Universität Stuttgart
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Item Open Access Redox-acid/base phase diagrams as an entry to computational redox chemistry(2024) Becker, Patrick M.; Heinze, Katja; Sarkar, Biprajit; Kästner, JohannesThe rapid depletion of fossil fuels and the change from conventional energy supply to so‐called sustainable and renewable energy sources have led to a renaissance of electrochemical, photochemical, and photoelectrochemical methods for chemical synthesis. While drastic experimental improvements have been realized in recent years, systematic computational studies of these types of reactions are, however, rather limited caused by a lack of suitable representations. Herein we present a generalized method to investigate and analyze a chemical system with respect to its redox‐ and acid/base‐properties based on Gibbs free‐energy differences. We represent the results in a clear manner by means of redox-acid/base phase diagrams. Motivated by computational needs, the presented method is a direct link between experimentally measurable values and Gibbs free‐energy profiles, connecting experiment and simulation. Thus, it serves as an entry to systematic computational studies of reactions, which involve a combination of electron transfers and acid/base‐chemical reaction steps, because it enables the representation of both thermodynamic and kinetic properties. The presented method is applied to four exemplary systems: Phenol, dicobaltocenium amine as a proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactant, and two porphyrin Ni II catalysts for the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).Item Open Access Specific DNMT3C flanking sequence preferences facilitate methylation of young murine retrotransposons(2024) Dossmann, Leonie; Emperle, Max; Dukatz, Michael; de Mendoza, Alex; Bashtrykov, Pavel; Jeltsch, AlbertThe DNA methyltransferase DNMT3C appeared as a duplication of the DNMT3B gene in muroids and is required for silencing of young retrotransposons in the male germline. Using specialized assay systems, we investigate the flanking sequence preferences of DNMT3C and observe characteristic preferences for cytosine at the -2 and -1 flank that are unique among DNMT3 enzymes. We identify two amino acids in the catalytic domain of DNMT3C (C543 and V547) that are responsible for the DNMT3C-specific flanking sequence preferences and evolutionary conserved in muroids. Reanalysis of published data shows that DNMT3C flanking preferences are consistent with genome-wide methylation patterns in mouse ES cells only expressing DNMT3C. Strikingly, we show that CpG sites with the preferred flanking sequences of DNMT3C are enriched in murine retrotransposons that were previously identified as DNMT3C targets. Finally, we demonstrate experimentally that DNMT3C has elevated methylation activity on substrates derived from these biological targets. Our data show that DNMT3C flanking sequence preferences match the sequences of young murine retrotransposons which facilitates their methylation. By this, our data provide mechanistic insights into the molecular co-evolution of repeat elements and (epi)genetic defense systems dedicated to maintain genomic stability in mammals.Item Open Access Understanding the temperature-induced decomposition of commercial nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide (LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2) electrodes(2025) Hölderle, Tobias; Baran, Volodymyr; Schökel, Alexander; Westphal, Lea; Stelzer, Robert U.; Niewa, Rainer; Müller‐Buschbaum, Peter; Senyshyn, AnatoliyThis study addresses the thermal degradation and structural stability of the NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide) cathode materials under varying states of charge (SOC)/delithiation and temperature. Using simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis and high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction, the sequential evolution from a layered NaCrS2‐type structure to spinel phases (M3O4‐type and LiM2O4‐type) and finally to a rock salt phase is characterized. Degradation involves cation migration, oxygen release, and lattice instabilities, influenced by SOC/lithium content. Fully lithiated NCA (SOC 0%) exhibits superior thermal stability with a single‐step transition, whereas partially delithiated NCA exhibits a multistep transformation process involving spinel intermediates. These findings highlight the complex interplay between energy density and thermal safety, offering guidance for designing NCA cathodes with optimized performance, safety, and stability for high‐energy lithium‐ion batteries.Item Open Access The impact of donor‐orientation on the emission properties of chlorinated trityl radicals(2025) Arnold, Mona E.; Toews, Robert; Schneider, Lars; Schmid, Jonas; Putra, Miftahussurur Hamidi; Busch, Michael; Groß, Axel; Deschler, Felix; Köhn, Andreas; Kuehne, Alexander J. C.Chlorinated trityl radicals functionalized with electron‐donating groups are promising red‐emitting materials for optoelectronic and spintronic applications, overcoming the spin‐statistical limit of conventional emitters. Donor functionalization induces charge transfer character, enhancing photoluminescence