[reaction: see text] Among six different group VIb oxometallic species examined, dioxomolybdenum dichloride and oxomolybdenum tetrachloride were the most efficient catalysts to facilitate nucleophilic acyl substitution (NAS) of anhydrides with a myriad array of alcohols, amines, and thiols in high yields and high chemoselectivity. In contrast to the well-recognized redox chemical behaviors associated with oxomolybdenum(VI) species, the catalytic NAS was unprecedented and tolerates virtually all kinds of functional groups. By using benzoic anhydride as a mediator for in situ generation of an incipient mixed anhydride-MoO(2)Cl(2) adduct with a given functional alkanoic acid, one can achieve oleate, dipeptide, diphenylmethyl, N-Fmoc-alpha-amino, pyruvic, and tert-butylthio ester, N-tert-butylamide, and trityl methacrylate syntheses with appropriate protic nucleophiles. The amphoteric character of the Mo=O unit in oxomolybdenum chlorides was found to be responsible for the catalytic NAS profile as supported by a control NAS reaction of using an authentic adduct-MoOCl(2)(O(2)CBu(t)())(2) between pivalic anhydride and MoO(2)Cl(2) as the catalyst.

An unprecedented vanadyl(V) methoxide complex 4 derived from 3,5-dibromo-N-salicylidene-l-tert-leucinate enables highly enantioselective aerobic oxidations of alpha-hydroxyphosphonates at ambient temperature with selectivity factors ranging from 3 to >99.

A series of chiral vanadyl(V) methoxides bearing 3-t-butyl-5-substituted N-salicylene-L-valinate and L-t-leucinate as chiral auxiliaries has been prepared. In all cases except the 3,5-di-t-butyl analogue, they exist as monomers both in solution and in the single crystal state. In the case of the 3,5-di-t-butyl analogue, the architectural nature of the vanadyl(V) complex highly depends on the base used during the complex formation event. A pentanuclear C4-symmetric complex was formed when potassium salts were employed instead of the corresponding sodium salts. A central vanadate(V) unit serves to grip four identical chiral monomeric vanadyl(V) units together, by which a potassium ion sits on top of the four flanking units through carbonyl coordinations and serves to hold the whole cluster by cooperation with the central vanadate(V) unit. In comparison with the corresponding monomeric vanadyl(V) methoxide complex, the cluster complex was utilized to facilitate the asymmetric aerobic oxidations of various racemic alpha-hydroxyesters, -amides, and -thioesters with excellent selectivity factors (krel 40 to >500).

Among 14 oxidometallic species examined for catalytic phosphorylation of the tested alcohols, oxidomolybdenum tetrachloride (MoOCl 4 ) was found to be the most efficient with a negligible background reaction mediated by triethylamine (Et 3 N). The new catalytic protocol can be applied to the chemoselective phosphorylations of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols as well as the substitution-free phosphorylations of allylic, propargylic, and benzylic alcohols. Functionalized alcohols bearing acetonide, tetrahydropyranyl ether, tert-butyldimethylsilyl ether, or ester group are also amenable to the new catalytic protocol. The most difficult scenarios involve substitution-free phosphorylations of 1-phenylethanol and 1-(2-naphthyl)ethanol which can be effected in 95 and 90% yields, respectively. ESI-MS, IR, 1 H, and 31 P NMR spectroscopic analyses of the reaction progress suggest the intermediacy of an alkoxyoxidomolybdenum trichloride-triethylamine adduct such as [(RO)Mo(O)Cl 3 -Et 3 N] to be responsible for the catalytic turnover.

Functionalized N-2-mercaptoethyl-gallamides bearing three or five hydroxyl units that are tethered with diethylene glycol ether(s) allow for transferring hydrophobically pyridine-capped CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanoparticles from an organic to an aqueous layer with intact fluorescent profiles.