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  1. null (Ed.)
    The title compound, C 7 H 3 F 5 INS, a pentafluorosulfanyl (SF 5 ) containing arene, was synthesized from 4-(pentafluorosulfanyl)benzonitrile and lithium tetramethylpiperidide following a variation to the standard approach, which features simple and mild conditions that allow direct access to tri-substituted SF 5 intermediates that have not been demonstrated using previous methods. The molecule displays a planar geometry with the benzene ring in the same plane as its three substituents. It lies on a mirror plane perpendicular to [010] with the iodo, cyano, and the sulfur and axial fluorine atoms of the pentafluorosulfanyl substituent in the plane of the molecule. The equatorial F atoms have symmetry-related counterparts generated by the mirror plane. The pentafluorosulfanyl group exhibits a staggered fashion relative to the ring and the two hydrogen atoms ortho to the substituent. S—F bond lengths of the pentafluorosulfanyl group are unequal: the equatorial bond facing the iodo moiety has a longer distance [1.572 (3) Å] and wider angle compared to that facing the side of the molecules with two hydrogen atoms [1.561 (4) Å]. As expected, the axial S—F bond is the longest [1.582 (5) Å]. In the crystal, in-plane C—H...F and N...I interactions as well as out-of-plane F...C interactions are observed. According to the Hirshfeld analysis, the principal intermolecular contacts for the title compound are F...H (29.4%), F...I (15.8%), F...N (11.4%), F...F (6.0%), N...I (5.6%) and F...C (4.5%). 
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  2. Abstract

    Electrical control of atom‐thick van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnets is a key toward future magnetoelectric nanodevices; however, state‐of‐the‐art control approaches are volatile. In this work, introducing ferroelectric switching as an aided layer is demonstrated to be an effective approach toward achieving nonvolatile electrical control of 2D ferromagnets. For example, when a ferromagnetic monolayer CrI3and ferroelectric MXene Sc2CO2come together into multiferroic heterostructures, CrI3is controlled by polarized states P↑ and P↓ of Sc2CO2. P↑ Sc2CO2does not change the semiconducting nature of CrI3, but surprisingly P↓ Sc2CO2makes CrI3half‐metallic. Nonvolatility of the electrical switching between two oppositely ferroelectric polarized states, therefore, indirectly enables nonvolatile electrical control of CrI3between ferromagnetic semiconductor and half‐metal. The heterointerface‐induced half‐metallicity in CrI3is intrinsic without resorting to any chemical functionalization or external physical modification, which is rather beneficial to the practical application. This work paves the way for nonvolatile electrical control of 2D vdW ferromagnets and applications of CrI3in half‐metal‐based nanospintronics.

     
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  3. Coastal wetlands, vital for ecological diversity, have been significantly altered by anthropogenic activities, particularly in the Caribbean. These changes have created a complex mosaic of habitats and physicochemical conditions, further stressed by climate variability and sea-level rise. This study, conducted in Las Cucharillas Natural Reserve, a tropical urban coastal wetland in Puerto Rico, aimed to determine the effects of spatiotemporal variations in phreatic levels and salinity on soil mesofauna assemblages, crucial bio-indicators of environmental change. In 2020 and 2021, soil samples were collected from five diverse habitat types during different hydroperiods. Each sample was taken under four randomly selected plant types and processed using lighted Tullgren–Berlese extractors. Phreatic level and salinity were also measured. A total of 43 families were quantified, underscoring distinct habitat differences, similarities, and overall ecosystem diversity. Moderate correlations between phreatic levels, salinity, and mesofauna richness and abundance were determined. Peak richness and abundance were quantified at shallow (−0.03 to −0.07 m) and slightly moderate (−0.12 to −0.17 m) phreatic levels where oligohaline salinity (>0.5 to 5.0 ppt) prevails. The study highlights the adaptability of mesofauna to environmental shifts and their potential as biosensors for effective coastal wetland management amid climatic and anthropogenic pressures.

     
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available March 1, 2025
  4. Abstract

    The development of low‐cost and efficient electrocatalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) at ambient conditions is crucial for NH3synthesis and provides an alternative to the traditional Harber‐Bosch process. Herein, by means of density functional theory (DFT) computations, the catalytic performance of a series of single metal atoms supported on graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) for NRR is evaluated. Among all the candidates, the Gibbs free energy change of the potential‐determining step for five single‐atom catalysts (SACs), namely Ti, Co, Mo, W, and Pt atoms supported on g‐C3N4monolayer, is lower than that on the Ru(0001) stepped surface. In particular, the single tungsten (W) atom anchored on g‐C3N4(W@g‐C3N4) exhibits the highest catalytic activity toward NRR with a limiting potential of −0.35 V via associative enzymatic pathway, and can well suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. The high NRR activity and selectivity of W@g‐C3N4are attributed to its inherent properties, such as significant positive charge and large spin moment on the W atom, excellent electrical conductivity, and moderate adsorption strength with NRR intermediates. This work opens up a new avenue of N2reduction for renewable energy supplies and helps guide future development of single‐atom catalysts for NRR and other related electrochemical process.

