A four-membered cyclic intramolecular phosphane-borane adduct activates dihydrogen to yield the respective ethylene-bridged zwitterionic phosphonium-hydridoborate system, which reduces benzaldehyde.

This is the first report on the biosynthesis of a hitherto unknown, sulfurcontaining polyester and also the first report on a bacterial polymer containing sulfur in the backbone. The Gram-negative polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-accumulating bacterium Ralstonia eutropha synthesized a copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-mercaptopropionate, poly(3HB-co-3MP), when 3-mercaptopropionic acid or 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid was provided as carbon source in addition to fructose or gluconic acid under nitrogen-limited growth conditions. The peculiarity of this polymer was the occurrence of thioester linkages derived from the thiol groups of 3MP and the carboxyl groups of 3MP or 3HB, respectively, which occurred in addition to the common oxoester bonds of PHAs. Depending on the cultivation conditions and the feeding regime, poly(3HB-co-3MP) contributed up to 19 % of the cellular dry weight, with a molar fraction of 3MP of up to 43 %. The chemical structure of poly(3HB-co-3MP) was confirmed by GC/MS, IR spectroscopy, 1 H-and 13 C-NMR spectroscopy, and elemental sulfur analysis. The identification of this novel biopolymer reveals a new quality regarding the substrate range of PHA synthases and their capability for the synthesis of technically interesting polymers.

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For the efficient utilization of carbon dioxide as feedstock in chemical synthesis, low-energy-barrier CO2 activation is a valuable tool. We report a metal-free approach to reversible CO2 binding under mild conditions based on simple Lewis base adducts with electron-rich phosphines. Variable-temperature NMR studies and DFT calculations reveal almost thermoneutral CO2 binding with low-energy barriers or stable CO2 adduct formation depending on the phosphines donor ability. The most basic phosphine forms an air-stable CO2 adduct that was used as phosphine transfer agent, providing a convenient access to transition-metal complexes with highly electron-rich phosphine ligands relevant to catalysis.

An exceedingly sterically demanding, rigid, and chiral NHC ligand, IBiox[(-)-menthyl] (1), was prepared and structurally characterized. With a buried volume of approximately 50%, this ligand arguably represents one of the most sterically demanding monodentate ligands. The ability to use aryl chloride substrates in intramolecular palladium-catalyzed alpha-arylations reveals its unique reactivity. Moreover, C(2)-symmetric 1 allows the highly enantioselective formation of oxindoles with up to 99% ee.

Hydroboration of allyl(dimesityl)phosphane with HB(C(6)F(5))(2) gives the intramolecular five-membered P-B Lewis pair 7, that was characterized by X-ray diffraction. Similarly, HB(C(6)F(5))(2) addition to the substrates (mesityl)(2)P-CR[double bond, length as m-dash]CH(2) (R = CH(3), Ph) yield the corresponding (mesityl)(2)P(micro-CHRCH(2))B(C(6)F(5))(2) products 9a (R = CH(3)) and 9b (R = Ph) that show a weak intramolecular P...B interaction. The activation energy of the (reversible) P...B cleavage of these substrates was determined by dynamic (19)F NMR spectroscopy (9a: Delta G(not equal)(inv) (280 K) = 11.7 +/- 0.4 kcal mol(-1)). Compounds 9b and 9c show similar values. Compound 9c was prepared by HB(C(6)F(5))(2) addition to (mesityl)(2)P-CH=CHSiMe(3). Compound 9a reacts rapidly with dihydrogen (2.5 bar) at room temperature in pentane to give the zwitterionic H(2)-activation product (mesityl)(2)PH(+)(micro-CHMeCH(2))BH(-)(C(6)F(5))(2) (11).

Whereas freshly pressed linseed oil provides a delicate nutty flavor, a lingering bitter off-taste is developing upon storage at room temperature. Using a sensory guided fractionation approach, the key bitter compound was identified in stored linseed oil, and its structure was determined as the methionine sulfoxide-containing, cyclic octapeptide cyclo(PLFIM OLVF) by means of FTIR, LC-MS, NMR spectroscopy, and amino acid analysis. Although this peptide is known in the literature as cyclolinopeptide E, the bitter taste activity of this compound has not previously been described. Sensory evaluation revealed a recognition threshold concentration of 12.3 micromol/L water.

Electrochemical oxidation of 2,4‐dimethylphenol directly provides pentacyclic systems being generated by an oxidative trimerization. The major pentacyclic scaffold is exclusively formed as a single diastereoisomer and is easily isolated. Three further pentacyclic compounds which occur in minor quantities were also fully characterized including their solid‐state structures. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)