Octalenobisterphenylene 1 (also known as terphenylene dimer) was synthesized from 3,3',5,5'-tetraaryl-substituted biaryl by tert-butyllithium-mediated cyclization followed by oxidative coupling. This one-pot two-step protocol facilitated the successive formation of four four-membered and two eight-membered rings. Treatment of 1 with sodium metal, followed by crystallization from THF, yielded the remarkable

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Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 8105–8109; https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201500478 Figure 2c of this Communication contains duplicated images for the PBS and UC control groups. The UC group images were inadvertently copied into the PBS panel during figure preparation. These panels are intended only to qualitatively demonstrate baseline ROS levels in untreated (PBS) tumor cells. To rectify this error

Electrochemical nitrate (NO3-) reduction to ammonia (NH3) under ambient conditions is promising to promote the artificial nitrogen cycling. Despite the development of transition metal-based catalysts, their incident in-situ electrochemical reconstruction always leads to the ambiguity of veritable active sites and reaction mechanisms. In this work, we report an approach to encapsulate Ni@Ni2P particles

The combination of transthioesterification-based ligation of thiol-derived amino acids and the post-ligation desulfurization has greatly expanded the scope of modern chemical protein synthesis. Here, we report a new strategy of low-energy visible light-induced desulfurization (LEnVLD) that enables superfast and clean protein desulfurization (half life = 1.7 s) with improved reaction selectivity compared

Directly converting methane into high-value products like CH3COOH poses significant challenges owing to the kinetic limitations of C-H activation and C-C coupling in traditional single-catalysis methods. This work systematically studied the compatibility and effectiveness of plasma and thermo-catalytic tandem systems. By optimizing the plasma process in a self-designed dielectric barrier discharge

Precisely controlling the nature of Cu-O bond in Cu-based oxide catalysts and understanding its correlation with CH4 electrosynthesis (from CO2) for selectivity optimization is a long-standing challenge. Herein, taking a specific type of cuprates structured with CuO4 square-planar motifs as the platform, we report a selectivity descriptor of Cu-O bond length for screening highly selective catalysts

We describe herein an iridium-catalyzed highly diastereo- and enantioselective hydrogenation of 1,2-azaborines accessing δ-aminoboronic esters of potential biological importance. This method represents the first enantioselective hydrogenation of boron-containing heteroarene and features a diverse substitution pattern and wide scope. The synthetic utility of our method was demonstrated by the synthesis

The study of G-quadruplex (G4) structures that form in DNA and RNA is a rapidly growing field, which has evolved from in vitro studies of isolated G4 sequences to genome-wide detection of G4s in a cellular context. This work has revealed the tangible and significant effects that G4s may have on biological regulation. This minireview describes recent progress in the design of photoluminescent intensity-independent

The β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) is a critical target for the treatment of airway diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To better understand its mechanism of action and study its dynamics, photoswitchable ligands provide a distinct advantage due to their ability to be activated with high spatiotemporal control. In this study, we developed a series of molecular tools

Self-sorting of cellular components is essential for maintaining order and function in living systems, enabling complex processes to operate seamlessly. Emulating such self-sorting in synthetic self-assembly, however, has conventionally relied on structural or chirality mismatches of monomers yielding self-sorted systems under thermodynamic conditions. In contrast, reaction-coupled, kinetically-controlled

Azomethine ylides are 1,3-dipolar zwitterions typically used for constructing N-heterocycles by 3+2-cycloaddition reactions. We report here a pyridyl-tethered isolable azomethine ylide (AY) that activates a series of H−E bonds (E = B, Si, Al, O) in FLP-like fashion. The reactions are probed mechanistically by DFT calculations and each case appears to be distinct from others. While the HBpin activation

Implementing photoactivation into chemical reaction networks (CRNs) offers opportunities for on-demand and remote activation, fuel storage, and creating autonomous materials and systems with precise spatial activation. However, examples in this domain remain limited. Here, we introduce a cascaded redox-based enzymatic reaction network (ERN) capable of photoinitiation and refueling, centered around

Molecular ferroelectrics utilize metal nodes and organic groups as catalytic active sites, with the surrounding ferroelectric polarization significantly enhancing catalytic activity and showcasing tremendous application potential. However, their application in photocatalysis remains underexplored. This study presents the first investigation of the molecular perovskite ferroelectric CuCl4-[R-MPA] (MPA

Wide-bandgap perovskites based on mixed formamidinium−cesium cation and iodide−bromide halide are promising materials in the top cells that are well-matched with crystalline silicon bottom cells to construct efficient tandem photovoltaics. Nevertheless, mixed cation−halide perovskite films with sub-micron film thickness suffer from poor crystallinity with inhomogeneous and undesirable phases, owing

