The spatial arrangement of atoms is directly linked to chemical function. A fundamental challenge in surface chemistry and catalysis relates to the determination of three-dimensional structures with atomic-level precision. Here we determine the three-dimensional structure of an organometallic complex on an amorphous silica surface using solid-state NMR measurements, enabled through a dynamic nuclear polarization surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy approach that induces a 200-fold increase in the NMR sensitivity for the surface species. The result, in combination with EXAFS, is a detailed structure for the surface complex determined with a precision of 0.7 Å. We observe a single well-defined conformation that is folded toward the surface in such a way as to include an interaction between the platinum metal center and the surface oxygen atoms.

The discovery of new catalysts that can generate complex organic compounds via enantioselective transformations is central to advances in the life sciences;i for this reason, many chemists try to discover catalysts that can be used to produce chiral molecules with a strong preference for one mirror image isomer.ii The ideal catalyst should be devoid of precious elementsiii and should bring reactions to completion in a few hours using operationally simple procedures. In this manuscript, we introduce a set of small organic molecules that can catalyze reactions of unsaturated organoboron reagents with imines and carbonyls; the products of the reactions are enantiomerically pure amines and alcohols, which can be used to synthesize more complex, biologically active molecules. A distinguishing feature of this new catalyst class is the presence of a 'key' proton embedded within their structure. The catalyst is derived from the abundant amino acid valine and was prepared in large quantities in four steps using inexpensive reagents. Reactions are scalable, do not demand stringent conditions, and can be performed with as little as 0.25 mol % catalyst in less than six hours at room temperature to generate products in >85% yield and ≥97:3 enantiomeric ratio. The efficiency, selectivity and operational simplicity of the transformations and the range of boron-based reagents render this advance vital to future progress in chemistry, biology and medicine.

DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy is shown to maintain performance over a wide range of sample spinning rates up to 40 kHz.

Mr. Wei-Chih Liao, Mr. Tigran Margossian, Ms. Laura Piveteau, and Dr. Martin Schwarzwalder are acknowledged for many useful discussions.International audienceHyperpolarization by dynamic nuclear polarization relies on the microwave irradiation of paramagnetic radicals dispersed in molecular glasses to enhance the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals of target molecules. However, magnetic or chemical interactions between the radicals and the target molecules can lead to attenuation of the NMR signal through paramagnetic quenching and/or radical decomposition. Here we describe polarizing materials incorporating nitroxide radicals within the walls of the solids to minimize interactions between the radicals and the solute. These materials can hyperpolarize pure pyruvic acid, a particularly important substrate of clinical interest, while nitroxide radicals cannot be used, even when incorporated in the pores of silica, because of reactions between pyruvic acid and the radicals. The properties of these materials can be engineered by tuning the composition of the wall by introducing organic functionalities