Volatile Perovskite Precursor Ink Enables Window Printing of Phase-Pure FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules in Ambient Atmosphere.

Despite the great success of perovskite photovoltaics in terms of device efficiency and stability using laboratory-scale spin-coating methods, the demand for high-throughput and cost-effective solutions remains unresolved and rarely reported because of the complicated nature of perovskite crystallization. In this work, we propose a stable precursor ink design strategy to control the solvent volatilization and perovskite crystallization to enable the wide speed window printing (0.3 to 18.0 m/min) of phase-pure FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells (pero-SCs) in ambient atmosphere. The FAPbI3 perovskite precursor ink uses volatile acetonitrile (ACN) as the main solvent with DMF and DMSO as coordination additives is beneficial to improve the ink stability, inhibit the coffee rings, and the complicated intermediate FAPbI3 phases, delivering high-quality pin-hole free and phase-pure FAPbI3 perovskite films with large-scale uniformity. Ultimately, small-area FAPbI3 pero-SCs (0.062 cm2 ) and large-area modules (15.64 cm2 ) achieved remarkable efficiencies of 24.32 % and 21.90 %, respectively, whereas the PCE of the devices can be maintained at 23.76 % when the printing speed increases to 18.0 m/min. Specifically, the unencapsulated device exhibits superior operational stability with T90 >1350 h. This work represents a step towards the scalable, cost-effective manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics with both high performance and high throughput.

Iodonium Initiators: Paving the Air-free Oxidation of Spiro-OMeTAD for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

To date, perovskite solar cells (pero-SCs) with doped 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) hole transporting layers (HTLs) have shown the highest recorded power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). However, their commercialization is still impeded by poor device stability owing to the hygroscopic lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and volatile 4-tert-butylpyridine dopants as well as time-consuming oxidation in air. In this study, we explored a series of single-component iodonium initiators with strong oxidability and different electron delocalization properties to precisely manipulate the oxidation states of Spiro-OMeTAD without air assistance, and the oxidation mechanism was clearly understood. Iodine (III) in the diphenyliodonium cation (IP+ ) can accept a single electron from Spiro-OMeTAD and forms Spiro-OMeTAD⋅+ owing to its strong oxidability. Moreover, because of the coordination of the strongly delocalized TFSI- with Spiro-OMeTAD⋅+ in a stable radical complex, the resulting hole mobility was 30 times higher than that of pristine Spiro-OMeTAD. In addition, the IP-TFSI initiator facilitated the growth of a homogeneous and pinhole-free Spiro-OMeTAD film. The pero-SCs based on this oxidizing HTL showed excellent efficiencies of 25.16 % (certified: 24.85 % for 0.062-cm2 ) and 20.71 % for a 15.03-cm2 module as well as remarkable overall stability.

Mechanistic Insight into Acceptorless Dehydrogenation of Methanol to Syngas Catalyzed by MACHO-Type Ruthenium and Manganese Complexes: A DFT Study.

The acceptorless dehydrogenation of methanol to produce carbon monoxide (CO) and dihydrogen (H2) mediated by MACHO-type 1-Ru and 1-Mn complexes was theoretically investigated via density functional theory calculations. The 1-Ru-catalyzed process involves the formation of active species 4-Ru through a methanol-bridged H2 release pathway. Methanol dehydrogenation by 4-Ru yields formaldehyde and 1-Ru, followed by H2 release to regenerate 4-Ru (rate-determining step, ΔG‡ = 32.5 kcal/mol). Formaldehyde further reacts with methanol via nucleophilic attack of the MeO- ligand in the Ru complex (ΔG‡ = 9.6 kcal/mol), which is more favorable than the traditional methanol-to-formaldehyde nucleophilic attack (ΔG‡ = 33.8 kcal/mol) due to the higher nucleophilicity of MeO-. CO is ultimately produced through the methyl formate decarbonylation reaction. Accelerated H2 release in the early reaction stage compared to CO results from the initial methanol dehydrogenation and condensation of formaldehyde with methanol. In contrast, CO generation occurs later via methyl formate decarbonylation. The 1-Mn-catalyzed reaction has reduced efficiency compared to 1-Ru for the higher Gibbs energy barrier (ΔG‡ = 34.1 kcal/mol) of the rate-determining step. Excess NaOtBu promotes the reaction of CO and methanol, forming methyl formate, significantly reducing the CO/H2 ratio as the catalyst amount decreases. These findings deepen our understanding of the methanol-to-syngas transformation and can drive progress in this field.

