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Sludge water (SW) arising from the dewatering of anaerobic digested sludge causes high back loads of ammonium, leading to high stress (inhibition of the activity of microorganisms by an oversupply of nitrogen compounds (substrate inhibition)) for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). On the other hand, ammonium is a valuable resource to substitute ammonia from the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process for fertilizer production. Within this work, it was investigated to what extent and under which conditions Carpathian clinoptilolite powder (CCP 20) can be used to remove ammonium from SW and to recover it. Two different SW, originating from municipal WWTPs were investigated (SW1: c0 = 967 mg/L NH4-N, municipal wastewater, SW2: c0 = 718&ndash, 927 mg/L NH4-N, large industrial wastewater share). The highest loading was achieved at 307 K with 16.1 mg/g (SW1) and 15.3 mg/g (SW2) at 295 K. Kinetic studies with different specific dosages (0.05 gCLI/mgNH4-N), temperatures (283&ndash, 307 K) and pre-loaded CCP 20 (0&ndash, 11.4 mg/g) were conducted. At a higher temperature a higher load was achieved. Already after 30 min contact time, regardless of the sludge water, a high load up to 7.15 mg/g at 307 K was reached, achieving equilibrium after 120 min. Pre-loaded sorbent could be further loaded with ammonium when it was recontacted with the SW.

Chemical modifications have been extensively used for therapeutic oligonucleotides because they strongly enhance the stability against nucleases, binding affinity to the targets, and efficacy. We previously reported that oligonucleotides modified with an N-methylguanidine-bridged nucleic acid (GuNA[Me]) bearing the thymine (T) nucleobase show excellent biophysical properties for applications in antisense technology. In this paper, we describe the synthesis of GuNA[Me] phosphoramidites bearing other typical nucleobases including adenine (A), guanine (G), and 5-methylcytosine (mC). The phosphoramidites were successfully incorporated into oligonucleotides following the method previously developed for the GuNA[Me]-T-modified oligonucleotides. The binding affinity of the oligonucleotides modified with GuNA[Me]-A, -G, or -mC toward the complementary single-stranded DNAs or RNAs was systematically evaluated. All of the GuNA[Me]-modified oligonucleotides were found to have a strong affinity for RNAs. These data indicate that GuNA[Me] could be a useful modification for therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides.

Pyrrolidones are common heterocyclic fragments in various biologically active compounds. Here, a two-step radical-based approach to γ-lactams bearing three to four stereocenters starting from epoxides, N-allylic silylacetamides and TEMPO is reported. The sequence starts with a new tandem nucleophilic substitution/Brook rearrangement/single electron transfer-induced radical oxygenation furnishing orthogonally protected α,γ-dioxygenated N-allylamides with wide scope, mostly good yields, and partly good diastereo- and enantioselectivity for defined combinations of chiral epoxides and chiral amides. This represents a very rare example of an oxidative geminal C–C/C–O difunctionalization next to carbonyl groups. The resulting dioxygenated allylic amides are subsequently subjected to persistent radical effect-based 5-exo-trig radical cyclization reactions providing functionalized pyrrolidones in high yields as diastereomeric mixtures. They converge to 3,4-trans-γ-lactams by base-mediated equilibration, which can be easily further diversified. Stereochemical models for both reaction types were developed.

Two phosphate modifications were introduced into the DNA backbone using the Staudinger reaction between the 3’,5’-dinucleoside β-cyanoethyl phosphite triester formed during DNA synthesis and sulfonyl azides, 4-(azidosulfonyl)-N,N,N-trimethylbutan-1-aminium iodide (N+ azide) or p-toluenesulfonyl (tosyl or Ts) azide, to provide either a zwitterionic phosphoramidate with N+ modification or a negatively charged phosphoramidate for Ts modification in the DNA sequence. The incorporation of these N+ and Ts modifications led to the formation of thermally stable parallel DNA triplexes, regardless of the number of modifications incorporated into the oligodeoxynucleotides (ONs). For both N+ and Ts-modified ONs, the antiparallel duplexes formed with complementary RNA were more stable than those formed with complementary DNA (except for ONs with modification in the middle of the sequence). Additionally, the incorporation of N+ modifications led to the formation of duplexes with a thermal stability that was less dependent on the ionic strength than native DNA duplexes. The thermodynamic analysis of the melting curves revealed that it is the reduction in unfavourable entropy, despite the decrease in favourable enthalpy, which is responsible for the stabilisation of duplexes with N+ modification. N+ONs also demonstrated greater resistance to nuclease digestion by snake venom phosphodiesterase I than the corresponding Ts-ONs. Cell uptake studies showed that Ts-ONs can enter the nucleus of mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells without any transfection reagent, whereas, N+ONs remain concentrated in vesicles within the cytoplasm. These results indicate that both N+ and Ts-modified ONs are promising for various in vivo applications.

