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Efficient photomolecular motors will be critical elements in the design and development of molecular machines. Optimisation of the quantum yield for photoisomerisation requires a detailed understanding of molecular dynamics in the excited electronic state. Here we probe the primary photophysical processes in the archetypal first generation photomolecular motor, with sub‐50 fs time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A bimodal relaxation is observed with a 100 fs relaxation of the Franck‐Condon state to populate a red‐shifted state with a reduced transition moment, which then undergoes multi‐exponential decay on a picosecond timescale. Oscillations due to the excitation of vibrational coherences in the S1 state are seen to survive the ultrafast structural relaxation. The picosecond relaxation reveals a strong solvent friction effect which is thus ascribed to torsion about the C−C axle. This behaviour is contrasted with second generation photomolecular motors; the principal differences are explained by the existence of a barrier on the excited state surface in the case of the first‐generation motors which is absent in the second generation. These results will help to provide a basis for designing more efficient molecular motors in the future., Generation conflict? The excited state dynamics of first‐generation molecular motors are studied by means of ultrafast time resolved fluorescence. A 100 fs structural reorganization in the excited state is followed by a slower excited state relaxation, which is influenced by solvent viscosity. The decay is accompanied by coherent vibrational excitation of modes in the excited electronic state. The observed behaviour is contrasted with that of the second‐generation motors.

A one-pot multi-step method for the oxidative cleavage of alkenes to aldehydes/ketones under ambient conditions is described as an alternative to ozonolysis. The first step is a highly efficient manganese catalyzed epoxidation/cis-dihydroxylation of alkenes. This step is followed by an Fe(III) assisted ring opening of the epoxide (where necessary) to a 1,2-diol. Carbon-carbon bond cleavage is achieved by treatment of the diol with sodium periodate. The conditions used in each step are not only compatible with the subsequent step(s), but also provide for increased conversion compared to the equivalent reactions carried out on the isolated intermediate compounds. The described procedure allows for carbon-carbon bond cleavage in the presence of other alkenes, oxidation sensitive moieties and other functional groups; the mild conditions (r.t.) used in all three steps make this a viable general alternative to ozonolysis and especially for use under flow or continuous batch conditions.

Objectives Functional loading and low-temperature degradation may give rise to impaired clinical long-term service of zirconia implant abutments. The aim of this study was to compare the fracture strength (primary outcome measure) and the volume percentage of monoclinic surface zirconia (m-ZrO2) of stock and CAD/CAM-customized zirconia implant abutments that functioned clinically for 1 year with geometrically identical pristine controls in an ex vivo experiment. Material and methods Twenty-three stock (ZirDesign (TM)) and 23 CAD/CAM-customized (Atlantis (TM)) zirconia implant abutments were retrieved after 1 year of clinical service. They were compared with pristine copies with respect to the volume fraction of the monoclinic phase using Raman spectroscopy and their fracture load by means of a single load-to-fracture test. Failure analysis was performed using optical and SEM microscopy. After verification of normal distribution, paired t tests were used for comparison of fracture loads between pristine and clinically aged specimen. All statistical tests employed a level of significance of alpha = 0.05. Results The fracture loads of the stock zirconia abutments were significantly (p

Non-heme (L)Fe-III and (L)Fe-III-O-Fe-III(L) complexes (L=1,1-di(pyridin-2-yl)-N,N-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-ethan-1-amine) underwent reduction under irradiation to the Fe-II state with concomitant oxidation of methanol to methanal, without the need for a secondary photosensitizer. Spectroscopic and DFT studies support a mechanism in which irradiation results in charge-transfer excitation of a Fe-III-mu-O-Fe-III complex to generate [(L)Fe-IV=O](2+) (observed transiently during irradiation in acetonitrile), and an equivalent of (L)Fe-II. Under aerobic conditions, irradiation accelerates reoxidation from the Fe-II to the Fe-III state with O-2, thus closing the cycle of methanol oxidation to methanal.

