Hydrogenation of succinic acid to 1,4-butanediol over rhenium catalyst supported on copper-containing mesoporous carbon.

Copper-containing mesoporous carbon (Cu-MC) was prepared by a single-step surfactant-templating method. For comparison, copper-impregnated mesoporous carbon (Cu/MC) was also prepared by a surfactant-templating method and a subsequent impregnation method. Rhenium catalysts supported on copper-containing mesoporous carbon and copper-impregnated mesoporous carbon (Re/Cu-MC and Re/Cu/MC, respectively) were then prepared by an incipient wetness method, and they were applied to the liquid-phase hydrogenation of succinic acid to 1,4-butanediol (BDO). It was observed that copper in the Re/Cu-MC catalyst was well incorporated into carbon framework, resulting in higher surface area and larger pore volume than those of Re/Cu/MC catalyst. Therefore, Re/Cu-MC catalyst showed higher copper dispersion than Re/Cu/MC catalyst, although both catalysts retained the same amounts of copper and rhenium. In the liquid-phase hydrogenation of succinic acid to BDO, Re/Cu-MC catalyst showed a better catalytic activity than Re/Cu/MC catalyst. Fine dispersion of copper in the Re/Cu-MC catalyst was responsible for its enhanced catalytic activity.

Rational design of photoactivatable metal complexes to target and modulate amyloid-ß peptides.

The accumulation of amyloid-ß (Aß) aggregates is found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. Thus, numerous efforts have been made to develop chemical reagents capable of targeting Aß peptides and controlling their aggregation. In particular, tunable coordination and photophysical properties of transition metal complexes, with variable oxidation and spin states on the metal centers, can be utilized to probe Aß aggregates and alter their aggregation profiles. In this review, we illustrate some rational strategies for designing photoactivatable metal complexes as chemical sensors for Aß peptides or modulators against their aggregation pathways, with some examples.