A novel catalyst-free synthetic approach to 1,2,3-triazolobenzodiazepinones has been developed and optimized. The Ugi reaction of 2-azidobenzaldehyde, various amines, isocyanides, and acids followed by microwave-assisted intramolecular azide–alkyne cycloaddition (IAAC) gave a series of target heterocyclic compounds in moderate to excellent yields. Surprisingly, the normally required ruthenium-based catalysts were found to not affect the IAAC, only making isolation of the target compounds harder while the microwave-assisted catalyst-free conditions were effective for both terminal and non-terminal alkynes.

A method for the synthesis of 9,11-secosteroids starting from the natural corticosteroid cortisol is described. There are two key steps in this approach, combining chemistry and synthetic biology. Stereo- and regioselective hydroxylation at C9 (steroid numbering) is carried out using whole-cell biocatalysis, followed by the chemical cleavage of the C–C bond of the vicinal diol. The two-step method features mild reaction conditions and completely excludes the use of toxic oxidants.

The synthesis of novel polycyclic π-conjugated dihydropyridazines, pyridazines, and pyrroles was studied. Dihydropyridazine dyes were synthesized by inverse electron-demand Diels–Alder cycloaddition reactions between a dibenzosuberenone and tetrazines that bear various substituents. The pyridazines were synthesized in high yields by oxidation of dihydropyridazine-appended dibenzosuberenones with PIFA or NO. p-Quinone derivatives of pyridazines were also obtained by H-shift isomerization following the inverse electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction of tetrazines with p-quinone dibenzosuberenone. Then these pyridazines were converted to the corresponding pyrroles by reductive treatment with zinc. It was observed that all the dihydropyridazines obtained gave absorbance and emission at long wavelengths.

The first total synthesis of the pyrrolo[2,3-c]quinoline alkaloid trigonoine B (1) was accomplished via a six-step sequence involving the construction of an N-substituted 4-aminopyrrolo[2,3-c]quinoline framework via electrocyclization of 2-(pyrrol-3-yl)benzene containing a carbodiimide moiety as a 2-azahexatriene system. The employed six-step sequence afforded trigonoine B (1) in 9.2% overall yield. The described route could be employed for the preparation of various N-substituted 4-aminopyrroloquinolines with various biological activities.

Herein, we report the enantiospecific synthesis of two artificial glutamate analogs designed based on IKM-159, an antagonist selective to the AMPA-type ionotropic glutamate receptor. The synthesis features the chiral resolution of the carboxylic acid intermediate by the esterification with ʟ-menthol, followed by a configurational analysis by NMR, conformational calculation, and X-ray crystallography. A mice in vivo assay showed that (2R)-MC-27, with a six-membered oxacycle, is neuroactive, whereas the (2S)-counterpart is inactive. It was also found that TKM-38, with an eight-membered azacycle, is neuronally inactive, showing that the activity is controlled by the ring C.