A versatile approach to the preparation of [Ir(LL)(2)Cl-2](PF6) type complexes is reported, in which LL is an (NN)-N- bound polypyridyl ligand [X(2)bpy, X(2)phen, where X = H-, CH3-, (CH3)(3)C-, or phenyl-, and bpy = 2,2-bipyridyl, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline] as well as their deuterated analogues. In the synthesis of [Ir(bpy)(2)Cl-2]PF6 (I) and its deuterated analogue (III), the cyclometallated complexes [Ir(bpy)(2)(bpy-C-N)](PF6)(2) (II) and [Ir([D-8]-bpy)(2)([D-8]-bpy-C-N)](PF6)(2) (IV) were also obtained. The complexes are characterised by H-1 NMR, UV/Vis absorption and emission spectroscopy. The effect of deuteration on emission quantum yields and emission lifetimes is discussed. The ready availability of these complexes through efficient scaleable synthetics routes opens new opportunities for their use, especially in energy related applications.

The reactivity of [Fe III(tpena)] 2+ (tpena=N,N,N′-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine-N′-acetate) as a catalyst for oxidation reactions depends on its ratio to the terminal oxidant H 2O 2 and presence or absence of sacrificial substrates. The outcome can be switched between: 1) catalysed H 2O 2 disproportionation, 2) selective catalytic oxidation of methanol or benzyl alcohol to the corresponding aldehyde, or 3) oxidative decomposition of the tpena ligand. A common mechanism is proposed involving homolytic O−O cleavage in the detected transient purple low-spin (S=1/2) [(tpenaH)Fe IIIO−OH] 2+. The resultant iron(IV) oxo and hydroxyl radical both participate in controllable hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) reactions. Consistent with the presence of a weaker σ-donor carboxylate ligand, the most pronounced difference in the spectroscopic properties of [Fe(OOH)(tpenaH)] 2+ and its conjugate base, [Fe(OO)(tpenaH)] +, compared to non-heme iron(III) peroxide analogues supported by neutral multidentate N-only ligands, are slightly blue-shifted maxima of the visible absorption band assigned to ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) transitions and, corroborating this, lower Fe III/Fe II redox potentials for the pro-catalysts.

α-Hydroxy ketones are valuable synthons in organic chemistry. Here we show that oxidation of vic-diols to α-hydroxy ketones with H2O2 can be achieved with an in situ prepared catalyst based on manganese salts and pyridine-2-carboxylic acid. Furthermore the same catalyst is effective in alkene epoxidation, and it is shown that alkene oxidation with the MnII catalyst and H2O2 followed by Lewis acid ring opening of the epoxide and subsequent oxidation of the alkene to α-hydroxy ketones can be achieved under mild (ambient) conditions.

We present the first high-resolution rotational spectrum of an artificial molecular rotary motor. By combining chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy and supersonic expansions, we captured the vibronic ground-state conformation of a second-generation motor based on chiral, overcrowded alkenes. The rotational constants were accurately determined by fitting more than 200rotational transitions in the 2-4GHz frequency range. Evidence for dissociation products allowed for the unambiguous identification and characterization of the isolated motor components. Experiment and complementary quantum-chemical calculations provide accurate geometrical parameters for the C27H20 molecular motor, the largest molecule investigated by high-resolution microwave spectroscopy to date.

Manganese-based oxidation catalysis plays a central role both in nature, in the oxidation of water in photosystem II (PSII) and the control of reactive oxygen species, as well as in chemical processes, in the oxidation of organic substrates and bleaching applications. The focus of this review is on efforts made to explore and elucidate the redox-dependent coordination chemistry of these manganese-based systems in solution and the mechanisms by which their catalytic redox reactions proceed. We also examine the behaviour and activity of complexes that have been developed and used as models for the active sites of the corresponding enzymes, or used as catalysts in the oxidation of organic substrates. Given the current concern over the environmental and economic impact of chemical processes, manganese catalysts that use H2O2 as oxidant are the primary focus of this review.

