Highlights d Lysine lactoylation occurs via a non-enzymatic acyl transfer from lactoylglutathione d Glycolytic enzymes are heavily modified by lactoylation d Glyoxalase 2 is the critical regulator for lactoylglutathione and lysine lactoylation d Glycolytic output is significantly repressed in glyoxalase 2 knockout cells

A highly enantioselective Strecker reaction of difluoromethyl and trifluoromethyl ketoimines was developed. Remarkable fluorine effect on the reactivity and selectivity is observed and discussed.

A Pd(II)-catalyzed formal [4+1] cycloaddition of aryl diazoacetates and aryl propargyl alcohols is reported to afford 2,5-dihydrofuran derivatives as the dominant product over other traditional ones. The auto-tandem catalytic process is proposed to occur via Pd(II)-catalyzed intermolecular oxonium ylide formation and subsequent intramolecular trapping of the ylide with Pd(II)-activated alkynes.