Ligand-targeted microbubbles are focusing interest for molecular imaging and delivery of chemotherapeutics. Novel lipid-peptide conjugates (lipopeptides) that feature alternating serine-glycine (SG) n segments rather than the classical poly(oxyethylene) chains as linkers between the polar head of the lipid and a targeting ligand were recently proposed for liposome-mediated, selective delivery of anti-cancer drugs. Here, we report the synthesis of perfluoroalkylated lipopeptides (F-lipopeptides) bearing two hydrophobic chains (C n F2 n +1, n = 6, 7, 8, 1-3) grafted through a lysine moiety on a hydrophilic chain composed of a lysine-serine-serine (KSS) sequence followed by 5 SG sequences. These F-lipopeptides are precursors of targeting lipopeptide conjugates. A hydrocarbon counterpart with a C10H21 chain (4) was synthesized for comparison. The capacity for the F-lipopeptides to spontaneously adsorb at the air/water interface and to form monolayers in combination with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) was investigated. The F-lipopeptides 1-3demonstrated a markedly enhanced tendency to form monolayers at the air/water interface, with equilibrium surface pressures reaching ~7-10 mN m-1 as compared to less than 1 mN m-1 only for their hydrocarbon analog 4. The F-lipopeptides penetrate in the DPPC monolayers in both liquid expanded (LE) and liquid condensed (LC) phases without interfacial film destabilization. By contrast, the hydrocarbon analog provokes delipidation of the interfacial film. The commercial microbubble-based products used for contrast ultrasound imaging are all stabilized by a fluorocarbon gas. The ability of the F-lipopeptides to integrate fluorocarbon-stabilized phospholipid-shelled microbubbles was studied. Incorporation of F-lipopeptides 1-3 in microbubbles with a shell of DPPC and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine-PEG2000 decreased their mean diameter and increased their stability, the best results being obtained for the C8F17-bearing lipopeptide 3. By contrast, incorporation of the hydrocarbon lipopeptide led to microbubbles with a larger mean diameter, and significantly lower stability

A metal- and additive-free, highly efficient, step-economical deoxygenative C2-heteroarylation of quinolines and isoquinolines was achieved from readily available N-oxides and N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles. A variety of α-triazolylquinoline derivatives were synthesized with good regioselectivity and in excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. Further, a gram-scale and one-pot synthesis illustrated the efficacy and simplicity of the developed protocol. The current transformation was also found to be compatible for the late-stage modification of natural products.

A straightforward method that enables the formation of biologically attractive trifluoromethyl ketones from readily available methyl esters using the potent greenhouse gas fluoroform (HCF3, HFC-23) was developed. The combination of fluoroform and KHMDS in triglyme at −40 °C was effective for this transformation, with good yields as high as 92%. Substrate scope of the trifluoromethylation procedure was explored for aromatic, aliphatic, and conjugated methyl esters. This study presents a straightforward trifluoromethylation process of various methyl esters that convert well to the corresponding trifluoromethyl ketones. The tolerance of various pharmacophores under the reaction conditions was also explored.

The volatiles emitted from six marine Rhodobacteraceae species of the genus Celeribacter were investigated by GC–MS. Besides several known compounds including dimethyl trisulfide and S-methyl methanethiosulfonate, the sulfur-containing compounds ethyl (E)-3-(methylsulfanyl)acrylate and 2-(methyldisulfanyl)benzothiazole were identified and their structures were verified by synthesis. Feeding experiments with [methyl-2H3]methionine, [methyl-13C]methionine and [34S]-3-(dimethylsulfonio)propanoate (DMSP) resulted in the high incorporation into dimethyl trisulfide and S-methyl methanethiosulfonate, and revealed the origin of the methylsulfanyl group of 2-(methyldisulfanyl)benzothiazole from methionine or DMSP, while the biosynthetic origin of the benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl portion could not be traced. The heterocyclic moiety of this compound is likely of anthropogenic origin, because 2-mercaptobenzothiazole is used in the sulfur vulcanization of rubber. Also in none of the feeding experiments incorporation into ethyl (E)-3-(methylsulfanyl)acrylate could be observed, questioning its bacterial origin. Our results demonstrate that the Celeribacter strains are capable of methionine and DMSP degradation to widespread sulfur volatiles, but the analysis of trace compounds in natural samples must be taken with care.

A novel reactivity of 1,1,1-trifluoroalkanones is reported, where the reaction with AlCl3 results in the formation of 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenones. The reaction scope was found to be broad, with various chain lengths and aryl substituents tolerated. For substrates containing an electron-rich aromatic ring, further reactions take place, resulting in bicyclic and/or rearrangement products.

