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[EN] In this work, the asymmetric catalytic activity of the recently discovered GTM-3 chiral zeolite is systematically explored for the ring-opening of trans-stilbene oxide using alcohols of different size as nucleophiles. Catalytic results show a volcano-type curve with a clear maximum enantioselective activity for a specific linear alcohol size of 4C (1-butanol); this is perfectly reproduced in opposite sign for GTM-3 catalysts obtained with the antipode of the structure-directing agent. Such trend evidences that a proper chiral host-guest size match must be established between the reactants and/or transition states and the chiral confined space provided by the zeolite framework in order for the zeolite catalyst to manifest its chirality. Moreover, secondary alcohols, bulkier in size, give higher enantioselectivities than their linear counterparts. On the other hand, variation of the reaction conditions enables to maximize the enantioselectivity of the reaction: in particular, variation of the concentration of the epoxide displays a strong influence, notably improving the enantiomeric excess obtained when the concentration of the epoxide is reduced. Modification of the reaction temperature also influences the enantiomeric excess, and especially, the selectivity to the different products. Our results suggest that if a proper chiral host-guest match is established within the confined chiral nanospace of the zeolite framework, then the enantioselectivity as well as the selectivity to the chiral products is maximized, which indeed can be manipulated through variations of the reaction conditions, leading to unprecedented enantiomeric excess values up to 51%.

[EN] The chiral zeolite STW has been synthesized using a large dication containing three aromatic rings (two imidazolium moieties plus a benzene one). The integrity of the occluded organics is proven by 1H and 13C liquid NMR of the zeolite dissolved in HF/D2O. Molecular simulations strongly suggest that each aromatic ring is located in a different cavity so that each dication crosses two medium pore 10-membered-ring (MR) windows. This is confirmed by Rietveld refinement against synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data, which suggests that there is also trapped water in the cavities, explaining a significant excess of H found in this material. The presence of water is very soundly confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared experiments, which also show that this water cannot leave the zeolite even after heating at 180 °C under vacuum. Molecular simulations allow us to conclude that this is due to the blockage of the 10 and 8MR windows by the occluded organics. The peculiar situation of an organic structure-directing agent spanning three cavities has important implications for the structure-direction concept that are briefly discussed. Several chiral derivatives of this dication have also been studied, and their possibility to enantioselectively direct the crystallization of STW has been analyzed.

[EN] An organic cation lacking specificity in its structure-directing action offers the possibility, through the screening of other structure-directing parameters, to synthesize a variety of zeolites. In this work we show that the organic structure-directing agent 2-isopropyl-1,3-dimethylimidazolium (2iPr13DMI) can produce up to seven different zeolite phases depending on water concentration, the presence of inorganic impurities, crystallization temperature and time, and germanium molar fraction. The obtained phases are very different in terms of pore system, connectivity of the zeolite structure and structural units. At the pure SiO2 side, ZSM-12 and SSZ-35 dominate, with ZSM-12 being favored by the presence of potassium impurities and by less concentrated conditions. The introduction of Ge at low levels favors SSZ-35 over ZSM-12 and as the Ge fraction increases it successively affords CSV, -CLO and two distinct UOS zeolites, HPM-11 and HPM-6. These two zeolites have the same topology but distinct chemical compositions and display powder X-ray diffraction patterns that are much different from each other and from that of as-synthesized IM-16 (UOS reference material). They also show different symmetry at 96 K. Rietveld refinements of the three as-made UOS materials mentioned are provided. HPM-6 and HPM-11 are produced in distinct, non-adjacent crystallization fields. The frequent cocrystallization of the chiral STW zeolite, however, did not afford its synthesis as a pure phase. Molecular mechanics simulations of the location of the organic cation and host–guest interactions fail to explain the observed trends, but also considering the intrinsic stability of the zeolites and the effect of germanium help to rationalize the results. The study is completed by DFT calculations of the NMR chemical shifts of 13C in UOS (helping to understand splittings in the spectrum) and 19F in CSV (supporting the location of fluoride inside the new [4452], which is an incomplete double 4

