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An effective method of grafting functionalities onto lignin based on glycerol carbonate has been developed. This biobased grafting reagent reacts with lignin without generating co-products. Alkenyl groups were added to the glycerol carbonate moiety from 1,3-butadiene chemistry using the nickel-catalysed hydroalkoxylation reaction and the newly developed nickel-catalysed telomerisation reaction under solvent-free conditions. The high-atom economical reactions lead to three different sets of glycerol carbonate ethers with various chain lengths that can be separated from the catalyst to avoid lignin contamination with metals. Kraft, organosolv and soda lignins, without prior purification, were grafted via ether functions using these linkers in a clean and efficient procedure. The technical and modified lignins were characterised by NMR, IR and SEC, and their thermal properties were determined by DSC. The glass transition temperatures of the modified lignins are significantly reduced, opening up possibilities of shaping, for example, on hot presses. In addition, these modifications offer the possibility of inserting new reactive functions within the lignin, including unsaturations and alcohols, allowing a new range of lignin-based resins to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the catalytic activity of a series of platinum(II) pre‐catalysts, bearing N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, in the alkene hydrosilylation reaction. Their structural and electronic properties are fully investigated using X‐ray diffraction analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Next, our study presents a structure‐activity relationship within this group of pre‐catalysts and gives mechanistic insights into the catalyst activation step. An exceptional catalytic performance of one of the complexes is observed, reaching a turnover number (TON) of 970 000 and a turnover frequency (TOF) of 40 417 h−1 at 1 ppm catalyst loading. Finally, an attractive solvent‐free and open‐to‐air alkene hydrosilylation protocol, featuring efficient platinum removal (reduction of residual Pt from 582 ppm to 5.8 ppm), is disclosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactivity of aryl monocarboxylic acids (benzoic, 1‐ or 2‐naphtoic, 4'‐methylbiphenyl‐4‐carboxylic, and anthracene‐9‐carboxylic acids) as complexing agents for the ethoxide niobium(V) (Nb(OEt)5 precursor has been investigated. A total of eight coordination complexes were isolated with distinct niobium(V) nuclearities as well as carboxylate complexation states. The use of benzoic acid gives a tetranuclear core Nb4(μ2‐O)4(L)4(OEt)8] (L=benzoate (1)) with four Nb−(μ2‐O)−Nb linkages in a square plane configuration. A similar tetramer, 7, was obtained with 2‐naphtoic acid by using a 55 % humid atmosphere synthetic route. Two types of dinuclear brick were identified with one central Nb−(μ2‐O)−Nb linkage; they differ in their complexation state, with one bridging carboxylate ([Nb2(μ2‐O)(μ2‐OEt)(L)(OEt)6], with L=1‐naphtoate (3) or anthracene‐9‐carboxylate (5)) or two bridging carboxylate groups ([Nb2(μ2‐O)(L)2(OEt)6], with L=4'‐methylbiphenyl‐4‐carboxylic (4) or anthracene‐9‐carboxylate (6)). An octanuclear moiety [Nb8(μ2‐O)12(L)8(η1‐L)4−x(OEt)4+x] (with L=2‐naphtoate, x=0 or 2; 8) was obtained by using a solvothermal route in acetonitrile; it has a cubic configuration with niobium centers at each node, linked by 12 μ2‐O groups. The formation of the niobium oxo clusters was characterized by infrared and liquid 1H NMR spectroscopy in order to analyze the esterification reaction, which induces the release of water molecules that further react through oxolation with niobium atoms, in different {Nb2O}, {Nb4O4} and {Nb8O12} nuclearities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several aryl polycarboxylic ligands (pyromellitic acid, 4,4′-azobenzenedicarboxylic acid and 3,3′,5,5′-azobenzenetetracarboxylic acid) have been used to react with the pentavalent ethoxide niobium(V) precursor Nb(OEt)5. Three new crystalline molecular compounds (1 with pyromellitate, 2 with 