Die Palladium-katalysierte Oxidation von Alkenen, die Wacker-Tsuji-Reaktion, ist zweifellos ein Klassiker der organischen Synthese und bietet unter milden Bedingungen einen zuverlassigen Zugang zu Methylketonen aus endstandigen Alkenen. Methoden, die die Selektivitat der Reaktion umkehren und zum Aldehyd fuhren, sind wunschenwert, da sie Zugang zu einer wertvollen funktionellen Gruppe bieten, sind aber auch schwer zu verwirklichen. In diesem Kurzaufsatz geben wir einen Uberblick uber die beiden Methoden, die vor kurzem entwickelt wurden, um eine solche Selektivitat zu erreichen. Auserdem diskutieren wir Gemeinsamkeiten und mechanistische Details, die im Hinblick auf das Ziel, eine allgemeine Methode fur die Anti-Markownikoff-selektive Olefinoxidation zu entwickeln, vielversprechend sind.

The novel concept for the autoamplification of molecular chirality, wherein the amplification proceeds through the induction of supramolecular chirality, is presented. A solution of prochiral, ring-open diarylethenes is doped with a small amount of their chiral, ring-closed counterpart. The molecules co-assemble into helical fibers through hydrogen bonding and the handedness of the fibers is biased by the chiral, ring-closed diarylethene. Photochemical ring closure of the open diarylethene yields the ring-closed product, which is enriched in the template enantiomer.

Azobenzenes have been used as photoresponsive units for the control of numerous biological processes. Primary prerequisites for such applications are site-selective incorporation of photoswitchable units into biomolecules and the possibility of using non-destructive and deep-tissue-penetrating visible light for the photoisomerization. Here we report a push-pull azobenzene that readily undergoes a Staudinger-Bertozzi ligation with azide groups, that can be addressed with visible light (>440nm) and exhibits the solvato- and acidochromism typical for push-pull systems. The thermal relaxation in aqueous environment proceeds on the low-millisecond timescale, thus enabling control over biological processes on similar timescales. The approach is demonstrated in the modification of a quartz surface and in the incorporation of an azobenzene unit into a functional peptide, the third zinc finger in the mammalian factor Sp1.

The ability to site-selectively modify micro- and nanosized particles has allowed for directed self-assembly in two and three dimensions. Site-selective modification of particles can be a complicated task requiring the pre-organization of particles or enhanced particle fabrication methods. The aluminum silicate, zeolite L has been reported to undergo site-specific modification at the zeolite channel entrances, post-fabrication in a solution-based method. The process by which the channel entrances are site selectively modified is explored here. The preliminary step of charging the zeolite channels with aqueous acid allows for catalysis of covalent bond formation at the channel entrances. Three new end-specific modification reagents are described based on silanol and silyl ether functional groups. These reagents are purified by column chromatography and characterized by1H NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS); they provide for reliable end modification of zeolites L. Preferential reactivity at the channel entrances is also observed. The utility of the approach is demonstrated by modifying zeolite L with adamantane at the channel entrances. Site-specific self-assembly with -cyclodextrin coated gold nanoparticles can be triggered with a chemical stimulus. The resulting multivalent host-guest interactions give gold clustered nanoparticles at the ends of the micrometer-sized zeolites.

The synthesis, spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical characterization of a series of dinuclear ruthenium(II) complexes of the type [(bpy)2Ru(NnN)2RuCl(bpy) 2 ](PF6)3, where NnN = 4,4'-bipyridyl (NON), 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (NEN), l,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (N2N), and 4,4'-trimethylenedipyridine (N3N) are reported. The photophysical and electrochemical properties are discussed with particular emphasis on the ability of the bridging ligands to support intercomponent interaction.

Manganese-based oxidation catalysis plays a central role both in nature, in the oxidation of water in photosystem II (PSII) and the control of reactive oxygen species, as well as in chemical processes, in the oxidation of organic substrates and bleaching applications. The focus of this review is on efforts made to explore and elucidate the redox-dependent coordination chemistry of these manganese-based systems in solution and the mechanisms by which their catalytic redox reactions proceed. We also examine the behaviour and activity of complexes that have been developed and used as models for the active sites of the corresponding enzymes, or used as catalysts in the oxidation of organic substrates. Given the current concern over the environmental and economic impact of chemical processes, manganese catalysts that use H2O2 as oxidant are the primary focus of this review.