Rechargeable aqueous metal batteries offer inherent safety and low cost due to the predominance of water in their aqueous electrolytes, yet their practical applications are severely limited by electrolyte freezing under subzero conditions. Drawing inspiration from the mechanism of antifreeze proteins (AFPs) that protect living organisms from freezing damage, we synthesize oxidized quasi-carbon nitride

Pseudomonas syringae is a soil-dwelling bacterium that exhibits remarkable niche adaptability and it is known for its devastating impact as a plant pathogen. This bacterium has an outstanding capability to produce a wide array of biologically active natural products. P. syringae coexists with amoebal predators and fungal strains, which drives the production of secondary metabolites for predator evasion

Inverted flexible perovskite solar cells (f-PSCs) are promising candidates for mechanical photovoltaic applications due to their ease of preparation, lightweight, and portability. However, the weak interface connections, residual strain and the nonradiative recombination loss among adjacent layers are critical challenges that restrict f-PSCs development. To address these issues, a functionalized molecule

Reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) is a promising technology that can selectively extract lignin in biomass and depolymerize it. Here, we prepared one low Ru loading catalyst (Ru0.8/C) for RCF of biomass to selectively produce different lignin oil (both monomers and oligomers) under different reaction atmospheres. The yield of phenolic monomers reached 46.0wt.% (rich in 4-propylguaiacol and 4-propylsyringol)

Developing photocatalysts that can efficiently utilize the full solar spectrum is a crucial step toward transforming sustainable energy solutions. Due to their light absorption limitations, most photo-responsive metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) are constrained to the ultraviolet (UV) and blue light regions. Expanding their absorp-tion to encompass the entire solar spectrum would unlock their full potential

Compared to common vinyl anions, their heavier heteronuclear analog, silagermenides [R2Si═GeR]ˉ, remain exceedingly rare. Herein, we present a systematic investigation of silagermenides, synthesized via a straightforward desilylation route. We delve into the bonding characteristics, revealing a weak, polarized Si–Ge π bond with a significant nonbonded lone pair character at the β-Si position. This

Super-resolution imaging based on the localization of single emitters requires a spatio-temporal control of the ON and OFF state. To this end, photoactivatable fluorophores are adapted as they can be turned on upon light irradiation. Here we present a concept called Self-Triggered Photooxidation Cascade (STPC) based on the photooxidation of a plasma membrane targeted leuco-rhodamine (LRhod-PM), a non-fluorescent

A new kind of supramolecular thio-naphthalene diimide (SNDI) which can be immediately reduced as supramolecular radical anion by bacteria is reported. The introduction of thiocarbonyl effectively elevates the reduction potential of SNDI, largely increasing the bacteria-response speed in hypoxia. It selectively distinguishes the bacteria with high and low reduction ability in real time. The host-guest

Chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes (PCPs) have widespread application in asymmetric catalysis and materials science. However, enantioselective C–H activation of PCPs remains elusive and challenging due to steric hindrance, which differs significantly from conventional aryl C–H bonds. Herein, we present a cobalt/Salox-catalyzed enantioselective dehydrogenative C–H acyloxylation and alkoxylation of racemic

Optimizing the thermodynamics of electrode reactions is a valid strategy for achieving high-performance electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). However, as the catalyst downsizes to the nanoscale, the influence of mass transfer kinetics is increasingly pronounced in improving electrocatalytic activity. Herein, an ordered hetero-nanowire regulator that simultaneously couples the virtues

DNA damage repair mechanisms, such as base excision repair (BER), safeguard cells against genotoxic agents that cause genetic instability and diseases, including cancer. In eukaryotic nuclei, DNA within nucleosome arrays is less accessible to repair factors than naked DNA due to chromatin's structural constraints. Histone acetylation is crucial for loosening chromatin structure and facilitating access

Developing highly-efficient and robust bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting (OWS) is desirable, but it confronts long-term challenge in the local structural reconstruction of catalyst during the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction (HER and OER). As inspired by the stable acid-base buffer system in human life, here we construct an electron buffer system to well address the key

Linear poly(α-hydroxy acids) are important degradable polymers, and they can be efficiently prepared by ring-opening polymerization of O-carboxyanhydrides with pendant functional groups. However, attempts to prepare cyclic poly(α-hydroxy acids) have been plagued by side reactions, including epimerization and uncontrolled intramolecular chain transfers or termination, that prevent the synthesis of

Nitrofurfural is a key building block for the synthesis of antimicrobial nitrofurans as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Its synthesis involves the nitration of furfural, a substrate derived from biobased resources. However, furfural has a delicate heteroaromatic backbone. Typical nitrations involve harsh reaction conditions, which often compromise this structure, resulting in poor reproducibility

Bioisosteric replacement is an important strategy in drug discovery and is commonly practiced in medicinal chemistry, however, the incorporation of bioisosteres typically requires laborious multistep de novo synthesis. The direct conversion of a functional group into its corresponding bioisostere is of particular significance in evaluating structure-property relationships. Herein, we report a func

