Publications by authors named "Eva J Meeus"

The field of bioorthogonal chemistry is rapidly growing, presenting successful applications of organic and transition metal-catalysed reactions in cells and living systems (in vivo). The development of such reactions typically proceeds through many iterative steps focused on biocompatibility and fast reaction kinetics to ensure product formation. However, obtaining kinetic data, even under simulated biological (biomimetic) conditions, remains a challenge due to substantial concentrations of salts and biomolecules hampering the use of typically employed solution-phase analytical techniques.

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Performing transition metal-catalyzed reactions in cells and living systems has equipped scientists with a toolbox to study biological processes and release drugs on demand. Thus far, an impressive scope of reactions has been performed in these settings, but many are yet to be introduced. Nitrene transfer presents a rather unexplored new-to-nature reaction.

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We show that the incorporation of a biotinylated Co(TAML) cofactor within streptavidin enables asymmetric radical-type oxygen atom transfer catalysis with improved activity and enantioselectivity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Immobilizing molecular catalysts on electrodes is crucial for effective electrochemical applications, but achieving strong interactions while ensuring high catalytic performance is difficult.
  • This study presents a novel method to create a C-C bond between a carbon electrode and an organometallic catalyst, confirming its effectiveness through various characterization techniques.
  • The resulting Vulcan-LN-Co catalyst demonstrated superior activity in oxygen reduction reactions, achieving 80% hydrogen peroxide selectivity and a better onset potential compared to traditional homogeneous catalysts, thereby suggesting new possibilities for using molecular catalysts in electrochemistry.
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Transition metal radical-type carbene transfer catalysis is a sustainable and atom-efficient method to generate C-C bonds, especially to produce fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. A significant amount of research has therefore been devoted to applying this methodology, which resulted in innovative routes toward otherwise synthetically challenging products and a detailed mechanistic understanding of the catalytic systems. Furthermore, combined experimental and theoretical efforts elucidated the reactivity of carbene radical complexes and their off-cycle pathways.

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Coordination chemistry is a powerful method to synthesize supramolecular cages with distinct features that suit specific applications. This work demonstrates the synthesis of discrete, homochiral Fe L cages via chirality-driven self-assembly. Specifically, the installation of chirality - at both the vertices and ligand backbones - allows the formation of discrete, homochiral Fe L cages of different sizes via stereochemical control of the iron(II) centers.

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Precise regulation of the electronic states of catalytic sites through molecular engineering is highly desired to boost catalytic performance. Herein, a facile strategy was developed to synthesize efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts, based on mononuclear iron phthalocyanine supported on commercially available multi-walled carbon nanotubes that contain electron-donating functional groups (FePc/CNT-R, with "R" being -NH , -OH, or -COOH). These functional groups acted as axial ligands that coordinated to the Fe site, confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray absorption fine structure.

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