simpleISM-A straight forward guide to upgrade from confocal to ISM.

Resolution in a confocal laser scanning microscopes (CLSM) can be improved if the pinhole is closed. But closing the pinhole will deteriorate the signal to noise ratio (SNR). A simple technique to improve the SNR while keeping the resolution same by upgrading the system to an image scanning microscope. In this paper, we explain in detail, based on an Olympus Fluoview 300 system, how a scanning microscope can be upgraded into an image scanning microscope (ISM) using a simple camera-based detector and an Arduino Due providing a galvo driving and camera synchronization signals. We could confirm a resolution improvement as well as superconcentration and made the interesting observation of a reduced influence of laser fluctuations.

Tellurium(II)/Tellurium(III)-Catalyzed Cross-Dehydrogenative C-N Bond Formation.

The TeII /TeIII -catalyzed dehydrogenative C-H phenothiazination of challenging phenols featuring electron-withdrawing substituents under mild aerobic conditions and with high yields is described. These unexpected TeII /TeIII radical catalytic properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, EPR spectroscopy, kinetic experiments, and DFT calculations.

Porphyrin Co(III)-Nitrene Radical Mediated Pathway for Synthesis of o-Aminoazobenzenes.

Azobenzenes are versatile compounds with a range of applications, including dyes and pigments, food additives, indicators, radical reaction initiators, molecular switches, etc. In this context, we report a general method for synthesizing o-aminoazobenzenes using the commercially available cobalt(II) tetraphenyl porphyrin [CoII(TPP)]. The net reaction is a formal dimerization of two phenyl azides with concomitant loss of two molecules of dinitrogen. The most commonly used methodology to synthesize azobenzenes is based on the initial diazotization of an aromatic primary amine at low temperatures, which then reacts with an electron rich aromatic nucleophile. As such, this limits the synthesis of azobenzenes with an amine functionality. In contrast, the method we report here relies heavily on the o-amine moiety and retains it in the product. The reaction is metal catalyzed and proceeds through a porphyrin Co(III)-nitrene radical intermediate, which is known to form on activation of organic azides at the cobalt center. The synthesized o-aminoazobenzenes are bathochromatically shifted, as compared to azobenzenes without amine substituents. Based on the crystal structure of one of the products, strong H-bonding between the N-atom of the azo functionality and the H of the NH2 substituent is shown to stabilize the trans isomeric form of the product. The NH2 substituents offers possibilities for further functionalization of the synthesized azo compounds.

Mechanism of the Dehydrogenative Phenothiazination of Phenols.

The straightforward capture of oxidized phenothiazines with phenols under aerobic conditions represents a unique cross-dehydrogenative C-N bond-forming reaction in terms of operational simplicity. The mechanism of this cross-dehydrogenative N-arylation of phenothiazines with phenols has been the object of debate, particularly regarding the order in which the substrates are oxidized and their potentially radical or cationic nature. Understanding the selective reactivity of phenols for oxidized phenothiazines is one of the key objectives of this study. The reaction mechanism is investigated in detail by utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, radical trap experiments, kinetic isotope effects, and solvent effects. Finally, the key reaction steps are calculated by using density functional theory (DFT) and broken-symmetry open-shell singlet DFT methods to unravel a unique biradical mechanism for the oxidative phenothiazination of phenols.

Catalytic Synthesis of Indolines by Hydrogen Atom Transfer to Cobalt(III)-Carbene Radicals.

We report a new method for the synthesis of indolines from o-aminobenzylidine N-tosylhydrazones proceeding through a cobalt(III)-carbene radical intermediate. This methodology employs the use of inexpensive commercially available reagents and allows for the transformation of easily derivatized benzaldehyde-derived precursors to functionalized indoline products. This transformation takes advantage of the known propensity of radicals to undergo rapid intramolecular 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT) to form more stabilized radical intermediates. Computational investigations using density functional theory identify remarkably low barriers for 1,5-HAT and subsequent radical rebound displacement, providing support for the proposed mechanism. We explore the effect of a variety of nitrogen substituents, and highlight the importance of adequate resonance stabilization of radical intermediates to the success of the transformation. Furthermore, we evaluate the steric and electronic effects of substituents on the aniline ring. This transformation is the first reported example of the synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles from cobalt(III)-carbene radical precursors.

Difluorocarbene transfer from a cobalt complex to an electron-deficient alkene.

We report the synthesis of the trifluoromethyl cobalt(iii)tetraphenylporphyrinato complex [Co(TPP)CF3], which loses fluoride upon one-electron reduction and transfers a difluorocarbene moiety to n-butyl acrylate to produce the corresponding gem-difluorocyclopropane. Catalytic CF2 transfer from Me3SiCF3 to n-butyl acrylate becomes possible when directly using the divalent cobalt(ii) porphyrin catalysts in the presence of NaI.

Metal-Catalysed Azidation of Organic Molecules.

