Inhalable Textile Microplastic Fibers Impair Airway Epithelial Differentiation.

Rationale: Microplastics are a pressing global concern, and inhalation of microplastic fibers has been associated with interstitial and bronchial inflammation in flock workers. However, how microplastic fibers affect the lungs is unknown. Objectives: Our aim was to assess the effects of 12 × 31 µm nylon 6,6 (nylon) and 15 × 52 µm polyethylene terephthalate (polyester) textile microplastic fibers on lung epithelial growth and differentiation. Methods: We used human and murine alveolar and airway-type organoids as well as air-liquid interface cultures derived from primary lung epithelial progenitor cells and incubated these with either nylon or polyester fibers or nylon leachate. In addition, mice received one dose of nylon fibers or nylon leachate, and, 7 days later, organoid-forming capacity of isolated epithelial cells was investigated. Measurements and Main Results: We observed that nylon microfibers, more than polyester, inhibited developing airway organoids and not established ones. This effect was mediated by components leaching from nylon. Epithelial cells isolated from mice exposed to nylon fibers or leachate also formed fewer airway organoids, suggesting long-lasting effects of nylon components on epithelial cells. Part of these effects was recapitulated in human air-liquid interface cultures. Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of Hoxa5 after exposure to nylon fibers. Inhibiting Hoxa5 during nylon exposure restored airway organoid formation, confirming Hoxa5's pivotal role in the effects of nylon. Conclusions: These results suggest that components leaching from nylon 6,6 may especially harm developing airways and/or airways undergoing repair, and we strongly encourage characterization in more detail of both the hazard of and the exposure to microplastic fibers.

Dehydrogenation of Amine-Boranes Using p-Block Compounds.

Amine-boranes have gained a lot of attention due to their potential as hydrogen storage materials and their capacity to act as precursors for transfer hydrogenation. Therefore, a lot of effort has gone into the development of suitable transition- and main-group metal catalysts for the dehydrogenation of amine-boranes. During the past decade, new systems started to emerge solely based on p-block elements that promote the dehydrogenation of amine-boranes through hydrogen-transfer reactions, polymerization initiation, and main-group catalysis. In this review, we highlight the development of these p-block based systems for stoichiometric and catalytic amine-borane dehydrogenation and discuss the underlying mechanisms.

New Insights in Frustrated Lewis Pair Chemistry with Azides.

The geminal frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) tBu2 PCH2 BPh2 (1) reacts with phenyl-, mesityl-, and tert-butyl azide affording, respectively, six, five, and four-membered rings as isolable products. DFT calculations revealed that the formation of all products proceeds via the six-membered ring structure, which is thermally stable with an N-phenyl group, but rearranges when sterically more encumbered Mes-N3 and tBu-N3 are used. The reaction of 1 with Me3 Si-N3 is believed to follow the same course, yet subsequent N2 elimination occurs to afford a four-membered heterocycle (5), which can be considered as a formal FLP-trimethylsilylnitrene adduct. Compound 5 reacts with hydrochloric acid or tetramethylammonium fluoride and showed frustrated Lewis pair reactivity towards phenylisocyanate.

Gold(I) Complexes of the Geminal Phosphinoborane tBu2PCH2BPh2.

In this work, we explored the coordination properties of the geminal phosphinoborane tBu2PCH2BPh2 (2) toward different gold(I) precursors. The reaction of 2 with an equimolar amount of the sulfur-based complex (Me2S)AuCl resulted in displacement of the SMe2 ligand and formation of linear phosphine gold(I) chloride 3. Using an excess of ligand 2, bisligated complex 4 was formed and showed dynamic behavior at room temperature. Changing the gold(I) metal precursor to the phosphorus-based complex, (Ph3P)AuCl impacted the coordination behavior of ligand 2. Namely, the reaction of ligand 2 with (Ph3P)AuCl led to the heterolytic cleavage of the gold-chloride bond, which is favored over PPh3 ligand displacement. To the best of our knowledge, 2 is the first example of a P/B-ambiphilic ligand capable of cleaving the gold-chloride bond. The coordination chemistry of 2 was further analyzed by density functional theory calculations.