4,4′-azobenzenedicarboxylate and 3 with 3,3′,5,5′-azobenzenetetracarboxylate) were isolated from slow crystallization at room temperature from the mother liquid containing the precursor Nb(OEt)5. They are composed of one polycarboxylate ligand fully coordinated to mononuclear or dinuclear octahedrally-coordinated niobium(V) units. For the dimers, the two adjacent niobium centers are bridged by one μ-O and one μ-OEt groups and complexed by only one of the syn–syn bidentate carboxylate function arms from the polytopic ligand. Compounds 1–3 were characterized in solid state by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Insight into the formation of the three compounds was supported by the help of infrared and liquid 1H NMR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium is a ubiquitous second messenger regulating numbers of cellular processes in living organisms. It encodes and transmits information perceived by cells to downstream sensors, including calmodulin (CaM), that initiate cellular responses. In plants, CaM has been involved in the regulation of plant responses to biotic and abiotic environmental cues. Plant CaMs possess a cysteine residue in their first calcium-binding motif EF-hand, which is not conserved in other eucaryotic organisms. In this work, we report the near-complete backbone chemical shift assignment of tobacco CaM2 with calcium. These results will be useful to study the impact of this particular EF-hand domain regarding CaM interaction with partners involved in stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the catalytic activity of a series of platinum(II) pre-catalysts, bearing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, in the alkene hydrosilylation reaction. Their structural and electronic properties are fully investigated using X-ray diffraction analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Next, our study presents a structure-activity relationship within this group of pre-catalysts and gives mechanistic insights into the catalyst activation step. An exceptional catalytic performance of one of the complexes is observed, reaching a turnover number (TON) of 970 000 and a turnover frequency (TOF) of 40 417 h -1 at 1 ppm catalyst loading. Finally, an attractive solvent-free and open-to-air alkene hydrosilylation protocol, featuring efficient platinum removal (reduction of residual Pt from 582 ppm to 5.8 ppm), is disclosed., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The reactivity of aryl monocarboxylic acids (benzoic, 1- or 2-naphtoic, 4'-methylbiphenyl-4-carboxylic, and anthracene-9-carboxylic acids) as complexing agents for the ethoxide niobium(V) (Nb(OEt) 5 precursor has been investigated. A total of eight coordination complexes were isolated with distinct niobium(V) nuclearities as well as carboxylate complexation states. The use of benzoic acid gives a tetranuclear core Nb 4 (μ 2 -O) 4 (L) 4 (OEt) 8 ] (L=benzoate (1)) with four Nb-(μ 2 -O)-Nb linkages in a square plane configuration. A similar tetramer, 7, was obtained with 2-naphtoic acid by using a 55 % humid atmosphere synthetic route. Two types of dinuclear brick were identified with one central Nb-(μ 2 -O)-Nb linkage; they differ in their complexation state, with one bridging carboxylate ([Nb 2 (μ 2 -O)(μ 2 -OEt)(L)(OEt) 6 ], with L=1-naphtoate (3) or anthracene-9-carboxylate (5)) or two bridging carboxylate groups ([Nb 2 (μ 2 -O)(L) 2 (OEt) 6 ], with L=4'-methylbiphenyl-4-carboxylic (4) or anthracene-9-carboxylate (6)). An octanuclear moiety [Nb 8 (μ 2 -O) 12 (L) 8 (η 1 -L) 4-x (OEt) 4+x ] (with L=2-naphtoate, x=0 or 2; 8) was obtained by using a solvothermal route in acetonitrile; it has a cubic configuration with niobium centers at each node, linked by 12 μ 2 -O groups. The formation of the niobium oxo clusters was characterized by infrared and liquid 1 H NMR spectroscopy in order to analyze the esterification reaction, which induces the release of water molecules that further react through oxolation with niobium atoms, in different {Nb 2 O}, {Nb 4 O 4 } and {Nb 8 O 12 } nuclearities., (© 2022 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)