Influence of Headgroups in Ethylene-Tetrafluoroethylene-Based Radiation-Grafted Anion Exchange Membranes for CO2 Electrolysis.

The performance of zero-gap CO2 electrolysis (CO2E) is significantly influenced by the membrane's chemical structure and physical properties due to its effects on the local reaction environment and water/ion transport. Radiation-grafted anion-exchange membranes (RG-AEM) have demonstrated high ionic conductivity and durability, making them a promising alternative for CO2E. These membranes were fabricated using two different thicknesses of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene polymer substrates (25 and 50 µm) and three different headgroup chemistries: benzyl-trimethylammonium, benzyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium, and benzyl-N-methylpiperidinium (MPIP). Our membrane characterization and testing in zero-gap cells over Ag electrocatalysts under commercially relevant conditions showed correlations between the water uptake, ionic conductivity, hydration, and cationic-head groups with the CO2E efficiency. The thinner 25 µm-based AEM with the MPIP-headgroup (ion-exchange capacities of 2.1 ± 0.1 mmol g-1) provided balanced in situ test characteristics with lower cell potentials, high CO selectivity, reduced liquid product crossover, and enhanced water management while maintaining stable operation compared to the commercial AEMs. The CO2 electrolyzer with an MPIP-AEM operated for over 200 h at 150 mA cm-2 with CO selectivities up to 80% and low cell potentials (around 3.1 V) while also demonstrating high conductivities and chemical stability during performance at elevated temperatures (above 60 °C).

Structure of the Inhibited State of the Sec Translocon.

Protein secretion in eukaryotes and prokaryotes involves a universally conserved protein translocation channel formed by the Sec61 complex. Unrelated small-molecule natural products and synthetic compounds inhibit Sec61 with differential effects for different substrates or for Sec61 from different organisms, making this a promising target for therapeutic intervention. To understand the mode of inhibition and provide insight into the molecular mechanism of this dynamic translocon, we determined the structure of mammalian Sec61 inhibited by the Mycobacterium ulcerans exotoxin mycolactone via electron cryo-microscopy. Unexpectedly, the conformation of inhibited Sec61 is optimal for substrate engagement, with mycolactone wedging open the cytosolic side of the lateral gate. The inability of mycolactone-inhibited Sec61 to effectively transport substrate proteins implies that signal peptides and transmembrane domains pass through the site occupied by mycolactone. This provides a foundation for understanding the molecular mechanism of Sec61 inhibitors and reveals novel features of translocon function and dynamics.

An aza-nucleoside, fragment-like inhibitor of the DNA repair enzyme alkyladenine glycosylase (AAG).

The DNA repair enzyme AAG has been shown in mice to promote tissue necrosis in response to ischaemic reperfusion or treatment with alkylating agents. A chemical probe inhibitor is required for investigations of the biological mechanism causing this phenomenon and as a lead for drugs that are potentially protective against tissue damage from organ failure and transplantation, and alkylative chemotherapy. Herein, we describe the rationale behind the choice of arylmethylpyrrolidines as appropriate aza-nucleoside mimics for an inhibitor followed by their synthesis and the first use of a microplate-based assay for quantification of their inhibition of AAG. We finally report the discovery of an imidazol-4-ylmethylpyrrolidine as a fragment-sized, weak inhibitor of AAG.

Effect of cationic molecules on the oxygen reduction reaction on fuel cell grade Pt/C (20 wt%) catalyst in potassium hydroxide (aq, 1 mol dm(-3)).

This study investigates the effect of 1 mmol dm(-3) concentrations of a selection of small cationic molecules on the performance of a fuel cell grade oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst (Johnson Matthey HiSPEC 3000, 20 mass% Pt/C) in aqueous KOH (1 mol dm(-3)). The cationic molecules studied include quaternary ammonium (including those based on bicyclic systems) and imidazolium types as well as a phosphonium example: these serve as fully solubilised models for the commonly encountered head-groups in alkaline anion-exchange membranes (AAEM) and anion-exchange ionomers (AEI) that are being developed for application in alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells (APEFCs), batteries and electrolysers. Both cyclic and hydrodynamic linear sweep rotating disk electrode voltammetry techniques were used. The resulting voltammograms and subsequently derived data (e.g. apparent electrochemical active surface areas, Tafel plots, and number of [reduction] electrons transferred per O2) were compared. The results show that the imidazolium examples produced the highest level of interference towards the ORR on the Pt/C catalyst under the experimental conditions used.

Impact of 1 mmol dm(-3) concentrations of small molecules containing nitrogen-based cationic groups on the oxygen reduction reaction on polycrystalline platinum in aqueous KOH (1 mol dm(-3)).

