine A,B, and C

The first total synthesis of the chlorinated 1‐oxo‐β‐carboline alkaloid bauerine C based on a Japp–Klingemann reaction is reported. An intermediate of this synthesis was converted to the fully aromatic β‐carboline bauerine B, and the related alkaloid bauerine A was prepared in an analogous manner.     

Variational dimension of random sequences and its application

A concept of variational dimension is introduced for a random sequence with stationary increments. In the Gaussian case, the variational dimension in the limit coincides with the Hausdorff dimension of a proper random process. Applications of the concept are illustrated by examples of neurological data and network traffic analysis.     

Nonlocal anomaly of the axial-vector current for bound states

We argue that the amplitude does not vanish in the limit of zero quark masses. This represents a new kind of violation of the classical equation of motion for the axial current and should be interpreted as the axial anomaly for bound states. The anomaly emerges in spite of the fact that the one loop integrals are ultraviolet finite as guaranteed by the finite size of bound-state wave functions. As a result, the amplitude behaves like approximately 1/p(2) in the limit of a large momentum p of the current. The observed effect requires the modification of the classical equation of motion of the axial-vector current by nonlocal operators.     

Evidence for an Equilibrium between an N-heterocyclic Carbene and Its Dimer in Solution

Evidence for the Wanzlick equilibrium between carbene 1 and dibenzotetraazafulvalene (1)(2) at ambient temperature has been found (see scheme). Enetetramines of type (1)(2) can also be cleaved by coordinatively unsaturated transition metal compounds to form dicarbene complexes.