Tetrazolium-5-aminides have been prepared by the tert-butylation of 5-aminotetrazole and its N-methyl derivatives by the t-BuOH/HClO4 system followed by the treatment of the tetrazolium salts by alkali. The mesoionic compounds have been found to show a higher reactivity of the exocyclic N atom in comparison with 5-aminotetrazoles. The compounds reacted with 1,2-dibromoethane and 5-(methylsulfonyl)-1-phenyl-1H-tetrazole with substitution of bromine and methylsulfonyl groups giving the corresponding tetrazolium salts or conjugate aminides. The obtained mesoionic tetrazoles have been characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, NMR, and UV–vis spectroscopy, TGA/DSC analysis and for 1,3-di-tert-butyltetrazolium-5-aminide, its N,N’-ethylene-bridged bis-derivative and (1,3-di-tert-butyl-1H-tetrazol-3-ium-5-yl)(1-phenyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)amide by single crystal X-ray analysis. The structural and spectral features of the tetrazolium-5-aminides are discussed by using quantum-chemical calculations.

A continuous flow process is presented that couples a Curtius rearrangement step with a biocatalytic impurity tagging strategy to produce a series of valuable Cbz-carbamate products. Immobilized CALB was exploited as a robust hydrolase to transform residual benzyl alcohol into easily separable benzyl butyrate. The resulting telescoped flow process was effectively applied across a series of acid substrates rendering the desired carbamate structures in high yield and purity. The derivatization of these products via complementary flow-based Michael addition reactions furthermore demonstrated the creation of β-amino acid species. This strategy thus highlights the applicability of this work towards the creation of important chemical building blocks for the pharmaceutical and speciality chemical industries.

The rhodium-catalyzed transannulation of N-perfluoroalkyl-1,2,3-triazoles with aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes under microwave heating conditions afforded N-perfluoroalkyl-3,4-disubstituted pyrroles (major products) and N-fluoroalkyl-2,4-disubstituted pyrroles (minor products). The observed selectivities in the case of the reactions with aliphatic alkynes were high.

Phosphonodepsipeptides are phosphorus analogues of depsipeptides and phosphonate-linked analogues of naturally occurring peptides. They are more stable than phosphonopeptides and have been widely applied as enzyme inhibitors, haptens for the production of antibodies, biological agents, and prodrugs. The synthetic strategies towards phosphonodepsipeptides are reviewed, including the phosphonylation of hydroxy esters with phosphonochloridates, the condensation of phosphonic monoesters and hydroxy esters, the alkylation of phosphonic monoesters with 1-(alkoxycarbonyl)alkyl halides or sulfonates, multicomponent condensation of amides, aldehydes, and dichlorophosphites followed by alcoholysis with hydroxy esters, the phosphinylation of hydroxy esters with phosphonochloridites followed by oxidation, and the carbene insertion of N-protected amino acids with 1-diazoalkylphosphonates. This review includes the synthesis of α-, β-, and γ-phosphonodepsipeptides and phosphonodepsipeptides with C-1-hydroxyalkylphosphonic acids.

A facile synthesis of carbo- and heterohelicenes was achieved via tandem cycloaromatization of bisacetal precursors, which were readily prepared through C–C bond formation by Suzuki–Miyaura coupling. This cyclization was efficiently realized by a catalytic amount of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH) in a cation-stabilizing solvent, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFIP), which readily allowed gram-scale syntheses of higher-order helicenes, double helical helicenes, and heterohelicenes.

“The extraordinary instability of such an “ion” accounts for many of the peculiarities of organic reactions” – Franck C. Whitmore (1932). This statement from Whitmore came in a period where carbocations began to be considered as intermediates in reactions. Ninety years later, pointing at the strong knowledge acquired from the contributions of famous organic chemists, carbocations are very well known reaction intermediates. Among them, destabilized carbocations – carbocations substituted with electron-withdrawing groups – are, however, still predestined to be transient species and sometimes considered as exotic ones. Among them, the CF3-substituted carbocations, frequently suggested to be involved in synthetic transformations but rarely considered as affordable intermediates for synthetic purposes, have long been investigated. This review highlights recent and past reports focusing on their study and potential in modern synthetic transformations.

A new approach was designed for the synthesis of C6-substituted 2-triazolylpurine derivatives. A series of substituted products was obtained in SNAr reactions between 2,6-bistriazolylpurine derivatives and O- and C-nucleophiles under mild conditions. The products were isolated in yields up to 87%. The developed C–O and C–C bond forming reactions clearly show the ability of the 1,2,3-triazolyl ring at the C6 position of purine to act as leaving group.

