Increasing levels of air pollution are driving the need for the development of new processes that take “waste-to-chemicals”. Herein, we report the capture and conversion under ambient conditions of a major air pollutant, NO2, using a robust metal-organic framework (MOF) material, Zr-bptc (H4bptc = 3,3′,5,5′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid), comprising {Zr6(μ3-O)4(μ3-OH)4(COO)12} clusters linked by 4-connected

Strongly-coupled multichromophoric assemblies orchestrate the absorption, transport, and conversion of photonic energy in natural and synthetic systems. Programming these functionalities involves the production of materials in which chromophore placement is precisely controlled. DNA nanomaterials have emerged as a programmable scaffold that introduces the control necessary to select desired excitonic

The raising apprehension of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposures urges the exploration of advanced monitoring platforms. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) provide many attractive features including tailorable porosity, high surface areas, good chemical/thermal stability and adjustable host-guest interactions, making them appealing candidates for VOCs capture and sensing. To comprehensively exploit

The transport of amino acids across lipid membranes is vital for the proper functioning of every living cell. In spite of that, examples of synthetic transporters that can facilitate amino acid transport are rare. This is mainly because at physiological conditions amino acids predominantly exist as highly polar zwitterions and proper shielding of their charged termini, which is necessary for fast diffusion

Developing inexpensive nicotinamide cofactor biomimetics to replace expensive NAD(P)/H cofactors is an ongoing field of research. Here we present mutational studies on a thermostable glucose dehydrogenase from Saccharolobus solfataricus (SsGDH) using a novel set of synthetic cofactors. Furthermore, we show the successful oxidation of a variety of different sugars in the context of cofactor regeneration

We report a new concept for the turn-on fluoride sensor based on aggregation of dye-modified polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). The dye-modified POSS aggregation initially shows weak fluorescence, while intense fluorescence can be obtained when fluoride breaks POSS cores following the dye releasing.

A stable salt of the metalloradical [Ni(C6H6)2]+ hitherto unknown in the condensed phase was synthesized from [Ni(CO)4]+[WCA]– and benzene ([WCA]– = [F{Al(ORF)3}2]–; RF = C(CF3)3). Single crystal XRD reveals a remarkable asymmetrically η3, η6-slipped sandwich structure. The magnetic properties of the [Ni(C6H6)2]+ cation were determined in solution and in the gas phase. Oxidation with the synergistic

Solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) formation and H2O activity reduction in Water-in-Salt electrolytes (WiSE) with an enlarged stability window of 3 V have provided the feasibility of the high-energy-density aqueous Li-ion batteries. Here, we extend the cathodic potential of WiSE by rationally controlling intermolecular interaction and interphase chemistry with the introduction of trimethyl phosphate

Brevione E (1) is a fungal hexacyclic meroditerpenoid with unique oxepane and cycloheptenone moieties. In this study, we identified the biosynthetic gene cluster of 1 and elucidated its biosynthetic pathway via heterologous expression of the biosynthetic genes and in vitro enzymatic reactions. Surprisingly, reexamination of the structure of 1 revealed a substituted tetrahydrofuran ring instead of the

Metal-air batteries are considered one of the most promising next-generation energy storage devices owing to their ultrahigh theoretical specific energy. However, sluggish cathode kinetics (O2 and CO2 reduction/evolution) result in large overpotentials and low round-trip efficiencies which seriously hinder their practical applications. Utilizing light to drive slow cathode processes has increasingly

Central to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the assembly of the amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) into fibrils. A reduction in pH accompanying inflammation or subcellular compartments, may accelerate fibril formation as the pH approaches Aβ’s isoelectric point (pI). Using global fitting of thioflavin-T to monitor fibril formation kinetics over a range of pHs, we identify the impact net charge has on individual

The heteroleptic six-component double slider-on-deck system DS3 exhibits tight coupling of motional speed of two distinct nano-circular sliders (k298 = 77 and 41 kHz) despite a 2.2 nm sepa­ration. In comparison, the single sliders in DS1 and DS2 move at vastly diffe­rent speed (k298 = 1.1 vs. 350 kHz). Synchro­nization of the motions in DS3 remains even when one slows the movement of the faster slider

Herein, we describe the myxobacterial natural product Corramycin isolated from Corallococcus coralloides. The linear peptide structure contains an unprecedented (2R,3S)‑γ‑N-methyl-β-hydroxy‑histidine moiety. Corramycin exhibits anti-Gram-negative activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and is taken up via two transporter systems, SbmA and YejABEF. Furthermore, the Corramycin biosynthetic gene cluster

Halide perovskite has been widely studied as a new generation of photoelectronic materials. However, their thermal and humidity-induced emission quenching have greatly limited their utility and reliability. Here, we report a hexagonal Mn2+-doped CsCdCl3 perovskite crystal that possesses stable photoluminescence (PL) at both high temperature and humidity. The room temperature long-persistent luminescence

To achieve a sustainable circular economy, polymers need to start transitioning to recycled and biobased feedstock and accomplish CO2 emission neutrality. This is not only true for structural polymers, such as in packaging or engineering applications, but also for functional polymers in liquid formulations, such as adhesives, lubricants, thickeners or dispersants. At their end of life, polymers need

Medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) comprise a highly conserved enzyme family that catalyse the reversible reduction of aldehydes. However, recent discoveries in plant natural product biosynthesis suggest that the catalytic repertoire of ADHs has been expanded. Here we report the crystal structure of dihydroprecondylocarpine acetate synthase (DPAS), an ADH that catalyses the non-canonical 1

