Using a one-pot approach that combines Knoevenagel reaction, asymmetric epoxidation, and domino ring-opening cyclization (DROC), 3-aryl/alkyl piperazin-2-ones and morpholin-2-ones were synthesized from commercially available starting materials: aldehydes, (phenylsulfonyl)acetonitrile, cumyl hydroperoxide, 12-ethylendiamines, and 12-ethanol amines. Yields ranged from 38% to 90%, and enantiomeric excesses reached up to 99%. Two steps out of the three are stereoselectively catalyzed by a urea molecule stemming from quinine. The synthesis of the potent antiemetic drug Aprepitant incorporated a short enantioselective entry to a key intermediate, in both absolute configurations, using this sequence.

For next-generation rechargeable lithium batteries, Li-metal batteries, especially when coupled with high-energy-density nickel-rich materials, display substantial promise. Sodium butyrate Poor cathode-/anode-electrolyte interfaces (CEI/SEI) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) attack pose a threat to the electrochemical and safety performances of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) due to the aggressive chemical and electrochemical reactivity of high-nickel materials, metallic lithium, and carbonate-based electrolytes with LiPF6 salt. Li/LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) battery compatibility is achieved by incorporating pentafluorophenyl trifluoroacetate (PFTF), a multifunctional electrolyte additive, into a LiPF6-based carbonate electrolyte. The PFTF additive's influence on the chemical and electrochemical processes, leading to HF elimination and the formation of LiF-rich CEI/SEI films, has been confirmed via both theoretical illustration and experimental demonstration. The LiF-rich SEI layer, characterized by rapid electrochemical kinetics, promotes uniform lithium deposition and inhibits the formation of dendritic lithium. The Li/NCM811 battery's capacity ratio experienced a 224% boost, thanks to PFTF's collaborative protection of the interfacial modifications and HF capture, while the cycling stability of the Li symmetrical cell extended to over 500 hours. High-performance LMBs, built with Ni-rich materials, are a product of this strategy, which is highly effective in improving the electrolyte formula.

For diverse applications, including wearable electronics, artificial intelligence, healthcare monitoring, and human-machine interfaces, intelligent sensors have drawn substantial attention. Despite progress, a crucial impediment remains in the development of a multifunctional sensing system for the complex task of signal detection and analysis in practical settings. For real-time tactile sensing and voice recognition, we develop a flexible sensor incorporating machine learning, utilizing laser-induced graphitization. A pressure-to-electrical signal conversion is facilitated by the intelligent sensor's triboelectric layer, functioning through contact electrification without external bias and displaying a characteristic reaction to various mechanical stimuli. A smart human-machine interaction controlling system, featuring a digital arrayed touch panel with a special patterning design, is constructed for controlling electronic devices. High-accuracy real-time voice change monitoring and recognition are enabled by machine learning. The flexible sensor, leveraging machine learning, provides a promising architecture for developing flexible tactile sensing, real-time health diagnostics, human-computer interaction, and advanced intelligent wearable devices.

The use of nanopesticides stands as a promising alternative strategy to boost bioactivity and slow down the development of pathogen resistance in pesticides. This study introduced and verified a novel nanosilica fungicide, which effectively inhibits late blight by causing intracellular oxidative damage to Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen responsible for potato late blight. The antimicrobial efficacy of various silica nanoparticles was primarily determined by their unique structural characteristics. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) displayed the strongest antimicrobial effect, showcasing a 98.02% reduction in P. infestans growth, inducing oxidative stress and disruption of cellular integrity in P. infestans. Spontaneous, selective overproduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species, including hydroxyl radicals (OH), superoxide radicals (O2-), and singlet oxygen (1O2), was, for the first time, attributed to MSNs, resulting in peroxidation damage to pathogenic cells, specifically in P. infestans. Further evaluation of MSN efficacy was undertaken via pot, leaf, and tuber infection experiments, revealing successful potato late blight control with exceptional plant compatibility and safety. Nanosilica's antimicrobial properties are thoroughly analyzed and linked to the application of nanoparticles in managing late blight disease using environmentally friendly and high-performance nanofungicides.