The difunctionalization of alkenes involving trifluoromethylthio group (SCF3) for the conversion of versatile and readily available olefins into more structurally complex molecules has been greatly studied. However, the disproportionate dithiolation of alkene is unknown. Herein, a transition-metal-free protocol is presented for vicinal trifluoromethylthio-thiolation of unactivated alkenes via a radical process under mild condition with broad substrate scope and excellent tolerance.

The Diels–Alder reaction of β-fluoro-β-nitrostyrenes with cyclic 1,3-dienes was investigated. A series of novel monofluorinated norbornenes was prepared in up to 97% yield. The reaction with 1,3-cyclohexadiene permits the preparation of monofluorinated bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-enes. The kinetic data of the reactions with 1,3-cyclopentadiene and 1,3-cyclohexadiene were used to calculate activation parameters. Furthermore, the synthetic utility of the cycloadducts obtained was demonstrated.

Recently, the functionalization of organic molecules with fluorine substituents has grown rapidly due to its applications in such fields as medicine, agriculture or materials sciences. The aim of this article is to review the importance of 1,1-difluorocyclopropane derivatives in synthesis. It will examine the role of the fluorine substituents in both ring-forming and ring-opening reactions, as well as methods for obtaining difluorocyclopropanes as single enantiomers. Several examples are provided to highlight the biological importance of this class of compounds.

Among smart materials, self-healing is one of the most studied properties. A self-healing polymer can repair the cracks that occurred in the structure of the material. Polyketones, which are high-performance thermoplastic polymers, are a suitable material for a self-healing mechanism: a furanic pendant moiety can be introduced into the backbone and used as a diene for a temperature reversible Diels-Alder reaction with bismaleimide. The Diels-Alder adduct is formed at around 50 °C and broken at about 120 °C, giving an intrinsic, stimuli-responsive self-healing material triggered by temperature variations. Also, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is added to the polymer matrix (1.6–7 wt%), giving a reversible OFF-ON electrically conductive polymer network. Remarkably, the electrical conductivity is activated when reaching temperatures higher than 100 °C, thus suggesting applications as electronic switches based on self-healing soft devices.

The reported flow-batch approach enables the easy preparation of 2H-azirines and their stereoselective transformation into highly functionalized NH-aziridines, starting from vinyl azides and organolithium compounds. The protocol has been developed using cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) as an environmentally benign solvent, resulting into a sustainable, safe and potentially automatable method for the synthesis of interesting strained compounds.

In our hands, efficient access to the 4-amino-3-carboxamide disubstituted pyridine-2(1H)-one kinase hinge-binder motif proved to be more challenging than anticipated requiring a significant investment in route scouting and optimization. This full paper focuses on the synthesis issues that we encountered during our route exploration and the original solutions we found that helped us to identify two optimized library-style processes to prepare our large kinase inhibitor library.

Due to the unique characteristics of macrocycles (e.g., the ease of modification, hydrophobic cavities, and specific guest recognition), they can provide a suitable environment to realize photocatalysis via noncovalent interactions with different substrates. In this minireview, we emphasized the photochemical transformation and catalytic reactivity of different guests based on the binding with various macrocyclic hosts as well as on the role of macrocyclic-hosts-assisted hybrid materials in energy transfer. To keep the clarity of this review, the macrocycles are categorized into the most commonly used supramolecular hosts, including crown ethers, cyclodextrins, cucurbiturils, calixarenes, and pillararenes. This minireview not only summarizes the role that macrocycles play in photocatalytic reactions but also clarifies the photocatalytic mechanisms. Finally, the future research efforts and new pathways to apply macrocycles and supramolecular hybrid materials in photocatalysis are also discussed.

Herein we present the direct asymmetric synthesis of tetrazole-functionalized 1-deoxynojirimycin derivatives from simple sugars via a Schwartz’s reagent-mediated reductive amide functionalization followed by a variant of the Ugi-azide multi-component reaction. The anomeric configurations of two products were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray analysis. This work also describes examples of interesting further transformations of the title products. Finally, some surprising observations regarding the mechanism of their formation were made.

