Cascaded p-d Orbital Hybridization Interaction in Ultrathin High-Entropy Alloy Nanowires Boosts Complete Non-CO Pathway of Methanol Oxidation Reaction.

Designing high efficiency platinum (Pt)-based catalysts for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) with high "non-CO" pathway selectivity is strongly desired and remains a grand challenge. Herein, PtRuNiCoFeGaPbW HEA ultrathin nanowires (HEA-8 UNWs) are synthesized, featuring unique cascaded p-d orbital hybridization interaction by inducing dual p-block metals (Ga and Pb). In comparison with Pt/C, HEA-8 UNWs exhibit 15.0- and 4.2-times promotion of specific and mass activity for MOR. More importantly, electrochemical in situ FITR spectroscopy reveals that the production/adsorption of CO (CO*) intermediate is effectively avoided on HEA-8 UNWs, leading to the complete "non-CO" pathway for MOR. Theoretical calculations demonstrate the optimized electronic structure of HEA-8 UNWs can facilitates a lower energy barrier for the "non-CO" pathway in the MOR.

Coupling photocatalytic water oxidation with reductive transformations of organic molecules.

The utilization of readily available and non-toxic water by photocatalytic water splitting is highly attractive in green chemistry. Herein we report that light-induced oxidative half-reaction of water splitting is effectively coupled with reduction of organic compounds, which provides a light-induced avenue to use water as an electron donor to enable reductive transformations of organic substances. The present strategy allows various aryl bromides to undergo smoothly the reductive coupling with Pd/g-C3N4* as the photocatalyst, giving a pollutive reductant-free method for synthesizing biaryl skeletons. Moreover, the use of green visible-light energy endows this process with more advantages including mild conditions and good functional group tolerance. Although this method has some disadvantages such as a use of environmentally unfriendly 1,2-dioxane, an addition of Na2CO3 and so on, it can guide chemists to use water as a reducing agent to develop clean procedures for various organic reactions.

Extraordinary p-d Hybridization Interaction in Heterostructural Pd-PdSe Nanosheets Boosts C-C Bond Cleavage of Ethylene Glycol Electrooxidation.

Advanced electrocatalysts for complete oxidation of ethylene glycol (EG) in direct EG fuel cells are strongly desired owing to the higher energy efficiency. Herein, Pd-PdSe heterostructural nanosheets (Pd-PdSe HNSs) have been successfully fabricated via a one-step approach. These Pd-PdSe HNSs feature unique electronic and geometrical structures, in which unconventional p-d hybridization interactions and tensile strain effect co-exist. Compared with commercial Pd/C and Pd NSs catalysts, Pd-PdSe HNSs display 5.5 (6.6) and 2.5 (2.6) fold enhancement of specific (mass) activity for the EG oxidation reaction (EGOR). Especially, the optimum C1 pathway selectivity of Pd-PdSe HNSs reaches 44.3 %, illustrating the superior C-C bond cleavage ability. Electrochemical in situ FTIR spectroscopy and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the extraordinary p-d hybridization interaction and tensile strain effect could effectively reduce the activation energy of C-C bond breaking and accelerate CO* oxidation, boosting the complete oxidation of EG and improving the catalytic performance.

Multi-Stimuli-Induced Mechanical Bending and Reversible Fluorescence Switching in a Single Organic Crystal.

Fluorescent single crystals that respond to multiple external stimuli are of great interest in molecular machines, sensors, and displays. The integration of photo- or acid-induced fluorescence enhancement and bending in one organic crystal, however, has not been reported yet. Herein, we report the interesting plastic photomechanical bending and switching on of the fluorescence of an azine crystal in a single-crystal transformation, due to extended π-conjugation and molecular slippage. Moreover, the fluorescent plastic bending driven by multiple volatile acid vapors was firstly observed, and attributed to the synergistic effect of push-pull electronic structure and hydrogen bonding. The single crystal also shows high elasticity under external force. In addition, reversible fluorescence switching can be triggered by grinding and solvent fuming, as well as by the adsorption and desorption of HCl vapor. The integration of plastic, elastic bending and switch-on fluorescence into one single crystal provides a new strategy for next-generation smart materials.

Cu2 O-Catalyzed Conversion of Benzyl Alcohols Into Aromatic Nitriles via the Complete Cleavage of the C≡N Triple Bond in the Cyanide Anion.

Nitrogen transfer from cyanide anion to an aldehyde is emerging as a promising method for the synthesis of aromatic nitriles. However, this method still suffers from a disadvantage that a use of stoichiometric Cu(II) or Cu(I) salts is required to enable the reaction. As we report herein, we overcame this drawback and developed a catalytic method for nitrogen transfer from cyanide anion to an alcohol via the complete cleavage of the C≡N triple bond using phen/Cu2 O as the catalyst. The present condition allowed a series of benzyl alcohols to be smoothly converted into aromatic nitriles in moderate to high yields. In addition, the present method could be extended to the conversion of cinnamic alcohol to 3-phenylacrylonitrile.

Density Functional Study of Trimetallic AuxPdyPtz (x + y + z = 7) Clusters and Their Interactions with the O2 Molecule.

Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the structural and energetic properties of trimetallic AuxPdyPtz clusters with x + y + z = 7. The possible stable geometrical configurations with their electronic states are determined. We analyze the chemical order, binding energies, vertical ionization potential, electron affinity, and HOMO-LUMO gaps as a function of the whole concentration range. The affinity of AuxPdyPtz clusters toward one O2 molecule is also evaluated in terms of the changes in geometry, adsorption energy, and charge transfer.

A theoretical investigation of the interactions between hydroxyl-functionalized ionic liquid and water/methanol/dimethyl sulfoxide.

