Methane functionalization in water with micellar catalysis

The functionalization of methane in water as the reaction medium (where it is nearly insoluble) at room temperature using micellar catalysis is described. Aggregates are formed from surfactant molecules and act as methane concentrators, also trapping the catalyst (a silver-based complex) and the diazo reagent (ethyl diazoacetate, EDA), providing yields of ethyl propionate up to 14% (referred to as EDA). This is the first example of methane being functionalized in water at room temperature.We thank MINECO for support with Grants CTQ2014-52769- C03-01, CTQ2017-82893-C2-1-R and CTQ2014-62234-EXP and Junta de Andalucía for Grant P12-FQM-1765. R. G. also thanks MINECO for a FPI fellowship

Improving Catalyst Activity in Hydrocarbon Functionalization by Remote Pyrene–Graphene Stacking

A copper complex bearing an N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand with a pyrene “tail” attached to the backbone has been prepared and supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The free and supported copper materials have been employed as homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts in the functionalization of hydrocarbons such as n‐hexane, cyclohexane, and benzene through incorporation of the CHCO2Et unit from ethyl diazoacetate. The graphene‐anchored complex displays higher reaction rates and induces higher yields than its soluble counterpart, features that can be rationalized in terms of a decrease in electron density at the metal center due to a remote net electronic flux from the supported copper complex to the graphene surface.The authors would like to thank the financial support of the MINECO (CTQ2017-82893-C2-1-R and CTQ2015-69153-C2-2- R), Junta de Andalucía (P12-FQM-1765) and Universitat Jaume I (UJI-B2018-23). D. V-E thanks the MINECO for a grant (FPU15/03011). The authors thank the ‘Servei Central d’Instrumentació Científica (SCIC)’ of the Universitat Jaume I

Protein traffic is an intracellular target in alcohol toxicity

Eukaryotic cells comprise a set of organelles, surrounded by membranes with a unique composition, which is maintained by a complex synthesis and transport system. Cells also synthesize the proteins destined for secretion. Together, these processes are known as the secretory pathway or exocytosis. In addition, many molecules can be internalized by cells through a process called endocytosis. Chronic and acute alcohol (ethanol) exposure alters the secretion of different essential products, such as hormones, neurotransmitters and others in a variety of cells, including central nervous system cells. This effect could be due to a range of mechanisms, including alcohol-induced alterations in the different steps involved in intracellular transport, such as glycosylation and vesicular transport along cytoskeleton elements. Moreover, alcohol consumption during pregnancy disrupts developmental processes in the central nervous system. No single mechanism has proved sufficient to account for these effects, and multiple factors are likely involved. One such mechanism indicates that ethanol also perturbs protein trafficking. The purpose of this review is to summarize our understanding of how ethanol exposure alters the trafficking of proteins in different cell systems, especially in central nervous system cells (neurons and astrocytes) in adult and developing brains