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Molecular organometallic catalysts typically struggle to activate only one of two identical C–H bonds in arenes for mono-selective C–H activation. Now mono-selectivity has been achieved for Pd(II)-catalysed ortho- or meta-C–H activations using commercial proteins or designed peptides as ligands.

The polarity separation within the carbon-metal bonds of traditional organometallic reagents that endows them with exceptional reactivities also imposes limitations, such as air and moisture sensitivity, and flammability. Here, the authors demonstrate that stable and easily accessible benzylic (or allylic) boronate with mild alkali-metal alkoxide as the activator can act as organometallic reagents.

An electrochemical strategy is described in which the direct carboxylation of pyridines and related N-heteroarenes with CO₂ shows divergent site selectivity depending on the type of reactor used.

An alternating current paired photo-electrocatalysis approach, integrating electrochemistry, ligand-to-metal charge transfer photocatalysis and asymmetric nickel catalysis, enables enantioselective C(sp³)–C(sp²) cross-coupling of alcohols. This approach has high catalytic efficiency and stability, achieving up to 99% enantiomeric excess with broad substrate compatibility, and is suitable for late-stage functionalization of complex molecules.

The development of 3d-metal-catalyzed β-C–H bond activation via 4-membered metallacycles remains an elusive challenge. Here, the authors report a Ni-Al bimetal-catalyzed β-C(sp3)–H bond activation of formamides via 4-membered nickelacycles.

Current wearable and implantable biosensors still face challenges to improve sensitivity, stability and scalability. Here the authors report inkjet-printable, mass-producible core–shell nanoparticle-based biosensors to monitor a broad range of biomarkers.

Although cyclopropanes are found in many natural products, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals, catalytic methods for cyclopropanation with two abundant substrates, mild conditions, high functional group tolerance, and broad scope are still highly desirable. Here, the authors report an intermolecular electrocatalytic cyclopropanation of alkenyl trifluoroborates with methylene compounds.

Gut inflammation and bone loss have previously been linked. Here, the authors show colon-targeted engineered postbiotics can protect the gut and reduce systemic inflammation, which rebalances inflammation disturbed osteoblast-osteoclast levels restoring bone homeostasis.

Haploid embryonic stem cells for cattle and sheep are produced, opening new reproductive possibilities.

Additions to alkenes and alkynes are useful routes for generating highly functionalized products. Here the authors report the 1,1-difunctionalization of alkynes through a CuH-catalysed asymmetric hydroboration/hydroamination cascade.

The report for the multi-carbon homologation of alkynes with CO₂ to construct important non-conjugated alkynyl-containing acids is rare. Herein, the authors report alkynylcarboxylation of alkenes with CO₂ via photoredox and copper dual catalysis, affording non-conjugated alkynyl acids from readily available alkynes, alkenes and CO₂.

Developing skeletal editing tools, especially to realize the single-atom transmutation in a ring system without altering the ring size is challenging. Here, the authors introduce a skeletal editing strategy that enables polycyclic arenols to be readily converted into N-heteroarenes through carbon–nitrogen transmutation.

Pt(ii) complexes allow the fabrication of efficient near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes that operate beyond the 900 nm region.

Direct meta-selective C–H functionalization of pyridines is of paramount importance, but such reactions remain limited and highly challenging. Here, the authors report an electrochemical methodology in which nucleophilic sulfinates allow meta-sulfonylation of pyridines through a redox-neutral dearomatization-rearomatization strategy.

Polygenic scores for body mass index and obesity constructed using data from 5 million people with different ancestries were associated with distinct weight gain trajectories from early childhood to adulthood.

Here the authors reveal a study of 486,956 Han Chinese individuals showing that most people with genetic variants affecting drug response do not have the predicted adverse events, highlighting the challenges of implementing pharmacogenetics in clinical practice.

The combination of gold redox chemistry with electrochemistry is of interest but has limited examples. Here, the authors report an approach for the efficient pi-activation of alkene/alkyne substrates via room temperature gold catalysis under electrochemical conditions.