Benzoxazolinate is a rare bis-heterocyclic moiety that interacts with proteins and DNA and confers extraordinary bioactivities on natural products, such as C-1027. However, the biosynthetic gene responsible for the key cyclization step of benzoxazolinate remains unclear. Here, we show a putative acyl AMP-ligase responsible for the last cyclization step. We then use the enzyme as a probe for genome

In Darwin’s warm pond rich with nutrients, lesser number of early catalytic machineries with modest capabilities were able to demonstrate promiscuity by catalyzing diverse biochemical transformations important for protometabolism. Herein, we report catalytically promiscuous amyloid-based short peptide assemblies that could concomitantly catalyse three metabolically important yet orthogonal reactions

Removal and degradation of microplastics are often carried out separately. In this work, hydrophilic bare Fe3O4 nanoaggregates allowed efficient removal of the most common microplastics including high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Full extraction was achieved using Fe3O4 at 1% of the mass of microplastics. Hydrogen bonding is the

Carboxyl group is one of the most widely used groups in organic synthesis. Herein, an efficient copper-catalyzed carboxylation of aryl thianthrenium salts with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at room temperature has been developed. The reaction employs low loading of cuprous chloride catalyst under 1 atm CO 2 and exhibits good functional group tolerance. In combination with C−H thianthrenation of aromatic hydrocarbons

The dynamic conformational changes in the secondary structures of proteins are essential to their functions and can regulate diverse cellular events. Herein we design a synthetic polymer-based secondary structure analogue of Zinc finger (ZnF) by introducing a zinc coordination motif to overcome the free energy barrier predicted by theoretical calculations and fold free polymer chains. The conformational

Decarbonylation along with P-atom transfer from the phosphaethynolate anion, PCO – , to the Nb IV complex [(PNP)NbCl 2 (N t BuAr)] ( 1 ) (PNP − = N[2-P i Pr 2 -4-methylphenyl] 2 ; Ar = 3,5-Me 2 C 6 H 3 ) results in its coupling with one of the phosphine arms of the pincer ligand to produce a phosphanylidene phosphorane complex [(PNPP)NbCl(N t BuAr)] ( 2 ). Reduction of 2 with CoCp * 2 cleaves the P−P

An approach allowing remote editing of stacked aromatic assemblies for heteroannular C−H functionalization would represent a transformative chemical toolbox that may make the diversification of complex molecules in a straightforward manner. However, such a C−H activation is usually less kinetically and thermodynamically favorable than homoannular ortho C−H activation and remains a fundamental challenge

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising candidates for grid-scale energy storage because of their intrinsic safety, low-cost and high energy-intensity. Vanadium-based materials are widely used as the cathode of ZIBs, especially A2V6O16·nH2O (AVO, A=NH4+, Na, K). However, AVO suffers from serious dissolution, phase transformation and narrow gallery spacing (~3 Å), leading to poor cycling stability

The rechargeable lithium/sodium-iodine battery (Li/Na-I2) is a promising candidate for meeting the growing energy demand. Herein, a flexible hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) linked to the Ti3C2Tx MXene complex (HOF@Ti3C2Tx) has been presented for iodine loading. HOF is self-assembled by organic monomers through hydrogen bonding interactions between each monomer. It leads to numerous cavities in

The in-depth mechanism on the simultaneous activation of O 2 and surface lattice O 2- on one active metallic site has not been elucidated yet. Herein, we report a strategy for the construction of abundant oxygen activation sites by rational design of Cu 1 /TiO 2 single atom catalysts (SACs). The charge transfer between isolated Cu and TiO 2 support generates abundant Cu(I) and 2-coordinated O lat sites

The first nickel-catalyzed highly enantioselective reductive Ullmann coupling of ortho-chlorinated aryl aldehyde was achieved under mild reaction conditions with a chiral 2,2'-bipyridine ligand (+)-DTB-SBpy, thus providing axially chiral biphenyl or binaphthyl dials with up to 99% yield and 99.5:0.5 er. The versatility of the products as common synthetic intermediates for diverse axially chiral ligands

Missions to Mars in the coming decades are likely to require local production of fuel, breathable air, and fertilizer. In this issue of Chem, Kelly and co-workers use microwave plasma to co-produce oxygen and NOx for fertilizer with high energy efficiency under simulated conditions corresponding to those on the Perseverance rover.

Today, the development of powerful one-pot techniques combining native chemical ligation and cysteine reductive desulfurization is central to the production of proteins by chemical synthesis. In the September issue of Chem, Xuechen Li and co-workers achieved this goal by combining sodium tetraethylborate and a phosphine as a post-ligation treatment.

Recently in Matter, Chen and co-workers proposed an efficient solar thermal catalytic technology based on elaborately designed multi-walled carbon nanotubes premodified with polydopamine (CNT-PDA) for upcycling plastic waste into high-value-added chemicals. Thanks to the strong local photothermal effect, the developed solar thermal catalytic technology exhibits a 3.7 GJ lower energy consumption and

Many enzymes in nature operate via bimetallic centers. Mimicking such systems using synthetic materials is challenging because it will require precise control of the distribution and local environment of each active site. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Lo and co-workers developed a reliable assembly approach to address this challenge.

The fish oil constituent docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is a signaling lipid with anti-inflammatory properties. The molecular mechanisms underlying the biological effect of DHA are poorly understood. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and application of a complementary pair of bio-orthogonal, photoreactive probes based on the polyunsaturated scaffold DHA and its oxidative metabolite 17-h

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The discovery and development of new drugs against malaria remain urgent. Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC) has been suggested to be a promising target for antimalarial drug development. Here, we describe a series of small-molecule inhibitors of P. falciparum ATC with low nanomolar binding affinities that selectively bind to a previously unreported allosteric pocket, thereby inhibiting ATC activation

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