Membranes integrating one-dimensional (1D) materials are rapidly emerging as highly promising platforms for osmotic energy harvesting. However, their power output is often constrained by insufficient ion selectivity. Herein, we demonstrate a cation pumping strategy by designing mesoporous silica coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes/aramid nanofiber (MCNTs@mSiO2/ANF) composite membranes as osmotic power

The scarcity of lithium resources and the increasing volume of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) exacerbate the imbalance between lithium supply and demand. The development and efficient recovery strategies of valuable lithium ion (Li+) from spent LIBs and their subsequent utilization presents both significant opportunities and challenges. Here, we propose an innovative approach for Li+ recovery from

Two novel liquid electrolytes for ambient-temperature fluoride ion batteries are presented. These electrolytes are based on ionic liquids with quaternary ammonium cations 3-methoxy-N,N,N,2,2-pentamethylpropan-1-aminium (MNPA) and N,N,N,2,2-pentamethyl-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)propane-1-aminium (NPPA) combined with a bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide (TFSI) counterion. Quaternary ammonium fluorides

We have designed and successfully synthesized N-(acyldithio)saccharin for the first time, which is a highly electrophilic, bench-stable, and user-friendly disulfurating reagent. This reagent can undergo reactions with diverse N-, S-, and C-nucleophiles at room temperature. In most cases, no additional catalyst is required, and the desired disulfides were readily obtained in moderate to excellent yields

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising candidates for electrocatalysis and photocatalysis applications due to their structurally ordered architectures and tunable physicochemical properties. In COFs, organic building blocks are linked via covalent bonds, and the structural and electronic characteristics of COFs are critically governed by their linkage chemistry. These linkages

Heating the readily available trinuclear Ti dinitrogen complex [{TiCp*(μ-Cl)}3(μ3-η1: η2: η2-N2)] 1(Cp* = η5-C5Me5), originally reported by C. Yélamos and J. Jover, in benzene at 80 °C leads to the cleavage of N≡N bond, forming a tetranuclear titanium nitride cluster [{TiCp*}4Cl(μ-Cl)3(μ3-N)2] 2. The structure of 2 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Kinetics study and DFT calculations

This study presents a multi-objective optimization of a helical-roof inlet fine coal separator using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a modified Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II. Five critical geometric parameters were investigated: vortex finder diameter (De/D), cone tip diameter (Dt/D), cone height (Hc/D), exhaust pipe insertion length (Hin/D), and inlet velocity (v). Response surface

Hybrid conversion Zn–air batteries (HC-ZABs) epitomize a typical integrated energy storage and conversion device that advances green chemistry and reduces carbon emissions. However, balancing efficiency and selectivity of electrocatalytic cathodic reactions remains the bottleneck in such batteries. Herein, we address this issue by designing a high-entropy perovskite, La0.6Sr0.1Ca0.1Rb0.1Y0.1CoO3 (HE-LCO)

Bifaical solar cells hold great potential for achieving higher power output than conventional monofacial devices by harvesting solar irradiance from both their front and rear surfaces. However, almost all currently reported bifacial devices typically require a sputtered rear transparent conducting oxide electrode, which can damage the underlying layers due to plasma effects during the deposition process

Phase control provides a promising approach for physicochemical property modulation of metal/alloy nanomaterials towards various electrocatalytic applications. However, the controlled synthesis of alloy nanomaterials with unconventional phase remains challenging, especially for those containing both p- and d-block metals. Here, we report the one-pot synthesis of ultrathin RhSb alloy nanoflowers with

mRNA nanomedicine represents a new generation of therapeutics. However, how to deliver mRNA to the desired organs and cells effectively remains challenging. Common mRNA delivery vectors include viral and non-viral types such as four-component lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), polymer based nanoparticles, lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles and so on. One-component ionizable amphiphilic Janus dendrimers (IAJDs)

γ-Lactams are privileged five-membered pharmaco-phores in numerous bioactive compounds, but access to these motifs typically rely on cycloaddition/substitution chemistry involving activated substrates or CO carbonylations under harsh conditions. Here, we report a new route to functionalized γ-lactams through formal carbonylation of azetidines under nonprecious metal catalysis. The method leverages

The development of efficient electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction to CO is challenging due to competing hydrogen evolution and intermediate over-stabilization. In this study, a Cu-Co dual single-atom catalyst (CuCo-DSAC) anchored on carbon black was synthesized via scalable pyrolysis. The catalyst achieves 98.5% CO Faradaic efficiency at 500 mA cm⁻2, maintaining >95% selectivity across a 400 mV window