The synthesis of a sulfate-modified dendritic peptide amphiphile and its self-assembly into one-dimensional rod-like architectures in aqueous medium is reported. The influence of the ionic strength on the supramolecular polymerization was probed via circular dichroism spectroscopy and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. Physiological salt concentrations efficiently screen the charges of the dendritic building block equipped with eight sulfate groups and trigger the formation of rigid supramolecular polymers. Since multivalent sulfated supramolecular structures mimic naturally occurring L-selectin ligands, the corresponding affinity was evaluated using a competitive SPR binding assay and benchmarked to an ethylene glycol-decorated supramolecular polymer.

We report novel supramolecular polymers, which possess a reversed viscosity/temperature profile. To this end, we developed a series of ditopic monomers featuring two self-complementary binding sites, either the guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole carboxylic acid (GCP) or the aminopyridine carbonyl pyrrole carboxylic acid (ACP). At low temperatures, small cyclic structures are formed. However, at elevated temperatures, a ring–chain transformation leads to the formation of a supramolecular polymer. We demonstrate that this effect is dependent on the concentration of the solution and on the polarity of the solvent. This effect can counteract the loss of viscosity of the solvent at elevated temperatures, thus opening an application of our systems as viscosity index improvers (VIIs) in working fluids. This was tested for different motor oils and led to the identification of one compound as a promising VII.

The facile fabrication of free-floating organic nanocrystals (ONCs) was achieved via the kinetically controlled self-assembly of simple perylene diimide building blocks in aqueous medium. The ONCs have a thin rectangular shape, with an aspect ratio that is controlled by the content of the organic cosolvent (THF). The nanocrystals were characterized in solution by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering. The ONCs retain their structure upon drying, as was evidenced by TEM and atom force microscopy. Photophysical studies, including femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, revealed a distinct influence of the ONC morphology on their photonic properties (excitation energy transfer was observed only in the high-aspect ONCs). Convenient control over the structure and function of organic nanocrystals can enhance their utility in new and developed technologies.

Chiral cyclam (1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) derivatives were synthesized stepwise from chiral mono-Boc-1,2-diamines and (dialkyl)malonyl dichloride via open diamide-bis(N-Boc-amino) intermediates (65–91%). Deprotection and ring closure with a second malonyl unit afforded the cyclam tetraamide precursors (80–95%). The new protocol allowed the preparation of the target cyclam derivatives (53–59%) by a final optimized hydride reduction. Both the open tetraamine intermediates and the cyclam derivatives successfully coordinated with AuCl3 to give moderate to excellent yields (50–96%) of the corresponding novel tetra-coordinated N,N,N,N-Au(III) complexes with alternating five- and six-membered chelate rings. The testing of the catalytic ability of the cyclam-based N,N,N,N-Au(III) complexes demonstrated high catalytic activity of some complexes in selected test reactions (full conversion in 1–24 h, 62–97% product yields).

A series of 2-(perfluoroalkylthio)benzothiazolium (BT-SRF) salts have been synthesized that serve as convenient sources of hitherto underexplored perfluoroalkylthiolate anions. An investigation of their reactivity in a deoxygenative nucleophilic substitution reaction led to the development of an unprecedented process that provides pentafluoroethyl and heptafluoropropyl thioethers directly from readily available alcohols.

A new method for C–N bond transformations into C–P bonds was developed using 1,2,3-triazoles as leaving groups in SNAr–Arbuzov reactions. A series of C6-phosphonated 2-triazolylpurine derivatives was synthesized for the first time, with the isolated yields reaching up to 82% in the C–P-bond-forming event. The SNAr–Arbuzov reaction of 2,6-bistriazolylpurines follows the general regioselectivity pattern of the C6-position being more reactive towards substitution, which was unambiguously proved by X-ray analysis of diethyl (9-heptyl-2-(4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-9H-purin-6-yl)phosphonate.

This minireview provides an overview on the current knowledge of protein–protein interactions, common characterisation methods to characterise them, and their role in protein complex formation with some examples. A deep understanding of protein–protein interactions and their molecular interactions is important for a number of applications, including drug design. Protein–protein interactions and their discovery are thus an interesting avenue for understanding how protein complexes, which make up the majority of proteins, work.