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles were doped with zinc ions to produce multifunctional nanomaterials for efficient agronomic fortification and protection of plants. The resulting round-shaped nanoparticles (nanoZn) were composed of 20.3 wt % Ca, 14.8 wt % P, and 13.4 wt % Zn and showed a pH-controlled solubility. NanoZn were stable in aqueous solutions at neutral pH but dissolved in citric acid at pH 4.5 (i.e., the pH inside tomato fruits), producing a pH-responsive delivery of the essential nutrients Ca, P, and Zn. In fact, the foliar application of nanoZn on tomato plants provided tomatoes with the highest Zn, Ca, and P contents (causing, respectively, a 65, 65, and 15% increase with respect to a conventional treatment with ZnSO4) and the highest yields. Additionally, nanoZn (100 ppm of Zn) inhibited in vitro the growth of Pseudomonas syringae (Ps), the main cause of bacterial speck, and significantly reduced Ps incidence and mortality in tomato seeds, previously inoculated with the pathogen. Therefore, nanoZn present dual agricultural applicability, enriching crops with nutrients with important metabolic functions in humans and simultaneously protecting the plants against important bacterial-based diseases, with considerable negative impact in crop production.

[EN] HPM-7, a germanosilicate synthesized using long imidazolium-based dications with two different linkers, is shown to possess the POS topology, although disorder may exist but it is very difficult to discern. First, three simple ordered polymorphs (POS-A to POS-C) with very similar energies and structural motifs could give rise to intergrowths that would be very difficult to recognize by powder X-ray diffraction, according to DIFFaX simulations. Another four structures (POS-D to POS-G) can be derived from POS by changing the orientation of two single four rings within the structure, possibly providing an additional source of disorder. While 3D EDT strongly suggests that HPM-7 basically possesses the POS-A (i.e.POS) topology, a detailed HR-STEM study demonstrates the rare existence of some disorder compatible with the polymorph POS-D. The general avoidance of polymorphs with very similar structural motifs and comparable energies points to a rather specific structure-direction by the organic dications used.

[EN] By simultaneous occlusion of rationally chosen dyes, emitting in the blue, green and red region of the electromagnetic spectrum, into the one-dimensional channels of a magnesium-aluminophosphate with AEL-zeolitic type structure, MgAPO-11, a solid-state system with e cient white light emission under UV excitation, was achieved. The dyes herein selected—acridine (AC), pyronin Y (PY), and hemicyanine LDS722—ensure overall a good match between their molecular sizes and the MgAPO-11 channel dimensions. The occlusion was carried out via the crystallization inclusion method, in a suitable proportion of the three dyes to render e cient white fluorescence systems by means of fine-tuned FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) energy transfer processes. The FRET processes are thoroughly examined by the analysis of fluorescence decay traces using the femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion technique.

[EN] The new zeolite NUD-3 possesses a three-dimensional system of large pore channels that is topologically identical to those of ITQ-21 and PKU- 14. However, the three zeolites have distinctly different frameworks: a particular single 4-membered ring inside the denser portion of the zeolite is missing in PKU-14, disordered in ITQ-21 and fully ordered in NUD-3. We document these differences and use molecular simulations to unravel the mechanismbywhich a particular structure directing agent dication, 1,10-(1,2-phenylenebis(methylene))bis(3-methylimidazolium), is able to orient this inner ring.

The development of chiral zeolitic catalysts possessing extra-large pores and endowed with the capability of enantioselectively processing bulky products represents one of the greatest challenges in chemistry. Here, we report the discovery of GTM-3, an enantio-enriched extra-large pore chiral zeolite material with -ITV framework structure, obtained using a simple enantiopure organic cation derived from the chiral pool, N,N-ethyl-methyl-pseudoephedrinium, as the chiral-inductor agent. We demonstrate the enantio-enrichment of GTM-3 in one of the two enantiomorphic polymorphs using the two enantiomers of the organic cation. Interestingly, we prove the ability of this zeolitic material to perform enantioselective catalytic operations with very large substrates, here exemplified by the catalytic epoxide aperture of the bulky trans-stilbene oxide with alcohols, yielding unprecedented product enantiomeric excesses up to 30%. Our discovery opens the way for the use of accessible chiral zeolitic materials for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral pharmaceutical compounds.

(1S,2S)-N-methyl-pseudoephedrine (MPS) was used as organic structure-directing agent (OSDA) for the synthesis of Mg-doped nanoporous aluminophosphates. This molecule displays a particular conformational behavior, where the presence of H-bond donor and acceptor groups provide a rigid conformational space with one asymmetric conformation preferentially occurring. MPS drives the crystallization of Mg-containing AFI materials. Characterization of these materials shows that the OSDA incorporate as protonated species, arranged as head-to-tail monomers. Combination of three-dimensional electron diffraction with high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction allowed to locate both the Mg and the organic species. Interestingly, results showed that the spatial incorporation of Mg is driven by the hydroxyl groups of the organic cation through the development of H-bonds with negatively-charged MgO tetrahedra. This work demonstrates that H-bond forming groups can be used to drive the spatial incorporation of low-valent dopants within zeolitic frameworks, a highly desired aim in order to control their catalytic activity and selectivity.

