ArcS from Thermococcus kodakarensis transfers L-lysine to preQ nucleoside derivatives as minimum substrate RNAs.

Archaeosine (G) is an archaea-specific tRNA modification synthesized via multiple steps. In the first step, archaeosine tRNA guanine transglucosylase (ArcTGT) exchanges the G15 base in tRNA with 7-cyano-7-deazaguanine (preQ). In Euryarchaea, preQ15 in tRNA is further modified by archaeosine synthase (ArcS).

Single-Crystal Cobalt Phosphide Nanorods as a High-Performance Catalyst for Reductive Amination of Carbonyl Compounds.

The development of metal phosphide catalysts for organic synthesis is still in its early stages. Herein, we report the successful synthesis of single-crystal cobalt phosphide nanorods (CoP NRs) containing coordinatively unsaturated Co-Co active sites, which serve as a new class of air-stable, highly active, and reusable heterogeneous catalysts for the reductive amination of carbonyl compounds. The CoP NR catalyst showed high activity for the transformation of a broad range of carbonyl compounds to their corresponding primary amines using an aqueous ammonia solution or ammonium acetate as a green amination reagent at 1 bar of H pressure; these conditions are far milder than previously reported.

A nickel phosphide nanoalloy catalyst for the C-3 alkylation of oxindoles with alcohols.

Although transition metal phosphides are well studied as electrocatalysts and hydrotreating catalysts, the application of metal phosphides in organic synthesis is rare, and cooperative catalysis between metal phosphides and supports remains unexplored. Herein, we report that a cerium dioxide-supported nickel phosphide nanoalloy (nano-NiP/CeO) efficiently promoted the C-3 alkylation of oxindoles with alcohols without any additives through the borrowing hydrogen methodology. Oxindoles were alkylated with various alcohols to provide the corresponding C-3 alkylated oxindoles in high yields.

Ni P Nanoalloy as an Air-Stable and Versatile Hydrogenation Catalyst in Water: P-Alloying Strategy for Designing Smart Catalysts.

Non-noble metal-based hydrogenation catalysts have limited practical applications because they exhibit low activity, require harsh reaction conditions, and are unstable in air. To overcome these limitations, herein we propose the alloying of non-noble metal nanoparticles with phosphorus as a promising strategy for developing smart catalysts that exhibit both excellent activity and air stability. We synthesized a novel nickel phosphide nanoalloy (nano-Ni P) with coordinatively unsaturated Ni active sites.

Nickel phosphide nanoalloy catalyst for the selective deoxygenation of sulfoxides to sulfides under ambient H pressure.

Exploring novel catalysis by less common, metal-non-metal nanoalloys is of great interest in organic synthesis. We herein report a titanium-dioxide-supported nickel phosphide nanoalloy (nano-Ni2P/TiO2) that exhibits high catalytic activity for the deoxygenation of sulfoxides. nano-Ni2P/TiO2 deoxygenated various sulfoxides to sulfides under 1 bar of H2, representing the first non-noble metal catalyst for sulfoxide deoxygenation under ambient H2 pressure.