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Zwitterionic solutions have potential applications as cryoprotectants, but the relationship between structure and performance is underexplored. Here a family of zwitterions are assessed in terms of cytotoxicity, cryopreservation performance, and effect on cell volume and water content.
Organocatalysed 1,3-proton shifts can offer efficient access to chiral nonracemic fluorinated products. Here chiral amino amides are obtained in high enantiomeric ratio via enantioselective 1,3- proton shift of β,β-difluoro-αimino amides.
Proximity-based ligations commonly require an external stimulus such as a catalyst or irradiation, or highly reactive functional groups. Here the reaction of alpha effect nucleophiles and 2,5-dioxopentanyl derivatives allows direct proximity-based ligation while avoiding highly reactive moieties.
Conjugated polymers are commonly used as charge conducting systems in photocatalysts, but the use of nonconjugated polymers is less well understood. Here CdS photocatalysts are coated by non-conjugated polyelectrolyte layers, and the influence of the polymer on charge transfer over CdS is explored.
Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarisation allows for dramatic signal enhancement in protein NMR spectroscopy, but loss of polarisation limits temporal and structural resolution. Here polarisation of the solvent and subsequent transfer to the target molecule enables selective detection of hyperpolarised residues.
The reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle and the reductive acetyl-CoA pathways are thought to be ancient carbon fixation pathways in deepbranching bacteria and archaea. Here kinetic modelling suggests a conflict between these pathways based on acetyl-CoA influx.
Chemobrionic materials with applications in tissue engineering can be grown at the interface of calcium and phosphate solutions, however, controlling their dimensions and purity can be difficult. Herein, a flow device allows control of the height and in situ purification of chemical gardens, which can be encased in a photoset hydrogel for subsequent use.
2-Arylquinoline derivatives are key components of many enantioselective catalysts, but existing synthetic routes are few in number. Here atroposelective aminocatalytic aza-Michael addition of amino-benzaldehydes to iminium intermediates yields single-enantiomer 2- arylquinoline derivatives with high selectivity
Molecules that target mitochondria have promising applications as anticancer agents. Here quinolizinium and benzimidazolium cations are shown to deactivate mitochondria through two-photon absorption in the near infrared range.
Cryptochromes are photoreceptors involved in biological magnetoreception, but the interplay of conformation, electronic coupling, and molecular motion remains poorly understood. Here, time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance experiments support a role for hydration dynamics control electronic coupling in a cryptochrome.
Pimaranes are diterpenoid natural products with poorly characterised biosynthetic pathways. Here pimaranetype diterpenoid synthases are functionally and structurally characterised and shown to exploit distinct modes of intermediate stabilisation.
Catalytic conversion of methane to ethene is limited by poor conversion, selectivity, and catalyst stability. Here a solid oxide electrolysis process is reported as a promising method for selective, partial oxidation of methane with low overpotentials.
Frustrated Lewis pairs can be thermally revived from classical Lewis adducts, but the mechanism by which this occurs is not well understood. Here a combined experimental and theoretical study supports a pathway mediated by boron-jumping and dynamic conformational isomerization.
Direct conversion of amides to ketones typically requires the use of transition metal catalysts or reactive organometallic reagents. Here the direct alkylation of benzamides with methyl sulfides using LDA as base provides access to thioalkoxyketones.
The chemical nature of molecules encapsulated within fullerenes remain debated, with reports proposing a Faraday cage effect. Here, the authors show that H2O and HF molecules encapsulated inside a C60 cage experience a substantial intra-cage electrostatic interaction that results in off-center locations; despite this, the endofullerene’s frontier orbitals is unaffected, resulting in chemical shielding of the caged molecule.
Metal-oxo clusters are useful building units of supramolecular assemblies. Here the authors explore the influence of NH moieties in the proximal secondary coordination sphere on the self-assembly of tetrahedral zinc-oxo clusters.
Ferrihydrite is the most bioavailable source of ferric iron, but its variable structure and composition are poorly understood because of its small size and lack of ordering. Here ab initio thermodynamics reveals that ferrihydrite can be described as a nanocomposite of at least two previously-proposed single-phase models.
A current trend towards the sustainable production of valuable chemicals consists in coupling nuclear energy with the chemical industry. Here, the authors propose to use γ radiation to transform glycerol (a waste product of biorefineries) into high-value solketal.
Polymer–polymer coupling reactions using an excess amount of chemical oxidants are wasteful. Here the authors report an electrochemical route for chain extension and topological transformations of poly(dimethylsiloxane).