Amine-Functionalized A-Center Sphalerite for Selective and Efficient Destruction of Perfluorooctanoic Acid.

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs), especially perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have contaminated the ground and surface waters throughout the world. Efficient removal of PFCs from contaminated waters has been a major challenge. This study developed a novel UV-based reaction system to achieve fast PFOA adsorption and decomposition without addition of sacrificial chemicals by using synthetic photocatalyst sphalerite (ZnS-[N]) with sufficient surface amination and defects. The obtained ZnS-[N] has the capability of both reduction and oxidation due to the suitable band gap and photo-generated hole-trapping properties created by surface defects. The cooperated organic amine functional groups on the surface of ZnS-[N] play a crucial role in the selective adsorption of PFOA, which guarantee the efficient destruction of PFOA subsequently, and 1 µg L-1 PFOA could be degraded to <70 ng L-1 after 3 h in the presence of 0.75 g L-1 ZnS-[N] under 500 W UV irradiation. In this process, the photogenerated electrons (reduction) and holes (oxidation) on the ZnS-[N] surface work in a synergistic manner to achieve complete defluorination of PFOA. This study not only provides promising green technology for PFC-pollution remediation but also highlights the significance of developing a target system capable of both reduction and oxidation for PFC degradation.

Metal-free catalytic hydroboration of imine with pinacolborane using a pincer-type phosphorus compound: mechanistic insight and improvement of the reaction.

A mechanistic study of the catalytic hydroboration of imine using a pincer-type phosphorus compound 1NP was performed through the combination of DFT and DLPNO-CCSD(T) calculations. The reaction proceeds through a phosphorus-ligand cooperative catalytic cycle, where the phosphorus center and triamide ligand work in a synergistic manner. First, the pinB-H bond activation by 1NP occurs through the cooperative functions of the phosphorus center and the triamide ligand, leading to a phosphorus-hydride intermediate 2NP. This is the rate-determining step, with the Gibbs energy barrier and Gibbs reaction energy of 25.3 and -17.0 kcal mol-1, respectively. Subsequently, the hydroboration of phenylmethanimine takes place through a concerted transition state through the cooperative function of the phosphorus center and the triamide ligand. It leads to the final hydroborated product 4 with the regeneration of 1NP. Our computational results reveal that the experimentally isolated intermediate 3NP is a resting state of the reaction. It is formed through the B-N bond activation of 4 by 1NP, rather than via the insertion of the CN double bond of phenylmethanimine into the P-H bond of 2NP. However, this side reaction can be suppressed by utilizing a planar phosphorus compound AcrDipp-1NP as the catalyst, which features steric-demanding substituents on the chelated N atom of the ligand.

Metal-free recycling of waste polyethylene terephthalate mediated by TBD protic ionic salts: the crucial role of anionic ligands.

The structure-activity relationships of 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) based protic ionic salts for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) glycolysis by ethylene glycol (EG) were comprehensively investigated through theoretical prediction and experimental verification. The proton capture ability of the anionic ligand from EG is positively correlated with the activity of the catalyst, as the generation of EG- was crucial for the chain breaking reaction via nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl group. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations demonstrated that the HTBD cation and anionic ligands work in a cooperative manner in the PET glycolysis reaction, where the ligands abstract a proton from EG to generate EG- and provide a proton to produce the bis(hydroxyalkyl)terephthalate (BHET) product. The rate-determining step is the nucleophilic attack step, where the Gibbs energy barriers (ΔG≠) increase in the order of 29.7 kcal mol-1 (HTBD-OAc) < 30.2 kcal mol-1 (HTBD-CH3CH2COO) < 31.4 kcal mol-1 (HTBD-HCOO) < 35.7 kcal mol-1 (HTBD-CH3COCOO) < 36.9 kcal mol-1 (HTBD-NO3). This is confirmed from the experimental results that the BHET yields decrease in the order of 84.8% (HTBD-OAc) > 82.4% (HTBD-CH3CH2COO) > 80.2% (HTBD-HCOO) > 73.6% (HTBD-CH3COCOO) > 4.7% (HTBD-NO3). These findings offer valuable guidance for designing more efficient metal-free protic ionic salts, promoting sustainable PET recycling.

Rational design of the nickel-borane complex for efficient hydrogenation of styrene.