quantum yield, which depends on the donor strength and its orientation. However, donor‐functionalized tris(trichlorophenyl)methyl radicals often show lower quantum yield than their perchlorinated derivatives, likely due to weaker donor‐acceptor electronic coupling and enhanced non‐radiative decay. A novel trityl derivative is presented with two additional chlorines that restrict the orientation of the donor to a nearly perpendicular arrangement toward the trityl plane, minimizing vibronic coupling and non‐radiative losses. Spectroscopic and computational studies reveal that this steric constraint improves the photoluminescence quantum yield compared to the tris(trichlorophenyl)methyl analogs. These findings highlight the potential of donor‐acceptor decoupling to enable efficient, redshifted emission, offering a design strategy for high‐performance radical emitters.Item Open Access Mechanistic insights into the allosteric regulation of the Clr4 protein lysine methyltransferase by autoinhibition and automethylation(2020) Khella, Mina S.; Bröhm, Alexander; Weirich, Sara; Jeltsch, AlbertClr4 is a histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe that is essential for heterochromatin formation. Previous biochemical and structural studies have shown that Clr4 is in an autoinhibited state in which an autoregulatory loop (ARL) blocks the active site. Automethylation of lysine residues in the ARL relieves autoinhibition. To investigate the mechanism of Clr4 regulation by autoinhibition and automethylation, we exchanged residues in the ARL by site-directed mutagenesis leading to stimulation or inhibition of automethylation and corresponding changes in Clr4 catalytic activity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Clr4 prefers monomethylated (H3K9me1) over unmodified (H3K9me0) histone peptide substrates, similar to related human enzymes and, accordingly, H3K9me1 is more efficient in overcoming autoinhibition. Due to enzyme activation by automethylation, we observed a sigmoidal dependence of Clr4 activity on the AdoMet concentration, with stimulation at high AdoMet levels. In contrast, an automethylation-deficient mutant showed a hyperbolic Michaelis–Menten type relationship. These data suggest that automethylation of the ARL could act as a sensor for AdoMet levels in cells and regulate the generation and maintenance of heterochromatin accordingly. This process could connect epigenome modifications with the metabolic state of cells. As other human protein lysine methyltransferases (for example, PRC2) also use automethylation/autoinhibition mechanisms, our results may provide a model to describe their regulation as well.Item Open Access Raising the COx methanation activity of a Ru/γ‐Al2O3 catalyst by activated modification of metal-support interactions(2020) Chen, Shilong; Abdel‐Mageed, Ali M.; Dyballa, Michael; Parlinska‐Wojtan, Magdalena; Bansmann, Joachim; Pollastri, Simone; Olivi, Luca; Aquilanti, Giuliana; Behm, R. JürgenRu/Al2O3 is a highly stable, but less active catalyst for methanation reactions. Herein we report an effective approach to significantly improve its performance in the methanation of CO2/H2 mixtures. Highly active and stable Ru/γ‐Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by high‐temperature treatment in the reductive reaction gas. Operando/in situ spectroscopy and STEM imaging reveals that the strongly improved activity, by factors of 5 and 14 for CO and CO2 methanation, is accompanied by a flattening of the Ru nanoparticles and the formation of highly basic hydroxylated alumina sites. We propose a modification of the metal-support interactions (MSIs) as the origin of the increased activity, caused by modification of the Al2O3 surface in the reductive atmosphere and an increased thermal mobility of the Ru nanoparticles, allowing their transfer to modified surface sites.Item Open Access Structural characterization of surface immobilized platinum hydrides by sensitivity-enhanced 195Pt solid state NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations(2024) Atterberry, Benjamin A.; Wimmer, Erik J.; Klostermann, Sina; Frey, Wolfgang; Kästner, Johannes; Estes, Deven P.; Rossini, Aaron J.Supported single-site platinum hydride compounds are promising heterogeneous catalysts for organic transformations. Few methods exist to describe the structures of single-site Pt catalysts with atomic resolution because of their disordered structures and low Pt loadings. Here, we study the compounds formed when bis(tri-tert-butylphosphino)platinum, Pt(PtBu3)2, is supported on dehydroxylated SiO2 or SiO2-Al2O3. First, we obtain magic angle spinning (MAS) 1H, 31P and 195Pt ssNMR spectra of four model Pt phosphine compounds with oxidation states of 0 or +2 and coordination numbers between 2 and 4. These compounds are analogs of potential structures present in the supported compounds. MAS 195Pt ssNMR spectra were obtained using 31P{195Pt} sideband selective J-resolved and J-HMQC experiments. The measured 1H and 31P chemical shifts, 31P-195Pt J-couplings and 195Pt chemical shift (CS) tensors are shown to be diagnostic of oxidation state and coordination number. Room temperature 1H ssNMR spectra of Pt(PtBu3)2 supported on SiO2 or SiO2-Al2O3 show diagnostic