Alkaline anion-exchange membranes (AAEMs) containing cationic head-groups (e.g. involving quaternary ammonium and imidazolium groups) are of interest with regard to application in alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells (APEFCs). This initial ex situ study evaluated the effect of 1 mmol dm(-3) concentrations of model molecules containing (AAEM-relevant) cationic groups on the oxygen reduction reaction on a polycrystalline platinum disk (Ptpc) electrode in aqueous KOH (1 mol dm(-3)). The cationic molecules studied were tetramethylammonium (TMA), benzyltrimethylammonium (BTMA), 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMI), 1-benzyl-4-aza-1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (BAABCO) and 6-(benzyloxy)-N,N,N-trimethylhexan-1-aminium (BOTMHA). Both cyclic and hydrodynamic linear sweep rotating disk electrode voltammetry techniques were used. The resulting voltammograms, derived estimates of apparent electrochemically active surface areas, Tafel slopes, apparent exchange-current densities and the number of electrons transferred (per O2 molecule) were compared. The results strongly suggest that 1 mmol dm(-3) concentrations of BTMA, BAABCO, and (especially) BMI seriously inhibit the catalytic activities of Ptpc in an aqueous KOH electrolyte at 25 °C. The negative influence of (benzene-ring-free) TMA and Cl(-) anions (KCl control experiment) appeared to be less severe. The separation of the trimethylammonium group from the benzene ring via a hexyloxy spacer chain (in BOTMHA) also produced a milder negative effect.

Synthesis of amino-substituted indoles using the Bartoli reaction.

We report herein the concise preparation of a range of functionalised aminoindoles via a new application of the Bartoli reaction. Scope and limitations of the methodology have been extensively studied to reveal the importance of protecting groups and substitution patterns. The use of amino substituted nitroanilines for the Bartoli reaction is to our knowledge unprecedented. Our work thus represents a novel entry into substituted aminoindoles which are relevant building blocks for both the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Aminopyrazine inhibitors binding to an unusual inactive conformation of the mitotic kinase Nek2: SAR and structural characterization.

We report herein the first systematic exploration of inhibitors of the mitotic kinase Nek2. Starting from HTS hit aminopyrazine 2, compounds with improved activity were identified using structure-based design. Our structural biology investigations reveal two notable observations. First, 2 and related compounds bind to an unusual, inactive conformation of the kinase which to the best of our knowledge has not been reported for other types of kinase inhibitors. Second, a phenylalanine residue at the center of the ATP pocket strongly affects the ability of the inhibitor to bind to the protein. The implications of these observations are discussed, and the work described here defines key features for potent and selective Nek2 inhibition, which will aid the identification of more advanced inhibitors of Nek2.

Two-step synthesis of aza- and diazaindoles from chloroamino-N-heterocycles using ethoxyvinylborolane.

An efficient two-step route to a broad range of aza- and diazaindoles was established, starting from chloroamino-N-heterocycles, without the need for protecting groups. The method involves an optimized Suzuki-Miyaura coupling with (2-ethoxyvinyl)borolane followed by acetic acid-catalyzed cyclization.

Synthesis of pseudo-geminal-, pseudo-ortho-, and ortho-phosphinyl-oxazolinyl-[2.2]paracyclophanes for use as ligands in asymmetric catalysis.

Syntheses of three regioisomers of aromatic-substituted phosphinyl-oxazolinyl-[2.2]paracyclophanes, pseudo-geminal, pseudo-ortho, and ortho, have been carried out or, in the latter two cases, newly developed. It has, therefore, been demonstrated that all aromatic-substituted isomers relevant for use as chelating ligands for asymmetric catalysis are accessible. These P,N-ligands, along with their diastereoisomers, were shown to exhibit widely differing activity and enantioselectivity (up to 89% ee) in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction.

Silenes as novel synthetic reagents: identification of a practical method for silene generation and trapping.

The elucidation of a robust and reliable sequence for the generation of highly reactive transient silenes from simple aldehydes is described. The key step involves a silyl-modified Peterson olefination which critically depends on the presence of a sub-stoichiometric amount of soluble lithium salts (LiBr).

Stereochemistry of the reaction of Si-phenyl silenes with butadienes: elaboration of the silacycloadducts to provide a novel route to substituted lactones.

Silenes generated through a silyl-modified Peterson olefination procedure can be trapped with a range of alkyl butadienes via a [4 + 2] cycloaddition pathway to afford silacycles accompanied by variable amounts of competing ene, [2 + 2] and silene dimer by-products. The silacycles are formed with good chemo- and stereo-selectivity and provide access to diols and lactones via a phenyl-triggered Fleming-Tamao oxidation.

Novel one-pot synthesis of aryltris(trimethylsilyl)silanes.

The simple combination of tris(trimethylsilyl)potassium, ArMgBr, and ArBr provides a novel "one-pot" synthesis of aryl(tristrimethylsilyl)silanes. A mechanistic rationale for this conversion is proposed.