The flavonoid-based macroinitiator was received for the first time by the transesterification reaction of quercetin with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide. In accordance with the “grafting from” strategy, a naturally-occurring star-like polymer with a polar 3,3',4',5,6-pentahydroxyflavone core and hydrophobic poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA) side arms was synthesized via a simplified electrochemically mediated ATRP (seATRP), utilizing only 78 ppm by weight (wt) of a catalytic CuII complex. To demonstrate the possibility of temporal control, seATRP was carried out utilizing a multiple-step potential electrolysis. The rate of the polymerizations was well-controlled by applying optimal potential values during preparative electrolysis to prevent the possibility of intermolecular coupling of the growing polymer arms. This appears to be the first report using on-demand seATRP for the synthesis of QC-(PtBA-Br)5 pseudo-star polymers. The naturally-derived macromolecules showed narrow MWDs (Đ = 1.08–1.11). 1H NMR spectral results confirm the formation of quercetin-based polymers. These new flavonoid-based polymer materials may find applications as antifouling coatings and drug delivery systems.

Manganese(II) complex [(Bn-tpen)MnII]2+ activated dioxygen for oxidation of cyclohexene in acetonitrile (MeCN) and methanol (MeOH). In MeCN, ketone (2-cyclohexen-1-one), alcohol (2-cyclohexen-1-ol) and small amounts of epoxide (cyclohexene oxide) were produced in this reaction, while in MeOH only ketone was formed. In the most efficient experiment, the combination of 2.5 × 10−4 mol% [(Bn-tpen)MnII]2+ and 4 M cyclohexene under dioxygen atmosphere (p O2 = 1 atm) in MeCN after 24 h of reaction, gave the TON equal to 716, and the main oxidation products were ketone (196 mM) and alcohol (147 mM), whereas epoxide was formed in insignificant amounts (15 mM). The formation of [(Bn-tpen)MnIV=O]2+ and [(Bn-tpen)MnIII–OH]2+ species was confirmed. The novelty of this work is the observation, that in both solvents, [(Bn-tpen)MnII]2+ complex is initially oxidized by t-BuOOH to produce Mn(III)-complex, which is reduced back by cyclohexene to [(Bn-tpen)MnII]2+, and the latter species is an active catalyst of c-C6H10 oxidation. Knowledge of the electrochemical properties of the system components may contribute to understanding the mechanisms involving participation of the active agents created in the system.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11696-017-0201-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Spontaneity criteria for processes with useful (especially electrical) work have been discussed based on total differentials of thermodynamic functions. Reaction Gibbs energy (Δ r G) and electrochemical reaction Gibbs energy (Δ r G ̃) have been juxtaposed. Three-dimensional graphs showing the dependencies of Δ r G ̃on the extent of reaction (ξ) and the cell voltage (φ R − φ L ), in connection with their sections, enable both coherent and intuitive discussion of equilibrium in electrochemical systems. It was clearly indicated that important, commonly known dependencies can be justified and illustrated using these graphs.

Iron complexes are particularly interesting as catalyst systems over the other transition metals (including noble metals) due to iron’s high natural abundance and mediation in important biological processes, therefore making them non-toxic, cost-effective, and biocompatible. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis mediated by iron as a transition metal have found applications in many industries, including oxidation, C-C bond formation, hydrocarboxylation and dehydration, hydrogenation and reduction reactions of low molecular weight molecules. These processes provided substrates for industrial-scale use, e.g., switchable materials, sustainable and scalable energy storage technologies, drugs for the treatment of cancer, and high molecular weight polymer materials with a predetermined structure through controlled radical polymerization techniques. This review provides a detailed statement of the utilization of homogeneous and heterogeneous iron-based catalysts for the synthesis of both low and high molecular weight molecules with versatile use, focusing on receiving functional materials with high potential for industrial application.

The iron and manganese complexes that activate oxygen atom play multiple role in technologically relevant reactions as well as in biological transformations, in which exist in different redox states. Among them, high-valent oxo intermediate seems to be the most important one. Iron, and/or manganese-based processes have found application in many areas, starting from catalysis and sustainable technologies, through DNA oxidative cleavage, to new substances useful in chemotherapeutic drugs. This review is not only the latest detailed list of uses of homogeneous N-pentadentate iron and manganese catalysts for syntheses of valuable molecules with huge applications in green technologies, but also a kind of "a cookbook", collecting "recipes" for the discussed complexes, in which the sources necessary to obtain a full characterization of the compounds are presented. Following the catalytic activity of metalloenzymes, and taking into account the ubiquity of iron and manganese salts, which in combination with properly designed ligands may show similarity to natural systems, the discussed complexes can find application as new anti-cancer drugs. Also, owing to ability of oxygen atom to exchange in reaction with H2O, they can be successfully applied in photodriven reactions of water oxidation, as well as in chemically regenerated fuel cells as a redox catalyst. Graphical abstract