The O-alkylation of tertiary alcohols with racemic tertiary electrophiles to access chiral hindered dialkyl ethers has remained elusive. Now this synthetic challenge has been accomplished by copper-catalysed C–O cross-coupling between tertiary haloamides and alcohols using designed ligands.

Organic compounds possessing two isoprene units play important roles in chemical industry. Herein, the authors use bulk C5 chemical—isoprene to synthesise various monoterpenoids via a nucleophilic aromatization of monoterpenes under cascade catalysis of nickel and iodine

A noble-metal-free triazatriangulenium photosensitizer captures CO₂ as carbamic acid to boost local concentration to increase reduction efficiency. It achieves 51% quantum yield for CO, and forms amides with 85% atom efficiency even in the absence of solvent.

A genome-wide CRISPR screen helps to identify the Epstein–Barr virus receptor desmocollin 2 for primary epithelial cell infection. Additional infection assays revealed that desmocollin 3 also aids infection.

Metallocene-based phosphines are compounds with potential use in catalysis. Here, the authors report the electrochemical regioselective functionalization of group 8 metallocenes with phosphine oxides; over 60 examples of phosphorylated (benzo)ferrocenes and ruthenocenes can be accessed via this method without the need for a preinstalled directing group.

Whether multimorbidity accelerates brain Aβ deposition in humans remains largely unknown. Here, the authors demonstrate that higher self-reported multimorbidity burden predicts increased brain Aβ accumulation rates in the ADNI cohort.

Although aryl triflates are essential building blocks in organic synthesis, the applications as aryl radical precursors are limited. Here, the authors report an organomediated electrochemical strategy for the generation of aryl radicals from aryl triflates, providing a method for the synthesis of aryl sulfonyl fluorides from feedstock phenol derivatives under very mild conditions.

Axially chiral compounds are commonly found in nature. Here, the authors show the highly enantioselective construction of axially chiral biaryls via an N-heterocyclic carbenes-catalyzed [3+3] atroposelective annulation of ynals with cyclic 1,3-diones.

Orally administrable and glucose-responsive worm-like micelles have been developed to protect insulin in the gastrointestinal tract, enhance its intestinal absorption, accumulate in the liver and enable efficient and safe blood-glucose management.

Chirality has long fascinated chemists, but asymmetric synthesis has largely focused on central, axial, and helical chirality to date. Here, the authors synthesize dianthranilides with planar chirality, via cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed (dynamic) kinetic resolution.

Using synergistic bimetallic catalysis, a general ring expansion strategy has been developed for cross-dimerization between three-membered aza heterocycles and three- and four-membered-ring ketones. This method provides a straightforward and broadly applicable route for the assembly of 3-benzazepinones, dihydropyridinones and uracils, which are versatile units in numerous drugs and biologically active compounds.

Seeded growth methods are used to prepare highly ordered, crystalline semiconducting poly(di-n-hexylfluorene) platelet micelles, which exhibit long-range anisotropic exciton diffusion, particularly along the π–π-stacking direction.

The supra-amphiphiles spontaneously assemble to well-defined nanostructures but control of shape and size of supramolecular nanostructures is still a great challenge. Here the authors demonstrate control over shape and size of self-assemblies by using the recognition motifs of an amphiphilic porphyrin

The present main-stream medical ultrasonic nebulizers contain a usually overlooked health risk of lead exposure as their key components are made of lead-containing piezoceramics. Here the authors introduce a lead-free medical ultrasonic nebulizer, which eliminates lead exposure risk in nebulization therapy and offers a healthy solution for patients.

Synthesis of buckybowls has remained challenging due to the inherent high strain induced by the curvature. Herein, the authors report the synthesis of two bowl-shaped polycyclic aromatics with three chalcogen atoms and three methylene groups embedded at the bay regions of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene and demonstrate guest host complexation with trithiasupersumanene.

In this Perspective, members of the Aging Biomarker Consortium outline the X-Age Project, an Aging Biomarker Consortium plan for building standardized aging clocks in China. The authors discuss the project roadmap and its aims of decoding aging heterogeneity, detecting accelerated aging early and evaluating geroprotective interventions.

