Fluorophore plus a macrocyclic polyamine blend into a probe for zinc that is active under physiological conditions. Compound 1 (X=Cl) increased fluorescence intensity 26‐fold upon addition of ZnII, yet is insensitive to other common metals. The probes are active at a range of pH values, most importantly at pH 7. These probes do not need biologically harmful UV irradiation for fluoroescent activity.

Snipping tool: Zn(OTf)2 is an efficient catalyst for selective cleavage of amides bearing a β‐hydroxyethyl group on the nitrogen atom. The mechanism involves an N,O‐acyl rearrangement and transesterification. This new catalytic system can be applied to sequence‐specific peptide bond scission at the amine side of a serine residue. Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonyl.

Addition of catalytic amounts of zinc salts facilitated the hydrogenation of amides catalyzed by a ruthenium complex bearing 2-(diphenylphosphino)ethanamine (L1). The combined catalytic system of the ruthenium complex [RuCl2(L1)2] with a zinc salt such as Zn(OCOCF3)2 mediated hydrogenation of various amides under mild conditions to afford the corresponding primary alcohols.