Rendering classical hydrophilic enantiopure Werner salts [M(en)]nX lipophilic (M/n = Cr/3, Co/3, Rh/3, Ir/3, Pt/4); new chiral hydrogen bond donor catalysts and enantioselectivities as a function of metal and charge.

Known hydrophilic halide salts of the title compounds are converted to new lipophilic BArf- (B(3,5-C6H3(CF3)2)4-) salts. These are isolated as hydrates (Λ- or Δ-[M(en)3]n+nBArf-·zH2O; z = 17-9) and characterized by NMR (acetone-d6) and microanalyses. Thermal stabilities are probed by capillary thermolyses and TGA and DSC measurements (onset of dehydration 71-151 °C).

Mechanical properties of DNA origami nanoassemblies are determined by Holliday junction mechanophores.

DNA nanoassemblies have demonstrated wide applications in various fields including nanomaterials, drug delivery and biosensing. In DNA origami, single-stranded DNA template is shaped into desired nanostructure by DNA staples that form Holliday junctions with the template. Limited by current methodologies, however, mechanical properties of DNA origami structures have not been adequately characterized, which hinders further applications of these materials.