The spontaneous deamidation of asparagine 373, followed by its conversion to isoaspartate, has been demonstrated to diminish the binding of histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) to the protruding domain (P-domain) of the capsid protein in a prevalent norovirus strain (GII.4). Asparagine 373's unusual backbone conformation is linked to its rapid, site-specific deamidation process. Bio-nano interface NMR spectroscopy and ion exchange chromatography were instrumental in observing the deamidation reaction of P-domains, encompassing two closely related GII.4 norovirus strains, specific point mutants, and control peptides. A rationalization of the experimental results has been facilitated by MD simulations lasting several microseconds. The conventional descriptors, available surface area, root-mean-square fluctuation, and nucleophilic attack distance, prove insufficient; asparagine 373's unique syn-backbone conformation population differentiates it from all other asparagines. We surmise that the stabilization of this unusual conformation elevates the nucleophilic potential of the aspartate 374 backbone nitrogen, ultimately increasing the pace of asparagine 373's deamidation. The implication of this finding is the advancement of dependable predictive models for areas prone to rapid asparagine deamidation within the structure of proteins.

Extensive investigations and applications of graphdiyne, a 2D conjugated carbon material possessing sp- and sp2-hybridized structures, well-dispersed pores, and unique electronic characteristics, have been observed in catalysis, electronics, optics, energy storage, and conversion. Conjugated 2D graphdiyne fragments offer a means to gain a deep appreciation for the intrinsic structure-property relationships within the material. A sixfold intramolecular Eglinton coupling reaction produced a wheel-shaped nanographdiyne, meticulously comprised of six dehydrobenzo [18] annulenes ([18]DBAs), the fundamental macrocyclic unit of graphdiyne. The sixfold Cadiot-Chodkiewicz cross-coupling of hexaethynylbenzene provided the required hexabutadiyne precursor. The outcome of X-ray crystallographic analysis was the revelation of its planar structure. The full cross-conjugation of the six 18-electron circuits manifests as -electron conjugation, which spans the substantial core. A tangible methodology for the synthesis of future graphdiyne fragments, distinguished by diverse functional groups and/or heteroatom doping, is described in this work. This is accompanied by a study of graphdiyne's unique electronic/photophysical properties and aggregation.

Integrated circuit design advancements have mandated the use of silicon lattice parameters as a secondary realization of the SI meter in fundamental metrology, which, however, struggles with the lack of convenient physical gauges for precise nanoscale surface measurements. Biotic resistance To exploit this crucial advancement in nanoscience and nanotechnology, we suggest a group of self-forming silicon surface morphologies as a tool for precise height measurements across the entire nanoscale spectrum (0.3 to 100 nanometers). With 2 nm precision atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes, we determined the surface roughness of extensive (up to 230 meters in diameter) individual terraces and the height of single-atom steps on the step-bunched, amphitheater-shaped Si(111) surfaces. The root-mean-square terrace roughness, for both self-organized surface morphology types, exceeds 70 picometers; however, its effect on step height measurements (achieving 10 picometer precision using AFM in air) is insignificant. In an optical interferometer, a reference mirror comprised of a 230-meter-wide, step-free, singular terrace was implemented to reduce systematic errors in height measurements. The improvement in precision, from greater than 5 nanometers to approximately 0.12 nanometers, enables visualization of monatomic steps, 136 picometers high, on the Si(001) surface. On a wide terrace, featuring a pit pattern and precisely spaced monatomic steps in a pit-walled structure, we optically determined the mean Si(111) interplanar spacing to be 3138.04 picometers, which aligns closely with the most precise metrological data (3135.6 picometers). Bottom-up approaches facilitate the development of silicon-based height gauges, alongside advancements in optical interferometry for high-precision nanoscale height measurements.

Chlorate (ClO3-) poses a significant water pollution threat owing to its extensive industrial production, widespread use in agriculture and industry, and unfortunate emergence as a toxic byproduct in various water treatment facilities. The work presented here documents the straightforward preparation, mechanistic analysis, and kinetic assessment of a highly effective bimetallic catalyst for the reduction of ClO3- to Cl-. At a hydrogen pressure of 1 atm and a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, ruthenium(III) and palladium(II) were sequentially adsorbed and reduced on a bed of powdered activated carbon, resulting in the formation of Ru0-Pd0/C within a remarkably short time frame of 20 minutes. The reductive immobilization of RuIII was greatly accelerated by Pd0 particles, resulting in the dispersal of over 55% of Ru0 outside the Pd0 particles. The Ru-Pd/C catalyst demonstrates substantially enhanced activity in reducing ClO3- at pH 7, outperforming catalysts like Rh/C, Ir/C, Mo-Pd/C, and the monometallic Ru/C. This superior performance is quantified by an initial turnover frequency exceeding 139 min⁻¹ on Ru0 and a rate constant of 4050 L h⁻¹ gmetal⁻¹.