The Ni-B complex 1BCF with a facilely accessible monophosphine (Pt Bu3 ) unit was theoretically designed, which was found to be more active than that with an ambiphilic ligand for hydrogenation of styrene. Substituting Pt Bu3 with a stronger electron donating ligand N-heterocyclic carbene largely improves the activity of the Ni-B complex.

Highly Efficient Hydrated Electron Utilization and Reductive Destruction of Perfluoroalkyl Substances Induced by Intermolecular Interaction.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are highly toxic synthetic chemicals, which are considered the most persistent organic contaminants in the environment. Previous studies have demonstrated that hydrated electron based techniques could completely destruct these compounds. However, in the reactions, alkaline and anaerobic conditions are generally required or surfactants are involved. Herein, we developed a simple binary composite, only including PFAS and hydrated electron source chemical. The system exhibited high efficiency for the utilization of hydrated electrons to decompose PFASs. By comparing the degradation processes of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the presence of seven indole derivatives with different chemical properties, we could conclude that the reaction efficiency was dependent on not only the yield of hydrated electrons but also the interaction between PFOA and indole derivative. Among these derivatives, indole showed the highest degradation performance due to its relatively high ability to generate hydrated electrons, and more importantly, indole could form a hydrogen bonding with PFOA to accelerate the electron transfer. Moreover, the novel composite demonstrated high reaction efficiency even with coexisting humic substance and in a wide pH range (4-10). This study would deepen our understanding of the design of hydrated electron based techniques to treat PFAS-containing wastewater.

Mechanistic Insight into the 1,3,2-Diazaphospholene-Catalyzed Reductant (HBpin/NH3BH3)-Controlled Reaction of Allyl 2-Phenylacrylate: Claisen Rearrangement or Hydrogenation?

Mechanistic study on the 1,3,2-diazaphospholene (1)-catalyzed reduction reaction of allyl 2-phenylacrylate 4 with HBpin or ammonia borane (AB) was systematically performed by the density functional theory (DFT) method. When HBpin is employed as the reductant, the reductive Ireland-Claisen (IC) rearrangement reaction occurs. First, the active species P-hydrido-1,3,2-diazaphospholene 3 is generated through the metathesis reaction of 1 with HBpin. Next, the terminal C═C double bond of 4 is inserted into the P-H bond of 3 to produce 6a through the 1,2-addition (Markovnikov) step, which is followed by the pinB-H bond activation to afford key boron enolate 8. Then, 8 undergoes the [3,3] rearrangement that is followed by the alcoholysis reaction with methanol leading to the final product γ,δ-unsaturated carboxylic acid. The [3,3] rearrangement step is the rate-determining step with the Gibbs energy barrier (ΔG≠) and Gibbs reaction energy (ΔG) of 23.9 and -27.5 kcal/mol, respectively. When AB is employed as the reductant, the transfer hydrogenation reaction occurs through two comparable pathways, 1,2- and 1,4-transfer hydrogenation pathways. The former pathway directly leads to the hydrogenation product with the ΔG≠ and ΔG values of 22.4 and -27.7 kcal/mol, respectively. The latter pathway produces an enolate intermediate (rate-determining step, ΔG≠/ΔG = 24.1/-0.3 kcal/mol) first, which then prefers to undergo the enol-keto tautomerism instead of the [3,3] rearrangement to afford the hydrogenation product. Obviously, the generation of the boron enolate plays a crucial role in the reductive IC rearrangement reaction because it prevents the enol-keto tautomerism.

Chemoselectivity for B-O and B-H Bond Cleavage by Pincer-Type Phosphorus Compounds: Theoretical and Experimental Studies.

Selective cleavage of the B-O bond or B-H bond in HBpin can be achieved by adjusting the pincer ligand of a phosphorus(III) compound guided by a combination of theoretical prediction and experimental verification. Theoretical calculations reveal that a pincer-type phosphorus compound with an [ONO]3- ligand reacts with HBpin, leading to cleavage of the stronger B-O bonds (ΔG°â§§ = 23.2 kcal mol-1) rather than the weaker B-H bond (ΔG°â§§ = 26.4 kcal mol-1). A pincer-type phosphorus compound with a [NNN]3- ligand reacts with HBpin, leading to the weaker B-H bond cleavage (ΔG°â§§ = 16.2 kcal mol-1) rather than cleavage of the stronger B-O bond (ΔG°â§§ = 33.0 kcal mol-1). The theoretical prediction for B-O bond cleavage was verified experimentally, and the final products were characterized by NMR, HRMS, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The chemoselectivity of B-O bond cleavage was also observed in the presence of B-C or B-B bonds in borane substrates.