Vinyl azides generally act as 3-atom synthon through the fast release of molecular nitrogen, whereas keeping the azide group intact is more challenging. Here, the authors show a copper-catalyzed enantioselective cycloaddition of two types of vinyl azides generating a diverse pool of valuable chiral cyclic azides.

The direct oxygenation of C–C bonds through single-oxygen-atom insertion like the Baeyer-Villiger reaction is of particular significance. Herein, the authors present an approach for the skeletal modification of styrene using O₂ via oxygen insertion, resulting in the formation of aryl ether frameworks under mild reaction conditions.

The synthesis of 2-piperidinone derivatives remains challenging. Here, the authors develop an organophotocatalysed [1 + 2 + 3] strategy to enable the one-step access to diverse 2-piperidinones from ammonium salts, alkenes, and unsaturated carbonyl compounds.

To increase the efficiency, brightness and stability of next-generation light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the microstructure of CsPbI_3-xBr_x metal-halide perovskite, a good pure-red emitter, was altered to fix hole leakage, which was identified as decreasing efficiencies in overworked LEDs.

Desymmetrization of achiral building blocks is one of the most efficient ways to access enantiopure compounds of synthetic relevance. Here, the authors desymmetrize glutarimides with alcohols via an imide C–N bond cleavage under NHC organocatalysis.

Developing efficient strategies to realize divergent arylation of dienes has been a longstanding synthetic challenge. Herein, a nickel-catalyzed divergent Mizoroki–Heck reaction of 1,3-dienes has been demonstrated through the modification of ligands and additives.

Carbyne anions are under explored and poorly understood, owing to their isolation being unknown. Now, the synthesis and isolation of copper phosphinocarbyne anion complexes are reported. Displaying the reactivity of a carbyne anion, these complexes provide access to singlet carbenes, alkenes and ethenimines.

Controlling selectivity between H₂O splitting and CO₂ reduction remains challenging in artificial photosynthesis. Here, the authors report light-driven conversion of Fe to FeCo bimetallic sites in nitroprusside, switching catalytic selectivity from H₂ evolution to CO₂ reduction.

General methods for the synthesis of chiral difluoromethyl cyclopropanes are challenging to develop, despite the increasing importance of this motif in pharmaceuticals. Now, a copper-catalysed desymmetric difluoromethylation method is reported for the modular synthesis of difluoromethyl cyclopropanes with high efficiency and enantioselectivity.

The performance of devices based on fully non-fused ring electron acceptors has been limited due to the low acceptor crystallinity. Here, authors report these acceptors with peripheral substituents that guarantee the planarity of the skeleton, achieving efficiency of 18.04% in organic solar cells.

Cationic polymers conventionally kill bacteria via physical membrane disruptions. Here, the authors report the development of carbon acid cationic polymers that show potent activity against multidrug-resistant strains in murine infection models and prevent bovine mastitis, and present evidence that these polymers translocate across bacterial membrane aided by N-heterocyclic carbene.

A method based on boron-mediated assembly is described for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted alkenes, molecules with four substituents around the central C=C bond, with complete control over the double-bond geometry.

Selective defluorinative functionalization is a synthetic route to pharmaceutically important fluorine-containing compounds but activation of inert C–F bonds remains challenging. Here the authors report activation of di-or trifluoromethylated arenes for radical C–N coupling with carbazoles and aromatic amines using photoexcited copper catalysis.

The catalytic asymmetric benzylations of prochiral nucleophiles are very limited. Here, the authors disclose an asymmetric α−benzylation of N-unprotected amino acids with benzyl alcohol derivatives by a chiral aldehyde-involved catalytic system.

The synthesis of drug-like saturated cycloalkanes is more complex than their two-dimensional aromatic analogues. A formidable challenge lies in synthesizing all isomers of multi-substituted cycloalkanes. Now a cobalt-catalysed system enables diastereodivergent hydroalkylation of substituted methylenecyclohexanes with exceptional versatility. Strategic manipulation of ligands provides access to all isomers of disubstituted cyclohexanes, piperidines and multi-substituted cyclohexanes.