Curculio Institute

We report the synthesis of atomically dispersed polynuclear Ag–Co–Mn sites supported on CeZrOx for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by CO (CO-SCR) under O2-rich conditions, overcoming the typical activity-selectivity trade-off of this reaction. This catalytic system achieves >95% NO conversion with 100% N2 selectivity at 250–400 °C under 5 vol % O2. Mechanistic studies reveal that Mn serves as an “electron relay” that facilitates electron flow from Ag to Mn to Co, generating electron-rich Co sites and electron-deficient Ag sites. This charge redistribution effectively enhances the coadsorption of two NO molecules on adjacent Co and Ag sites, where electron transfer from Co and Mn to NO activates the adsorbed NO molecules to form a N2O2 intermediate. This simultaneously weakens O2 adsorption, promoting the reduction of N2O2 to N2O by CO and subsequent N2O dissociation to produce N2. This work demonstrates the synergistic role of multinuclear centers in NOx reduction and offers a strategic approach to designing efficient catalysts for complex reactions.

Three new species from the Caucasus, Caucasusacalles subglobosus Stben sp. nov., Caucasusacalles circularis Stben sp. nov. and Acalles krasnodarensis Stben sp. nov., are described from the Cuacasus (Georgia, Armenia and Russia) and are distinguished from related species based on morphological and molecular data. The new taxa are included in a phylogram and a CO1 distance matrix is given including the closest species from the Caucasus and the Eastern Mediterranean region. A pictorial key to all 21 Caucasian wingless cryptorhynchine species known so far is presented. The striking decline in species diversity among the Cryptorhynchinae from west to eastfrom the Iberian Peninsula to Italy, Greece, Turkey and finally to the Caucasusand from south to north is probably due to the displacement of the forest species that still dominated during the Miocene. After migration across the Strait of Gibraltar, this displacement seems to be the result of drier habitat conditions, the reduction of forest areas in the south-western Mediterranean region and the increase of open landscapes during the Pliocene.

Three new weevil species, Kyklioacalles ocellus Stüben & Astrin, sp. nov., Onyxacalles gibbosus Stüben & Astrin, sp. nov., and Echinodera borjomiensis Stüben & Astrin, sp. nov. are described from the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, and Russia) and are distinguished from related species based on morphological and molecular data. The new taxa are included in a phylogram and a CO1 distance matrix is given including the closest species from the Caucasus and the eastern mediterranean region. Acalles reitteri Meyer, 1896 is transferred to the genus Kyklioacalles as Kyklioacalles reitteri (Meyer, 1896) comb. n. based on both morphological and molecular evidence.

Gaining precise control over the structure and dynamics of matter is still an open challenge, which can give access to architectures of ever-increasing complexity and, hence, to new functional materials with desired physicochemical properties.s/p-hole interactions have garnered significant attention in contemporary research across various domains of supramolecular science and crystal engineering.Each year, a growing number of researches explore the utilization of s/p-phole interactions in materials science.In this context, our focus is on outlining some intriguing examples in s/p-phole bonded functional materials, constructed based on the foundational principles of crystal engineering.Specifically, applications in the field of porous materials, gels and structural stabilization of reactive species (Fig. 1) will be discussed [1-3].Figure 1.Cyanine dyes: synergistic action of hydrogen, halogen and chalcogen bonds allows discrete I -2 anions in crystals

Emerging from the ashes of the 2008 global financial crisis, new regulatory technologies (RegTech) are helping to ease the burden of compliance and lower operational costs and risks for financial institutions (FIs) – fundamentally changing the nature of the financial services industry. At the crux of these changes is the use of new technologies such as compliance as a service (CaaS), to help FIs regulate, monitor, report, and comply. The CaaS model helps regulated businesses meet know your customer and anti-money laundering obligations while eliminating inefficiencies and risks involved in onboarding a customer, e.g. extensive face time with customers, official document checks, and calling government bureaus. This reduces the need for customers to jump through hoops to prove their identity while also improving the entire customer experience. The future of RegTech within the financial industry is defined by the new CaaS model and will see greater adoption in the coming years.

The mature larva and pupa of Graptustriguttatustriguttatus and the mature larva of Peritelussphaeroides are described for the first time. The larvae of Philopedonplagiatum and Tanymecuspalliatus are re-described. Five larval instars were determined in Tanymecus, thereby correcting doubtful data in the literature. The relationship between larval growth, number of larval instars, head width of the mature larva, and the adult weevil is explained using the example of Tanymecus. The nearly constant ratio of subsequent larval instars in head width ratio, termed “growth factor” and derived from Dyar’s ratio, is used for the determination of larval instars. Larval collecting and breeding data are discussed in relation to their significance for the clarification of life-cycles.

The solid-state reactivity among nonporous Cu(ii) second and first sphere adducts has been studied using a multidentate flexible ligand in combination with quantum mechanics.

Cyanostilbene-based derivatives 1-3 were designed, synthesized and fully characterized. By screening their gelating abilities, we observed that the subtle difference in the position of the pyridine nitrogen greatly affected the resulting fluorescence and gelation properties. Notably, 1 was found to be a versatile ambidextrous gelator capable of forming organo-, hydro-, and Cu(ii) specific metallogels. Furthermore, a rare organogel-to-metallogel transformation at room temperature was also observed upon exposure of the 1-DMSO/H2O gel to aqueous Cu(ii). This process, accompanied by colour and fluorescence changes, provides an effective strategy for the preparation of novel sensing soft materials.

In this manuscript we have combined a CSD (Cambridge Structural Database) analysis with theoretical calculations (RI-MP2/def2-TZVP level of theory) to study the importance of polarizability in chalcogen bonding interactions. It is well known that chalcogen bonds are stronger for less electronegative chalcogen atoms, i.e., S < Se < Te, and in the presence of electron-withdrawing substituents at the chalcogen. Herein, we report experimental and theoretical evidence (RI-MP2/def2-TZVP) that the chalcogen bond acceptor (Lewis base) has a preference in some cases for the σ-hole that is opposite to the more polarizable group instead of the more electron withdrawing one, as confirmed by Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) and Bader's theory of "atoms-in-molecules" computational tools.

Halogen bonds drive the self-assembly of 2-iodoethynylpyridine and 2- iodoethynyl-1-methyl-imidazole into discrete supramolecular triangles.