The ability of osthol (OST) to recognize mercury ions in aqueous solution was studied using fluorescence, UV–vis spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, and 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the recognition mechanism is discussed. The results showed that OST and Hg2+ can form a complex with a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1. The binding constant was 1.552 × 105 L∙mol−1, having a highly efficient and specific selectivity for Hg2+. The fluorescence intensity of OST showed a good linear correlation with the Hg2+ concentration (6.0 × 10−5 to 24.0 × 10−5 mol∙L−1, R2 = 0.9954), and the detection limit of the probe was 5.04 × 10−8 mol∙L−1, which can be used for the determination of Hg2+ traces.

Expedient protocols for the synthesis of three types of highly functionalized azaheterocyclic scaffolds (dihydropyridazines, tetrahydropyridazines, and partially saturated tricyclic systems) from readily available hydroxypyrrolines and hydrazides are described. The directions of the transformation of a common initial intermediate, namely a Brønsted acid-activated hydroxypyrroline, depend on the reaction conditions and the structure of the hydrazides.

The fused 1,3-dithiole spacer seems to be very suitable for the functionalization of sterically hindered o-quinones with additional groups capable of coordination of metal ions and/or possessing a redox activity. An effective method for the synthesis of sterically hindered o-quinones containing 1,3-diketonate, dinitrile and p-quinone-methide functional groups at the periphery of the ligand has been developed. The novel compounds have rigid and conjugated structures and exhibit properties typical of o-quinones. A study of their monoreduced semiquinone derivatives reveal that the spin density is delocalized across the whole molecule, including peripheral fragments. The first stable o-quinone derivative bearing an annulated thiete heterocycle has been isolated and characterized.

The first example of halogen-bonded fluorescent liquid crystals based on the interaction of iodofluorobenzene derivatives with nitro-cyanostilbenes is reported. The systematic variation of the fluorination degree and pattern indicates the relevance of the halogen bond strength for the induction of liquid crystalline properties. The modular self-assembly approach enables the efficient tuning of the fluorescence behaviour and mesomorphic properties of the assemblies.

Decarboxylative trifluoromethylthiolation of lithium pyridylacetates was achieved using N-(trifluoromethylthio)benzenesulfonimide as the electrophilic trifluoromethylthiolation reagent. The reaction afforded the corresponding trifluoromethyl thioethers in good yield. Furthermore, the preparation of lithium pyridylacetates by saponification of the corresponding methyl esters and subsequent decarboxylative trifluoromethylthiolation were performed in a one-pot fashion.

We previously reviewed the use of 19F NMR in the broad field of chemical biology [Cobb, S. L.; Murphy, C. D. J. Fluorine Chem. 2009, 130, 132–140] and present here a summary of the literature from the last decade that has the technique as the central method of analysis. The topics covered include the synthesis of new fluorinated probes and their incorporation into macromolecules, the application of 19F NMR to monitor protein–protein interactions, protein–ligand interactions, physiologically relevant ions and in the structural analysis of proteins and nucleic acids. The continued relevance of the technique to investigate biosynthesis and biodegradation of fluorinated organic compounds is also described.

Light- and pH-responsive nano-assemblies with switchable size and structure are formed by the association of a photoacid, anthocyanidin, and a linear polyelectrolyte in aqueous solution. Specifically, anionic disulfonated naphthol derivatives, neutral hydroxyflavylium, and cationic poly(allylamine) are used as building blocks for the ternary electrostatic self-assembly, forming well-defined supramolecular assemblies with tunable sizes of 50 to 500 nm. Due to the network of possible chemical reactions for the anthocyanidin and the excited-state dissociation of the photoacid upon irradiation, different ways to alter the ternary system through external triggering are accessible. The structure and trigger effects can be controlled through the component ratios of the samples. Dynamic and static light scattering (DLS, SLS) and ζ-potential measurements were applied to study the size and the stability of the particles, and information on the molecular structure was gained by UV–vis spectroscopy. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) provided information on the thermodynamics and interaction forces in the supramolecular assembly formation.

Novel carbazole-based [6]helicenes fused with an azine ring (pyridine, pyrazine or quinoxaline) have been prepared through a five-step synthetic sequence in good overall yields. Commercially available 2,3-dihaloazines were used as starting materials. To discern the effect of merging an azine moiety within a helical skeleton, the X-ray structures, UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of the helicenes were investigated and compared to that of the parent carbazole-based [6]helicene (7H-phenanthro[3,4-c]carbazole).

