Joris and Robert’s paper on the mechanism of the nonenzymatic phosphorylation of pyruvate to phosphoenolpyruvate is published in Chemical Science. The results suggest that a single phosphorylation mechanism could have been sufficient to initiate a self-organized metabolic network. Congrats to all!
Emilie and Silvana’s paper on Fe(III)/ADP-promoted phosphate transfer from acetyl phosphate to nucleotide diphosphates to give nucleotide triphosphate in water is accepted in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Thanks to Robert for jumping in with DFT calculations during revisions. Congrats to all!
Robert’s book chapter summarizing his recent mechanistic work on nonenzymatic analogs of amino acid biosynthesis has been accepted for publication in Advances in Physical Organic Chemistry. Congrats!
Valentyn and Cyprien’s review of new synthetic methods to prepare β-arylethylamines has been accepted for publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. Congrats!
Quentin’s paper showing substantial cooperative effects between pyridoxal and Fe(III) or Al(III) ions in prebiotic transamination reactions is accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Many thanks to Robert for the DFT studies. The last paper from Kamila’s time in the group – the end of an era. Congrats to all!
Cypriens’s paper on isochroman synthesis starting from epoxides in HFIP has been accepted for publication in Chemical Science. Congrats!
Our collaboration with the Tüysüz lab (Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Mülheim) and the Martin lab (Düsseldorf) has yielded its latest publication in Nature Communications. Building on our previous papers from 2018 and 2020, CO2 and H2 is shown to react over awaruite (Ni3Fe) nanoparticles to give acetate and pyruvate at room temperature. The pyruvate can react further under those conditions to give the C5 metabolite citramalate, a reaction paralleling microbial metabolism.
Valentyn and Marie’s paper on the 1,2-aminoarylation of alkenes to directly form unprotected primary amines has been accepted for publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. Our fourth paper in that journal in the past 9 months! Congrats!
Robert’s study on quantitatively comparing the hydride donor ability of the biological cofactors NADH and NADPH with standard reducing agents from organic synthesis was published in Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. Congrats!
Congrats to our DFG postdoctoral fellow Robert J. Mayer, who was recently profiled in Angewandte Chemie. Check it out here.
The Moran Research Group 