Recyclable Transition Metal Catalysis using Bipyridine-Functionalized SBA-15 by Co-condensation of Methallylsilane with TEOS.

Well-defined recyclable Pd- and Rh-bipyridyl group-impregnated SBA-15 catalysts were prepared for C-C bond coupling reaction and selective hydrogenation reactions, respectively. These SBA-15 derived ligands for the catalysts were prepared by direct and indirect co-condensation method using bipyridyl-linked methallylsilane. This indirect method, involving methoxysilane generated from methallylsilane shows higher loading efficiency of transition metal catalysts on SBA-15 than the direct use of methallylsilane.

Morphology-Conserving Non-Kirkendall Anion Exchange of Metal Oxide Nanocrystals.

Nanoscale dynamic processes such as the diffusion of ions within solid-state structures are critical for understanding and tuning material properties in a wide range of areas, such as energy storage and conversion, catalysis, and optoelectronics. In the generation of new types of nanocrystals (NCs), diffusion-mediated ion exchange reactions have also been proposed as one of the most effective transformational strategies. However, retaining the original morphology and crystal structure of metal oxide NCs has been challenging because of Kirkendall void formation, and there has been no success, especially for anion exchange. Here we show that with the aid of an oxygen extracting reagent (OER), anion diffusion is dramatically accelerated and morphology-conserving anion exchange without Kirkendall void formation is possible. In the case of the conversion of Fe3O4 to Fe3S4, oxygen extraction and subsequent formation of the amorphous phase facilitate the migration of incoming sulfur anions by approximately 100-fold, which is close to the level of the outgoing cation diffusivity. We also demonstrate that the working principle of the morphology-conserving non-Kirkendall anion exchange is operative for metal oxide NCs with different shapes and crystal structures.

Medical fluorophore 1 (MF1), a benzoquinolizinium-based fluorescent dye, as an inflammation imaging agent.

Structure-based targeting of fluorescent dyes is essential for their use as imaging agents for disease diagnosis. Here, we describe the development of the benzoquinolizinium compound Medical fluorophore 1 (MF1) as a novel biomedical imaging agent that allows the visualization of inflammation by virtue of its unique chemical structure. Lipopolysaccharide treatment stimulated the uptake of MF1 by bone marrow-derived macrophages, with no adverse effects on cell proliferation. In vivo fluorescence lifetime imaging revealed the accumulation of MF1 in carrageenan-induced acute inflammatory lesions in mice, which peaked at 6 h. MF1-based imaging also allowed monitoring of the response to the anti-inflammatory drugs dexamethasone and sulfasalazine. Thus, MF1 can be used to diagnose diseases characterized by inflammation as well as treatment efficacy.

Surface functionalization of silica using catalytic hydroesterification modified polybutadienes.

A new method for covalent immobilization of catalytic hydroesterification modified polybutadiene on a silica surface is described. Compared to conventional immobilization procedures, the new protocol enables control of the functional group composition on the modified silica surface.

A one-step method for covalent bond immobilization of biomolecules on silica operated in aqueous solution.

A simple, one-step method for covalent bond immobilization of biomolecules on silica operated in water is described. In the approach, an NHS-ester linked methallylsilane is utilized as a bifunctional linker to couple the biomolecule to the silica surface. Weak organic acid such as acetic acid activates the silica surface enough to react with bifunctional linker without destroying activity of biomolecule.

Styrylsilane coupling reagents for immobilization of organic functional groups on silica and glass surfaces.

Styrylsilanes serve as new coupling reagents for introducing organic functional groups on silica and glass surfaces. Functionalized styrylsilanes, which are readily prepared via catalytic hydrosilylation of the corresponding phenylacetylenes with silanes, are immobilized on silica through acid catalyzed processes under mild conditions.

Coupling Reagent for UV/vis Absorbing Azobenzene-Based Quantitative Analysis of the Extent of Functional Group Immobilization on Silica.

A methallylsilane coupling reagent, containing both a N-hydroxysuccinimidyl(NHS)-ester group and a UV/vis absorbing azobenzene linker undergoes acid-catalyzed immobilization on silica. Analysis of the UV/vis absorption band associated with the azobenzene group in the adduct enables facile quantitative determination of the extent of loading of the NHS groups. Reaction of NHS-groups on the silica surface with amine groups of GOx and rhodamine can be employed to generate enzyme or dye-immobilized silica for quantitative analysis.

