Chemistry – An Asian Journal

Homeward Zn-bound: New chiral Zn²⁺ complexes of amino acids that contained adequate hydrophobic and bulky side chains were synthesized as catalysts for enantioselective aldol reactions between acetone and various benzaldehydes.

Exphlorin′ all avenues: 2,3,17,18-Tetrahalohexaphyrins were prepared by acid-catalyzed condensation of 3,4-dihalopyrroles and dipyrromethane-dicarbinol. These β-tetrahalogenated hexaphyrins display variable structural and electronic properties depending upon the halogen atom and the number of π-electrons. Tetrabromo- and tetrachloro[28]hexaphyrin were further reduced to provide phlorin-type hexaphyrins.

Match maker: The chiral bimetallic multinuclear CuZn complex that contains a novel phosphine ligand and bears matching axial and sp³-central chirality from binaphthol and chiral amine was found to be a highly efficient catalyst in the enantioselective conjugate addition of an organic zinc reagent.

Convert to Pd-f: Two kinds of multifunctional nanocomposites, SBA-15-NH₂/Pd-p and SBA-15-NH₂/Pd-f, with platelet-like and fiber-like morphologies, respectively, were fabricated by immobilizing Pd NPs onto amine-functionalized SBA-15. These composites were excellent multifunctional heterogeneous catalysts for one-pot multistep cascade reaction sequences.

Still waters run deep: The Zn(OH)₂-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes with allylboronates in aqueous media exclusively afford the α-addition products. This reaction was also applied to alkylallylation, chloroallylation, and alkoxyallylation reactions. The role of water is discussed.