A highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of indoles with β-CF(3)-β-disubstituted nitroalkenes was achieved using a Ni(ClO(4))(2)-bisoxazoline complex as a catalyst, which afforded indole-bearing chiral compounds with trifluoromethylated all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). The transformation of one of the products into first a trifluoromethylated tryptamine and then a trifluoromethylated tetrahydro-β-carboline by sequential nitro reduction and Pictet-Spengler cyclization were realized with complete preservation of enantiopurity.

A new, simple, mild, atom economical homopolymerization method through Pd-catalyzed oxidative C-H/C-H coupling was developed for the preparation of a series of 5-alkyl[3,4-c]thienopyrrole-4,6-dione-based conjugated polymers.

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Total syntheses of (±)-rhodonoids A and B and C12-epi-rhodonoid B are described here. A unified strategy employed in these syntheses is an intramolecular oxa-[3 + 3] annulation for accessing the chromene unit. A Fe(OTf)-promoted diastereoselective cationic [2 + 2] cycloaddition and a photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition were featured to construct the cyclobutane core of (±)-rhodonoids A and B and C12-epi-rhodonoid B, respectively. Fe(OTf) also leads to an interesting bridged tetracycle, which was unambiguously confirmed by single crystal X-ray analysis.

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate (TMC) using a base-acid binary organocatalyst system of 7-methyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (MTBD) and Brønsted acid trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFA) with benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as the initiator has been investigated. The MTBD and its conjugate-acid pair H-bonding bifunctional synergistic activation mechanism was demonstrated by NMR measurements, and the living/controlled nature of MTBD/TFA catalyzed ROP of TMC was confirmed by the kinetic and chain extension experiments. The controlled ROP of TMC with the optimal molar ratio of MTBD/TFA = 2/1 proceeded to afford well-defined PTMC with narrow molecular weight distributions (M w /M n ∼ 1.1). The molecular weights determined by 1 H NMR are in precise agreement with the theoretical values. 1 H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-ToF MS measurements confirmed the structure of the obtained homopolymer PTMC. In addition, a diblock copolymer consisting of poly(trimethylene carbonate) and poly(L-lactide) (PTMC-b-PLLA) was synthesized successfully by the MTBD/TFA binary catalyst system.

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate (TMC) using imidodiphosphoric acid (IDPA) as the organocatalyst and benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as the initiator has been investigated. The polymerization proceeded without decarboxylation to afford poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMiC) with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity. 1 H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-TOF MS measurements of the obtained PTMC clearly indicated the quantitative incorporation of the initiator at the chain end. The controlled/living nature for the IDPA-catalyzed ROP of TMC was confirmed by the kinetic and chain extension experiments. A bifunctional activation mechanism was proposed for IDPA catalysis based on NMR and FTIR studies. Additionally, 1,3-propanediol, 1,1,1-trimethy-lolpropane, and pentaerythritol were used as di-ol, tri-, and tetra-ol initiators, producing the telechelic or star-shaped polycarbonates with narrow polydispersity indices. The welldefined diblock copolymers, poly(trimethylene carbonate)block-poly(d-valerolactone) and poly(trimethylene carbonate)block-poly(e-caprolactone), have been successfully synthesized by using the IDPA catalysis system.

Intermetallic compounds are atomically ordered inorganic materials containing two or more transition metals and main-group elements in unique crystal structures. Intermetallics based on group 10 and group 14 metals have shown enhanced activity, selectivity, and durability in comparison to simple metals and alloys in many catalytic reactions. While high-temperature solid-state methods to prepare intermetallic compounds exist, softer synthetic methods can provide key advantages, such as enabling the preparation of metastable phases or of smaller particles with increased surface areas for catalysis. Here, we study a generalized family of heterobimetallic precursors to binary intermetallics, each containing a group 10 metal and a group 14 tetrel bonded together and supported by pincer-like pyridine-2-thiolate ligands. Upon thermal decomposition, these heterobimetallic complexes form 10-14 binary intermetallic nanocrystals. Experiments and density functional theory (DFT) computations help in better understanding the reactivity of these precursors toward the synthesis of specific intermetallic binary phases. Using Pd2Sn as an example, we demonstrate that nanoparticles made in this way can act as uniquely selective catalysts for the reduction of nitroarenes to azoxyarenes, which highlights the utility of the intermetallics made by our method. Employing heterobimetallic pincer complexes as precursors toward binary nanocrystals and other metal-rich intermetallics provides opportunities to explore the fundamental chemistry and applications of these materials.

A safe, recyclable, and water-tolerant Brønsted acid o-benzenedisulfonimide (OBS) catalyzed ROP of lactones in a living/controlled manner.