A Layered Hybrid Perovskite Solar‐Cell Absorber with Enhanced Moisture Stability

Two‐dimensional hybrid perovskites are used as absorbers in solar cells. Our first‐generation devices containing (PEA)₂(MA)₂[Pb₃I₁₀] ( 1 ; PEA=C₆H₅(CH₂)₂NH₃⁺, MA=CH₃NH₃⁺) show an open‐circuit voltage of 1.18 V and a power conversion efficiency of 4.73 %. The layered structure allows for high‐quality films to be deposited through spin coating and high‐temperature annealing is not required for device fabrication. The 3D perovskite (MA)[PbI₃] ( 2 ) has recently been identified as a promising absorber for solar cells. However, its instability to moisture requires anhydrous processing and operating conditions. Films of 1 are more moisture resistant than films of 2 and devices containing 1 can be fabricated under ambient humidity levels. The larger bandgap of the 2D structure is also suitable as the higher bandgap absorber in a dual‐absorber tandem device. Compared to 2 , the layered perovskite structure may offer greater tunability at the molecular level for material optimization.     

Design of Monodisperse and Well‐Defined Polypeptide‐Based Polyvalent Inhibitors of Anthrax Toxin

The design of polyvalent molecules, presenting multiple copies of a specific ligand, represents a promising strategy to inhibit pathogens and toxins. The ability to control independently the valency and the spacing between ligands would be valuable for elucidating structure–activity relationships and for designing potent polyvalent molecules. To that end, we designed monodisperse polypeptide‐based polyvalent inhibitors of anthrax toxin in which multiple copies of an inhibitory toxin‐binding peptide were separated by flexible peptide linkers. By tuning the valency and linker length, we designed polyvalent inhibitors that were over four orders of magnitude more potent than the corresponding monovalent ligands. This strategy for the rational design of monodisperse polyvalent molecules may not only be broadly applicable for the inhibition of toxins and pathogens, but also for controlling the nanoscale organization of cellular receptors to regulate signaling and the fate of stem cells.     

Judicious application of allyl protecting groups for the synthesis of 2-morpholin-4-yl-4-oxo-4H-chromen-8-yl triflate, a key precursor of DNA-dependent protein kinase inhibitors

[Structure: see text] 2-morpholin-4-yl-4-oxo-4H-chromen-8-yl 2,2,2-trifluoromethanesulfonate is a key intermediate for the synthesis of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibitor 8-dibenzothiophen-4-yl-2-morpholin-4-yl-chromen-4-one (NU7441). Two improved methods for the synthesis of this triflate have been developed: (A) in 35% overall yield, through modification of the published route, and (B) in 15% overall yield, by a new route employing a Baker-Venkataraman rearrangement to enable generation of the chromenone scaffold. Both syntheses depend on the judicious use of allyl protecting groups.     

Control of mechanically activated polymersome fusion: Factors affecting fusion

Previously, it was found that extruded (200 nm) polymer vesicles are capable of fusion into giant polymersomes using agitation in the presence of salt. In this study, several factors contributing to this phenomenon, including the effects of (i) polymer vesicle concentration, (ii) agitation speed and duration, and (iii) variation of the salt and its concentration are investigated. To accomplish these goals dynamic light scattering is used in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy, which provides insight into vesicles above the practical limit for DLS characterization. Increasing the concentration of the polymer dramatically increases the production of giant vesicles through the increased collisions of polymersomes. Likewise, increasing the frequency of agitation increases the efficiency of fusion, although ultimately the size of vesicle that could be produced is limited due to the high shear involved. Finally, salt‐mediation of the fusion process was not limited to NaCl, but is instead a general effect facilitated by the presence of solvated ionic compounds, albeit with different salts initiating fusion at different concentrations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 297–303     

Iron‐Catalyzed Dehydropolymerization: A Convenient Route to Poly(phosphinoboranes) with Molecular‐Weight Control

The catalyst loading is the key to control the molecular weight of the polymer in the iron‐catalyzed dehydropolymerization of phosphine–borane adducts. Studies showed that the reaction proceeds through a chain‐growth coordination–insertion mechanism.     

Formation and propagation of well-defined Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) during C–H bond functionalization of heteroarenes: are nanoparticles a moribund form of Pd or an active catalytic species?

Examination of a series of C–H bond functionalization reactions of heteroarenes (e.g., indole, benzoxazole, benzthiazole, benzimidazole and purine derivatives) mediated by Pd(OAc)₂, a commonly used C–H bond functionalization catalyst, reveals that well-defined Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) are rapidly formed under working catalyst conditions. The PdNPs can be characterized ex situ after entrapment in a polymer matrix (polyvinylpyrrolidinone, PVP). Independently synthesized Pd(PVP)NPs are catalytically competent species, exhibiting catalyst activity commensurate with Pd(OAc)₂ in several C–H bond functionalization reactions. Across a range of reactions, Pd concentration is a common variable, which can be linked to the propagation of PdNPs under working catalytic conditions using polar solvents like DMF, DMSO and acetic acid.     

Synthesis and characterization of trimetallic complexes with a borazine core

Treatment of [Cp*Ru(dppe)]⁺ with B-triethynyl-N-trimethylborazine and piperidine produces the trimetallic complex [Cp*Ru(dppe)(CC)]₃B₃N₃Me₃, the structure of which has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Reaction of RuHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₃ with B-triethynyl-N-trimethylborazine produces the trimetallic complex [RuCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂(CH=CH)]₃B₃N₃Me₃.