Principles Governing Catalytic Activity of Self-Assembled Short Peptides.

Molecular self-assembly provides a chemical strategy for the synthesis of nanostructures by using the principles of nature, and peptides serve as the promising building blocks to construct adaptable molecular architectures. Recently, a series of heptapeptides with alternative hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues were reported to form amyloid-like structures, which are capable of catalyzing acyl ester hydrolysis with remarkable efficiency. However, information remains elusive about the atomic structures of the fibrils. What is the origin of the sequence-dependent catalytic activity? How is the ester hydrolysis catalyzed by the fibrils? In this work, the atomic structures of the aggregates were determined by using molecular modeling and further validated by solid-state NMR experiments, where the fibril with high activity adopts twisted parallel configuration within each layer, and the one with low activity is in flat antiparallel configuration. The polymorphism originates from the interactions between different regions of the building block peptides, where the delicate balance between rigidity and flexibility plays an important role. We further show that the p-nitrophenylacetate ( pNPA) hydrolysis reactions catalyzed by two different fibrils follow a similar mechanism, and the difference in microenvironment at the active site between the natural enzyme and the present self-assembled fibrils should account for the discrepancy in catalytic activities. The present work provides understanding of the structure and function of self-assembled fibrils formed with short peptides at an atomic level and thus sheds new insight on designing aggregates with better functions.

Unique orientations and rotational dynamics of a 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid at the gas-liquid interface: the effects of the hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions.

Here we report a series of molecular dynamics simulations for the orientations and rotational dynamics of the 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazoliumhexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) ionic liquid (IL) at the gas-liquid interface. Compared to the bulk phase, the [BMIM]+ cations at the interface prefer to orientate themselves with their imidazolium rings perpendicular to the gas-IL interface plane and their butyl chains pointing toward the vacuum phase. Such a preferential orientation can be attributed to the combined effect of the hydrophobic interactions and the optimum loss of hydrogen bonds (HBs). More interestingly, our simulation results demonstrate that the butyl chains of cations exhibit a two-stage rotational behavior at the interface, where the butyl chains are always in the vacuum phase at the first stage and the second stage corresponds to the butyl chains migrating from the vacuum phase into the liquid phase. A further detailed analysis reveals that their rotational motions at the first stage are mainly determined by the weakened HB strength at the interface while those at the second stage are dominated by their hydrophobic interactions. Such a unique rotational behavior of the butyl chains is significantly different from those of the anions and the imidazolium rings of cations at the interface due to the lack of existence of hydrophobic interaction in the cases of the latter two. In addition, a new and simple time correlation function (TCF) was constructed here for the first time to quantitatively identify the relevant hydrophobic interaction of alkyl chains. Therefore, our simulation results provide a molecular-level understanding of the effects of HB and hydrophobic interactions on the unique properties of imidazolium-based ILs at the gas-liquid interface.

Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide with Ammonia-Borane by Pincer-Type Phosphorus Compounds: Theoretical Prediction.

Two theoretically designed and one experimentally reported pincer-type phosphorus compounds are found to be active for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide with ammonia-borane. DFT, ONIOM(CCSD(T):MP2), and CCSD(T) computational results demonstrated that the reaction occurs through phosphorus-ligand cooperative catalysis, which provides an unprecedented protocol for metal-free CO2 conversion. The phosphorus compounds with the NNN ligand are more active than those with the ONO ligand. The planar conjugate ligand considerably improves the efficiency of the catalyst.

SHP2 and UGP2 are Biomarkers for Progression and Poor Prognosis of Gallbladder Cancer.

Biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and targeting therapy of gallbladder cancers are not clinically available. This study demonstrated that the percentage of cases with positive SHP2 and UGP2 expression significantly correlated with the percentage of cases with positive vimentin, ß-catenin, MMP2, MMP9, and Ki-67 expression, large tumor size, high TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and survival in patients with adenocarcinomas and squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinomas. Positive SHP2 and UGP2 expression are independent poor-prognostic factors in both types of tumors. Our study suggested that positive SHP2 and UGP2 expression correlated with clinicopathological and biological behaviors, and poor-prognosis of gallbladder cancer.

