Homogeneous carboamination, carboalkoxylation and carbolactonization of terminal alkenes are realized via oxidative gold catalysis, providing expedient access to various substituted N- or O-heterocycles. Deuterium-labeling studies established the anti nature of the alkene functionalization and the indispensible role of Au(I)/Au(III) catalysis. This study constitutes the first example of catalytically converting C(sp(3))-Au bonds into C(sp(3))--C(sp(2)) bonds in a cross-coupling manner and opens new opportunities to study gold alkene catalysis where alkylgold intermediates can be readily functionalized intermolecularly.

Oxidizing gold? A gold(I)/gold(III) catalytic cycle is essential for the first oxidative cross-coupling reaction in gold catalysis. By using Selectfluor for gold(I) oxidation, this chemistry reveals the synthetic potential of incorporating gold(I)/gold(III) catalytic cycles into contemporary gold chemistry and promises a new area of gold research by merging powerful gold catalysis and oxidative metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.

An expedient and reliable method for accessing reactive alpha-oxo gold carbenes via gold-catalyzed intermolecular oxidation of terminal alkynes has been developed. Significantly, this method offers a safe and economical alternative to the strategies based on diazo substrates. Its synthetic potential is demonstrated by expedient preparation of dihydrofuran-3-ones containing a broad range of functional groups.

New strategies are needed to address the data gap between the bioactivity of chemicals in the environment versus existing hazard information. We address whether a high-throughput screening (HTS) system using a vertebrate organism (embryonic zebrafish) can characterize chemical-elicited behavioral responses at an early, 24 hours post-fertilization (hpf) stage that predict teratogenic consequences at a later developmental stage. The system was used to generate full concentration–response behavioral profiles at 24 hpf across 1060 ToxCast™ chemicals. Detailed, morphological evaluation of all individuals was performed as experimental follow-up at 5 days post-fertilization (dpf). Chemicals eliciting behavioral responses were also mapped against external HTS in vitro results to identify specific molecular targets and neurosignalling pathways. We found that, as an integrative measure of normal development, significant alterations in movement highlighted active chemicals representing several modes of action. These early behavioral responses were predictive for 17 specific developmental abnormalities and mortality measured at 5 dpf, often at lower (i.e., more potent) concentrations than those at which morphological effects were observed. Therefore, this system can provide rapid characterization of chemical-elicited behavioral responses at an early developmental stage that are predictive of observable adverse effects later in life.

Propargylic pivalates with electronically unbiased internal alkynes are selectively transformed into (1Z,3E)-2-pivaloxy-1,3-dienes containing various functionalities. The unusual selectivity of 1,2-acyloxy migration over the structurally preferred 3,3-rearrangement is realized. This reaction is highly stereoselective and offers rapid access to dienes for one-pot intra-/intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions either under thermal conditions or with Lewis acid catalysis.

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A novel Au-catalyzed homogeneous oxidative C-O bond-forming reaction involving a Au(I)/Au(III) catalytic cycle is developed. Mechanistic studies reveal the involvement of a unique intramolecular carboxy migration. From readily available propargylic benzoates, this chemistry allows efficient access to captodative alkenes and dienones, demonstrating the synthetic potential of incorporating Au(I)/Au(III) catalytic cycles into contemporary Au chemistry. The unique reactivity and the mechanistic insights would help open a new research area in gold catalysis.

A major drawback of traditional photocatalysts like TiO2 is that they can only work under illumination, and the light has to be UV. As a solution for this limitation, visible-light-driven energy storage photocatalysts have been developed in recent years. However, energy storage photocatalysts that are full-sunlight-driven (UV-visible-NIR) and possess long-lasting energy storage ability are lacking. Here we report, a Pt-loaded and hydrogen-treated WO3 that exhibits a strong absorption at full-sunlight spectrum (300–1,000 nm), and with a super-long energy storage time of more than 300 h to have formaldehyde degraded in dark. In this new material system, the hydrogen treated WO3 functions as the light harvesting material and energy storage material simultaneously, while Pt mainly acts as the cocatalyst to have the energy storage effect displayed. The extraordinary full-spectrum absorption effect and long persistent energy storage ability make the material a potential solar-energy storage and an effective photocatalyst in practice.