The solventless reaction of diisopropylaminoborane with n-butylamine, at room temperature, leads to a mixture of B H-, B H -, and B H -containing species. At low temperature, the reaction outcome is completely modified, thus leading selectively to the formation of high-mass polybutylaminoborane. When extended to a variety of primary amines, under solventless conditions and at low temperature, this reaction provides a new, efficient, and direct metal-free access to high-molecular-mass polyaminoboranes in good to high yields under mild reaction conditions.

Separation of phospholipid classes in lipid extracts from the scallop Pecten maximus, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, and the blue mussel Mytilus edulis was conducted using HPLC. An isolated polar lipid fraction was found to contain a very high level of DHA, up to 80 mol% of the total FA. MS with electrospray ionization in the positive-ion mode, tandem MS (MS-MS) and multidimensional NMR spectroscopy were used to analyze the detailed chemical structure of this polar lipid fraction. The isolated fraction contained exclusively cardiolipin (CL) molecules, predominantly in a form with four docosahexaenoyl chains (Do4CL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such a CL form has been analytically characterized and described in these three bivalve species. This tetradocosahexaenoic CL is presumed to reflect a specific adaptation in bivalves that enhances the structural and functional mechanisms of biomembranes in response to variations in environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, emersion).

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a unique class of polyesters especially due to their chemical diversity imparted by their side-chain substituent that provides a handle to tune their properties, such as their...

The organocatalyzed ROP of some 4-alkoxymethylene-β-propiolactones (BPLORs) towards the formation of the corresponding poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs; PBPLORs) is investigated simply using basic organocatalysts of the guanidine (TBD), amidine (DBU) or phosphazene (BEMP) type.

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Amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrins (betaCDa) were synthesized by statistically grafting hexanoyl carbon chains on the secondary hydroxyl functions of the betaCD glucopyranosyl units. The obtained derivative was used to prepare submicronic colloidal nanosphere suspensions using a nano-precipitation method. The fresh suspensions contained particles with a diameter ranging from 60-100 nm. Taking into account that the physical stability of colloidal systems remains one of the major problems which can restrict their use in pharmaceutical particulate carrier formulations, the long-term stability of the aqueous nano-dispersions was investigated. Two complementary characterization methods, namely dynamic light scattering and cryo-transmission electron microscopy, were used to control the size distribution and morphology of the nanospheres during storage. The zeta potential was measured as well. An unexpected good physical stability of the suspensions after 3 year storage at room temperature was observed. This behaviour appears to be related to the small size and structural organization of the nanoparticles. The mean diameters determined from light scattering experiments are consistent with those measured from electron micrographs. The slight difference between the values obtained by both methods is discussed.

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Chiral copper(I) and (II)-bicyclobisoxazoline complexes were found to catalyse the insertion of -diazocarbonyl compounds into O-H bonds of alcohols. The insertion reactions of various -diazopropionates proceeded with moderate yields (40-90%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 92% and 94% with copper(I) and copper(II)-catalysts, respectively). A predominant effect on the enantiocontrol of the reaction was observed when copper(I) and (II)-catalysts were associated with NaBARF and molecular sieves (4Å).