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1. Interactions between ultraviolet radiation exposure and phosphorus limitation in the marine nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacteria Trichodesmium and Crocosphaera

   https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11304  

   Zhu, Zhu; Fu, Feixue; Qu, Pingping; Mak, Esther Wing Kwan; Jiang, Haibo; Zhang, Ruifeng; Zhu, Zhuoyi; Gao, Kunshan; Hutchins, David A. (August 2019, Limnology and Oceanography)

   Abstract Increased stratification and mixed layer shoaling of the surface ocean resulting from warming can lead to exposure of marine dinitrogen (N₂)‐fixing cyanobacteria to higher levels of inhibitory ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These same processes also reduce vertically advected supplies of the potentially limiting nutrient phosphorus (P) to N₂fixers. It is currently unknown how UV inhibition and P limitation interact to affect the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and carbon in these biogeochemically critical microbes. We investigated the responses of the important and widespread marine N₂‐fixing cyanobacteriaCrocosphaera(strain WH0005) andTrichodesmium(strains IMS 101 and GBR) to UV‐A and UV‐B under P‐replete and P‐limited conditions. Growth, N₂fixation, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) fixation rates ofTrichodesmiumIMS 101 andCrocosphaerawere negatively affected by UV exposure. This inhibition was greater forTrichodesmiumIMS 101 than forCrocosphaera, which fixes N₂only during the night and so avoids direct UV damage. Negative effects of UV on both IMS 101 andCrocosphaerawere less in P‐limited cultures than in P‐replete cultures. In contrast, no UV inhibition was observed in GBR, regardless of P availability. UV inhibition was related to different amounts of UV‐absorbing compounds produced by these isolates. Responses to UV radiation and P availability interactions were taxon‐specific, but our results indicated that in general, UV radiation effects onTrichodesmiumandCrocosphaerarange from negative to neutral. UV inhibition and its interactions with P limitation may thus have a substantial influence on the present day and future nitrogen and carbon cycles of the ocean. 

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2. Calcium‐Ion Binding Mediates the Reversible Interconversion of Cis and Trans Peroxido Dicopper Cores

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202105421  

   Vargo, Natasha P.; Harland, Jill B.; Musselman, Bradley W.; Lehnert, Nicolai; Ertem, Mehmed Z.; Robinson, Jerome R. (July 2021, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract Coupled dinuclear copper oxygen cores (Cu₂O₂) featured in type III copper proteins (hemocyanin, tyrosinase, catechol oxidase) are vital for O₂transport and substrate oxidation in many organisms.μ‐1,2‐cisperoxido dicopper cores (^CP) have been proposed as key structures in the early stages of O₂binding in these proteins; their reversible isomerization to other Cu₂O₂cores are directly relevant to enzyme function. Despite the relevance of such species to type III copper proteins and the broader interest in the properties and reactivity of bimetallic^CPcores in biological and synthetic systems, the properties and reactivity of^CPCu₂O₂species remain largely unexplored. Herein, we report the reversible interconversion ofμ‐1,2‐transperoxido (^TP) and^CPdicopper cores. Ca^IImediates this process by reversible binding at the Cu₂O₂core, highlighting the unique capability for metal‐ion binding events to stabilize novel reactive fragments and control O₂activation in biomimetic systems. 

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3. Platinum( ii ) alkyl complexes of chelating dibridgehead diphosphines P((CH ₂ ) _n ) ₃ P ( n = 14, 18, 22); facile cis / trans isomerizations interconverting gyroscope and parachute like adducts

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1DT02321G  

   Zhu, Yun; Ehnbom, Andreas; Fiedler, Tobias; Shu, Yi; Bhuvanesh, Nattamai; Hall, Michael B.; Gladysz, John A. (September 2021, Dalton Transactions)