The azide moiety is a desirable functionality in organic molecules, useful in a variety of transformations such as olefin aziridination, C-H bond amination, isocyanate synthesis, the Staudinger reaction and the formation of azo compounds. To harness the versatility of the azide functionality fully it is important that these compounds be easy to prepare, in a clean and cost-effective manner. Conventional (non-catalysed) methods to synthesise azides generally require quite harsh reaction conditions that are often not tolerant of functional groups. In the last decade, several metal-catalysed azidations have been developed in attempts to circumvent this problem. These methods are generally faster, cleaner and more functional-group-tolerant than conventional methods to prepare azides, and can sometimes even be conveniently combined with one-pot follow-up transformations of the installed azide moiety. This review highlights metal-catalysed approaches to azide synthesis, with a focus on the substrate scopes and mechanisms, as well as on advantages and disadvantages of the methods. Overall, metal-catalysed azidation reactions provide shorter routes to a variety of potentially useful organic molecules containing the azide moiety.

Porphyrin Cobalt(III) "Nitrene Radical" Reactivity; Hydrogen Atom Transfer from Ortho-YH Substituents to the Nitrene Moiety of Cobalt-Bound Aryl Nitrene Intermediates (Y = O, NH).

In the field of cobalt(II) porphyrin-catalyzed metallo-radical reactions, organic azides have emerged as successful nitrene transfer reagents. In the pursuit of employing ortho-YH substituted (Y = O, NH) aryl azides in Co(II) porphyrin-catalyzed nitrene transfer reactions, unexpected hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the OH or NH2 group in the ortho-position to the nitrene moiety of the key radical-intermediate was observed. This leads to formation of reactive ortho-iminoquinonoid (Y = O) and phenylene diimine (Y = NH) species. These intermediates convert to subsequent products in non-catalyzed reactions, as is typical for these free organic compounds. As such, the observed reactions prevent the anticipated cobalt-mediated catalytic radical-type coupling of the nitrene radical intermediates to alkynes or alkenes. Nonetheless, the observed reactions provide valuable insights into the reactivity of transition metal nitrene-radical intermediates, and give access to ortho-iminoquinonoid and phenylene diimine intermediates from ortho-YH substituted aryl azides in a catalytic manner. The latter can be employed as intermediates in one-pot catalytic transformations. From the ortho-hydroxy aryl azide substrates both phenoxizinones and benzoxazines could be synthesized in high yields. From the ortho-amino aryl azide substrates azabenzene compounds were obtained as the main products. Computational studies support these observations, and reveal that HAT from the neighboring OH and NH2 moiety to the nitrene radical moiety has a low energy barrier.

Characterization of Porphyrin-Co(III)-'Nitrene Radical' Species Relevant in Catalytic Nitrene Transfer Reactions.

To fully characterize the Co(III)-'nitrene radical' species that are proposed as intermediates in nitrene transfer reactions mediated by cobalt(II) porphyrins, different combinations of cobalt(II) complexes of porphyrins and nitrene transfer reagents were combined, and the generated species were studied using EPR, UV-vis, IR, VCD, UHR-ESI-MS, and XANES/XAFS measurements. Reactions of cobalt(II) porphyrins 1(P1) (P1 = meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP)) and 1(P2) (P2 = 3,5-Di(t)Bu-ChenPhyrin) with organic azides 2(Ns) (NsN3), 2(Ts) (TsN3), and 2(Troc) (TrocN3) led to the formation of mono-nitrene species 3(P1)(Ns), 3(P2)(Ts), and 3(P2)(Troc), respectively, which are best described as [Co(III)(por)(NR″(•-))] nitrene radicals (imidyl radicals) resulting from single electron transfer from the cobalt(II) porphyrin to the 'nitrene' moiety (Ns: R″ = -SO2-p-C6H5NO2; Ts: R″ = -SO2C6H6; Troc: R″ = -C(O)OCH2CCl3). Remarkably, the reaction of 1(P1) with N-nosyl iminoiodane (PhI═NNs) 4(Ns) led to the formation of a bis-nitrene species 5(P1)(Ns). This species is best described as a triple-radical complex [(por(•-))Co(III)(NR″(•-))2] containing three ligand-centered unpaired electrons: two nitrene radicals (NR″(•-)) and one oxidized porphyrin radical (por(•-)). Thus, the formation of the second nitrene radical involves another intramolecular one-electron transfer to the "nitrene" moiety, but now from the porphyrin ring instead of the metal center. Interestingly, this bis-nitrene species is observed only on reacting 4(Ns) with 1(P1). Reaction of the more bulky 1(P2) with 4(Ns) results again in formation of mainly mono-nitrene species 3(P2)(Ns) according to EPR and ESI-MS spectroscopic studies. The mono- and bis-nitrene species were initially expected to be five- and six-coordinate species, respectively, but XANES data revealed that both mono- and bis-nitrene species are six-coordinate O(h) species. The nature of the sixth ligand bound to cobalt(III) in the mono-nitrene case remains elusive, but some plausible candidates are NH3, NH2(-), NsNH(-), and OH(-); NsNH(-) being the most plausible. Conversion of mono-nitrene species 3(P1)(Ns) into bis-nitrene species 5(P1)(Ns) upon reaction with 4(Ns) was demonstrated. Solutions containing 3(P1)(Ns) and 5(P1)(Ns) proved to be still active in catalytic aziridination of styrene, consistent with their proposed key involvement in nitrene transfer reactions mediated by cobalt(II) porphyrins.