Ferric(III) Chloride Catalyzed Halogenation Reaction of Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids Using α,α-Dichlorodiphenylmethane.

A new method for chlorination of alcohols and carboxylic acids, using α,α-dichlorodiphenylmethane as the chlorinating agent and FeCl3 as the catalyst, was developed. The method enables conversions of various alcohols and carboxylic acids to their corresponding alkyl and acyl chlorides in high yields under mild conditions. Particulary interesting is the observation that the respective alkyl bromides and iodides can be generated from alcohols when either LiBr or LiI are present in the reaction mixtures.

Pyridinium Salt Forming Rh(III)-Catalyzed Annulation Reaction of Secondary Allylamines with Internal Alkynes and Its Application to Surface Modification of a Mesoporous Material.

A Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation reaction has been developed for the preparation of pyridinium salts from secondary allylamines and internal alkynes. The pyridinium salts formed by this N-annulation reaction have interesting fluorescence properties. This protocol has been applied to the surface modification of mesoporous silica materials to generate functionalized silica that can be used for the detection of nitrobenzene.

Highly selective adsorption of p-xylene over other C8 aromatic hydrocarbons by Co-CUK-1: a combined experimental and theoretical assessment.

High quality crystalline Co-CUK-1 can be synthesized rapidly and efficiently by a microwave-assisted method. The resulting microporous coordination material is a highly effective adsorbent for the separation of xylene isomers and ethylbenzene, as demonstrated here through sorption isotherm analysis, Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) calculations, and grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. Co-CUK-1 showed high sorption capacity and high adsorption selectivity for p-xylene over the corresponding m- and o-isomers, and ethylbenzenes. According to the data obtained from IAST and GCMC simulations, the Co-CUK-1 is found to strongly favour p-xylene adsorption because p-xylene molecules undergo well-defined molecular packing in the 1-D channels; by comparison, the packing efficiencies of o-xylene, m-xylene and ethylbenzene are significantly lower, as is evidenced by lower saturation capacities.

A solution-based single-molecule study of surface-bound PBIs: solvent-mediated environmental effects on molecular flexibility.

We have investigated the fundamental photophysical properties of surface-bound perylene bisimide (PBI) molecules in a solution-phase at the single-molecule level. By efficient immobilization of single PBIs on glass, we were able to simultaneously monitor fluorescence intensity trajectories, fluorescence lifetimes, and emission spectra of individual PBIs in organic and aqueous media using confocal microscopy. We showed that the fluorescence dynamics of single PBIs in the solution phase is highly dependent on their local and chemical environments. Furthermore, we visualized different spatial-fluctuations of surface-bound PBIs using defocused wide-field imaging. While PBIs show more steric flexibility in organic media, the flexible motion of PBI molecules in aqueous solution is relatively prohibited due to a cage effect by a hydrogen bonding network, which is previously unobserved. Our method opens up a new possibility to investigate the photophysical properties of multi-chromophoric systems in various solvents at the single-molecule level for developing optimal molecular devices such as water-proof devices.

Synthesis of Benzoquinolizinium Salts by Rh(III)-Catalyzed Cascade Double N-Annulation Reactions of Allylamines, Diarylacetylenes, and HBF4.

A new cascade double N-annulation method has been developed for the synthesis of benzoquinolizinium salts. The process takes place between allylamines, internal alkynes, and HBF4 in the presence of Rh(III)/Cu(II) complexes and leads to formation of multisubstituted benzoquinolizinium salts. Importantly, the resulting benzoquinolizinium salts serve as fluorescent materials whose emission wavelengths can be tuned by selection of appropriate substituents.

Metal-Organic Cooperative Catalysis in C-H and C-C Bond Activation.

Transition-metal-catalyzed activation of C-H and C-C bonds is a challenging area in synthetic organic chemistry. Among various methods to accomplish these processes, the approach using metal-organic cooperative catalytic systems is one of the most promising. In this protocol, organic molecules as well as transition metals act as catalysts to bring about reactions, which proceed with high efficiencies and selectivities. Various metal-organic cooperative catalytic systems developed for C-H and C-C bond activation reactions are discussed in this review. Also discussed are how each metal-organic cooperative catalyst affects the reaction mechanism and what kinds of substrates can be applied in each of the catalytic processes.