Cooperative Catalysis of Combined Systems of Transition-Metal Complexes with Lewis Acids: Theoretical Understanding.

The combination of transition-metal complexes and Lewis acids has been recently applied to several catalytic reactions, in which the Lewis acid plays a crucial role as a non-innocent additive to accelerate the reaction. In this review article, the reasons for the acceleration by the Lewis acid are discussed based on our recent theoretical studies. In the H-H σ-bond activation of a dihydrogen molecule by a nickel(0)-borane complex, the empty p orbital of the borane moiety interacts with the H-H σ bonding MO to form charge transfer (CT) from the dihydrogen molecule to the borane moiety to accelerate the reaction. In the B-F σ-bond activation of BF3 by a platinum(0)-bisphosphine complex, the second BF3 molecule interacts with the F atom that is dissociating from the B atom to stabilize the transition state and product by the CT from the F atom to the second BF3 . In this reaction, the substrate BF3 plays a crucial role as the Lewis acid to accelerate the activation of the B-F σ bond. In the nickel-catalyzed decyanative coupling of arylcarboxybenzonitriles with acetylenes, two molecules of the aluminum Lewis acid interact with the cyano N atom and the carbonyl O atom of the substrate to stabilize the transition state and intermediate. In the nickel-catalyzed alkylation of aromatic amides with alkenes, the Lewis acid enhances the para regioselectivity of alkylation by interacting with the carbonyl O atom. In the nickel-catalyzed carboxylation of sp3 carbon and sp carbon atoms with carbon dioxide, not the σ-bond activation but the insertion reaction of carbon dioxide into the metal-carbon bond is accelerated by the Lewis acid by interacting with the O atom of carbon dioxide, because the CT from the metal-carbon bond to carbon dioxide is enhanced by the interaction. This theoretical knowledge suggests that the combination of transition-metal complex and Lewis acid can broaden the application range of transition-metal complex as catalyst.

A DFT study on proton transfers in hydrolysis reactions of phosphate dianion and sulfate monoanion.

B3LYP calculations were carried out on hydrolysis reactions of monosubstituted(R) phosphate dianion and sulfate monoanion. In the reacting system, water clusters (H2O)22 and (H2O)35 are included to trace reaction paths. For both P and S substrates with R = methyl group, elementary processes were calculated. While the phosphate undergoes the substitution at the phosphorus, the sulfate does at the methyl carbon. For the S substrate with R = neopentyl group, the product tert-amyl alcohol was found to be formed via a dyotropic rearrangement from the neopentyl alcohol intermediate. For R = aryl groups, transition-state geometries were calculated to be similar between P and S substrates. Calculated activation energies are in good agreement with experimental values. After the rate-determining transition state of the substitution, the hydronium ion H3O(+) is formed at the third water molecule. It was suggested that alkyl and aryl substrates are of the different reactivity of the hydrolysis.

S(N)1-S(N)2 and S(N)2-S(N)3 mechanistic changes revealed by transition states of the hydrolyses of benzyl chlorides and benzenesulfonyl chlorides.

Hydrolysis reactions of benzyl chlorides and benzenesulfonyl chlorides were theoretically investigated with the density functional theory method, where the water molecules are explicitly considered. For the hydrolysis of benzyl chlorides (para-Z-C6H4-CH2-Cl), the number of water molecules (n) slightly influences the transition-state (TS) structure. However, the para-substituent (Z) of the phenyl group significantly changes the reaction process from the stepwise (S(N)1) to the concerted (S(N)2) pathway when it changes from the typical electron-donating group (EDG) to the typical electron-withdrawing one (EWG). The EDG stabilizes the carbocation (MeO-C6H4-CH2(+)), which in turn makes the S(N)1 mechanism more favorable and vice versa. For the hydrolysis of benzenesulfonyl chlorides (para-Z-C6H4-SO2-Cl), both the Z group and n influence the TS structure. For the combination of the large n value (n > 9) and EDG, the S(N)2 mechanism was preferred. Conversely, for the combination of the small n value and EWG, the S(N)3 one was more favorable.

σ-Bond activation of small molecules and reactions catalyzed by transition-metal complexes: theoretical understanding of electronic processes.

