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Crystallizing molecules with long flexible chains is a challenge, making it difficult to perform X‐ray crystallography. Chaperones can assist in the crystallization of compounds that do not crystallize by themselves by producing solvate crystals that contain the analyte in their three‐dimensional lattices. Among the most versatile chaperones for liquid analytes are tetraaryladamantanes (TAAs), but the size of the compounds that can be encapsulated is limited, and attempts to surpass this limit with known TAAs were unsuccessful. Here we report that 1,3,5,7‐tetrakis(2‐fluoro‐4‐methoxyphenyl)adamantane (TFM) is a crystallization chaperone for acyclic molecules up to the molecular weight of phytyl acetate (338 g/mol). Encapsulation of such a large acyclic compound was achieved when the analyte was esterified and when a two‐step temperature protocol was used for crystallization. Exploratory work indicates that a drop to −20 °C allows for encapsulation of squalene (Mr 411 g/mol), albeit with positional disorder of the analyte. Our X‐ray crystal structures of solvates with flexible analytes shed light on how crystalline order can be imposed on large acyclic analytes. The new, fluorinated TAA gives access to crystal structures that were inaccessible thus far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new crystallization chaperone called TFM has been developed, which allows for the formation of X-ray diffraction-based crystal structures of liquid molecules that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. This chaperone acts like a glove that can fit molecules of various sizes, resulting in successful crystallization. The article also introduces a new temperature jump crystallization protocol. The cover graphic of the article displays the chaperone and the crystal lattice of the squalene solvate. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses a new crystallization chaperone called TFM, which allows for the formation of X-ray diffraction-based crystal structures that would otherwise be impossible to obtain. The chaperone acts like a glove that fits many different sizes, enabling the crystallization of liquid molecules as a solvate. The article also introduces a new temperature jump crystallization protocol. The cover graphic of the article depicts the analytes and the chaperone, along with the crystal lattice of the squalene solvate. [Extracted from the article]

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The concepts of aromaticity and antiaromaticity have a long history, and countless demonstrations of these phenomena have been made with molecules based on elements from the p, d, and f blocks of the periodic table. In contrast, the limited oxidation‐state flexibility of the s‐block metals has long stood in the way of their participation in sophisticated π‐bonding arrangements, and truly antiaromatic systems containing s‐block metals are altogether absent or remain poorly defined. Using spectroscopic, structural, and computational techniques, we present herein the synthesis and authentication of a heterocyclic compound containing the alkaline earth metal beryllium that exhibits significant antiaromaticity, and detail its chemical reduction and Lewis‐base‐coordination chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactivity of a diruthenium tetrahydride complex towards three selected dihydroboranes was investigated. The use of [DurBH2] (Dur=2,3,5,6‐Me4C6H) and [(Me3Si)2NBH2] led to the formation of bridging borylene complexes of the form [(Cp*RuH)2BR] (Cp*=C5Me5; 1 a: R=Dur; 1 b: R=N(SiMe3)2) through oxidative addition of the B−H bonds with concomitant hydrogen liberation. Employing the more electron‐deficient dihydroborane [3,5‐(CF3)2‐C6H3BH2] led to the formation of an anionic complex bearing a tetraarylated chain of four boron atoms, namely Li(THF)4[(Cp*Ru)2B4H5(3,5‐(CF3)2C6H3)4] (4), through an unusual, incomplete threefold dehydrocoupling process. A comparative theoretical investigation of the bonding in a simplified model of 4 and the analogous complex nido‐[1,2(Cp*Ru)2(μ‐H)B4H9] (I) indicates that there appear to be no classical σ‐bonds between the boron atoms in complex I, whereas in the case of 4 the B4 chain better resembles a network of three B−B σ bonds, the central bond being significantly weaker than the other two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Angewandte Chemie is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A new pathway for the ring expansion reaction of antiaromatic boroles with organic azides is reported. While the reaction usually leads to 1,2‐azaborinines, it was diverted to the formation of a 1,2,3‐diazaborinine by changing the electronic characteristics of the reagents. The isolable azo‐azaborinine intermediate initially formed from the reaction of 1‐(2,3,4,5‐tetraphenylborolyl)ferrocene with 4‐azido‐N,N‐dimethylaniline gradually decomposed to a 1,2,3‐diazaborinine and benzonitrile. Both the spectroscopic properties and the reactivity of the heteroaromatic compound show analogies to pyridine, to which it is isoelectronic. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided insight into the mechanism of this unusual transformation. Nitrile & error: A new pathway for the ring expansion reaction of boroles with organic azides is presented, leading to a 1,2,3‐diazaborinine instead of the expected 1,2‐azaborinine. Mechanistic DFT calculations provided insight into the mechanism of formation of the BN2C3 heterocycle, and spectroscopic and reactivity studies demonstrated the analogies of the 1,2,3‐diazaborinine to pyridine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of NHC-supported 1,2-dithienyldiborenes was synthesized from the corresponding (dihalo)thienylborane NHC precursors. NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopic data, as well as X-ray crystallographic analyses, were used to assess the electronic and steric influences on the B=B double bond of various NHCs and electron-donating substituents on the thienyl ligands. Crystallographic data showed that the degree of coplanarity of the diborene core and thienyl groups is highly dependent on the sterics of the substituents. Furthermore, any increase in the electron-donating ability of the substituents resulted in the destabilization of the HOMO and greater instability of the resulting diborenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]