hydride NMR signals, suggesting that Pt(PtBu3)2 undergoes oxidative addition, resulting in surface hydrides and Pt–oxygen bonds to the support surface. MAS dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enables 31P{195Pt} correlation NMR experiments on the supported compounds. These experiments enable the measurement of the 31P-195Pt J-coupling constants and 195Pt CS tensors. Combined NMR and DFT analyses suggest that the primary surface platinum species are [HPt(PtBu3)2OSi] on SiO2 and [HPt(PtBu3)2]+[Si-O--Al] on SiO2-Al2O3. The Pt-oxygen bond length is dependent on the support and estimated as 2.1-2.3 Å and 2.7-3.0 Å for SiO2 and SiO2-Al2O3, respectively.Item Open Access The reactivity of pyridine in cold interstellar environments : the reaction of pyridine with the CN radical(2022) Heitkämper, Juliane; Suchaneck, Sarah; García de la Concepción, Juan; Kästner, Johannes; Molpeceres, GermánThe recent detection of cyclic species in cold interstellar environments is an exciting discovery with yet many unknowns to be solved. Among them, the presence of aromatic heterocycles in space would act as an indirect evidence of the presence of precursors of nucleotides. The seeming absence of these species in the observations poses a fascinating conundrum that can be tackled with computational insights. Whilst many arguments can be given to explain the absence of heterocycles in space, one of the possible scenarios involves fast chemical conversion and formation of new species to be detected. We have tested this hypothesis for the reaction of pyridine with the CN radical to find possible scenarios in which the detectability of pyridine, as an archetypical heterocycle, could be enhanced or diminished via chemical conversions. Using a combination of ab-initio characterization of the reactive potential energy surface and kinetic and chemical simulations, we have established that pyridine does react very fast with CN radicals, estimating that the studied reactions is between 2.5-4.5 times faster in pyridine than in benzene, with a total loss rate constant of 1.33 × 10-9 cm3s-1 at 30 K, with an almost null temperature dependence in the (30-150) K range. Addition reactions forming 1,2,3-cyanopyridine are favored over abstraction reactions or the formation of isocyanides. Besides, for 1 and 2-cyanopyridine there is an increase in the total dipole moment with respect to pyridine, which can help in their detection. However, the reaction is not site specific, and equal amounts of 1,2,3-cyanopyridine are formed during the reaction, diluting the abundance of all the individual pyridine derivatives.Item Open Access Synthesis and thermally and light driven cleavage of an N‐heterocyclic diphosphine with inorganic backbone(2020) Blum, Markus; Feil, Christoph M.; Nieger, Martin; Gudat, DietrichA diphosphine with an unsupported PP bond connecting two carbon‐free “inorganic” 1,3,2,4,5‐diazaphosphadisilolidine rings was prepared by reductive coupling of a P‐chloro‐substituted monocyclic precursor molecule. VT‐EPR studies revealed that the diphosphine exists in solution, like other compounds of this kind, in dynamic equilibrium with the corresponding phosphinyl radicals. Determination of the radical concentration from the EPR spectra permitted to calculate thermochemical parameters for the homolytic PP bond fission. The results disclose that both the enthalpy and entropy of dissociation are higher than in topologically related bi(diazaphospholidines). The impact of the entropy term allows explaining that, regardless of the presence of an energetically rather stable PP bond, the onset of dissociation is observable even at ambient temperature. Irradiation experiments showed that radical formation cannot only be induced thermally, but also by photolysis.Item Open Access The coordination behaviour of CuI photosensitizers bearing multidentate ligands investigated by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy(2020) Rentschler, Martin; Iglesias, Sirma; Schmid, Marie‐Ann; Liu, Cunming; Tschierlei, Stefanie; Frey, Wolfgang; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Karnahl, Michael; Moonshiram, DooshayeA systematic series of four novel homo‐ and heteroleptic CuI photosensitizers based on tetradentate 1,10‐phenanthroline ligands of the type X^N^N^X containing two additional donor moieties in the 2,9‐position (X=SMe or OMe) were designed. Their solid‐state structures were assessed by X‐ray diffraction. Cyclic voltammetry, UV‐vis absorption, emission and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy were then used to determine their electrochemical, photophysical and structural features in solution. Following, time‐resolved X‐ray absorption spectroscopy in the picosecond time scale, coupled with time‐dependent density functional theory calculations, provided in‐depth information on the excited state electron configurations. For the first time, a significant shortening of the Cu−X distance and a change in the coordination mode to a pentacoordinated geometry is shown in the excited states of the two homoleptic complexes. These findings are important with respect to a precise understanding of the excited state structures and a further stabilization of this type of photosensitizers.