We described herein a selective method to prepare α-organylthio esters and α-organylthio ketones by the reaction of β-keto esters with sodium S-benzyl sulfurothioate or sodium S-alkyl sulfurothioate (Bunte salts) under basic conditions in toluene as the solvent at 100 °C. When 4 equivalents of a base were used, a series of differently substituted α-thio esters were obtained with up to 90% yield. On the other hand, employing 2 equivalents of a base, α-thio ketones were achieved after 18 h under air. Furthermore, after a shorter reaction time, the isolation of keto–enol tautomers was possible, revealing them as significant intermediates for the mechanism elucidation.

The concise preparation of 4,4,4-trifluorobut-2-yn-1-ones by the oxidation of the readily accessible corresponding propargylic alcohols as well as their utilization as Michael acceptors for the construction of aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds are reported.

An efficient and convenient method for the synthesis of structurally unique and highly functionalized aryl 2-bromo-2-chloro-1,1-difluoroethyl ethers has been developed. This approach exhibits a broad reaction scope, a simple operation and without the need of any expensive transition-metal catalyst, highly toxic or corrosive reagents. Notably, we demonstrate the potential utility of halothane for the synthesis of aryl gem-difluoroalkyl ethers containing the bromochloromethyl group.

A new protocol enabling the formation of trifluoromethyl compounds from acyl fluorides has been developed. The combination of FLUOLEAD® and Olah’s reagent in solvent-free conditions at 70 °C initiated the significant deoxyfluorination of the acyl fluorides and resulted in the corresponding trifluoromethyl products with high yields (up to 99%). This strategy showed a great tolerance for various acyl fluorides containing aryloyl, (heteroaryl)oyl, or aliphatic acyl moieties, providing good to excellent yields of the trifluoromethyl products. Synthetic drug-like molecules were also transformed into the corresponding trifluoromethyl compounds under the same reaction conditions. A reaction mechanism is proposed.

Many natural products possess interesting medicinal properties that arise from their intriguing chemical structures. The highly-substituted carbocycle is one of the most common structural features in many structurally complicated natural products. However, the construction of highly-substituted, stereo-congested, five-membered carbocycles containing all-carbon quaternary center(s) is, at present, a distinct challenge in modern synthetic chemistry, which can be accessed through the all-carbon [3 + 2] cycloaddition. More importantly, the all-carbon [3 + 2] cycloaddition can forge vicinal all-carbon quaternary centers in a single step and has been demonstrated in the synthesis of complex natural products. In this review, we present the development of all-carbon [3 + 2] cycloadditions and illustrate their application in natural product synthesis reported in the last decade covering 2011–2020 (inclusive).

In this work, a series of γ-substituted diphenylnaphthalonitriles were synthesized and characterized. They show efficient emission in solution and in the aggregated state and their environment responsiveness is based on having variable substituents at the para-position of the two phenyl moieties. The excited state properties were fully investigated in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions and in THF/H2O mixtures. The size of the aggregates in aqueous media were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy studies revealed that all the molecules show intense fluorescence both in solution and in the aggregated state. In THF solutions, a blue emission was observed for the unsubstituted (H), methyl- (Me) and tert-butyl- (t-Bu) substituted γ-diphenylnaphthalonitriles, which can be attributed to a weak π-donor capability of these groups. On the other hand, the methoxy- (OMe), methylsulfanyl- (SMe) and dimethylamino- (NMe2) substituted compounds exhibit a progressive red-shift in emission compared to H, Me and t-Bu due to a growing π-electron donating capability. Interestingly, upon aggregation in water-containing media, H, Me and t-Bu show a slight red-shift of the emission and a blue-shift is observed for OMe, SMe and NMe2. The crystal structure of Me allowed a detailed discussion of the structure–property relationship. Clearly, N-containing substituents such as NMe2 possess more electron-donating ability than the S-based moieties such as SMe. Moreover, it was found that NMe2 showed higher luminescence quantum yields (ΦF) in comparison to SMe, indicating that N-substituted groups could enhance the fluorescence intensity. Therefore, the π-donor nature of the substituents on the phenyl ring constitutes the main parameter that influences the photophysical properties, such as excited state lifetimes and photoluminescence quantum yields. Hence, a series of highly luminescent materials from deep blue to red emission depending on substitution and environment is reported with potential applications in sensing, bioimaging and optoelectronics.