σ-Bond activations of R1-R2 and R1-X1 (R1, R2 = H, alkyl, aromatics, etc.; X1 = electronegative group) by transition-metal complexes are classified into two main categories: σ-bond activation by a metal (M) center and that by a metal-ligand bond. The former is classified into two subcategories: concerted oxidative addition to M and stepwise oxidative addition via nucleophilic attack of M. The latter is also classified into two subcategories: heterolytic activaton by M-X2 (X2 = anion ligand) and oxidative addition to M-L (L = neutral ligand). In the concerted oxidative addition, charge transfer (CT) occurs from the M d orbital to the σ* antibonding orbital of R1-R2, the clear evidence of which is presented here. The concerted oxidative additions of Ph-CN, Me-CN, and Ph-Cl to a nickel(0) complex are discussed as examples. The stepwise oxidative addition occurs through nucleophilic attack of M to R1-X1 to form an ion-pair intermediate. In the nucleophilic attack, CT occurs from the M dσ to either the σ* orbital or empty pπ orbital of R1-X1. Solvation plays a crucial role in stabilizing the transition state and ion-pair intermediate. The oxidative addition reactions of Ph-I, CH3-Br, and Br2B(OSiH3) to platinum(0), platinum(II), and palladium(0) complexes are discussed. In the heterolytic activation of R1-R2 by an M-X2 bond, R1 and R2 are bound with M and X2, respectively, indicating that R1 becomes anion-like and R2 becomes cation-like. CT mainly occurs from the X2 ligand to the σ* antibonding orbital of R1-R2 and also from R1 to the M empty d orbital. In the oxidative addition to an M-L moiety, R1 is bound with M, R2 is bound with L, and thus-formed L-R2 is bound with M. The oxidative addition reaction of the Si-H bond of silane to Cp2Zr(C2H4) and that of the H-H bond of H2 to Ni[MesB(o-Ph2PC6H4)2] are discussed as examples. The importance of the σ-bond activation in such catalytic reactions as nickel(0)-catalyzed phenylcyanation of alkyne, nickel(0)-catalyzed carboxylation of phenyl chloride, ruthenium(II)-catalyzed hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, and the Hiyama cross-coupling reaction is discussed based on theoretical studies.

A comparative study of clinicopathological significance, FGFBP1, and WISP-2 expression between squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinomas and adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder.

BACKGROUND: The differences in clinical, pathological, and biological characteristics between adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinoma (SC/ASC) of gallbladder cancer have not been well documented. This study is to compare the clinicopathological characteristics and FGFBP1 and WISP-2 expression between AC and SC/ASC patients. METHODS: We examined FGFBP1 and WISP-2 expression in 46 SC/ASC and 80 AC samples using immunohistochemistry and analyzed their correlations with clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS: SC/ASCs occur more frequently in older patients and often correspond to larger tumor masses than ACs. Positive FGFBP1 and negative WISP-2 expression were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and invasion of SC/ASCs and ACs. In addition, positive FGFBP1 and negative WISP-2 expression were significantly associated with differentiation and TMN stage in ACs. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that either elevated FGFBP1 (p < 0.001) or lowered WISP-2 (p < 0.001) expression was closely associated with decreased overall survival in both SC/ASC and AC patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that positive FGFBP1 expression (p = 0.001) or negative WISP-2 expression (p = 0.035 for SC/ASC and p = 0.009 for AC) is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in both SC/ASC and AC patients. We also revealed that differentiation, tumor size, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, invasion, and surgical procedure were associated with survival of both SC/ASC and AC patients. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that the overexpression of FGFBP1 or loss of WISP-2 expression is closely related to the metastasis, invasion and poor prognosis of gallbladder cancer.

Catalytic transfer hydrogenation by a trivalent phosphorus compound: phosphorus-ligand cooperation pathway or P(III) /P(V) redox pathway?

Main-group-element catalysts are a desirable alternative to transition-metal catalysts because of natural abundance and cost. However, the examples are very limited. Catalytic cycles involving a redox process and E-ligand cooperation (E=main-group element), which are often found in catalytic cycles of transition-metal catalysts, have not been reported. Herein theoretical investigations of a catalytic hydrogenation of azobenzene with ammonia-borane using a trivalent phosphorus compound, which was experimentally proposed to occur through P(III) /P(V) redox processes via an unusual pentavalent dihydridophosphorane, were performed. DFT and ONIOM(CCSD(T):MP2) calculations disclosed that this catalytic reaction occurs through a P-O cooperation mechanism, which resembles the metal-ligand cooperation mechanism of transition-metal catalysts.