Review: overview of available multiphotochromic compounds which use a variety of photoactive building blocks, their efficiency in terms of multi-responsiveness and strategies to circumvent the most common limitations; 277 refs.

The preparation of N-protected β-amino aldehydes is achieved with excellent selectivity for the anti-Markovnikov aldehyde products and full retention of the configuration at the allylic carbon.

The palladium-catalyzed oxidation of alkenes, the Wacker-Tsuji reaction, is undoubtedly a classic in organic synthesis and provides reliable access to methyl ketones from terminal alkenes under mild reaction conditions. Methods that switch the selectivity of the reaction to provide the aldehyde product are desirable because of the access they provide to a valuable functional group, however such methods are elusive. Herein we survey both the methods which have been developed recently in achieving such selectivity and discuss common features and mechanistic insight which offers promise in achieving the goal of a general method for anti-Markovnikov-selective olefin oxidations.

Hydrogen bond association between ruthenium bibenzimidazole and carboxylated polypyridylosmium complexes results in stable supramolecular aggregates. The determined stability constant of logK approximate to 6 +/- 0.3 allows efficient energy transfer from the ruthenium to the osmium moiety. (C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003.

Oxidation of a wide range of organic substrates to ketones or carboxylic acids is developed using aqueous hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a binary Mn-complex as a catalyst and carboxylic acids as a co-catalyst.

The synthesis and characterisation of a series of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes containing pyridyltriazole ligands in different coordination modes are described. The electrochemical and electronic properties of the compounds with respect to the coordination mode of the pyridyltriazole ligand are reported. Upon photolysis of the complex containing the 1-methyl-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole ligand, irreversible ligand isomerisation is observed.

Diarylethenes have proven to be versatile responsive components in many applications due to their photochromic properties. In recent years their potential use as redox switchable components has become increasingly apparent. Applying dithienylethenes as redox switchable components requires their immobilisation on conducting substrates and hence electropolymerisation is a promising, albeit, challenging approach to developing such systems. In this review the electrochemical properties of dithienylethenes will be discussed together with a consideration of mechanistic aspects of the switching processes observed followed by a review of recent efforts to develop dithienylethene based redox and photoswitchable redox polymers through electropolymerisation.

The Back Cover picture illustrates the critical role of the catalytic moiety in the early-time photodynamics of H2 generating photocatalysts. A new T3 excited state is observed to quench triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) states. More information can be found in the Communication by A. Huijser and co-workers on page 2654 in Issue 17, 2016 (DOI:10.1002/cphc.201600458).

The new compounds (VI), (VIII), (X), and (XII) are characterized by single crystal XRD, vibrational and electronic spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements.

In complex organisms, cells are often dependent on their extracellular matrix (ECM) for structural integrity, the mechanical properties of tissues, and for signaled regulation of cellular processes including adhesion, migration, growth, secretion, gene expression and apoptosis. Achieving dynamic control, i.e. by using an external stimulus, over the interactions between cells and artificial interfaces holds considerable promise in tissue engineering, medicine, cell biology and immunology. For example, improved spatial control over cell–surface interaction is potentially useful in the design of cell-based screening devices. Dynamic control over SAMs for cell adhesion provides an additional handle to direct and study the attachment of cells to surfaces, e.g., in studying cell spreading from a predetermined pattern in order to screen the cytotoxicity of drug candidates. However, ‘reversible’ control of cell adhesion onto substrates is an area that is still in its infancy. In this critical review recent developments in cell adhesion of mammalian cells to SAM-modified surfaces, the physical properties of which can be controlled by an external stimulus, e.g. by light, electrochemistry, etc., are discussed (118 references).

Rational design of supramolecular systems for application in photonic devices requires a clear understanding of both the mechanism of energy and electron transfer processes and how these processes can be manipulated. Central to achieving these goals is a detailed picture of their electronic structure and of the interaction between the constituent components. We review several approaches that have been taken towards gaining such understanding, with particular focus on the physical techniques employed. In the discussion, case studies are introduced to illustrate the key issues under consideration.