Density functional calculations have been used to investigate the interactions of 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium ([C2OHmim](+))-based ionic liquids (hydroxyl ILs) with water (H2O), methanol (CH3OH), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). It was found that the cosolvent molecules interact with the anion and cation of each ionic liquid through different atoms, i.e., H and O atoms, respectively. The interactions between the cosolvent molecules and 1-ethyl-3-methylimizolium ([C2mim](+))-based ionic liquids (nonhydroxyl ILs) were also studied for comparison. In the cosolvent-[nonhydroxyl ILs] systems, a furcated H-bond was formed between the O atom of the cosolvent molecule and the C2-H and C6-H, while there were always H-bonds involving the OH group of the cation in the cosolvent-[hydroxyl ILs] systems. Introducing an OH group on the ethyl side of the imidazolium ring may change the order of solubility of the molecular liquids.

Density functional study of molecular nitrogen adsorption on gold-copper and gold-silver binary clusters.

Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the adsorption behaviors of nitrogen molecule on small bimetallic AunCum and AunAgm clusters, with n + m ≤ 5. In all cases the N2 forms a linear or quasi-linear M-N-N structure (M = Au, Cu or Ag). The adsorption energies of N2 on pure metal clusters follow the order CunN2 > AunN2 > AgnN2, which is due to the weaker orbital interaction between silver and N2. N2 prefers to bind to a copper atom in AunCumN2 complexes and prefers to bind to a silver atom in AunAgmN2 complexes. The combination of Cu atoms into Aun clusters makes the cluster more reactive toward N2 while the combination of Ag atoms into Aun clusters makes the cluster less reactive toward N2. The electrostatic interaction is strengthened while the back-donation from metal to N2 is reduced in bimetallic cluster nitrides, as compared to the mono cluster nitrides. The N-N stretching frequencies are all red-shifted upon adsorption and the M-N stretching frequencies are highly correlated to the atoms to which the N is attached.

A theoretical investigation of the interaction between small Pd particles and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium ionic liquids with Cl-, BF4(-) and PF6(-) anions.

Density functional calculations have been used to investigate the interaction between Pd(n) clusters (n = 1-6) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (Bmim(+)) based ionic liquids (ILs) with the anions [Cl(-)], [BF(4)(-)] and [PF(6)(-)]. The interaction of small Pd(n) clusters (1 ≤ n ≤ 6) with a single cation or anion is also studied. The interaction strengths in anion-Pd(n) categories with n = 1-6 follow the trend [Cl(-)] > [BF(4)(-)] > [PF(6)(-)]. The cation could also form interactions with Pd(n) clusters. Compared with a single anion or cation, the interaction could be strengthened when palladium particles interact with the whole ion pair. Further studies indicated that anionPd interaction is the decisive factor in the interaction between the Pd atom and the whole ion pair. The Pd(2) dimer interacts with the whole ion pair much more strongly than the Pd atom. Solvent effects have been considered in the present study by means of the polarizable continuum model. It is found that the stability of [Bmim(+)·BF(4)(-)]-Pd(n) and [Bmim(+)·PF(6)(-)]-Pd(n) complexes with n = 1 and 2 can be improved in solvents.

Palladium-catalyzed direct phosphonation of azoles with dialkyl phosphites.

The first Pd-catalyzed direct phosphonation of azoles with dialkyl phosphites has been achieved without addition of base or acid. This method involves the oxidative cleavage of C-H and P(O)-H bonds and represents an atom-efficiency alternative to the classical phosphonation of Ar-X. A Pd(II)/Pd(IV) mechanism has been studied and proposed.

Isolation and identification of antibacterial neo-compounds from the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp.

Three novel coumarin compounds along with two known amide alkaloids were isolated from a methanol extract of the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp. Their structures were identified on the basis of IR, 2D NMR ((1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) and HRESIMS analysis. Antibacterial activity of all the compounds was evaluated using KB paper diffusion through measurement of inhibiting zone. It was found that four of all the compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 25 µg/ml (compounds 1-3) and 15 µg/ml (compound 4).

Density functional study of hydrogen binding on gold and silver-gold clusters.

A theoretical study was carried out on the binding of hydrogen on small bimetallic Ag(m)Au(n) (m + n < or = 5) and pure Au(n) (n < or = 5) clusters with neutral, negative, and positive charge state. It is found that the composition and charge state of clusters have strong influence on the most favorable binding site. The adiabatic ionization potentials, electron affinities, and hydrogen binding energies of cluster hydrides increase with the Au content increasing for the given cluster size. The cationic silver-gold cluster hydrides prefer ejection of Au-containing products whereas the anionic silver-gold cluster hydrides prefer ejection of Ag-containing products. The magnitude of metal-H frequency in combination with the metal-H bond length indicates that, with the same type of the binding site, the Au-H interaction is stronger than the Ag-H interaction.

A density functional study of the interaction of NCO with small copper clusters.

Density functional calculations have been carried out for Cu(n)NCO(-), Cu(n)NCO, Cu(n)NCO(+), and Cu(n)NCO(2+) clusters. It was found that for small n, charge state has a strong influence on the NCO location site. The ground states of the neutral and anionic complex clusters have a dominantly planar structure while most of the cationic complex clusters prefer three-dimensional structures. The electrostatic interaction is essential for the Cu-NCO bonding, while covalent interaction through 2pi donation strongly enhances the bonding. In neutral and anionic species the N-C bonds are strengthened and the C-O bonds are weakened, while in cationic species all the C-O distances decrease and the N-C distances can be slightly elongated in some cases, which is related to a higher NCO reactivity toward NO and O(2) to form N(2) over the positively charged Cu(n)(delta+) sites than that over the metallic Cu(n) sites.