   The gyroscope like dichloride complexes trans -Pt(Cl) 2 (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 P) ( trans -2; n = c, 14; e, 18; g, 22) and MeLi (2 equiv.) react to yield the parachute like dimethyl complexes cis -Pt(Me) 2 (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 P) ( cis -4c,e,g, 70–91%). HCl (1 equiv.) and cis -4c react to give cis -Pt(Cl)(Me)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) ( cis -5c, 83%), which upon stirring with silica gel or crystallization affords trans -5c (89%). Similar reactions of HCl and cis -4e,g give cis / trans -5e,g mixtures that upon stirring with silica gel yield trans -5e,g. A parallel sequence with trans -2c/EtLi gives cis -Pt(Et) 2 (P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) ( cis -6c, 85%) but subsequent reaction with HCl affords trans -Pt(Cl)(Et)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) ( trans -7c, 45%) directly. When previously reported cis -Pt(Ph) 2 (P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) is treated with HCl (1 equiv.), cis - and trans -Pt(Cl)(Ph)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) are isolated (44%, 29%), with the former converting to the latter at 100 °C. Reactions of trans -5c and LiBr or NaI afford the halide complexes trans -Pt(X)(Me)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) ( trans -9c, 88%; trans -10c, 87%). Thermolyses and DFT calculations that include acyclic model compounds establish trans > cis stabilities for all except the dialkyl complexes, for which energies can be closely spaced. The σ donor strengths of the non-phosphine ligands are assigned key roles in the trends. The crystal structures of cis -4c, trans -5c, trans -7c, and trans -10c are determined and analyzed together with the computed structures. 

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4. One-flask synthesis of zinc metalated mono - and di -hydroxychlorins

   https://doi.org/10.1142/S1088424625500269  

   Alrefai, Assma; DeJong, Brooke R; Gutierrez, Nichole; Haque, Ishraq A; Hokello, Selina; Jensen, Wyatt G; Knight, Dalevyon; Li, Alexander; Miura, Kevin; O’Donnell, Russell R; et al (July 2025, Journal of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines)

   Lewis acid catalyzed condensation of pyrrole and 4-fluoro-2,6-dimethylbenzaldehyde followed by chemical oxidation afforded the corresponding chlorin along with the parent porphyrin. The subsequent metalation of the porphyrin-chlorin mixture in the presence of Zn(OAc)₂•2H₂O afforded Zn monoand di-hydroxychlorins in addition to the Zn porphyrin in a one-flask synthesis. This new direct hydroxylation reaction eliminates the need for highly toxic OsO₄and H₂S that are traditionally used for the generation of hydroxy chlorins. In addition to the full characterization of the zinc chlorins, we present cyclic voltammograms, steady-state absorption, and emission profiles of this rarely available class of compounds. Our findings show that Zn mono- and di-hydroxychlorins are stable compounds that possess exceptionally long triplet excited states in solution, making them promising candidates for photodynamic therapy. 

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5. Technical note: Improved synthetic routes to cis - and trans -(2-methyloxirane-2,3-diyl)dimethanol ( cis - and trans - β -isoprene epoxydiol)

   https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7859-2023  

   Frauenheim, Molly; Surratt, Jason D.; Zhang, Zhenfa; Gold, Avram (July 2023, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics)

   Abstract. We report improved synthetic routes to the isomericisoprene-derived β-epoxydiols (β-IEPOX) in high yield(57 %–69 %) from inexpensive, readily available starting compounds. Thesyntheses do not require the protection/deprotection steps or time-consumingpurification of intermediates and can readily be scaled up to yield thetarget IEPOX isomers in gram quantities. Emissions of isoprene(2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, C5H8), primarily from deciduousvegetation, constitute the largest source of nonmethane atmospherichydrocarbons. In the gas phase under low-nitric-oxide (NO) conditions,addition of the atmospheric hydroxyl radical (OH) followed by rapid addition ofO2 yields isoprene-derived hydroxyperoxyl radicals. The major sink(>90 %) for the peroxyl radicals is a sequential reaction withthe hydroperoxyl radical (HO2), OH, and O2, which is then followed bythe elimination of OH to yield a ∼2:1 mixture ofcis- and trans-(2-methyloxirane-2,3-diyl)dimethanol (cis- and trans-β-IEPOX). The IEPOXisomers account for about 80 % of closed-shell hydroxyperoxylproducts and are rapidly taken up into acidic aerosols to form secondaryorganic aerosol (SOA). IEPOX-derived SOA makes a significant masscontribution to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is known to be amajor factor in climate forcing as well as adversely affecting respiratory andcardiovascular systems of exposed populations. Prediction of ambientPM2.5 composition and distribution, both in regional- and global-scaleatmospheric chemistry models, crucially depends on the accuracy ofidentification and quantitation of uptake product formation. Accessibilityof authentic cis- and trans-β-IEPOX in high purity and in large quantity forlaboratory studies underpins progress in developing models as well asidentification and quantitation of PM2.5 components. 

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