     
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  5. Urea synthesis through the simultaneous electrocatalytic reduction of N2and CO2molecules under ambient conditions holds great promises as a sustainable alternative to its industrial production, in which the development of stable, highly efficient, and highly selective catalysts to boost the chemisorption, activation, and coupling of inert N2and CO2molecules remains rather challenging. Herein, by means of density functional theory computations, we proposed a new class of two‐dimensional nanomaterials, namely, transition‐metal phosphide monolayers (TM2P, TM = Ti, Fe, Zr, Mo, and W), as the potential electrocatalysts for urea production. Our results showed that these TM2P materials exhibit outstanding stability and excellent metallic properties. Interestingly, the Mo2P monolayer was screened out as the best catalyst for urea synthesis due to its small kinetic energy barrier (0.35 eV) for C–N coupling, low limiting potential (−0.39 V), and significant suppressing effects on the competing side reactions. The outstanding catalytic activity of the Mo2P monolayer can be ascribed to its optimal adsorption strength with the key *NCON species due to its moderate positive charges on the Mo active sites. Our findings not only propose a novel catalyst with high‐efficiency and high‐selectivity for urea production but also further widen the potential applications of metal phosphides in electrocatalysis.

     
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available January 1, 2025
  6. One of the main attributes that highlight the final quality of a gourmet cup of coffee is its aroma. Aromas vary according to a variety of plant and environmental variables, among others. This study aimed to characterize volatile and semivolatile compounds according to the Coffee arabica "Limani" berries ripening stages (healthy and brocaded). The study used different extraction methodologies to capture the broad spectrum of volatile, semivolatile organic compounds in coffee berries and berry borer (CBB). The methodologies used in the study included: enfleurage, headspace SPME (solid-phase microextraction), absorbent trap, and direct immersion SPME. Our study generated a Profile for coffee berries and CBB w with 228 compounds. Esters, cyclic, and benzyl compounds represent 65.6% of the total. The first three types of compounds that most attract our sense of smell constitute 40.5% of the compounds found; 1.3% aldehydes, 2.6% alcohols, and 36.6% benzyl. Overripe berries have high volatile emissions and show a composition dominated mainly by esters followed by alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes. The lowest-level compounds were monoterpenes. The number of compounds found in CBB varied according to sex. In summary, the CBB damage harms coffee berries' quality and aroma. The complete profile compounds generated will help better understand insect-plant relationships and potentially develop effective bait traps. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available October 1, 2024
  7. In this paper, high-performance UV photodetectors have been demonstrated based on indium oxide (In2O3) thin films of approximately 1.5–2 μm thick, synthesized by a simple and quick plasma sputtering deposition approach. After the deposition, the thin-film surface was treated with 4–5 nm-sized platinum (Pt) nanoparticles. Then, titanium metal electrodes were deposited onto the sample surface to form a metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) photodetector of 50 mm2 in size. Raman scattering spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to study the crystal structure of the synthesized In2O3 film. The nanoplasmonic enhanced In2O3-based UV photodetectors were characterized by various UV wavelengths at different radiation intensities and temperatures. A high responsivity of up to 18 A/W was obtained at 300 nm wavelength when operating at 180 °C. In addition, the fabricated prototypes show a thermally stable baseline and excellent repeatability to a wide range of UV lights with low illumination intensity when operating at such a high temperature.

     
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  8. Worsening environmental conditions due to climate change have profoundly affected the health of coral reefs worldwide. Thus, understanding how corals respond to fluctuating and/or extreme levels of temperature and solar irradiation will guide future protection and restoration efforts of this valuable ecosystem. Herein, we present a study of the immune responses of the endangered coralAcropora cervicornisto seasonal fluctuations in water temperature (WT), light intensity (LI), and water depth. Immune responses were observed by measuring the concentration of green and cyan fluorescent proteins (GFP and CyFP) and the activity of phenoloxidase (PO), an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the photoprotective protein melanin. To study these responses, visually healthyA. cervicornisfragments were placed at 8, and 12 m depth, and GFP, CyPF, and PO activity were measured at three-month intervals over a 12-month period. Seawater temperature and light intensity were also measured at each depth during this period. A general linear mixed model was used to determine the effects of seasonal variations of WT, LI, and water depth on the immune proteins. GFP, CyFP, and PO activity varied significantly across time – all higher in late summer/early fall and lower in late winter/early spring. Likewise, WT and LI significantly affected GFP, CyFP, and PO activity. On the other hand, water depth only had a significant effect on fluorescent protein concentrations but not PO activity. Our study demonstrates that corals can modulate these key immune-related proteins throughout natural seasonal fluctuations. That is, increasing in months of higher thermal and light conditions while decreasing in months with mild thermal and light conditions. The phenotypic plasticity ofA. cervicornisin adapting to a changing environment underscores the importance that in future studies time of the year should be a meaningful consideration when evaluating the responses ofA. cervicornisto the environment.

     
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  9. Carbocations play crucial roles during catalytic reactions by dictating the reaction pathways and genuine mechanisms, but the instability of carbocations prevents thorough observations. The stabilization of carbocations would greatly help us gain a deep understanding of the reaction mechanisms. By means of ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and an in situ experimental approach, a complete scrambling of 13C-labeled C4 = products was observed during the isomerization reaction in the H-ZSM5 zeolite at room temperature, and the corner-protonated methyl cyclopropanes (as a non-classical carbocation) featuring the three center two-electron (3c–2e) bonds were confirmed to be the highly active metastable intermediates of C4 isomerization. Our results not only uncover the nature of facile C shift in carbocations during zeolite-catalyzed reactions but also bring some fundamental understandings to carbocation chemistry in a zeolite confined environment 
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