An imbalance of brain pH is closely associated with biochemical reactions, ion regulation, and electrical activity, serving as a hallmark for various neurological disorders. High-resolution imaging of pH fluctuations in brain diseases is crucial for understanding pathological processes. However, current pH probes are inadequate for this purpose due to poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration or insufficient

While significant advancements have been made in creating quaternary stereocenters (all-carbon substituents) within cyclic frameworks, generating acyclic quaternary stereocenters poses a more formidable task due to increased conformational flexibility. In this study, we report an enantioselective synthesis of compounds containing acyclic quaternary stereocenters through an iron-catalyzed alkylation

Functionalized ionogels have attracted significant attention in chemical design of new materials and versatile applications, which are formed by polymer network as a matrix with introducing ionic liquids containing characteristic units as a dispersion medium. Here, we present an universal scheme to rapidly synthesize luminescent ionogels through the in-situ formation of zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid

Herein, we present a cross-coupling reaction of arylthianthrenium salts at a late stage with diverse (hetero)aryl (pseudo)halides under reductive conditions, in which a palladium(0) catalyst differentiates between two aryl electrophiles based on the different rates of oxidative addition of arylthianthrenium salts and aryl halides for selective umpolung. A measured near-zero Hammett rho value is consistent

Metal-organic cages (MOCs) are a class of self-assembled materials with promising applications in chemical purifications, sensing, and catalysis. Their potential is, however, hampered by challenges in the targeted design of MOCs with desirable properties. MOC discovery is thus often reliant on trial-and-error approaches and brute-force manual screening, which are time-consuming, costly and material-intensive

Aniline motifs are commonly found in natural products and synthetic molecules. While chemists have developed numerous methods for constructing C(sp2)–N bonds, their biocatalytic counterparts in nature are primarily limited to P450-based protein machineries. To address this limitation, we developed a biocatalytic platform for aniline synthesis based on oxidative amination of cyclohexanones. Through

The recovery of precious metals from waste streams is crucial for sustainable resource utilization but remains hindered by traditional methods involving high toxicity, energy consumption, and environmental pollution. Here, we present a photocatalytic strategy employing hydrothermally synthesized decatungstate ([W10O32]4-) homogeneous ion catalysts to achieve simultaneous oxidation and reduction of

Sunlight-driven photosynthesis by covalent organic frameworks (COFs) from water and air without using sacrificial reagents is a promising H2O2 fabrication approach, but is still restricted by the insufficient charge separation and sluggish 2e- water oxidation process. Herein, we provide a facile strategy to simultaneously improve charge separation and water oxidation in COFs via confining the charge

Electric vehicles starve for minutes-level fast-charging lithium-ion batteries, while the heat gathering at high-rates charging and torridity-condition have detrimental effects on electrolytes, triggering rapid battery degradation and even safety hazards. However, the current research on high-temperature fast-charging (HTFC) electrolytes is very lacking. We revolutionized the conventional paradigm

The photocatalytic activation of inert C(sp3)-H bonds in saturated aza-heterocycles provides a direct and efficient route to high-value α-amino amides but remains challenging due to intrinsically high bond dissociation energies. Herein, we report a cobalt-metallated, one-dimensional ABC-stacking covalent organic framework (PP-COF-Co), integrating perylene diimide (PDI) as a photosensitizer and 1,10-phenanthroline

Artificial liquid-repellent surfaces are highly desirable to combat pervasive biofouling and corrosion in biological environments. However, existing strategies often suffer from slow binding kinetics and harsh fabrication conditions, hindering the concurrent integration of liquid repellency, universal adhesion, and robust flexibility. Herein, we report that it is possible to engineer microbial biofilms

The construction of stimuli-responsive charge-transfer (CT) cocrystals is a challenging frontier in organic crystal engineering. Here, we introduce a gemini CT cocrystal system with dichromatic stimuli-responsiveness by utilizing the unique dual/gemini conformational feature of geminiarene. Geminiarene binds with the electron-deficient guest 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene through exo-wall interactions to

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are potential candidates for electrocatalysis due to their well-defined, tunable structures and ability to incorporate diverse active sites. However, their inherent insulating nature restricts electron transfer from electrode to remote active sites, leading to diminished catalytic performance. In this work, we present a novel strategy to overcome this limitation by reducing

Cell membrane disruption is associated with numerous diseases and underlies the activity of various antimicrobial agents. The rapid screening of compounds capable of disrupting or permeabilising biological membranes is essential to the search for new therapeutic drugs. Here, we present a single-molecule confocal microscopy assay integrated with fast-flow microfluidics to study membrane permeabilisation

Rare-earth-based all-inorganic glass-ceramics have exhibited an important role in the field of optoelectronics. However, the research of organo–inorganic hybrid rare-earth halide glass which can be produced at low temperatures is still in the blank stage. In this paper, we report for the first time on novel amorphous organic–inorganic hybrid rare-earth-based halide luminescent glasses, Bzmim3LnCl6