Synthesis of Amides and Phthalimides via a Palladium Catalyzed Aminocarbonylation of Aryl Halides with Formic Acid and Carbodiimides.

A novel method for the preparation of amides and phthalimides has been developed. The process involves a palladium catalyzed aminocarbonylation of an aryl halide, using a carbodiimide and formic acid as the carbonyl source. Experimental data suggest that the mechanistic pathway for this process involves in-situ generation of carbon monoxide from the reaction of formic acid with a carbodiimide in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The method can be used to produce a variety of amides and N-substituted phthalimides efficiently.

Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H activation reactions forming 1H-isoindoles containing a quaternary carbon center from aryl ketones or benzylamines.

Rh(iii)/Cu(OAc)2 catalyzed, one-pot reactions of aryl ketones, acrylate esters and ammonium acetate or α-substituted benzylamines under microwave irradiation conditions produce 1H-isoindoles bearing a quarternary carbon center.

Pd/C-Catalyzed Carbonylative Esterification of Aryl Halides with Alcohols by Using Oxiranes as CO Sources.

A carbonylative esterification reaction between aryl bromides and alcohols, promoted by Pd/C and NaF in the presence of oxiranes, has been developed. In this process, oxiranes serve as sources of carbon monoxide by their conversion to aldehydes through a palladium-promoted Meinwald rearrangement pathway. Intramolecular versions of this process serve as methods for the synthesis of lactones and phthalimides.

Adsorptive Separation of Acetylene from Light Hydrocarbons by Mesoporous Iron Trimesate MIL-100(Fe).

A reducible metal-organic framework (MOF), iron(III) trimesate, denoted as MIL-100(Fe), was investigated for the separation and purification of methane/ethane/ethylene/acetylene and an acetylene/CO2 mixtures by using sorption isotherms, breakthrough experiments, ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) calculations, and IR spectroscopic analysis. The MIL-100(Fe) showed high adsorption selectivity not only for acetylene and ethylene over methane and ethane, but also for acetylene over CO2 . The separation and purification of acetylene over ethylene was also possible for MIL-100(Fe) activated at 423 K. According to the data obtained from operando IR spectroscopy, the unsaturated Fe(III) sites and surface OH groups are mainly responsible for the successful separation of the acetylene/ethylene mixture, whereas the unsaturated Fe(II) sites have a detrimental effect on both separation and purification. The potential of MIL-100(Fe) for the separation of a mixture of C2 H2 /CO2 was also examined by using the IAST calculations and transient breakthrough simulations. Comparing the IAST selectivity calculations of C2 H2 /CO2 for four MOFs selected from the literature, the selectivity with MIL-100(Fe) was higher than those of CuBTC, ZJU-60a, and PCP-33, but lower than that of HOF-3.

A one-step co-condensation method for the synthesis of well-defined functionalized mesoporous SBA-15 using trimethallylsilanes as organosilane sources.

A new method for the preparation of well-defined functionalized mesoporous SBA-15 has been developed by a one-step co-condensation method using trimethallylsilanes as organosilane sources. This new method enables the incorporation of various bulky organic functional groups with long alkyl chain tethers into the mesoporous silica network.

A catalytic hydroesterification process using HCO2Na, Ru3(CO)12 and alcohols for the preparation of ester modified polybutadienes.

A method for the transition metal catalyzed modification of polybutadiene was developed. Specifically, reactions of polybutadiene with alcohols and sodium formate in the presence of Ru3(CO)12 and 2-pyridinemethanol produce ester derivatives of polybutadiene. By using this approach, selected ratios of mixed ester derivatives of polybutadiene can be produced by employing the corresponding ratio of alcohols.

Design of hydrophilic metal organic framework water adsorbents for heat reallocation.

A new hydrothermally stable Al polycarboxylate metal-organic framework (MOF) based on a heteroatom bio-derived aromatic spacer is designed through a template-free green synthesis process. It appears that in some test conditions this MOF outperforms the heat reallocation performances of commercial SAPO-34.