[EN] A surprising inversion of chirality of the -ITV zeolite framework is observed when the ethyl group of the enantiopure N,N-ethyl-methyl-pseudoephedrinium organic structure-directing agent is replaced by a benzyl or 2-methylbenzyl group, keeping the same molecular absolute configuration. Interestingly, chiral zeolite materials obtained with these new benzyl-containing cations reach unprecedentedly high enantiomeric excesses up to 55%.

[EN] A short imidazolium based dication, with only three methylene units in the spacer linker, selectively directs the crystallization of zeolite HPM-12 (?UOE) as long as there is enough germanium present in the synthesis gel. The integrity of the dication is proved by dissolution of the zeolite and H and C NMR spectroscopy, where significant effects of organic dication concentration and the presence and concentration of HF need to be taken into account. For the as-made HPM-12 zeolite, a large shift of 9 ppm of one resonance in the C MAS NMR spectrum is due to the particular conformation of the dication imposed by confinement in the zeolite framework, as found by DFT calculations. The structure-directing ability of this kind of dication with varying length of the linker suggests that matching of the distance between positive charges (imidazolium moieties) and negative charges (double four rings in which fluoride resides) plays a crucial role during crystallization.

[EN] As the spacer length in 1,2-dimethylimidazolium-based dications increases beyond a specific point (six methylene units), they fail in structure-directing towards STW zeolites in any synthetic conditions. These dications can instead produce, under fluoride concentrated conditions, either *BEA [in the case of the eight-methylene-unit structure-directing agent (SDA)] or MWW (ten methylene units) zeolites. For any length of the dication, the default zeolite (MTW) is a relatively dense zeolite containing a unidimensional channel, whereas the zeolite demanding most specificity (STW, *BEA or MWW) is more porous, affording a larger concentration of the dication to be occluded. This work provides the first reported fluoride synthesis of pure silica MWW zeolites. Charge balance of the organic dications in this zeolite was achieved by combining “structural” silanolates, regular “connectivity defects” and occluded fluoride. Molecular mechanics calculations showed a perfect fit of the decamethylenebis(dimethylimidazolium) dication in the sinusoidal intralayer pore system of MWW. The calculations showed also that the dication is able to stabilize the interlayer space without disturbing the hydrogen-bonding system that holds the layers together in the as-made material. The F magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR presented two distinct resonances at −71 and −83 ppm, which, on the basis of DFT calculations, we tentatively assigned to fluoride occluded in [46] and [456] cages of the MWW structure, respectively. The same DFT study determines a different chemical shift of one methyl C nuclear magnetic resonance according to the imidazolium ring residing in the sinusoidal channels or in the large cup cavities, thus explaining an experimentally observed splitting of that resonance.

[EN] Introduction of small molar fractions of Ge in a synthesis system otherwise yielding the monodimensional large-pore zeolite MTW produced three 3D large-pore materials as the Ge fraction increased: *BEA, HPM-8, and HPM-7. HPM-8 is a zeolite consisting of an intergrowth of polymorphs D and E of the zeolite Beta family with a large predominance (>80%) of polymorph D, according to DIFFaX simulations and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis. After calcination, HPM-8 becomes remarkably stable upon contact with ambient air. HPM-7 likely possesses the POS topology, which is related to polymorph C. The density of double 4-ring (D4R) units in the crystallized materials increases from *BEA to HPM-8 to HPM-7, that is, as the Ge fraction increases. Interestingly, molecular mechanics show that in both HPM-7 and HPM-8, the organic dications prefer to site with their imidazolium rings in close contact with the D4R units as a consequence of a stronger confinement in this position. Indeed, the structure-directing role of these long dications can be explained as a consequence of the appropriate distance match between adjacent D4R units in both zeolite frameworks (and hence the negative charges associated with the occluded fluoride) and the imidazolium rings of these organic dications (and hence the positive charges), which is dictated by the length of the alkyl spacers, thus driving the crystallization pathway toward these particular germanosilicate zeolites.