We report on a novel reaction protocol for the coupling of arenes with alkynes (the Fujiwara reaction), yielding products of formal trans-hydroarylation of the triple bond. The protocol makes use of a chelating N-heterocyclic dicarbene palladium(II) complex as catalyst and allows us to perform the reaction in a few hours with only 0.1 mol % catalyst yielding the trans-hydroarylation product in high yields and with excellent selectivity. We discuss the applicability of this reaction protocol, which appears at present quite general with respect to the alkyne, albeit limited to electron-rich arenes. We also present the results of catalyst optimisation with respect to the nature of the nitrogen substituents in the carbene units, of the bridging group between the carbene units and of the coordinated anionic ligands. Finally, we also discuss the catalytic performance of a related chelating dicarbene complex of platinum(II).

Halloysite nanotubes were functionalized with bis-vinyl imidazolium salts and PdNPs to obtain an efficient catalyst for fine chemical synthesis.

A novel carrier system based on halloysite nanotubes (HNT), for the potential intraarticular delivery of kartogenin (KGN) by means laponite (Lap) hydrogel (HNT/KGN/Lap), is developed. The drug was first loaded into HNT, and the hybrid composite obtained was used as filler for laponite hydrogel. Both the filler and the hydrogel were thoroughly investigated by several techniques and the hydrogel morphology was imaged by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the gelating ability of laponite in the presence of the filler and the rheological properties of the hybrid hydrogel were also investigated. The kinetic release of kartogenin from HNT and HNT/Lap hybrid hydrogel was studied both in physiological conditions and in ex vivo synovial fluid. In the last case, the kinetic results highlighted that HNT carrier can effectively release KGN in a sustained manner for at least 38 days. Finally, a preliminary biological assays showed that the HNT/KGN/Lap hybrid hydrogel did not exhibit any cytotoxic effect.

Interfacing intact and metabolically active photosynthetic bacteria with abiotic electrodes requires both establishing extracellular electron transfer and immobilizing the biocatalyst on electrode surfaces. Artificial approaches for photoinduced electron harvesting through redox polymers reported in literature require the separate synthesis of artificial polymeric matrices and their subsequent combination with bacterial cells, making the development of biophotoanodes complex and less sustainable. Herein, we report a one-pot biocompatible and sustainable approach, inspired by the byssus of mussels, that provides bacterial cells adhesion on multiple surfaces under wet conditions to obtain biohybrid photoanodes with facilitated photoinduced electron harvesting. Purple bacteria were utilized as a model organism, as they are of great interest for the development of photobioelectrochemical systems for H 2 and NH 3 synthesis, biosensing, and bioremediation purposes. The polydopamine matrix preparation strategy allowed the entrapment of active purple bacteria cells by initial oxygenic polymerization followed by electrochemical polymerization. Our results unveil that the deposition of bacterial cells with simultaneous polymerization of polydopamine on the electrode surface enables a 5-fold enhancement in extracellular electron transfer at the biotic/abiotic interface while maintaining the viability of the cells. The presented approach paves the way for a more sustainable development of biohybrid photoelectrodes.